Fantastic wealth is fascinating. We want to know what super rich people own, how much they paid for it and where they bought it. From 1984 to 1995, viewers around the nation tuned in each week so that host Robin Leach could show them how the other half lives. Some of Robin’s findings were bizarre, some awe-inspiring and others were simply outrageous.
The important thing to remember is Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, like MTV’s Cribs and VH1′s The Fabulous Life Of… are real people’s homes. One community spotlighted by Robin Leach and his seekers of excess luxury was Fairbanks Ranch.
About Fairbanks Ranch
612 home sites comprise Fairbanks Ranch, which sits on a collective 1,240 acres in Rancho Santa Fe. The 2000 census declared Rancho Santa Fe to be the wealthiest community in the country.
1930s film idols Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks developed the property during their 16-year marriage. After their divorce, Fairbanks rarely visited the property, and it was sold to developers in the 1950s.
Fairbanks Ranch is a planned community and a census-designed place. Residents are bound by strict building codes designed to maintain the beauty of the area and the value of the properties there. No other community in the country enjoys luxury quite the way residents of Fairbanks Ranch do.
Fairbanks Ranch residents enjoy two lakes, one right next to the clubhouse. Tennis courts, miles of walking trails, an equestrian center and more pamper residents, in addition to the luxury offered at each estate. All Fairbanks Ranch homes were custom-built, so the looks of these homes vary more than some neighborhoods in the Rancho Santa Fe area.
Rancho Santa Fe is known for citrus groves, eucalyptus groves and a Hispanic theme. Due to the strict restrictions on building and improvements, the area is strikingly similar to the way it looked in the 1920s. But residents aren’t lacking, since the Pacific Ocean, some of the country’s greatest golf courses, fine dining and upscale boutique shops are all minutes away.
Fairbanks Ranch in Rancho Santa Fe is just far enough outside San Diego to have a rural feel, yet close enough for daily commuters to travel.
If you want to see how the truly rich and famous people live, a glance at Fairbanks Ranch in Rancho Santa Fe is a pretty good indication. But one of the advantages this community offers its residents is a measure of privacy and safety. Security guards man both gates to the neighborhood 24 hours per day.
This is a guest post from Alex Spyrakos. If you’re ever in the area, make sure you take a tour of some of the gorgeous Rancho Santa Fe real estate offerings. You never know – you might just find your next dream home.
