This petite cottage, once inhabited by the caretaker on a Magnolia estate, was plucked from its original location and dropped onto 32nd Avenue West in 1949. It has since appreciated astronomically in value. At 420 square feet and $712,400, it blows Seattle’s median price per square foot out of the water (though would-be condo residents should consider potential HOA savings). Its charm quotient? Off the charts.

The 0.15-acre lot looks like something out of a Pacific Northwest fairy tale. Left in, more or less, its natural state and largely populated with native foliage—including morel mushrooms, long-standing rhododendrons, and a carpet of moss—the hillside landscape doesn’t require much tending.

The simple cottage stands stalwart against its wilder surroundings, charming but unadorned save for some trim details and a small bump-out added to the original rectangular structure. The relatively roomy porch has just enough space for a sitting area overlooking the garden. It’s a welcome reprieve for anyone sharing those limited indoor living quarters. (So is the standalone sauna.)

Inside, classic Craftsman features, like top-sash window grids and chunky, bungalow-style trim, add interest without crowding. Natural light streams in through the skylight and abundant windows. The result is a surprisingly expansive space that gives Mary Poppins’s famous bag a run for its money. 

All the basics fit within the semi-open layout without too many tiny-home hacks. A small dining table nestles easily into a sunlit spot across from the narrow, utilitarian galley kitchen (there’s no built-in dishwasher, but at least the outsize sink can pull its weight).

A half-wall and privacy screen separate the generously windowed living area from the bedroom (the only room that deserves that half-disparaging “cozy” descriptor). Guests do have to traipse through the bedroom a bit to make it to the bathroom, but they’ll admire the space-saving built-ins along the way.

A quick walk outside—Magnolia Park couldn’t be any closer—overshadows whatever inconveniences come with small-space living. About a block further, a little-known public beach beckons almost exclusively to residents of the neighborhood. Petit Pierre Bakery cruffins and Magnolia Village Pub pints beckon more broadly less than half a mile north.

The home likely already has hopeless romantics, Airbnb Superhosts, and property developers frothing at the mouth. Only time will tell where it lands next.

Listing Fast Facts
1919 32nd Avenue W, Seattle, WA 98199
Size: 420 square feet, 1 bedroom, 0.75 bathroom
List Price: $712,400
List Date: 3/18/2024
Listing Agent: Teresa Simanton, Compass Real Estate