South Seattle: Blink and You’ll Miss It

For quite some time, it has been looking pretty rough out there for folks hoping to spend less than 300,000 on a house. What used to be a budget range seems to have become the minimum entry point in the market, which frankly, scares the whatnot out of me. So, it is nice to see a couple houses in the sub-300K range this week, even though the price per square footage is steep. Here’s one that I scoped out this weekend, on Beacon Hill.

At a wee 830 square feet, it’s pretty small. There’s no basement or dining room, so the living area feels more like an apartment. The lack of an in-house utility area also means that the washer and dryer end up in the kitchen, which makes for a noisy dinner soundtrack. However, I liked the spacious deck and patio in the back, as well as the addition of a small work shed, where you can keep all the oil-covered bits and pieces that come with owning tools and machines. The neighboring houses are fairly tight on either side, but there is a green belt adjacent to the backyard, which does improve the privacy issues.

I’d be tempted to expand this house, and fortunately, there is space in the backyard to absorb any additions. Like the listing description says, it is a modest 50s era rambler, and for those with relatively modest means, it is available. And check this out: you can live just up the street from this awesome Buddhist temple.

I thought I’d driven around every nook and cranny of this neighborhood, so I was surprised to find this bright temple tucked into the hillside above Orcas Street.

The Figures: $299,950. Last sold in 2003 for $170,000. 830 square feet. 2 bedrooms, 1 bath.