Los Angeles | $1.875 Million
A storybook house built in 1936, with three bedrooms and three bathrooms, on a 0.2-acre lot
This San Fernando Valley house is in Colfax Meadows, a quiet section of the Studio City neighborhood, which was named for the nearby movie lots established in the 1920s by Mack Sennett, the slapstick movie pioneer. Less than half a mile away is a popular stretch of Tujunga Avenue, where cafes are usually bustling with activity. Several schools are also close by, including Carpenter Community Charter School, a public elementary school, and Oakwood School, a private elementary, middle and high school.
With entrances to the 101 and 170 freeways within a five-minute drive, Hollywood and downtown Los Angeles are no more than 20 minutes away.
Size: 2,363 square feet
Price per square foot: $793
Indoors: A wooden gate set into a row of tall hedges opens to the front yard, where paving stones lead across the lawn to a brick porch sheltered by rose bushes.
The front door opens into a living room with hardwood floors, a fireplace framed in white brick and windows facing the front yard. Just off this space is a bright guest room with an en suite bathroom.
The hardwood floors continue into an airy dining room with wainscoting and crown molding. Through a doorway is a kitchen with plenty of cabinet space.
Behind the kitchen is a space the sellers use as a family room, with a built-in bench and bookshelves. French doors face the swimming pool, and natural light streams in through windows set beneath the vaulted ceiling. A second guest room with an en suite bathroom accessible from the family room is also on this side of the house.
The second floor is set up as one large primary suite, with a bedroom, an office and a bathroom with a double vanity and a glass-walled shower with a bench.
On the other side of the pool is a guesthouse used by the seller, an award-winning composer of music for television, as a home-recording studio.
Outdoor space: The front yard is private, thanks to its landscaping. The backyard has a swimming pool surrounded by concrete, with space for lounge chairs and a strip of grass that could hold a barbecue or play equipment. Two cars fit in the driveway, and street parking is usually easy to find.
Taxes: $23,820 (estimated)
Contact: Debbie Pisaro, Compass, 323-481-7353; compass.com
Long Beach | $1.985 Million
A contemporary house rebuilt in 2019, with three bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms, on a 0.05-acre lot
This home, in the Belmont Shore section of Long Beach, was built in the 1920s but gut renovated a few years ago, a makeover that turned it into a contemporary beach house with a 500-square-foot roof deck. It is within easy walking distance of two bodies of water: Bay Shore Beach, along Alamitos Bay, is a five-minute walk; the Pacific Ocean is about half a mile away, with spots like Rosie’s Dog Beach, a four-acre stretch of sand along the coast with off-leash hours.
The eclectic shops and restaurants of Second Street are a few blocks away; downtown Long Beach is a 20-minute drive.
Size: 2,059 square feet
Price per square foot: $964
Indoors: A low wall separates the front patio from the street, and a wood-and-glass door opens into a bright living-and-dining area with white-oak floors, Douglas fir ceiling beams, recessed lighting and windows facing three sides of the property.
The open kitchen that faces the living area was custom designed, with black-stone countertops and seamless cabinets; the appliances, including a Bosch range, are stainless steel. Behind the kitchen is a powder room with black wood-paneled walls.
From the living area, a staircase rises to the second floor, where there are two guest rooms with reading nooks and deep walk-in closets; they share a bathroom with a combination tub and shower.
The primary suite is flooded with natural light from floor-to-ceiling windows facing a private balcony. The en suite bathroom has a walk-in shower with ipe floors and a vaulted ceiling with skylights. Connected to the bathroom is an additional sitting area.
Outdoor space: From the second floor, outdoor stairs lead to the roof deck, which has panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, Alamitos Bay and the Port of Long Beach, and ample space for entertaining. The front patio offers plenty of room for enjoying the breezy weather at street level. The attached garage has two parking spots.
Taxes: $24,072 (estimated)
Contact: Nate Cole, Suprstructur, 562-673-3550; suprstructur.com
San Francisco | $1.85 Million
A 1906 Victorian house with two bedrooms and one full and two half bathrooms, on a 0.04-acre lot
This is a classic San Francisco Victorian, with original details like leaded-glass windows that have been preserved over the course of several renovations. The area has no shortage of bars and restaurants, and the hustle and bustle of Castro Village is a few blocks away; the well-known Castro Theatre is about a five-minute walk. Rikki Streicher Field, a park with a recreation center, is across the street; a larger outdoor space, Corona Heights Park, with its tennis courts and a dog run, is a few blocks north. Castro Station, a stop on the city’s light rail network, is less than half a mile away.
Size: 1,300 square feet
Price per square foot: $1,423
Indoors: Steps flanked by original wood railings lead from the sidewalk to the covered porch, where a raspberry-colored door opens into the foyer.
The walls of the entryway are blue above white wainscoting, and the floors are hardwood. To the immediate right is a space with a bay window facing the street and a fireplace with a carved wood mantel painted dark blue. Probably once used as a parlor, it now serves as a bedroom.
The hardwood floors continue from the foyer into a living room with high ceilings, more wainscoting and original molding around the doorways. To the left is the second bedroom, which has a black accent wall and mirrored closets.
Past the living room — and partially open to it — is an updated kitchen with granite counters, blue and white cabinets, and an original leaded-glass window that looks down into the garden. On the other side of the kitchen is a dining area with wood-framed windows and access to a rear deck; across from the kitchen is a full bathroom.
The lower level of the house is reached through the garden, and has a den as well as another open sitting area, along with two half bathrooms. This floor could function as a guest suite or office space.
Outdoor space: Off the dining area is a small deck with steps leading down to the rear garden, which has a tall fence and hedges for privacy. Tucked into one corner are a hot tub and an outdoor shower. There is also a paved area big enough to hold a dining table or a sofa. The attached garage has one parking spot.
Taxes: $22,572 (estimated)
Contact: Wendy Storch, Sotheby’s International Realty, San Francisco Brokerage, 415-901-1700; sothebysrealty.com
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