Mid-Century, Move-in Ready

Most mid-century homes come with a catch.

Either someone renovated the character right out of them, or they're still waiting on the renovation. This one skipped both problems.

The sellers put $50K into getting it ready for you. There's new flooring on the main and lower levels, fresh paint throughout, smooth ceilings on the main floor and new pot lights everywhere. The stairs to the upper level were widened, and the old railing became a half wall that opens up the sightlines between floors. The original sidesplit layout, the light and the clean lines that people actually go hunting for were all left alone.

The kitchen is ready for real life. It has a new backsplash, an island, a brand new fridge and stove still under warranty, and a gas line ready if you want to cook with gas. The doorway was widened and raised, so it opens up to the rest of the main floor. It overlooks the backyard with a door straight outside, so you can keep an eye on the kids (or the dog) while dinner happens.

Upstairs are three bedrooms. The primary is a great size, with his and hers closets, so nobody has to negotiate for hanger space. Then there's the vertical window. It's tall, narrow and very mid-century, and it's the detail people will talk about after the showing.

The lower level is an extra-large open-concept rec room with new floors, so it can be movie night, a playroom or a home gym. There's a second bathroom, laundry and a utility room down here too. The storage is a little ridiculous: a crawl space runs under the ENTIRE main floor. The holiday bins, the camping gear and the stuff you swear you'll sort someday all finally have a home.

Outside is where this house really shines. The sellers have looked after the gardens with a lot of love, and it shows. The covered patio is the spot for morning coffee and rainy-day dinners, and a second open patio sits beside the grassy, fully fenced lawn. With a natural gas BBQ hookup, you'll never swap a propane tank mid-burger again. The carport and driveway fit four cars or more, and there's plenty of outdoor storage for bikes and garden tools.