‘Called as soon as we reached our phones’: Couple makes offer on US home while out kayaking

Deborah and Greg Lapp were paddling downstream on the Kings River when they spotted a for sale sign peeking out from the riverbank.

Time out on the waters in the southern California region of Sanger was a regular outing for the retired educators, as was house hunting.

The Lapps had spent a year searching for their future home when they found the property at 26210 Elwood Road.

They were so taken by the home and its surroundings they made an offer on the spot while still in their kayaking gear.

“We saw the back side of a For Sale sign, paddled to the shore, memorised the phone number and called as soon as we reached our phones downriver,” the Lapps said in a statement. 

“We met the realtor and made an offer in our water shoes.”

Once they had taken the keys, the Lapps set to work re-imagining the spot as their home.

They called Arthur Dyson, a former apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright and Bruce Goff.

Dyson and Deborah, an author, had worked together decades earlier. 

He had designed Deborah and her late husband Dennis’ home, known as the Hobbit House.

For Deborah and Greg, a composer, Dyson built what would become the award winning Lapp RiverHouse.

“The house is designed to echo the contour of the foothills. It is organic, connecting the outside and inside, and reflecting the curvilinear landscape,” the Lapps said.

“When people enter the house, the first thing they do is sigh; it is a calm and relaxing place. The way the light dances through the house in different ways at different times of the day is inspiring.”

The two bedroom home’s sculptural form – inspired by the landscape – allows every room to interact with shifting light, seasonal changes and the natural environment.

“When the sun rises over Tivy Mountain to the south and touches the top of the foothills across the river to the north, we stop and watch the sun slide down the hill–we call it “the show,” the Lapps said.

“The sunset is likewise dramatic and we sit out on the terrace and watch the colours dip behind the sycamores. Lying in bed, we can see the northern constellations.”

The couple are selling to move closer to their daughter and son-in-law who live in the Hudson Valley, New York.

“It’s hard to leave,” they said. 

“We will miss the lines and architectural details of the house and especially the view. We will miss the river, the wildflowers, the eagles and osprey, the sycamores and the blue oaks.”

The property is on the market with SME Real Estate for US$2.3 million ($3.5 million).

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