Rancho Latigo, in California’s Santa Ynez Valley, Is a Turn-Key Estate with Lots of Room to Roam

Listing of the Day

Location Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara, California

Price: $45 million

There are not many properties like this one that still exists in California, said Erik Gregersen, of the Santa Barbara Land Trust, in the promotional video for this sprawling ranch in the Santa Ynez Valley, surrounded by an unusually large parcel of approximately 4,700 acres of land.

If you were to ride the fence line along the property on a horse, it would take from six in the morning to six at night, said owner Fred Steck, formerly of Goldman Sachs, who bought the land in 1999, building a Mexican colonial mansion, and magnificent equestrian facilities, on it in an effort to fulfill his childhood dream of being a cowboy.

Stats

The Rancho Latigo house itself is about 12,000 square feet, with six bedrooms and 11 bathrooms. There is a separate three- bedroom, two-bathroom guest house on the property and a caretaker's building of about 6,500 square feet.

More:Discovery Channel Founder Lists Remote Ranch for $149 Million

Design pedigree

The house, designed by renowned ranch architect David L. Leavengood, took four years to construct at great expense. It is not easy to build something in such a remote area, said agent Georgina Jacobson, a sales associate affiliated with the Newport Beach office of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage.

The floors and beams use reclaimed wood, making the home, though large, "warm and inviting so it doesn’t feel cavernous,"  Ms. Jacobson said. There are large outdoor entertaining areas with an outdoor fireplace in hand-cut Oklahoma stone to entertain guests and throw parties, while the gourmet kitchen can serve many people, with restaurant-grade appliances. This includes a Lacanche French range cooker, Miele dishwashers, copper sinks, SubZero fridge and freezer, a butler’s pantry and pizza oven.

Everywhere you look are the views, "as far as the eye can see you have got rolling hills and beautiful landscapes,"  Ms. Jacobson said, including from the tub in the his-and-hers master bathroom, made of a slab of marble.

This is a "turnkey" home, she added, unusual and particularly appealing in an area where typically, houses are older and need to be renovated.

More:A Modern Ranch on 530 Acres of Land Near Aspen

Amenities

The master suite has his-and-hers closets, as well as bathrooms. The house also has a media room, gym, and wine cellar for 10,000 bottles. Outside is a pool with a 25-yard lap lane, tennis courts and extensive equestrian facilities. A covered arena is 23,000 square feet, there are seven acres of paddocks and pastures and a 10,000-square-foot state-of-the-art, 11-stall barn.

For guests who would rather not drive, there’s a helipad that fits three helicopters.

Neighborhood notes

Santa Ynez Valley is one of only two east-west running valleys in California, so here you get particularly beautiful weather, the cool breeze at night without the fog during the day.

The vast acreage, where, Mr. Steck said, you can find every sort of wildlife native to California, is considered an environmental treasure and is protected. You will never have anyone building on the land and spoiling the views.

Walking trails for hiking or riding surround the home, which is only 40 minutes from the beaches of Santa Barbara, two hours from Los Angeles and four hours from San Francisco.

Agent: Georgina Jacobson, affiliated with the Newport Beach office of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. The property is co-listed with Ann Abernathy, Ranch Marketing Associates.

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