Mountain Views News          Saturday, February 26, 2011

16

HOMES AND PROPERTY

 Mountain Views-News Saturday, February 26, 2011 


One Of A Kind: Featuring unique homes and gardens and the people whoe create them Story and Photos By Chris Bertrand 


Local Realtors to Market Stonegate (aka 1 Carter) Development

After an extended time of little 
to no activity up at the Stonegate/1 
Carter Development, the representing 
brokerage has changed hands to Mike 
Lepore and Kris Mathison of Century 
21 Village in Sierra Madre, who have 
40 years combined experience between 
them.

The familiar historic pillared 
entrance to the development, now a 
bank owned property by Capital Source, will once again be 
unchained each morning, allowing potential buyers to access 
the property easier. Lepore and Mathison have arranged to 
open the sales office on weekend afternoons from 1-5 p.m.
All the Century 21 Village agents at their office in town are all 
up to speed on the 19 available homesites and two residential 
listing within Stonegate. Eight of the homesites have already 
closed escrow and some are going through the plan process 
with the city for home building approval, according to Lepore.

The development has a 150 year, storied history, 
originally homesteaded in 1860 by George Macomber, 
Two years later, Macomber built the cabin on what 
is now lot 18. The historic protected structure is 
now Sierra Madre’s oldest remaining building. 
Nathaniel Carter, Sierra Madre’s founder, took over the 
property nineteen years later, in 1881, building a Victorian 
home, no longer existing. A year later, he constructed the 
signature pillars flanking the Carter Avenue entrance to 
Stonegate’s two streets, Baldwin Court and Nathaniel Terrace, 
named for Carter. The barn, built 149 years ago by Carter, is 
still located on lot 18.

In 1939, the Willises purchased the property, razing Carter’s 
Victorian mansion, which had fallen into disrepair. By 1941, 
a unique, very “modern” 4000 square foot home was built on 
a knoll overlooking Carter Avenue, where the Willis family 
resided for six decades. 

When the property sold yet again, a series of owners, 
including Maranatha High School purchased or took 
control of the property. Maranatha was unable to come 
to an agreement with the city on building plans and 
abandoned their school plans, selling to another party. 
Today, the graded lots, paved streets and underground utilities 
are in place for buyers interested in purchasing a lot and 
building a home. Forty of the sixty three acres were designated 
as permanent open space preserve that ranges from 1140 to 
1450 feet above sea level, including a passive park and scenic 
community lookout, both on Nathaniel Terrace. The property 
borders the Angeles National Forest’s San Gabriel Mountains 
on the north perimeter.

The buildable lots range from lot 10 at 400,000 to the 
combined lots 3 and 4 parcel at $1,250,000, nearly at the top 
of the buildable portion of the development. Conceptual 
renderings are available at the office for some of the more 
challenging homesite and for the historic barn’s conversion to 
living space. 

For more information on Stonegate at Sierra Madre, 
visit the website, www.StonegateAtSierraMadre.
com or contact Mike Lepore at 626-232-3832 and 
Kris Mathison at 818 429-1092. Century 21 Village is 
located at 38 W. Sierra Madre Boulevard, Sierra Madre.


Next week, the historic structures at Stonegate will be 
featured in One of a Kind. 

Know of an interesting home, garden or person who helps 
create them? Send the details to C.Bertrand@MtnViewsNews.
com 


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While not a very common problem, if you’ve 
got it, it can have a terrible impact on your listing: 
The Messy Neighbor. If you live next door to a 
“neglected” property, you might lose up to 20% 
of your home’s market value, particularly with 
buyers looking for any excuse to reduce their offer. 

It’s technically not your problem, but ask not for 
whom the bell tolls. It’s well worth your time and 
effort to resolve this situation amicably. Always 
be respectful, and don’t let your emotions get the 
best of you. 

Unless you believe your neighbor is “unhinged,” 
you should begin with a visit to their home and 
a positive attitude - no name-calling or finger-
pointing. Don’t grab everyone on the block and 
gang up on your neighbor - you’ll get better results 
if you go alone or with one other person. 

If you find your messy neighbor is unwilling to 
take care of their maintenance, it may still be in 
your best interest to do the work yourself or with 
the help of other neighbors. No, it’s not fair, but if 
you want a fair sales price, this may be your only 
option. 

As a last resort, you could file a complaint 
with your property owners association or city 
government. You could be referred to a mediator 
who will help settle your disagreement cordially. 

Luther Tsinoglou has just been named the top 
producing sales agent in Dickson Podley Realtor’s 
Sierra Madre office for 2009, making the top 10% 
at the company overall. Luther has been licensed 
and practicing real estate since 1992. He specializes 
in residential and income property in Southern 
California. Luther can be reached at his direct line 
(626) 695-8650 or at luther@tsinoglou.com.

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Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com