Hello Everyone!
This week it felt like there was a decent amount of inventory coming on the market! There are even a number of choices for those looking around a million…..yaaay!! You know it still feels so weird to think that you need a million dollars just to get your foot in the door in this area! The increase in pricing has been so dramatic in the last 10 years……nearly double!
So now I am really going to date myself and make you feel bad at the same time……when I started in this business over 25 years ago….1 million dollars bought you a house near the Ritz Carlton (now the Langham) which is the most expensive neighborhood of Pasadena.
How times have changed!! Still we are where we are and based on our new reality….here are my favorite homes for this week!
1735 Woodglen Ln. Altadena
$3,850,000 5bd & 4.5ba 5,620 sq.ft 70,396 lot
Not open……soooo sad 🙁
I am so sad that they aren’t having open houses this weekend, but that is probably because they know it would be a zoo of people…..most of which will be just lookey loos! I’m glad that I was able to see it on Thursday! Wow!! What a wonderful mid-century modern complete with the best views Altadena has to offer! That living room is a showstopper and one of the most breath taking spaces I have ever seen! Walls of glass framing out that magnificent view. I love the terrazzo flooring and all that glass is spectacular! I love the massive bouquet canyon fireplace in the family room space! The kitchen combines with the dining area which again highlights those amazing views…..who needs to ever leave the kitchen! They did a great job with the remodel…..love the wood tone of the cabinetry combined with that counter top. There are 2 bedrooms upstairs and 2 bedroom downstairs and if I have to say anything negative I have to say that I don’t like the tile they used on the entry wall and flooring…..which by the way they strategically left out of the pictures! I’m also not a fan of the hardwood flooring….which is a weird thing to say! I would have loved to see the terrazzo replicated instead!
2284 Winrock Ave. Altadena
$1,699,000 3bd & 3ba 2,143 sq.ft 13,748 lot
Open Saturday & Sunday, 2-4pm
So there are things I love about this house and then things that aren’t so great. I love the location because it is on a quiet cul-de-sac fronting the golf-course! I love the finishes overall….they are high quality and very stylish! I love the living areas with that open flow. So what don’t I like…..I don’t like the bedroom layout with 2 bedrooms on one side and the 3rd on the other side of the house off the kitchen area. I also don’t like the different finishes on the hardwood flooring in different areas of the house and I wish they had put hardwood flooring into the master suite addition instead of carpeting so that the space had a more harmonious feel. But the biggest disappointment is the backyard…..the lot size says over 13,000 but because it includes the private street and the space between the street and the golf course….the backyard is relatively small. For that price I would rather buy something on a bigger lot even if it is smaller and/or needs more work!
1221 S Los Robles Ave. Pasadena
$1,689,000 2bd & 2ba 1,404 sq.ft 12,900 lot
Open Saturday & Sunday, 2-4pm
There was a lot to see on Thursday so I ran out of time to see this one…but it is a cute looking house on a large lot in Madison Heights. Ideally it wouldn’t be on such a busy street….but it still seems to have some nice potential! The living spaces look to have a nice open flow and the backyard is massive….ripe with possibilities. Even though I haven’t seen it, I know that if you are going to do a substantial addition, then you are going to need to re-arrange a lot of the original house which won’t be cheap! Still this is well priced for Madison Heights in general!
1022 Del Rey Ave. Pasadena
$1,475,000 3bd & 2ba 1,567 sq.ft 7,034 lot
Open Saturday 2-4 & Sunday 2:30-4:30pm
This Spanish style home definitely has some lovely features! I love the living room with the plastered fireplace, beamed ceilings and French Doors that lead both to the front and the backyards! The bedroom floor plan was originally 2 bedrooms and they did a very nice job adding on a master suite. The finishes are a little dated, but almost anything that has been remodeled over 10 years ago is going to feel dated and these upgrades are tasteful. The backyard is a wonderful space with a lovely covered gazebo and the cutest “She Shed” I’ve seen! The owners built it during COVID for obvious reasons and even went through the hassle of getting it permitted!
3279 Raymond Ave. Altadena
$1,095,000 3bd & 1ba 1,135 sq.ft 7,113 lot
Open Saturday & Sunday, 12-3pm
Again another house that has pros and cons….but then again if a house had no cons it would be the most expensive house in the neighborhood and then that would be the con….right? Anyway I like the location in that quiet little pocket of Northwest Altadena for sure! This neighborhood was developed at the same time in the late 40’s and the homes have similar floor plans. Straight forward open layouts with 3 bedrooms and 1 bath. This one was flipped so I am always weary of the quality of the work done on the house, but I do like the finishes overall! Of course I wish they had installed a nice engineered flooring instead of a luxury vinyl, but at this price point I am guessing they didn’t have the budget for that. My biggest complaint is the size of the kitchen and the lack of windows! Everyone loves big beautiful windows and this house just doesn’t have that! Still they have a lot of interest and an offer on the table because it is a decent house in a quiet neighborhood at an affordable price!
2616 Topsfield St. Pasadena
$998,000 2bd & 2ba 1,367 sq.ft 5,969 lot
Open Saturday 1-3 & Sunday, 2-4pm
This is my favorite home in this price range by far! This home was well built with a lot of architectural charm. I love the shingle siding and huge picture window in the living room! The current owners upgraded the home with very high quality finishes! Not only did they redo the cosmetics of the home, but the systems have been updated as well! Now the finishes have a more mature feel to them, but still very nice! The kitchen feels dated and I think just painting the cabinets and changing the counter tops would do wonders! The one thing that doesn’t make any sense is the door from the dining room into the bathroom! First I think it’s kind of gross to have a bathroom off the dining room, so I would close off that door so the bathroom is completely private to the back bedroom and then guests can use the bathroom off the main hallway!
542 E Rio Grande St. Pasadena
$939,500 2bd & 1ba 844 sq.ft 6,592 lot
Open Saturday & Sunday, 1-4pm
This one just hit the market so I haven’t had a chance to see it, but it is no bargain for only 844 sq.ft. Still it looks cute and is under a million so it will definitely be popular! I do really like bungalow style homes! They have a lot of woodwork and built-ins like craftsman style homes, but they get a lot of light! The living room has glass front built-ins flanking the fireplace, a beautiful large picture window and a massive French entry door. The formal dining room has a custom built-in hutch with leaded glass windows and the original hardwood floors throughout the home are lovely. My only hesitation is that it is not my favorite block of Rio Grande…..but if it doesn’t sell for too much over the asking price then I think it’s a decent deal.
1225 N Granada Ave. #3, Alhambra
$849,000 2bd & 2ba 1,462 sq.ft
Open Sunday 2-4pm
In the hierarchy of the real estate world, town homes are more valuable than condos because you have a private garage and there is nobody living above you and nobody living below you. In the hierarchy of town homes, single level town homes are rare indeed! There are only a few complexes that have them and they sell quickly! This complex is the largest grouping of single level town homes and quite affordable. They are in Alhambra, but right on the border of San Marino so you’re afternoon walks will be in some of the most expensive neighborhoods around! They are like individual homes and only share one wall. It is as private as you can get in a communal setting like this! The last one that came on the market sold for over $900, but then it was more updated. If you are looking for a single level situation, but don’t want a condo….run don’t walk to see this place!!
That’s it for this week!