3726 EFFINGHAM PLACE—$999,000

Sunday, June 28, 2009
MLS # 09-364269
We wandered our way over to Los Feliz to check out what living north of Los Feliz Blvd. was like. I hope this 3/2 house wasn't the average house in these parts (I don't think it is -- but this house is currently the cheapest). It had a Japanese flair... needlessly so. The back yard was a pile of rocks, the cramped kitchen was the exact same size and layout as our 1931 rented apt. kitchen, and the house had a weird flow. The cheerful chap of a realtor mentioned there's a perfect baby's room off of the top floor's master bedroom. Ahem, he must have meant the large walk-in closet that's currently being used as an office. Said it's a 3-bedroom house, when we think it's really a glorified 2-bedroom. Listing says the house is 1,812 sq. ft. Feels a lot less.

1233 S. CURSON AVENUE—$849,000

Sunday, May 4, 2009
MLS # 09-341353
We just happened upon this open house and decided to go in for a tour. It was pretty cute! Loved there was a bathroom in-between the two smaller bedrooms. Perfect for kids. Hated the jacuzzi tub > 1985 called and they want their hot tub back.

3640 Loadstone Dr, SHERMAN OAKS 91403—$1.1M

Sunday, April 26, 2009
MLS # F1805519CN

We visited this 3 bed/3 bath only because it was a few doors down from the previous Loadstone Dr. open house. It's corner lot house with (sigh...yet again) a pool that takes up 80% of the backyard.

First of all, owners, you MUST do something about your front walkway. Seriously, people, someone is going to get hurt. It's the equivalent to driving on the edge of the Grand Canyon with no guard rail. Your brick walkway teeters on the edge of a steep hill with no handrail in sight. One brick had broken away and was moments away from plummeting to its death.

Second of all, the smells in your house were...disturbing. Was that mold? Pet dander? Cigarette smoke? Yikes. We walked in with our kid and after 30 seconds I swooped her up and waited outside until Daddy finished looking at the house.

However, your kitchen is gorgeous. And the house seemed to have a nice square footage.

3700 Loadstone Dr, SHERMAN OAKS 91403—$995,000

Sunday, April 26, 2009
MLS # F1803868CN

From the outside this 3bed/3bath house looked like the perfect all-American suburban home, and I think that's what attracted us to it. The inside wasn't so bad—it's definitely move in ready, but over time needs some updating (kitchen and bathrooms). We didn't like the pool, yet again, taking up so much of the back yard. (LA Homeowners: what's wrong a lush, landscaped, grassy backyard? What's with your obsession with concrete and pools)?

I didn't know the price until after I was done looking through the place. I laughed out loud at the $995,000 suggested price. But, the realtor said they're very motivated sellers and will entertain all offers.

4332 ALLOTT AVE, SHERMAN OAKS—$699,000

Sunday, April 26, 2009
MLS # F1805565CN

3bed/3bath. We just wanted to see what $699k would buy you in Sherman Oaks, so we paid the open house a visit. We knew it was going to be popular, and we were right. People were definitely coming and going and we're sure, by the end of the day, they had a few offers. My husband had a good point—it felt like the house was a double-wide trailer that was plopped down and no one bothered with a foundation. I had to agree.
I overheard the realtor / assistant / open house monkey explain that a contractor bought it a few years ago, tore it apart, then for some reason or another couldn't finish the project. It went into foreclosure when the current owner bought and finished it. He/she knew where to put their money—the kitchen and bathrooms were great. The fireplace in the middle of the open

No garage to be seen, but I guess that's why it's $699k.

3428 MANDEVILLE CANYON RD, BRENTWOOD—$899,000

Sunday, April 26, 2009
MLS # 09-364573
This house is the poor cousin of 3343 Mandeville Canyon. NOTHING was updated, the carpet was old, stained, and looks like the owners had left and the caretakers didn't bother with any wall patches or painting. The pool takes up almost the entire flat part of the yard, and there was a weird loooooong stairwell that led up the hill. I doubt any future owners of the house will ever venture up the steps on a regular basis.
The house needs a few $100k to update it and to make it livable.

5860 CANYON COVE, LOS ANGELES—$1,058,000

MLS#09-357317
The downstairs rooms were very compartmentalized, the kitchen was the size of our current kitchen IN OUR APARTMENT, it had low ceilings, one of the bedroom windows looked into the neighbor's bedroom windows, and the back yard had too many landings with too many concrete and brick walkways/steps—not kid-friendly. The house was photographed extremely well.