A slice of heaven for bungalow fans

Bungalows gained ground in the early 1900s, small monuments to the American dream of an affordable home. As the world changed, fueled by innovations in transportation and an economy altered by war, they began to fall out of fashion and into disrepair. But in the 1980s, one northeast Pasadena neighborhood realized that its rows of bungalows were worth preserving.

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Drawing card

The Bungalow Heaven Landmark District is a cluster of 1,100 mostly Craftsman-style homes between Orange Grove and Washington boulevards and Holliston and Mentor avenues. Though the neighborhood includes some large homes, the bungalows that define the area are often one story and average 1,200 to 1,400 square feet. Most have porches. Built in the days before cars ruled the streets, many sit on narrow lots.

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Wow factor

For the buyer who longs to own a little piece of yesterday, this cluster of bungalows is inviting. Life in the community usually means lots of contact with others enjoying the sidewalk culture by walking, bicycling or visiting nearby McDonald Park. Since the 1980s, when nostalgia buffs began moving in, many Bungalow Heaven homes have been restored to their original look. Others are in various states of restoration, and diamond-in-the-rough fixers still come on the market from time to time.

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Good news, bad news

The home buyer who values privacy and a sense of seclusion may not appreciate the neighborly feel of the community. Bungalow Heaven is a place where neighbors are a part of life, and that’s how most of the residents like it.

Also a bad fit for Bungalow Heaven: the buyer who dreams of razing an old property and rebuilding it according to his or her own vision. The landmark status of Bungalow Heaven, which put it among the first such neighborhoods in the country, means that the city keeps a tight rein on visible structural changes that might alter a property’s historic character. The city further tightened its control last year when it claimed the right to deny any change to a property visible from the street.

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Stock report

Typically, only about two to four Bungalow Heaven homes are for sale at any given time because of demand and low turnover. There were no homes available in this area at the beginning of February. Homes tend to cost more than comparable structures outside the landmark district.

Two-bedroom bungalows in good condition can sell for $600,000 to $700,000. Recently, a two-bedroom fixer-upper sold for about $500,000.

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Residential resales:

1995...$195,000

2000...$265,000

2003...$429,000

2004...$539,000

Within the Pasadena Unified School District, parents can apply to send their children to any school they choose, regardless of location.

Most Bungalow Heaven elementary-school students attend Longfellow Elementary, which is within walking distance. On the 2004 Academic Performance Index, the elementary school scored 693 points out of a possible 1,000.

High school students in the area may attend Pasadena High School, which had a 2004 score of 628 out of 1,000.

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