Category Archives: SGV

Mid Century Ranch Home in Prime San Gabriel

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List Price $549,000

3 bedrooms • 2 bathrooms

1,515 sf • 6,264 sf lot

We see a bit of a bargain here, a 1956 Ranch-style home on a nice street in one of our favorite under-the-radar neighborhoods: North San Gabriel. Pasadena and San Marino are only blocks away.

There are wood floors, a handsome fireplace, and sliding glass doors to a flat and spacious back yard. The lines on these Ranch homes are wonderful, providing excellent flow and a good use of space.

The house needs work, but at this price it’s well worth it. “Finished” homes of similar size in the area sell for considerably more — and quickly. Get this one while it lasts by contacting Tracy Do Real Estate.

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Listing courtesy of Brett Furrey, Podley Properties.

710 Fwy Extension Update

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The proposed 710 Freeway extension could potentially impact neighborhoods across large swaths of NELA and the SGV, though to what extent is still a matter for debate. From the LA Times: “County transportation officials have released the final version of their analysis of alternatives for closing the so-called 710 gap between Alhambra and Pasadena… The MTA will hold three community open houses to share the report’s information.” The events are:

 

Jan. 23 at Maranantha High School, 6 to 8 p.m.

Jan. 24 at San Marino Community Church, 6 to 8 p.m.

Jan. 26 in the Golden Eagle Building at Cal State L.A., 9 to 11 a.m.

For Daniel Siegal’s full article, click here.

Landmark Adobe in San Gabriel

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List Price $1,650,000

4 bedrooms • 3.75 bathrooms

4,633 sf • 25,351 sf lot

I’ve seen literally thousands of homes for sale, but never one quite like this: a sweeping, grand adobe that is estimated to have been built between 1792 and1805, making it well over 200 years old (!) Yet this historic, registered landmark near San Gabriel’s famed Mission District has been meticulously maintained and thoroughly modernized, making it a practical home for the 21st Century.

With nearly 5000 square feet of living space, this home feels huge. Several of the rooms are vast in scale, while others have a more intimate, cozy feel to them. It doesn’t hurt that there are four fireplaces, including one in the large, detached guest house.

The expansive, flat yard has an estate-like feel to it, but honestly photographs can hardly do justice to this remarkable home. To book a private tour and see this piece of history for yourself, contact me here.

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Listing courtesy of Candice Lyman, Dilbeck Real Estate.

Alhambra Tudor has Modern Flair

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List Price $619,000

3 bedrooms • 2 bathrooms

1,624 sf • 6,306 sf lot

Don’t get me started about Alhambra. To me it’s one of the best under-the-radar places to live, especially this part of Alhambra. Close to Pasadena and South Pas and with easy access to downtown LA, it’s a community on the rise, with good schools and excellent city services.

As for the house, just see for yourself. A light and bright completely renovated Tudor with copper plumbing, updated electrical, refurbished original windows, oak floors, Icera toilets, two new furnaces and restored chandeliers, hardware and sconces.

The kitchen has imported Italian Carrara counters, a farmers style stainless steel sink, Fisher & Paykel double dishwasher, GE Monogram refrigerator, Kobe range hood and a Jade 6 burner range. If you don’t know Alhambra yet, you should. I’ll be happy to show you the area and the house too. Contact me anytime, here.

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Listing courtesy of Joseph Kiralla, Sotheby’s Int’l Realty, Los Feliz.

San Marino & La Cañada Schools Ranked 1, 2

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It official. According to recently published data and reported here in the Pasadena Sun, the prized public schools of San Marino and La Cañada Flintridge are ranked #1 and #2 in the state of California by their API scores. So what does it cost to buy a house in these beautiful communities that neighbor Pasadena? Here’s a sample of the current market:

An approximately 3,500 sq. foot 5 bedroom, 3.75 bath Contemporary in La Cañada Flintridge (pictured above) is on the market for $1,665,000. Built in 1964, recently remodeled, it has views to the Pacific Ocean and a gorgeous swimming pool. Listing courtesy of Samuel Buchanan, B & B Properties.

Another La Cañada home for sale right now is a 5 bedroom 4 bath Tudor with just over 4,300 sq. feet of living space. Built in 1935 and occupying a huge flat lot, the property features a detached guest house and pool. Priced at $2,160,000, this strikes me as a bargain considering the prime location and amount of house you’re getting. Listing courtesy of Anne Sanborn, Sotheby’s Int’l Realty.

 

Inventory in San Marino is quite low right now, but this 1952 Cape Cod is on the market for $3,280,000. With 4 bedrooms and 4.75 baths, totaling just under 5000 sq. feet, the home is on one of the most desirable streets of this tree-lined enclave. There are 2 kitchens, 2 formal dining rooms, 3 fireplaces, a guesthouse… really this property has it all. Listing courtesy of Sabrina Wu, Coldwell Banker.

 

And here’s San Marino’s lowest-price offering per today’s MLS. At just under $1.2M this Traditional has 3 beds, 1.75 baths in 2,255 sq. feet. Features include 3 fireplaces and a back yard patio for entertaining, plus something very special indeed: the San Marino School District. #1 in California. Listing courtesy of Vera Nelson, Coldwell Banker.

 

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Rising Tide of Cash Lifts All Boats in the SGV

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Buyers from Mainland China have long coveted LA County real estate, and in the San Gabriel Valley’s small but stately jewel of San Marino, competition for prime property is particularly fierce. KPCC’s Alex Cohen and A. Martinez recently talked with the BBC’s Rajesh Mirchandani, who reports that for Pasadena’s neighbor, 90 percent of home sales go to Chinese buyers who typically pay in cash. Click here to listen, and find out how this trend is turning up the heat on an already-robust housing market.

FYI Quick Read…

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There was good article this past weekend in the La Canada Valley Sun concerning the latest turn (no pun intended) in the 710 Freeway extension debate. Seems CalTrans/LA Metro have taken all “surface route” options off the table, which is great news for some but continues to anger residents of northeast LA communities like Pasadena and La Canada Flintridge, among others.

 

Update: Pas City Council United in “NO” to 710 Fwy Options

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A follow up to my post about the new 710 Fwy expansion plans (see below). I think the words of Pasadena City Councilman Victor Gordo sum it up best, as he says of the CalTrans proposal: ”If someone were trying to fail more miserably, they couldn’t have done it.” You can read LA Times reporter Adolfo Flores’ coverage of the rancorous meeting here.

710 Fwy Expansion Buzz(kill) in NELA & SGV

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KPCC reported this morning that the long simmering and oft-debated 710 Freeway expansion proposal is back in the spotlight, with a new set of “options” that include an above-ground route through one of my all-time favorite neighborhoods — the serenely beautiful San Rafael section of Pasadena(!) Needless to say, homeowners are not amused. The idea of extending the 710 has been on the launchpad for what seems like forever, and whether you’re a resident of Pas, South Pas, San Marino, La Canada-Flintridge, Glendale, Eagle Rock, Highland Park, Alhambra (phew, did I leave anyone out?) you are likely in the crosshairs of at least one of these above-or-below-ground proposals (see above map).

Obviously the when, where and if of this thing could have significant impact on you and the value of your home. To learn more, head over to tonight’s event at the Pasadena Convention Center, where at 6:30 PM the Pasadena City Council will discuss the 710 expansion proposal and open the floor to what I expect will be a vociferous public.

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Map courtesy of the California Department of Transportation (CalTrans).

Spanish in San Gabriel

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List Price $515,000

2BDs/2BAs in 1236 sq. ft./lot size 7497 sq. ft.

This to me represents a really good opportunity, a cute little Spanish circa 1925. Granted it’s a bit of a fixer, but it’s freshly painted, has a barrel ceiling, a wood-burning fireplace and sits on a large lot with mature trees.

But the best things here are the price and especially the location. I’m amazed by how many people I meet who have never explored the small, historic city of San Gabriel – that is if they’ve even heard of it. It flies below the radar but believe me, this is one great place to live.

Bordered by San Marino on the north and the 10 freeway on the south, San Gabriel is a leafy community of older homes that offers quick and easy access to Pasadena and Downtown LA. The main drags are Valley Blvd. and Las Tunas, home to the best Chinese restaurants in LA County — don’t believe me? Ask Jonathan Gold. SG also has Howie’s Ranch Market, Vincent Lugo Park, the Mission District…

Do yourself a favor. If you haven’t checked out San Gabriel already, it’s time you do.

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Listing Courtesy of Marlene Evans & Louie Liu, Coldwell Banker