Sunday, February 6, 2011

Heck yeah, I'd live here

Does an incredibly renovated home, for under $600K, make up for a scary-ass hilly lot? This two bedroom, 1.75 bathroom home located in the "latest hipster's paradise Echo Park" (the realtor's words) puts this question to the test.  The house, built in 1905, boasts one parking spot which for the neighborhood ain't so bad. Let's break it down:

THE GOOD 
  • Asking price of $535,000
  • Central AC and heating (Amen, because Los Angeles gets HOT!) 
  • Indoor laundry (Woohoo! Who likes the laundromat or doing loads in their garage?)
  • Beautiful hardwood floors (I looove the dark stain.)
  • A redonkulous kitchen makeover (Clean cabinets, solid surface countertops and new appliances)
  • All appliances come with the house!!! 

 
  • Rainforest showerheads and nice tile

  • Classy doors
  • Recessed lighting


 
The final great thing about this house:
  • The treetop deck  

THE BAD
  • The enormous, fugly slab of concrete holding up the front of the house

  • The long walk from the street up to the house ("Oops! Left my phone inside. Whoops! Left my reusable shopping bags inside. Damn! I left the kitchen light on. Ugh! These grocery bags are killing my arms!")
The final bad thing about this home:
  • The steep, exposed hillside mere feet from the house's exterior wall

THE VERDICT
Ajumma decided the nice finishes, the view and asking price outweigh the as ugly as it comes, probably would make me shed a tear every time I pull up to the curb-slab of concrete in front of this house.  The rocky hillside is a bigger issue, though the owner could argue the home has been standing since 1905.  As you enjoy lunch on your tree top deck, fresh from your rainforest shower, while your laundry chugs away in your washer, you will likely forget about the hillside bearing down on your property, anyway.

A final word, if you buy this ultra-sweet Echo Park house, I recommend purchasing a delivery contract from Sparkletts, because there's no way you want to be hauling 5-gallon water jugs up those stairs.