A Spanish-style house in Los Angeles, a 1925 Mediterranean-style home in San Francisco and a renovated 1978 retreat in Encinitas.
Los Angeles | $3.499 Million
A 1968 Spanish-style house with four bedrooms and four and a half bathrooms, on a 0.3-acre lot
This house is nestled in the hills of Encino, a quiet neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley. It is less than a mile from Ventura Boulevard, a major thoroughfare that is a shopping and dining hub. A Gelson’s supermarket is five minutes away by car; a Target, an independent movie theater and a number of restaurants are within a 10-minute drive. The property is zoned for Lanai Road Elementary School, a well-ranked public school less than five minutes away on foot.
Sherman Oaks is a 10-minute drive; Studio City is 20 minutes away. Driving into Beverly Hills takes about half an hour.
Size: 3,584 square feet
Price per square foot: $976
Indoors: The house sits back from the street, behind a gate and a winding driveway to a covered carport. From there, a stone path leads to the intricately carved front doors, painted a deep shade of green.
To the left of the entry is a sunny living room with hardwood floors, glass doors that open to a patio, and a fireplace and wood storage set in a floor-to-ceiling, white-painted brick wall. The hardwood floors continue into a bright dining area with glass doors that open to the patio and the pool area beyond.
The adjacent kitchen has a center island and Italian marble countertops. On the other side of the kitchen is a family room with another white-brick fireplace, this one flanked by floating shelves. A powder room is also in this part of the house.
Three bedrooms are upstairs, reached by stairs that begin in the foyer. The primary suite includes a fireplace, a sunny sitting room, a walk-in closet with custom-designed storage and a bathroom with a marble-clad soaking tub and a separate walk-in shower. Two guest suites are on the other side of the second floor, each with enough space to hold a queen-size bed. One has a bathroom with a combined tub and shower; the other has a bathroom with a walk-in shower.
The fourth guest suite is on the first floor, off a hallway extending from the living room. Next door is a home office with a fireplace and wood-paneled walls.
Outdoor space: The patio is covered by a roof overhang, creating space for lounge furniture, a dining table and chairs in the shade. On one side of the patio is a swimming pool; on another is a grassy area for sunbathing. The carport has space for two cars.
Taxes: $43,740 (estimated)
Contact: Nick Sandler and Bennett Hirsch, The Agency, 424-320-9334 or 424-233-0314; theagencyre.com
San Francisco | $3.445 Million
A renovated 1925 Mediterranean-style house with three bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms, on a 0.1-acre lot
This house is near some of the city’s largest outdoor public spaces: San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, which includes a museum and a collection of historic ships, is less than a mile away; the Presidio is less than two miles away; and beaches with sweeping views of San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge are also nearby.
The property is near the intersection of Lombard Street and Van Ness Avenue, putting it within walking distance of restaurants, bakeries and small markets. Two neighborhood parks, one with tennis facilities, are a few blocks away. The nearest bus stop is about two blocks away.
Size: 2,585 square feet
Price per square foot: $1,333
Indoors: From the street, exterior stairs along the left side of the house lead to the main entrance on the second floor.
The front door opens into a foyer with hardwood floors. To the right is a living room with a street-facing bay window, floor-to-ceiling cabinetry and shelving along one wall and a fireplace with a stone surround on the opposite wall.
A dining area is just behind the living space, and a wet bar and pantry are around the corner. The adjacent kitchen has white cabinetry, an aqua-tile backsplash, a copper sink, a center island, a pantry and access to a small deck overlooking the backyard.
Nearby are stairs to the lower level and a powder room. Two en suite guest rooms are at the back of this level.
The primary suite, on the floor below, includes a closet with built-in storage and LED lights, a bathroom with a glass-walled shower and a deep soaking tub, and glass doors that open to the backyard. Also on this level are a home office, a wine room and a family room big enough for a sectional sofa.
Outdoor space: The backyard feels private, thanks to a tall fence and taller bamboo planted along the perimeter. A grassy area serves as a lounging and dining space, with room for a small garden. There is also a narrow sliver of grass used as a bocce court. The attached, street-level garage holds two cars.
Taxes: $43,068 (estimated)
Contact: Michael Bellings and Aaron Bellings, Compass, 415-238-7405; compass.com
Encinitas | $3.5 Million
A recently renovated 1978 house with four bedrooms and four bathrooms, on a 0.2-acre lot
This house is less than a mile from the city’s beaches, among the most popular for surfing in Southern California. It is even closer to coffee shops, casual restaurants and surf shops on a bustling stretch of South Coast Highway. Encinitas Community Park, which has a playground, a dog park and a skateboarding area, is five minutes away by car.
Driving to La Jolla, home to the main campus of the University of California, San Diego, takes about 15 minutes. Downtown San Diego is about half an hour away. Laguna Beach and Irvine are about an hour away.
Size: 3,583 square feet
Price per square foot: $977
Indoors: This house sits behind a semicircular driveway, and the front door is sheltered by a covered entryway with space for chairs and potted plants.
The main level is open, with white oak floors, high ceilings, skylights and a floor-to-ceiling fireplace that serves as a divider between the sitting and dining areas.
Behind the dining area is a kitchen with stainless steel appliances, open shelving and a white-stone-topped island and breakfast bar.
A hallway off the kitchen leads to the two bedrooms on this level. Each is large enough to hold a queen-size bed, and one has an en suite bathroom. Another full bathroom is off the hallway, along with a laundry room and an office nook with a built-in desk.
The primary suite is on the second floor, reached by stairs at the end of the first-floor hall or by exterior stairs that lead to a private entrance. It includes a full bathroom and a kitchenette. An additional space on the second floor could be used as a fourth bedroom, a playroom or a den; it includes a fireplace and a private balcony.
The fourth bathroom is in the attached garage, which has a finished area that could be used as a home gym.
Outdoor space: The property includes a stone patio with an outdoor kitchen that has a built-in barbecue. A few steps down is another patio, covered by a wood pergola, with space for a long dining table. The yard also includes a stone fire pit and a hot tub. The attached garage holds one car; there is room to park more in the driveway.
Taxes: $43,752 (estimated)
Contact: Eric Iantorno and Pilar Meza, Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty, 858-334-3577; sothebysrealty.com