Rare Flair in Ladera - Page 2

"I think the roofline and the entryway is gorgeous," she continued about the home, which is 1,770 square feet on an 8,800-square-foot lot. "The roofline goes all the way down the bottom of the carport, so it goes all the way down to the ground."

Lombardelli also admires the view through the two-story walls of glass facing the tastefully landscaped backyard with fountain and quaint seating area.

"It's actually one of the most dramatic Eichler floor plans I've ever been in," she commented. "When I walked in there, I almost fell over. I was just in awe."

In addition to the "only one of its kind" floor plan, what took Lombardelli's breath away is the nearly impeccable condition of the home.

"It's the second owner, and he's kept it in original condition," she says of her client, who bought it in 2008 from the original owner but is now moving to Southern California. "Even the kitchen, the bathrooms—it was the way it was."

Discussing possible strategies a buyer might take with the home, she confessed, "If you're a purist like me, you really would just leave it like it is. I just happen to like original."

"You walk through it, and you just have that whole '50s experience," marveled Lombardelli, noting the globe lights, concrete floors, and Formica counters. "It's a fully charged experience of 1951."

"It's almost like an art piece," the realtor proclaimed of the home's remarkable preservation. "They maintained it so well," she says, conceding that it has some maintenance needs one might expect of a 65-year-old home, "as all Eichlers do." Even the lauan paneling is still "very rich in color."

"People have to come and look to see how amazing it is," Lombardelli says, calling 311 La Mesa the most historic Eichler she's ever represented. "We're looking to find the next steward, the next steward to take care of it."

The open houses for 311 La Mesa Drive are set for 1 to 4p.m. this weekend, November 5 and 6.