If Chinese construction magnate Huang Kangjing’s strategy for marketing the Chandler House, his 1915-built seven-bedroom home in Pasadena, is any indication of the health of the Southern California high-end real estate market, it must be in fine fettle. Last week, the 9,976 sq. ft. residence returned to the open market with a price bump that added $2.5 million to its 2021 asking price; according to Dirt, the 3.52-acre estate is listed at $14.896 million.

Listing information has the architectural style as English Arts and Crafts. A gander at the exterior reveals a charmingly quaint, steeply pitched roofline inset with dormers and leaded glass, chimney stacks, and an unhurried atmosphere; a fantasy of a house, but then the estate itself does a fine job of smoke and mirrors, with a long tree-lined driveway, secluded lawns, walking paths, gardens, a koi pond and a courtyard with a pool and fire feature that feels remote enough to bely the general location.

The grounds are, in a word, magnificent, an English garden Southern California style. The home’s interiors are as beguiling; in its current state, the living style depends on cool tones and a complex amalgam of refinement and surprise. The living room’s ceiling is a good example — mixing pea green plank and natural-toned beams makes for a thought-provoking result.

The acreage’s far-flung corners include a stone well house, which is still in service, supplying the property with native spring water. A nice touch.

Huang’s net worth is reportedly north of $1 billion.