Los Angeles | $1,499,999
A Spanish-style house with two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a guesthouse, on a 0.2-acre lot
This house is near the border of North Hollywood and Toluca Lake, close to the center of the NoHo Arts District, a bustling neighborhood anchored by an independent movie theater, several performing arts spaces and nightlife options, including breweries and a popular tiki bar. It is not far from the North Hollywood stop on the Metro Red Line, linking the area to Hollywood and downtown Los Angeles.
Valley Village Park is a few blocks away, and several well-ranked public elementary schools are within a five-minute drive. The Universal Studios Hollywood film studio and theme park and CityWalk outdoor mall are 10 minutes away, in Universal City. Burbank is about 15 minutes away. Driving to Hollywood Burbank Airport takes about 20 minutes.
Size: 1,413 square feet
Price per square foot: $1,062
Indoors: A stone path leads to an original wood front door that opens into a foyer with a large stained-glass window.
To the right is a living room with high, beamed ceilings and tall windows looking out on a brick courtyard. Up two steps, through an arched opening, is a dining room with French doors that open to the courtyard.
The dining room connects to a kitchen with colorful tile work, stainless steel appliances and a breakfast area with an original built-in cabinet. Off the kitchen are a full bathroom and a room with Saltillo-tile floors that could be used as a home office or additional sleeping space.
Both bedrooms are off a hall extending from the dining room. The primary bedroom has a decorative fireplace and two sets of glass doors that open to the backyard. The other bedroom, across the hall, is slightly smaller. They share a bathroom with the same floor tiles used at the Four Seasons Resort in Santa Barbara.
Another full bathroom is in the guest cottage.
Outdoor space: The central courtyard is draped with bright pink bougainvillea and has a stone fountain and enough space for a table and chairs. The backyard is landscaped with grass and citrus trees, and includes a pergola-covered patio. The detached garage holds one car.
Taxes: $18,744 (estimated)
Contact: Tiffany Chin, Keller Williams Larchmont, 510-676-0036; thetiffanychingroup.com
Sacramento | $1.495 Million
A 1920 Craftsman bungalow with three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a guest apartment, on a 0.1-acre lot
This East Sacramento house is half a mile from the seasonal swimming pool and rose garden at McKinley Park. It is less than a 10-minute walk from a public elementary school, and within a five-minute drive of public middle and high schools.
The State Capitol complex, Old Sacramento Waterfront and Sutter’s Landing Regional Park, which has a dog park, a skate park and a beach on the American River, are within a 10-minute drive. Driving to San Francisco or Lake Tahoe takes about two hours.
Size: 1,496 square feet
Price per square foot: $999
Indoors: Steps lead from the street up to a wood gate that opens into a yard landscaped with grass and flower beds. From there, more stairs continue up to a covered porch with a wood door that opens into the living room.
This space has hardwood floors and a fireplace with a brick surround flanked by original built-in cabinets. The hardwood floors continue into a dining room that has an original built-in china cabinet with leaded-glass doors.
Behind the dining room is an updated kitchen with wood cabinetry stained to match the dining room built-ins; a green tile backsplash; stainless steel appliances, including a Wolf range; a center island with an integrated wine refrigerator; and sliding-glass doors that open to a small deck with stairs down to a stone patio.
The primary bedroom, off the kitchen, has built-in cabinetry; an en suite bathroom with a free-standing soaking tub and a glass-walled shower; and access to the deck.
The other two bedrooms are off a hallway extending from the dining room. One, currently used as an office, has a closet that holds a stacked washer and dryer. They share a bathroom with a walk-in shower.
The guest apartment is across the backyard, on the second level of the detached garage. It has an exterior staircase and a full kitchen and bathroom.
Outdoor space: The patio outside the kitchen has a brick fireplace with a pizza oven and a built-in kitchen with a sink and grill. The backyard is landscaped with grass, trees and raised garden beds. The lower level of the garage holds two cars.
Taxes: $18,684 (estimated)
Contact: Christine Dariotis, Nick Sadek Sotheby’s International Realty, 916-412-8112; sothebysrealty.com
San Diego | $1.499 Million
A 1926 house with two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a guesthouse, on a 0.1-acre lot
This house was expanded by a previous owner, who added a second-story primary suite; the current owners added an accessory dwelling unit with a sauna and steam shower, using it as a short-term rental. The property is in the University Heights neighborhood, about a 10-minute drive from downtown and less than 15 minutes from San Diego State University. It is not far from a stretch of El Cajon Boulevard with coffee shops, restaurants and breweries, and less than half a mile from a playground and baseball fields at North Park Community Park.
Driving to the San Diego Zoo or Coronado Island takes less than 15 minutes. Imperial Beach is about 20 minutes away.
Size: 1,679 square feet
Price per square foot: $893
Indoors: The house sits behind neatly landscaped grass bounded by low concrete-block walls and flowering plants. A short flight of concrete steps leads up to the front entrance.
The door opens directly into a living room with hardwood floors, a large, street-facing window and an original stucco fireplace with a tile hearth. Through a wide doorway is a dining room with more hardwood flooring and windows looking out to the front and side yards. This space connects to a galley kitchen with white cabinetry, a black farmhouse-style sink and stainless steel appliances, including a gas range. A pantry with access to the back patio is off the kitchen.
The guest bedroom is on this level, off the living room. It has an alcove big enough to hold a queen-size bed, a separate sitting area with two closets and built-in bookshelves, and an en suite bathroom with a combined tub and shower that is also accessible from the pantry.
The second floor, reached from stairs off the living area, is configured as a primary suite. The large bedroom has a window seat and several closets; the bathroom has two porcelain pedestal sinks, a shower lined with black-and-white tile and a stacked washer and dryer.
The accessory dwelling unit includes a deep soaking tub, a steam shower, a sauna and space for a king-size bed. (The furnishing in this space come with the house.)
Outdoor space: The small patio behind the house is partially covered by a wood pergola and includes a hot tub. There is room to park two cars in the driveway.
Taxes: $18,732 (estimated)
Contact: Paul Scalone, Compass, 619-839-9676; compass.com
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