San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Hot Property
Updated five-bedroom Craftsman in Mill Valley features multiple decks and a patio.
Charles DeLacey and his family were ready to commit to 562 Alta Way in Mill Valley, even though they were only renters yet to move in.
Expecting a baby, DeLacey and his wife didn’t want to get settled somewhere only to have to pack up a few months later. So they proposed an option to rent, then purchase the fivebedroom at the end of a neighborly cul-de-sac off Highway 1.
“As soon as we moved in we started doing things to the house, knowing we would own it,” DeLacey said. “Then we bought it 12 months later and
started the structural improvements and remodeling.”
Built in 2003, the shingled Craftsman offers an open kitchen, high ceilings, a wealth of outdoor spaces and a luxurious owner’s suite with dual walk-in closets. Multiple bedrooms step out to balconies. The kitchen connects to a redwood deck and the dining room leads to a side patio. Copious built-ins and abundant storage are found throughout the updated trilevel.
“I’ve never seen a house with so many closets,” DeLacey said.
The DeLaceys updated the lighting, added wiring for electrical vehicle charging and installed retaining walls while landscaping the yard. They added hardwood flooring to parts of the home and converted the lower level from a bonus space into two bedrooms with a full bathroom. One of the bedrooms includes a kitchenette, making the floor an ideal space for older children, a relative or an au pair.
Stone counters, custom cabinetry and professional appliances outfit an eat-in kitchen revolving around an island with built-in sink. Vaulted ceilings shelter a great room warmed by a gas fireplace flanked by custom shelving.
Upstairs, an inviting owner’s suite hosts a slate balcony. Its indulgent spa bathroom enjoys dual vanities, a frameless glass shower and a jetted soaking tub.
They converted a tool shed to a children’s playhouse out back and expanded the grass yard around it. The rustic playhouse has a covered front porch and common area with multipane windows on two sides.
DeLacey adores the community, an idyllic alcove in Tamalpais Valley where neighbors routinely congregate on Friday evenings to watch their children play basketball at the end of the cul-de-sac.
“It’s a special place with lots of windows looking down and across the valley,” he said. “It’s something else when you’re seeing hawks out your bedroom window and you’re only miles from the Financial District.”
Learn more at www.562alta.com.
Listing agent: Eric McFarland, Pacific Union Real Estate, 917685-8369, eric.mcfarland@pacunion.com; Marylisa Tencer, Pacific Union Real Estate, 415308-0188, marylisa.tencer@pacunion.com