A Historic Homestead Owned by Pioneering Malibu Family Enters the Market for the First Time
On the hunt for a potential investment opportunity, or maybe just want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the big city in a particularly scenic enclave of Malibu? Now’s your chance to grab a coastal California estate long owned by one of the seaside community’s original families. Resting in the Decker Canyon area—named for the clan that first settled amid the land way back in the 1800s—the property includes a main residence and several other structures spread across just under 8 acres overlooking sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean and Santa Monica Mountains; and the place just popped up on the market for the first time in nearly 90 years, asking $1.6 million.
As the story goes, the canyon sited in the western reaches of Los Angeles County was at one time inhabited almost entirely by the Deckers, who were entitled to claim as much as 160 acres of federal land under the Homestead Act of 1862. Much of that valuable sod has been gobbled up through the years, and all that’s left of the legacy is this spread that was first purchased by the Deckers in 1936 and has remained within the same family for nine decades since.
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Described in the listing held by Tamara Campbell and Andrea Jacobs of Coldwell Banker Global Luxury Property Specialists as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a piece of Malibu history,” the picturesque grounds are highlighted by a rustic wood-sided cottage fronted by a patio area. Inside, two bedrooms and one bath can be found in just under 1,000 square feet of single-level living space accented with Douglas fir floors, knotty pine paneling and vaulted wood-beam ceilings.
Especially standing out is an old world-style living room sporting picture windows and a wood-burning fireplace made with stones culled from the surrounding hills. There’s also a dining room with built-in shelving and a sliding glass door opening to a redwood deck, as well as a “refreshed” kitchen outfitted with glass-front cabinetry, stone countertops, a farmhouse sink and breakfast bar. The primary bedroom has a walk-in closet.
A separate building next to the main house could easily be used as an office, exercise area or a studio, per marketing materials, and the premises also have a detached one-car garage and refurbished trailer dating back to the late 1950s. Elsewhere on the land are chicken coops, a drip irrigation system, raised bed-garden, glass greenhouse and horse corrals, along with riding and hiking trails leading to the Charmlee Wildnerness Park.
“This is a very magical place,” Coldwell Banker’s Campbell said via an email. “After the recent rains, the hills are lush and green, you can hear the rushing streams, see the orange-splashed sky at sunset, the islands off the coast, the blue Pacific Ocean…add that to the rich history, and I believe it all adds up to your own piece of Paradise!”
Click here for more photos of the Decker house.
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