The Modern Duplex

"Distinctive in appearance and designed with thoughtful features that would make the average house dweller jealous, the not-so-humble duplex is back after a prolonged absence from L.A.'s architectural scene. Preminger's home and others like it are rising across the city with a level of ambition rarely seen since the 1920s and '30s, when graceful Spanish and Mediterranean Revival duplexes rose alongside houses in several pockets of town, most notably the tree-lined boulevards near Highland Avenue and 3rd Street."

"What makes these new duplexes so interesting is not only their modern aesthetic and practical solutions for life with shared walls, but also their owners' motivations. After all, why would anyone forgo a traditional house in favor of a space they have to share?

Real estate agent Stacy Babbitt, who specializes in dual-unit properties, says 95% of her buyers are owner-occupants. Many are baby boomers intending to live in one unit and provide separate housing for an adult child or another relative in the second.

"A duplex is a great alternative to the single-family home," Babbitt says, adding that rental income from the second unit can allow some owners to live in a neighborhood they wouldn't otherwise be able to afford."