Yep, the fireplace works! :) We'll have to see how clean the flue is, but the real estate agent assured us it was working. It doesn't really get *that* cold on the bay area peninsula in winter, and we won't be using it anytime soon ...but it will be nice to have a fire next winter, for sure.

:) Don't worry! With the real estate market not set to improve anytime soon, it's going to be a good several years before house prices go up. And in the meantime, you can always rent. We actually talked the owner down in price, for our rent. ^^