The Balboa Cottage (Downstairs Unit)

Balboa Island vacation rental | Airbnb Newport Beach Living Spaces couch (available here with free shipping) and accent chair (similar here);  Woven rugCoffee table and side table;  HomeGoods wall art;  turquoise microwave

Well, guys, we recently did a little thing.  If you read this post from a couple of weeks ago, then you already know that Eric and I recently bought a new house.  I realize that I spilled the news and then promptly left you guys completely in the dark, but today I’m so excited to finally give you guys a full peek into what I’m lovingly referring to as The Balboa Cottage.

If you’ve been following along for a while, then you might remember that Eric and I closed on our first home on our wedding day.  (How’s that for timing?)  It was a mess of a house that needed a full overhaul and so much TLC, but after months and months of gutting and rebuilding, it became our home sweet home.  We love our home and have genuinely loved being in Huntington Beach (where Eric grew up), but I think that Newport Beach, and more specifically Balboa Island, has been a dream in the back of our minds for some time.  We just didn’t really think it would happen this quickly.

A few months ago, we started putting our feelers out and looking around at listings on Balboa Island.  We checked out a couple of “no’s” and then saw this little gem. The location is a total dream.  If Balboa Island was the home run, then Little Balboa Island for us is the grand slam, and we love that it’s right on Grand Canal.  Our spot on the Little Island is a bit quieter, less crowded for the most part, but still a short walk to the shops, restaurants, and attractions on Marine Avenue on Balboa.  It’s also a couple minutes to plopping down on the sand.

The house is small and sweet, currently consisting of two separate two-bedroom units.  While the cottage isn’t really a good fit for us (and our two crazy Vizsla pups) right now, we just couldn’t unsee the potential.  We knew that if we passed it up, we’d probably end up kicking ourselves, and so, we went for it.  And things got rolling QUICKLY.  We closed on the cottage a month or so ago and already can’t stop thinking about the forever home we’d like to create there.  That’s right, more construction in my future.  (Didn’t I say we were done with construction for a while?)

For now though, we’re figuring out our plans for the cottage (staying put in Huntington Beach), and in the meantime, we’re renting her out to folks looking to spend a little time on Balboa Island.  (Maybe that’s you?  Ha, can you tell I’m taking my new roll as Airbnb host very seriously?)  After several thousand trips to this store and that and more online ordering than I even care to think about, the front unit is fully stocked with vacation essentials and ready to rent.  (We’ve actually hosted our first four bookings already, too!)  The upper unit needed a bit more work, but it’s coming THIS WEEK – and wait until you see the huge rooftop deck.  It’s incredible, and I’ll be sharing it soon!

It’s been a wild couple of weeks, but sharing The Balboa Cottage and our love of all things Balboa Island with vacationers from all around has been so much fun.  If you’re planning on heading to Newport Beach this spring or summer, I hope you’ll check it out.  We’d love to host you!

xoxo

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