Buying anything sight unseen carries considerable risk, a principle that particularly applies to real estate. While common for minor purchases, buying a home without first inspecting it can be a high-stakes decision.

But a California couple did exactly that when they snapped up this Pasadena property in 1997. The two had lived next door for almost a decade, and when they found out their neighbor was selling, they were interested in taking over the estate. However, the neighbor wouldn’t let them in to see the place. Instead, they relied on their three young daughters’ stories from their visits to the home and decided to go ahead and buy the house.

Originally a classic 1960s ranch-style home, the owners worked with the architect Doug Ewing (who’s designed private estates for Ralph Lauren and luxury resorts) to turn it into an Arts & Crafts–inspired abode, aligned with the aesthetic they admired at other Pasadena properties. To achieve their aims, they knocked the old house almost completely down and rebuilt it as a warm, clapboard-sided residence defined by its use of hand-hewn beams, reclaimed wood, and natural stone.

RELATED: A Painstakingly Restored 143-Year-Old Craftsman in Pasadena Lists for $3.8 Million

The open great room is topped off by 18-foot ceilings and anchored by a river stone fireplace, and just outside is one of the property’s most stunning features: 80 feet of frontage on private and little-known-about Johnston Lake, with a 30-foot dock. Multiple patios are for enjoying the view, and a grassy lawn slopes down to the water, where residents can partake in rowing or catch-and-release fishing.

Back inside, the single-story abode flows from the great room into the formal dining room and the green-accented kitchen. The breakfast area also boasts lake views, and there’s an ample walk-in pantry for extra storage. Four bedrooms all have a private bath, while the chic primary wing includes a corner fireplace and a large bathroom with a soaking tub. A cozy fireplace-warmed den or office completes the main residence, and a separate guesthouse sits on the half-acre grounds.

Over the years, the elegant estate has caught the eye of location scouts, and it’s served as a filming spot for the Halle Berry show Extant and the Will Ferrell/Kristen Wiig thriller A Deadly Adoption, along with other series and commercials. The owners are now selling the $6.8 million property to move closer to family. Independent agent Nancy Valentine holds the listing.

Click here to see all the photos of the Pasadena property.