Anchor Down: Rare Floating Home in Santa Barbara Surfaces for $4.9M

Many spectacular Santa Barbara, CA, homes have water views, but only a handful actually sit on the water.

Meet The Thomas Jefferson, which has proudly floated in Santa Barbara Harbor since 1971. The one-of-a-kind, buoyant beauty is listed for $4.9 million.

“It’s grandfathered in and was an incredibly delicate process to get it where it is,” says Bryony Atkinson, one of three listing agents, along with Patti Ruben and Alan Melkonyan. “We’ve heard from people that even though we have some insanely good photos, it is even more beautiful in person.”

The current owners bought it a few years ago and completely updated the 1,290-square-foot space.

“They took it down to the studs and rebuilt it off site,” Atkinson says. Then they “brought it back and put it back on its floating foundation.”

The result is a remodeled residence with two bedrooms, one bathroom, and fine craftsmanship.

“Many homes do not have this kind of storage that is thoughtfully placed in a way that a person wants. … It’s kind of amazing,” Ruben says.

The home has all of the mechanicals it would on land, along with a waste tank that requires pumping. Residents can park their cars in the marina and walk down the dock to the home.

“My first thought when I saw it was amazement,” Melkonyan recalls. “As soon as I stepped in, I remembered my high school teacher saying ‘Measure twice, cut once.’ That slogan lives throughout this house. You can see that in every single line of the house. It is remarkable craftsmanship.”

As for the name? Well, that came with the house.

The owner “considered changing it many times and has a lengthy list of fun ideas but wanted to pay homage to the original,” Ruben says.

The layout has a rooftop deck with seating that offers front-row views of  the ocean, mountains, and neighboring bevy of yachts.

Ruben says the home has attracted attention from a range of would-be buyers. She notes that there are both potential full-time residents and vacationers looking at the place.

“I think what all of those buyers are going to share is that they don’t live in the past,” Melkonyan says. They don’t live in the future. They live in the present—that’s going to be the buyer, someone that’s constantly in the present, because that’s all you’re able to feel when you’re there.”

Patti Ruben and Alan Melkonyan are with Sotheby’s International Realty. Bryony Atkinson is with Maisonre.

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