Here’s the point of owning an A-frame

High in California’s San Bernardino Mountains, an A-frame cabin perched above the trees beckons to buyers for $669,000. The three-bedroom, three-bath home also has a second, separate apartment with solid Airbnb potential that can cover the property’s ongoing costs. Here’s more about the listing from the owner, Tony award-winning theatre and film producer Adrian Salpeter.

Q: What’s the story behind the house? “It was built in 1964 by a NASA engineer and his wife, who cut down trees on the property to build it. I bought it twelve years ago for two reasons: a weekend escape from LA, and a short term rental investment. Both have delivered. It is a consistently booked Airbnb with reliable income and a future buyer could activate the self-contained one-bedroom apartment on the lower level to unlock even more income from the property.”

Q: What are this home’s high points? “A-frames are an international architectural style you’ll see in the Alps, Lake Tahoe, everywhere. Historically, they were sometimes kit houses that everyday people could build. An A-frame is basically just a triangle with a wall of glass, so the view becomes the decor. The house is beautiful, but the view is what makes it extraordinary. The hot tub at sunset isn’t bad either!”

Q: Any challenges to owning this home? “Fire risk is always a concern in Southern California. There was a major fire in the area in 2003, but the cabin was spared. Firefighters left a drawing, which is now framed at the front door, made with ash from the fire, showing a firefighter saving a house. It’s kind of a good-luck charm, and we’ve been spared since then. Snow and weather are also factors, although the roads are maintained and plowed. An A-frame’s angled walls also create some unique storage challenges, but luckily, the home’s cabinets were custom-built to maximize space.”

Q: What advice would you give a future buyer? “Heating and cooling are important because of the glass and exposure; good window coverings and HVAC make a big difference. Certain furniture was built from trees on the property and should ideally remain. I think houses have souls. It would be wonderful if the next owner appreciates this home’s history and continues caring for it.”