'The opportunity to acquire a Kaufmann-designed residence of this scale, on land of this magnitude, and in direct relationship to the Arroyo Seco are exceedingly rare. Such properties are not replicated.'Privately located on one of the last undivided parcels on ultra-prestigious South San Rafael Avenue, sits the Frederick G. Adamson estate. Sited on 2.71 acres at the top of a long, gated driveway with commanding panoramic views of the Southern Basin from the western bank of the Arroyo Seco, the estate offers scale, privacy, and permanence that can no longer be replicated.Gordon B. Kaufmann, AIA Fellow, who over his career partnered with Reginald Johnson, Roland Coate, and Jesse Stanton, was the architect behind Greystone Mansion, the Los Angeles Times Building, the Athenaeum at Caltech, and numerous other landmark works, earning recognition at the Paris International Exposition. His architecture is found throughout many of Southern California's most prominent enclaves, including Bel-Air, Hancock Park, Holmby Hills, Pasadena, Beverly Hills, and Montecito.This Italian Revival masterpiece reflects Kaufmann's timeless vision, revealing a residence that, while exceeding 10,000 square feet, retains a sense of warmth, intimacy, and effortless livability. Equally suited for grand entertaining and private retreat, the home exemplifies his celebrated ability to balance formal and informal spaces while capturing the site's commanding views and sweeping panoramas. A succession of terraces, balconies, and loggias extends the living experience outdoors, beautifully uniting architecture and landscape design.Original and updated details remain remarkably preserved, including lathe-and-plaster walls, a paneled walnut library, oak floors, intricate moldings, five fireplaces, clay-tile rooflines, and period lighting and hardware reflecting a level of craftsmanship and integrity rarely seen today.Published in Architectural Digest in 1930 and held by only a handful of owners over nearly a century, the estate endures as a cultural artifact. Properties of this caliber do not trade often. When they do, they demand decisive, thoughtful ownership. This is one of those moments.Minutes from Caltech, the Huntington Library & Gardens, major studios, and Downtown Los Angeles, the Adamson Estate unites architectural significance, irreplaceable land, and enduring value.
For sale
Listing Provided by: The Agency
$12,000,000
262 S San Rafael Ave, Pasadena, CA 91105
6beds
10,918sqft
Est.:
Single Family Residence
Built in 1927
2.71 Acres Lot
$12,682,000 Zestimate®
$1,099/sqft
$-- HOA
What's special
Irreplaceable landLong gated drivewayIntricate moldingsOak floorsPaneled walnut libraryClay-tile rooflinesLathe-and-plaster walls
- 128 days |
- 4,476 |
- 138 |
Zillow last checked: 7 hours ago
Listing updated: February 11, 2026 at 04:09pm
Listing Provided by:
Rita Whitney DRE #01209004 626-755-4988,
The Agency
Source: CRMLS,MLS#: P1-25399
Originating MLS: California Regional MLS (Ventura & Pasadena-Foothills AORs)
Tour with a local agent
Facts & features
Interior
Bedrooms & bathrooms
- Bedrooms: 6
- Bathrooms: 11
- Full bathrooms: 3
- 3/4 bathrooms: 2
- 1/2 bathrooms: 6
- Main level bathrooms: 3
- Main level bedrooms: 2
Rooms
- Room types: Basement, Center Hall, Den, Entry/Foyer, Exercise Room, Family Room, Game Room, Guest Quarters, Great Room, Kitchen, Laundry, Library, Living Room, Primary Bathroom, Primary Bedroom, Media Room, Office, Other, Retreat, Sunroom, Utility Room
Primary bedroom
- Features: Primary Suite
Kitchen
- Features: Butler's Pantry, Stone Counters
Other
- Features: Walk-In Closet(s)
Heating
- Has Heating (Unspecified Type)
Cooling
- Central Air
Appliances
- Included: Freezer, Gas Cooktop, Gas Oven, Gas Range, Refrigerator
- Laundry: Laundry Room
Features
- Eat-in Kitchen, Dressing Area, Primary Suite, Utility Room, Walk-In Closet(s)
- Flooring: Stone, Wood
- Has basement: Yes
- Has fireplace: Yes
- Fireplace features: Den, Dining Room, Family Room, Library, Living Room, Primary Bedroom
- Common walls with other units/homes: No Common Walls
Interior area
- Total interior livable area: 10,918 sqft
Property
Parking
- Total spaces: 10
- Parking features: Circular Driveway, Controlled Entrance, Door-Single, Garage, Gated, Oversized, Garage Faces Side, Side By Side
- Attached garage spaces: 2
- Uncovered spaces: 8
Features
- Levels: Three Or More
- Stories: 3
- Patio & porch: Stone, Tile
- Has private pool: Yes
- Pool features: In Ground
- Spa features: None
- Fencing: Block,Chain Link
- Has view: Yes
- View description: Bridge(s), City Lights, Canyon, Park/Greenbelt, Landmark, Mountain(s), Neighborhood, Panoramic, Pool, Valley, Trees/Woods
Lot
- Size: 2.71 Acres
- Features: Garden, Sprinklers In Rear, Sprinklers In Front, Lawn, Yard
Details
- Parcel number: 5714030003
- Special conditions: Standard,Trust
Construction
Type & style
- Home type: SingleFamily
- Architectural style: Mediterranean,See Remarks
- Property subtype: Single Family Residence
Materials
- Plaster
- Roof: Tile
Condition
- Year built: 1927
Utilities & green energy
- Sewer: Public Sewer
- Water: Public
Community & HOA
Community
- Features: Biking, Curbs, Golf, Gutter(s), Hiking, Park, Preserve/Public Land, Rural, Street Lights, Suburban, Urban
- Security: Security System, Carbon Monoxide Detector(s), Security Gate, Smoke Detector(s), Security Lights
Location
- Region: Pasadena
Financial & listing details
- Price per square foot: $1,099/sqft
- Tax assessed value: $2,190,597
- Annual tax amount: $26,084
- Date on market: 1/12/2026
- Cumulative days on market: 128 days
- Listing terms: Cash,Cash to New Loan
- Inclusions: TBA
- Exclusions: TBA
Estimated market value
$12,682,000
$12.05M - $13.57M
$7,400/mo
Price history
Price history
| Date | Event | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1/12/2026 | Listed for sale | $12,000,000+0%$1,099/sqft |
Source: | ||
| 7/31/2025 | Listing removed | $11,999,000$1,099/sqft |
Source: | ||
| 6/23/2025 | Listed for sale | $11,999,000$1,099/sqft |
Source: | ||
Public tax history
Public tax history
| Year | Property taxes | Tax assessment |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $26,084 +5.4% | $2,190,597 +2% |
| 2024 | $24,751 +0.8% | $2,147,645 +2% |
| 2023 | $24,553 +3.6% | $2,105,536 +2% |
| 2022 | $23,710 +4.4% | $2,064,252 +2% |
| 2021 | $22,716 +4.2% | $2,023,777 +1% |
| 2020 | $21,802 | $2,003,027 +2% |
| 2019 | $21,802 -1.9% | $1,963,753 +2% |
| 2018 | $22,213 | $1,925,249 +2% |
| 2017 | $22,213 +1.1% | $1,887,500 +2% |
| 2016 | $21,980 +2.4% | $1,850,491 +1.5% |
| 2015 | $21,466 +3.1% | $1,822,696 +2% |
| 2014 | $20,825 | $1,786,993 +2.5% |
| 2012 | -- | $1,744,039 +2% |
| 2011 | -- | $1,709,843 +0.8% |
| 2010 | -- | $1,697,065 -0.2% |
| 2009 | -- | $1,701,098 +2% |
| 2008 | -- | $1,667,744 +2% |
| 2007 | -- | $1,635,044 +2% |
| 2006 | -- | $1,602,985 |
| 2005 | -- | $1,602,985 +4% |
| 2004 | -- | $1,540,741 +1.9% |
| 2003 | -- | $1,512,504 +2% |
| 2002 | -- | $1,482,848 +4% |
| 2000 | -- | $1,425,270 |
Find assessor info on the county website
BuyAbility℠ payment
Est. payment
$71,221/mo
Principal & interest
$59421
Property taxes
$11800
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Climate risks
Neighborhood: South Arroyo
Nearby schools
GreatSchools rating
- 2/10McKinley SchoolGrades: K-8Distance: 2 mi
- 4/10Blair High SchoolGrades: 6-12Distance: 1.6 mi
Local experts in 91105
- California
- Los Angeles County
- Pasadena
- 91105
- South Arroyo
- 262 S San Rafael Ave





