land is generally 90%+ of the value out here in santa monica. 1 story tear downs go for $2M in the area i live. the new owners usually want to build their own thing - a big spanish style ranch or weird japanese/modernist house - it's the land that's valuable and scarce, not the access to construction crews and building materials

Curious about which is next door to the modern home - is it a modern home with a pool, next to a 1950s home? Or is it a modern home next door to a house with a pool, in a different neighborhood than the 1950s house?

In the past, I've heard that a house's value can maximize at 140% of the value of its neighbors, so a 1950s house in the same neighborhood as the modern house might drag down the modern house's value.

Not if it’s a mid century modern. Also in LA you can basically build whatever you want. There are few deed restrictions etc...

>staircase in the bathroom

Wow how does that happen?

Remove a wall that separates them. In college, I rented in a house with a toilet in the hallway. Because the landlord took the bathroom door away, and cut a hole in the wall to the other bedroom, so the bathroom became a hallway.

I wondered that as well.