When real estate agent Nina Kurtz thinks of “the dream of California living,” she pictures something “aesthetically inspiring” that seamlessly blends indoor and outdoor living.
The epitome of that lifestyle? A Joseph Eichler-developed house, she told Homes.com.
“Eichler homes are the dream of California living,” she said.
Now, Kurtz is selling one such home in Thousand Oaks, and she says it’s a “rare opportunity” for an Eichler enthusiast or someone seeking the California dream.
The four-bedroom, two-bathroom house, located at 1542 Campbell Ave., hit the market last week with a $1.7 million price tag, according to a listing on Homes.com. It’s just shy of 2,000 square feet and includes a newly replastered pool and several mature fruit trees.
“It’s a dream home for anybody that wants to have that California lifestyle,” Kurtz said, “which is all of us really.”
Eichler developed midcentury modern homes across California
As a developer, Eichler partnered with architects and built some 11,000 midcentury modern homes between the 1950s and the 1970s. Most of his developments were in Northern California, but he also left his mark in Southern California.
In Thousand Oaks, there are roughly 100 Eichler homes, Kurtz said.
More than just his signature midcentury modern look, though, Eichler is also known for making his homes affordable and accessible.
“You could never dare to dream to be in a space that beautiful at that price point,” Kurtz said of the developments.
Decades later, the homes are still standing. Though there are replicas that mimic Eichler’s style, owning an original is coveted, according to Kurtz.
“It’s something that sometimes, when somebody hears that something becomes available, it gets snapped up right away, and it doesn’t even hit the market publicly,” she said. “It’s an honor to own one of these. It’s like having a rare piece of art. Like a classic guitar. They just don’t make more of it.”
It's a house that embodies the California lifestyle
That said, it can take some extra work to maintain Eichler homes, especially those with original details, such as heated flooring and glass walls.
“It’s kind of like maintaining a classic car,” Kurtz said. “You just have to think about the special parts.”
While the Thousand Oaks property has some of those quirks, the seller has also made updates that make it easier to maintain the house while still upholding its original character.
“You’re not living in a time machine. It’s not something that has been untouched,” Kurtz explained. “Everything that’s been restored has been so thoughtfully restored with the original aesthetic intention in mind.”
All told, the home affords its next owner not only a residence but a lifestyle, according to Kurtz.
“To be able to wake up in the space where the light is so beautiful and the sun is rising,” she said, “and then come in the evening and have a martini poolside with the glowing blue pool and the groovy feel of the kind of glowy outside and the iconic sunsets, it’s a great day.”