A new residential community in the Carpinteria Valley inspired by the area’s polo history and coastal landscape is entering the local real estate market.

The development brings 25 single-family homes and 15 townhomes, six of which are designated as workforce housing.

The community was developed by Chuck Lande, chairman of the trustees of the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club.

“It’s dear to my heart, and I wanted to make sure that whatever got built here blended in and fit into the community and was complementary to the polo club,” Lande said. 

The Chadmar Group, which Lande co-founded, purchased the property two years ago, but the site has been eyed for development for several years. Four of the homes have already been sold, and owners could be moving in during December or January, he said.

“The creativity involved in doing this is the fun part,” Lande said. “Working with the architects and the engineers and the landscape architects, you kind of have a vision of what you wanted to look at, and it’s nice to see that that vision or that dream come to fruition.”

The land was originally purchased in 1923 by Major Fleischmann, who helped establish the Polo & Racquet Club. Since then, the land has served as a polo practice field and horse corrals.

When designing the housing community, Lande said he wanted it to fit in with the overall environment, which is why they went with a country ranch-style architecture.

“If somebody was going to build something, we wanted it to be complementary to the club, enhance the club, enhance Carpinteria and enhance the community as a whole,” Lande said. “It would be awful if some builder came in here and built a bunch of junk.”

Most of the homes are at the stage where buyers can pick their own finishing touches, such as countertops and flooring. 

The workforce units are expected to go on the market in the next few weeks, according to Lande.

The price is determined by a Santa Barbara County set formula that considers household income, and residents will be selected through a lottery system.

The development also preserves 4.17 acres of open space, including a creek corridor, walking trails and community gathering areas.

Michael Calcagno, the real estate agent with the project, said buyers and other agents have been “blown away” by the homes. 

“You’re very impressed when you walk in,” Calcagno said. “You don’t expect it from a new building. The quality is off the charts.”

He added that the quality and style set the community apart from other newer developments.

“When I believe in something, it’s so much easier to sell,” Calcagno said. “When you don’t believe in something, it’s obvious.”

The single-family homes range from 2,292 to 4,085 square feet, and many of the homes look over the polo practice fields. 

The townhomes have two or three bedrooms and range from 1,375 to 2,000 square feet with a starting price of $1.5 million. 

Floor plans can be seen here. 

The architecture was done by Robert Hidey Architects, interior design was done by OBJEKT Designs and the landscape architecture was done by Girvin Associates.

As a longtime developer, Lande said they wanted the homes to fit people’s needs, which is why they prioritized large bedrooms, walk-in closets, and bathrooms for each bedroom. 

“Those are really key elements,” Lande said. “We’re very particular about the size of the bedrooms, especially secondaries. A lot of times you’ll find these tiny little secondary rooms, and that’s not fair to put a child in. The size of each of the rooms is really, really key.”

Calcagno also gave kudos to The Chadmar Group, saying it listened to the needs and wants from buyers and agents. 

“A lot of times, builders will come in and they’ll build based off of what’s going to be the biggest profit for them, and it doesn’t make sense to a buyer,” Calcagno said. 

The Santa Barbara Polo Residences can be found at 135 Polo Way, adjacent to the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club off of Via Real.