The continuing saga of 2239 Poplar Ave in East Palo Alto
You know what we haven’t seen on Burbed in a while? 2239 Poplar!
First, let’s go back to February 21, 2006 and see the first showing on Burbed:
Then it showed up on Burbed (8/21) because the price had been hiked. This is what it looked like:
The house then went for some remodelling and looked like this as of October 2, 2006:
Well… after doing some research, it looks like this house can still be yours! Now for a new price of just $399,000!
2239 POPLAR AVE, East Palo Alto, CA – #80781877 – House for sale
2239 POPLAR Avenue East Palo Alto, CA
$399,000
East Palo Alto Area House, SAN MATEO COUNTY County, 94303
$1,793 per month Return to Map
Active
Beds: 2
Baths: 1
SQFT: 1010
Built: 1947
Days: 213
1142155_0
2 More Photos
Agent’s DescriptionOWNER WILL CONSIDER SOME FINANCING!! MAKE US AN OFFER! Delightful one level home ready to move into. Freshly painted and carpeted (Feb. 08). Roof and heater installed within the past 3 years. Double paned windows. Fireplace in living room. One car garage. Great yard. Bath remodeled within past 3 years too. All appliances stay! Great House!”NOT A SHORT SALE!!
A lot has changed these last few years, but one thing stays the same – 2239 Poplar Ave is waiting for you! Buy it today!
February 20th, 2009 at 8:01 am
In the most recent listing, go to the Street View and move one click north on Poplar. Is that a drug deal going on?
February 20th, 2009 at 8:43 am
I guess that explains the bars on the windows! I’d insist on bullet-proof glass too.
February 20th, 2009 at 8:46 am
The price of EPA houses blows me away. (I guess if you live there this statement might literally apply.) For $400k you can get an ok house in an ok part of San Jose (Cambrian, right WGer?) Schools, safety, and general quality of life will be much better in SJ.
So what’s the reason to buy in EPA? Shorter commute is all that comes to mind. The other possibility is that rents may be higher than SJ because it’s bicycle commute distance to service jobs in PA, for those who do not have driver’s licenses.
#1, that’s an interesting pic. But assuming anything is a big leap, it’s likely just two guys talking. One has his hand out but could easily be gesturing. “hey, look at that dork in the Google car”
February 20th, 2009 at 8:50 am
I realized I cited someone’s name in post #3. sorry about that! No intention to offend anyone, least of all our host.
February 20th, 2009 at 9:04 am
Just another day in EPA:
http://www.mercurynews.com/peninsula/ci_11737553
February 20th, 2009 at 9:26 am
Maybe they didn’t look at comps:
http://www.redfin.com/CA/East-Palo-Alto/895-Tea-Ct-94303/home/2100112 ($399k 2010sqft 2006 construction)
http://www.redfin.com/CA/East-Palo-Alto/2222-Poplar-Ave-94303/home/1111972 ($239.9k 970sqft same street, recently remodeled)
EPA is dirt cheap in comparison to Cambrian, and Willow Glen. Sorry but this listing is WAY overpriced for the area. This is not 2004 people, I know you’re not charging 2005/2006 prices since it is not over 500k, but get real, there are way better values in EPA, anyone even considering EPA for whatever reason would just ignore that listing flat out.
February 20th, 2009 at 9:36 am
I like this house already. Wait… I wonder what these people are doing across the street.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=2239+Poplar+Ave+east+palo+alto,+ca&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=36.642161,93.164063&ie=UTF8&ll=37.467688,-122.148185&spn=0.008975,0.022745&z=16&layer=c&cbll=37.46841,-122.149582&panoid=058EwCd_Se43OVNzR-p0yA&cbp=12,111.97978860688347,,0,6.605172103521553
Any thoughts?
February 20th, 2009 at 9:57 am
There used to be a rumor that somehow the blacks were going to be run out of EPA and then they’d re-name it Ravenswood. Dunno how they’d do that, take the Dippity-Doo off the store shelves there? I think the idea was something on the line of gentrification.
But the EPA will always be the EPA; where a gentleman carries a mac-10.
February 20th, 2009 at 10:39 am
EPA rents aren’t all that cheap either. I compared them with Palo Alto/Mountain View in 2006, and they were maybe 10% cheaper. Now maybe the gap is bigger, but nowhere close to the 60% it should be.
February 20th, 2009 at 10:39 am
LOL. That google street pic is hysterical. Definitely looks like somebody is about to close a deal, although I’m sure he was just asking his buddy for some gum…
February 20th, 2009 at 10:41 am
Banks nationalization, increased state taxes, government bail-outs. Sounds like the consensus is that we need a period of socialism to survive this financial tsunami.
February 20th, 2009 at 11:13 am
RE #11
There is no consensus. The politicians are doing this to hang onto power, since the real solution would mean less power in their hands. Thousands of real economists see this folly, but they have no power to stop it.
I grew up in a socialist country. There is nothing more damaging to the economy and the intelligence and well being of people. Once you create a society dependent on government, everyone lives in abject poverty due to very low productivity, since why should you work if you can get stuff for free from the government?
February 20th, 2009 at 11:39 am
#12,
Right now, we have the banks depending on the government to surive; we have the auto industry depending on the goverment to survive; we have millions of home owners depending on the government to avoid foreclosure. Meanwhile, the people who are not seeking help are paying for all the people who need help, whether we like it or not. If you cut through the crap, what we have is socialism at work.
February 20th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
#13
No one is arguing that corporate socialism isn’t happening, but there is significant disagreement over whether it’s the right thing to do, and for good reason: it’s stupid. We’re trying to prop up a system that’s so accustomed to funny money, it can’t live without it.
The digital TV conversion fiasco is a good parallel. People were supposed to switch over to the new system three years ago, but then it was delayed to allow people more time. Three years later, 6.5 million people are still analog only. So we delayed it another three months, and I guarantee it, those people are still just going to wait it out. If some channels go out, they’ll just watch the ones that had the resources to keep the analog signal going another few months. And then, eventually, their TV will go dark on them.
That moment of darkness will come for the financial institutions, the automakers, the commercial real estate holders, and the Chinese factories that depend on our overconsumption. If we delay it, then all we’ve done is waste a fuckton of money on a failed cause. These companies are so drunk on money for nothing that they can’t survive without it. There is no way out for them.
February 20th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
then all we’ve done is waste a fuckton of money on a failed cause
100 – ton
101 – decaton
103 – kiloton
106 – megaton
109 – gigaton
1010 – fuckton
btw, there are approximately 454 notes in a pound of money, or 908,000 in a ton. in case #14 meant “fucktonne” there are 1000 bills in a kg, hence 1 million in a tonne (or metric tonne). see how much easier the metric system is?
February 20th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
#15
So if one fuckton of bills is the weight of the money we’ve paid to bail out corporate America, which bill is it? $5? $20? $100?
February 20th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
>>That moment of darkness will come for the financial institutions, the automakers, the commercial real estate holders, and the Chinese factories that depend on our overconsumption.
That’s one way to look at it. On the other hand, if the government doesn’t cushion the blow, fatalities will result right away, and none of these entities will have a chance at recovery. These are hard choices, between a rock and a hard place.
February 20th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
>> That’s one way to look at it. On the other hand, if the government doesn’t cushion the blow, fatalities will result right away, and none of these entities will have a chance at recovery. These are hard choices, between a rock and a hard place.
Maybe some companies can be spared the axe thanks to the temporary help. And at least now, we seem to be basing at least some of our decisions on whether the companies have a feasible recovery plan for themselves. But it’s too little, too late. Too much money has already been spent recklessly by Bush’s crack team on untenable propositions, money which is only ours to spend because of reliance on a tax base which is dwindling severely. The “April surprise” is going to be more of a bite in the ass from a cobra.
February 20th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
#16, that is the question, but I noticed the $1 wasn’t even an option.
btw, the number trailing the 10 is supposed to be its power. the superscript html tag failed even though it works in preview mode.
February 20th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
That’s one way to look at it. On the other hand, if the government doesn’t cushion the blow, fatalities will result right away, and none of these entities will have a chance at recovery. These are hard choices, between a rock and a hard place.
Companies that made bad, risky business decisions should be allowed to fail! Lots of other companies did not make these risky decisions, and even though they are feeling the economic pain, they will survive without help. These responsible companies would over time buy the assets and customers of the failing ones. This is how markets reward success and punish failure. What our bailouts are doing are giving the failed companies bonuses for their stupidity and hurting the responsible companies, since how are they to compete with companies that get free money?
It’s all BS. The bailouts will only hurt long term, and hurt bad. This is political posturing at its finest. The bozos in power only care about their rich campaign donor friends (aka, the guys getting the bailouts).
February 20th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Gotta watch this video:
White house lashes out at CNBC’s Rick Santelli
February 20th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
and here’s the original Rick Santelli video:
http://www.cnbc.com/id/29283701
February 20th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
Ruh Roh, Shaggy. VC investment overseas rise while US and valley investment declines. The money quote:
Ten years after following the money brought me to Silicon Valley, increasingly following the smart money is taking me halfway around the world.
Techcrunch: Why the Smart VCs Are Boarding Their Jets
February 20th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
#22. Loved the video. My neighbour gets his McMansion bailed out, and all I get is this lousy $400! I know there are people on this board who believe that the Government stimulus may work, but honestly, it’s pathetic is obvious.
#23. RBA is too expensive for startups.
February 20th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
#23. RBA is too expensive for startups.
but all the smart people are here – you can’t have a successful startup without smart people…
/sarcasm
February 20th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
Just checking out the videos and noticed this related opinion piece:
http://www.cnbc.com/id/29299084
On the other side of the equation, if these homeowners don’t get assistance a big chunk of their wealth is going to vanish.
Doesn’t this guy realize a chunk of their wealth will vanish regardless? Okay, so maybe the amount is 20% less with a bailout but so what?
At least he finishes by making it clear he only objects to the “fairness” argument, rather than being a cheerleader for the bailout itself.
February 20th, 2009 at 6:33 pm
#2 — the bars on the windows are to keep the FB in, not the neighbors out.
#8 — I believe EPA is now majority Hispanic rather than African-American. Look at the storefronts.
#15 — Excellent!
February 20th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Yes, EPA went from majority black to almost 90% Hispanic in the space of a couple of decades. Most of the black population seemingly moved out to Pittsburg/Antioch.
February 22nd, 2009 at 12:30 am
Look at this quick flip:
http://www.redfin.com/CA/San-Jose/2718-Aida-Ave-95122/home/965315
Sold 2/9/2009 for $210K
Listed for sale at $268K on 2/21/2009