Oakland | $ 998,000
A three bedroom, two and a half bathroom hillside home built in 1925 on 0.2 acre lot
Many of the houses in this neighborhood, known as Merriewood, are cottages built in the 1920s as vacation homes for city dwellers. The owner of this home, who bought it in 2012, updated the kitchen and bathrooms, and added a shed to the upstairs deck that doubled as a home office.
Several state and city parks with hiking trails are less than 10 minutes' drive away. Downtown Oakland and the main University of California at Berkeley campus are a 20-minute drive away. A public primary school is a five-minute walk away.
Size: 1,586 square feet
Price per square foot: $ 629
Inside: Stairs wind their way up the slope to the front door, which leads to a small foyer with a built-in storage bench. Down several steps is an open living space with hardwood floors, a wood stove and two double doors that open to a deck.
The adjoining dining area opens into a recently renovated kitchen with white marble countertops. Next to the kitchen is a dirty room that serves as an alternative entrance to the house.
To the left of the front door is the master bedroom with a wall of built-in wardrobes and an en-suite bathroom with heated marble floors and a subway tile-lined shower.
A guest toilet with dark blue walls is located in the hallway, which connects the foyer directly with the kitchen.
Carpeted stairs from the living room lead to the lower level which has two guest rooms and a full bathroom with a combined bathtub and shower and a pedestal washbasin.
Outside space: The recently remodeled deck off the living room overlooks the neighborhood and has space for relaxing and dining. A larger deck accessed through the mud room provides additional space for dining and entertaining, as well as a small shed that is used as a home office. There is a brick terrace on the lower level of the house, and opposite the front entrance there is a side courtyard with enough flat space for chairs and play equipment. A parking lot has space for two cars.
Taxes: $ 11,676 (estimated)
Contact: Alexandria Babington, The Grubb Company, 510-339-0400; grubbco.com
Los Angeles | $ 999,990
A Joseph Eichler house from 1964 with four bedrooms and two bathrooms on a 0.3 hectare property
The owner of this home, who is also one of the real estate agents, learned after purchasing it earlier this year that it was built by Joseph Eichler, a developer known for bringing modern architecture to California suburbs. After examining Mr Eichler's work, the owner decided to restore this house in the Balboa highlands to its former glory, consulting original drawings and using contemporary materials and finishes.
The house is located in the Granada Hills in the northwest of the San Fernando Valley, a five minute drive from the I-5 and 118 highways. O’Melveny Park, the second largest park in the city of Los Angeles, is about a mile north.
Size: 2,259 square feet
Price per square foot: $ 443
Inside: Concrete steps lead from the sidewalk to a bright yellow front door. It opens to a foyer with epoxy-coated concrete floors that continue throughout the house.
To the left of the entrance is a dining area with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a central courtyard. One set of sliding glass doors opens to the inner courtyard, while another opens to the side courtyard.
A hallway lit by windows overlooking the courtyard leads to the living room with original wood ceiling paneling, a fireplace made of concrete blocks, and windows overlooking the courtyard and back yard. From this room is an office with access to the side courtyard.
Connected to the living and dining room is a galley style kitchen with new stainless steel appliances and quartz worktops.
From the hallway from the front door to the living room is the master bedroom suite with an accent wall made of shimmering blue tiles and sliding glass doors to the backyard. The attached bathroom has a double vanity with wood in a used look. Also next to the hall is a cabinet with Japanese wooden doors that are original for the house.
To the right of the front door is a guest wing with three bedrooms (each with a mid-century accent wall and space for a queen bed) and a bathroom with a bathtub and shower combination.
Outside space: The house is built around a central courtyard that is designed with stones and succulents and is accessible from the living and dining rooms. Behind the house is a concrete terrace and a garden planted with several old trees, as well as the front garden. The attached garage offers space for one car and additional parking spaces under a carport.
Taxes: $ 12,702 (estimated)
Contact: Fernando Garcia and Angel Garcia, the Garcia team, Park Regency Realty, 818-659-6943; search.parkregency.com
Laguna Beach | $ 999,999
A 1938 one bedroom, one bathroom cottage on 0.1 acre lot
This property is located in Laguna Canyon on Laguna Beach in a neighborhood where many of the homes built in the 1930s retain their original rustic character. While the beach is less than 10 minutes away by car, this area is quieter than other parts of town that hug the coast.
The Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, a 7,000-acre wildlife sanctuary popular with hikers and campers, is within walking distance. Los Angeles is about 50 miles northwest; San Diego is about 80 miles southeast.
Size: 840 square feet
Price per square foot: $ 1,190
Inside: A white fence with ivy protects the house from the road. The gate in front of it opens onto a brick terrace and shaded veranda.
A door from the porch leads to a kitchen with high ceilings and exposed beams. Butcher's block and white tile counters; and three windows, one with diamond disks, looking out onto a side terrace.
A breakfast bar separates the kitchen from the dining room with wooden floors and original built-in shelves. Up two steps and through a door, the living room with windows leads to the side terrace and the back yard as well as a ceiling fan and a storage room.
On the other side of the dining room is the bedroom with access to the rear terrace and the bathroom with a white tiled shower and white wood paneling.
Outside space: Most of the rooms in the house have access to one of the three brick terraces, which offer plenty of space for indoor and outdoor living. The terrace in the background is the most private as it overlooks a landscaped garden with old flowering trees. The detached garage, which is currently used as office space, could be converted into an additional residential unit with the approval of the city.
Taxes: $ 11,900
Contact: Danielle Purcell, RE / MAX Coastal Luxury, 949-874-1187; teamlaguna.com
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