Attack of the Flippers in Parkwood La Mirada – La Mirada, CA

 Built in 1954 by the Devon Construction Company is this Palmer & Krisel-designed home relatively new to the market which has recently been attacked by flippers. With three bedrooms and two bathrooms in 1,161 square feet, this La Mirada home includes an in-ground pool and a detached two-car garage all on a 6,800 square-foot low with an asking price of $510,000.

Front of home

The exterior of the home essentially retains its original lines, with the exception of a removed door from the kitchen side of the home, which remains poorly masked behind an obvious stucco patch. The original olive tree still stands out front, rescued from the grove of Andrew McNally at Krisel’s insistence.

Front of home - bet you can't guess where the door used to be

Last sold in December 2015 for $362,000, it’s hard to spot where over $100,000 in improvements went, with just basic flipper approaches done. Inside, this home has all the checks of a typical flip: Removed walls? Check. Raised panel cabinetry? Check. Can lights galore? Check. Overly ornate baseboards painted white against beige walls? Check. Vinyl windows? Of course.

Living? Dining? Yes.

Livingdiningkitchenbreakfastnook super room

The kitchen, dining, living and breakfast nook have all been combined into a singular super giant great room. The kitchen is now tucked in one corner of the home, the breakfast nook has lost its identity, now just a corral of space adjacent to the entry, while the living and dining blend together at the rear of the home. The original open beamed vaulted ceilings have been covered over with drywall, most likely to accommodate a smattering of unnecessary can lights.

Kitchen 

Kitchen - island placement is random

Kitchen and entry - notice how much the brand new range and mircowave stick out

Kitchen

The kitchen features dark, dark raised panel cabinetry, white quartz cabinetry, and ornate crown molding topping the uppers. A random island extends near the entry, which looks neither inviting nor well placed. A window once sat where the missing fridge is now, and for a brand new kitchen, the slide in range sticks out about 3 inches too far, but then again, so does the built-in microwave.

Master bedroom 

Master bedroom 

Master bath

Secondary bedroom 

Secondary bedroom 

Guest bath

The master bedroom and bathroom sit at the front of the home, while the secondary bedrooms and bath sit at the rear. The master still incorporates its original clerestory windows, and all of the bedrooms appear to be in their basic original layout. The bathrooms have been updated with white tile tub and shower surrounds, big-box store vanities and medicine cabinets and brushed nickel fixtures.

Pool and backyard

Pool and backyard

Pool and back of home

The detached two-car garage sits at the rear of the property, allowing for an extra-long driveway capable of accommodating multiple vehicles. A large in-ground pool occupies a majority of the yard, while a small planter sits in a far corner with newly laid bark mulch and small plantings. The remainder of the backyard is patio space, with ample room for entertaining.

Flippers fill a void; oftentimes doing the work no one wants to do, but in the process they tend to strip character-filled homes of the details which make them special. There’s still great bones under this flip, but there’s a lot of vanilla too.

Check out the full listing on Redfin.com here: 14527 San Cristobal Drive

Or Zillow.com here: 14527 San Cristobal Drive