patrick.net

A friend from work called on Saturday around 1:00pm. I wasn't quite ready at that moment to go out, so I suggested an open house I knew of nearby that opened at 2:00pm. A curiosity about Real Estate can be infectious. At 2:00pm, there was no parking anywhere on Newcastle Street or the line of parking by the 101 freeway. I see my friend, we wave, I say there is no parking, she says she'll continue to look. I drive around the block and park in the BevMo parking lot. She does the same. It must be around 2:20pm and there are already several people looking at the unit. Tricia states there is an apartment like feel to the property. The unit is open and we walk into a large living room with a balcony, there is a partial Mountain view. The Realtor is there and offers a professional hello, she was already talking with someone else. We walk onto the balcony and then into the kitchen. I say it is large and there is tile. I notice the large pantry. The Master bath is rather large with white and black tile. We walk toward the Master bedroom and stop at the door. Tricia says the building is tilting. Do you feel that? I pause and say softly no. It is. The building is tilting this way Tricia says. I notice the Realtors composure. We walk into the Master bedroom there are two walk in closets and a floor to ceiling window. You won't be able to walk around naked here. Tricia says. I give a small laugh and say I probably would anyway. The 2 story building next door is close and you can see what is on their balconies. I think of white gauze drapes. We walk to the other side of the unit where the second bedroom is, it is good sized with one walk in closet. That bathroom has the bathtub.

We walk across the street to have lunch at an Italian restaurant and order a carafe of Chablis. Halfway through lunch and halfway through the carafe of Chablis, Tricia says, I think it is going to crash. There just is not enough jobs to support this. 210k for an apartment with no street parking, are you crazy? It's real worth is 100k. I nearly choke on my Chablis. I know that, but do you think that is going to happen? Real Estate was not the only topic for the rest of the very pleasant lunch.

A story intertwined with an open house provides an uncanny mirror. http://www.redfin.com/CA/Encino/5429-Newcastle-Ave-91316/unit-318/home/4116820

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