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I like the blue siding, but it clashes with the brick. One of them needs to change. That might make the porch seem more natural.
The brick columns inside are just wrong. Those and the siding near them make it clear that was an open porch.
Is it really that bright yellow inside, or is that just the photos? Easy to fix, anyway.
Dining room ceiling is great. I like wall sconces, but those seem oddly placed.
Chain link fences have always been a sign of a bad neighborhood, but transition happens.
15 years ago I lived on the hill above the casino. I would never have considered living down in the Flatlands then, but places change. The Haight was cheap and kind of dangerous when I lived there in the eighties, and now it's hot property.
OMG---I noticed the linoleum on the back porch is the same as the house I grew up in! That house was built around 1920--1930. That particular linoleum was in our front hallway and considered high-end for its time. I would strive to keep it as is. However, if you do decide to replace it, don't ditch the old flooring. Try to remove it as carefully as possible, in as few pieces as possible. You'd be surprised at the market for such old linoleum. People use it for decorator designs, make pictures and wall hangings, etc.
Hadn't given much thought to the linoleum, so I'll keep that in mind. I'm more worried about pulling out the carpet and (hopefully) restoring the hardwood underneath, but the dining room lino is pretty disgusting and needs to go too.
The house was built in 1912. Read through the inspection report yesterday, and it has knob and tube wiring with 100 amp service. I'll definitely have to upgrade it. Invisible money, as they say. But the hardie board siding is just about rotted off the side and back of the house, so removing that (and hopefully finding original wood siding underneath) will hugely improve curb appeal.
OMG---I noticed the linoleum on the back porch is the same as the house I grew up in! That house was built around 1920--1930. That particular linoleum was in our front hallway and considered high-end for its time. I would strive to keep it as is. However, if you do decide to replace it, don't ditch the old flooring. Try to remove it as carefully as possible, in as few pieces as possible. You'd be surprised at the market for such old linoleum. People use it for decorator designs, make pictures and wall hangings, etc.
There's a 1940's era 3x12 piece (or maybe it's 3x9, can't remember) priced at $2,400 on Etsy.
How handy are you? There is a LOT of work to do in that house.
. . .
Quote:
Originally Posted by Coldjensens
Get rid of the brick
I wouldn't!
Quote:
Originally Posted by davdaven
. . . ballparked the cost of fixing the house with average finishes (not ideal with a home of this vintage, of course) and it's feasible for me, assuming the bidding stays under 400K. However, the correct finishes would be considerably more expensive, as noted. That gives me some hesitation considering the property backs onto a tire shop and is next to an apartment complex.
. . .
Quote:
Originally Posted by K'ledgeBldr
I don't see the money!
At anywhere near $400k, you'll be close to the top end of the market. Then, with all the "work" it "needs"- it's over priced! Remember, time is money- that "sweat equity". . .
Early suburbia. Now swallowed by commercial development. Interesting project, but you could make it a money pit. I lived in the central coast for a few years - yeah - CA house prices are insane. Cute house though.
My thoughts. This was no architectural gem when it was new. It was a cookie cutter Craftsman (at least, that's my bet). Restoring to original outline may not have much value. Which I bring up for a few reasons: the porch, the brick (exterior and interior), the siding, and the built-ins. All of which have some value from preserving as originally designed, but LIMITED value, due to the origins of the house.
The porch was originally open, that's clear based on the siding and interior roof of the porch. Those porch walls are probably original siding. Another bet on my part, but I think the French doors were added when the porch was enclosed. Original entry doorway MIGHT have been saved and moved to use as the current front entrance. Hard to say, and the current doorway looks to me like it is a replacement, not the original.
When you redo the exterior siding, you might stick with that small lap pattern you see as the walls of the porch/entry room - it should suit the brick better. I would think making the porch semi-open would be a neat thing. Folding windows or something so you could open it back up, or close it as desired. If you could do that, the post brickwork on the interior is no longer a problem, but a good point. But wait on that - budget thoughts.
Bricks - the brick work is almost certainly original, and IMHO should be kept. The painted brick I would rather strip and repair and repoint, interior and exterior. Again, like the porch, IF the budget was unlimited. The exterior brick looks like it needs professional attention. In spite of what I said about the cookie cutter origins, there is some cuteness and value, in my mind, with going with the original surfaces and design thoughts when possible.
Paint - interior looks like a recent paint job. Another unlimited budget redo. I agree about stripping the built-ins tho - they could look nice, and instead they look cheap. Depending on the wood, though, you may not be able to strip and restore the wood finish. If they were, say, built with redwood, the paint may have permeated the wood so deeply that trying to strip it would leave you with something very unsatisfactory.
Interior floors - with ya on that. Fixing THAT should be a primary focus.
New chainlink, or at least fix the posts. I'd fence the drive entrance closer to the street. Another item that is a budget question. On the cheap - fix the current. Doing it nice - I would update to wrought iron fence and gating (or that style).
The garage/shed. In CA, that might last for years. If it was where I am, I would think it would be ready to fall down in the next few years. But it needs some attention.
Landscaping should be a high priority. Looking at other houses on the street - this is the worst of the lot. Research last sales prices for other houses on the street, and adjacent, and get current sales value estimates. If ALL you did was redo the flooring, fix the exterior siding, and put in some attractive plantings, you should be able to get close to what those other houses would sell for today.
So, my priority list, depending on budget, would be:
Flooring
Electric
Brick chimney (at least make sure it is sound. Repair or repoint as necessary.)
Landscaping
Siding
BATHROOM! (didn't even get to that, but you know it could use some work!)
Built-ins
Fencing
Kitchen
Open porch
Repaint interior. By the way, one thought about repainting the interior is taking the wainscoting and ceiling beams back to something like original. But you are in CA - people do many different things with the exterior shells that are their houses. Those first 6 should increase the value the most. Get those done, and you might look at the potential for resale. Or you might realize that you had spent an extra couple 100 thousand over the resale value of the house.
This dump would sell for less than $50k in most cities in America tbh, and if it weren't in the location it is nobody would be saying how cute this old house is lol. Just call it what it is, a shthole in a great location.
OMG---I noticed the linoleum on the back porch is the same as the house I grew up in! That house was built around 1920--1930. That particular linoleum was in our front hallway and considered high-end for its time. I would strive to keep it as is. However, if you do decide to replace it, don't ditch the old flooring. Try to remove it as carefully as possible, in as few pieces as possible. You'd be surprised at the market for such old linoleum. People use it for decorator designs, make pictures and wall hangings, etc.
Me, too! I remember how much my mother loved that linoleum floor. Brings back such fond memories. My mother had that floor in her kitchen - I think we had it in two of the houses I lived in when I was a child.
As far as the rest of the house, it certainly does have a lot of potential and I think if you have the money and the skill to fix it up, you just might have a great deal on it. My issue would be mainly the fact that it only has one bathroom. It seems like that isn't a problem for you, though.
I agree with the others who said to leave the porch enclosed - at least for now. There are so many other things that need to be addressed before you start on that. I think you need to fix the inside before doing anything to the outside of that house. Those brick pillars are very odd. I can't quite figure out what's going on with that!
If you do end up buying it, please post pictures of what you do with it.
You are going to get a lot of opinions... City-Data reach is very broad.
I have bought similar in Oakland CA... if you will need to contract out... the costs will kill you in today's market where construction trades are at full tilt...
I have written about a 1922 home I bought from the original owner... it was like going back in time...
For me the decision was easy... I cleaned, refurbished and refinished what I had... still had the original kitchen with yellow and blue tile and high leg stove...
I think the real question is what will it take to make you happy?
It is really easy to go overboard where the property becomes a money pit...
As Snow and others have said... the closed in porch and fence and barb wire indicate to me there was a need otherwise they wouldn't be there... has the neighborhood changed that much for the better where it is not needed is my question...
Speaking from experience... a single home owner that goes off to work each day is far more vulnerable than a home where someone is always around... again the barb wire in the back comes to mind.
Oh... I never changed or upgraded my original 1922 knob and tube and NEVER had an issue... the wiring was all original and untouched... the untouched is key in that it had not been extended or altered...
Your report says 100 amp so it HAS BEEN UPGRADED... most likely for an electric oven and electric dryer... 100 amp is plenty for the East Bay... as we have gas appliances.
Kitchen and Laundry also upgraded... at one time... as is the siding.
Sure... outlets were few and far between but enough for me... one 20 amp circuit for all the plugs and one 15 amp for the lights and bathroom outlet which was part of the light fixture... 30 amp main. Didn't prevent me from having a full size washer and dryer, microwave, refrigerator... but no modern furnace, dishwasher or garbage disposal... which I did not mind in the least.
The siding was put there for a reason... who knows what conditions you will find underneath... wood siding from this vintage often requires frequent attention.
My bet is a home that has not been on the market for 70 years will have many items on the Pest Control Report and Home Inspection, etc...
Mine had the Pest Control Company call out a new foundation at 22k... because the grade was insufficient... I, being poor, regraded the yard to achieve the above grade requirement... instead of 22k I spent nothing except my labor...
When I went to sell... the Structural Pest reports, there were 2, both said nothing about the foundation...
All the original double hung windows worked perfectly when I was done... I had replaced all the sash cords and re-glazed the windows... again... cost almost nothing but my time... same for refinishing the beautiful hardwood found under carpet.
Only you can decide if it is worth it... part of that is coming up with a budget of what is needed as long as the location is OK...
The basics are conditon of Roof, Foundation, Electrical, Pumbing, Heat and Termites...
Location, Location, Location...
A few years back my friend bought a 300k older shingle home in Berkeley... she used 50k her Grandfather had left her plus she had a good UC job... she said not a word to her parents until she was in Escrow and invited them to view it.
Her father went ballistic... he was a calm guy but you would have thought she just threw away her life savings and had no brain... it got really ugly for awhile and created a huge rift that took years to get past because her father just would not let it go... I felt so sorry for her and helped as an intermediary where I could with advice...
She recently sold the home because her new husband had a home... that little 1930 house that caused WWIII netted her 500k profit... her father no longer questions her and said Bay Area Real Estate is insane but now praises his daughter's business acumen... plus she had two room mates that covered a big chunk of her mortgage and utilities...
She was determined to make it and did what I did in that she did almost all the work herself... except for the new roof...
Last edited by Ultrarunner; 07-14-2018 at 08:22 PM..
Cute house and priced at about what it would be in the Boston area. (which is why I don't live there.)
But what looks "off" to me are the windows. They look like something from the 1950s, not something from the 1920s. I lived in a house like that one time and loved to sit out on the screened in front porch. It had the old fashioned sash windows though. I can't remember the front door but it sure didn't look like the one in your photograph. The actual front door to the house, inside the porch, may have looked like that but the porch door didn't.
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