‘Sun Villa’ Classic Hits Market - Page 2

Updated amenities include central air conditioning, a laundry, and a covered carport with an EV charger.

Despite the Webber House having changed hands up to a half dozen times since 1950, the various owners managed to maintain much of the home's character throughout those transitions.

In fact, the current owners, who bought the house in 2013, "lived there for six years before they even touched it," explains Tabache.

"Here was an original house that, though intact, wasn't in the greatest shape. But over those six years, the latest owners came to understand the home, the space, how everything was laid out, and why the architect did certain things."

Waiting turned out to be a smart move, leading the present owners to exercise great care in preserving the home's original character and livability while working with an architectural firm, Claret Cup.

Today you'll find a tapered, insulated roof, built-in cabinetry and polished concrete floors, a large brick fireplace anchoring the main living area, and of course those clerestories filling the home with soft, natural light.

Saving what they could and updating other aspects, the latest owners then worked to qualify the Webber House for historic designation. In 2021, they followed up by applying for the Mills Act, a tool that will likely provide significant property tax savings for the home's next owners.

"We're really trying to put in the effort and time to find a good fit for this house," says Tabache. "People who will just love and cherish the legacy of the home and the architecture, and not losing the fabric that makes living in and around Los Angeles what it is."

In all, between 1949 and 1951, it is estimated that as many as two dozen Sun Villa models were built, in the San Diego and Los Angeles areas, according to researcher Keith York of Modern San Diego. However, only three of them, including the Webber House, were reported to surface in Los Angeles.

• For more Sun Villa, enjoy this video (produced by Open Space Series) filmed at the Webber House that includes an interview with the home's current owners. To explore the roots of the Sun Villa project, visit Modern San Diego.