Oakland | $849,000
A Mediterranean-style bungalow with two bedrooms, one bathroom and a guest cottage with a full bathroom, on a 0.1-acre lot
This house is on a quiet, tree-lined street near a public park, a few blocks from Fruitvale Elementary School. It is within walking distance of a CVS drugstore, a Safeway grocery store and a number of dining options, including a 1950s-style burger place, a French bakery and a popular Mexican restaurant. The Central Reservoir and its recreation area are less than a mile away.
Driving to Berkeley takes about 15 minutes. Downtown Oakland is a 30-minute trip on public transit; San Francisco is 40 minutes away. San Jose is an hour’s drive.
Size: 1,327 square feet
Price per square foot: $640
Indoors: The bright blue house sits behind a yard landscaped with drought-tolerant plants. A paved path steps up to the front door, framed by a covered porch.
Inside is a living room with a large, street-facing picture window and a fireplace with a white painted-brick surround. Through a wide archway is a windowed dining area with a pendant light fixture. This space is open to an updated kitchen with slate-gray cabinetry, stainless steel appliances and a breakfast bar that seats three. A laundry room with patterned-tile floors, white cabinetry and a stacked washer and dryer is off the kitchen.
Both bedrooms are off a short hallway extending from the dining room. The primary bedroom, which is big enough for a queen-size bed, faces the backyard and has sliding-glass doors that open to a deck. The guest room, which can also be reached from the living room, is at the front of the house. They share a bathroom with a combined tub and shower.
The detached garage has been converted into a guest cottage with a kitchenette and a full bathroom.
Outdoor space: The deck behind the house steps down to a patio used by the sellers for outdoor dining. The backyard beyond is landscaped with grass and mature trees. There is room to park two cars in the driveway.
Taxes: $13,335 (estimated)
Contact: Sarah Marcus, Redfin, 510-915-6705; redfin.com
Novato | $849,000
A 1974 townhouse with three bedrooms and one and a half bathrooms
This townhouse is in a community about five minutes from the Marin Museum of Contemporary Art and the Hamilton Field History Museum, and less than a 10-minute drive from coffee shops, wine-tasting rooms and walking trails that wind along Novato Creek. Hamilton Wetlands, a nature preserve with walking and cycling trails, is about 20 minutes away.
Driving to Santa Rosa or San Francisco takes less than an hour. Sacramento is 90 minutes away.
Size: 1,480 square feet
Price per square foot: $574
Indoors: This townhouse is at the end of a row, with a paved path that leads from the driveway to the front door.
Inside is an open living space with high ceilings, laminate floors, a fireplace with a gas insert and large, dual-pane windows with wood shutters that fill the room with natural light. The adjacent dining area has sliding-glass doors that open to a patio on one side; on the other side is a kitchen with white cabinetry and stainless steel appliances. A powder room is just off the entry.
All three bedrooms are upstairs, reached from stairs near the front door. The primary bedroom has sliding-glass doors that open to a private balcony with room for a cafe table and chairs. The en suite bathroom has a combined tub and shower; a sink and dressing area are open to the bedroom.
The other two bedrooms are down the hall. Each is big enough to hold a queen-size bed and a desk; both are currently used as home office space.
Outdoor space: The patio off the dining area is partially covered, with a gate that opens to a communal hiking trail. Other community amenities include a swimming pool and tennis courts. The attached garage has two parking spots.
Taxes: $11,116 (estimated) and a $610 monthly homeowner association fee
Contact: Zack Schlegel and Kathy Schlegel, Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty, 415-699-7406; sothebysrealty.com
Los Angeles | $849,000
A recently renovated 1952 house with two bedrooms and one bathroom, on a 0.1-acre lot
The sellers, who bought this house in 2018, updated the electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems and installed a new exterior staircase that leads from the street to the front door. The home is a few minutes from the University of Southern California Health Sciences Campus and the campus of California State University, Los Angeles. It is also close to Ascot Hills Park, which has an amphitheater and hiking trails offering expansive views of downtown. Public elementary, middle and high schools are within a five-minute drive.
Driving to Dodger Stadium or Los Angeles Union Station takes about 15 minutes. Echo Park, Silver Lake and Pasadena are less than half an hour away.
Size: 992 square feet
Price per square foot: $856
Indoors: Beyond the front door is an open living room with original hardwood floors, a sitting area next to large windows overlooking the neighborhood, and a dining area behind.
A breakfast bar that seats four separates the living space from a kitchen with white cabinets, quartz counters, stainless steel appliances and hexagonal blue floor tile. Over the sink is a window facing the back patio. Access to the patio and backyard is through a combined laundry room and pantry off the kitchen.
Both bedrooms are off a hallway extending from the living area. The primary bedroom, at one end of the hall, faces the street, with built-in storage along one wall and space for a king-size bed. At the other end of the hall is the guest room, which faces the backyard and is big enough to hold a queen-size bed and a desk. They share a hallway bathroom with a combined tub and shower finished in bright blue tile from Japan.
Outdoor space: The outdoor space is tiered: The patio behind the house steps up to a Red Balau deck partially covered by a canopy. From there, more stairs lead to an elevated platform with an outdoor shower and citrus trees. The two-car garage at street level has an electric vehicle charger.
Taxes: $10,608 (estimated)
Contact: Daniel Eppard, The Wright Way Team, Compass, 323-627-0307; compass.com
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