Beautiful, custom-built, ranch-style Ojai home for rent!
Set on approximately one acre on Creek Road, this ranch-style home offers three bedrooms, office, two bathrooms, and a large, attached garage. From this great location, you can commute to Ventura and beyond, and you are just a short drive from the shops, restaurants, schools, art galleries and all that downtown Ojai offers. The owners pay for landscaping maintenance. There is a guest house separate from the main house that is not included and is occupied by one of the owners. Rent: $4,800 per month Security Deposit: $4,800 Contact Nora today for more information or an application.
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Peppers are incredibly easy to grow, which makes them a good choice for beginner gardeners and seasoned gardeners alike. You can grow them in the ground, in raised beds, or in containers on your patio. I even have some growing in my dining room in a hydroponic system. If you were inspired to start or expand your vegetable garden after last month’s column, now might be the time to consider adding peppers to your garden plan. Now is the perfect time to plant peppers, which can be grown as perennials in this area. This means that if you are not growing them in containers that you can move around, make sure you pick a spot where they can stay and provide you with fresh peppers for years to come. To make sure your pepper plants will be happy, choose a spot that receives at least six hours of sun per day. Once you have picked a sunny spot for your peppers, the next step is choosing which varieties to grow. Do you prefer sweet peppers like bell peppers, cherry peppers, or banana peppers? Or do you prefer hot peppers like habaneros, jalapeños, or serranos? You may want to grow a combination of sweet peppers and hot peppers to better suit your tastes. It might sound fun to grow a super-hot variety – like Carolina reapers or ghost peppers – but I don’t recommend these for folks new to growing peppers, since you need to adhere to safety protocols when growing some peppers that fall high on the Scoville scale. Peppers can be easily grown from seeds or seedlings. Seedlings are always a good idea for beginner gardeners, since you get a head start on growth and can find varieties that you know will thrive in your area by purchasing them from a local garden center. If you are starting from seeds right now, you can plant them directly in your garden. If you live in an area that freezes, you will need to wait until after the last frost in future years. Alternatively, you can start the seeds indoors, and then transplant them to your garden in late spring. To plant your peppers, mix compost into the soil and space the plants about 18 inches apart. I like to support my peppers with stakes or tomato cages, but this is not absolutely necessary. After planting, keep the soil moist while your plants get established. Once established, you should be able to give your plants one good watering per week in most cases. Peppers grown in containers will need more frequent watering, and you will need to provide your plants with supplemental watering during the hotter weeks of summer. You can help your peppers thrive by adding a few inches of mulch around each plant. This will help with soil moisture retention and blocking weeds that will compete with your peppers for water and nutrients. When it is time to harvest, use garden or kitchen shears to cut the peppers from the plant. You can then store them in the refrigerator for about a week, or you can freeze chopped peppers for a few months. AimeeJo Davis-Varela is a freelance writer specializing in real estate, sustainable home improvement, eco-friendly landscaping, green living and travel writing. She is also the owner of Mind Your Manors, which provides second home management services.
This two-bedroom, one-bathroom cabin could be the perfect mountain retreat for a buyer looking to get away from the city on weekends or enjoy a simpler lifestyle.
Surrounded by wilderness, this Matilija Canyon home offers a peaceful setting with a large, covered front porch, spacious living room, wood-burning Ben Franklin-style stove, country kitchen with a dining area, and wood-beam, vaulted ceilings. There are also two wells: one full-time well and one seasonal well. Enjoy miles of hiking trails, nearby hot springs, amazing mountain views and the tranquility of the canyon just a short drive from shopping, dining, entertainment, or the beach. This home is located approximately nine miles from downtown Ojai, making it a great option for a buyer looking for country living close to town. See more photos and learn more about this Matilija Canyon cabin for sale on the property information page. Within walking distance of all that Oak View has to offer and just a short drive from downtown Ojai and Lake Casitas, this is a great location for folks who want to enjoy the Ojai Valley lifestyle while also having easy access to Ventura and Santa Barbara.
Outside, enjoy amazing mountain and vineyard views, certified wildlife habitat landscaping, and a spacious outdoor living area with a covered patio and plenty of room for entertaining. Inside, exposed-beam ceilings and built-ins add to the home’s charm while the large windows allow in natural light and beautiful views. The refreshed kitchen features a breakfast bar, walk-in pantry, tile floor and counters, and access to an adjacent laundry room with a sink and powder room. The open floor plan and large dining room make everyday living and entertaining comfortable and convenient. Plus, you can walk to restaurants, markets, the post office, donut shop, local coffee shop, and more from your new Oak View home. To see more photos and learn more about this home for sale in Oak View, visit the property information page. This gated, 16+ acre Ojai ranch for sale offers privacy and plenty of space to spread out with four bedrooms, two offices, formal living room, great room, formal and casual dining, large laundry room with office area, and multi-room master suite. The great room and formal living room each offers vaulted ceiling, fireplace, and French doors leading to outdoor living areas. The remodeled kitchen features a Wolf range, Sub-Zero refrigerator and freezer, wine refrigerator, breakfast bar, island with produce sink, and ample counter and cabinet space. The master suite is a welcome retreat at the end of the day with a sitting room, bedroom, walk-in closet, balcony with gorgeous views, and en suite bathroom with soaking tub, separate shower, and bidet. Outside, enjoy approximately 15 acres of avocados, a spacious, covered patio with an outdoor kitchen, an expansive deck with amazing views, lighted tennis court refinished in 2020, approximately 3,000-square-foot shop, and the lush lawn that surrounds the home. Features include:
Four bedrooms + two offices Three full bathrooms, two half bathrooms Approximately 4,200+ square feet of living space Vaulted ceiling and brick fireplace in great room Formal living room with fireplace Remodeled kitchen with breakfast bar, Wolf range Separate Sub-Zero refrigerator and freezer Wine refrigerator Formal dining room Soaking tub, walk-in closet in master bedroom Laundry and mudroom with office area Central vacuum system Soft water system and carbon filtration system Ample space to spread out and enjoy country living Security system Located on 16+ acres Gated entry Approximately 1,000-square-foot, attached garage Car lift Separate, approximately 3,000-square-foot workshop Tennis court refinished in 2020 Avocado orchard Balcony with views off master bedroom Spacious entertaining deck with amazing views Covered patio with outdoor kitchen Fountain with brick walkway Lush lawn and well-manicured landscaping 2020 roof and gutters Short drive to shops, restaurants, and farmers market Short drive to Lake Casitas To see more photos or read more about this Ojai home for sale with tennis court, workshop, and views, visit the property information page. To schedule a private showing, contact Nora Davis today! Spring is here, and if you did not already start a vegetable garden while you were stuck at home for the last year, now is a great time to do so. Food you grow at home is fresher and more nutrient dense than grocery store produce. Plus, you cannot get any more local than your backyard, which means you can reduce your carbon footprint while enjoying the added benefit of knowing exactly how your food was grown and what products were used to grow it. If you are interested in growing some of your own food but have not yet dabbled in backyard vegetable gardening, here are six tips to get you started. 1. Choose the right spot. Most food plants do best with at least six hours of sun each day. It is best to choose a spot that receives morning sun but has a bit of shade to protect your plants from the afternoon heat. If possible, also choose a spot that is protected from the wind. 2. Choose your garden format. Choosing raised garden beds or container gardening allows you to better control the structure and content of the soil. These options generally also mean less weeding and may make gardening a little easier on your body. Or, if you have furry family members like mine, growing in raised beds and containers will keep your dogs from peeing on your food plants all the time. Alternatively, growing in the ground does not require purchasing planters or materials to build beds and may ultimately allow for more gardening space. 3. Determine what to grow. Growing food in a typical backyard garden is not going to replace trips to the grocery store or farmers market to stock up on produce. So, the best plan for beginner gardeners is to grow something that you eat a lot of or that is more expensive at the grocery store. For example, I like to grow some foods that are significantly more expensive when buying organic, since I can grow everything organically in my backyard. If you have never grown food before, start with something easy, like tomatoes, peppers, radishes, carrots, or just about any herb. For each of the plants you grow, you will need to research common pests and diseases, how best to care for them, what kind of support or protection they need, and whether it is best to start that particular plant from seeds or opt for seedlings. Therefore, it is best to start with just a few varieties while you are learning the basics of vegetable gardening. 4. Put it on paper. Making a garden plan helps you determine which and how many seeds and plants to purchase and where you are going to plant them. This is an opportunity to research which plants grow well together, how much space each plant will need, and the best time to plant different types of food plants. You can also use this planner to record planting dates and can refer to it next year to make sure you are rotating your crops properly. 5. Label the rows. Labeling your plants or rows of the same plant will help you easily identify them, know how much water each row needs, know the planting date, and know when it is time to harvest. I use paint stir sticks for this, since they are biodegradable and you can purchase them inexpensively in bulk. Write the type of plant, planting date and prospective harvest date on the row marker, and then stick it in the soil to mark the row. 6. Learn from local gardeners. As things begin to open again, keep an eye out for local gardening classes and workshops offered at the Ojai Community Demonstration Garden behind City Hall, Ojai’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture, Quail Springs Oasis & Permaculture Farm in Cuyama Valley, UC Hansen Agricultural Center at Faulkner Farm in Santa Paula, or Ventura College. You can also call the local Master Gardener Helpline at (805) 645-1455 with gardening questions and to learn about available gardening classes and resources. AimeeJo Davis-Varela is a freelance writer specializing in real estate, sustainable home improvement, eco-friendly landscaping, green living and travel writing. She is also the owner of Mind Your Manors, which provides second home management services.
As we move away from the rainy season (or not-so-rainy season) and the temperature begins to rise, it is time to prepare our homes for the next season. So, as you make your to-do list for this year’s spring cleaning, be sure to include these five home maintenance tasks to help you start the season right. 1. Service your HVAC system. It is a good idea to change your filters and service your HVAC system at least twice a year: once before winter when you will be using your heater more and once before summer when you will be using your air conditioner. Most homeowners can change their filters, but you should hire a local professional to service the system. 2. Clean and repair window screens and screen doors. As the weather warms up, you will likely be leaving your windows open more often to allow the fresh air and cool breeze to move through your home. So, spring is the perfect time to remove your screens, clean them with water and a mild detergent, allow them to air dry, and then reinstall them. While you are cleaning them, look for bent frames or holes in the screens. Even a tiny hole will allow insects to enter your home, so hire a handyman to repair them or pick up a screen repair kit at ACE Hardware to fix the holes yourself. If you are having your windows cleaned as part of your spring cleaning, make sure your window washer includes cleaning the screens. 3. Clean your gutters. Clogged gutters and downspouts do not function properly, attract critters and can result in damage to your home. Therefore, as the rainy season comes to an end, it is time to have them cleaned. Remember, in areas like Ojai, we keep our gutters clean to prevent damage from both water and fire, since dried debris can easily catch fire from errant sparks. 4. Clean your refrigerator coils. Cleaning your refrigerator coils is an easy home maintenance task, but most of us forget to do it on a regular basis. In most homes, it is a good idea to vacuum the coils about every six months, but if you share your home with furry friends, you will want to do it more often. So, while you are giving the interior of your refrigerator a thorough scrub down as part of your spring-cleaning routine, don’t forget to clean the coils as well. 5. Check your irrigation system. We are all about to start using our automatic irrigation systems more as the temperature rises and we move towards summer. This makes spring the perfect time to make sure your system does not have leaks and is functioning properly. If you have a landscape maintenance company that cares for your property, you can ask them to check the system for you. If you do not, you can check the system yourself. Manually run the system through all of the zones and walk through your property to check for leaks. While you are doing your walk-through, look for broken sprinkler heads and adjust any sprinkler heads that are spraying your driveway, sidewalks, fences, or structures. Irrigation leaks can waste a lot of water and cause a significant increase in your water bill, so be sure to check your system regularly. AimeeJo Davis-Varela is a freelance writer specializing in real estate, sustainable home improvement, eco-friendly landscaping, green living and travel writing. She is also the owner of Mind Your Manors, which provides second home management services.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), one in every 10 homes has leaks that waste at least 90 gallons of water per day. Across the country, we are wasting about one trillion gallons every year – just from minor water leaks. Every home is going to get a water leak at some point, which is going to increase your water bill, possibly result in a fine, and, of course, waste water. So, let’s go over some basic questions about water leaks to help you identify and handle a leak quickly. Whose responsibility is it to repair a leak? If the leak is at the street, it might be on the water company’s side of the meter, so you will need to call your water company right away so that they can assess the situation and complete a repair. If the leak is on your side of the meter, it is your responsibility to repair it. How do I know if I have a water leak? If you see standing water in an area where standing water shouldn’t be or an active drip coming from a faucet, this is an obvious indicator that you might have a leak. This also helps you quickly pinpoint the location of the leak so that you can address it right away. It would be great if all leaks were this easy to identify and find, but most are not. Sometimes, you may not see any indication of a water leak until you see an increase in your water bill. If you suspect a water leak, one way you can check is to turn all of the water off in your house and on your property. Then, go to your water meter and look for the low-flow indicator. If the low-flow indicator is spinning when all of the water is turned off, you have a leak. What do I do if I have a water leak? The easiest thing to do is to turn off the water and call your plumber or landscaper so they can come find it and repair it. If you have a serious leak, do not wait for your plumber or landscaper to arrive. Turn the water off as soon as possible. This is easiest if you have a customer service valve, which is located on your side of the meter and allows you to turn off the water to your entire property. If you do not have a customer service valve, I recommend installing one. For smaller leaks, you may be able to locate the leak and turn off the water just to that area. If your meter is spinning but you do not see standing water, start with your irrigation system. When one of my clients has a leak, it is almost always in their irrigation lines. Turn on all of the zones and walk your property to look for leaking sprinkler heads or drip lines. When you find it, turn off the valve going to that area until you can get the leak repaired. If the culprit is a leaky faucet or toilet, turn the water supply off at that location. This allows you to continue to use the water in the rest of your house while stopping the leak until you (or a handyman or plumber) can repair it. You may also locate interior water leaks by listening for water dripping or looking for wet spots in drywall or inside cabinets. If you hear water trickling in the walls or find moist, soft spots in your wall or ceiling, turn off the water going into your house until you can arrange for a repair. AimeeJo Davis-Varela is a freelance writer specializing in real estate, sustainable home improvement, eco-friendly landscaping, green living and travel writing. She is also the owner of Mind Your Manors, which provides second home management services.
From the marble tile entry, step down into the formal dining room or to the living room with a see-through fireplace shared with the family room.
The open floor plan then leads to the kitchen with breakfast nook, island, lots of cabinets and quartz composite counter space, breakfast bar, tile floor and backsplash, and a cooktop, refrigerator and dishwasher installed in 2020. French doors lead into the spacious master suite with a gas fireplace, raised platform for your bed or a seating area, and an en suite bath with a walk-in closet, dual-sink vanity, separate lavatory and shower, and a jetted soaking tub. French doors lead from the master suite to the patio, and a separate door leads to a private yard with a pond and waterfall. Two of the three guest bedrooms share a bathroom, and there is another guest bath in the hall. Outside, there is a large, covered patio for outdoor entertaining, a beautiful deck with amazing mountain views, plenty of space for a garden or more fruit trees, and an above-ground hot tub. Other features include owned solar, 2019 roof, two Nest thermostats, and a laundry room between the house and the two-car garage, which has an electric vehicle charger. See more photos and learn more on the property information page. Take off your boots and stay a while at this spacious country home with plenty of room to spread out.
Four bedrooms, plus two offices offer flexible spaces for a home office, homeschooling room, craft room, yoga studio, playroom or game room. Pass the solar-powered entry gate and arena as you head down the long driveway to find an over-sized, two-car garage, RV parking and plenty of guest parking. A large entertaining deck at the main entry overlooks the arena and grass area, while the family entry has a mud room area and is conveniently close to the laundry room for shedding the outside world before settling in in front of the river rock fireplace in the living room or heading to the country kitchen to make dinner. Covered corrals and a turnout area are found beyond the large, separate workshop, and there is a tall retaining wall at the back of the property, which borders a seasonal creek. There is also on-grid solar, mature trees and landscaping, perimeter fencing and mountain views. To see more photos and learn more about this Oak View horse property for sale, visit the property information page. To schedule a showing, contact Nora Davis today. |
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