February 7, 2018
Bada$$ Historic Laguna Home Done Right
I just love it when houses are done right. There are 1,000,000 ways to screw up a historic home. And…
-
-
January 31, 2018Quick Take: Uh-Mazing
Homes like these warm our hearts. This one especially, because you get the views and the land of La Habra…
-
January 31, 2018Eastside Costa Mesa (we’ve never done this before)
I feel like this post has been months in the writing. We have always shied away from diving deep into…
-
January 10, 2018Quick Take: Bad Staging (carnage within), Good Deal?
PRESENTATION COUNTS! Which is why these photos might be hard to look at. But pictures aside, this loft is special. It’s located in Artists Village in Downtown Santa Ana. This means nearly a hundred restaurants and bars in easy walking distance. But even more special is this particular model. Many of the lofts that come up for sale in Artists Village are “1 and 3s”. They have a work area on the first floor — then you walk up two levels of stairs to the living spaces on the 3rd level. It’s always Leg Day. But this unit has a work space on the ground floor and the living area on the second floor. And it’s the floorplan is wide open, very flexible. It’s also 2100 square feet — making it one of the largest lofts available. So look past the staging and colors. This model, on average, only comes up about once a year.
-
January 10, 2018You only need one kidney, right?
All “kidning” aside…(I know, that’s bad…real bad) this is exactly the kind of house that might make you think: what life changes could you make to buy it. And normally, in Laguna at least, those houses come with a list price that begins with a 2, 3, or 4, or more. We like things that are unique, things that are different. And the style of this house fascinates me. Here in California we have a lot of homes that are a contemporary interpretation of the Spanish style. This means big, bold, timber beams but wide open spaces with a connection to the outdoors. This home feels a lot like the Hawaiian version of that. It’s an island plantation style, updated with a very contemporary vibe. And it works. The skylight “lightwell” in the roof makes the space.
-
January 3, 2018Quick Take: The Biggest-Looking Little House in Laguna
We could talk about all the negative…small size, inappropriate Saltillo tiles…but it’s the new year and we’re going to be positive! This house may not be big, but the system of decks and side yard (yes…a hillside house with an actual yard in Laguna) greatly extend the living space outdoors. This one was been on the market for a while. I think the problem is cohesion…or a lack thereof. Different floors. Different finishes. Different concepts and ideas. This home needs an all-encompassing vision and some decent execution. The good news: it’s not that big! And executing such a vision could be a shockingly low percentage of the price.
-
December 20, 2017All The Right Moves in Irvine
Yes, we rag on Irvine sometimes. It’s expensive (and not on the coast); some people call it Stepford; and there is a perception that the homes lack style. But, it also has amazing schools…and everything looks nice. Always. Oh, and there are are homes with style. So here we are, and maybe you’re looking for a Christmas miracle with your home budget. This is home I would gladly buy in Irvine if my budget were $1.5M.
-
December 13, 2017Quick Take: Affordability Reality Check
There are still affordable options out there! So we found this little gem in a part of Long Beach called the West Side. It’s quiet, and up-and-coming.
