South Seattle: Worthy of Note

I see more than my share of houses being passed off in the $325,000 range that really should be ashamed of themselves, but here’s a nice surprise. This one seems actually pretty nice, honestly. Imagine a little ray of sunshine peeking out from some dark, looming, overpriced clouds.

Even though it is a lengthy block from Rainier, the road isn’t terribly busy, since Garden Street curves into a quiet, horseshoe shaped turnaround thing. The neighboring houses are a mixed bag; a few are utilitarian split-levels and others are doted-upon lovelies. It’s not a picture perfect neighborhood, but I can see that things have steadily improved for the better. (And there’s a new BBQ and seafood shop called “Ralph’s” just down the street. I still haven’t tried it. But, I have been slowing way down as I drive past. We could say it’s preliminary aroma testing.)

What I did especially like about this house was that the attention to detail seemed to be executed by residents, not flippers. When owners are doing the improvements, they usually sidestep the usual aesthetic blunders of Insta-Remodel fever. I appreciated the tasteful treatment of the exterior, the generous front porch, and a kitchen intact with character. It gives one the peace of mind that modifications were done by people who wanted things fixed, not to just look like they were fixed.

The Specifics: Price: $325,000. Last sold in 2004 for 205,000. 1,660 square feet. 3 bedrooms, 2 baths.