Seattle has buses. Use them! In which case you might as well find a place to live along a line. One line at a time. Here's the next one, selected at random for the fun of it.
Did you think people only road buses in the daytime? There's always someone working late at night, or early in the morning. Route 83 loops between downtown, Maple Leaf, Ravenna, the U District and back downtown for those who know what the city is like when most, but not all of it, is asleep.
↑ It's hard to get more modern than a house built in 2015. Is there even any dust inside this 2,808 square foot, 4 bedroom, 3.25 bath house? Plunk down $1,075,000 and find out, or maybe take a tour first. Evidently, modern means somewhat industrial, but with wood touches and a few slanting roof lines to keep it from looking like something from a business park. Inside the bathroom shower looks a bit austerely functional, but that may be a better style that can be appreciated by anyone that's had to clean shower stalls. Who would buy a million dollar house who also has to commute in the middle of the dark? Someone who is trading in markets twelve time zones away.
↑ Think back to 1928. The markets were booming. People were upgrading to electricity and cars, and houses - like this 6 bedroom, 3.1 bath, 2,330 square foot duplex. Making room for renters made sense back then, too. The house probably cost a lot less than today's $730,000, but, well, that's inflation. (You do remember inflation. Don't you?) There is a mystery behind what 0.1 of a bath looks like. Is that a faucet, or is it 1.1 because a suite is so nice? There are views outside, but the warmth of wood inside in the doors, window frames, and ceilings makes the house feel more like a home; which, evidently, it has been for almost 100 years.
↑ Built-ins settled in, any house built in 1908 that's been lived in by the same owners for the last 40 years may finally have every project completed. Throughout this 3 bedroom, 1.5 bath, 2,030 square foot two story are cabinets, shelves, cupboards, and bookcases that have proved themselves to work well with the space. Consider the time as decades of trial and error, prototyping and revision, until the refinement is polished and ready. If you consider the work involved, $650,000 may just cover the labor. The windows are leaded glass in a diamond pattern. The ceilings are arched. The wainscoting is probably patinaed. The plumbing is copper, which is better than lead, which brings to mind the question of the lead in leaded glass windows. Maybe a good question for the inspector.
↑ Those skylights, recessed lighting, bathroom, and kitchen probably weren't original in 1947. Good. Some updates must be made! And it looks like someone did. As a result, this 3 bedroom, 1.1 bath house with 1,650 square feet for $635,000 is much more up-to-date than its age suggests. It could be that it started out smaller, and then an addition to the back provided the opportunity to let more light in. If it works, it works. You'll have to drop by to check for yourself - but don't take Route 83. Open houses aren't open that time of night.
↑ Two decks and a patio? Sounds like an invitation to live outside. Make sure you have a grill, or maybe even an outdoor oven. Another World War II home, built in 1942 when we didn't know who would win or if rationing would ever end. Maybe that's why there's only 1 bath for the 2 bedrooms. Spend $475,000, at least that's what they're asking, and get this 1,620 square foot house with a comfortable interior and an emphasis on the outside. Did it have a victory garden back then? Maybe it is time to plant one again, just for the fun of it.
· Route 83 [Metro]
· All Bus Tours coverage [CS]
Written by Tom Trimbath