1. First Kiss $219K 2BR/1BA 6804 NE Davis St. Here is the first-time homebuyer's dream: a little move-in ready house on a great street barely north of Mt. Tabor. It has curb appeal, hardwoods and a fireplace, no wizened furnace or unknown oil tank lurking, and a friendly-appearing full basement to play with when it starts to feel tiny. The second bedroom is very small, and there is no formal dining room. The eat-in kitchen won't wow you, either, but it was what I would expect to see in a house for $30K more. What a buy.
2. 200lbs+ Need Not Apply $319K 3BR/1BA 3726 SE 10th Ave. Perched in the perfect pocket of tricky Brooklyn, this was one I had high hopes for. Truthfully, it showed as well as its MLS description promised, but for two unavoidable "elephants in the room." Elephant #1 concerned an overzealous kitchen remodel that left perhaps 18-20" of clearance for a person wishing to exit its rear doorway (to say, access the basement or back door.) A larger person would be um, stuck. The other problem was that the whole house just felt really tight. A touring companion (who lives in a 2BR apartment) felt the same way; and in this market the price seemed of small comfort to us.
3. Not Quite, But Almost $299K 2BR/1BA 1625 NE 58th Ave. The location is alright, as is the curb appeal. It's a roller coaster from there: a truly fabulous living room and dining room (and layout) are barely affected by a tenant's uninspiring furnishings. The kitchen needs new colors and a bit of polish, yes, but still large, bright and pleasant. The bath is also roomy, with some vintage sparkle. The real downer comes when one enters the ill-conceived converted garage, uh, room. It was like stepping out of a cute little cafe into a seedy bar. Cheaply carpeted and unused by the tenant, it not only added nothing but took away from the sweet little home it was connected to. Wave a wand and change this one back.
4. Boxed-in Beauty (or, "No Wonder We Couldn't Find It!") $229,9K 2BR/1BA 226 N Page St. A hip remodel of an early eastside Queen Anne (like, 1895-early) which hasn't lost the connection to its roots, this sweet, small house and darling deck & small yard stand in total defiance of their immediate surroundings: tall, concrete commercial structures to the east and north of the house aim to smite its charm with a battle axe. But take a deep, cleansing breath. The one next door is a friendly 9-to-5 printing house, with no windows, so privacy is complete. And the one across the street? Well, remember the lovely backyard and deck? Yeah, that's where you'll be. Still, a mite high; $205K feels about right.
5. Belle of the Ball $249K 1+BR/1BA 4417 NE 71st Ave. Please, don't let the address stop you. The street is nice, it isn't all that far from Beaumont Village (<1mi) and the house is really, truly lovely. The yard is amazing, almost breathtaking. The kitchen is a nice, smart remodel sure to appeal to a range of tastes, and the not-quite-legal BR in the basement is surprisingly warm and delightful, with pretty fir (yes, fir!) floors and matching wainscot. The rest of the basement was wisely emptied, polished economically and perfectly staged, such that no one would object to it as living space. A gem for sure.
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