Nestled on rugged cypress-lined cliffs overlooking the Pacific, the Carmel Highlands neighborhood in Central California has long attracted notable figures, including actress Kim Novak and millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett. Notably, the oceanfront beach house featured in Sharon Stone’s film Basic Instinct is located here, as well as the historic D.L. James estate, recently bought by Brad Pitt for $40 million in 2022.
Now, a striking property in this prestigious area, long owned by Hollywood screenwriter Richard Outten, is on the market for $4.25 million. Outten, known for his work on the 2012 Warner Bros. adventure film Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, originally purchased the dark wood-sided home for $990,000 in 2010.
Completed in the early 1950s and offered for sale only for the third time in 70 years, this midcentury modern house sits on over a third of an acre of gated land near Carmel-by-the-Sea and the nearby beaches. The home features three bedrooms and two bathrooms within nearly 1,800 square feet of elegantly updated living space with views of Bird Island and Point Lobos.
The property highlights include an open-concept great room with a high whitewashed wood-beam ceiling, a wood-burning brick fireplace with window seats, built-in cabinetry, and sliding glass doors leading to a rear patio. The adjacent dining area connects to a tiled kitchen equipped with a breakfast bar and high-end appliances from Bosch, Frigidaire, and KitchenAid. A workspace with an integrated desk is next to the kitchen, while a breezeway leads to the primary bedroom with a shower-equipped bath and a laundry area. A separate wing houses two more bedrooms, one converted into a wood-paneled office, and another bath. The outdoor space features winding pathways through sustainable succulent gardens and an attached one-car garage.
The listing, managed by Tim Allen of the Tim Allen Properties Team with Coldwell Banker Realty in Northern California, also includes private beach access.
