Tech billionaires really love Santa Barbara — this time, it’s veteran website developer Lynda Weinman notching up the latest deal, having purchased a stunning architectural estate in Montecito for $8 million, per records.
Unlike many Silicon Valley techies, Weinman has an atypical bootstrapping story — she began a business teaching web design with her husband Bruce in 1995. Together, they created the website Lynda.com, where she posted educational videos to virtually show her students the basics of web design. The website grew and evolved into one of the world’s biggest online training centers, and Lynda.com was subsequently purchased by LinkedIn in May 2015 for a whopping $1.5 billion. Weinman left the company shortly afterward and has since focused on big real estate moves from the Hollywood Hills to Carpinteria.
Her new purchase clocks in at a spacious 6,854 square feet with three bedrooms and six bathrooms, and is set on a knolltop 1.84-acre lot with panoramic views. The home’s exterior is distinctly modern with tan stucco walls, curvaceous lines and inverted arched roofs, and the fortress’s exterior is ringed by a security wall, inside which is a large circular motor court and colorful xeriscaping.
Inside, there’s a dramatic foyer featuring floor-to-ceiling windows, French doors, and an eye-catching hanging art piece. An imposing archway leads to the living room area which is bathed in sunlight via several floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the backyard towards the Pacific Ocean.
The effortless contemporary theme continues in the kitchen where frosted glass cupboards line the walls and glossy wood paneling covers the long, marble-topped island and cabinets. The kitchen also offers designer appliances, a casual adjoining breakfast room, and a separate, more formal dining room — complete with a bright orange accent wall — for fancier dinners. And for movie nights, the residence also sports a custom-built home cinema.
The master bedroom packs in its own sitting area and office space, both of which boast stunning Pacific views. The master bathroom features a garden-style tub, an oversized walk-in shower, plus a vanity area and sink with plenty of counter space.
Outside, the grounds of Weinman’s new expansive estate are dotted with lush plants and decorative garden sculptures. The crowning jewel of the yard is, of course, its glassy infinity pool and spa which is coupled with a large terrace — a perfect place to catch the poolside sunset.
Weinman, 65, has a long and well-documented relationship with ultra-high-end real estate. Besides her new Montecito mansion, she still owns at least four other Santa Barbara-area homes, plus a $28 million Montecito estate that spans 11.4 acres, on which she is custom-building a modern megamansion. She also once owned a snazzy home in L.A.’s Bird Streets neighborhood, recently sold for $16.5 million to Russ Weiner, and a $24 million oceanfront home on Carpinteria’s elite Padaro Lane.
The listing was held by Eric Haskell and Jill Nelsen of The Agency. Barbara Koutnik of Coldwell Banker Realty represented Weinman.