A midcentury home in San Diego has had just one owner since it was built in 1966.

The meticulously preserved dwelling was listed for $999,000 in March, for the first time ever, and already has a pending offer.

Apparently, the 102-year-old resident even had a say in who the lucky buyer would be.

“The home was a pride and joy for the owners who built it,” says listing agent Tugg Snowbarger, with Grand Pacific Properties Group. “It’s just a breath of fresh air to find something that’s been so well preserved. [The seller] is taking joy in finding her replacement, someone who she feels she can pass the baton on to [and trust to] maintain this special property.”

And in fact, 16 offers came in for the place.

Perfectly preserved pad brings the fans

The home, from its look to its decor, has been “impeccably preserved,” the listing notes.

“The fact that it hasn’t been touched and is preserved makes it instantly appealing to midcentury modern lovers,” Snowbarger says, adding that he hosted about 10 days of showings that created a line down the street. “People came from all over the country. We really brought all the midcentury modern fans out of the woodwork.”

The 783-square-foot house has only one bedroom and one bathroom. The compact, glass-filled, post-and-beam construction is suspended above a steep hillside.

“It is small but very efficiently designed,” Snowbarger explains. “It feels much larger when you’re in it due to all the glass and the canyon setting that … just extends the living space outdoors.”

The ‘Custom Compact’

Modernist architect Homer Delawie designed the home with the help of the seller and her late husband. Delawie designed many places in and around the San Diego area, including the SeaWorld penguin exhibit and The Bea Evenson Fountain in Balboa Park. He won many awards and accolades before his death in 2009.

This home was dubbed the Custom Compact. It was featured in magazines and recognized with several design awards. There are other architecturally significant homes are on the same street, which is in a historical district.

“It’s really the type of house that you want to preserve and really be the steward of, [so the buyer is] someone who appreciates what it is and wants to just carry it forward,” Snowbarger says.

Though Snowbarger acknowledges a kitchen update might be in order, everything in the house has been well maintained.

“Everyone who has come through here says they almost feel like they’re walking through a museum,” he says.

Snowbarger says the furnishings look like a magazine feature from the late 1960s and early 1970s.

“There has been a tremendous amount of interest in the furniture and accessories,” he notes. “Everything is just so perfectly positioned in the house, and this is an era that has so many fans and followers that love this type of style and architecture, so it’s really a trending style.”

The seller is going to decide what pieces she wants to keep, and the homebuyer can purchase the rest. Anything remaining will go to auction.

Snowbarger says the seller is satisfied with the offers.

“She was overjoyed, and she is just so pleased with the fact that people love it as much as she does,” he says.

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