Owning a Classic Victorian Home in NELA

Northeast Los Angeles has an advantage over other neighborhoods in that several vintage home styles have endured. Homebuyers should give them a look.

Neighborhoods throughout Northeast Los Angeles (NELA) are somewhat a magnet for admirers of its many classic Victorian homes. But homes from the Victorian era - most built in the 1880s land boom, up until about 1910 - can be found elsewhere in the region, including dozens of homes for sale in Highland Park, Eagle Rock, Montecito Heights and Glassell Park.

These homes where built in a time period - technically, the last years of the reign of Queen Victoria, who died in 1901 - but actually come in several different but similar styles: Italianate, Gothic Revival, Queen Anne, Folk Victorian, Shingle, Stick, Second Empire, Eastlake, Octagon, and Richardsonian Romanesque. But because so much growth in Los Angeles occurred in the post-War period (after 1945), surviving Victorians are real standouts. What’s not to love about the flourishes in detail, the interior finishes, and the implied elegance of the time?

Actually owning a classic Victorian can present certain challenges for homeowners who don’t have money in the bank for updates and restoration. While most homes have been updated from their original construction, it bears noting that elements such as insulation, efficient mechanized heating and cooling systems, electrification and modern plumbing were quite likely not in the original homes. Part of the reason so many Victorians fell to demolition was few were modernized when the style went through its passé period. That’s when bungalows and later more modern styles came into vogue.

It’s noteworthy how these homes have withstood seismic events over the past 100-140 years. In the 1994 Northridge earthquake, it was newer construction that suffered the most damage.

For anyone considering buying or updating a vintage Victorian home, it’s imperative to check into the mechanical systems, the electrical wiring, and the condition of the roof - including if it is made of slate, replacement of which can be pricey, although there are more affordable facsimile tiles made of recycled rubber.

Consider also how the original first-floor layout generally includes a series of smaller parlors, often compartmentalized with pocket doors, and a kitchen made for cooking. That last detail is important: Regardless of whether you are looking at real estate in Mt. Washington, Garvanza, Hermon, Eagle Rock or Beverly Hills, most modern homes provide for in-kitchen eating and entertaining. This is why some owners of Victorian homes renovate the first floor to open up the kitchen and often the entire first floor (to the degree that load-bearing walls allow).

Some Victorians qualify as historic structures, and there is a process for achieving that designation by the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission (as a Historic-Cultural Monument) or even the National Register of Historic Places. Each has criteria the home must meet, and each places restrictions on alterations and demolitions. But that’s not to say such a designation reduces the home’s value; in many cases it can increase it.

Most owners of Victorian homes purchased them because of their character and history. There are only so many left, so if a classic Victorian in Northeast Los Angeles interests you, contact realtor Tracy King at 626-827-9795. She and her team are experts in buying and selling these much sought after homes. What more, as experts, they will be able to advise owners of such homes on updates and home restorations that are sure to add to the quality of a homeowner’s investment.

Owning a Classic Craftsman Home in Northeast Los Angeles

NELA home architectural styles vary widely: Modern, Art Deco, Victorian, Tudors, and others. But perhaps the Craftsman residences get the most attention.

Craftsman homes are among the most sought after real estate in Northeast Los Angeles neighborhoods. One of the many reasons why homes for sale in Pasadena, Eagle Rock, Hermon and elsewhere have become hot commodities is a renewed interest in so-called “character homes”. But Craftsman homes come in significant variations, sizes, and conditions - opening up opportunities for homebuyers in a range of prices.

The high value - i.e., prices ranging from $400,000 on past $2 million - being placed on Craftsman homes in NELA is an interesting turn of historical events. These solid structures were originally designed for the advent of middle class home ownership in the late 19th and early 20th century. Gone were the features of Victorian homes that included butler’s quarters and kitchens only used by household staff. Instead, the family prepared their own meals while some features of kitchens blended with dining rooms - which are why there are those built-in, glass-front cabinets for dishware that was previously stowed out of sight from formal dining rooms.

The characteristics of Craftsman homes range from low-pitched roofs to deep eaves, exposed rafters (usually with distinctive decorative knee braces), dormers, one- to one-and-a-half stories, large fireplaces (often flanked by built-in cabinetry), and double-hung windows. Outside, Craftsman bungalows had large porches that welcomed newcomers to the California lifestyle, which offered a longer outdoor season for people arriving from the Northeast and Midwest.

Note that Bungalow and Craftsman style homes are often - but not always- the same thing; Bungalows always have that front porch (“veranda” if you prefer), while Craftsman sometimes do not. (If looking at homes for sale in Glassell Park, Garvanza or Mt. Washington, you might nerd out with your realtor by looking for the distinction.)

A further distinction might be made between Craftsman homes designed by certain architects (Greene & Greene built the trend-setting larger versions, which drew from Spanish mission and Japanese aesthetics), while Craftsman-style homes had a lower cost and were more modest in proportions and features. Craftsman-style homes may have shipped by train in a kit (e.g., “Sears homes”) or been a much-replicated design used by 1920s developers who knew a popular style when they saw one.

What made Craftsmans so popular when first built is what makes them equally popular today. These solid buildings have a relaxed style, one that accommodates an easy flow between rooms and activities. Mothers and fathers making meals in the kitchen can take a break to help children with their homework while keeping an eye on something cooking on the stove. Throw a party on the veranda but some guests might easily drift inside to admire the Arts & Crafts detailing of the cabinetry, fireplace surround, or wainscoting. They are healthy, unpretentious and sturdy: anything standing today has withstood a century of seismic activity, testimony to the sturdy craftsmanship of these Craftsman homes.

Interested in seeing a few Craftsman homes in NELA? Call Realtor Tracy King at 626-827-9795 to see what’s currently available.