2988 Tepusquet Road Santa Maria CA 93454 MLS #26001296

The road in tells you everything. Eight-tenths of a mile of private dirt road off Colson Canyon Road climbs through oak and chaparral into the Tepusquet/Colson Canyon corridor, one of Santa Barbara County’s last truly rural landscapes. At 1,600 ft elevation, the canyon opens up and the house comes into view — slump stone and concrete tile, settled into the hillside, with sweeping views across the canyon to Colson Vineyard.
This 40-acre agricultural parcel is anchored by a 3,400 sq ft home in excellent condition: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, with a permitted finished lower level that includes a fortified storage room. A wrap-around wooden deck spans three sides of the upper level, ideal for taking in the views at any hour. Mini-split A/C provides efficient climate control throughout.
What truly sets this property apart is its genuine self-sufficiency. A permitted solar electric system with on-grid backup and a permitted solar water heating system keep utility costs minimal. A private well — exclusive to this parcel and shared with no neighboring property — feeds 15,000 gallons of storage across three tanks. The septic system was completely replaced in 2018. Starlink internet, paired with hardwired ethernet to the upper floor, ensures full connectivity even in this remote setting.
Two permitted metal outbuildings add exceptional value rarely found on rural acreage. A fully equipped blacksmith shop, complete with a professional power hammer and full complement of equipment, enjoys its own view of Colson Vineyard — a turnkey workspace for the serious craftsman. A second metal barn currently houses a tractor, which is included in the sale, along with most of the home’s furnishings and the shop equipment.
Established vegetable gardens, decades of careful stewardship, and an extensive seller-prepared operations manual — covering the septic, well, solar, and generator systems with photographs and step-by-step procedures — all convey with the property. The sellers are happy to walk the new owners through everything in person.
Properties of this caliber, with this level of documented infrastructure and privacy, rarely come to market in this canyon