Happy New Year! It has been sooo long….I’ve been waiting for enough homes to pop up so that I would have something to write about! Now we have the new year and finally new inventory is hitting the market! The new year always brings out buyers and the activity out there seems good according to the agents I spoke to. Now we are not talking about throngs of buyers coming through that would indicate a frenetic spring with crazy price increases. We are talking more like 3-5 offers on the good homes that are well-priced, while some homes sit. There are still a lot of fire victims coming through the open houses, but agents are reporting that they are still indecisive. It’s so sad to see how this fire has affected so many families in so many ways! The prospect of building a new home seems exciting, but it involves so many decisions you really have no idea how overwhelming the process can be if you have never done it before. So I totally understand where all this indecision is coming from. I was speaking with another agent who lost her home and she said that when you add the cost of building to the value of her lot, that her house wouldn’t sell for that price in her area….and that’s another problem that fire victims are considering! This week we finally got enough houses on the caravan list that it was worth heading out to see the homes! So let’s get on with my favorites! 1897 Braemar Rd. Pasadena $1,699,000 3bd & 2.5ba 3,522 sq.ft 31,050 lot Open Saturday & Sunday, 11-1 pm This house was a very pleasant surprise! I know Tuscan isn’t very popular right now, but this was done very well with high quality finishes! The floor plan is well thought out with lots of windows in the right places to capture the setting. The biggest surprise is how much usable outdoor space there is! Most of the homes in this part of the hill are graced with lovely views but very little outdoor space. This home has a huge patio and deck off the living room that can host many guests and then off the kitchen you have a sizable yard with a striking water feature and mature landscaping. You could easily relandscape that area with grass if you needed a space for kids to run around! It’s rare indeed when a home in the hills can accommodate a young family! 1245 E Howard St. Pasadena $2,098,000 5bd & 3ba 2,777 sq.ft 11,400 lot Open Saturday & Sunday, 1-4 pm This home is not what you would expect in the Historic Highlands. The previous owners did the majority of the remodel and it almost feels like new construction to me with those extra high ceilings….maybe it was one of those remodels where they just left one wall up. I love the front porch that extends across the front of the home and as you pass through the door you are quite surprised at the expansiveness of the living areas. You have a living space and a dining space and then the kitchen faces more of the family room space, but they are all linked to each other and then flow to a courtyard space in the middle that leads to the back yard and an ADU which they built for their Mom. The finishes are simple and tasteful throughout and should stand the test of time. I know color is very popular right now, but you can always add that here and there with the decor or paint! The only thing left to do is landscape the backyard into something special…it’s pretty plain right now. 1720 Homet Rd. Pasadena $1,900,000 3bd & 2ba 2,270 sq.ft 12,035 lot Open Saturday & Sunday, 2-4 pm Located in the Cal Tech neighborhood, this classic traditional home has so much charm! It has the beautiful hardwood flooring throughout, the expansive picture window in the living room and all the custom built-ins and molding you expect in a home of this quality. But the enclosed wrap around porch along the side is actually my favorite space! It is all glass and frames out the lush landscaping, creating this seamless transition to the yard! It is quite special! 229 S Grand Oaks Ave. Pasadena $1,795,000 3bd & 2ba 1,724 sq.ft 6,399 lot Open Saturday & Sunday, 1-3 pm Located in a popular neighborhood of Southeast Pasadena, this home has been remodeled and added on very nicely! They have used all of the most popular finishes throughout and the addition is a primary suite with 10ft ceilings, walk-in closet and a luxurious bath! The living areas are a bit tight with a good chunk of the square footage of the home being in the primary suite. Still I would pay that price if I could just pick it up and move it a few houses to the south. It’s right on the corner of Del Mar which is never ever not busy. Still a good house to check out if only for remodeling ideas! 200 Arroyo Ter. Pasadena $1,450,000 3bd & 2.5ba 1,824 sq.ft Open Sunday 1-4 pm This complex always sells well, they were designed in the late 70s by noted architects Buff & Hensman. They have a modern sensibility with high ceilings and a lot of glass and the original finishes have withstood the test of time. The master suite upstairs is an open loft concept with a fireplace and a set of sliding doors that frame out the beautiful view of the Rose Bowl. If you are looking for an exceptional and unique townhome, here’s your chance! 2076 Watson St. Glendale $1,195,000 3bd & 2ba 1,889 sq.ft 7,918 lot Open Saturday & Sunday, 2-5 pm Keeping on a lot of house for the money theme….here’s another house that seems very well priced! I think they did a great job with the pictures hiding the funkiness of the home. I mean it’s Spanish in the front, but then the addition has a wood sided cabin feel…..definitely need to see it to find out if it’s funky cute or just funky. Also need to see if the 1889 sq.ft is the house square footage or a combination of all the spaces. Still definitely worth checking out for that price in that neighborhood! 1563 Valencia Ave. Pasadena $1,150,000 2bd & 2ba 1,801 sq.ft 6,957 lot Open Saturday & Sunday, 1-4 pm Here’s another house that has a lot of space for the money! Now of course the devil is in the details…..or more precisely in the layout! You can tell that additions have been made….the question is how well it flows overall. If the floor plan is comfortable and/or it can be easily fixed then it is definitely a good deal even with the needed upgrades! 1443 Dorothy Dr. Glendale $1,050,000 3bd & 1.5ba 1,622 sq.ft 7,592 lot Open Sunday 11-1 pm This home definitely needs work, but it’s also a lot of house for the money! I like that there’s a nice picture window in the living room and a Batchelder fireplace! The archway between the living and dining rooms is also lovely. I only hope that under all that awful carpet is hiding some well protected beautiful hardwood flooring! The bedrooms are along the back so you won’t have an open floor plan, but it seems like a good layout with well-proportioned spaces. I think the curb appeal can be improved by removing that plant in the front that is covering the front entrance. I would also love to put a big window on that other section that feels like it’s all wall, but the kitchen is there so that probably won’t work. Still plant a tree in front….if you can’t fix it…then hide it!
