In the early 1950s, after Clint Eastwood was drafted into the U.S. Army and stationed at Central California’s Fort Ord overlooking the beautiful Monterey Bay, he frequently visited the small beach city of Carmel-by-the-Sea. There, he even had his first legal beer at the historic Mission Ranch. The San Francisco native quickly fell in love with the charming coastal area, later telling a local magazine in an interview shortly before his 94th birthday that he “always felt it was a place I’d like to come back to, a place to call home.”
Eastwood did indeed make Carmel his home, leaving a significant mark on the area. The iconic actor, producer, director, and composer, known for over 100 films and TV shows including award-winning movies like Gran Torino, Unforgiven, and Million Dollar Baby, not only made his directorial debut with 1971’s Play Misty for Me but also served a two-year term as mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea in the late 1980s. He named his production company Malpaso after a local creek.
Eastwood currently resides in Tehàma, a 2,000-acre private residential community in the Carmel hills that he founded. However, he previously lived in a striking home in the heart of the quaint oceanfront village, just one street from Carmel Beach. This seaside retreat is now on the market for the first time in nearly 30 years, listed at $21 million. The property offers captivating coastal views that are sure to delight potential buyers.
Listing agent Tim Allen of Coldwell Banker Realty highlights the property’s historical significance and charm, describing it as a “private oasis” with inviting spaces that reflect Carmel’s classic style and beauty. According to The Wall Street Journal, retired investor Frederick O’Such and his late wife Joanne purchased the property from an Eastwood-linked trust in the late 1990s for around $2.25 million. The home, built in 1924 and extensively remodeled by O’Such, sits on just over a quarter-acre of land and features four bedrooms, five bathrooms, and 4,400-plus square feet of living space with luxurious details like mahogany accents, cherry wood floors, and vaulted ceilings. It also includes a detached two-car garage.
Known as Las Ondas, the property boasts an enclosed courtyard with a fire pit, several ocean-view decks, and a gated walkway to the beach. Additional features include formal living and dining rooms with fireplaces, a media room, a climate-controlled wine room, two laundry rooms, and a Craftsman-style kitchen with high-end appliances. The home’s two luxurious primary suites include one with a fireside seating area opening to a private balcony and a bath with dual vanities, a steam shower, and a vintage clawfoot soaking tub.
O’Such is selling the property following the death of his recent spouse, Nancy Fuhrman, and plans to move to a nearby retirement community. He expressed his hope that the next owner will enjoy and cherish the historic home as he and his wives did, sharing it with family and friends for years to come.
