Santa Monica | $2.395 Million
A 1938 cottage with three bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms, on a 0.1-acre lot
This home, less than two miles from the Pacific Ocean, was renovated to focus on the indoor-outdoor living that draws so many residents to the area. It is a few blocks from Marine Park, a city-run outdoor space with a playground, picnic area and baseball field. Santa Monica Airport is also nearby, as is the beach. Culver City and Century City are about a 20-minute drive.
Size: 1,361 square feet
Price per square foot: $1,760
Indoors: A low privacy wall separates this house from the street; behind it sits a stone patio landscaped with native plants.
The front door opens into a living room with skylights and light-colored hardwood floors. This space flows into an open dining area and a kitchen with black-and-white Marimekko wallpaper, an Aga range and a door to the side patio.
A hallway off the kitchen extends to the other side of the house. The primary suite, at the far end, is large enough to hold a king-size bed and has a glass-walled shower dividing the sleeping area from the bathroom, which has a double vanity and access to a walk-in closet. Also attached to the bedroom is a light-filled alcove that could be used as a home office or workout space.
Two bedrooms closer to the kitchen share a bathroom with a shower tiled in a special message to bathers (“wash behind your ears”).
A powder room is also off the hallway, as is a closet that holds a washer and dryer.
Outdoor space: The stone patio off the kitchen and living area has a water feature and is covered by a canopy adorned with twinkly lights. Beyond is a lawn surrounding a second outdoor sitting area anchored by a fire pit. In a corner of the yard, a Brazilian peppertree is draped with lanterns. The attached garage, currently used as a lounge, holds two cars.
Taxes: $29,940 (estimated)
Contact: Tracey Becker, Compass, 310-988-9766; compass.com
San Francisco | $2.395 Million
A 1911 Edwardian-style house with three bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms, on a 0.1-acre lot
This house is in Noe Valley, a central San Francisco neighborhood with tree-lined streets, about a block from the shopping and dining on 24th Street, and half a mile from a bakery, an independent bookstore and a hamburger restaurant housed in a converted Edwardian home.
Several public spaces are also nearby: Douglass Park, about half a mile away, has open green space and a play area for dogs; the Noe Valley Courts, with tennis and basketball courts, are a block away; and Twin Peaks, a 64-acre park with sweeping city and water views, is about a mile away.
Size: 2,475 square feet
Price per square foot: $968
Indoors: From the street, steps lead up to the front door, which has a large panel of original stained glass with a floral motif. Another stained-glass window is in the foyer, which also has an ornate staircase and hardwood floors with a patterned inlay.
To the left is a living room with a decorative fireplace and a bay of windows overlooking the neighborhood. Beyond is a dining room with a contemporary chandelier and an original built-in china cabinet that has leaded-glass doors. Through a doorway is the family room, which has a rock fireplace and a built-in entertainment center.
Also off the dining room is a kitchen with stainless steel appliances, including a Viking range. Behind the kitchen is combined laundry room and half bathroom.
Two bedrooms are upstairs, off the landing. To the right is the large primary bedroom, which has a private deck surrounded by a low wood fence. Across the landing is a guest room overlooking the street. They share a bathroom with a stall shower and a separate tub.
The third bedroom is on the lowest level of the house; it has a private entrance and is accessible from a staircase off the kitchen. A full bathroom and kitchenette are also on this level, as is an open space that could be a studio or den.
Outdoor space: The backyard is terraced, with a dining patio on a wood deck that steps up to a grassy, elevated platform with room for two lounge chairs. The attached garage holds one car.
Taxes: $29,940 (estimated)
Contact: Wendy Storch, Sotheby’s International Realty, San Francisco Brokerage, 415-519-6091; sothebysrealty.com
San Jose | $2.399 Million
A 1934 Spanish-style house with three bedrooms and two bathrooms, on a 0.1-acre lot
Until its annexation in 1936 by San Jose, Willow Glen was an independent city. Today, it is a bustling neighborhood with many well-preserved homes from the 1920s and 1930s. This house is about a mile from a shopping district with vintage clothing and antiques stores. Three well-ranked public schools — Willow Glen Elementary School, Willow Glen Middle School and Willow Glen High School — are also within walking distance.
Driving to downtown San Jose takes about 15 minutes, and many of the tech campuses of Silicon Valley are less than half an hour away.
Size: 1,900 square feet
Price per square foot: $1,263
Indoors: A short path runs through the center of the manicured front yard, leading to the arched front door. It opens into a foyer with plaster walls and original hardwood floors that continue into the living room, which has a fireplace framed in Batchelder tile and a large, arched window facing the street.
Through the living room is a dining room big enough to hold a table that seats eight. Off this space is an alcove used by the sellers as a children’s playroom, which has glass doors that open to a patio.
At the back of the house is an updated kitchen with quartz countertops, a six-burner Thermador range and a marbled porcelain backsplash.
From the foyer, a hallway extends to two bedrooms at the back of the house. At the far end is the primary suite, which has backyard access and an updated bathroom with a waterfall shower and a marble-topped double vanity. Next door is a guest room that could comfortably hold a queen-size bed. Also off this hallway are a linen closet and a built-in shelf surrounded by original plasterwork.
The third bedroom is at the front of the house, off another corridor extending from the foyer. Across the hall is a bathroom with a combined tub and shower.
Outdoor space: The stone patio off the playroom is covered by a wood pergola. A brick patio in the backyard is brightened by string lights that run from the house to a nearby wood fence. What was once a detached garage now has a kitchenette and could be used as a home office.
Taxes: $29,998 (estimated)
Contact: Tony Fery, Real Estate Experts, 408-307-3617; therealexperts.com
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Source: | This article originally belongs to Nytimes.com
