A Fairbanks Ranch estate perched above San Dieguto River Valley

Have you ever dreamed of being wealthy enough to own a nice mansion in the country? You know, a place with some good acreage to stroll through so you can commune with nature and enjoy the outdoors. Maybe you’d even have your own private lake that you could paddle around in a canoe, or fill with fish that you could later try to catch. Maybe you’d just let the fish swim in peace.

But wait. What if you are indeed rich, but also still have a job, one that requires you to regularly commute to the city for meetings with other business elites at power lunches in white linen bistros? Suddenly, Montana, Colorado, and all those other remote rich-folk getaways are out. Reader, let me share with you this week’s property, a city estate with a little bit of country mixed in.

6103 Avenida Picacho, per Zillow agent remarks, is an “elegant private gated estate perched above San Dieguto River Valley” with a residence occupying 9000 square feet of living space on a lot that covers just under 10 acres. And while it’s got a Rancho Santa Fe ZIP code, it is located in “the exclusive gated Fairbanks Ranch community,” which borders the northern edge of San Diego proper.

From the road, we first must pass through an entry gate to gain access to the property’s horseshoe driveway. This is already a private gated community, but I suppose the second gate protects against even the small handful of neighbors who can get through the first one. Past the gate, we get several photos of a very fancy sports car parked in front of the entryway, driving home the point that this is a house for very fancy people.

Crossing a bridge over a lily-and-boulder-lined pond, we approach the enormous dual front entry doors, which must be close to 20 feet tall and look quite heavy. Once inside, we find a nautical star inlaid in the marble flooring and a sweeping grand staircase off to one side that leads upstairs.

Staying on the ground floor for now: the living room beyond the entry is filled with enormous wood-cased arched windows that extend up almost to the two-story vaulted ceilings. There’s enough space in here for multiple living room furniture sets; the room is so large that a grand piano in one corner almost looks small.

Around the corner is a family room with a second fireplace, second piano, pool table, and perhaps the largest couch I’ve ever seen. There’s also a bar area with an auxiliary dining set, though we pass through that area into a formal dining room with seating for 10.

The kitchen is very much what we’d expect for a home of this size, with a big center island, built-in stainless appliances, and plenty of cabinet space. It feels a bit dated, what with the cherry wood cabinets and pale granite counters, but the copper range hood with pans dangling from it (probably decorative, because they look hard to reach) is a nice touch. Wait, what are those big doors on one side next to the double wall oven? Is that a wood-burning pizza oven? This looks like an interesting feature, but unfortunately, the listing does not say.

Next, the listing takes us to the main suite, which includes a wood-paneled office/library with lots of built-in bookcases and a custom arched entry door inlaid with carved glass. This would make a nice cozy space to read a book or write stories about other rich peoples’ houses, and lends the home a much more classic feel than its 1987 build date would suggest. The bedroom part of the suite is itself large enough for a separate sitting area near the fireplace, and there’s also an en-suite bath with another fireplace and an upstairs “loft/workout area.”

We don’t see any photos of the other three “kids/guest bedrooms,” but we’re told they all have “stunning views, en-suite baths,” and that two have fireplaces of their own.

That about covers the main house, but there are also two guest houses on the property, one of them attached to the main residence. Let’s go outside, shall we? “Enjoy meandering through the sprawling lawns and waterfall guided pathways to your own private lake,” the listing invites. Okay, we will, but first let’s stop at the pool, which has a dark plaster finish that looks kind of lake-like on its own. Both the pool and lake get gazebos “for you and your guests to relax and take in the tranquility of the water cascading down,” while “sprawling decks extend all around the home for indoor/outdoor enjoyment.” Oh, and there’s a private tennis court here, too. Let’s go down to the lake.

Oh. Well. If we were in any other part of the country, we might call this a pond. Perhaps even a large pond. But we’re in San Diego, and this is a body of water much larger than a swimming pool (probably about a dozen of this home’s very large swimming pool, if I’m guessing right from satellite pictures), so we’re going to count it. as a lake There’s a dock with a canoe tied up, all ready for your paddle, as well as the promised gazebo. A water feature sprays up from the center of the lake, and pleasant, large trees shade the shoreline. Any lake that you own is a good lake.

Looking at the property outline, it looks like a fair chunk of the land included here drops down into the Lusardi Creek valley that separates Fairbanks Ranch from the rest of Rancho Santa Fe, promising plenty of open space to explore and a serious unlikelihood that you will ever have any neighbors building on the land behind you.

Capping off the amenities, your $655/month HOA fee gets you access to the community center with “gorgeous equestrian facility, large beautiful lakes [in addition to yours] with park-like grounds and walking paths, 4000 square-foot clubhouse, lighted tennis courts [also in addition to yours],” and a “direct pathway to award winning elementary school” along with “24 hour armed security,” all combining to promise “the lifestyle dreams are made of!”

Public records indicate the current owners of the Avenida Picacho estate as real estate investors Tim and Belinda Foley. The home last sold in 2004 for a reported $3.56 million, and has been listed several times in recent years, asking as much as $10 million without attracting a buyer. The current listing, which went live in late September, carries a price of $8,399,000 that remains unchanged to date.

6103 Avenida Picacho | Rancho Santa Fe, 92067

current owner: Tim and Belinda Foley | listing price: $8,399,000 | beds: 6 | baths: 8 | house size: 9000