THE_SHELHAMER_GROUP_LOGO_WHITE-01

Welcome to NELA’S Montecito Heights

Welcome to NELA’S Montecito Heights! Let the Shelhamer Group take you into the heart of Montecito Heights’s modern history, homes, must have’s, art culture, and vibrant real estate market! This picturesque district possesses a rich history as one of the oldest and most fascinating areas of Los Angeles. We are privileged to live and raise our children in these beautiful communities. Reach out to us for your next Montecito Heights real estate opportunity!

Montecito Heights Modern History

In 1910 the vision for Montecito Heights began. Developers planned the affluent suburb as groups of large well-appointed properties placed on large lots dispersed around a magnificent hilltop hotel. The Great Depression in 1929 wiped out the country along with the company, and the plans for the hotel were not to be.

Montecito Heights residents still enjoy the legacy of the developers’ vision. With oversized lots, they have profited by becoming micro-developers and building second houses or ADUs. Located between Los Angeles and Pasadena, Montecito Heights overlooks our nation’s first freeway and the Arroyo Seco River. History thrives through huge tracts of open wilderness areas, historic homes, and breathtaking views!

Built during the Great Depression, the construction of the Arroyo Seco Parkway put a lot of people to work, opening for travel on December 30, 1940. The 8.2 mile stretch of road cost approximately $6 million to build, paving the way for the rest of Los Angeles’ expansive freeway system.

“Arroyo Seco” means dry riverbed, Pasadena’s seasonal gulch was, in fact, nature’s own freeway back in the days of wagon trains. During the warmer and dryer months, it would provide a shortcut for wagons between Pasadena and Los Angeles to the Southwest. The Arroyo Seco Parkway or “Pasadena Freeway” was created to run parallel with it.

Montecito Heights Architecture

The residential architectural roots began with the adventurous spirit of those who first built on the hillside terrains during the turn of the century. From Victorian farmhouses to early Craftsman homes to modern homes, including Spanish colonial revival, English Tudor, and smaller bungalows.

The word “bungalow” derives from the Hindustani word “bangala,” meaning “belonging to Bengal.” Bungalow houses were first constructed in Bengal, India, in the mid-nineteenth century. Craftsman bungalow describes classic bungalows. These homes feature street-facing gables, shingled roofs, and wide overhanging eaves.

These homes are often painted or stained brown or dark green to blend with nature. These homes were so popular for a time that many cities have what is called a “Bungalow Belt” of homes built in the 1920s. These neighborhoods were often clustered along streetcar lines as they extended into the suburbs.

Montecito Heights Must-Haves

Heritage Square Museum is a living history museum that explores the settlement and development of Southern California during its first 100 years of statehood. The eight historic structures located at the museum, constructed during the Victorian Era were saved from demolition and serve as a perfect background to educate the public about the everyday lives of Southern Californians from the close of the 19th Century into the early decades of the 20th Century.

From the simplicity of the Longfellow-Hastings Octagon House to the opulence of the William Perry Mansion, the Museum provides a unique look at the lifestyles of the people who contributed so much to the development of modern Los Angeles.

Montecito Heights Art & Culture

Montecito Heights Lummis House

The Lummis House “El Alisal” is a rustic stone house built by the late Charles Fletcher Lummis, who purchased the property between 1895 and 1897 and built it by hand from the local river rocks, and old railroad telegraph poles used as ceiling support some thirteen years later.

The 4,000 sqft home is located on the edge of the Arroyo Seco in NELA. The home has been described as one part medieval, one part castle, with a measure of California Rancho and a dash of Native American Pueblo. Now that’s an architectural martini!

Lummis was an explorer, photographer, archeologist, writer, and founder of The Southwest Museum of The American Indian. and considered Los Angeles’s first multiculturalist. He hosted many parties, and some of his more notable guests were Clarence Darrow, Will Rogers, and John Muir.

David Clark Los Feliz Real Estate Advisor

David Clark - 805.280.1425​

I’m David Clark, a Californian, real estate advisor REALTOR®, and writer for the Shelhamer Real Estate Group located in Northeast Los Angeles California, the fastest growing real estate market in Los Angeles County. Connect with me for further information about this article, and to add and optimize the value in your property. Look for me on Instagram: @sellingnortheastla

Shelhamer Group Logo Compressed

Mls Disclaimer:

Based on information from the / Association of REALTORS® (alternatively, from the /MLS) as of [date the AOR/MLS data was obtained]. All data, including all measurements and calculations of area, is obtained from various sources and has not been, and will not be, verified by broker or MLS. All information should be independently reviewed and verified for accuracy. Properties may or may not be listed by the office/agent presenting the information

Contact

The Shelhamer Real Estate Group

361 N Avenue 57

Los Angeles, CA 90042-3403

 

Call: 310-913-9477

Stay Connected

First name(Required)
Last Name(Required)
Which Newsletter Insights Are You Most Interested In?(Required)
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

THE SHELHAMER GROUP   |    DRE: 01950995

Glenn Shelhamer is a licensed real estate broker DRE: 01950995 in the state of California and abides by equal housing opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. To reach The Shelhamer Real Estate Group’s office manage please call (310) 913-9477.

©2019 Finance of America Mortgage LLC is licensed nationwide | Equal Housing Opportunity | NMLS ID #1071 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) | 300 Welsh Road, Building 5, Horsham, PA 19044 | (800) 355-5626 | AZ Mortgage Banker License #0910184 | Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act | Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee #15499 | Kansas Licensed Mortgage Company | Licensed by the N.J. Department of Banking and Insurance | Licensed Mortgage Banker — NYS Banking Department | Rhode Island Licensed Lender | Massachusetts Lender/Broker License MC1071. For licensing information go to: www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org. Questions, comments, concerns? Send to customerrelations@financeofamerica.com

This is not a commitment to lend. Prices, guidelines and minimum requirements are subject to change without notice. Some products may not be available in all states. Subject to review of credit and/or collateral; not all applicants will qualify for financing. It is important to make an informed decision when selecting and using a loan product; make sure to compare loan types when making a financing decision. Any materials were not provided by HUD or FHA. It has not been approved by FHA or any Government Agency. A preapproval is not a loan approval, rate lock, guarantee or commitment to lend. An underwriter must review and approve a complete loan application after you are preapproved in order to obtain financing.

Copyright © 2022 Shelhamer Group. All rights reserved.