In the 1980s, Clint Eastwood, the renowned actor and director, served as mayor of the quaint California town of Carmel-by-the-Sea for two years. Now, the historic home where he resided during that time is being listed for $21 million. According to the 2016 book “Historic Homes and Inns of Carmel-by-the-Sea,” Eastwood lived in the house throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
The seller of the property is Frederick O’Such, an octogenarian retired investor, who acquired the ocean-view home from an Eastwood-affiliated trust in 1996, according to property records. O’Such mentioned that he purchased the house for approximately $2.25 million and subsequently invested an additional $2.5 million over two years to renovate it.
Carmel, situated about 125 miles south of San Francisco, is a coastal retreat favored by tourists and second-home buyers for its picturesque architecture and beaches. Notably, Brad Pitt purchased a blufftop home in nearby Carmel Highlands for $40 million two years ago.
Clint Eastwood, originally from San Francisco, has strong connections to the region. He served as mayor of Carmel from 1986 to 1988, running for office because he felt the incumbent mayor was “too distant” from the community and inattentive, often “knitting during public meetings,” as he shared with The Wall Street Journal in 2020.
Eastwood served only one term as mayor, but among his notable actions was lifting the ban on the public sale of ice cream. During the 1980s, he also purchased the historic Mission Ranch to prevent its development. Additionally, he developed Teháma, a 2,000-acre residential community that features the Teháma Golf Club. Eastwood could not be reached for comment.
According to O’Such, he did not learn who owned the house until after he had viewed it. He met Eastwood only once, at an event held at the Teháma Golf Club.
The Spanish Revival-style house, built around 1924 and known as Las Ondas, is situated a block from the ocean. Listing agent Tim Allen of Coldwell Banker Realty described it as a 4,400-square-foot home made of Carmel stone with a clay tile roof. The property features four bedrooms and an interior courtyard with arched windows.
According to Allen, the property includes a walkway to the beach accessible from a side door. He also noted that the house’s height and its expansive ceilings are now irreplaceable due to current zoning restrictions.
The gated property spans approximately ¼-acre, which is three times larger than the average lot size in the neighborhood, Allen added. It features a free-standing stone garage built in the 1930s that accommodates two cars.
O’Such mentioned that he installed a wine cellar in the home’s basement and redesigned the interior in the Arts and Crafts style, a design he encountered during his travels through Europe. Additionally, he reinforced the house’s foundation to make it earthquake-resistant and replaced the roof and windows.
After completing the renovations, O’Such said that he and his late wife, Joanne O’Such, moved from Los Altos Hills to Carmel on a full-time basis. He frequently entertained guests, especially in the courtyard where there is a fire pit. “Even if it’s windy, the walls break the wind,” he noted.
Following Joanne’s death in 2011, O’Such married Nancy Fuhrman, who also passed away a few months ago. “This has been a lovely house for me with both of them,” O’Such said, adding that his children and grandchildren enjoy visiting the beach. However, after Nancy’s passing, he plans to move to a cottage in a nearby retirement community. “I’ll make the transition once the house is sold,” he stated.
Allen noted that the high-end luxury market in Carmel and nearby Pebble Beach remains robust. Recent sales have been driven by second-home buyers, many from Silicon Valley. Last year, the Butterfly House—known for its wing-shaped roof—sold for $29 million, and a home directly across from O’Such’s property recently sold for $28 million, Allen reported.
