House Hunt: Retro Rental

This elegant lavender lady, built in 1860, looks from the front like a perfect example of country Victorian architecture. But venture into the rear recesses of the 2,700-square-foot rental and you've suddenly been transported into a 1950s tract home. Around midcentury, a previous owner bumped out the back of the house, adding a sunken family room with fireplace downstairs and extra living quarters upstairs. The remodel left behind some funky touches: a bedroom with a linoleum floor, an oddly-shaped bathroom, candy-striped wallpaper. 

Plenty of old-fashioned charm remains, however, from the spacious front porches to the stained-glass window and chandeliers in the entryway. Rose bushes decorate the semi-circular driveway, and a sprawling backyard and proximity to Old Town shops add to the home's allure.

The Elk Grove Blvd property is zoned for either residential or commercial use, and the agent is promoting it as potential office space, at a rent of $1700 per month. But after taking a quick tour, we're hoping the landlord will decide to sell instead—to a homeowner who can shake out the must, redo the dated kitchen, and give this grand dame the TLC she deserves.

9141 Elk Grove Blvd, 4 bedroom, 2 bath, $1700/mo. Contact Samantha Bell at Realty Roundup, 209-745-5100.