$1.3 Million Homes in California

Sep 27, 2023

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A one-bedroom bungalow with a guesthouse in Los Osos, an 1870 Victorian in San Francisco and a three-bedroom cabin in Lake Arrowhead.

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By Angela Serratore

This house is a 10-minute drive from the El Moro Elfin Forest, a 90-acre nature preserve popular with hikers and bird-watchers. It is also close to the shoreline of Morro Bay and to Baywood Park Beach.

San Simeon, home of Hearst Castle, is 40 minutes away by car. Driving inland to Paso Robles takes about 45 minutes. Santa Barbara is a two-hour drive. Carmel and Monterey are three hours away.

Size: 1,093 square feet

Price per square foot: $1,189

Indoors: The long driveway leads to a wood fence with a gate that opens to a large courtyard with a gas fire pit and tall bamboo plants.

The main house is at the front of the property. The front door opens into a living room with hardwood floors and a rock fireplace. This space is open to an updated kitchen with new Viking appliances and quartz countertops.

The bedroom, off the living room, has high ceilings, a skylight, built-in storage and an updated en suite bathroom, also accessible from the kitchen, that has a walk-in shower and a double vanity, both accented with colorful Spanish-style tile.

The guesthouse is separated from the main house by the rear courtyard and deck. It has an open kitchen big enough to accommodate a table and chairs; one bedroom; a full en suite bathroom; and a private deck with an outdoor shower.

Outdoor space: The deck behind the main house is surrounded by redwood walls and mature hedges. A hot tub is built into one corner; a covered bar sits in the opposite corner. Other structures on the property include a detached laundry room and a shed that could be converted into office or workout space. A fenced area near the guesthouse could hold a garden.

Taxes: $16,248 (estimated)

Contact: Brittany Hensley, Navigators Real Estate, 805-712-7049; navhomes.com

This house, which occupies the back half of a lot in the Laurel Heights neighborhood, predates the 1906 earthquake, making it one of the older structures in this part of the city. It is a few blocks from the campus of the University of San Francisco and from various shopping options, including a Trader Joe's, a Target and a wine store. Laurel Hill Playground, a small neighborhood park, is also nearby.

Golden Gate Park and the Presidio are about a mile away. The Civic Center neighborhood is 25 minutes away on public transit. Driving to San Francisco International Airport takes about half an hour.

Size: 1,548 square feet

Price per square foot: $837

Indoors: A gate at the sidewalk opens to a path that leads to a second gate offering entry to a brick courtyard framed by tall hedges. The house is at the back of the courtyard, and the entrance is up a short flight of steps.

The door opens into an entry hall with hardwood floors and original moldings. To the left is a living room with elaborate wainscoting and a fireplace framed by decorative tile. Behind this space is a dining room open to a kitchen with a skylight. A full bathroom with a double vanity and a walk-in shower is off the kitchen.

Two bedrooms are on this level, both with walk-in closets. The primary bedroom, at the front of the house, has tall windows facing the front courtyard.

A wrought-iron spiral staircase leads from the kitchen to the lower level, which has a separate exterior entrance. Two more bedrooms are on this level, along with a den that could be used as a home office. Another full bathroom and a laundry room with a side-by-side washer and dryer are off the den.

Outdoor space: The front courtyard and the patio behind the house are big enough for outdoor dining. A bonus space off the back patio could be used for additional storage or as a studio.

Taxes: $16,188 (estimated)

Contact: Paul Barbagelata, BarbCo Real Estate Group, 415-279-3834; realestatesf.com

This quiet retreat is just outside town, but only a 10-minute drive from Lake Arrowhead Village, the area's main shopping and dining venue. It is a five-minute drive or 10-minute bike ride from a small market and several restaurants, including an old-fashioned hamburger and malt shop.

Snow Valley Mountain Resort, a popular spot for skiing and snowboarding, is half an hour away. Big Bear Lake is a 45-minute drive. San Bernardino and Riverside are less than an hour away. Driving to Los Angeles takes about two hours.

Size: 1,480 square feet

Price per square foot: $861

Indoors: A low rock wall runs along the front of the property, and paved steps lead up to the front patio and the main entrance.

Behind the front door is an open living room with high, beamed ceilings, a fireplace with a stone surround and stairs leading up to a loft.

Through the living room is a kitchen with hardwood floors, dark cabinetry, butcher-block counters, a window above the sink overlooking the front patio and a door offering patio access. Around the corner is a dining room with knotty-pine walls and large windows looking out at the surrounding trees.

All three bedrooms are on this level, off the living room. The primary suite includes a large bedroom with high, beamed ceilings and a bathroom papered in a lake-inspired toile. The other two bedrooms share a full bathroom.

Another full bathroom is in the upstairs loft, which could be used as a den or additional guest quarters.

Outdoor space: In addition to the front patio, which the sellers use for dining and entertaining, there is a small rear deck. The large backyard has plenty of flat space and mature trees that provide shade. The property also includes a private, single-slip dock a short walk from the house.

Taxes: $15,936 (estimated)

Contact: Dani Rosenthal, Wheeler Steffen Sotheby's International Realty, 818-419-5212; sothebysrealty.com

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