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Caltrans homes attract thousands of potential buyers. Here’s what around $1 million will get you in South Pasadena
A view into one of the former Caltrans-owned homes in South Pasadena now on the market.
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Makenna Sievertson
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LAist
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Thousands of people have swarmed to South Pasadena to get a look at the five Caltrans homes that are now up for sale by the city.
All proceeds from the historic properties on Fairview, Fremont, and Meridian avenues will go toward affordable housing. And with each home on the market for around $1 million or more, that would come out to at least $5.5 million in funding.
But after sitting vacant for a 710 Freeway extension that never got built, some are in worse shape than others.
Lidia Gutierrez, 48, toured all five properties and told LAist she has mixed emotions.
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“To think that some people didn't have to leave but left, and then now are priced out of coming back — it's pretty gut wrenching,” she said. “Especially considering the state of affairs here when it comes to housing. Buying or renting, it's terrible.”
What the South Pasadena properties look like
The former Caltrans property at 216 Fairview Avenue.
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Makenna Sievertson
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LAist
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The former Caltrans property at 216 Fairview Avenue.
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Makenna Sievertson
/
LAist
)
The former Caltrans property at 216 Fairview Avenue.
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Makenna Sievertson
/
LAist
)
The former Caltrans property at 216 Fairview Avenue.
(
Makenna Sievertson
/
LAist
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The former Caltrans property at 216 Fairview Avenue.
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Makenna Sievertson
/
LAist
)
People streamed in and out of the three bedroom, one bathroom home at 216 Fairview Ave. during Saturday’s open house. And they were among about 600 others who’ve visited the $1.076 million property, according to Amber Waas, director of sales for Dave Knight Real Estate, which has collaborated with city officials on the sales.
Waas highlighted the floor plan, a decades-old metal light fixture, the traditional brick fireplace, and solid wood doors throughout, but she did note “the whole house needs a lot of work.”
Many of the windows were boarded up with planks and metal bars, the toilet was missing its lid, pieces of the ceiling dangled down in the hallway, and the wood floors were damaged.
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“We do anticipate that there will be many offers,” Waas said. “I think some have already come in, but we're not looking at or processing any of the offers until after the deadline, which is the 25th.”
The former Caltrans property at 217 Fremont Avenue.
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Makenna Sievertson
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LAist
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The former Caltrans property at 217 Fremont Avenue.
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Makenna Sievertson
/
LAist
)
The former Caltrans property at 217 Fremont Avenue.
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Makenna Sievertson
/
LAist
)
The former Caltrans property at 217 Fremont Avenue.
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Makenna Sievertson
/
LAist
)
The former Caltrans property at 217 Fremont Avenue.
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Makenna Sievertson
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LAist
)
The three bed, three bathroom 217 Fremont Ave. property sits just a short walk away. The off-white, more than 100-year-old single story home is on the market for about $1.2 million.
Dave Knight, founder of Dave Knight Real Estate, told LAist it “needs a lot of love, but offers a lot of opportunity.”
One of the previous owners even came by during an open house to point out a designated door for milk deliveries and where they hosted wedding receptions, Knight said.
“It's a good canvas for somebody to work with and restore it and make it their own,” he added.
Many of the windows were also boarded up, a door was propped up against a scuffed wall, a bedroom window was shattered, blue wallpaper was peeling off the living room, and some potential buyers were using flashlights to see around the space.
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The former Caltrans property at 225 Fremont Avenue.
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Makenna Sievertson
/
LAist
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The former Caltrans property at 225 Fremont Avenue.
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Makenna Sievertson
/
LAist
)
The former Caltrans property at 225 Fremont Avenue.
(
Makenna Sievertson
/
LAist
)
The former Caltrans property at 225 Fremont Avenue.
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Makenna Sievertson
/
LAist
)
The former Caltrans property at 225 Fremont Avenue.
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Makenna Sievertson
/
LAist
)
The four bedroom, two bathroom 225 Fremont Ave. property is a few doors down. The several shades of tan single-story home has a mostly open floor plan and is also on the market for close to $1.2 million.
Esther Clauson, a listing specialist with Dave Knight Real Estate, told LAist she thinks there’s a lot of potential for the roughly 50 people who came by during the two-hour showing.
“This one in particular, feels like there could be good bones,” she said. “A lot of cosmetic work — a lot of work over time — but yeah, it could be really magical.”
The laundry room area was missing the lower half of its walls, as was one of the bedrooms. Some vintage wallpaper was vandalized, the wooden floors were ripped and protruding in the hallway, and the bathtub was coated in what appeared to be orange rust.
“A lot of things that could be probably restored well and enjoyed over time,” she said.
The former Caltrans property at 726 Meridian Avenue.
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Makenna Sievertson
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LAist
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The former Caltrans property at 726 Meridian Avenue.
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Makenna Sievertson
/
LAist
)
The former Caltrans property at 726 Meridian Avenue.
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Makenna Sievertson
/
LAist
)
The former Caltrans property at 726 Meridian Avenue.
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Makenna Sievertson
/
LAist
)
The former Caltrans property at 726 Meridian Avenue.
(
Makenna Sievertson
/
LAist
)
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The three-unit property at 726 Meridian Ave., a duplex and detached bungalow, is in the heart of South Pasadena. It’s the priciest on the market out of the five, going for nearly $1.25 million
All three units share one large lot near restaurants, a farmers market, and the South Pasadena Public Library. The duplex’s interior doors were dotted with glass knobs, windows facing the street, and Spanish-style accents. The bungalow features walk-in closets, built-in storage spots, and a garage in the alleyway.
But it's hard to miss the marks from the past, including a Caltrans magnet on the fridge. Some of the floors felt uneven, windows were boarded up, the carpets were stained, and part of the bungalow’s ceiling was so sloped I had to bend down to avoid hitting my head.
The former Caltrans property at 1707 Meridian Avenue.
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Makenna Sievertson
/
LAist
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The former Caltrans property at 1707 Meridian Avenue.
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Makenna Sievertson
/
LAist
)
The former Caltrans property at 1707 Meridian Avenue.
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Makenna Sievertson
/
LAist
)
The former Caltrans property at 1707 Meridian Avenue.
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Makenna Sievertson
/
LAist
)
The two bedroom, one bathroom 1707 Meridian Ave. property appeared to be in the best shape. It’s also the cheapest, on the market for $949,000.
The kitchen is mostly bare, save for a sink outlined in mint green tile to match the pastel blue in the bathroom. You could also still spot yellow checkered wallpaper in the cabinets, and the grass was noticeably sparse when compared to the neighbors' manicured hedges.
What potential buyers say
Chris and Alana Naro are hoping to upgrade from their current home and toured at least two of the Caltrans properties. They told LAist they’re nice and big, but definitely worn down.
“I feel like you'll have to spend almost half the price just getting them up to code,” he said.
Alana Naro pointed out that “you can see the sky” through the 217 Fremont Ave. home, which she added isn’t a particularly attractive interior feature.
“I think it's difficult, because I know that these houses are supposed to be at asking price, so that way people who are new homeowners, or who don't have the money, can buy them,” she said. “But then you need the money to refurbish, which, that will be a lot.”
Gutierrez said she’s amazed at how the houses look after being boarded up for decades for the failed 710 Freeway project, but she can’t help but wonder what they’d look like if they weren’t empty all these years.
“A lot of people could have had housing all this time, and maybe the homes wouldn't be in the shape that they are,” she said.
Gutierrez expressed skepticism over the market value prices, adding that the repair costs to make them safe and habitable could be through the roof.
Why these homes?
Although each of the homes come with a controversial history, the demand in South Pasadena is incredibly high, according to Lexi Newman, a real estate agent who specializes in the area.
People want to buy property in a walkable, charming neighborhood with great public schools, but the desire doesn’t match the opportunities. The average sale price in September was around $2.4 million, she said.
“I think that the dream can sometimes die out when people see what they're going to be able to get for the price that they're paying,” she told LAist. “So I think these Caltrans houses have people excited about a way to get in for less by doing a lot of the renovation work themselves.”
However, Newman said she wouldn’t be surprised if they’re underestimating the cost, the time, and the stress a project like the Caltrans homes can bring. There has also been some interest from investors, which she said isn’t shocking when they have the cash and a full team of people to do the work.
Where the money is going exactly
Alison Becker, the acting director of the Community Development Department for South Pasadena, told LAist that the proceeds will go into a new special fund exclusively for affordable housing production.
Each Caltrans property will help create three new affordable housing units. There will be 15 units for this first round of sales, but she said they’re expecting around 50 units total when all the vacant properties are sold.
“The fact that we’re taking these steps really does signal a deepened commitment to affordable housing in the city of South Pasadena,” Becker said. “This isn’t something we've done before, so it’s a big step for a small town.”
City officials have identified at least one site, and they’ll be selecting a development firm at the next council meeting on Nov. 6.
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