John Abides! Lautner in The Hollywood Hills

After seeing the Big Lebowski for about the 1000^th time last Friday at Lebowski Fest LA, I was already in a Lautner kind of mood!  Then this one hit this morning.  

John Lautner’s Polin House from 1947 (3542 Multiview) appeared in my inbox and was on Caravan today.

Coming back from an inspection in the Valley, I stopped in to check it out.  Up a shared driveway are dueling Lautners.      

They own the promontory, making the most of the jetliner views it offers.  I indignantly banged on the door of the wrong one before making my way to the correct house. Lautner incorporated long walls of glass, sharp angles and open spaces into these houses.  

Only 1,342 SF, it is not a large house by any means.  Dwarfed by the Sheats Goldstein Residence in The Big Lebowski, this is a very different but very livable space for a couple or single person.

It is billed as having 3 bedrooms, but one has been converted into a very cool study and one is a lower unit not accessable from the interior.

So essentially it is a very indulgent 1-bedroom pad.

With 27,000+ SF of land (mostly hillside) it is a nice chunk of the hill.  Overlooking the Valley below, it is clear why this lot was chosen.

Offered by Aaron Kirman & Chad Rogers of Hilton & Hyland

For sale at $1,495,000, that’s $1,114/SF.  Worth it for a Lautner?  Well... How badly do you want it? 

If you want to see it, let me know! Call (310) 991-3808 or email anytime.

MINTZ

What's the definition of Buff? Burleigh! Oh... you can throw a Hensman in there too!

I had the pleasure of spending time in this gorgeous, very "original" mid-century "tour de force" built by Buff & Hensman. 820 Burliegh Drive in Pasadena

The Norton House, built in 1954 is an iconic example of Buff & Hensman's work at the time and is exemplary of the contribution their firm made to home design and architecture in the 1950s and beyond.  

Available again after being purchased by it's current owner almost exactly 1 year ago it is listed $15,000 below it's selling price in April 2010. Offered at $1,295,000, it will sell quickly.  

It's just shy of 1900 SF with 3 Bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, but the open floor plan, the indoor/outdoor flow, abundance of light and the lush landscape beyond its enormous walls of glass makes this house feel huge!

The little things... like this Picasso-esque mosaic above the range and the original cork floors and those unforgiving floor to ceiling windows that will not crumble into a thousand pieces if you walk into one by accident, but rather gut you from stem to stern (be careful, I almost did it) make this home a veritable time capsule.

It's all about the reveal! You park in a modest carport above the property. Walking down into the enclave provides a feeing of privacy. Partially through your short walk the property reveals its striking landscaping which is entirely centered around an actual flowing stream (water diverted from a nearby lake).  There are fish. There is a bridge.  The grounds are lush, verdant and make for a wonderful experience, appreciated inside and outside the home.

I think that what I like most about this property is that it is introspective and private. What I mean is that most homes are built on the high ground of a property, overseeing all  that surrounds it, striving to make the most of a view even if there is not much of a view to begin with.  This house brings you inside its own little world.  The only view you need is of your own property!  Do you want it?

Offered by Dilbeck Realtors

If you want to see this property, shoot me an email or call me at (310) 991-3808.

MINTZ

Don't Cry Wolff!

2400 Carman Crest Dr. 

Thornton Ladd's "Wolff House," 1958, came on the market today. It's one of those situations that you just can't finance.  You pretty much need cash to buy this house, because at $1,995,000 with the public records stating that the house is 1,810 SF, the price of this 2 bedroom, 1.75 Bathroom home is north of $1,100/SF.  I don't see it appraising with any lender anywhere near that price.  But really... what do they know?  This house is amazing and will be a jewel in the crown of some smart collector.

The listing calls it aptly, "a floating glass pavilion over water."  With spectacular light, soaring ceilings and an understanding of the relationship between indoor and outdoor spaces, it is an iconic piece of modern architecture that must be evaluated on merit, not just comps pulled by an appraiser from the Inland Empire value.

Offered by Rob Johnson of Rodeo Realty

If you want to see this property, please call me at (310) 991-3808 or email me at: mark@mintzRE.com

MINTZ

BACK FLIP! Sweet Digs in Highland Park.

New on the market today is 5049 San Rafael Ave. in HP.  Another great Better Shelter flip! Built in 1922, the charming cottage has been nicely "re-envisioned." and updated, making it ready for sale.

Listed at $489K.  Purchased for $225K in September of last year.  Nice return!

3 Bedrooms & 3 Bathrooms in 1,482 SF on a 4,791 SF lot.

Offered by Brock Real Estate.

Let me know if you want to see it!

MINTZ

I cant wait to see this on Caravan!

Very cool re-envisioned mid-century in Los Feliz.  Just listed for $2,699,000 by H&H.

Crosby, Stills, Nash & You? (Beachwood Canyon Mid-Century)

I checked out this hallowed Beachwood rocker pad today! Great new listing by CB Sunset. It boast's clean mid-century lines, a spectacular view (canyon & city lights) and an awesome classic rock history involving CSN, The Monkees, Jimi Hendrix, Mama Cass etc..

Be the next rock star to hang your hat here.

2 Bedrooms. 1.5 Bathrooms. 1,527 SF of living space on a 6,600 SF lot. Priced well at $799,000.

If you want to see it, let me know (click here)!

Follow me on twitter (click here).

MINTZ

Streamline Moderne in Silver Lake

This lake-view house just hit the block today.  Listed at $1,399,000 it seems priced well considering very few homes in this style ever emerge in the area.  Built in 1940, this home is a classic example of the Streamline Moderne form...  Personally, one of my favorite architectural styles.  See this link for more detail:

Streamline Moderne

It was last sold in in late 2005 for $1,275,000.

3 Bedrooms. 3 Bathrooms. 23,381 SF on a 6,520 SF Lot.

Let me know if you want to see it.

MINTZ

5 OVER 100 (Los Feliz)

DOM (Days On Market) Sounds a lot like RIP. Why are these amazing houses languishing on the block for more than 100 days when others sell in multiple offer situations seemingly immediately?  The answer is simple: Price.  Buyers in today’s real estate market are extremely savvy.  They have a myriad of tools at their fingertips that allow them to develop a keen insight, understand trends, become astute when it comes to value and pricing and really know the micro-area where they want to buy.  If a property is overpriced, the likelihood that it will sell is minimal.  This is where a disconnect between buyers and sellers resides. 

Buyers have done their homework, and in many cases, sellers have not.  In these instances, we have spectacular homes that are simply priced too high for the market. 

I see this as an opportunity.  My suggestion is that you not be afraid to make an offer that is (seemingly) insultingly low relative to the asking price but right on target for the market.

This time, we take a look at Los Feliz.  Here are five incredible properties suffering from an inflated ego.  Stay tuned for other neighborhoods in the coming days!

If you are in the market and want to see these, or any properties, please let me know. Shoot me an email, send me a text or call me anytime. Click for details.

You can follow me on twitter by clicking here.

MINTZ

2532 Wild Oak | 2,995,000 | 259 Days

2549 N CATALINA ST | $3,550,000 | 165 Days

5699 Holly Oak Dr. | $2,599,000 | 159 Days

2661 Aberdeen Ave | $2,995,000 | 134 Days

3824 Carnavon Way | $1,395,000 | 137 then 27 Days

HOW low will it go?

R.M. Schindler's James Eads How House was REDUCED again today.  This 1925 masterpiece by one of architecture's true icons has been languishing on the market since September of 2008. It was originally listed for $4,995,000 and has been plummeting ever since. It is now available for a steal at $1,695,000. 

Don't wait for it to become a short sale. It will be gone before that happens. The home was purchased in 1985 for exactly $245,000.  Actually, some spectacular renovation techniques and attention to Schindler's original intentions have been employed since the mid 80s, so the seller has quite a lot of dough rolled up in this pad! 

I have seen it twice on Caravan.  It really is a treat. 

4 Bedrooms. 2.5 Bathrooms. 2,426 SF. 14,461 SF Lot. Built in 1925.  Cost/SF @asking= $698.68

HOW low will it go?  Eventually it will sell, proving the old saying:  There is nothing in Real Estate that price can't solve.

Someone will buy it.  Will it be you?  Let me know if you are ready to buy this house... or any house!

MINTZ