Valley ...err Lunada Bay home hits the market!

Remember that bluff-adjacent "italian" home I blogged about here and here? Well, it finally hit the market (see photo below).  The home, which measures 5,297sf, sits on a bluff adjacent 15,700sf lot.  The lot itself was purchased for $1.5M the end of last year.  This mock-terreanean home is listed at $3.8M.  Some quick simple math - 5,297sf of living space plus 600sf of garage space is 5,897sf of gross space.  Assuming a range of $200 to $250/sf construction costs, that implies a total cost of $1.2 to $1.5M.  If we take out 5% realtors' commissions off the asking price, Mulligan and Co stand to make a tidy profit of between $600K to $900K.  Can't wait to see how (bad) the interiors look.  Stay tuned.

Updated! More pictures posted from MLS listing (see below).

The interior of the home is equally bland.  Its standard fare for spec builds in the area.  The ceilings look low for a new build - 8 or 9 feet, not the 10-feet you see in higher end builds.  The kitchen looks 'builder grade', ie whatever was on clearance at Home Depot.  The entryway looks poorly thought out and planned - a singular door that plops you right in front of the stairs - no double-height foyer, no particular architectural details, nothing.  This home is thoroughly uninspired.

KEY STATS

Location: Lunada PVE
Style: Italian
Year built:  2011
Architect: Jesus Meza
Square footage: 5,297sf
Lot size: 15,700sf (irregular)

Some "before" pictures

Remember that Tomaro Tuscan in Montemalaga (link here) ? Well I found some under construction photos of the home which was managed/built by TriSam Development in Torrance.  Enjoy!

(Source: TriSam Development)

Money may buy you many things, but taste isn't one of them

So today I just thought I'd do another quick post.  Remember that Lunada Bay Spanish home that's listed for sale for $2.8M designed by Doug Leach?  Well, its basically done and I'm not a fan!

Judging from the updated MLS pictures, it looks like Mulligan/Leach opted for some beige derivative for the exterior color instead of the more authentic white.  Also, as I suspected earlier, the front is too busy.  Too much going on.  The windows are too big, too ornate with lights on either side, a column separating the two panes.  Insufficient white space separating all the ornamentation on the facade.  Also, why oh why did Mulligan opt for a cheap plastic garage door that was painted brown?  Why not splurge the extra cash on an authentic wooden garage door?  If you're spending $1M on construction costs, what's an extra few $K? 

Can someone explain to me why there is a small wall separating the driveway and the entryway?  If you opt for parking your car in the driveway and want to enter the front door, why must you walk all the way around to the pedestrian path?

 (Source: MLS)

(Source: MLS)

I understand the lot is width-constrained.  This lot I believe is 67 feet wide, implying that the home itself is approximately 50 feet wide.  That is still plenty of space.  Especially considering that several other homes have managed to achieve creative, tasteful, and restrained designs even on 60' wide lots in which the facades are constrained to 43' wide.  Take for example this other home in the Valmonte neighborhood which is also listed for sale at $2.4M.

 (Source: MLS)

(Source: Google Maps)

That 3,683sf home built in 2001 sits on a comparatively small 7,886sf lot which is about 63' wide.  Yet despite these constraints, the home has loads of architectural features - all tastefully done.  It's not one big mass of a home with faux Spanish or faux Italian elements.  Its authentic.  Its well done indeed.

Even the siting and layout takes advantage of the natural features.

(Source: MLS)

I'm not sure who the architect was on this project.  The original homeowners, who have listed this home for sale, bought the lot with an older home on it in 1998 for $750K.  They tore that home down and built this beauty in 2001.

KEY STATS

Location: Valmonte PVE
Style: Cape Cod
Year built:  2001
Architect: Unknown
Square footage: 4,000sf
Lot size: 7,886sf (63'x130')

I have to say, that despite the atrocities of the Leach/Mulligan Spanish home, there are some truly beautiful homes in PVE.  Furthermore, for all my issues with the Art Jury being asleep at the wheel, they have at least prevented some absolute extremities of design from popping up in the city.  Unlike Beverly Hills.  Check out this home below, which is currently listed at $5.8M and spans 8,675sf.  The listing description heralds the house as a "one of a kind" home "with French and Italian style."  I think the photos say it all - no further commentary needed.

(Source: Google Maps)

(Source: MLS)