Guerneville | $775,000
A two-bedroom, two-bathroom cabin built in 2007, on a 0.1-acre lot
This house is two miles from the center of Guerneville, a community on the Russian River that has been attracting weekenders from the Bay Area for more than a century. About 90 minutes from San Francisco, it is also an appealing location for part-time commuters drawn to the area’s outdoor recreation, as well as the farm-to-table dining.
A number of campsites are within a 20-minute drive. The Pacific Coast is about half an hour away, as is Santa Rosa. Driving to Sacramento or Mendocino takes less than three hours.
Size: $1,316 square feet
Price per square foot: $589
Indoors: From the driveway, steps lead up to the main entrance. The front door opens into a foyer with hardwood floors that extend into the open living-and-dining room, which has a gas fireplace, exposed ceiling beams, windows looking out on the redwoods surrounding the house and sliding-glass doors that open to the rear deck.
The kitchen, which faces the dining area, has custom-made metal cabinets, stainless steel appliances and a garden window over the sink.
The second level is configured as one large primary suite, with a fireplace, high ceilings, glass doors that open to a private deck, and a bathroom with a combined tub and shower.
The guest room, on the first floor, has an accent wall papered with a forest scene. It has the use of a bathroom with a walk-in shower across the hall.
Outdoor space: The deck off the dining area is big enough for outdoor entertaining and includes a hot tub. The attached, street-level garage has two parking spots; there is room for another car in the driveway.
Taxes: $9,684 (estimated)
Contact: Gary Beyrouti, Sotheby’s International Realty, San Francisco Brokerage, 415-518-0444; sothebysrealty.com
Palm Springs | $775,000
A midcentury-modern house with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, on a 0.3-acre lot
This house was built in 1960 by Jack Meiselman, a local developer specializing in tract houses with a midcentury-modern aesthetic. It is in Sunmor, a neighborhood where Mr. Meiselman built numerous of homes. Many retain original details like breeze-block walls and kidney-shaped swimming pools.
The property is about five minutes by car from Indian Canyon Drive, a bustling area in downtown Palm Springs. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, a popular tourist attraction and a starting point for day hikes, is about 15 minutes away. Driving to Los Angeles takes about two hours.
Size: 1,200 square feet
Price per square foot: $646
Indoors: A white breeze-block wall runs along the front of the house, concealing the blue front door from the street. The entry is directly into an open living-and-dining room with a fireplace framed by floor-to-ceiling, gray-and-white tile; large sliding-glass doors that open to the pool area in back; and ceramic-tile floors that continue throughout the house. A smaller sitting room is off this space.
The kitchen, off the living area, has black lower cabinetry, white counters, a gray-and-white tile backsplash and a stainless steel sink.
Both bedrooms are off the living area. The primary bedroom is big enough for a queen-size bed and has an en suite bathroom finished in midcentury-style blue-and-white tile. The guest room also has an en suite bathroom.
Outdoor space: The area behind the house includes a swimming pool surrounded by a concrete deck; a sitting area around a fire pit; and a gravel area planted with palm trees. There is ample space for another sitting area or a garden. The carport has two side-by-side parking spots.
Taxes: $9,684 (estimated)
Contact: Jason S. Allen, Keller Williams Luxury Homes, 760-325-1900; jsallen.kw.com
Oakland | $779,000
A 1922 Craftsman house with two bedrooms and one and a half bathrooms, on a 0.1-acre lot
This house is in the Dimond District neighborhood, on a short street a few houses down from Bret Harte Middle School. Many of the neighborhood’s amenities and services are within walking or biking distance, including a hardware store, a CVS drugstore and the organic grocery store Farmer Joe’s Marketplace. Casual dining options include the Saint Sandwich Shop, which also sells locally brewed beers, and La Farine, a bakery known for its breads and coffee.
Commuting to downtown Oakland takes about 25 minutes on public transit or 15 minutes by car. San Francisco is a 20-minute drive; Berkeley is about 15 minutes away.
Size: 1,098 square feet
Price per square foot: $709
Indoors: Steps lead up to the covered front porch, where a door opens into a foyer with original hardwood floors. To the left is a living room with large windows facing the street and a fireplace with an Arts and Crafts-style tile surround flanked by built-in cabinets. Through a wide doorway is a dining room with original more built-ins and windows facing the side of the property.
Behind the dining room is an updated kitchen with green lower cabinets, white upper cabinets, a white-tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances. A stacked washer and dryer are at the far end of the kitchen, opposite a powder room with peach-colored walls.
The bedrooms are on either side of a hallway running parallel to the living and dining rooms. The primary bedroom faces the backyard; the guest room is toward the front of the house. They share a bathroom off the hallway with black-tile floors and a combined tub and shower.
Outdoor space: The brick patio behind the house is covered by a wood pergola. It faces a gravel area with raised garden boxes. The yard is surrounded by a wood fence with landscaped borders. The detached garage has one parking spot.
Taxes: $9,732 (estimated)
Contact: Kim Cole, District Homes, 510-967-9181; district-homes.com
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