What it's really like to live in Ashbury's best-known older neighborhood, from the porch-light walk to what to check in a 100-year-old house.
I grew up three streets from Laurel Park, so I’m biased. But there’s a reason Laurel Heights homes sell faster than anywhere else in Ashbury: it’s walkable, it’s friendly and the houses have a character you can’t build new.
The homes
Most homes here were built between 1905 and 1940. You’ll find Craftsman bungalows with deep porches, square two-story Foursquares and a handful of big Victorians on corner lots. Lots are small to medium, usually a fifth to a third of an acre, with mature trees.
Daily life
- Laurel Park is the center of the neighborhood: a playground, a ballfield and a Saturday morning crowd.
- Chestnut Street has a coffee shop, a small grocery and a bakery.
- Downtown is five minutes by car or a 20-minute walk.
- The porch-light walk every December, when the whole neighborhood decorates and walks the streets, is worth seeing once.
Prices
Most homes sell between $380,000 and $850,000, depending on size and how much updating they’ve had. Fully renovated bungalows often get multiple offers.
What to check in an older home
Older homes are wonderful, and they need a careful look. Before you buy, we always check:
- The foundation and basement for moisture and settling.
- Electrical: any knob-and-tube wiring left, and the panel size.
- Plumbing: old galvanized or cast-iron pipes and the sewer line.
- Roof and gutters, especially under big trees.
David spent ten years as a builder, so he’ll walk any older home with you and tell you what’s normal and what’s a red flag.
