The LA Times Hot Property column reports that today’s estate belongs to Cincinnati Bengals quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer. Palmer’s home is a four-bedroom Mediterranean perched on a hilltop with beautiful views out over the ocean, the town and an open canyon. Like many hillside homes, this one has a bunch of levels. The top level has an entry deck, oceanview front office and a two-car garage. The home also includes a gourmet kitchen, formal dining room, living room, a full-floor master bedroom suite which has a cedar-lined walk-in closet, an office, sitting area and master bath. The lowest level has two two bedrooms with a large balcony. Big Time Listings reports that Palmer also owns a home in Del Mar, California and a five-bedroom home in Cincinnati. This home is listed at $2.949 million.

Welcome to Casa Blanca, a dramatic home located on the Carpinteria coast next to Montecito, California. This estate which was finished in 1996 has a history that reaches back to the 1920s. Upon entering the iron gates of the home, you are welcomed into a courtyard with a water fountain. Once inside, there is a a lighted dome with skylight above the entry The six-bedroom home has some dramatic features including a living room with 19-foot ceilings and sliding glass doors that disappear into the sides of the walls. The dining room has hidden built-in cabinets and a Murano glass chandelier. The master bedroom suite has coffered ceilings, fireplaces and a terrace. The master bath opens to a secluded patio with a tiled spa. Every bedroom has a deck or a terrace. The back of the house has 180 degree views of the ocean, islands and coast line with direct beach access. The exterior of the house is very beautiful and evocative but the home’s rather bland interior doesn’t deliver on the exotic promise of the exterior facade, at least in the pictures I’ve seen.

The home is one of eight in a gated enclave. The property shares a tennis court and pool pavilion with kitchen. The best shared amenities is the Natatorium which was designed by famed local George Washington Smith and has historical significance. This pool house has a pool room, game room and men’s and women’s separate showers done in a Moorish style with painted arches, marble fireplace, tiled walls and floors. The most interesting feature is a sumptuous indoor pool area with elaborate mosaic tile work that is capped by a large retractable skylight. This home is listed at $12.9 million.

Mel Harris, most famous for her role as the winsome and whiny Hope on the show “thirtysomething.” The LA Times Hot Property column reports that Harris has listed her Pacific Palisades property, a charming four-bedroom Country English-style home. She has owned the home for five years and it has been remodeled with a new marble-countered kitchen and bathrooms. There are older details to love such as the Batchelder tile fireplace in the living room and the beautiful beams and archways. The new master bathroom is a bit too over the top for a house of this scale and graciousness and the travertine tile in the kitchen seems like it would be a better fit for a Florida flip than for this older Californian. The home was originally listed at $4.347 million but is already down to $4.197 million which still seems like a lot of cash for 4,5000 square feet even in the pricey Palisades. More pictures  here

Rising from a sun-drenched promontory overlooking the blue Pacific, Terra Bella is a celebration of classical Italian architecture and the beautiful earth that is its namesake. From the instant the gates open, it becomes one of those “pinch yourself” moments when reality blurs and the dream begins to unfold. Slowly and seductively, Terra Bella is revealed through rich layers of architecture, gardens and vistas that capture both the imagination and the heart.