The older cottages here are some of my favorite houses in Orange County, and the details are the reason. Original windows, real millwork, floors that have been underfoot for a century: that’s what buyers fall for, and it’s also what deserves a closer look before you write an offer. After nearly thirty years of selling these homes, I’ve learned which charming features are assets and which ones need a plan. Here’s what I walk through with clients.
Key Takeaways
- Laguna’s older housing stock traces back to the 1920s and the town’s early art colony.
- Original windows, floors, and millwork are what give these homes their value and their quirks.
- Some older homes sit on the city’s Historic Register, which changes what you can change.
- Coastal permits and design review apply to most exterior work regardless of a home’s age.
What Gives Laguna’s Older Homes Their Character?
The town’s early development and its art colony arrived together, which is why the housing stock looks the way it does. Painter Norman St. Clair came in 1903, and within a few years roughly half of Laguna’s few hundred permanent residents were painters. Summer cottages filled in around downtown through the 1920s, and the survivors are what you’re touring today.
The Details Worth Looking For
- Original wood windows with their period glass, which sit differently in a wall than any replacement does.
- Fir and oak floorboards from the era, which refinish beautifully and rarely need replacing.
- Built-in cabinetry, picture rails, and original door hardware, all cheap to keep and costly to recreate.
- Plaster walls, which hold sound and temperature differently than drywall and are usually more repairable than they look.
- Anchors like the 1923 Murphy-Smith House on Ocean Avenue, one of the few original houses left in the downtown core.
How Should You Evaluate Those Details as a Buyer?
Charm and condition are separate questions, so I treat them separately. The goal is to figure out which original features are sound, which need attention, and what that attention actually costs, before your contingencies release rather than after. Most of it becomes clear in a single thorough walkthrough with the right people.
What I Have Clients Check
- Whether original windows are repairable, since restoration plus a storm insert usually beats replacement on both cost and character.
- The condition of the subfloor beneath those beautiful floorboards, which is where older homes hide their surprises.
- Whether prior remodels were permitted, because unpermitted work becomes your problem at resale.
- How the systems compare to the finishes, since a charming house with original wiring is a different purchase than one already updated.
Is the House on the City’s Historic Register?
Worth asking early, because the answer shapes what you can do. Laguna Beach’s historic preservation program runs under Municipal Code Chapter 25.45, and placement on the Register requires the owner’s consent along with meeting at least one substantive criterion. Two similar cottages on the same street can carry entirely different status.
What Listing Actually Means
- A recorded preservation agreement runs with the property, so it transfers to you at closing.
- Changes get reviewed against the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards, and consistent proposals can skip full design review.
- Register listing brings real incentives, including parking relief, setback flexibility, fee refunds, and priority processing.
- The city does offer Mills Act contracts, which reduce assessed value on qualifying properties, though new applications are paused while the program is under review.
What About Permits and Timing?
Most of Laguna issues its own coastal development permits, because the Local Coastal Program certified in 1993 delegated that authority from the state to the city. Design review runs alongside it. Both are navigable, and both take longer than buyers expect, which is worth knowing before you plan a project.
Practical Notes for This Year
- Blue Lagoon, Irvine Cove, and Three Arch Bay remain under state coastal jurisdiction, so permitting there follows its own path.
- The city is midway through a comprehensive review of its Historic Register, which reached Council in February 2026.
- Verify a property’s current Register status with Community Development rather than trusting a listing remark.
- Let me make those calls for you, since I do them regularly and know who to ask.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are Laguna’s older homes concentrated?
North Laguna, the village core, and pockets of South Laguna hold most of the early cottages. The city’s Register works property by property rather than by district, so I’d think in terms of concentrations rather than designated areas.
Can I still modernize an older home here?
Yes, and plenty of owners do. Even on a Register-listed property, the review focuses on character-defining features, which leaves real room for updated systems, kitchens, and baths.
Are older homes harder to finance or insure?
Not inherently, though I’d want your lender and insurer looped in early on any older structure. I’m glad to connect you with people who work on these houses regularly through my buyer resources.
Contact Clara Blunk Today
I’ve been selling in this market since 1997 and living in Laguna Beach long enough to know which cottages have been thoughtfully cared for and which are waiting for the right owner. Sorting the charm from the condition is well worth doing, and it’s the part I most enjoy handling for clients.
If an older Laguna Beach home with real character has caught your eye, reach out to me, Clara Blunk, and let’s find out exactly what you’d be buying. I’d love to help you get the full picture before you commit.
