Beach City Teardowns Continue

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Failedagent_IHB

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How is it that in today's market, people are still buying cottages in Corona Del Mar and tearing them down to put up duplex's? The same thing still seems to be happening in other beach towns. People take a 1000-2000 sq ft cottage, tear it down, and put a three story 1800-3500 sq ft "mansion",often with an additional 800-1200 sq ft unit attached to the alley. Do the economics make sense in today's market? I thought this trend would stop, but they just tore a house down on Marigold three or four weeks ago.
 
[quote author="Failedagent" date=1216730063]How is it that in today's market, people are still buying cottages in Corona Del Mar and tearing them down to put up duplex's? The same thing still seems to be happening in other beach towns. People take a 1000-2000 sq ft cottage, tear it down, and put a three story 1800-3500 sq ft "mansion",often with an additional 800-1200 sq ft unit attached to the alley. Do the economics make sense in today's market? I thought this trend would stop, but they just tore a house down on Marigold three or four weeks ago.</blockquote>


There are people who actually listen to Jimmy on Lansner's blog? Now... that is scary.
 
I was sad to see the one on Larkspur and 3rd go too. It never went on the market. There was an estate sale a while back and then it just sat empty, but I never saw it come up for sale. Then one day it was a dirt lot. There was one in the 500 block that was there when I left for work in the morning and when I returned late that evening, gone without a single trace of it. This really saddens me because the renovated bungalows are so charming and give the neighborhood a nice feel. I find the Tuscan style McMansions taking up every square inch of the lot so out of place. They should be in Newport Coast, Turtle Ridge or Shady Canyon. Even worse is when these people remove one of the old pepper trees that is on city property and replace it with some wimpy little tree. I wrote to the city council about this practice, but they didn't care.



I think highest and best use can sometimes be trendy and some day in the future CDM will regret that they permitted the neighborhood to evolve into these monstrosities.
 
I like those new 3-story bungalows popping up throughout Huntington Beach. I think it's a great way to modernize the neighborhood.
 
Unfortunatley I am guilty of tearing down one of those old cottages... and I put up a.... NEW COTTAGE! Ha ha, i'm a sucker for those things. While not quite as profitable as those huge 3 stories, I believe those little cottages add more "life" to the area. Those giant mansions are garish and overpower the entire area. My next little project is going to be a unit from one of these places....



www.tumbleweedhouses.com or

www.rocioromero.com (not very bungalow or cottage like...)



there are a few others, but i'm forgetting them right now. I'm leaning right now to a "stress skin panel" wall. Something that would easily go up in a week or so and then flesh out the interior quickly.

Take it easy

-bix
 
[quote author="hs_teacher" date=1216771715]I like those new 3-story bungalows popping up throughout Huntington Beach. I think it's a great way to modernize the neighborhood.</blockquote>




Hah, you've got to be kidding! I live right in the midst of it, and see just how attrocious they are. zero lot line, which means no yard (just a 5x8 patio in the building light indentation), neighbors hear your every word, three floors, so you are always going up and down, and only 1.5M!!!



We call them bowling alley houses, but that is unfair to bowling alleys.
 
bix, those were fun links.



Here's a pic from one.

<img src="http://hivemodular.terapad.com/resources/8137/assets/images/HolyokeCabin/photo1.jpg" alt="" />



They also built a barn out of discarded wood pallets....very clever. This site can't help but be inspirational !



edit: hmm. my pic won't post. Here's the url.

<a href="http://hivemodular.terapad.com/resources/8137/assets/images/HolyokeCabin/photo1.jpg">Shipping container cottage</a>



what the.... can someone help post the pic?
 
When I used to sell real estate in Laguna I quickly found that most people who were moving out lived in a multistory home and recently had a knee or ankle injury. After you turn 50 it takes so long for these injuries to heal that a person has to get tired of sleeping in the pantry because the bedroom is upstairs. My advise to any future realtors is to hook up with an orthopedic surgeon for referrals.



Next, we have these new housewives who need their Tuscan styled villas. Now Tuscan styling is great when all your room open up to a bucolic view of the Tuscan vineyards, however when your views are of the neighbor's wall six feet away all the faux stone work starts to take on the aura of a mausoleum. With the way real estate prices are going it could very well be one's final resting place. Maybe they could just move these "villas" to Forest Hills when they pass away.
 
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