Well, Silver Lake can be a wild card, can’t it? Actor, writer and director James Franco discovered that this week when the duplex he listed in September sold for an over 40% premium beyond the asking price.

The property sold quickly, to boot: in just five weeks, give or take, Franco had an offer in hand of $1.35 million, a cool $400K above the listing. A canny buyer realized the rental potential of the property, which incorporates a pair of small but very charming apartments into a single two-story Spanish-style residence. The house dates to the early 1920’s, and renovations have been sensitive, allowing the spirit of the property to live on.

The duplex is split into an owner’s apartment and a second unit. The exterior of the building is nicely finished in whitewash with black accents, which sets off the terra-cotta tile very well. The interiors meander through bright, open spaces that manage hidden charm and many period details. Tile accents, original narrow-plank hardwood, tile floors, vintage light fixtures, brick and timber suggest the period, and arches and barrel ceilings enhance the style. A sunroom bordered on two sides by French windows would make an ideal creative space. The master isn’t large, by any means, but it is very comfortable, with a fireplace nestled into one wall.

The home’s exterior space is limited, but finds a condensed expression in the rooftop deck, and a meditation garden whose form teaches that the essence of beauty rests in brevity.

Franco’s string of directorial efforts includes this year’s upcoming ‘Bukowski’; well, possibly upcoming, and maybe this year. A lawsuit has mired the film in legal no-man’s-land since 2014.