Located on the appropriately named Franciscan Way, Allston and Pepper James'' home is a livable space. The open floorplan has two bedrooms and two bathrooms on the main level, plus all the basics-such as a good-sized kitchen, laundry room, living room, and dining area.

"Unlike many Carmel homes it gives you a sense of the horizontal instead of vertical," Pepper says. "It''s a really solid house with a good floorplan."

But it''s the location that''s the real stunner: besides being easy walking distance to Carmel beaches and town, the house''s south-facing windows have an almost unreal view of the Carmel Mission, otherwise known as the Basilica of Mission San Carlos Borromeo del Rio.

A sheltered deck off the kitchen and dining area provides comfortable outdoor dining and an uninterrupted look at the west side of the peach-hued Mission, originally built in 1771.

"I feel like I''m in Portugal," Pepper says. "It''s very meditative."

Along with the serenity of the location, there''s the convenience of having a separate guest unit below the main level of the house. Pepper, who restores older homes and puts them on the National Registry, has plenty of space to spread out plans and designs in the sunny space, while receiving creative inspiration from the thrice-restored Mission.

With another large bedroom, its own kitchen, bathroom, and generous living space, the light filled guest quarters also allow for a direct view at the Mission juxtaposed against the green hills of the Fish Ranch all the way to Garland Ranch in Carmel Valley.

The tranquil gardens surrounding the house invite more natural splendor into the property. A pair of hummingbirds dance in the foreground of the Mission view.

"It looks like a painting," says Realtor Craig Anapol.

Price: $1,595,000. 2970 Franciscan Way, Carmel. Contact Linda Guy of John Saar Properties at 277-4899.

A Stone''s Throw

On Stone Street, just blocks from John Steinbeck''s Salinas birthplace, is a little house with opportunities. The two-bedroom, one-bath Craftsman cottage is zoned for mixed-use, which makes it possible to run a business out of the 1,100-square-foot structure, make it into a cozy abode for a small family, or both.

"It''s a quaint little house," says owner Matthias Schremmer. "The former owner did a very nice job of fixing it up."

With original woodwork, including a built-in hutch in the dining room, a small fireplace in the living room, and new skylights and new appliances in the kitchen, the 1940''s features remain and blend in well with the traditional neighborhood surrounding it.

An office at the rear of the detached garage provides the possibility of working and living from home, while a nice garden invites a break to sit and contemplate the history nearby.

Besides being two blocks from the Steinbeck House, which serves lunch, there''s a corner grocery store, all the shops of Oldtown Salinas nearby, and the National Steinbeck Center a few blocks away.

"It''s really a wonderful walking location," says Realtor Linda Guy.

Price: $329,000. 47 Stone St., Salinas. Contact Linda Guy of John Saar Properties at 277-4899.