Tony Milo has owned his condo in Marina for ten years, which is how long he has lived on the Peninsula. “I was supposed to be here for six months, just temporarily, because my job is based in San Jose,” he says. “But once I got here, I decided to stay. And I really couldn’t ask for a better place to live.”

Tony’s condo was a purchase decision he made against all the well-intended advice of friends and associates. “Everybody kept asking me why I would want to buy in Marina when so many people were moving out and Fort Ord was closing. I saw what this area has, and it was pretty clear to me the time to buy in was right then.”

 Tony’s timing and choices served him well as a beginner. Erlinda Franklin, the Realtor, feels first-time buyers can do really well now too.

“This is the only condo available in Marina,” she says.“ And not only that, it’s absolutely immaculate, turn-key. It’s not just a studio or a little one-bedroom box either. This has two bedrooms with a full bath each [including deeply recessed skylights] and the washer and dryer are even available [new Whirlpools]. Someone could move right in and do nothing but put their things in place and enjoy living here until they’re ready to move on,” she says, shrugging playfully.

The condo community, called “Peninsula Point,” is private, gated, and well-maintained. There are two saunas and two hot tubs on the property for use among all owners. Tony’s place is on the second floor, which just happens to have one of the sauna rooms directly below it.

The specific features of the condo include carpeted and tiled floors, a fireplace, a terrace leading to the front door from the stairway with room for potted flowers, plus a balcony off the living room, the sliding doors of which reveal long sweeps of Eucalyptus leaves swaying like feathered fans above the lawn.

The hallway between the living room and the bedrooms is architecturally angled and bends intriguingly, giving the master real seclusion. The kitchen is narrow but well-planned, with a window over the double sinks and good counter space.

The condo is larger than it might appear given how well-furnished it is.

For example, the seven-foot couch is not too much for the space, which also holds a large coffee table, other seating, a television and side tables, floor-to-ceiling plants, an oak table and chairs for four, plus a massive work station near the balcony door.

Erlinda says, “This condo makes entertaining easy, with the two balconies and the kitchen set up with the cut-through to the dining room. For overnight guests, the two bedrooms and bathrooms are totally private from each other.”

Tony agrees but admits out-of-town guests mean seeing the same old tourist spots.

”What I like here is the way you can be so close to all the cities on the Peninsula and not be bothered by any of them. I like adventure in nature most and this is the place. The bike path goes right into Monterey, so I ride a lot. I’ve kayaked from Moss Landing through the Slough with all the birds, I go deep sea-fishing with my friends—we always get sick; I don’t know why I do it—but that’s the way adventure is sometimes. It’s fun and you never know.”

Price: $429,000. 3095 Marina Dr. #2, Marina. Contact Erlinda Franklin 277-5980 RE/MAX Monterey Peninsula.