Home Faces An Alley

[BOBBYGINE]

Almost like the back home on a SFR, but its on its own. Nice house, one the strangest things I've seen. Anyone ever seen a lone back alley house, in a place that its not too common. Its private in a dangerous way. An agent had it listed as a private access road.

 

[Jerry Bone Jr]

Yeah, we have those up here in Salem, Oregon too. Just did one the other day. I assumed it had been developed as multiple homes on a single lot, then parceled off.

 

[realbiz]

I have seen a few in Long Beach along a alley with the address being used from the street in front. I believe these were also lot splits. What makes these interesting is that they are not in the best area of Long Beach, and you must access from the alley only.

 

[Indiana Jones]

Never had to appraise one, but there were a couple like this two streets over from the house I grew up in.

 

[Mike Garrett RAA]

Have done a few over the years, usually a lower market appeal and the lot is almost always smaller than typical.

 

[Charles Knutson]

There are a fair number of alley houses in Denver, although most of them are on a standard lot, with the house all the way at the back of the site.

There are also a few alley houses, that have access only from the alley -- some of these are nice carriage houses, but more often than not, alley houses are low quality construction and market appeal.

In the South Metro area, there are a number of basement houses, too -- garden level basements that were built during WWII, with plans to build the upper levels after the war. The first floor was built and a roof installed, and that's what you see today.

These are all odd duck properties, and need to compared with the crummiest properties you can find.

 

[Mike Boyd]

Have done a few over the years, usually a lower market appeal and the lot is almost always smaller than typical.

Likewise......and, I agree with realbiz. Typically resulted from a lot split.

 

[glenn walker]

I guess I Have been lucky , been in SO CA my whole life and never have encountered the front of a home facing the alley, I guess you give it a superior location adjustment for it's easy alley access, dont think matched pairs are going to be found, oh well it may be a "wag" adjustment ( wild *** guess ) anyway keep us posted on how you handle this situation, I would like to see how another appraiser handles it, because I have no idea what the adjustment would be....

 

[glenn walker]

The more I think about this situation the less I like it, I agree with the poster about maybe a lot split was done at an earlier date, was there two homes on the lot at another date and time, what is the zoning, could it have been multiple family zoned and the other home is gone.??? I would really kick some tires, talk to some neighbors, often "bob" down the street knows the whole story, anyway good luck but you have every reason to be concerned. Check with the city, see what or if any permits have been pulled over the years.

 

[Annelle]

Bobbygene, I guess it is not in San Diego then? I have seen a number of them there. You might even be able to find a comp or two if that were the case. And they aren't even necessarily the crummiest....Just high demand for a closer location. They were former guest homes, or rentals, later converted to SFR's..... as my best guess. Some of the alleys were actually converted to streets because of the frequency...very narrow streets BTW. LOL!