Oakland | $1.595 Million
A 1911 Craftsman house with four bedrooms, one full bathroom, one half bathroom and an accessory dwelling unit with a full bathroom and a kitchen, on a 0.2-acre lot
With Craftsman interiors and Tudor Revival elements on the exterior, this home combines two design styles popular during the early 20th century. The accessory dwelling unit, across the backyard from the main house, could serve as guest quarters or be rented for additional income.
The neighborhood, known as Adams Point, is near Lake Merritt; Lakeside Park, home to bonsai and succulent gardens; and Children’s Fairyland, a small amusement park with attractions based on traditional fairy tales. Downtown Oakland is a 10-minute drive. San Francisco is about 40 minutes away on public transit.
Size: 2,578 square feet
Price per square foot: $619
Indoors: From the sidewalk, a paved path and steps lead up to the covered porch. The front door opens into a foyer with original woodwork and a wide staircase.
To the left is a living room with tall wainscoting; original built-in benches; large, street-facing windows; and a fireplace flanked by original built-in cabinets. Across the foyer is a dining room with built-in cabinets that retain their original leaded-glass doors. An office off one side of this space overlooks the backyard and the side of the property.
A swinging door connects the dining room to a butler’s pantry with ample storage space and black-and-white tile floors that continue into the adjacent kitchen, which has stainless steel appliances, original glass-front cabinets and a staircase to the basement.
One bedroom is off the kitchen, with a half bathroom next door.
The other three bedrooms are on the second floor. The primary bedroom is to the right of the stair landing, with diamond-paned windows overlooking the neighborhood. Next door is a bathroom with a combination tub and shower, as well as a sink; the toilet is in another small room beside it. (The two together make up one full bathroom.)
Across the landing are two more bedrooms, roughly equal in size. One has its own sink, and both have sleeping porches with wood-paneled walls and backyard-facing windows.
A laundry room and a darkroom for developing photographs are on the basement level, along with storage space.
The accessory dwelling unit is laid out like a studio apartment, with a full bathroom and a kitchen in a corner of the main space.
Outdoor space: A lawn separates the main house from the guesthouse, which is flanked by large brick patios and has a wood deck in front, shaded by mature trees.
Taxes: $19,932 (estimated)
Contact: Robin Dustan and Joe Simmons, Sotheby’s International Realty, San Francisco Brokerage, 415-385-3499; sothebysrealty.com
Lake Arrowhead | $1.549 Million
A recently renovated 1978 house with four bedrooms and three and half bathrooms, on a 0.2-acre lot
This house is about a mile from the center of Lake Arrowhead Village, putting it within walking and biking distance of dining, shopping and water sports on the lake, including boating and water skiing. A Stater Bros. grocery store, a post office and a CVS pharmacy are five minutes away by car.
Big Bear Lake, popular with skiers and snowboarders, is about 45 minutes away, as are San Bernardino and Riverside. Los Angeles is about an hour-and-a-half drive.
Size: 2,000 square feet
Price per square foot: $775
Indoors: The front door opens into a foyer with hardwood floors that continue into an updated kitchen with Fisher & Paykel appliances, leathered-quartz counters and sliding-glass doors that open to a deck.
A dining area with space for a long table sits between the kitchen and the living room, which has high ceilings, a fireplace and expansive windows offering sweeping views of the surrounding woods.
Two bedrooms are on this level, off the living room. The primary suite includes a bedroom with a custom-made wood accent wall and a bathroom with a walk-in, glass-doored shower and walls finished in tadelakt plaster. Next door is a guest room with built-in bunk beds and the use of a full bathroom with a deep tub and a marble sink.
Upstairs is a lofted space overlooking the living room. A bedroom with an en suite bathroom is also on this level.
The fourth bedroom is on the lowest level of the home, along with a powder room.
Outdoor space: The house has two decks, one on the main level and the other on the lowest level. The main-level deck has space for separate lounging and dining areas, and offers views of the lake in the distance; the lower deck has a hot tub and a fire table. The driveway at the front of the house is large enough to hold two cars.
Taxes: $19,368 (estimated)
Contact: Christine Williams, Keller Williams Arrowhead, 310-923-8952; kw.com
Malibu | $1.55 Million
A two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit in a 1973 condominium complex
While some parts of Malibu can feel remote, this condominium is close to West Los Angeles and about a 15-minute drive from Santa Monica, depending on traffic.
Beaches with metered parking and lifeguard stations are within a five-minute drive; oceanfront restaurants area also nearby. Malibu Country Mart, a shopping center and popular gathering spot, is less than 10 miles away. The Getty Villa, which houses the Getty Museum’s collection of ancient Greek and Roman art and artifacts, is five minutes away.
Size: 1,210 square feet
Price per square foot: $1,281
Indoors: The unit’s front door opens into a foyer that flows into a living-and-dining room with a wall of sliding-glass doors offering an expansive view of the Pacific Ocean and access to sea breezes.
A two-seat breakfast bar separates the dining area on one side of this space from the adjacent kitchen, which has stainless steel appliances, white cabinetry, quart counters and a European glass-tile backsplash.
Both bedrooms are on the lower level, reached from stairs in the foyer. The primary bedroom has space for a queen-size bed and a pair of night stands; the bedroom across the hall has room for a queen-size bed. They share a full bathroom with a windowed walk-in shower and a long vanity with a quartz countertop.
Another full bathroom is on the level above, off the foyer, along with a storage closet.
Outdoor space: This unit comes with one spot in a covered parking area. The homeowner association fee includes the cost of water, sewer service, trash pickup and maintenance of the building’s common areas, which include a small lobby and a storage area.
Taxes: $19,380 (estimated) and a $360 monthly homeowner association fee
Contact: Daniel Damico, The Altman Brothers, Douglas Elliman Real Estate, 323-481-2661; danieldamico.elliman.com
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