Celebrity real estate flips usually involve sterile white boxes and hyper-modern glass cubes. But back in 2007, actress Jessica Capshaw and her husband Christopher Gavigan took a different route. They bought a 1927 Spanish Colonial home in Santa Monica's coveted North of Montana neighborhood for $3.05 million.
Thirteen years later, after stripping the property down to the studs and adding an eco-conscious guesthouse, they quietly unloaded it off-market for $5.75 million. The buyer? A limited liability company tied to Texas billionaire Dan Friedkin.
If you are looking at how to combine historic preservation with modern green building standards, this property offers a masterclass. Most buyers panic when they see a 1920s house needing structural work. Capshaw and Gavigan leaned right into it.
The Strategy Behind the Down-to-Studs Restoration
Historic homes charm you with original crown molding and arched doorways, then shock you with terrible plumbing and non-existent insulation. Capshaw, known for her role on Grey's Anatomy, and Gavigan, co-founder of The Honest Co., chose to gut the main house completely rather than slap on surface-level cosmetic fixes.
They kept the classic four-bedroom, four-bathroom layout intact, but upgraded the structural integrity and interior materials. They used sustainably harvested Brazilian wood flooring imported from Washington State and outfitted the interiors with salvaged and recycled furnishings.
The philosophy was straightforward: historic character shouldn't mean environmental waste. By preserving the 1920s Spanish Colonial exterior framework while modernizing the core infrastructure, they protected the home's architectural value while cutting down its carbon footprint.
Trading a Garage for a Greenguard-Certified Guesthouse
One of the smartest moves on this property was the backyard transformation. The original detached two-car garage was completely demolished to make room for a 950-square-foot guesthouse.
Instead of a standard concrete-and-drywall addition, the structure earned a Greenguard certification. It featured:
- High ceilings with natural light pouring through overhead skylights
- A wooden ladder leading to a private loft area
- Four rustic grey-blue French doors opening up to the yard
Outside, the landscaping leaned heavily into sustainability without sacrificing California luxury. They installed synthetic grass alongside drought-tolerant succulents, mature olive trees providing shade for an outdoor dining area, a rectangular saltwater pool, a wooden deck, a built-in banquette, and a volcanic fire pit.
Why Off-Market Deals Work for High-End Sellers
The 2020 transaction bypassed the public Multiple Listing Service entirely. For high-profile owners, off-market sales offer privacy, eliminate random looky-loos, and let sellers test an aggressive price point without accumulating market days if it lingers.
When you price a meticulously restored historic property at $5.75 million in North of Montana, you don't need a billboard. You need the right buyer pool—in this case, a billionaire looking for a turnkey, eco-friendly Santa Monica compound.
Capshaw and Gavigan had already upgraded their personal footprint by 2015, dropping $10 million on a massive 10,000-square-foot residence in Pacific Palisades. Selling the Santa Monica house in 2020 was a clean exit from a project they spent over a decade perfecting.
Stop assuming historic homes can't be green, and stop thinking modern upgrades require wiping out local architecture. If you plan a home renovation, focus on structural longevity, salvaged materials, and functional outdoor spaces that add immediate long-term equity.
