Laxson Associates l Rancho Santa Fe

Montecito is one of the three "Villages of Rancho Santa Fe". A gated community, Montecito was constructed in 1984, the same time as the Olympic Equestrian endurance event was hosted at nearby Fairbanks Ranch Golf Course. Builder Ray Watt developed these 36 Spanish Mediterranean homes, some of which are cantilevered on the bluff overlooking the Fairbanks Country Club and horse facilites below.

The three floor plans range from 2,200 to 3,000 square feet and are located on almost 25 acres of prime view property. There are monthly homeowner's association dues which pay for a community pool and fitness center.

If you are interested in buying or selling a home in Montecito of Rancho Santa Fe, contact us at (858) 245-9905.

One of my favorite restaurants in San Diego County is Mille Fleurs in Rancho Santa Fe. Mille Fleurs has been a favorite of mine since the mid-1980s, when I discovered it while teaching at the Rancho Santa Fe School. Not on my budget as a teacher, but one of my student's parents treated my family to an "end of the school year" dinner there and I have been a frequent visitor for over 20 years. Recently remodeled, Mille Fleurs has not lost the charm that attracted me long ago and has garnered numerous awards including: "Top 25 in America" from Food & Wine Magazine "Far and away the best restaurant sampled in greater San Diego" quoted in The New York Times as well as "Best French" and "Best of the Best" in San Diego Magazine.

Mille Fleurs is nestled in the heart of the historic and charming village of Rancho Santa Fe, four miles east of the coastal town of Del Mar. Mille Fleurs offers delicious food with extraordinary French flair and an entertaining piano bar, where locals hang out. The newly remodeled French country décor, with inviting outside patio, provides an atmosphere that is gracious, comfortable and perfect for enjoying an afternoon or evening respite. The extensive wine cellar offers over seven hundred choices spanning the globe and varying in price. Chino's Family Farm, a world renowned vegetable garden, is approximately a mile from the restaurant and supplies Mille Fleurs with the choicest fruits and most unusual baby vegetables and produce in all of California. You will never get bored with the menu, because Mille Fleurs' lunch and dinner menus change daily, and you never know what specials the Chef has prepared for the day.

With our Coldwell Banker Rancho Santa Fe office around the corner; the prospect of celebrating the purchase or sale of a home with my Rancho Santa Fe clients over lunch or dinner is a welcome one! Mille Fleurs is located at 6009 Paseo Delicias across from the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe.

Delicious food... wonderful ambiance... worthy of any celebration and did I mention it is rumored that Wolfgang Puck dines here? Enough said... simply the best!

HACIENDA SANTA FE is located 2 miles east of the village of Rancho Santa Fe at the eastern boundary of the Rancho Santa Fe Covenantand just south of Del Dios Highway. The peaceful enclave of approximately 128 homes was built in the late 1970s on rolling hills and winding streets. The community now features mature and lush landscaping throughout and there is a casual rural ambiance that the residents appreciate and enjoy. Most of the homes are Spanish and Mediterranean-style estates that are popular with the Rancho Santa Fe residents. The lot sizes vary between one to three acres, allowing for privacy, yet still feeling like a "country community". Hacienda Santa Fe is in the Solana Beach School District and San Dieguito Union School District. The HOA dues cover the common area maintenance.

If you are interested in buying or selling a Hacienda Santa Fe home or any Rancho Santa Fe real estate, contact Susan at (858) 245-9905 or visit our website at www.RSFHome.com.

THE GROVES is located 2 miles north of the village of Rancho Santa Fe on the northern edge of the Rancho Santa Fe Covenant. This development was built in the 1980s on what was once a 100+ acre orange grove, thus the name. The Groves is highly sought after by buyers of Rancho Santa Fe properties who are looking for panoramic views and one to two acre home sites. There are 44 homes built in the Groves, many with a Mediterranean-style theme.

The Groves has two tennis courts for the exclusive use of the residents and is a gated community. Most of the homes in the Groves are within the coveted Rancho Santa Fe School District, which requires homes to be in the Rancho Santa Fe Covenant in order to allow children to attend the Ranch school. The HOA dues cover the common area maintenance and the gated community expenses.

If you are interested in buying or selling a home in the Rancho Santa Fe Groves or any other Rancho Santa Fe real estate, contact Susan at (858) 245-9905 or view our website at www.RSFHome.com.

Fairbanks Ranch is located south of Rancho Santa Fe and has an illustrious history. In the early 1900s, Theodore Reed, movie director for the screen idol Douglas Fairbanks, discovered the area and suggested Fairbanks purchase the land as an investment. In 1924 Fairbanks and Mary Pickford bought 800 acres and named it Rancho Zorro (or Fox Ranch) after one his films. Fairbanks built a dam to capture water from the Lusardi Creek draining into the San Dieguito River, planted more than 300 acres of Valencia oranges. Wallace Neff designed the couple's dream home, which was to be a country retreat. But in 1936, before construction started, Pickford and Fairbanks were divorced. Fairbanks' second wife, Lady Sylvia Ashley, felt the property was too isolated and the couple did not visit the property that once considered his country playground. The property was maintained as a grove until the 1950s when it was sold.

After changing hands several times, the Fairbanks property was purchased in 1977 by Ray Watt, a Santa Monica developer. Inspired by the exclusive ambiance of nearby Rancho Santa Fe; Watts wanted to create an elite community of estate home sites called Fairbanks Ranch. He created his vision by subdividing the 1,240 acres and began selling the lots in 1981.

Fairbanks Ranch is now considered one of the most exclusive and private gated residential communities in San Diego County with approximately 620 homesites. The estates in Fairbanks Ranch are architectural showcases ranging from 2,500 to 20,000 square feet and on one-half to ten acres of prime coastal property.

Building plans are reviewed and approved by the Environmental Control Committee (Architectural Committee), which carefully studies the proposals to make sure the design meets the community's specified size and style. Many of the distinctive designs included in Fairbanks Ranch are California Ranch, English Tudor, Country French, Spanish Mediterranean, and Tuscan estates.

The residents enjoy the amenities of a guard-gated community, a 5,100 square foot lakeside clubhouse, tennis courts, 3 miles of fenced horse trails, a 17-acre equestrian center with a 27-stall barn, 2 lakes, several miles of walking trails, a fitness course, and several shaded picnic spots within the 40 acres of open space. The original pump house that was built in the 1920s has been restored and is used as the community library. Privacy and safety are assured by 24-hour gate-guarded access and security patrol.

Fairbanks Ranch students attend Solana Santa Fe Elementary School, Earl Warren Middle School, and either Torrey Pines High School or San Dieguito Academy. There are several prestigious private schools in the neighborhood.

If I can provide more information about Rancho Santa Fe and surrounding areas, the current housing market, and/or assist you in the search for a new home or the sale of your existing home, please contact me by phone or text at (858) 245-9905 or email me at SLaxson@coldwellbanker.com