In the 1900s, a church was built in the California forest and a home for the minister next door.
But now, the only flock here are the birds in the trees in this private getaway.
By the end of the century, both properties had been converted into residences. Now, they’re for sale together.
“The historical significance of the property and how old it is with the Craftsman-style architecture makes it a one-of-a-kind property,” listing agent Ross Bostock of Vanguard Properties said in an interview.
The two houses in Occidental are listed for just shy of $1.3 million, according to Homes.com. Real estate agent Greggory Onzo-Tasher of Vanguard Properties also holds the listing.
The properties are more than their history and architecture, Bostock said, noting that his clients spent years renovating and upgrading both. While the spaces still maintain their historical feel, they now tout modern designs and amenities.
Bostock said the clients originally purchased the main house, formerly the church, in 2018 as a part-time getaway from their home in San Francisco. Homes.com data shows the property sold for $600,000.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, they moved there full time and started renovating. “They never went back to the city,” Bostock said. And in 2023, they bought the former parsonage and got to work updating the space.
“They took it down to the studs to bring it to where it’s at today, which is just a more modern, light and bright bungalow,” Bostock said. “It complements the church well because the church still has a moody aesthetic to it, and the parsonage now has more of a modern, light, bright aesthetic to it.”
An appeal to nature fans and history lovers
The upgraded property is seeking a new steward, and Bostock said the potential buyer pool is vast.
It could be a local full-time resident looking for a new home, according to Bostock, or a buyer from the Bay Area in search of a second one. The properties could also be used as short-term rentals.
“I’ve seen people who are interested as a primary eventually but aren’t going to move into it full time right away,” he said. “I’ve seen people looking at it for a second home, and I’ve seen people interested in it as a potential investment opportunity.”
Of that expansive crowd, though, there are two types of buyers who may be especially interested in the listing: nature lovers and people who want to live in a church.
Not only does the property itself offer buyers access to privacy and nature — a rare attribute for the area, according to Bostock — but it’s also near other natural attractions.
“You're basically set in between the Russian River wine country and the Pacific Ocean,” Bostock said of the property’s location. “You’re literally within 15 minutes of all of this amazing outdoor lifestyle that people love about the area.”
At the same time, there’s a subset of buyers seeking historical properties, including churches, he said.
“I’m sure there are people out there who would be creeped out by it, and they won’t be the ones to buy it,” he said. “But there are people out there who actually really love the idea that it used to be a church.”