Another Attempt on a Home

This round of home tour, we picked 5 home. We brought mom too so we can get a 3rd opinion. Sometimes, you need the tie breaker…Ok, so all the homes we saw this time were built in the 50’s, yes, before I was born!!! That is what happens when you want a SFR in a built out area. Unless they torn down an existing home, you are not going to get a new one!

The Cabin – it has an open floor plan. There are two existing bedrooms, but you can convert the family room to a 3rd bedroom, as it has its own full bath. I call this the Cabin because of all the wood paneling in the house. I feel like I am in Big Bear rather than in Redondo Beach. Plus the kitchen is old, including one of those mirrored wet bar. And there is a real antique radio still in the build in unit of the family room. Not sure what to do with the old heating unit. Get this; the shower glass door is etched with a naked girl. Yes, wonder if this was a really ancient bachelor patch.

Negative Fung Shu – this home has a lot to offer. It has been renovated, nice wooden floor, great view from the top level. Because of the shape of the lot, they had to go vertical. So there are four layers, not true floors. It is not bad, but we are not young chicks. And we don’t plan on moving anytime soon after we acquire our new place. So, not too many Chinese will buy this place. (1) The stairways lie straight up to the front door, not slightly to the side, but straight, so in fung shu, that means all the wealth runs straight out the door. (2) There is this power/electricity pole in the backyard, not exactly in our backyard, but on the border. Yes, some part of Redondo Beach still has the utilities up in the air, not buried underground. From the house, it isn’t obvious. But mom said, in the afternoon, when the sun is shining onto the house, the pole looks like a knife cutting up the house. Again, no good there. Trust me, I like all the help I can get….

The Deck Home – this place is nice, meaning the location is great. The house is small and hardly any yard, as they built a deck in the back. But if you see it, you would understand why. The living room and family room open up to the deck and a 180 degree view of the ocean from the deck and the family room. Yes, we love the location. Of course, the price reflects it. And it has the problems with all old homes. The bathrooms are tiny, not small, but tiny. The kitchen is totally outdated. I don’t think I can fit one of those hormone turkeys in the oven when Thanksgiving comes. So besides that, there are some cosmetic touch ups and it would be a great place to call home. If we get this place, I would fulfill my desire to own a beach home. Even though it isn’t waterfront, it is only a block away with unobstructed view.

The Library – this one has lots of potential too. And the price is very nice. It is a bit further out than our current location, but not too bad. It has views from the master bedrooms and the living rooms. For whatever reason, the house seems dark inside. They should really do better with the lighting. Tom didn’t like it because even though there is a distance water view, you first have to look past the middle school parking lot!!! Even at a 20% lower price than the third one above, it didn’t call to us.

Big Living Room - I cannot recall why this one passes the selection as it has no view. I think it may be the location. It is on one of the nicest street in a great neighborhood. This was the last one of the day; it was a nice surprise to find a roomy and airly living room. Tom felt in love with the openness of the big room and the updated kitchen. The other rooms are less attractive for certain. We enjoyed the backyard, sitting under a mature tree. The roof here needed to be replaced, not repair, but replaced. The bathrooms are in same conditions as the other older homes. And I am not too crazy being next door to an elementary school and a public access walking trail. This means dog walkers. And not all dog walkers are responsible owners…you get the drift…