Mountain Views News          Saturday, June 2, 2012

13

HOMES & PROPERTY

 Mountain Views News Saturday June 2, 2012 

One Of A Kind: Featuring unique homes and gardens and the people who create them Story and Photos by Chris Bertrand. 


1924 COLONIAL REVIVAL REBUILT FROM THE GROUND UP

When homes go 
into foreclosure, the 
neighbors often worry 
about the future of an 
investor purchasing 
the property to rehab 
and “flip” it. It was, 
and is a home worth 
saving. The nearly 
nine decade history of 
the home includes the 
saga that Sierra Madreans “saved” the home for 
its Japanese owners, who were interned during 
World War II, along with many other Japanese 
from this tight knit community. 

When 164 Grove in Sierra Madre fell into 
foreclosure, a seasoned investor, careful about 
the high community value and strong real estate 
values, purchased the home to rehab. Using his 
proven formula for what buyers are looking for 
in a home these days, the new owner performed 
both the hidden structural, system and the “wish 
list” cosmetic upgrades needed.

The tired little blue house now proudly stands, 
refurbished and redone, from plumbing, 
electrical, cable, appliances, roof, fireplace, 
HVAC, hardwood floors, garage, you name 
it… it’s probably been beautifully and carefully 
redone, down to the universally appealing, red 
front door.

Every inch of the floorplan has been carefully 
utilized, making it appear and “live” like a much 
larger home. A computer station area at the top 
of the stairs provides a separate place for study, 
out of the busy-ness of the main floor, yet within 
earshot for parental monitoring. A big plus is the 
main floor bedroom and bath, also perfect for 
use as a home office or den.

Crisp white siding, black shutters, a generous front porch with pillars and slate flooring, plus that sweet red door 
now welcome guests in a city that’s famous for its walkability, likability and the feeling that LA has been left 
behind in favor of small town life in the foothills.

Inside, the seller incorporated soothing soft mossy hue on the walls, complemented by bright white crown and 
base molding, cabinetry and fireplace surround. All three bathrooms feature top drawer amenities including 
gorgeous stone work, plus dual sinks in the master suite. 

The footprint of the home hasn’t changed, but almost everything inside indeed has changed. Walls were moved 
or removed. A back porch is now the laundry area extension of the kitchen. The oppressively low ceilings 
on the second floor were raised. Extensive recessed lighting throughout provides wonderful accent and task 
illumination. 

The sleek kitchen offers awesome black, polished concrete counters, stainless steel appliances and glass front 
cabinets. 

Out back, the huge back yard offers ample room for a pool, a sport court, garden, patio… or all of the above, 
with room to spare! The space just begs for playing fetch with the puppy, or barbecues with friends, a fierce 
game of croquet or just quiet decompression and enjoyment after a long day.

164 Grove Street in Sierra Madre is offered at $799,500 by Carol Canterbury at Prudential Real Estate. For more 
information, contact the agent at 626-252-6322 or flag her down in her signature three wheeled cycle (in the 
Prudential blue color, of course!) as she pedals through town. 


ENHANCE YOUR GARDEN AND SAVE 

WATER TOO…...AND MORE!

Saturday, June 9th

9:30am - 12:30pm

Palm Room

Laramee Haynes, Instructor

$25 Arboretum members/$30 non-members

For Reservations, please call (626) 821-4623; you may also pay at the door.

Please join Laramee Haynes for a practical talk on saving water in the garden PLUS other 
sustainable practices. Through his years of designing gardens, he has tried many different 
approaches and tactics, and has found through practical experience some of the best ways 
to enhance a garden. Laramee will help you see the science behind the fashion so you can 
make good decisions for saving money as well as helping the environment. Laramee is a 
landscape designer, contractor and former engineer with many years of experience watching 
what works and what does not. www.HaynesLandscaping.com 

LUTHER DON’T RISK IT

When listing your home, you may need to move before a sale takes place. If you vacate the 
home, it’s very important that you notify your insurance company, because many homeowner 
policies have a “vacancy clause” that goes into effect once the home is unoccupied, 
usually for more than 30 to 60 days.

Insurers see different risks in vacant homes, like vandalism, systems failures, or other liabilities. 
In most cases, you’ll simply purchase an endorsement to your existing policy, but 
different insurers have different options, and if an endorsement is not available, you can get 
a separate “vacant-home” policy.

It may be an additional cost, but it’s called “insurance” for a reason, and could save you a 
lot of money down the road. If you don’t notify your insurance agent about vacating your 
home, they could reject any claims you file for property damage or liability, or accuse you 
of insurance fraud.

It may be tempting to just hope that your home will sell within 30 to 60 days after you have 
to move out, but it’s critical to speak with your insurance agent before you move to discuss 
your options. They may even pro-rate and refund part of your premium if you sell before 
the end of the policy’s term. It’s a small price to pay to protect your home and your peace of 
mind.

TREE IDENTIFICATION BOOKLET FROM THE 

ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION MAKES IT EASIER TO 
RECOGNIZE TREE SPECIES IN CALIFORNIA

The Arbor Day Foundation has a booklet that helps people identify trees in a simple, step-
by-step process. The booklet, What Tree is That?, is available for a $5 donation to the nonprofit 
tree-planting organization.

What Tree Is That? is a fun, easy-to-use tree identification guide that features hand-drawn 
botanical illustrations highlighting the distinct characteristics of many tree species.

Nature lovers and professional arborists alike have called this pocket field guide one of the 
most user-friendly resources to have. Its beautiful, full-color illustrations are in precise detail 
to depict natural colors, shapes and textures, so users can make a positive species identification 
in just a few easy steps.

The Arbor Day Foundation offers this booklet to help people 
identify trees in California and throughout the Western 
region of the United States. “What Tree Is That? uses a 
unique step-by-step approach to identify the species of each 
tree. The booklet explains what to look for in the shape of 
the leaves and differences in the leaf stems and twig structures, 
specifics on the fruits and flowers and the details of 
buds and bark.

Our “What Tree Is That? pocket brochure is an ideal resource 
to help people develop a greater appreciation for 
trees,” said John Rosenow, founder and chief executive of 
the Arbor Day Foundation. “The Arbor Day Foundation 
strives to help people enjoy and appreciate trees, and we feel 
our pocket field guide will do just that.”

What Tree is That? is also available as an online interactive 
version at arborday.org. The Arbor Day Foundation offers 
this unique, one-of-a-kind online tool so people can identify 
trees using the internet.

To obtain a tree identification guide in full color, send your 
name and address and $5 for each guide to “What Tree Is 
That?”, Arbor Day Foundation, Nebraska City, NE 68410. 
You can also order the book online at arborday.org.