California home built around giant boulder lists for $2 million

"A California home built around a 14-foot granite boulder is now on the market for $2 million. The 3,460-square-foot home is at 3696 Alta Loma Drive in Jamul, a census-designated place in eastern San Diego County. It includes three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a pool. The gray rock sits beneath the home's central tower and is clearly visible from the living room, kitchen and primary bedroom."

""The boulder acts as the heating and cooling element of the home," Jeannine Savory, real estate agent for the property, told SFGATE. Although temperatures in Jamul can rise above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the stone's temperature remains between 60 and 65 degrees, Savory said. That feature, combined with the home's unique walls, which are insulated with straw bales, regulate the home's temperature without the need for central heating or air conditioning."

"Although the home was finished in 2001, its look is inspired by mission-style architecture. The straw-packed walls are covered with yellow stucco and topped with a slanted red roof. "This rock and the house's straw-bale design are going to save us $200 to $300 a month in energy bills," Dick Dunham, one of the home's original owners, explained in a 2001 Los Angeles Times article. The home last sold in 2006 for $1,035,000."

The 3,460-square-foot residence at 3696 Alta Loma Drive in Jamul, California, is listed for $2 million and includes three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a pool. A 14-foot granite boulder sits beneath the central tower and is visible from the living room, kitchen and primary bedroom. The original owners preserved the boulder, and one owner would climb it to operate tower windows. The stone stays between 60 and 65 degrees and functions as a heating and cooling element. Straw-bale insulated walls further regulate temperature, reducing reliance on central HVAC and cutting energy costs by about $200–$300 monthly. Finished in 2001, the house features mission-style elements, yellow stucco and a slanted red roof; the property last sold in 2006 for $1,035,000 while the local average home value is just over $1 million.

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