TGHH: Berenice spills her secrets

Luckily, we were able to get a hold of the inspection report that the previous buyers ordered. To me, it reads much better than I thought it would. It cites many, many items but none are considered dangerous or unlivable. A lot of things can be taken care of pretty easily. It says that the foundation appears fine but recommends a foundation expert for full evaluation.

Just to be safe, Sergio hires a foundation expert. He also does home inspection work so we kind of scored getting him. His written report would just be on the foundation, but he would tell Sergio about anything he found. He found a lot.

• The foundation is completely shoddy. It was not built right to begin with (way back in 1912) and is now deteriorating to the point that it needs to be re-poured completely.
  
• The third bed and bath at the back of the house we knew was added. But he points out how bad the construction is. He recommends tearing that down completely.
• He also points out the retaining wall holding back the hillside, breaking apart in the backyard and explains that there is insufficient water drainage coming off the hillside and through the yard. You can actually see the water runoff patterns on the dirt from recent rains. The water is hitting the foundation of the house dead-on -- hence the deterioration.
  
• The original wood floors need to be replaced. It has been sanded many times and is too thin to survive another sanding.
• The chimney cracks are causes for concern. Maybe pull down and rebuild.
  
• While the fireplace is real, the mantle is not. At least, it wasn't really part of the house. He was able to easily pull the entire mantle and surround away from the wall as if it were on wheels.

You would think that if he was chasing business for his company, he would have advised us to buy the property -- it needed so much! But, he did the opposite. He did not think the house was a good investment and was upset that banks were putting houses like these on the market and not disclosing the condition. He says he sees it all the time. Foreclosed/short sale homes are as-is and it's basically buyer-beware.

Sadness. And distinct relief. Thank goodness Sergio called that guy! It would have been awful if we moved in and found all these problems.

Goodbye again Berenice. For good this time. We wish we could save you, but can't afford it. Well, we still have El Paso.

(one final peek)

TGHH: Berenice takes us on a rollercoaster...

Uh-oh. Our agent calls. She's clearly trying to remain composed. She is very angry. Apparently, the house is NOT ours yet even though the listing agent said it was. When she asked him for paperwork etc., he told her we had to wait. The other buyers are still in escrow but the bank does not want them. The buyers are trying to renegotiate the terms of the offer contract and the bank is not happy. We have 72 hours or so before the buyers are booted from the contract and THEN the house is ours.

OMG. We can't take this anymore!! We have been emotionally up and down so many times---we're exhausted and it's very stressful.

We wait......and wait. Really, it's not that long. It just feels that way.

We get the call, it's ours. For sure this time. She has the contract in hand. YES! We give her the deposit check. We're in escrow! We have champagne.

TGHH: Multiple offers

We decide to make offers on both Glenrose and Chadwick. Yep, we now have offers out on three different homes at the same time. Four, counting our back-up on Berenice.

We wait only a little. I'm skipping details but basically, our offers on Glenrose and Chadwick are both accepted! Wow! How exciting! We have about a day and a half to decide between the two. Which one? Great area and a tiny house? Or not as great of an area with a perfectly sized house and an amazing view? Honestly, I'm leaning toward the tiny house -- I'm having mini-palpitations about waking up in that stilt house every morning.

Then, our agent calls again to ask, "Remember Berenice?" My heart leaps. I respond with more of a statement than a question, in hopes that it's true: "It's back." "It's back," she says. (yipee!) "If you guys want it, it's yours. The other buyer fell through." eek!

Now, we have to decide between the three.
1. 2. 3.

I take the next day off to visit all three again with Sergio and my mom. We even bring a contractor to Glenrose to see if he thought we could add. (He advised against it.) That night, we sat in my parent's kitchen making pro/con lists on each house, and then together. My parents helped talk us through each one. They clearly were opposed to Chadwick and thought we were crazy for even considering it.

After we mull over and discuss everything at least twice or three times, we come to a decision.

Berenice. The one we fell for first.

TGHH: Bye, Bye Berenice

We get a call from our agent about Berenice. There is definite movement with the bank on this property but unfortunately, the listing agent is behaving oddly. He had originally told us we were the only offer that was "at the bank". This is very important in short sale situations. The bank only sees what the agent sends them. Then he said he never sent in our offer to the bank. There was now another, higher, offer and that was the one going to the bank. We increase our offer above that one but don't hear back. Our agent finally gets him on the phone and he says that the other buyers increased their offer above ours and the bank has accepted. He never gave us a chance to bid again. We really love that house and are sad. We ask our agent if we can increase our offer anyway to meet the other buyers' number and see what happens. She says we can but doesn't feel good about it. So we become the backup offer and break up with our first house crush.

TGHH: Chadwick

Chadwick
On more than one occasion during our weekend house hunting sessions with our agent, we would drive up hills and get excited, only to drive back down the hill to see the actual house. Sometimes, her GPS would take us on a spectacular trip along hillsides with great views and back down, then up, then down again. (I swear, her GPS is more lost than found sometimes.) This time though, we went up and kept going up and stayed up.



It's mid-century modern fabulousness! To some, it is a mere cement-colored box. To me, it is an unremorseful and affordable knockoff of a famous architect's design. Oh the wonderful furniture shopping trips we would embark on for this home with great lines!

We walk in, gasp, and make a beeline for the wall of windows at the back. We step out onto the balcony that runs the entire width of the house and take in the could-be-ours view.

Reluctantly, we turn back inside and are happy to find that the house is basically move-in ready! Whomever had the house last made updates throughout! Stainless steel appliances! We look out at the view again. We imagine having lazy Sunday brunch out on the balcony, sunsets and city lights with a glass of wine....

Wait a second. The pretty song scratches to a halt. Is this a stilt house? We go outside and walk down the public staircase running next to the property. Yep. It's a stilt house. And not just any stilt house -- the scariest one I've ever seen! The ENTIRE home is on stilts, save for the very front edge of the driveway that forms a little bridge to the front door. We can see the whole underside of the home. gulp.



But it's super affordable! Less than El Paso! It's move-in ready! It hits almost all of our criteria and even some of the Pie-in-the-sky ones!

We consider it on the ride home. The further we get from the property, the less my heart jumps at the thought of going to bed every night in a house with long spider legs standing in as anchors to the earth, specifically Los Angeles. Our agent tells us to think about it and call her later. It's a foreclosed home with zero offers (we don't wonder why). Like Glenrose, we would know pretty quickly if we made an offer.

Looks terrifying, doesn't it?

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.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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
   

TGHH: El Paso

(it was rainy)
El Paso
Sergio sees the house while I am at work. He really likes it and wants me to see it immediately. I am not thrilled by the outside but hopeful based on his impression. I go the following weekend and am underwhelmed. It has no backyard, the layout is odd and the house feels cold and awkward. Plus the tiny garage has been turned into a non-permitted room and there is little obvious street parking on the busy street. ugh.

HOWEVER, it's a really great area to be in. It's another short sale with zero offers or prospects. The listing agent thinks we can lowball successfully. Sergio is excited about this and if I squint real hard, I can sorta, kinda see us living there. He assures us that we can use the money we'll save to make the house our own.

So we put in an offer and keep looking.

Later on, he trys to get me more excited about this house by mocking up Before & possible After images. It kind of works, but I'm still not 100% on board.


****************************************************************
Meanwhile, The Criteria evolves.

THE CRITERIA

Target area, expanded: Highland Park, foothills of Montecito Heights, Hills of El Sereno

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. 1000 900+ sq. feet home
7. In one of our target areas

Wants:

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

Pie-in-the-sky want:

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

TGHH: Berenice

Berenice
It's perfect for our first home. Obvious fixer, but huge! 3 bd/2 ba. Loads of authentic craftsman charm. Original hardwoods and built-ins. Dining room, fireplace, front and backyard, pretty view of the hills, off-street parking AND in our target area! We would fix it ourselves and save money.



Wait, what is it that people say -- try not to fall in love with the first house you see? Hmm...well it wasn't technically the FIRST house we saw...

It's a short sale. Doesn't sound so bad to us, but our agent tells us short sales are really hard to deal with. Short sale homes can never be depended on. Basically, the home is listed at less than what is owed, but not foreclosed yet. It takes months (up to 6 or 7!) for all the paperwork and back and forth with the bank to happen. During that time, the owner is typically trying to save the mortgage and keep the house. She says if we really want to try for this property, we can put in an offer but we need to keep looking.

Of course we want to put in an offer! We love it! Maybe we'll have beginner's luck. Yay!

I start looking up authentic craftsman paint colors online. We have a major house crush. At least I do.

The Great House Hunt begins!

It's time to put a stake into our own patch of earth.


It officially began October, 2008. We finally came off the sidelines and got ready to take that leap. Foreclosures were popping up like daisies in the dropping economy and the price temps were finally nearing just right for us. We had (and still do have) full faith that it would all get better so we thought we had better do our best to find something we could afford before we couldn't again.

We had been looking at houses way before that though. For a couple (dare I saw, few) years, we'd stop in at open houses if we saw a sign while on the way to nowhere in particular. We got to know real estate websites. (redfin is so cool!) We narrowed down the neighborhoods we liked best and fantasized about living in the ones we couldn't afford.

Then, we met our agent and we were off on the long (long) saga, er, journey to our first house.

THE CRITERIA

Target area: We went into this very serious about being realistic. So, when we met our agent, we told her we wanted to look mostly in Highland Park and didn't immediately rattle off additional nabes. She asked why. We said price. Essentially, we had years of "research"behind us. We really wanted Eagle Rock, Mount Washington, Silver Lake, Atwater -- but knew they were just out of our wallet-comfort zone. Map

Needs:

1. We can comfortably afford it without having to survive on ramen alone
   
2. Two bedrooms
3. At least one full bathroom -- read: has a tub
4. Off-street parking for two cars
   
5. 1000 sq. feet home
6. In one of our target areas

Wants:

1. Two bathrooms (this would make getting a roommate easier, if needed)
   
2. Garage
3. View
4. Walking distance to "stuff we like"
5. Outdoor entertaining space
   

Pie-in-the-sky want:

1. Move-in ready - we began our hunt knowing this was near impossible in our price range with our other criteria. But hey, it doesn't hurt to dream a little.
   

Hello again old friend. (maybe)

The other day, while checking in on one of my favorite sites: apartmenttherapy.com, I saw this story about MIO at Target. Eco-friendly designer products at Target? I HAD to see what that was about. I clicked around the store's site. The products looked neat. Nothing I need, but cool looking nonetheless. Hmmm....I wonder...

I did a quick google search on Target Corporation Inc. and found that not only is there a new CEO running the show (as of 5/2008), they also made public a 2008 Corporate Responsibility Report, which featured this nifty pie chart:

Target Corporation Direct Contributions

Doth mine eyes deceive me? Is this true? Or clever marketing? Is there such a thing as politi-washing? You see, in the last four+ years, I've managed to curtail my shopping at Target to exactly the following times:

1. I needed a gift in time for lunch ASAP and that was the only store open before work in which I absolutely knew I would be able to find said gift. I think this was in the first year I stopped shopping there.
2. Third year in, Sergio and I were walking in Pasadena and suddenly needed some sort of medication or bandage -- I think a combination of the two. There was a cut finger involved. Gosh, I wish I remembered what it was. Anyway, we happened to be right in front of that giant Target on Colorado.
   
3. Fourth year in, we were given Target gift cards for both our wedding and a post-wedding bridal shower at work.
   
4. Just last week, my coworker and I went in to purchase eco-friendly raffle prizes for a work event. I didn't spend my own money so I don't think this counts.

The original reason for boycotting was a very differently sliced pie back then. That quickly evolved into a surprisingly freeing lifestyle change that I absolutely loved. As a loyal fan of the store, I used to spend way too much on things I thought I "needed" and ended up with a lot of "stuff." Target marketing is so very good and I am so very susceptible. I admit it freely. Fun colors, friendly design, the smell of popcorn...got me every time I walked in.

When I made the conscious decision to stop going inside Targets, I found that I honestly, truly, didn't miss it that much. I was forced to spend a few cents more on certain household items, but that made me all the more conscious of my spending and consumption--resulting in overall money savings. Egads! One can survive without Target! Quite well and potentially better, actually. It also sort of coincided with our move to our current tiny home so the timing was perfect.

So, do I go back?
I don't know. I have been seriously torn about this. Especially after I saw all the eco-friendly items/supplies they now carry. Sergio and I discussed this -- yes, it warranted a discussion -- the strategy is this: I am allowed to go back, mainly for eco-friendly items for now. If it spirals into overspending again, I am back on the wagon. Even though this sounds like a good strategy, I'm still not sure. I'm trying to be a conscious consumer and it's hard enough without the sexy lure of Target's bountiful bosom.

Our Living Room

I think my favorite part of our home is the living room. It's small, but we've tried to make it the as comfortable as we could.

The Living Room

The DETAILS

The lamp
Our favorite lamp:

We scored a great deal on a drum shade as a result of the sad demise of pretty and pricey Shabby Chic. I love how it looks atop the old lamp that Linda bequeathed to us when she moved out of our West L.A. apt. Yes, that's the protective plastic it came in, left on for now on purpose.

Tokens of friendship & family

Detail from TV console: L-R

*Handmade ceramic (?) dish corralling our Palm Beach shell collection. Gift from Sheila Ramezani who purchased it from her artist friend who's name I can't remember.
*Blood Orange scented fragrance sticks, on a tile from Catalina Island - souvenir from our mini-honeymoon.
*Vintage photo collage of Elsie's family.
*Revolving frame. Side pictured is Sergio's family. It was the tail end of film roll so the top third is cut off and in my opinion, looks really neat. Little sergio looks so morose in this photo.
*Blue ceramic bowl with hidden Egyptian hieroglyphics, handmade by Martha Evonuk. Holding our keys.

Detail from shelves: L-R
*Little elephants from Thailand, gift from Ton who now lives in Thailand.
*Glass sea urchin vase set, gift from Alpna and Hitesh Patel.
*B/W photo of Sergio as a kid with family & neighbors in Sutri, Italy, making tomato sauce.
*Watercolor by Nora Kersh, Sergio's mom.
*Photo of Mom & Jenny. Jenny's (1st) MA graduation from Loyola Marymount, frame gifted from Linda, via Guam.

The keepers of the couch
They are like two, giant furry slugs. They didn't move an inch from the first photo above.

"Yeah, so?" says Mia.

Mi Casa en "Cypress Parque"

Where does elauinc rest her weary head at night? Right now, I have the luxury of living where I grew up and being close to my parents--which I truly appreciate. The place itself is far for luxurious but it ain't so bad in my opinion. My family, Sergio and I worked hard to make it nice and most of my neighbors do the same. The area? Well...I grew up here so I'm generally pretty comfortable. I can't speak for anyone else. So it was a bit disheartening to look up the Wikipedia entry for my 'hood and see that the only piece of history listed is a murder in 1995. With PR like that, it's easy to misunderstand my neighborhood. Cypress Park is a little enclave usually lumped into Glassell Park and/or Highland Park. It's so small, no one really knows it's here.

The bad and the good. Let's see...

• Security bars on the windows? Yep, I never knew any different growing up.
• Helicopters and bright lights in the middle of the night? Hey, it happens.
  
• Loud popping noises, typically at night (followed by sirens and the bright lights)? sad sigh. Not often. But it happens too. My heart always quickens and my stomach gets tight, especially if they sound close and there are six or more in quick succession.
• Insanely loud Mexican polka? Of course. But only during festive times.
  
• Awesome neighbors? Yes! We invited them to our homespun wedding reception last year.
• Streets lined with pretty, well-kept front yards-- studded with roses, fruit-trees and green grass? They certainly put my concrete lawn with the lame excuse of a "garden" to shame.
  
• Revered local landmark, the original King Taco location? That's right folks, I live down the street from the very first King Taco restaurant.
• Close to local freeways? 5, 110, 101, 2, 134-- all about 5 minutes away.
  
• And don't forget the pretty L.A. River Center & Gardens, formerly Lawry's restaurant and spices processing plant. I remember as a kid riding past the plant with windows rolled down, how spicy the air was as it wafted into the car. Did you know, they laid down railroad track from Taylor Yard (now Rio de Los Angeles State Park) straight into the warehouse/plant? This made deliveries super easy back in the day.
• 901 Isabel St. - designed by architect John C. Austin. Same guy who designed the Griffith Park Observatory and one of three who designed L.A. City Hall.
• Cool parents? Yes, mine.
  

Like every other place in the world, there is both good and bad. Despite the somewhat shady elements and just all around uncomfortable-ness of our tiny house -- I still call it home. At least, for now. :)

Dinner: 4/19/2009

Sergio was told by his doctor to try the Dash diet. There are very specific requirements for this diet. But generally, it means less sodium, less meats and a whole lot of veggies and fruits.

I took a look at the Dash diet specifications and it kind of made my head spin with the calorie intake and measured portions. Unless it's baking or I'm following a recipe, I don't ever cook with specific portions. So, I thought I'd start slow and easy by simply cutting out some blatant salt seasoning and adding in more fruit.

Last Sunday, I made an almost all veggie, low-sodium dinner and it turned out surprisingly yummy! I'm going to have to get used to cooking without pre-made sauces which I think are such great time-saving inventions. Gourmet chef I certainly am not.

Appetizer
We first snacked on some lightly salted veggie chips purchased from Tom's Farms. They were very good and we wish we had purchased two bags. They even had taro!

Eggplant with white beans
Sauteed red onions, garlic, parsley and basil until onion was translucent, then added eggplant. Added a bit of low-sodium chicken broth (eggplant is very thirsty so I had to keep an eye on it and pour more in as it needed). Once cooked halfway, I added canned white beans that had been soaked and drained. Kept on low heat until eggplant was cooked thoroughly. I added more broth as needed. I let the concoction rest a bit before serving.

Simple Salad
Mixed greens with sliced pears (ripe but not too soft yet), sliced red bell peppers, and a few of the white beans that I saved before tossing into the eggplant dish. Sergio skipped the dressing. I added in a tiny drizzle of Italian I had saved from a delivery meal. They always give us way too much and I feel like it's such a waste to toss it in the trash. I rarely buy Italian dressing and was surprised at how good this was with the salad.

Dessert
Lots and lots of super sweet, gigantic strawberries from the Eagle Rock Farmer's Market, purchased on the preceding Friday.

If we had ended here, it would have been perfect. But of course, I scrounged around and found some Italian chocolate I had hidden away. >sigh< This diet is going to be hard.

For Henri

College TV Awards

One of the perks of working where I do is that we get to go to events such as the College TV Awards. I got to see Hiro Nakamura! He was my fave character when Heroes first began. For the longest time I couldn't say Nissan Versa w/out saying it twice like he did. The other guy on stage is Robin.

I felt the opposite of young at this awards show. All the students seemed super excited by the free wine on the table. At the end of the night, one particular group went around collecting unfinished bottles of wine from various tables before they got cleared away by the catering staff. From what I understood, they were going to guzzle it all once they got back to the hotel or in their shuttle on the way there. In the end though, I was very impressed by all of their work. Much of it was clearly better than some things I see on TV now.

Check out the new swingy haircut I got earlier that day at Double-O Salon in Eagle Rock. They share a space with Bughouse art+design.



I'm wearing for the first time, the silk Moschino top I got at a prop sale last year. It was unworn, still with tags. Another industry perk! Also scored at the same sale was an Etro silk brocade coat in a bright, canary yellow -- worn by Lily Tomlin! I still have the tag from the wardrobe dept. You can see a teeny bit of it in the photo by my left elbow. I'm not usually very fashionista but I'm definitely a sucker for a good deal and couldn't pass them up!

Hangin' in the 'Bu with M&D

We took mom & dad to Malibu Seafood on Sunday. We were clever and remembered to bring our own drinks since they allow it. The place was jumpin! Sergio dropped us off to find a parking spot. M&D left me to order as I saw fit so they could find a table. By the time we left, the line was halfway out to the highway! (At right, waiting for Sergio to bring the car down from his parking spot way up on PCH.)

Waiting patiently for our order.



Finally. It was so yummy.



We even saw dolphins! But they were too far away to get good photos.