TGHH: Glenrose

Glenrose
Altadena? Really? Hm. It seems so far away from everything. But this house is priced really well for the area. The square footage is teeny, tiny. Driving through tree-lined streets, past elegant homes with mature, well-tended landscaping, we hope the house is bigger than it is. We pull up and step out of the car to hear birds singing. There's a tiny breeze and the tall trees sway. Wow. It feels really good here. We look up at the green mountainside. Scratch that. It feels amazing out here.



We step inside. Hmm. Not so bad. New-ish laminate floors. Pretty paint color. We are able to walk through the house in about 5 seconds. I go back into the kitchen. "It's like a doll house kitchen," I say. I think, "And not in a cute way." I suggest to Sergio that it's smaller than where we live now. We visit the backyard. Definite possibilities. I immediately decide that the upper left corner should be a mixed flower bed with bulbs and perennials. The pool area is a decided plus. Outside is better than inside. Could we live here? Let's see...it's an incredibly safe neighborhood, it's listed at WAY less than it was last sold and it feels so relaxing and great, outside. Maybe we can add square footage later. That would surely increase the value for the future.




The listing agent expects multiple offers so we would be competing. It's a foreclosure -we would know about this one quickly, unlike Berenice (still waiting) and El Paso (still waiting). We go see another house the same day while we think about it.

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Meanwhile, The Criteria evolves.

THE CRITERIA

Target areas: Glassell Park, foothills of Mount Washington, Highland Park, foothills of Montecito Heights, hills of El Sereno, Altadena

Needs:

1. We can comfortably afford it without having to survive on ramen alone
2. We need to feel safe in the neighborhood (how did this not make our list the first time?)
3. Two bedrooms
4. At least one full bathroom -- read: has a tub
5. Off-street parking for two one cars
6. 900+ sq. feet home SEE BELOW
7. In one of our target areas

Wants:

1. Two bathrooms (this would make getting a roommate easier, if needed) SEE BELOW
   
2. Garage
3. 900+ sq. feet home
4. View SEE BELOW
5. Walking distance to "stuff we like" SEE BELOW
6. Outdoor entertaining space
7. More square footage
   

Pie-in-the-sky want:

1. Two bathrooms
2. Walking distance to "stuff we like"
3. View
   
4. Move-in ready