Just $675 per square foot to live next to power lines and more in Sunnyvale
1021 E Cardinal Dr, Sunnyvale, CA 94087 Sunnyvale MLS# 80830303 - Property Details
$829,000
* Status: Active
* Bedroom: 3
* Bathroom: 1&1/2
* Year Built: 1954
* Lot Size: 11940
* Square Footage: 1227
* List Date: 8/27/2008
* Garage Spaces: 2
* MLS#: 80830303Perfect opportunity to move in, add on, or rebuild this 3 bedroom, 1.5 bath home on an oversized lot in the sought after Cherry Chase district of Sunnyvale. Gleaming hardwood floors, spacious kitchen and living room/dining room combination with wood burning fireplace. Sliding door leads to covered patio and beautiful mature vegetable garden along with numerous fruit trees.
Wow. This is a great opportunity to move in, add on, or rebuild a house. Not every house can be rebuilt you know - it takes a house really special to allow that.
But more importantly, I appreciate the honesty of this listing - I like how the power lines are featured in this photo. It really adds a certain… intense… look. And at just $675 per sqft, you can be sure that the price is already adjusted!
But wait there’s more - look, this is located right next to bucolic Highway 85. Unfortunately, the Realtor couldn’t put easy access to freeways because… well… it’s not super easy to access the freeway, but still, you can be sure that you’re pretty darn close. In the mornings, you can listen to the traffic to see whether or not you should take the local roads. No need to rely on KCBS anymore!
Great buy if you ask me!
September 18th, 2008 at 11:12 am
This is a decent house, huge lot. Is it a daycare? The swing at the back seems large.
September 18th, 2008 at 11:18 am
Yeah, a huge lot that backs out to a freeway so everything gets covered in dust. This is a perfect example of “location” trumping location.
September 18th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
At least you don’t have neighbors peaking over your back fence
September 18th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
At least you don’t have neighbors peaking over your back fence
I would sure hope so.
I could imagine an unemployed person walking by the side of the highway trying to look in.
September 18th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
I can imagine that if the person who buys this thing were to sit quietly in their back yard, they would be able to hear the pleasant buzzing sound of carcinogenic electric current passing overhead.
September 18th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
That’s a decent neighborhood but the freeway noise can be loud at times. Seems to be worse when it’s foggy or overcast.
$675/sf seems rather optimistic, even with the large yard. Not to mention the fact it needs updating and only has 1.5 baths. It has Cherry Chase going for it but as madhaud would point out, it has Fremont High. (Trivia: Teri Hatcher’s alma mater.)
September 18th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
oops, madhauS. need that edit function…
September 18th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
They would, and more to this point, they would be breathing air from the inside of all the vehicles passing by.
I’m surprised this house is listed for this price. The privilege of enjoying a backyard like this has got to be worth a mil alone. This ain’t Texas.
September 18th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Hey, this is the RBA, even condo on hazardous land command very high prices.
September 18th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
nomadic, this house gets Homestead High, all the Sunnyvale houses near 85 do. The question is, would you be willing to live next to a freeway and ginormous power lines just to have a high school that’s 110 API points better than the other one?
Cherry Chase is the highest scoring school in the Sunnyvale school district, period. The weak link is the middle school.
I know someone on a double-sized lot in that part of town because the power lines cross right through her backyard. I think she’s growing irradiated vegetables under them.
September 18th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
madhaus, is that a new school assignment? When I lived in that neighborhood three years ago I was led to believe it was Fremont High. Not that I ever called the district to ask. This place is North of Fremont Ave. in case you didn’t notice.
The family that bought my place there had little kids and they were really after Cherry Chase elementary. I know that one is good.
September 18th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
Yah, but–
A VEGETABLE GARDEN!
Think of it! Your own tomatoes for just a (large) fraction of a million bucks!
Wow!
calla
September 18th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
One other consideration - see the map? See how REALLY close the ones on the left side of 85 are? That’s Mountain View. Those houses typically begin at least $50k-$100k more than this neighborhood.
Makes this one, with the bigger lot and larger distance from traffic seem almost a bargain when you look at it that way.
Or, as rick pointed out, you get more than at Gable’s End, for “just” $200k more.
September 20th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
nomadic, the school assignments have not changed since Sunnyvale High was closed in 1981. I think you (or your neighbors) were confusing Fremont Union High School District (which has five high schools and pretty much covers CUSD + almost all of Sunnyvale) with Fremont High School (the worst school in FUHSD). Here is the area map, Homestead is in green. Take a good look at where 85 is in the picture (hint: it’s west of Bernardo).
But don’t just take my word for it. Type in the address of this house into the FUHSD address lookup tool. Hint: This home is in area “163,” whatever that is, but that area goes to… Homestead.
Back before 1981, this neighborhood was indeed assigned to Fremont High. So your neighbors, like Chuckie, were relying on outdated information.
Also you are comparing to Mountain View bordering Los Altos. I think the best part of Mountain View would be west of Grant (Cuesta Park area) but this part isn’t too bad. Do you have comps supporting those numbers? South of Fremont (still Sunnyvale but CUSD) are also $50-100K higher for comparable homes and lots. But most homes south of Fremont are smaller.
September 20th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Here are the scores for Sunnyvale elementary schools in CUSD and SSD. Cherry Chase is the highest scoring school in the district, but look what’s going on South of Fremont Avenue. All API scores are 2008 numbers, released this month.
SSD (average for entire district: 786
Cherry Chase - 920
Cumberland - 909
CUSD (average for entire district: 941)
Nimitz - 855 (2nd lowest in CUSD)
Stocklmeier - 959
West Valley - 941
Laurelwood is the Santa Clara school district elementary that handles that portion of Sunnyvale (east of Wolfe). API 889.
September 20th, 2008 at 11:12 pm
South Sunnyvale market is definitely still very much in demand these days. I looked at open houses in 94087 today. There were tons of people looking. In one case it was almost like feeding frenzy. I can’t believe how many people want to buy houses.
September 20th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
Madhaus,
Although Cherry Chase has the best high school, I’m not seeing much difference in prices between homes there vs. CUSD homes that go to Fremont High. I think the reason is that most buyers in this range (850K to 1.1M) are younger (30ish), thus elementary school is most important. By the time their children goes to HS, they should have enough equity to move up anyways.
September 21st, 2008 at 8:21 pm
All right, I stand corrected. Guess that’s why I got 11 offers in one week when I sold in the good old bubble days!
And to think we were feeling so, well, second-class when the whole time we had what pass for “good” schools here in CA!
Here’s the closest thing I could find for a comp across the freeway in Mtn View:
http://www.redfin.com/CA/Mountain-View/894-BRYANT-Ave-94040/home/579030
It’s a little bit bigger for $300k more. Mountain View High School.
September 21st, 2008 at 9:24 pm
“By the time their children goes to HS, they should have enough equity to move up anyways.”
You’re really having a tough time adjusting to the times, aren’t you?
September 21st, 2008 at 11:25 pm
So where are you now, nomadic, since you didn’t take advantage of Cherry Chase or Homestead?
That comp is much further from 85, but is on a much smaller piece of land as well as the house only being a 2/2. The elementary school (Huff) scored lower than Cherry Chase, the high school scored lower than Homestead. I guess I must conclude that a 650 area code is worth $250K.
September 22nd, 2008 at 8:04 am
So where are you now, nomadic, since you didn’t take advantage of Cherry Chase or Homestead?
Happily childless/childfree.
And able to continue my nomadic existance without regard for school district (other than for resale value).
You got my point on the “comp.” I never grasped why houses just over 85 would command a higher price. (Although RE would probably say it was simply because they were closer to Palo Alto!)
September 22nd, 2008 at 10:51 am
Yeah, I knew you didn’t have kids, but I was asking where you chose to live since you left the ‘vale. Did you cash out or did you buy another place? I know lurker decided to cash out too, also no kids.
I am going to assume that the Mountain View house has a better-scoring middle school because Sunnyvale Middle is 100 points lower than Cupertino Middle (south of Fremont).
But I’m too lazy to look it up, since I never considered moving to Mountain View. If we do move, it would be Los Altos or PA, although at this point mr. madhaus is saying a big no to PA, now that he works off University. He said the restaurants are overpriced and food inferior to Castro Street. Also the parking police are sadistic b——-s.
I bet Chuckie thinks that downtown PA restaurants charge more for worse food because it helps prevents nonresidents from poaching the nearby soccer fields. Seriously, downtown PA pricing is an example of a Giffen Good.
September 22nd, 2008 at 10:59 am
Hah, I’ve forgotten my economic theory. I am confusing Giffen good with Veblen good. Both feature demand rising when price rises, but for completely different reasons. Giffen goods tend to be inferior, but there’s nothing to substitute for it. Bread is a good example, when the price goes up, people don’t switch to anything else. Veblen goods are superior luxury goods. Price is a feature, the more expensive it is, the more people want it. I actually think downtown PA restaurants have features of both Giffen & Veblen effects.
September 22nd, 2008 at 11:03 am
Madhaus,
>>although at this point mr. madhaus is saying a big no to PA, now that he works off University. He said the restaurants are overpriced and food inferior to Castro Street. Also the parking police are sadistic b——-s.
There are two multi-story parking structures in the few blocks of downtown PA, plus multiple parking lots as well as street parking. With all these choices if you still park illegally, then you really deserve the ticket.
As for food, why are you not cooking, since you’re not doing anything?
September 22nd, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Do you seriously think I should go cook lunch at his workplace? Wait, don’t answer that. Anyone who allegedly has kids* who would tell a mom that she isn’t “doing anything” has something seriously lacking in the judgment department.
Oh yeah, we already knew that.
*At this point, if Chuckie told us that the sun rises in the east, I would be out with a sextant and compass before believing it.
September 22nd, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Madhaus,
I think you get my point. Your husband cannot carry a lunch box?
September 22nd, 2008 at 5:46 pm
madhaus - I’ll say two things to this. One, being a stay at home mom can mean not doing much at all, stuck watching the kid (if he’s barely a toddler). And two, not doing much at all watching a baby is mentally exhausting!
September 22nd, 2008 at 6:58 pm
DreamT, my kids are fortunately out of that mentally exhausting stage and have progressed to emotionally exhausting. For example I just had to explain to my 11 YO what rickrolling is. He clicked on “Scary Movie 5″ and got a cheesy music video.
Chuckie, here is why mr. madhaus does not carry a lunchbox.
September 22nd, 2008 at 7:48 pm
So… you’re saying your husband cannot carry a lunchbox whilst juggling and walking on his hands? I think the facts speak for themselves…
That’s two RRs now…What I want to know is: did you know what itw as before or after your kid was rick rolled?
September 22nd, 2008 at 8:11 pm
I cannot believe I will go to bed tonight not knowing whether Mr. Madhaus can carry a lunchbox or not. The suspense is unbearable. Woe unto ye, teasers of the mind!
September 22nd, 2008 at 8:37 pm
Madhaus,
Are you evading the question? That’s not cool, as I always gave you a straight up answer.
September 22nd, 2008 at 8:39 pm
>>not doing much at all watching a baby is mentally exhausting!
I agree that taking care of children can be exhausting — if you also have to juggle a job. If you stay at home, I can’t see why one has no time to pack a lunch box.
September 22nd, 2008 at 8:41 pm
Madhaus, you rickrolled me, congratulations! At least I got anon last time I attempted a rickroll here
My muse is out for the night, can anyone come up with a “RealEstater does not get rickrolled, he …”?
September 22nd, 2008 at 8:57 pm
…lives in RBA.
September 22nd, 2008 at 9:01 pm
…Has worker bees to pre-click his links.
September 22nd, 2008 at 9:11 pm
…doesn’t know how to click a link.
September 22nd, 2008 at 9:17 pm
…is here to help!
September 22nd, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Oh, man. You win; yours is much more funny.
September 22nd, 2008 at 9:34 pm
anon, I found out about rickroll when I was barackrolled. Actually I’ve been rickrolled a couple of times before that, but it wasn’t until I was barackrolled that I bothered to find out why the heck people did it.
Chuckie does not get rickrolled, when he clicks the link he dropped his lunchbox on his foot.