Rehab includes:Full Bath RemodelFull Kitchen Remodel w/ butcher block countertopsRemoved wall between kitchen and dining roomNew FurnaceAdded Central A/C unitUpdated ElectricalUpdated PlumbingRefinishing of original hardwood floorsInterior paint and trimExterior patch and paintRoof was only 4 years old at time of purchase and foundation is solid.

Misunderstanding with contractor resulted in him putting the door to back yard there instead of in the dining room like I wanted.  

It's stunning how little thought and research goes into modern day journalism.The worst is Motley Fool articles on Yahoo news..

This is a single family home. 3 bedrooms, big dining area and living room.

It’s a 3/2 at about 1,800 sqft.The house doesn’t seem to have any major repairs other than being EXTREMELY outdated.I am considering tearing out the (potentially load-bearing) wall separating the smallish living room from the much bigger dining room & kitchen, which would make a huge open plan and basically double the living room size.

The new 2 unit is 1.5 miles down the road but has larger units along with a dining room, full back yard fenced in, deck and 3 bedroom unit.

Despite all of these set backs I have been doing some serious remodelling and a bit over the top in my unit for personal comfort.I wanted the nice middle class home I couldn't afford.Refinished floors, bew paint everywhere, brand new bathroom and stunning, brand new kitchen soon to come.Thus far I think I'm $145,000 into this property, still need all new windows throughout, and have asbestos wrapped pipes to remove in basement in conjunction with my plan to remove the steam boiler entirely and throw a furnace in attic for upper amd one in basement for the lower, and hopefully to do a full attic remodel.At the end of the day I will probably be into this property for the $190,000 it was once purchased for but have little confidence the local market will value it that high.Here's the good stuff...Dispite so many negatives and the local market offering damn near full houses for $700/mo I have tenants who pay $1025 a month plus full water bill to stay in the lower and they seem happy here.

I moved in with very little furniture, so it's been an adventure buying a suitable couch, dining table, etc. 

The appreciation is largely due to the location of the property which is directly on the edge of a 170ft cliff overlooking the ocean with stunning views of Catalina Island and neighboring cliffs.Our family has always been relatively  comfortable, I was never hungry as a child and I never experienced stress or worry over my parents being unable to pay bills.

Unpermitted may not be a huge deal in some cases, but when it comes to egress and life safety issues you're gambling more than I closed off the dining room and made an extra bedroom.