Los Angeles | $899,000
A two-story unit in a 1963 midcentury modern condominium building
This two-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bathroom unit is in a building designed by Ray Kappe, a founder of the Southern California Institute of Architecture. The complex, which has 12 units, is in Studio City, about a five-minute drive from the Universal Studios complex.
The center of Hollywood is 10-minute drive, Burbank takes 15 minutes, downtown Los Angeles, a half an hour, and LAX, an hour.
Size: 1,254 square feet
Price per square foot: $717
Indoors: Outdoor steps lead to this unit’s front patio, where glass doors open to the living room. The ceilings here are high, and a wall of glass faces the patio and into treetops. A wood-paneled wall has a built-in wet bar painted green and orange, and another door that opens to a bright blue powder room.
A short set of steps continues from the living room into the dining area, which has glass doors to a rear patio. Also off the dining area is a galley kitchen, which has stainless steel appliances, including a dishwasher and a built-in gas cooktop.
Both bedrooms are upstairs, reached by steps from the dining area. The primary bedroom has a private balcony and mirrored doors that slide open to a closet. The floors are carpeted in blue and the room fits a queen-size bed. The other bedroom, which also has blue carpet, is lofted above the living room and has space for a home office setup. The full bathroom is also on this level and its walk-in shower and tub are both have square blue tiles.
Outdoor space: The front patio is big enough for a set of chairs, while the partially covered rear patio is used for outdoor dining, with space for a table and chairs and a grill. The building has a shared swimming pool and this unit is allotted one parking space.
Taxes: $11,232 (estimated), plus an $828 monthly homeowner’s association fee
Contact: William Baker, The Agency Beverly Hills, 310-867-0847
Lake Arrowhead | $895,000
A recently-renovated cabin built in 1960, on 0.3 acres
This three-bedroom, two-bathroom house is less than half a mile from the center of Lake Arrowhead Village, and within a 20-minute walk of the lake. A grocery store, a drugstore and a brewery are within a five-minute drive, and hiking trails with views of the water and of the area’s mature forests are within a 10-minute drive. The house comes with lake rights.
Driving to San Bernardino takes 45 minutes, Riverside takes less than an hour, Los Angeles takes 90 minutes and San Diego, two and a half hours.
Size: 1,637 square feet
Price per square foot: $547
Indoors: This home’s carport faces the street, with the main entrance around the corner.
Behind the front door the living room has built-in bench seats flanking a wood-burning fireplace and exposed beams running across the ceiling are painted black. This space is big enough for both sitting and dining areas, and is open to the kitchen, where the countertops are quartz and the wood cabinets are painted green. The floors are finished with black and white tile, and white subway tiles cover the walls.
The primary bedroom is on this level, off a short hallway from the living room. Gold-toned sconces are mounted on one wall, and the closet doors are painted black. The room holds a king-size bed, and two high-set windows face the front of the property. A full bathroom is across the hall, and around the corner is a laundry room with stainless steel appliances.
A staircase from the living room leads to the second floor, which has two more bedrooms. One comfortably holds a queen-size bed and has a window seat. The other, the largest of the three, has four built-in bunk beds and space for a play area. The bathroom on this level has a combined tub and shower and a schoolhouse-style sink with chrome hardware.
Outdoor space: The living room and kitchen both have access to the main deck, which has a hot tub in one corner and space for a table and chairs on the other side. The deck overlooks evergreens, and there’s another deck off a second-floor bedroom. The carport has one parking spot.
Taxes: $11,184 (estimated)
Contact: Sean Caddell and Brianne Stauffer, Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty, 858-472-1074
Palm Springs | $899,000
An end unit in a low-rise condominium complex built in 1961
This two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit is in Park Imperial South, a resort-style community and a regular tour stop during Palm Springs Modernism Week. The complex was designed by Barry Berkus, the architect who later oversaw a restoration of this unit. A few blocks off Palm Canyon Drive, the complex is a five-minute drive from the airport and downtown Palm Springs. Araby Trail, which winds through the San Jacinto Mountains, is also a five-minute drive.
By car, Palm Desert takes 30 minutes to reach, La Quinta takes 40 minutes and Joshua Tree National Park, an hour. Los Angeles takes about two hours.
Size: 1,426 square feet
Price per square foot: $630
Indoors: This unit’s green front door opens to a foyer, where tiled floors flow into a sunny living room. Floor-to-ceiling windows face a private patio, with a den behind a shoji screen room divider. Built-in bookshelves line one side of the den. The HVAC and electrical systems in the unit are new, and the sellers also installed their own solar power system and, in one of the closets, a washer and dryer.
A breakfast bar separates the living room from the kitchen, which is framed by more shoji screens and has a new induction range. A row of clerestory windows offers a glimpse of palm trees, and on the other side of the kitchen is a dining room with a simple globe pendant light.
A hallway off the foyer leads to both bedrooms. The primary suite faces the street and has space for a king-size bed and a pair of night stands. The updated bathroom has a double vanity and more clerestory windows.
Across the hall is another bedroom, this one opens to a patio enclosed by a concrete block wall. A bathroom off the hall has blue countertops and matching tile lining the shower. Additional closet space is at the far end of the hall.
Outdoor space: This unit’s patio is one of the largest in the complex, and the current sellers added tropical plants, mature palm trees, a built-in grill and a fire pit. The irrigation and lighting systems are also new, and the unit comes with one covered parking spot.
Taxes: $11,232 (estimated), plus a $720 monthly homeowner association fee
Contact: Stewart Smith, P.S. Properties, Bennion Deville Homes, 760-459-0057
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