On Ojai’s prestigious Foothill Road, this charming home, filled with light and character, captures the essence of California living. With 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a garage and a versatile flex space ideal for a home office or studio, this thoughtfully refreshed home offers both timeless appeal and modern convenience. Original hardwood floors exude warmth and authenticity, the kitchen has been tastefully updated and a 1,256 square foot deck offers the perfect environment for alfresco dining or quiet morning coffee. Only minutes from downtown, this property has infinite potential, including room for a pool or an ADU. Offered at $1,725,000
DUPLEX: Discover this unique duplex opportunity in the heart of Oak View, offering two separate homes with distinct yards on a .23-acre lot. Ideally located with easy access to both Ojai and Ventura, this property offers flexibility, convenience, and strong investment potential. The larger home features 3 bedrooms / 2 bathrooms, roughly 1,290 sq. ft, and has been thoughtfully upgraded with newer engineered wood and tile flooring, and an updated kitchen and bath-
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rooms. The smaller home features 2 bedrooms/1 bathroom, roughly 592 sq. ft., is in good condition, and features an additional yard space with a storage shed and a highly productive orange tree. Whether you are looking to maximize rental income by leasing both units or prefer to live in one and rent the other to help offset your mortgage, this property offers a smart and adaptable setup. This is an excellent opportunity for investors or owner-occupants alike!
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BRET BRADIGAN
THE HOUSES WE KEEP
"The greatness of a city is measured by how difficult it is to park." — Jane Jacobs
There is a moment — quiet, almost imperceptible — when a house stops being simply a structure and becomes a ledger. Not of money, but of time. Of dinners eaten without ceremony. Of arguments that felt permanent and weren’t. Of children measured against a door jamb, year by year.
In this issue, we take up what happens when that ledger must be closed, as in AJ Davis' column on page 22 — when the family home, layered with memory, becomes an entry in the marketplace. It is a transaction, yes. But also a reckoning. What do we keep? What do we release? What do we owe the past — and the life ahead?
Ojai sharpens these questions. This is not a town of anonymous subdivisions, but of homes with stories, and buyers often seeking meaning as much as property. That complicates things — in the best way.
It also explains the dilemma explored in these pages by Therese Hartmann on page 28: how to choose a real estate agent in a town where you know nearly all of them, and would rather not wound anyone. Here, commerce is never just commerce. It is relationship, reputation, and the choreography of community life.
Which raises the deeper question: what makes a place like Ojai work?
For that, I return to a short shelf of books that I've read and re-read whenever I try to understand what makes Ojai is so important. There's Jane Jacobs' "The Death and Life of Great American Cities" which taught us to look for “eyes on the street” — the informal guardianship that emerges when people are present and invested. Her “sidewalk ballet” is not imposed order, but the organic rhythm of daily life.
Christopher Alexander's "A Pattern Language" offers a kind of grammar: problems, discussions, solutions. It reminds us that communities function best at a human scale — roughly 7,500 people — where streets remain active and legible, where people are known to each other. It is no coincidence that matches Ojai's population.
And Richard Florida's "The Rise of the Creative Class" captures a pattern we can see here: artists arrive first, then galleries, then restaurants, then prosperity. Not a formula, but a sequence — one with both promise and pressure.
You can see all of it in Ojai.
In the endurance of Boccali’s Pizza & Pasta, celebrating on our cover 40 years not by chasing trends, but by becoming part of the town’s fabric. In the work of Leslie Plimpton, whose artistic path as written by Ilona Saari reflects how creativity here is rarely isolated — it is communal, sustained by proximity and participation.
And in the steady procession of events that mark time not just seasonally, but socially — opportunities to be seen, to see others, to take part in the ballet.
Because in the end, a home is not just what happens inside its walls, but how it sits within the larger pattern — its relationship to street, neighborhood, and town. Selling it is more than a transfer of ownership; it is the passing of a role in an ongoing story.
The ledger closes. Another opens. The ballet goes on.
FOUNDING FATHERS & MOTHERS
While Edward Drummond Libbey is rightfully regarded among Ojai’s chief benefactors — having been behind the building of such Ojai landmarks as the Ojai Valley Inn, St. Thomas Aquinas Church (now the Museum), Post Office Tower and the Arcade — others have been very influential in shaping Ojai’s identity. Here’s a few:
Annie Besant. Free-thinker, feminist and noted Theosophist. Though she only spent a few days in Ojai, she brought Krishnamurti to Ojai, and helped buy hundreds of acres of property in Ojai, (now the sites of Besant Hill School and, along with A.P. Warrington, the Krotona Center) which she called “the smiling vale.” She is considered one of the pioneers of introducing Eastern mystical thought to the West, and was an early advocate of India’s independence. and the labor movement.
Jiddhu Krishnamurti. The spiritual teacher and writer, came to Ojai in 1922, sponsored by the Theosophical Society, though he later broke with that group (“The Leaderless Path.”) He gave talks to many thousands of people each year, in the Star Camps in the oak groves west of Ojai (now the site of Oak Grove School. He once held the Guinness Book of World Records for having spoken to the greatest number of people.
Weather in Ojai
Beatrice Wood. The famed ceramicist’s (“The Mama of Dada”) greatest work of art may well have been her life. The irreverent, avant-garde Wood lived and worked in Ojai for decades until her death in 1998 at age 105. She inspired two classic movies, Francois Truffaut’s “Jules et Jim,” and James Cameron’s “Titanic.” She attributed her longevity to “chocolate and young men.” Her autobiography was appropriately titled, “I Shock Myself.” Many of her distinctive, whimsical, luminous luster-glazed pieces are on display at her former home, now the Beatrice Wood Center, in upper Ojai.
Sherman Day Thacher. After coming West to farm and care for an ailing brother, the Yale-educated Thacher realized that he was going to need another source of income. So he founded The Thacher School in 1887. Now one of the most prestigious preparatory academies in the country, its founding creed was “teach a boy to ride, shoot and tell the truth.” Also, in 1896, his brother William founded “The Ojai,” the country’s oldest amateur tennis tournament. Among Thacher’s more illustrious students were industrialist, aviator and film producer Howard Hughes and three-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and novelist Thornton Wilder, who wrote his first play while a Thacher student.
OJAI QUICK FACTS:
The name “Ojai” is believed to be derived from the Ventureño Chumash word ‘awhaý, meaning “moon.” In 1837, Fernando Tico received a land grant and established a cattle ranch. Thomas A. Scott, who had financial success with oil and railroads, bought the Ojai Valley in 1864 for oil exploration. By 1868, Scott, through his agent Thomas Bard, began selling properties to homesteaders. By 1874, R.G. Surdam plotted out the town he would call Nordhoff, renamed Ojai in 1917.
Ojai is about 90 miles northwest of Los Angeles and 30 miles east of Santa Barbara. The valley is about 10 miles long by 3 miles wide, surrounded by hills and mountains; the rare east-west orientation with a slight southward tilt gives the valley an extraordinary sun exposure; Ojai’s citrus and avocado crops are highly prized. This orientation also gives rise to Ojai as a spiritual destination.
It was due to the resources and organizing energy of Ohio glass manufacturer Edward Drummond Libbey that Nordhoff was rebuilt and renamed Ojai, inspired by the City Beautiful Movement. By 1917, with the construction of the Arcade and Post Office Tower, the town took its present shape.
The city’s self-styled nickname is “Shangri-La,” based on the story that Ojai was the backdrop (later left on the editing room floor) from the 1937 movie as the mystical sanctuary of James Hilton’s novel “Lost Horizon.”
Boccali’s Turns
A VALLEY INSTITUTION CELEBRATES
ANNIVERSARY SATURDAY, MAY 16 (5–8 PM).
‘ITALIAN HOMESTYLE COOKING IN THE OJAI COUNTRYSIDE’
40TH ANNIVERSARY PARTY
Saturday, May 16 | 5–8 PM
• Buffet of Boccali’s favorites
• Live music
• Wine, beer & strawberry
For four decades, Boccali’s Pizza & Pasta has done something rare in Ojai: it has stayed exactly what people hope it will be.
Part of that is the setting — tucked against the East End of the valley, where the light lingers a little longer and the fields still produce what lands on the plate. Part of it is the menu, built on familiarity done right: pizza that tastes like it should, pasta that doesn’t try too hard, and produce that hasn’t traveled far.
But mostly, it’s the family.
Across generations, the Boccalis have kept the place grounded in a simple idea: feed people well, treat them like neighbors, and let the experience repeat itself often enough to become tradition. For many locals, Boccali’s isn’t just where you go — it’s where you’ve always gone. After games, after long days, with visiting friends, or just because it’s Tuesday.
On Saturday, May 16, that continuity becomes the occasion. The restaurant will mark its 40th anniversary with an evening gathering — live music, buffet favorites, and the easy, familiar rhythm that has defined it from the start.
Forty years on, Boccali’s hasn’t chased trends. It has outlasted them.
shortcake available
$40 per person
Buy Tickets Now
MAY CALENDAR OF EVENTS
OJAI PODCAST | EVERY THURSDAY | OJAIQUARTERLY.COM
MAY 9
Ojai World Dance Festival
Location: Libbey Park and Bowl
Contact: DanceOjai.org
Times: Day Program 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Free Evening Production: 7:30-9 p.m., Ticketed The Ojai World Dance Festival, hosted by Dance Ojai, is a vibrant showcase of multicultural dance, world music, and community connection. Audiences will be taken on a mesmerizing journey through movement and rhythm. Info and tickets at danceojai.org/ ojaidancefestival.
MAY 9
Native Flora Hike
Location: Ventura River Preserve Times: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Contact: 805-649-6852, OVLC.org
Join Ojai Valley Land Conservancy naturalists for a guided exploration of native plants and seasonal ecology. A strong example of Ojai’s environmental ethos— education, restoration, and place-based awareness.
MAY 17
Téka & Friends (Brazilian Jazz Performance)
Location: Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts (Logan House), 8585 Ojai -Santa Paula Road
Time: 3 p.m.
Info: beatricewood.com
"Téka & Friends" is a trio featuring Téka on guitar and vocals, singing in both Portuguese and English, Alyse Korn on keyboards and Robert Kyle on sax, flute and percussion. The trio perform many of the classics from the Brazilian Bossa Nova, Samba & Brazilian Jazz repertoire.
MAY 22
Youngtones
Location: Deer Lodge of Ojai, 2261 Maricopa Highway
Ojai’s premier Memorial Day weekend tradition, featuring regional artists, crafts, live music, and a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere beneath the oaks. One of the city’s four legacy festivals and a major seasonal draw.
— RECURRING EVENTS—
Historical Walking Tours of Ojai
Date: Every Saturday
Time: 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Location: Ojai Valley Museum
130 West Ojai Avenue
Contact: 640-1390
Come see why there’s so much historical hullabaloo about this “smiling vale.” The tour, led by long-time locals, takes about an hour, and brings you into a deeper understanding of Ojai’s rich roots and heritage.
APRIL12
Coffee & Cars
Dates: Second Sundays of the month
Times: 8 to 10 a.m.
Location: Westridge Market parking lot
Come check out classic and luxury cars from the area’s proudest collectors. Have a chance to learn from the owners about the history and importance of some of the world’s most incredible automobiles.
THURSDAYS
Ojai Podcast: Talk of the Town
New episodes come out Thursday evenings through the OjaiHub.com newsletter. Guests have included Malcolm McDowell on the 50th anniversary of “A Clockwork Orange,” and Sergio Aragonés on his 60 years as a cartoonist at Mad Magazine. More than 280 episodes and counting. Sign up at OjaiVortex.com for a free weekly newsletter of Ojai events, news, arts, entertainment, history and culture. And podcasts.
BY ILONA SAARI
STITCHING A LIFE IN ART LESLIE PLIMPTON
From Chicago studios to Ojai’s creative community, Leslie Plimpton weaves fashion, portraiture, and lived experience into a vibrant second-act career — one rooted in discipline, collaboration, and a lifelong pull toward the human figure.
“If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.” — Vincent Van Gogh
Leslie Plimpton is a Chicago girl who was raised with her two brothers in the suburb of Glenview, Illinois. Their furniture salesman dad, Charles Plimpton, also dabbled with a photography business (today we’d probably call his business a start-up).
Mom Bonnie worked in retail, selling women’s fashions, but she also loved photography, albeit photography “adjacent,” by coloring over black & white photographs and turning them into oil paintings. This turn of the century art form was made famous by Wallace Nutting and others before color photography became a thing. Nutting hired women to delicately paint on top of his photographs (mostly landscapes) turning them into beautiful
watercolors which are still prized and collected today. Bonnie’s clients were mostly portraits/weddings/events photographers, but she also took her brush to canvas to create her own oil paintings.
Clearly, creative art was in Leslie’s DNA with Mom being the strongest influence in her young life.
“My earliest memory of being interested in fashion which would become the theme of my artwork, was when she (Mom) bought me a very pretty blue velvet-and-white lace dress for my fifth birthday.” As a child, Leslie would also watch her mother paint. “I think seeing her always working on portraits must have seeped
into my consciousness.” Portraits are what Leslie enjoys the most which later manifested itself into her series of artwork focused on fashion designers and models. Exploring museums in Chicago and New York, she discovered John Singer Sargent who became one of her favorite artists. “I have noticed that paintings that have people or portraits in them are the ones that I always gravitate towards.” Her passion for figures and portraits still resonate with her today.
As a child, her first real creative outlet was classical ballet, with classes starting when she was five. Ballet segued into gymnastics by age 13, followed by figure skating. Eventually she returned to ballet at a professional school in Chicago where her teachers had performed with the Royal Ballet Company; one teacher even shared a stage with the great Margot Fonteyn. In between dance, gymnastics and skating, Leslie also “twirled” competing individually and with a baton corps,
earning 1st place trophies for individual routines. “My mother kept me busy,” she says with a smile.
After graduating from Glenview High, Leslie entered Western Illinois University but, after her father passed away, she had to quit school to support herself. She continued her education, however, by taking evening classes at DePaul and Loyola Universities. “While working as a secretary at a large international ad agency, it was suggested to me that I would make a good producer and I should take classes at Columbia College in Chicago.” After four years studying film and video production, she began a career working on independent films and industrial video projects.
Around 1992-93, while working on a music video shoot in Chicago, Leslie met Joe Sohm, hired to photograph production stills and the cover of her video jacket. “At some point during the
shoot he asked me out, but I turned him down.” He was living in Los Angeles and Leslie had recently moved back to Chicago after a disappointing sixmonth production career stint in L.A. But at the end of a 14-hour workday, she changed her mind and met Joe for drinks. She was 33. They hit it off and embarked on a long-distance relationship which, ultimately, could not overcome the distance.
A year later Leslie called and, once again, they began dating.
When she found out that her video production company employer in Chicago was about to cut her hours and pay, it was time to leave. Joe invited her to join him on a cross-country shoot that he was doing for National Geographic and off they went, eventually ending up at his home in L.A. They were now a couple and she moved into Joe’s Brentwood home. But, after the sordid O.J. Simpson affair with its
LESLIE PLIMPTON AND HUSBAND JOE SOHM AT THE KENNEDY CENTER FOR HIS PHOTO-SYMPHONY “AMERICAN MOSAIC” DEBUT. LESLIE AT THE INKSPOTS PRINTMAKERS STUDIO IN VENTURA, WHERE SHE HAS BEEN DISPLAYING HER WORK FOR 17 YEARS. SHE IS ALSO AN OSA MEMBER.
A MONOTYPE JURIED INTO A SHOW CALLED “FASHIONISTAS 2025” AT THE ORANGE COUNTY CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY ART; MONOTYPE, “SHADES OF BLUE;” MONOTYPE “GABRIELLE CHANEL,” BEFORE COCO BECAME COCO; ; THIS IS A MEZZOTINT TITLED “BIKINI BABES.”
constant barrage of helicopters overhead, they started looking at Ojai. It was everything they wanted, yet close enough to L.A. for work. By 1994, they had become happy residents of Ojai.
Henry Joseph Sohm III is a native of St. Louis, Missouri. His father, Henry Joseph II, was the first owner of an appliance store in the city and Joe grew up watching TV on many screens, which has influenced his multi-media projects. Joe’s mom, Francis Geiger, was a homemaker.
After attending the University of Missouri, Joe became an American History teacher. His fascination with the Founding Fathers fueled his desire to capture the American experience in photos so he toured all 50 states doing just that, culminating into his stunning large-format book, “Visions of America — Photographing Democracy.” No longer teaching, Joe’s reputation grew and he began photographing many of
America’s Presidents and politicians.
Young Joe also played bass guitar in a popjazz band at venues in St. Louis and the Midwest before segueing into photography fulltime, and has often combined his love of music with his photographs, resulting in photo-symphony projects.
His latest photo-symphony, “American Mosaic,” a celebration for America’s 250th birthday, with music composed by Peter Boyer, premiered recently at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. with the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Thomas Wilkins, who conducts the L.A. Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl.
Because of Leslie’s career in film/video production, she did not become a serious artist until she moved to Ojai.
She initially studied drawing and painting
at Monart School, then Ventura College where she learned the basic skills for life drawing and painting, plus important lessons in constructing portraits and figures. She also learned how to work in clay and stone. In mixed media and painting classes, Leslie began collaging with fabric and clothing while still working during the day.
She decided it was now time to pursue her degree full time and enrolled in California State University, Channel Island, and completed her degree in studio art. “Returning to college in my 40s was a really rewarding experience.”
A couple of artist friends had taken a printmaking workshop in L.A. and shared what they learned with Leslie, which triggered her foray into printmaking (creating original, multiple images and transferring them onto a surface, such as paper). They formed their group, the
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: “RED SUNGLASSES,”
LEFT: A DRY POINT ETCHING OF DESIGNER JEAN PAUL GAULTIER, WHICH HAS WON HAS WON TWO AWARDS AND WAS SHOWN AT THE 11TH BIENNIAL INTERNATIONAL PRINTMAKING EXHIBITION IN DOURO, PORTUGAL. ABOVE: MONOTYPE TITLED, “ELSA SCHIAPARELLI: SHOE HAT.” THE SHOE HAT WAS DESIGNED WITH HELP FROM SALVADOR DALI AND HIS WIFE, GALA, ACTUALLY WORE IT. IT IS NOW ON NOW AT THE VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM IN LONDON.
inkspots (lowercase preferred) and set up shop in a rented a space at the Seabreeze Gallery in Ventura. The inkspots have now been exhibiting their work for 17 years, which led Leslie to be juried into the Santa Barbara Printmakers and Santa Barbara Art Association.
In 2020, Leslie became a member of OSA (Ojai Studio Artists), the premier non-profit artistic group in Ojai where members open their studios twice a year to the public. OSA also has exhibitions yearly at both the Ojai Museum and the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts. “Being a member of OSA has been a real gift in my life as they offer unique community artists whom I really enjoy being with and exhibiting with.”
Leslie’s art career has also crossed the “pond.” She was invited to participate in the 11th Biennial International Printmaking Exhibition” in Douro,
Portugal, an invitation-only exhibition. Back in the states she was juried into the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art by the Curatorial Projects Officer at the Centre Pompidou in Paris for their exhibition titled, “Fashionistas 2025.” And this past fall, she had the opportunity to show her work at the Artifact Projects in New York City for the “Figural & Figurative: From Rembrandt to the 21st Century.”
“I was honored to have my work hang alongside not only Rembrandt, but also Picasso, Delacroix, Rodin, Gaugin, Chagall, Dali and Giacometti, as well as other contemporary artists.” Talk about “hanging” with your heroes!
Another artistic opportunity arose when a New York City gallery invited Leslie to show her artwork during L.A.’s Fashion Week, where she was thrilled to witness the runway shows. And, she continues
to win awards in open competitions, including the Judges Award at the 2022 Ventura County Affair and has been invited to donate art for various museum fundraisers.
Amid her thriving art career, Leslie has continued to take ballet classes in Ojai and has jumped in with both her balletslippered-feet to help raise funds for the Ojai Music Festival, including opening her and Joe’s home for the Festival’s Holiday Home Tour fundraiser. And, as a member of OSA, she helps raise money through tour ticket sales for art student scholarships.
To see Leslie’s artwork, she will be opening her studio for the OSA Second Saturday Open Studio Tour this May 9th, along with other OSA artists who live in Oak View/West End of the Ojai Valley. Her website is: LeslieFashionArt.com.
There's no place like home. Let me find yours.
ROOM
TO BUILD DREAM HOME
Hidden behind the gates of Rancho Matilija sits a stunning 3-acre lot with magnificent 360 degree mountain views. Surrounded by mature trees and wildlife, this lot offers a beautiful connection to nature while still being conveniently located near all the amenities, recreational parks, hiking trails, Lake Casitas, fishing and all the outdoor adventures you may be looking for as well as easy access to Ventura, LA and Santa Barbara. Don’t miss this opportunity to build your dream home with endless possibilities in this serene and picturesque setting. This gated, private community offers beauty, peace and vision to the person looking for a one-of-akind property.
PROPERTY DETAIL
MOUNTAIN VIEWS
TIMELESS OASIS
Discover a quiet East End compound offering nearly 5,000 square feet across three private homes. Originally crafted by Mr. Shippee for his family, the main house welcomes you with a walled courtyard, covered veranda, sparkling pool, and lush landscaping. Inside, acacia wood floors, an open cook’s kitchen, and a dramatic double-sided fireplace anchor the living spaces. Three bedrooms with French doors open to the gardens. A 1,400-square-foot guest house adds two bedrooms, a bath, a private courtyard, and a two-car garage — ideal for visitors or extended family. The third home features modern concrete floors, a spacious living room, kitchenette, bedroom, bath, and two secluded patios. The landscaped grounds mix drought-tolerant plantings with fruit trees — apple, citrus, fig, pomegranate — and olive trees lining the drive. A fenced paddock and turnout area make the property horse-friendly. Altogether, this rare compound blends versa-
Whitman Architectural Design
1 SHELF ROAD 3.5mi
EASY | Elev. Gain: 200 ft | Overlooks downtown Ojai.
2
RIVER PRESERVE 0-7mi
VARIES | Elev. Gain: ≤ 520 ft Wills-Rice Loop is the longest trail.
5
HORN CANYON 5.5mi
STRENUOUS | Elev. Gain: 1600 ft | Goes to the Pines.
8
ROSE VALLEY 1mi
EASY | Elev. Gain: 100 ft Rose Valley Falls.
3
PRATT TRAIL 8.8mi
STRENUOUS | Elev. Gain: 3300 ft | Goes to Nordhoff Peak.
6
COZY DELL 2.2mi
MODERATE | Elev. Gain: 740 ft | Cozy Dell Creek & Ridge.
9
SISAR CANYON 22mi
STRENUOUS | Elev. Gain: 4800 ft |Topa Topa Bluffs.
4
GRIDLEY TRAIL 6-12mi
MODERATE | 3 mi to Gridley Springs (Elev. Gain: 1200 ft) 6 mi to Nordhoff Peak.
7
MATILIJA CANYON 12mi
MODERATE | Elev. Gain: 1200ft | North Fork.
10
SULPHUR MTN. 22mi
MODERATE | Elev. Gain: 2300 ft | Sulphur Mountain Road.
A beautifully finished three-bedroom, three-bathroom townhome in the heart of downtown Ojai, offering the perfect blend of comfort, style, and versatility. This thoughtfully designed residence features quality finishes throughout and includes a separate spacious studio and bathroom — ideal for a guest suite, creative space, or private office. Located just steps from Ojai’s charming downtown, El Roblar Hotel, restaurants and cafes, the home offers true walk — to — everything convenience. Three-car garage with more guest parking too. A rare find in the center of town. Special live/work zoning provides unique flexibility for personal use, business, or investment opportunities, make this an exceptional property in an unbeatable location. Don’t miss out, this one-of-a kind property will not last long.
selling your family home in ojai
— By Aimee Jo Davis-Varela —
Selling your family home, whether it has been in your family for two generations or five, is rarely easy. What might look like an ordinary house to most has seen you and your family through every stage of life and has witnessed your family’s history, meaningful milestones, and daily routine.
There is likely evidence of this in the family photos hung in the hallway, the door jamb with names and ages scrawled next to pencil marks at increasing heights, or the passed-down china in the dining room built-ins.
The thought of packing the things that have made this house a home and moving away from this piece of family history will likely bring up feelings of nostalgia, loss, or even guilt. This might be true even if these emotions are mixed with excitement over your next chapter, relief over downsizing, or heartwarming thoughts of another family loving it just as much as you did.
If you are facing this transition, you may be discovering just how delicate the balance can be between honoring the history your family has there while preparing it to put on the market.
Here are some tips to help you through the process.
Acknowledge the Emotional Impact of Selling: Before you jump into decluttering and determining which upgrades will be worth it, take a moment to acknowledge the emotional side of this process. Even if you want to sell your family home so that
you can travel the world, retire in comfort, or move to a different state for a new adventure, letting go of a home that holds so many memories can be difficult. This may be where you grew up, where you raised your children, or where you spent summers visiting your grandparents.
There is undoubtedly some nostalgia or conflicting emotions that you might want to give some space to before putting your home on the market.
Distribute, Declutter, and Depersonalize: Most homes that have been loved for decades – or even generations – are lovingly filled with family heirlooms, photos, mementos from special occasions, and meaningful keepsakes. This is likely on top of all manner of accoutrement for everyday life: sports equipment, craft supplies, everything you need for your home office, and your dogs’ beds, toys, and bowls.
Years of accumulating these keepsakes may have your space feeling a bit cluttered or crowded, but removing too much of it might feel like stripping away the soul of what makes your house a home.
Balancing this with preparing your home to sell might be feeling a bit overwhelming.
The overall goal of this step is to create a space where potential buyers can see themselves living while maintaining a comfortable space for you to live in while your home is on the market.
Here are some tips for managing this part
of the process:
Determine which items are family heirlooms and sentimental keepsakes: Make decisions about what to do with these items. Do you want to display them at your next home? Should they be carefully stored for future generations? Are there things you can distribute to family members now so that they can start enjoying them and feel the family connection?
Start this process as early as possible so you don’t feel rushed and can allow time to reminisce and be sure about your decisions.
Give yourself permission to let go of things: Many of us (me included) hold on to things out of a feeling of familial obligation or the idea that we might someday need them.
The last time I saw my grandmother before she died, she said she wanted me to be responsible for her doll collection. Now – more than 15 years later – I have four huge bins of dolls in my garage that I will never display and that no one in the family is going to want when I die. But I adored my grandmother, and she adored her doll collection, so thank goodness I never plan on selling this house and can keep them in my garage in perpetuity – and hope that members of the next generation will want them someday.
Other things that clutter too many closets and garages are camping gear that is no longer used, sports equipment for sports you haven’t played in years, leftover ma-
terials from DIY projects, tchotchkes you used to collect and just haven’t let go of, and random keepsakes and souvenirs that don’t feel particularly meaningful.
These are the types of things you might consider giving yourself permission to release if you don’t see them being part of your next chapter.
Identify Your Home’s Strongest Features and What Needs Some Work: Most people looking for homes for sale in Ojai are not interested in cookie-cutter homes with little character. Think about what makes your home cozy, warm, unique, or charming, and showcase those features. This might include wood floors, built-ins, exposed-beam ceilings, or unique architectural features.
While people do love character, we want to be particular about patina. Some may be welcome and add to your home’s charm, but other signs of age should be addressed when possible. Things like leaky faucets, outdated electrical wiring, scuffed baseboards, and chipped tiles should be repaired or replaced before selling (if possible).
Always keep in mind that we don’t want potential buyers to see work awaiting them when they look at your home. Deferred maintenance gives the impression that there is likely much more work they will find once they move in, which might scare them off.
Clean and Stage with Coziness and Comfort in Mind: Buyers want to feel at home in the space, and you want to help create that feeling by making sure your home is clean, organized, and inviting.
If you have made a lot of strong design choices, take a moment to consider each of them to decide if they add to your home’s character in an appealing way or if they detract from it. It may be the case that you want to make your home a bit more neutral to broaden its appeal to a wider array of potential buyers. Or it may be that you should leave it just like it is. Your real estate agent can help you decide that.
Be Transparent While Highlighting Potential: Buyers in Ojai, particularly those looking for a change of pace from Los Angeles or Orange County, may be willing to overlook some imperfections, but they want to know the truth about the home’s condition. Be honest about any needed repairs while emphasizing the potential for the next owners to make the space their own.
When listing a home with decades of memories, you don’t have to hide its age. Quite the contrary: Many buyers are drawn to homes with history because they have character that new builds just can’t replicate.
Consider the Timing: In Ojai, the market often fluctuates based on seasons, local events, and economic factors. Work with a local real estate agent to determine the right time to list. Selling during a strong market or season that aligns with potential buyers’ timelines can maximize your return.
If you’re uncertain about timing, it’s always a good idea to start the conversation early with a real estate agent who understands the nuances of Ojai’s unique real estate market.
Ross Falvo
Keller Williams Realty “The Ojai Real Estate Guy” RossFalvo.com 805-207-5094
Dennis Guernsey LIV Sotheby’s International Realty
805-798-1998
Nora Davis LIV Sotheby’s International Realty
OjaiValleyEstates. com 805-207-6177
Jessica McRae Ojai Valley Real Estate
221 E. Matilija St., Ste J (805) 699-8645 jessica@ojaivalleyrealestate. com
Patty Waltcher Berkshire
Therese A. Hartmann is a local loan consultant affiliated with C2 Financial Corporation, and is a Licensed Broker, California BRE #01048403. NMLS # 298291. Call Therese today at (805) 798-2158.
Donna Sallen Remax Gold Coast Realtors
Donna4Remax@aol.com
DonnaSallen.com 805-798-0516
Logan Hall Logan Hall Photography 805-798-0337 loganhallphotos. com
Vivienne Moody LIV Sotheby’s International Realty 805-798-1099 vmoody10@ sbcglobal.net OjaiLifestyle.net
Amy Hall | Realtor® LIV Sotheby’s International Realty
Amy.Hall@SothebysRealty.com direct+1
805.444.7874
554 E Main Street | Ventura, California 93001 Cal DRE 01957427
Bob Kemper Broker, MBA Kemper Realty of LIV Sotheby’s International Realty
Larry Wilde LIV Sotheby’s International Realty Wilde-Wilde. com 805-640-5734
Erik Wilde LIV Sotheby’s International Realty Wilde-Wilde.com 805-830-3254
Team Deckert
Keller Williams Realty
Ray Deckert, Broker Associate ContactUs@ TeamDeckert. com
805-272-5218
Dale Hanson Ojai Valley Real Estate 211 E. Matilija Street, Ste. J, 206 E. Ojai Ave. 805-646-7229 dale@ovhl.com
Anne Williamson LIV Sotheby’s Anneshomesinojai.com
805-320-3314
AGAVE MARIA
Fresh, wholesome Mexican food & drink 106 South Montgomery Street (805) 646-6353 agavemarias.com
AJ’S EXPRESS CHINESE EXPRESS
Gourmet Chinese food to eat in or to go 11566 North Ventura Avenue (805) 646-1177 ajchinesecuisine.com
BOCCALI’S
Pizza & Pasta, from our farm to our tables
3277 Ojai-Santa Paula Road (805) 646-6116 boccalis.com
BONNIE LU’S COUNTRY CAFE
Traditional American breakfast & brunch 328 East Ojai Avenue (805) 646-0207
THE DEER LODGE
An Ojai legend since 1932 2261 Maricopa Highway (805) 646-4256 deerlodgeojai.com
THE DUTCHESS
457 East Matilija Street (805) 640-7987 thedutchessojai.com
FARMER & THE COOK
The best of organic Ojai 339 West El Roblar Drive (805) 640-9608 farmerandcook.com
YUME JAPANESE BURGER
254 East Ojai Avenue (Arcade) (805) 646-1700
JIM & ROB’S FRESH GRILL
Mexican-American & regional favorites 214 West Ojai Avenue #100
(805) 640-1301
jimandrobsojai.com
HIP VGN
Vegan sandwiches, salads & bowls
201 North Montgomery Street
hipvegancafe.com (805) 669-6363
HOME KITCHEN OF OJAI
Breakfast and lunch in a warm space 1103 Maricopa Highway (805) 646-5346
HomeKitchenofOjai.com
JOPLIN’S
Classic Barbecue with Sides 715 East Ojai Avenue (805) 798-9053 JoplinsOjai.com
MANDALA
Pan-Asian Cuisine 11400 North Ventura Road (805) 613-3048
THE NEST
401 East Ojai Avenue (805) 798-9035 thenestojai.com
OAK GRILL @ THE INN
Al fresco dining under vine-covered pergola 905 Country Club Road (805) 646-1111 ojairesort.com
OJAI COFFEE ROASTING COMPANY
Salads, sandwiches & superb service 337 East Ojai Avenue (805) 646-4478
OJAI PIZZA COMPANY
331 Ojai Avenue (Downtown Ojai) 545-7878
TheOnlyGoodPizza.com
OJAI PIZZA COMPANY (Oak View)
The go-to place for food & sports 820 North Ventura Avenue
OJAI ROTIE
Rotisserie, sourdough, winebox 469 East Ojai Avenue (805) 798-9227 ojairotie.com
PAPA LENNON’S
Family owned, original & traditional Italian cuisine 515 West El Roblar Drive (805) 640-7388 papalennons.com
RAINBOW BRIDGE
A community gathering place 211 East Matilija Street (805) 646-6623 rainbowbridgeojai.com
THE RANCH HOUSE
An Ojai culinary destination for more than 60 years 102 Besant Road (805) 646-2360 theranchhouse.com
SAKURA OJAI
A locals’ favorite for Japanese food 219 East Matilija Street (805) 646-8777 sakuraojai.wix.com
SEA FRESH
Serving Ojai for 30 years
533 East Ojai Avenue (805) 646-7747 seafreshseafood.com
ZAIDEE’S BAR & GRILL
Patio & indoor dining with Ojai’s most tranquil views 1033 East Ojai Avenue (805) 646-5685 soulepark.com
IN A PICKLE ON WHICH
AGENT
TO USE?
WHEN YOU KNOW TOO MANY REALTORS?
I was scrolling a local community page on Facebook a few days back and someone posed a dilemma she was having in choosing an agent to sell her house.
Like many of us, she’d been in the area for quite a while and developed friendships with many people, quite a few who were real estate agents. She asked the FB audience what they would do in her situation. Some told her to use someone out of area so nobody would get their feelings hurt. Another thought she should just use the agent who was her closest friend.
My response, while extremely brief, was quite different. Having been in this very predicament myself, I realized there was more to say about this potential social minefield of choosing.
None of us wants to hurt anyone’s feelings, but you also don’t want to gamble with one of the biggest financial moves of your life! And to be fair, there is often more than one agent who would do a terrific job on your behalf, making the decision even more confusing. It’s a potentially awkward situation.
The first step is understanding what type of agent you need. Some spend most of their time working with buyers and others are true listing specialists who know how to price a home, market it aggressively, and negotiate from a position of strength.
By Therese A. Hartmann
Therese A. Hartmann has more than 25 years’ lending experience. She is a Licensed Broker, California Dept. of Real Estate #01048403, NMLS # 298291, affiliated with C2 Financial Corporation. For a free consultation, call Therese today at (805) 798-2158.
Both roles require different instincts. And then you have agents who specialize in investment properties, some who focus on mobile home sales and others who do luxury homes as opposed to mid-range residential properties. You’ll want to align yourself with the kind of agent whose wheelhouse includes the type of property you are looking to sell.
Another question is regarding using local and I would tell you this is a hard and fast absolutely. They typically are networked with other local agents, understand neighborhood pricing and might already have a list of potential buyers. Using an experienced agent — one who has been at their job for awhile and lasted out the ups and downs of the market — is a
consideration but that is not to say that a newer agent might work harder to get the job done.
Once you’ve narrowed your options, plan to interview three agents. That’s enough to compare approaches without overwhelming yourself. And don’t worry, professionals expect this. You’re not being disloyal, you’re being responsible.
Here are a few questions you’ll want to ask:
• Do you mostly work with buyers or sellers?
• How many homes have you sold in this neighborhood recently?
• What’s your pricing or offer strategy for my situation?
• How will you market my home or help me compete as a buyer?
• How often will you communicate with me?
• What challenges do you see in my sale or purchase?
A good agent will have a clear and concise answer to these questions. Pay attention to how they think, not just how friendly they are.
Most great agents will have a presentation package for you to include a CMA (comparative marketing analysis) which is a report to indicate the amount they believe your home can sell for. And trust me, there are agents who will inflate the value to get your listing so make sure they explain — in
detail — and offer stats on their findings.
And what about the social side? If someone you know asks why you didn’t choose them, you don’t need a long explanation, especially if you’ve let them know you’re interviewing more than one person. A simple, gracious line that works is “We went with someone who specializes in our neighborhood and type of transaction, but I really appreciate your support.” The agents who take it too personally tell you something about their professionalism.
Still, real estate professionals do have feelings so it wouldn’t hurt to drop them a note with a gift card to a local restaurant or coffee shop to let them know you care.
In the end, choosing an agent isn’t about who you know – it’s about who will protect your financial future the best. Pick the person whose experience, strategy, and communication gives you the most confidence. The right agent will make the entire process smoother, more profitable and far less stressful.
Pamela Grau jewelry
Sharon Curtis painting
James Petrucci painting + books
Heidi Bradbury ceramics
Nancy Currey jewelry
Jennifer Grasmere sculpture
Ted Gall painting
Susan Guy charcoal Sandy Treadwell woodworking
David Blackburn mosaics
Yolanda Bergman mosaics
Sherri Sanchez leather Don Earl rock sculpture
Martha Moran
Corral Canyon Ranch - 277+ Acre Ranch in Cuyama Valley with 5 Recently Renovated Houses, Equestrian Facilities, Fenced Pastures, Hay Fields, Riding Trails, Stunning Views Surrounded by Los Padres National Forest.
Casa Vista Linda - Set amid serene grounds, this Marc Whitman-designed home blends Old-World charm with modern comfort. Custom fireplaces, walnut finishes, expansive terraces,
Perched along Ojai’s iconic Foothill Road, this glass-walled architectural sanctuary is defined by light, serenity, and expansive 270° views. Built in 2017 and thoughtfully re-imagined in 2022, the 3,154 ± sqft single-level home pairs minimalist design with seamless indoor-outdoor living. A 1,117 ± sqft pavilion with showcase parking, wellness studio, and sauna—along with additional creative retreats—completes a private compound set on 1.87 ± acres with pool, spa, and unforgettable Pink Moment sunsets.
