$875,000 Homes in California

Apr 26, 2024

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What You Get

A renovated midcentury house in Lake Arrowhead, a hillside cottage with a guesthouse in Topanga and a bungalow in Gardena.

By Angela Serratore

This house has views of the lake from several of its main spaces. It is close to a popular hiking trail and to Lake Arrowhead Country Club, which has an 18-hole golf course. A small grocery store, a sports bar and a public library are within a five-minute drive; more shopping and dining options are along the lakefront, about 10 minutes away.

Driving to San Bernardino takes about 45 minutes. Riverside is an hour away. Downtown Los Angeles is about a two-hour drive. Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley are about 90 minutes away.

Size: 1,664 square feet

Price per square foot: $526

Indoors: The front door opens into a bright living-and-dining area with high, beamed ceilings; white-painted wood walls; a sitting area anchored by a fireplace with a stone surround; expansive windows looking out into the trees; and access to a large deck.

The updated kitchen, next to the dining area, has sage-green cabinetry, stainless steel appliances, a rough stone backsplash and a pantry. A powder room with a sliding farmhouse-style door is off the kitchen.

Stairs lead up from the living area to a loft with a view of the space below; room for a sofa and a coffee table; and sliding-glass doors that open to a small deck. The primary suite is on this level and also has access to the deck; the updated bathroom has a walk-in shower.

Two more bedrooms are on the lowest level of the house, below the main living spaces. They share a full bathroom with a windowed shower and access to a stacked washer and dryer.

Outdoor space: The main deck off the living and dining area offers sweeping views of the landscape. The house comes with full lake rights, and the paved driveway has room to park five cars.

Taxes: $10,932 (estimated)

Contact: Christen Sheridan, Wheeler Steffen Sotheby’s International Realty, 909-332-4320; sothebysrealty.com

This house is off Topanga Canyon Boulevard, the community’s main thoroughfare. It is within walking distance of an organic market and a cafe. A larger commercial area, with vintage stores, a bookshop and several restaurants, is five minutes away by car. Trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding begin within 10 minutes of the property.

This part of Topanga Canyon is close to the ocean: Topanga Beach is 10 minutes away; Malibu’s beaches and beachfront dining are within a 15-minute drive. Woodland Hills and Calabasas are about 20 minutes away in the other direction.

Size: 631 square feet

Price per square foot: $1,387

Indoors: A long driveway connects this property to the street, and an exterior staircase leads from the driveway to the main house.

The front door opens into a small living room with hardwood floors, an electric fireplace and casement windows overlooking the deck and the canyon.

Beyond this space is a kitchen with red cabinetry, a blue-tile backsplash and space for a small table near a window looking out on the deck. On the other side of the kitchen is a combined pantry and laundry room with storage space and access to the deck.

The bedroom is off the living room, with knotty-pine walls and an en suite bathroom with a tiled stall shower.

The guesthouse is reached by an exterior staircase behind the main house. It has a combined living room and bedroom; the bathroom has a glass-walled walk-in shower.

Outdoor space: The wood deck surrounding the main house offers views of the canyon. Stairs lead down to a patio big enough to hold a dining table and grill, on the roof of the detached two-car garage.

Taxes: $10,932 (estimated)

Contact: Meredith Gruszka and Tami Pardee, Pardee Properties, 310-968-4557; pardeeproperties.com

Gardena, a small city in the South Bay, is about 15 minutes from Manhattan Beach and the Pacific Ocean. This house, which was renovated last year with new windows and a new roof, is off bustling Marine Avenue. It is less than half a mile from a public park and about five minutes from a skateboarding park and a playground with a splash pad. Junipero Serra High School is also about five minutes away, and a public elementary school with a Mandarin-language immersion program is within walking distance.

Driving to Santa Monica or Los Angeles International Airport takes about half an hour, depending on traffic.

Size: 1,418 square feet

Price per square foot: $621

Indoors: A paved path steps up to the front door, which is framed by a covered porch with an arched entrance.

Beyond the threshold is a living room with hardwood floors and a street-facing picture window. This space connects to a sunny kitchen with tile floors, tile counters, white appliances and enough space for a dining table and chairs.

Through the kitchen is a tiled sunroom with sliding-glass doors that open to the back patio. This space, which could be used as a playroom or den, has access to a bedroom, a powder room and a laundry closet with a stacked washer and dryer.

Two more bedrooms (one currently used as a home office), a linen closet and a full bathroom with a combined tub and shower are off a hallway extending from the living room.

The primary bedroom, off another side of the living room, is big enough to hold a king-size bed and has a separate sitting area that could hold a desk or several chairs.

Outdoor space: The gravel patio off the sunroom is surrounded by mature trees bearing peaches, lemons and pomegranates. The detached two-car garage could be converted into an accessory dwelling unit.

Taxes: $11,004 (estimated)

Contact: Brook Billings, Compass, 310-927-7426; compass.com

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