According to the Sellers, the deck was built in the last 10 years. It was built with a permit and it has 6 foot high glass panels, plus they paid for Termite service on it and the house. It was built before the McMansion in front of it. So that deck would have had unobstructured 180 degree views of coastline. But, it is always windy on the hill so the glass panels would have been great wind protection.
Now the deck just looks at a big ugly wall. I’m going to try my hardest to carefully pull that deck apart and rebuild it on the southwest corner of the lot with french doors from the living room. Right now the deck is accessed from a vinyl slider in dining room.
That’s a big house! I can’t wait to see what you are going to do with it. I think you mentioned a second story, which seems appropriate considering the neighboring houses.
The design for additional square footage is going to be critical. If I go up with 2nd story, it would be a waste if the main living areas were not re located upstairs to capture the panoramic views. Really don’t need some secondary bedrooms up there. So, that means that the exterior has to be configured with a staircase entry to upstairs. Lots of ideas flying through my head. All of them cost a lot of money
Wasn’t one of the draws here a main floor entry with no stairs? CB…you are very creative. I’m sure you will think of a way to maximize the potential and current views. And also, to deal with a floor plan that does the same. I’m sort of picturing a large second floor “bonus room” with decks.
I’m picturing a widow’s walk with 360 views! There’s an intersection three blocks away where you can see west to the ocean, north across Mission Bay, and east to San Diego Bay just by turning your head.
It’s a shame the neighbor was able to build so that they blocked their deck view. Pretty crummy of them. Will you be blocking anyone by adding a second floor?
One of my friends went down the alley this afternoon behind the house and called me immediately. There is a big white pickup truck and a full commercial dumpster in the driveway right now. Someone is clearing out the garage!!! Wow, I’m excited. Two guys (I am assuming one is brother) are loading the white pickup with ‘keeper’ stuff. That’s one less dumpster I have to pay for
Sisters are moving fast getting the house cleared out
I love the look of the house, and the site is fabulous. What views! I’ll join the chorus…if only I could afford to retire to San Diego and buy this house. Once cb is done with it, it will be incredible.
Can the realtor/real estate folks on here explain why they’d write it that way? To dissuade a sale or something? Still $255k, with terrible schools and dying city. Have to love the metro Boston housing prices!
"Very interesting idea about maybe just a bonus room and roof deck that captures all the views.
If there is a way to put even a half bath in that upstairs bonus…it could also be the guest room!
sort of like the downstairs on the last flip…except at the top"
Those would be my recommendations as well. But I would recommend a full bath, albeit with a shower instead of a tub.
@3kids304 Haha, no lipstick on that pig! What a dump. That is way overpriced. I suspect it’s probably very close if not in foreclosure and that price is a prayer by a desperate seller who needs that to cover the mortgage.
You’d have to put $150k into it to fix the structural issues, put the rear decks back on and rehab the units. They didn’t even put a picture of the front of the house, probably too many bullet holes. You probably can’t get more than $8-900 per unit, and you will not get quality tenants.
My guess is it will wind up being abandoned and condemned by the city, or someone will grab it for pennies and slum it out. No investor I know would touch it.
So exciting – congrats CB! And what great news, that things are being cleared away. As you say, that much less for you to do! I can’t remember the part of SD that you referenced and I’m a little too lazy to search this thread to find it but my 30 second google search brought me to the wrong house. I guess I’ll just have to wait for everything to be final and be told the address! Thanks for taking us along for the ride!
That description of the house in Lowell is beyond comprehension. What agent would write that? It would be good enough to just say “City Code Violations” and then explain all the issues if a potential buyer called up. That agent must be pissed or something. Maybe owner refuses to drop price down to reality and the agent has given up.
But, I have seen agents write up descriptions like this when they are trying to help their client negotiate a short sale with the bank. Sometimes banks refuse to realize the true value of a distressed house so agents have to make sure appraisers realize significant issues.
The inside of this house was built in same era as Hoarder House. The architecture, thick plaster walls, original wood windows and wood work are exactly the same as the Hoarder House. But the house is not filled to the brim with trash and debris. It has been cleared out, just some trash and personal clothing lying around. Kitchen and baths are disgusting, but not to the degree of Hoarder House.
Not sure if this isan appropriate house for it, but I’ve been seeing more and more houses with upside down floorplans , with living spaces above to take advantage of views. Here, however, you have the nice big yard so you wouldn’t want to have only bedrooms on first floor.
