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What $1.2 Million Buys You in California

This townhouse is in a new four-unit complex called The Sheds, designed by Horst Architects. Set between the campuses of Laguna College of Art and Design (about five minutes from each campus on foot), the units are meant to evoke the live-work style of artists’ lofts, with multiple balconies and open floor plans that allow for flexible use. The property is tucked into the base of Laguna Canyon, close to hiking trails, and is a five-minute drive from the Pacific Ocean and the Laguna beaches, as well as the upscale dining and shopping of downtown Laguna Beach.

Size: 1,277 square feet

Price per square foot: $939

Indoors: A private entrance leads from the carport to the inside of this unit, where stairs rise from the ground level to the main living area. The ceilings are high, and double-height windows bring in sunlight and canyon views.

The sitting area faces a set of sliding-glass doors that open to a balcony. The hardwood floors are wide-plank and continue into a galley-style kitchen divided from the sitting area by an island with room for seating. The appliances are stainless steel, and the countertops are quartz. The cabinets are white and finished with brushed-metal hardware.

Just off the kitchen is a bedroom with built-in closets. On the other side of the kitchen is a full bathroom with more built-in cabinets and a windowed tub-and-shower combination finished with slate-colored tiles.

Stairs with a brushed-metal railing lead to the lofted second floor, where an open space overlooks the lower level. A narrow space at the front of the unit is currently used as a second sitting area, and has access to a balcony. Farther back, a wider space easily holds a dining table and chairs.

A second bedroom, roughly the same size as the one downstairs, is off the back of this level, as is a second full bathroom.

Outdoor space: The unit has two balconies, one off each of the two living areas. The lower balcony has space for a table and chairs, plus a small outdoor sofa, and is shaded by the roof overhang and the balcony above it. The upper balcony is smaller, but still has space for seating, and gets a bit more sun than the one downstairs. Two dedicated parking spots in the covered carport are assigned to this unit.

Taxes: $14,268 (estimated), plus a $260 monthly homeowner association fee

Contact: Ann E. Metzger, the Agency, 949-698-2082; theagencyre.com

This shingled building occupies a corner lot in a quiet neighborhood between the Castro and Noe Valley. The unit is on the ground floor and retains many original details, including crown molding in the living areas and bedrooms. A Whole Foods Market is 10 minutes away on foot, as is Noe Valley Courts park, which has a lawn, basketball court and tennis courts. Golden Gate Park is a 10-minute drive; the financial district is 20 minutes away.

Size: 1,103 square feet

Price per square foot: $1,043

Indoors: The front door, topped with a transom window, opens into a long hallway that leads to the kitchen, at the back of the unit.

To the immediate left is a living room with refinished oak floors and high ceilings. The light fixtures are new, and the crown moldings are original. Large windows face the street.

Pocket doors separate the living room — probably once used as a parlor — from the primary bedroom, which also has a door connecting it to the main hallway. A closet with an original crystal doorknob is built into one wall, and the space is large enough to hold a king-size bed. Another door leads from this bedroom to a guest room, which is also accessible from the main hallway and has a built-in closet and a set of free-standing closets.

Tucked into the hall, across from the living room, is a nook that the sellers use as an office space, with room for a desk and chair. A few paces down is a split bathroom: One room holds a porcelain pedestal sink and a combination tub and shower; the one next door holds a toilet and a second sink.

The kitchen at the end of the hall was updated a little more than a decade years ago; previous owners tore out a laundry closet to expand the space. The appliances are stainless steel, and there is enough room for a dining table and chairs. A small laundry closet, with a new washer and dryer, is tucked into one corner.

Outdoor space: Many corner buildings take advantage of the lot size to build out as far as possible, eschewing outdoor space, as is the case here. Street parking is plentiful in the neighborhood, and a convenient bus route — the fleet is electric, minimizing noise — stops directly across the street.

Taxes: $14,028 (estimated), plus a $300 monthly homeowner association fee

Contact: Steve Gallagher, Coldwell Banker, 415-437-4524; coldwellbankerhomes.com

A few early 20th-century stone cottages are scattered around Burbank; this one, in the Burbank Hills neighborhood, is a mix of old and new, with original rock-wall remnants in several spaces and an updated primary bedroom suite in a second-level addition.

The trailhead at Wildwood Canyon, a popular hiking spot, is about a five-minute drive from the property. The center of Burbank, home to several of Disney’s television and animation divisions and a Warner Bros. studio complex, is about 15 minutes away by car.

Size: 1,882 square feet

Price per square foot: $624

Indoors: From the street, a gate opens to a winding path that separates the main house from the garage. It leads to the front door, which opens into a small foyer with a staircase that rises to the second level.

To the right of the stairs is a kitchen with earth-toned floor tile, dark-wood cabinetry with carved detailing, stainless steel appliances and a center island.

The foyer extends into a dining room with built-in bookshelves, which could also be used as a living room or a home office. The walls are rock, and may have been part of the original exterior facade. On one side of the space, doors open to an outdoor patio; on another, to a garden.

A few steps up from the dining room is a space currently used as the living room. It has a floor-to-ceiling rock fireplace and hardwood floors that continue into the den, which could be used as a guest bedroom. This room is connected to another guest room, with space for a full-size bed and desk. The downstairs bedrooms share a bathroom with a combination tub and shower. A laundry room is next door.

The primary suite occupies the entire second level. The ceilings are high, with exposed beams, a ceiling fan and windows looking out on the surrounding hills. The en suite bathroom has patterned-tile floors and a walk-in shower with glass walls.

Outdoor space: From one side of the dining room, double doors open to a covered patio with space for a table and chairs. From the other side, more double doors open to a garden planted with aloe, cactuses and other succulents. The detached garage has room for two cars, as well as a bonus space that could be used as a schoolroom or an art studio, with a half bathroom attached.

Taxes: $14,928 (estimated)

Contact: George Ghiz, Compass, 310-283-8877; compass.com

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