Although we loved the house, we ultimately bought this house.
The Magnolia Tudor sold pretty quickly (it was in a prime location), and I didn't really give it much thought after we decided it was not right for us.
The house has been painted, and the awning has been
removed, and the landscape has been tidied up a bit.
The the view of the expansive side yard has now
been replaced by a fence. Much needed southern
light will now be lost, in addition to the lost view.
been replaced by a fence. Much needed southern
light will now be lost, in addition to the lost view.
Especially since the best views of the Sound were from the other half of the lot -- but I'm sure the flipper will make a tidy little profit for their efforts.
The big yard made it a perfect place for families and pets and gardens.
It's just so sad to see another nice neighborhood getting hacked up
-- the condos and developers and investors have pretty much
eaten their way across Queen Anne Hill, and are beginning to work
their way across Magnolia -- they're like Stephen King's Langoliers....
On a brighter note, the little Tudor cleaned up really nicely inside. Remember these pictures of the postage-stamp sized kitchen?
Well, it's still postage-stamp sized, but new appliances, back splash, counter tops, and a wide angle lens have gone a long way toward making it look (if not function) much, much better.
The living room just needed to be cleaned up and painted.
The vanity and tub were replaced in the main level bathroom, and tile was added half-way up the wall. New sconces were also added.
I'm always amazed by the square feet a wide angle
lens adds to a space! I've really got to get
one -- it's much less expensive than adding on.
I'm glad the flippers left the cool medicine cabinets in place.
I'm not crazy about the pedestal sink -- it's very attractive, but
doesn't offer much storage for the house's only main level
bathroom. Pedestal sinks are great for powder rooms, or when
there is an alternative landing area and alternative storage,
but the eventual buyers of this home will find that
their pretty new sink doesn't function very well when
they're trying to get ready for work in the morning (or trying
to put away some clean towels). Pedestal sinks are a favorite
of builders and flippers, because they pack a lot of
visual punch, but typically cost less than buying a separate
sink, vanity, and counter top. It's not about creating the best
space for beauty and function when you're flipping a house. It's
about creating the least expensive space that still looks great.
Over all, I think the flippers did a great job on both the interior and the exterior of the home. They left most of the really cool original details in place. I might have painted out the exterior window frames in a darker color, for better curb appeal, and wouldn't have done the pedestal sink in the bathroom, but over all they gave the house just what it needed -- a good scrubbing and a coat of paint. The kitchen is still only marginally functional, but it's better than it was. I'm sad that they split the lot, but at least they didn't build a high rise on it!
You can see the original post about this Tudor Revival house here.