1103 E 71st StreetTacoma, WA 98404Price: $489,000

Maker's Acre, a creative urban homestead at the end of a quiet street. Behind its gate is a 3-bed 2-bath rambler that opens into a larger world: art studio, hobby shed, chicken coop, blueberry orchard, gardens, firepit patio, garage and the room to make a little mess. The house is bright and lives on one level, south and east light, new flooring, fresh interior paint, updated kitchen appliances, improved insulation, new electric water heater and a newer roof. The fireplace gives the home a center: morning coffee near the hearth, a book left open, chairs pulled close after dinner. Cross the yard with a mug in hand to the art studio. Skylight falls across the worktable; brushes dry by the sink and tomorrow's project can stay exactly where you left it. A separate creative space with a soaring ceiling, dual skylights, large picture windows, sink, storage racks, heat, ventilation, separate internet wiring and a porch for fresh air between projects. Paint, rehearse, write, compose, finally set up the room you have never had. Outside, life spills into the soil. Pick blueberries, collect eggs, plant tomatoes, rinse garden dirt off your hands, drag chairs to the firepit and start again tomorrow. Protected by the green edges of 3 unused rights of way, with only one direct neighboring lot line, the setting is private, practical and alive. Near Swan Creek Park, neighborhood markets, East Tacoma food culture, quick reach to the Lincoln District, Tacoma Dome, Museum District and downtown.