MLSlistings Property Detail for MLS number 627630
323 SILVERTIP CT
Milpitas, CA 95035

$549,888
GREAT STARTER HOME
Welcome to this great starter home; bright and airy this home is situated on a quiet street. Close to major freeways and shopping. This beautiful home has distinctive appeal: • Hardwood Floors • Master Suite With Tub • Family Room With Fireplace • New Paint • Automatic Garage Door /Attached Garage • Office • Laundry In Garage • Schools: Zanker Elementary – Rancho Middle School, Milpitas High School

This Single Family Residence has the following features:
MLS#: 627630 Approx Age: 40 Years Approx Sq Ft: 1215

The first mystery, of course, is where is the house? From the street, it looks like one giant garage.

But here’s the rest of the mystery – just look at the interior pictures:

HUH?

(BTW, it has 888 at the end of the price to attract Chinese people – best of luck!)

Ooh! A discount!

MLSlistings Property Detail for MLS number 622409
221 EASY ST #00007
Mountain View, CA 94043

$524,900
Homeowners’ Association Fee:$220
Huge Price Reduction!
10K PRICE REDUCTION

1K CREDIT TO BUYER

NEED TO SELL

BRING AN OFFER!

vACANT and Move In Ready in Mountain View!

This home has it all!

Compare the Views out the windows! Location, Location, Location!

2 bedrooms, 1.5 bath 1136 sq. feet Open floor plan lots of natural light!

This home is close to all your favorite amenities. Downtown Mountain View, shopping, parks, Hwy 85, 101 and the 237 and the Stevens Creek Trail.

I’ll give you a hint – I went to an open house in this same complex and the I went to, the master bedroom had a great view of an weedy lot with an abandoned mini-trailer in it. Caveat emptor!

MLSlistings Property Detail for MLS number 613684
3304 EDISON WY
Menlo Park, CA 94025

$599,000
Open House Showing
Saturday, June 17, 2006 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Sunday, June 18, 2006 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM
BEST VALUE IN MENLO PARK

This Single Family Residence has the following features:
MLS#: 613684 Approx Age: 17 Years Approx Sq Ft: 1340

Is it just me, or does that look like a warehouse?

Seattle’s absolutely dirt cheap compared to the Bay Area – because it’s not the Bay Area and the most wonderful place in the world to live. But this piece caught my attention:

The Housing Bubble Blog » Young Adults ‘Fear’, Peer Pressure Drives Purchases
“Young buyers are making major compromises and using creative financing to buy their first homes, including recruiting roommates or siblings, borrowing from parents, sacrificing space and living in less-desirable neighborhoods.”

“Dawn Wiggin, 27, decided she was ready to buy her own home only weeks before she signed the paperwork for a condo in NoMa Ballard. But the 475-square-foot condo, priced in the low $200s, will be tough financially. The mortgage is $700 more per month than the one-bedroom apartment she’s currently renting until her condo is finished this fall.”

“Until she bought her condo, Wiggin had extra spending money to travel and meet up with friends for happy hour. She also treated herself to a big vacation every year and took lots of weekend trips.”

“But the mortgage will require her to cut back. She’s considering limiting shopping to one big item a month, and figuring out a low-maintenance hairstyle. She also plans to limit weekend trips and will throw dinner parties at home instead of going out with friends.”

“‘It’s going to be a challenge,’ Wiggin acknowledged. ‘I’ll be paying a lot more, but it’ll be fine. It’ll be a great investment.’”

I love how everyone refers to houses as investments now. This reminds me in some ways of late 1999 when people would sacrifice all sorts of things to buy stock.

But even worse, Seattle is not in the Bay Area, so Dawn’s not guaranteed the minimum 20% appreciation per year.

May you be free of your 40 year mortgage some day.

It’s Monday – and just in time, I found this:

MLSlistings Property Detail for MLS number 636354
956 CINNABAR ST
San Jose, CA 95126

$550,000

This Single Family Residence has the following features:
MLS#: 636354 Approx Age: Unavailable Approx Sq Ft: 1042
Detached Single Family 1 Story Victorian

Though they don’t know the age of the house, I’m pretty sure it doesn’t matter – let’s face it, this house will eat your soul. You’ll move in, and suddenly you’ll become allergic to light. Great for new families though…

Try to sleep tonight.