The Pigeon House: A Dilapidated Home is Renovated by CRG
This severely dilapidated property was left in ruin. Lack of oversight allowed pigeons to literally take it over. Upon inspection, we found that the roof was rotting through and there was no protection from the elements for about one third of the house, leaving it extremely unsanitary and dangerous to be inside. It appeared to have been at least 10 years since the property was inhabited, and potentially longer since any maintenance had been done. Indeed, the property was an eyesore that stood out in the quiet, well-maintained neighborhood. Less than half a mile from an elementary and middle school, the property was an attractive nuisance to children who may have been inclined to wander on to it. In the two years preceding our appointment, municipal code enforcement efforts to get the owner to correct the 49 violations of health and safety codes were fruitless. To move forward with repairing this property would take a lot of work, as we needed to replace the roof as well as all of the major systems of the house, including the plumbing, electrical and HVAC.
A Sears Roebuck Kit House?
From our Renovation Specialist: “We actually thought it looked similar to the 'Winona' that was a Sears pre-fab house, but we aren't sure as there were other companies that also made these. They were shipped out by train to your property and many of these old farm houses were kit houses. Because they are now popular and being renovated as classics, you can now Google 'Sears Roebuck homes from the 20's' and see most of what was available at the time.”
California Receivership Group Works with the Property Owner to Find a Mutually Beneficial Solution
Culturally significant, this property was over 100 years old. It’s likely that it was one of the first houses built in the area. A part of the city’s history, we did not want to demolish it. We found that the property had the potential to be very valuable if it was restored. Our contractor laid out a renovation plan to add an additional bedroom, which it was estimated could net significantly higher proceeds for the owners. While we don’t normally do such modifications to properties placed into a health and safety receivership, the parties in this case agreed that it was the most advantageous solution. With this option on the table, the owners were cooperative and worked with us to determine the future of this property. Ultimately deciding that once construction was complete, they wished for the property to be sold. A sale allowed us to ensure that the property was put into the hands of a responsible buyer who passed our vetting process by proving that they are committed to maintaining it in line with state and municipal health and safety codes in the years to come.
We received the accolades of City officials for our work on this property. They were satisfied with the successful result we achieved reviving this rotting house and turning it back into a beautiful home.
