Like so many young couples moving into the Palisades, Kostas and Ashley Kavayiotidis, both 33, wanted to purchase a home with something special. They had no idea just how special their future home would be.
When the pair got engaged in May 2011, they started house hunting. Weekend after weekend, they hit neighborhoods from Kenter Canyon to the Highlands, looking for their dream house. The couple fell in love with the Palisades and toured about 20 homes in the 90272 zip code, but none of them were quite right. That is, until they stepped foot into a charming English cottage on the corner of Galloway and Bashford
“Within five minutes, we knew we’d found our home,” said Kostas Kavayiotidis, a commercial mortgage broker. “We loved the architecture and the Old World style.”
By November 2011, the house was theirs. But it wasn’t until they were in escrow on the property that they discovered the three-bedroom, two-bath, one-story cottage had a very special history. The home, which Kavayiotidis said dates back to 1925, was the first house built in the Alphabet Streets.
For Ashley Kavayiotidis, who works in licensing at Mattel, it was the home’s original décor that really stood out. “A lot of the house is original—the stained glass windows, the doors, the doorknobs, the archways.”
Another feature the couple, now married, loved was the fact that the house was within walking distance to the Village. “It’s the best lot in the Alphabet Streets,” said Kostas Kavayiotidis. “Whoever built it got first dibs on land, and they chose this spot. It’s basically the geographic center of this tract.”
Being close to everything is something they appreciate even more now since Ashley Kavayiotidis gave birth to their first child, Theo, less than a month ago.
When they first found out about the pregnancy, they wondered if they were going to follow in the footsteps of some of the home’s previous owners. According to Kavayiotidis, two families that lived in the home had twins. But the trend was broken when little Theo arrived solo.
Ask the couple about the home’s original owner or architect, and they just shrug. “We don’t know who owned it, but we would sure love to find out,” said Ashley Kavayiotidis. “Maybe one of your readers could help us find out more about who lived here and the history of the house.”
All that history does have a few drawbacks. “The walls are all original plaster, so it’s really hard to try to hang anything from the wall,” said Kostas Kavayiotidis.
“There’s no recessed lighting either,” said Ashley Kavayiotidis. In its place are ornate sconces and light fixtures that aren’t just for decoration.
The home does boast some 21st-century upgrades, such as a chef’s kitchen, Caesarstone counters and updated plumbing. Call it a blend of authentic charm and easy everyday convenience.
For two first-time homebuyers who just wanted to find a special place where they could raise a family, they landed one of the most unique homes in the Palisades.
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