South Seattle: La Petite Property
As this town’s condo market indicates, people are increasingly willing to sacrifice space for location, and it’s location that makes this 790 sq. ft.* Columbia City cottage more appealing than if it were in, say, Enumclaw. One of the Seattle Classics collection of nicely restored rental homes (a number of these have hit the market recently), this house had quite a bit of work done after it was purchased in 2004.
The restoration work resulted in a twee little home, complete with a cute front garden and picket fence. Unfortunately it didn’t include new windows throughout – the only updated ones I saw were in the renovated kitchen. All the others need to be replaced as they have a lot of moisture damage and the caulk is in bad shape. When the new kitchen was designed there appears to have been a challenge in where to place the fridge as it ended up in the dining room space. Since the open kitchen and dining area share the east end of the house, it’s not totally inconvenient, but I imagine it can be awkward. An undercounter solution would suit my taste more.
From the back deck you’ll find a nice territorial view of the local playfield, and the stairs down to the yard also lead you to the only basement access. Some foundation work has been done and the result is a very level and dry half basement, but having no way to access it from the interior is a huge drawback.
Other appealing features in this home are the refinished original fir floors and pretty stained glass windows in the kitchen and dining room. The age of this house is pretty apparent when you walk in; the floors slope and creak a bit, not everything is level, but it lends a feel of historic authenticity. Super sized furnishings will be out of place here, but there’s room enough for anyone with a knack for solving storage challenges and streamlining their lifestyle.
$355,000
Beds: 2
Baths: 1
Lot Sq. Ft.*: 3,920
$/sq. ft: $449
Last Sale Price: $148,500 (March 2004)
* Information from sources deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
