Please note this generous price reduction on 1520 W Berridge Lane, from $260,000 to $249,000.

This is a mid-century home that has been completely updated and upgraded. The owners brought together a team of architects and designers from Los Angeles who preserved the authentic 1950s brick beauty of the home, but added incredible value to the home, from the designer features all the way down to the plumbing and electrical.

The sellers believe in preserving a mid-century home, and adding features respectful of the original design while completely modernizing the inside to give confidence to the new owners that this home will last. This is a New Century Modern home!

See the virtual tour here, and see a list of features below.

Property Features
Property: 1520 W. Berridge Lane, Phoenix, 85015
Home: 1771 square feet
Lot: 8,905 sq. ft.

Features:
4 bedrooms Living Room
3 bathrooms Family Room
Kitchen Dining Room
6’ Peninsula Laundry Room

Kitchen
Customized Contemporary Cabinetry
Gorgeous 6’ Peninsula/Island
Sleek Contemporary Hardware, that seamlessly disappears
Designer Italian 24” Tile
Silestone Quartz Countertops
Designer Stainless Steel Sink w/Commercial Chef Style Faucet
All New Stainless Steel Contemporary Appliances
Separate Gas Cook-top and European Style Electric Oven
Stainless Microwave & Hood Vent
Stainless Steel Multi-function Dishwasher
Garbage Disposal
Retro 50’s Pendant Lights over Island and Recessed Lighting
Throughout.

Living Room
Flanked by a Custom Contemporary Room Divider
Dual-Paned Contemporary Front Door w/
Contemporary Stainless Steel Pull Handles & Dual Deadbolts
Designer Italian 24” Tile
Brushed Stainless Steel Retro 50’s Light Fixture
Fully Restored Mid-Century Steel Casement Windows

Family Room
Flanked by a Custom Contemporary Room Divider
Dual-Paned Contemporary French Doors w/
Contemporary Stainless Steel Push/Pull Handles & Deadbolt
Designer Italian 24” Tile
Brushed Stainless Steel Retro 50’s Light Fixture
Spacious and connects with the Kitchen and 6’ Peninsula

4 Bedrooms
Contemporary Designer Lighting
New Doors w/ Brushed Stainless Steel Hardware & Handles
Ecru Carpet & Padding
Fully Restored Mid-Century Steel Casement Windows
Spacious New Closets
Master Bedroom w/private bathroom,
Master Bedroom, Front Exterior is Framed in Brazilian Ipe
Master Bedroom flanked by Contemporary Drapes and Hardware
Natural Light Abounds in every Room
Views of the Exterior Scape frame every Bedroom

Bathroom #1
Customized Contemporary Vanity
Sleek Contemporary Hardware
Silestone Quartz Countertop (Green Feature)
Dual Flush Toilet (Green Feature)
Designer Italian 12” x 24” Grey Dual-Glazed Tile
Sleek Contemporary Square Shaped Vessel Sink
Sleek Contemporary Vessel Sink Lavatory Faucet
Kohler Shower Fixtures
Contemporary Designer Light Fixture

Bathroom #2
Customized Contemporary Vanity
Sleek Contemporary Hardware
Silestone Quartz Countertop (Green Feature)
Dual Flush Toilet (Green Feature)
Designer Italian 12’ x 24” Ecru Dual-Glazed Tile
Sleek Contemporary Undermount Sink
Sleek Contemporary Lavatory Faucet
Glass enclosed Walk-in Shower
Contemporary Designer Light Fixture

Bathroom #3
Customized Contemporary Vanity
Sleek Contemporary Hardware
Silestone Quartz Countertop (Green Feature)
Dual Flush Toilet (Green Feature)
Designer Italian 12’ x 24” Ecru Dual-Glazed Tile
Sleek Contemporary Undermount Sink
Sleek Contemporary Lavatory Faucet
Glass enclosed Walk-in Shower
Contemporary Designer Light Fixture

Dining Room
Modern Black & White Drum Shade Chandelier, setting a modern mood!
Designer Italian 24” Tile
Fully Restored Mid-Century Steel Casement Windows
Amazing View of the Professionally Landscaped Rear Yard

Laundry Room
Spacious laundry room
Can also be accessed as a “Pantry Storage” area
Dryer hook-ups for both gas or electric
Designer Italian 24” Tile
Gorgeous Louvered Door w/Stainless Steel Handles

Front Exterior Foyer
Custom Designed Contemporary, Brazilian Ipe Exterior Foyer, a nod to both
Ralph Haver and Al Beadle, it sits atop a Smooth Stucco Wall.
Designated by Sleek, Contemporary, Stainless Steel Address Numbers.
Progressive Exterior Light Fixture
Framed by a Contemporary Walkway and landscaping w/Exterior Scape Lighting.

Rear Covered Patio
Custom Designed Contemporary Rear Covered Patio, inspired by Al Beadle.
Custom Designed Sunbrella Framed Screens set atop a decidedly Contemporary
Patio Structure, that exudes both form & function!
A Wall of Brazilian Ipe frames the Rear Contemporary French Doors that are
accessorized w/Stainless Steel Pull Handles.

Landscaping
Professionally Landscaped with Modern Xeriscape that is flocked with Bobsod, to
merge seamlessly within the irrigated neighborhood scape. (Green Feature)
Custom Designed Contemporary Basket Weave Redwood Fence that frames the
Zen like Exterior Scape.
Rear 12 Foot Gated Entrance with parking of approx. 55 linear ft..
Professionally designed Front & Rear sprinklers controlled by a Rain Dial Timer.
Exterior Lighting w/ timer.
Front Custom Walk-way designed w/6’ wide steps and well lighting, accented by
grey rock.
This expansive lot allows for the architecture to be surrounded by a beautifully
landscaped exterior, inviting the exterior into the interior, with lots of interior
window views!
Capturing the essence of a “Modern Phoenix Lifestyle!”

New Systems and Features
Day & Night HVAC –4 ton Unit, 13 Seer
New HVAC Ducting throughout
New Roof 2010
Electrical Wiring, Circuitry and Panel
Hardwired Smoke Detector System
Plumbing, Drains & Sewer Line (connects @ rear of the yard)
New 3/4” Water Meter and New 1” Main Line
Interior Gas Lines from the Meter
New Insulation throughout (Green feature)
Drywall, Texture and Paint
Cat 5-Wire for Internet & Phone
All New Contemporary Light Fixtures & Recessed Lights
Customized Contemporary Cabinetry (Green Feature)
Dual Flush Toilets (Green Feature)
Sleek Contemporary Hardware
Interior & Exterior Doors
Brushed Stainless Hinges & Door Handles
Custom Mirrors thru-out
Front & Rear Sprinklers & Timer
Exterior Contemporary Lighting & Timer
Custom, Contemporary, Redwood, Basket Weave Fencing w/ 12’ Gate
New Padding & Carpet thru-out all bedrooms
Closets, Doors and their Interior finishes
Glass Shower Enclosures
Custom Contemporary Room Divider
Fully Restored 50’s Steel Casement Windows (completely functional)
Custom Contemporary Architectural Elements designed in Brazilian Ipe
Planning & Design
Architectural Plans – by L.A. Architect: Dada Design
Land Survey—by: Starlink Surveying
Professionally Designed & Landscaped by Urban Oasis Design
Professionally Designed Interior by Dada Design
New Water Meter 3/4” & 1” Mainline—permitted by City of Phoenix

Quick update!

Please see this PDF file for a list of all 32 homes that are on the Group Open House tour tomorrow, Sunday, October 3rd.

This Group Open House covers the whole valley. Please have a look and visit a few homes! This is a buyer’s market, so this is the time to look!

Leif Swanson and I are hosting three great open houses this weekend and I’d love for you to come by or please share this post with your friends.

1) 1821 East Rose Lane, Phoenix 85016. Saturday from from 1pm to 4pm.

There is a neighborhood hidden east of SR-51, walking distance to Granada Park, the Biltmore, with views of Piestewa Peak. I drive past these stately homes on the way to running the Arizona Canal in the morning. The way the streets are configured it is difficult to get back there unless you are meant to be there. As such, the homes are protected from harassing cut-through traffic and other distractions. This is a wonderful and sprawling 2,566 square foot home in the heart of this neighborhood, on Rose Lane. At $398,000, this home is priced aggressively for the neighborhood.

My fellow agent, Leif Swanson, will be in attendance at this house. If you have questions before you go, please call him at (602) 686-3852.

Check out the MLS listing here. Check out the map here.

2) 311 W Glenrosa Ave., Phoenix 85013. Sunday from 1pm to 4pm.

This expertly updated ranch in CenPho is walking distance from Light Rail and convenient to all the CenPho attractions. You can walk to Lux, Pane Bianco, Copper Star and all the shopping on 7th. That’s heaven! You should see the upgrades: triple-pane Pella windows in the living room, a block addition to the master bedroom, with bath and a lush back yard. This 2br/2ba home is a great first home at only $155,000, its roomy and move-in ready.

Check out the MLS listing here. Check out the map here.

3) 1520 West Berridge Ln, Phoenix 85015. Sunday 1pm to 4pm

This mid-Century red brick home morphs into a New Century Masterpiece. Completely upgraded, this home is a collaboration between architects and designers, proving that the best of historic and modern can be brought together to create something truly special in Phoenix.  It is like living in a historic home without all of the hassles of an old home.  The custom designed modern exterior foyer and rear covered patio wall are finished in Brazilian Ipe, a design nod to Ralph Haver and Al Beadle.

Check out the MLS listing here. Check out the map here.

Also see the the virtual tour here.

If you can’t make these times and you would like to get a private showing,  give me a call at 602-456-9388.

Over the last couple years I’ve seen a thousand renovations; aka “reno”, aka “fix n’ flip”.

99% of them are homes that somebody got at a foreclosure auction or directly from the bank. They throw mocha colored paint on the walls, white trim on the doors and baseboards, granite on the counters and some appliances in the kitchen.

These certainly have their purpose, for sure. But I am most inspired by renovations that either “green it up” through efficiency improvements or just have a great sense of style.

Check out this new listing. I’m very excited about it because the owners really took the time to get it right.

Imagine that you are given one mid-century home, a team of architects, designers and contractors. Your job is to modernize the home. Make a statement. Go.

My clients Robin and Russell did just that. They are leading the way in this established neighborhood in Central Phoenix by creating something truly special.

Follow this link to look at the listing. Click here for an extensive list of  renovation details, including architects and designers.

But I want to point out some things to think about if you are thinking of renovating, or if you are in the market and look at renovated homes. This home is a great example because they did such a good job with it.

1) Take your time. The owners got architects and designers out of L.A. to really think through how to turn this traditional red brick home in to something that stands out.

Lesson: Don’t just run in with a can of paint and some cheap marble counter tops. Real estate agents, in particular, notice (and they assume you are hiding something).

2) Add features that add to the home’s presence. The custom designed modern exterior foyer and rear covered patio wall are finished in Brazilian Ipe, a design nod to Ralph Haver and Al Beadle. They found a way to make the home stand out, but that was respectful of the architectural period of the home and the neighborhood.

Lesson: You may not be able to go to such great lengths. But if you are going to renovate, think “how can I complement this home’s history, but add something new.”

3) Think about Space. The architects and designers opened up the flow of the home with a great room and created a nice flow between the kitchen and the living room. This is not easy to do, but it is worth it.

Lesson: With too many older homes, the small rooms make you feel cut off from the rest of the home.

4) Detail, Detail, Detail. People notice when you cut corners. Robin and Russell did customized cabinetry, 24” designer Italian tile and Silestone Quartz Countertops.

Lesson: People are looking to see that you replaced old hardware, fixtures and really thought through what you wanted to do before you started.

5) Don’t forget to Permit. Robin and Russell got every permit needed, from electrical to structural, which means the buyer of this home can feel safe in the work that was done right.

Lesson: So many people do extensive work without getting the city permits required. That can be dangerous and could cause problems for the buyer later on when it is their turn to sell. It can also slow down the purchase.

If you’d like to see this house or talk about your home purchase, call me at 602-456-9388. I’m happy to share.

Historic preservation “Grande Dame” G.G. George was highlighted in this spanning piece in Phoenix Magazine about the history of historic preservation in Phoenix.

Y’know, I like to think I have a good grasp on historic preservation. But comprehensive articles like this one really punctuate what a long struggle it has been to preserve our most unique neighborhoods in Phoenix. We have a way to go still in some neighborhoods. But we should all tip a hat to those who came before. They are the ones who presented us with this jewel in the middle of a creeping metropolis  that we have come to take for granted.

It is in their name that we should go toe to toe against people like Sen. Linda Gray, who want to undermine historic neighborhoods in Phoenix.

Enough from me. Please read this article.

I just confirmed that this Haver Home is now starting renovations and will be on the market for under $160,000. I do not represent this seller.

But, I am happy to represent you if you’d like to look at it. Please give me a call or email at realestate@kenclarkforaz.com if you want to know more.

The original Haver home, pictured here, is ready to be renovated. The owner/renovator intends to sell the home after renovation. He says that he is willing to work with the buyer to do at least some renovations to order!

This is a Haver Home, built by Fred E Woodworth. I’ve been in this home and it is perfectly preserved. Somebody took great care of this property for years!

This is a huge opportunity to grab a mid-century modern Haver home in a neighborhood that is bound together by their love of these homes.

All of this and the agreement could be made in time for the $8,000 tax credit!

This kind of thing simply does not happen that often!

Here is another good post from my friend Tazmine Loomans, who is an architect and green renovator of older homes explaining how you can save big bucks by just upgrading our water heater.

First of all, get rid of the electric water heater if you can. If you have natural gas running to the home, get a gas heater. It is worth the up-front money.

I was told once when I was the Energy Office Director by folks from Southwest Gas that it takes 1,200 gallons of water to heat a 60 gallon electric hot water heater. This is because it takes two units of electricity to move one unit of electricity from the big power plant to your home. Further, that big power plant is cooled by ground water at the rate of 100’s of thousands of gallons per day.

I installed a tankless hot water heater in my historic home in the Garfield Neighborhood. While it saved money, even over the tank natural gas water heater that was there before, I found that it used more water. Basically, it was because the tankless water heater needs to run water through itself at a certain rate, otherwise it will shut off. That’s fine if you have a number of people in the house all using water at the same time. Not so good if you are just little ol’ me.

I always liked the way the Europeans and Asians do this. They put small hot water tanks or tankless heaters at the point they use them. So, they only use that which they need and they are not heating up water just to flow 40 feet from the tank to your shower or kitchen. Much of that water and heat energy goes to waste.

So, what is the solution? First, go gas or get a heat pump. Second, go tankless if you have the demand for it.

My friend Tazmine who owns Blooming Rock Development has a post that I like listing the tax credits you can get for energy efficient improvements to your home.

The tax credits are for things like new energy efficient windows, upgraded air conditioning, new roofs, etc.

When I was the director of the state Energy Office, we were always careful to point out that some of these things have a quicker payback than others. The quickest payback comes from new insulation in your attic, water heaters and heat pumps, higher efficiency A/C and just making certain your windows and doors are not leaking badly.

New windows are great, but unless they are really bad, you are not likely to make back what you put in to them for years, as they are so expensive.

However, much of this depends on the situation. I would talk to Tazmine, as she does home renovation planning for sustainability and she can make give you advice based on your entire energy profile.

The Coronado Historic Neighborhood is almost exclusively bungalow style homes with great big porches and lots of cool architectural features.

In the 1960s through the 1990s, neighborhoods like these fell in to disrepair and disfavor, as people looked for massive homes and modern features.

Thankfully, recently, people have started to re-appreciate the front porch. You know, actually talking to your neighbors!

This house is perfect for that, as is the Coronado neighborhood. You can easily imagine cool mornings with a cup of joe (or whatever your poison) and some light reading. That is just the way of the world in Coronado!

Click on the picture for a virtual tour!

The nice part is that you don’t have to live like the 1930s to enjoy this house. Check out the modern kitchen, washer and dryer and bathrooms.

Let me know if you’d like to have a look.

This, from fellow CenPho and Historic Preservation advocate, Jim McPherson:

On Wednesday, State Senator Linda Gray (Republican) introduced SB 1166 that would eliminate the State Property Tax Reclassification program.  This is the “tax break” for residential historic properties in Arizona: approximately 6,000 total statewide of which approximately 2,900 are in Phoenix and 2,000 in Tucson.  It will be heard in the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday, January 27, 2010.

Arizona’s preservation-focused tax incentive has successfully countered private and public land-use policies favoring demolition and new construction, while providing financial benefits to building owners who might otherwise feel burdened by preservation projects.

The proposed bill is linked here: http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/legtext/49leg/2r/bills/sb1166p.htm

To express your opinion about this proposal, contact your state legislator — http://www.azleg.gov/alisStaticPages/HowToContactMember.asp — and/or members of the Senate Finance Committee:

The Honorable Jim Waring, Chair ~ <jwaring@azleg.gov>
The Honorable Barbara Leff, Vice Chair ~ <bleff@azleg.gov>
The Honorable Ken Cheuvront ~ <kcheuvront@azleg.gov>
The Honorable Pamela Gorman ~ <pgorman@azleg.gov>
The Honorable Ron Gould ~ <rgould@azleg.gov>
The Honorable Debbie McCune Davis ~ <dmccunedavis@azleg.gov>
The Honorable Richard Miranda ~ <rmiranda@azleg.gov>
The Honorable Russell Pearce ~ <rpearce@azleg.gov>

BACKGROUND

Does historic preservation make economic sense?  Does it result in economic benefits as well as esthetic and cultural benefits for communities?  The answer is yes, based on a growing number of studies that quantify the economic impacts of historic preservation.

The following statistics from recent studies are typical of the positive findings of preservation’s economic benefits:
Historic preservation activities generate more than $1.4 billion of economic activity in Texas each year.
Rehabilitation of historic properties in Georgia during a five-year period created 7,550 jobs and $201 million in earnings.
Each dollar of Maryland’s historic preservation tax credit leverages $6.70 of economic activity within that State.
In one year, direct and indirect expenditures by heritage tourists in Colorado reached $3.1 billion.

The ACHP has compiled links to online studies on the economic impacts of historic preservation.  The links to the studies — available at http://www.achp.gov/economicstudies.html — fall into six categories:
General Studies
Statewide Studies
General Community and Resource Studies
Impacts of Historic Designation
Impacts on Property Values
Impacts of Preservation Tax Credits

If you have local statistics and success stories about how historic preservation has benefitted your community and neighborhood, please share.

Jim McPherson
Vice President, Arizona Preservation Foundation