Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Real Estate Envy: I Want This House

Part of my constant fantasizing about Other Places to Live involves searching the real estate listings in whatever locale I happen to be obsessing over at any given time.

So, since we're headed back up to Portland soon, I found myself on PortlandModern to see what's on the market there now. I immediately zeroed in on this place.

I can't quite believe that I'm drooling over what's essentially a shameless Joseph Eichler ripoff. (I grew up in a city of Eichlers -- and when I was a kid, they were actually somewhat disdained for their cheap construction and midcentury aesthetic.) Plus, I'm a certified old house lover -- and by "old," I mean pre-WWII.

But just as I've done a 180 on modern design in the last few years -- I used to not want anything in my home that was made after the 1930s -- I'm coming around to modern architecture as well. Now I can definitely appreciate the airiness, openness, and simplicity of these post-war family homes.

Plus, by Bay Area standards, the price tag on this house -- $350,000 -- is cheap. If you live anywhere between San Francisco and New York, that price may be eye-popping for different reasons. But here, a similar house would easily go for at least twice as much, even during the current housing slump. (And yes, I do realize that this is why Portlanders hate California buyers, who come in and swoop up their housing stock, driving up prices.)

Anyway, I'd be on the phone with the realtor right now if this house was in Portland, but it's actually in Beaverton. Anyone out there reading who's familiar with Beaverton? Abject Suburbia, or close enough in to be worth a look?

P.S. For more Portland-area house porn, don't miss Melissa's awesome Drive-Bys series on the Inspired Room blog. For more Eichleresque house porn, check out my House Voyeur tour of a revamped Eichler in the Oakland hills. And for more nationwide house porn, see my Coast-to-Coast Modern post.

11 comments:

Janet said...

I agree, this is a great home and the furnishings... they have it all, spot on. Wonder what they are buying when they sell this gem??

Melissa @ The Inspired Room said...

Well, I'll be honest, I hate Beaverton. Hate it and avoid it whenever possible. BUT, with that said, it depends on where the house is in Beaverton. There are some pockets of neighborhoods that are probably very nice and pleasant. And if you are close enough to an escape route out of Beaverton, you might be OK.

I just am not fond of the city center of Beaverton. It is busy, strangely laid out and lacking in charm. However, it is cheaper to live there than just about anywhere else close to Portland. That is a plus.

I shouldn't talk much about it as I have never actually LIVED in Beaverton. You should take a drive through while you are here, you might feel differently than I do. I am still a sucker for charming old neighborhoods. But they come at a hefty price tag around here.

I know what you mean about the open and airy layouts like this house you are featuring...that is the drawback about those charming 1925 houses.

Thanks for the mention...

Happy dreaming,
Melissa

please sir said...

Ohhh I want to live there too! I hope you don't mind - I added you to my blog love list! :)

Kerry said...

I agree with the "lacking in charm" comment re: Beaverton. For example, Nike is based there. But I guess if you find sneakers charming, then Beaverton is your place.

Leah said...

OK, so ix-nay on Beaverton (apologies to any Beaverton readers out there).

But I still love the house!

Leah

Modern Craft said...

Great house! Ceilings remind me of ours, just painted white. Really beautiful open architecture and lots of interest.

Tracey said...

Great looking house- I could probably handle it! Being a decorator and realtor, I am always obsessing about houses! I find that after visiting a few, I am really obsessing about the uncluttered look in a house that is perfectly staged, and am very happy in my own space- just need to clean it!

eM said...

I don;t lean too far modern, but I love this space too

i think it would look lovely done up with colors of nature - kinda faded .
driftwood browns, sky and aqua blues, pale greens....

besides, think of all the silly snickery jokes you could make about "Beaverton"

ok - signing off now. ;-)

casacaudill said...

i love the portland modern website and check it out about every three months. i think we've decided our next house is definitely going to be open and modern like this. now, how to get it in the bay area without sacrificing your soul, that is the question.

Unknown said...

Oh, I am consumed with jealousy over that house. There is nothing like that in our neighborhood of Long Island, and it's even cheap (for around here.) Argh. Our choices, if we want to stay in our current charming village, which we do, are 1920s Colonials or 50s-70s ranches, usually high ranches. I love the Colonials, but they have very limited space, and the ranches have space, but are very blah. This Beaverton house is definitely not blah!

Muse said...

Lol... I actually am in the Bay Area and have loved the Eichlers out here. The house you are looking at is likely designed by a man named Robert Rumer. He took the ideas that one of Eichler's early architects created (A. Quincy Jones) and expanded upon them. Rumer chose the Pacific Northwest, specifically the area around Portland to build his homes. If you like the style of Rumer, you might like the Huff Haus as well. They are pre-fab out of Germany and take the concept of modern home/ greenhouse living to a whole new grandeur...

 

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