South Seattle: Probably Fairly Okay

I predict that this big house is going to sell and all parties involved will be happy with the outcome. It has great western light through a bay window, tall ceilings and a super convenient location to the new light rail track. The interior is already formatted in the contemporary open floor plan, so there are no frustrating hallways to navigate around. And, there’s no need to worry about traffic noise because the street out front is so narrow, it’s practically an alley.

It has a couple downsides: a popcorn ceiling and a tile job in the kitchen that is reminiscent of a layman’s stab at channeling Piet Mondrian. It’s a, umm, courageous foray into color theory. Both those things are completely fixable and quite possibly tolerable, and therefore, not deal breakers.

However, my own particular vibe would make it difficult for me to set up camp in this house, because it lacks a few characteristics that I find personally important for that brass ring of home style living. That tiny street feels fairly claustrophobic to me and you’re stuck with revealing panoramas of all your neighbor’s backsides (of their houses, that is). The geography creates an illusion of being boxed in on all sides. There isn’t much room for adding shrubbery or fiddling around in the dirt on Sundays, and it’s missing a benchmark of urban living: sidewalks. But, you know, it’s alright, because I just know this house is going to sell. I can feel it!

The Figures: $359,950. Last sold in 2002 for $109,500. 1,670 square feet with 5 bedrooms and 2 baths.