My longtime friend Kim had a big ask - space. She needed rooms. Breathing room. Her family had moved to LA from NYC a month before the pandemic hit. What was supposed to be a short stay in a friend's back house became their accidental nest for almost a year. Though perfect because of the proximity to a pack of beloveds, the space itself was crowded.

So we began the hunt. The vision: 1500 sq ft on a 9000 sq ft lot in Boyle Heights - a central location for her and her partner's jobs.

I spotted the house and it just didn't seem right for them. The photos were okay but overall it felt vague. Yet for some reason I kept being called back to it. Maybe because of it's size - 1800 sq ft on a 6000 sq ft lot. in their desired neighborhood. Or perhaps because the house had been on the market just a little too long to make sense. Finally, after my 3rd visit to the listing, I realized the floors in this 1908 house were original. We had to see it in person.

We drove over in the evening and the keys in the lockbox wouldn't open any of the doors. After 20 minutes I called the company and was able to get the code to a different lockbox and we made our way inside. 

It was clear - this house hadn't sold because no one could get in to see it.

Gorgeous hardwood floors, 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, a full pantry, a giant fruiting avocado tree. A version of heaven. 

After a few back-and-forth offers we were able to land at a price $30k under asking which, mid-pandemic, was rare. 

My mantra when I bought my first house was Deep Roots Bring Fruits, and oh do they!

-Frankie