The exterior of the home is quaint and well maintained. Several small fruit trees provide a seasonal treat depending on the month/season. Backyard is private with a large deck. Barbecue is provided along with dining table and chairs.. Only one chaise lounge is available. A second would be a nice addition.
Pleasant decor inside is evocative of a Pottery Barn makeover. Nice but far from top of the line. The "beachy" touches shown in the photos are somewhat misleading, as a walk to the nearest beach will be a haul for most. Because the home is two blocks from an exit off of Route 1, the street location receives more cut-through traffic than most in the immediate area. Still, the neighborhood is quiet in the evenings. A large and always-full parking area with several cars sits across the street and is a bit of an eyesore, but obviously out of control for the property owner.
The biggest shortcoming to this home is its small kitchen. It starts with a lack of a dishwasher, compounded by an old sink and the lack of a dish drying rack, which was subsequently supplied by the property manager. The kitchen supplies are de minimus. It's apparent that the little was invested in the kitchen and laundry room when the cottage was remodeled. The whole area should be gutted, expanded and modernized.
As an older home, many of the electrical sockets aren't equipped with 3 way plugs, making it inconvenient to move electronic devices from room to room. Adapter cable were not made available. Again, these should be updated.
Old radiant heaters remain from the original cottage. These make it hard to regulate the heat if needed. The fireplace is not gas lit, so you will need starter fuel plus supply your own logs. No A/C, though you would find few days when you may need it in Carmel. That said, only a very few windows have screens and some window cranks are balky. Hence, you may be susceptible to insects or a lack of good cross ventilation when needed.
The third "bedroom" in the home is practically worthless. Located in a former back porch area that is only accessible via a walk through the master bedroom. The bed takes up the entire room area. Walk into the room and you practically dive into bed. A more practical solution would be to convert this room back into a screened back porch with a hide-a-bed , including a separate exterior entrance.
Net: An O.K. rental but better values can be found in the Carmel area.
