GLASSELL PARK: Remember last year when Los Angeles magazine dining editor Lesley Bargar Suter published that story on the difficulties of buying a home? A typical first-time home shopper, she and her husband wanted to spend about $400,000-$500,000 or so in a neighborhood like Eagle Rock or Highland Park. As it turns out, there are a lot of buyers like Lesley. We checked in with her at the end of last year to find out who things went down, but things hadn't gotten much better. And today? Turns out she's happily living in a new home. Here's her email:
"On New Year's Eve 2009, we put an offer on a 3 bedroom 2 bath place in Glassell Park. It was the first time we ever had an offer accepted after a nearly two year search and more than 15 offers. Built in 1963, it's a kooky little spot cantilevered over the street (car port under the house that's on stilts) on a giant hill lot. We did a basic resurfacing of everything (ripped up old carpet and put in bamboo, paint, etc). And we ended up knocking out the wall between the kitchen and living room, gutting it, and putting in an Ikea kitchen-- the bad 1970s kitchen was not worth saving.
Anyway, we're thrilled. The best part? The organic orchard/garden at the top of the hill that our neighbor of 35 years planted and still takes care of. Sure, it's our property, but what more could we ask for than that? She makes sure we get plenty of figs, apples, greens, etc."
As for why she thinks she finally landed a home? "We ended up recruiting a bit of money from our families to push us up and out of FHA territory, and we think that's what finally did it." Yay, success story. But it sounds like you'll have to outspend the competition. If you want to send your homebuying experience, email it into la@curbed.com.
· Trying and Failing to Find A $400,000 Home in LA [Curbed LA]
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