South Seattle: Bring Your Own Fridge

Flipped with care in four short months, this 1917 home was receiving visitors last Sunday. From the party lights on the porch to the dry and cozy basement it’s a pretty good package. I particularly liked how the renovations brought the house up-to-date without losing vintage appeal. For instance, it appears that the original windows overlooking the front porch were kept in place and the new windows in the kitchen were chosen to match. All of the bathroom refurbishments fit the age and style of the home; there’s subway tile in the shower/bath enclosure rather than something more contemporary. It’s a modest 1,030 sq. ft. house with modest and appropriately scaled upgrades. I appreciate that restraint was shown – similar projects can often be less thoughtful.

As a result of keeping it real, two of the house’s three light-filled bedrooms are a smidge on the tiny side. They are legitimate bedrooms, however, and not the no-closet, no-exit-from-window-or-door “bedrooms” in basements that I frequently see. The largest bedroom has the added bonus of French doors that open to a small, east-facing deck in the back yard. I expect this little lumber outcropping will be well used if the ample yard gets some additional fencing for privacy and the deck’s untreated wood is protected from the elements.

I was pleased to see that the full size basement was dry in every corner and well lit to boot. The ceilings throughout were low enough for me (standing approximately 5′ 7″) to touch all of them but it felt spacious nonetheless. It’s a very usable space for storage, laundry, office, etc.

The redone kitchen has a nice eating area directly adjacent to it, which means you don’t have to make the front room do double duty for living and dining. The only outstanding item the kitchen still needs is a refrigerator but that’s an easy fix unless you plan on cramming a huge Sub Zero in there.

I confess to knowing some of the residents of the cul-de-sac where this house is located, and they are a grand group of folks who are very invested in their homes and the surrounding community. They are also working hard to have the city take care of an unfortunate residence located next door to this one, and on Sunday I overheard that the tear down is to take place in 60-90 days, so fear not for your property value.

Lot Sq. Ft.: 4,704
$/Sq Ft: $369
Last Sale Price: $260,000 (September 2006)