Today we have a short but sweet guest post from z2amiller!  It’s another luscious listing in the location, location, location land of Mountain View, but this time z left the confines of the immediate neighborhood and found us something even better.

Unfortunately it was sent over the transom as a PowerPoint slide deck.  Given how close this house is to a thriving commercial district, you should be jumping on it as a Web 3.0 opportunity.

Please give z2amiller a big, warm and profitable Real Bay Area welcome as today’s Guest Blogger!

911 BORANDA Ave Unit A, Mountain View, CA 94040
$594,500

BEDS: 2
BATHS: 1
SQ. FT.: 523
$/SQ. FT.: $1,137
LOT SIZE: 3,160 Sq. Ft.
PROPERTY TYPE: Detached Single Family
STYLE: Cottage/Bungalow
STORIES: 1
VIEW: Neighborhood
YEAR BUILT: 1900
COMMUNITY: Miramonte
COUNTY: Santa Clara
MLS#: 81144771
SOURCE: MLSListings
STATUS: Active
ON REDFIN: 39 days

Cute cottage style bungalow with nice size backyard. .. tiki hut with tropical look and feel. .. perfect for entertaining. Property is walking distance to downtown Mountain View. Gorgeous kitchen, with cherry wood cabinets, newer stainless steel appliances, granite counter tops, and beautiful hardwood floors.

This one made me WTFOL (WTF out loud): @ ~600K

• 523 sqft (Not counting the tiki hut! Tiki hut?)
• 523 sqft house with a $100K kitchen (stainless steel, granite, cherry cabinets)
• Bedroom Desk (picture 7, with laptop) is a Costco steel wire rack – with 523sqft you have to think vertically!

• Okay actually the tiki hut is kind of awesome (photos 11-14)

• Only a short block away, and more importantly, downwind from Clark’s Hamburgers – your tiki hut will always smell like fresh hamburgers!
• Appears to be in the backyard of a strip mall with a tattoo parlor (Revolution Ink)
• Look at the shape of that lot!   Maybe 3100 sqft but at it looks like about 1/3 – 1/4 of that is useless.

Sorry no time for a full write up, only bullet-point snark

If you want a property DEAL, you have come to the right place!  Contra Costa has two different kinds of value to offer.  First, there’s classic urban decay in Richmond, with poorly maintained homes and the threat of property damage.  But CCC sweetens the DEALS with exurban abandonment from Antioch to Discovery Bay!  Plus there’s an interesting demographic shift of lower-income inner city residents to the far-flung exurbs, and watch hijinks ensue!

There were 236 listings available for under $100,000 in CCC, so you’re sure to find something suitable at a price you can afford.  Maybe think Costco and buy several at once. 

Today’s house is less than half the price of yesterday’s DEAL, yet it is completely intact and there’s not a word about fire damage.  CHECK IT OUT!

8 W BISSELL Ave #201, Richmond, CA 94801
$30,000

BEDS: 1
BATHS: 1
SQ. FT.: 554
$/SQ. FT.: $54
LOT SIZE: –
TYPE: Patio Home/Villa
STYLE: Other
STORIES: 1
YEAR BUILT: 1942
COMMUNITY: Atchison Village
COUNTY: Contra Costa
MLS#: 40524154
SOURCE: EBRD
STATUS: Active
ON REDFIN: 200 days

Own a piece of History! Cozy 1 level end unit in Atchison Village Co-Op. Light and bright, freshly painted, refinished wood floors, new windows, updated kitchen and bath, fenced backyard. Very convenient commute location & a price you can’t beat.

This “end unit” came up in a Redfin search for “houses,”  with townhouses and condos excluded.  Patio Villa looks like a fancy way to say condo, complete with $265 a month HOA.  But since this is a 450 unit co-op, it’s 100% owner-occupied. 

It does indeed have an interesting history, built as housing for defense workers during World War II, and still home to some of them, or their descendants.  Also, since the entire parcel is owned by the co-op, you get low, low, low Prop 13 valuation no matter how many times an individual unit changes ownership!  That’s because you don’t own the land, the co-op does.

You won’t be able to get a conventional mortgage to buy here, so either scrape up the cash or find yourself a co-signer willing to put collateral on the line. Where else are you going to buy your own place for $30,000 right on the Bay? Well, 13 feet above the Bay.

Also, it’s located within the happening Iron Triangle area of Richmond. But not too happening, as the Streetview picture shows: you have gates to keep the 99% out! Or maybe since we’re talking about a $30,000 property, you can keep the 1% out!

Today’s house is a Guest Post by Burbed Reader AstroWallaby!  You know how good things come in small packages?  Well today’s featured listing is only 714 square feet, so it has to be fan-fracking-tastic!  Plus a location, location, location to love, love, love!

Please give AstroWallaby a big, warm, sunny, Real Bay Area welcome as today’s Guest Blogger!

537 JACKSON St, San Jose, CA 95112
$518,000

BEDS: 2
BATHS: 1
SQ. FT.: 725
$/SQ. FT.: $714
LOT SIZE: 5,617 Sq. Ft.
PROPERTY TYPE: Detached Single Family
STORIES: 1
VIEW: Neighborhood
YEAR BUILT: 1955
COMMUNITY: Central San Jose
COUNTY: Santa Clara
MLS#: 81129934
SOURCE: MLSListings
STATUS: Active
ON REDFIN: 144 days

R2 Zone. Main house with private 1500sqft warehouse/workshop. Warehouse/workshop built without permit. Tenant occupied. BIG REDUCTION. SELLER MOTIVATED

Tipping the scales at $714 per (permitted) foot this 725 square bantamweight contender for your investment dollar punches way above its weight class, as it includes a non-permitted twice-the-size-of-the-house attached warehouse!

And you’ll need it, if for no other reason than to store the grossly distended pride of ownership that comes along with buying what has to be the *shortest* house of in the neighborhood.

And with that R2 zoning you’ll be able to share that pride with the tenant that conveniently comes with the property, assuming you can convince the city to let you call whatever space is left over in your permit-impaired palace a second unit.

Listed in July for $590k, now’s your chance to steal it following a "BIG REDUCTION" to $518k. I have no idea why suddenly its "SELLER" is so "MOTIVATED" but don’t miss out on your chance to grab an extra $72k of instant equity. After all, Zillow thinks it might be worth up to $749,840!

(Ignore all the recent comps and those small-minded fools at eppraisal.com, this house is totally worth the extra $200k+. Owning your own illegal warehouse is a privilege reserved for those willing to pay for it.)

DEALS DEALS DEALS, we’re going to keep them coming all this week and next! 

Today, the absolutely least expensive house for sale anywhere in Santa Cruz County!  Santa Cruz isn’t that far from Google, provided you enjoy sitting in traffic on beautiful State Highway 17, or even better, Highway 9!  Or maybe you found employment in Santa Cruz County as well.  I hear those UC cops are making six figures if you enjoy baton twirling and pepper spraying.

Yesterday’s Alameda County special was quite a hot deal!  How low we can go in Banana Slugville?

320 FIRESIDE Rd, San Lorenzo Valley, CA 95006
$79,900

BEDS: 2
BATHS: 1
SQ. FT.: 1,000
$/SQ. FT.: $80
LOT SIZE: 3,484 Sq. Ft.
PROPERTY TYPE: Detached Single Family
STYLE: Cabin
STORIES: 2
VIEW: Mountains
YEAR BUILT: 1929
COMMUNITY: Boulder Creek
COUNTY: Santa Cruz
MLS#: 81134712
SOURCE: MLSListings
STATUS: Active
ON REDFIN: 111 days

LOADS OF POTENTIAL FOR THE HANDY PERSON! AMPLE SIZED HOME WITH LARGE SIZED LIVING ROOM, KITCHEN, BATHROOM AND 3 ROOMS USED AS BEDROOMS(2 no closets) UPSTAIRS. DOWNSTAIRS HAS TWO BONUS ROOMS AND INTERIOR LAUNDRY WITH LARGE DECK OFF THE BACK OF THE HOME. LOCATED IN A FORESTED REDWOOD SETTING WITH END OF THE ROAD PRIVACY. CLOSE TO THE CUTE LITTLE TOWN OF BOULDER CREEK. AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY!

This place has potential all right.  It’s in the mountains, which means you if you push it hard enough, it will realize its potential right away.  Definitely an END OF THE ROAD OPPORTUNITY.

And in view of yesterday’s DEAL, I’m wondering if the street name is telling us how to maximize that POTENTIAL.  Buy lots of insurance first!

Just because we’re looking at the best possible DEALS doesn’t mean we can’t look at homes all over the price map.  For example, when you hear about places with asking prices over a million and a half, you’re thinking they’ve got to be in the Real Bay Area.  But here on Burbed, we know that $1.5 million dollar homes can be found anywhere, because that’s what it means to have a Free Market!  You are Free to ask any price you choose for your house, and everyone else is Free to tell you what they think of your brilliant idea.

Thanks very much to Burbed reader Tracy for this find in the beautiful Berryessa bivouac.

15292 CAMELOT Dr, San Jose, CA 95132
$1,588,800

BEDS: 5
BATHS: 5.5
SQ. FT.: 4,787
$/SQ. FT.: $332
LOT SIZE: 1.21 Acres
PROPERTY TYPE: Detached Single Family
STORIES: 2
YEAR BUILT: 1994
COMMUNITY: Berryessa
COUNTY: Santa Clara
MLS#: 81147474
SOURCE: MLSListings
STATUS: Active
ON REDFIN: 13 days

BEAUTIFUL ESTATE IN BEST LOCATION IN NORTH SAN JOSE BERRYESSA HILLS * HOME HAS A LARGE LOT OVER 1.25 ACRES – FULLY LANDSCAPE WITH FULL SIZE TENNIS COURT HOLLYWOOD CIRCULAR DRIVEWAY * PRIVATE GATE * HOME PACKED WITH BEAUTIFUL FEATURES FROM HARDWOOD FLOOR * ROMAN COLUMNS * MARBLE * LUXURIOUS BATHROOMS * CROWN MOLDING IMPRESSIVE STAIRCASE AND MUCH MORE

This house may not have a LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION in one of the Five Hundred Most Expensive Zip Codes, but it has something even better.  Dat’s right!  Mawbul Kawlums!

Too bad this house is on Camelot Drive.  With all these columns it really ought to be on Great Caesar’s Ghost Circle, or perhaps Cassius Clay Court.  Or maybe Camelot drive symbolizes the power of wishing prices.  But then you have to worry about Mordred plotting against you behind the FULL SIZE TENNIS COURT HOLLYWOOD CIRCULAR DRIVEWAY.

And if you are wondering about the agent’s interesting approach toward the English language, Tracy sent me the listing copy from when the home was on the market before.  (And it’s been listed three other times.  According to Zillow the previous listing was for $1,788,950.)

Welcome to this elegant custom-built mansion. The immense formal entry will open to a colossal foyer which embraces any large social gatherings. A Sierra Heights Estate with balconies that overlook the spectacular city light, mountain, and valley views. Many Elegant Upgrades throughout the floor plan reveals the premium value of this home. 4-CAR Garage and many GUESS PARKING SPACES.

I don’t know, how many parking spaces would that be?  Lucky eight?

BLACK FRIDAY DEALS continue all this week!  This is the time to find the lowest-prices throughout the Bay Area!  Plus we’ll continue to bring you all the regular Burbed features you expect.

Today, the cheapest house in all of Alameda County!  Woot!  And when we run out of Bay Area Counties, don’t worry, there are plenty of Special Cities to find more DEALS for you.  Feel free to place your requests!

So, Alameda County, where would your absolute rock-bottom cheapest house for sale be?  You have so many excellent contenders for the role, it’s hard to pick just one city!  When I searched for properties under $100K countywide, I got more than 200 results.  Heck, even under $50K I still have to sort ten different houses!  How low can we go?  $40,000?  $30,000?

6024 FORTUNE Way, Oakland, CA 94605
$14,000

BEDS: 1
BATHS: 1
SQ. FT.: 700
$/SQ. FT.: $20
LOT SIZE: 1,800 Sq. Ft.
TYPE: Detached
STORIES: Other
YEAR BUILT: 1923
COMMUNITY: Oakland
COUNTY: Alameda
MLS#: 40549840
SOURCE: EBRD
STATUS: Pending
ON REDFIN: 25 days

Partially burned property. PRICED TO SELL! Great investment opportunity. Make your offer today!

Yes, this one is pending, but the state of this house combined with the street name make it a winner.  And remember, if it’s partially burned, that means it’s partially burn-free!

Great news: the fireplace looks like it’s still standing.

Poor Mr. Zip.  The United States Postal Service put him out to pasture in 1986, when they introduced the ZIP+4 postal codes.  But he was a familiar sight in the 1960s, urging everyone to include the new ZIP (Zone Improvement Plan) postal codes when sending mail.

Mr. Zip might not be around to nag you on addressing envelopes, because he’s in retirement.  Mr. Z writes to say he hopes this series will go on forever, because he can’t play Name That Code all the time.

Today we bring you yet another installment of all the Northern California cities on Forbes’ Most Expensive Zip Code list.  It features data crunched by local favorite Altos Research (and mangled by Forbes; you’d think after I’ve linked to them four different times and noted in each article that their data has a systematic error in every single entry, maybe somebody there would fix it, but NOOOOOOOO).  Anyway, here’s what you may have missed while writing code or hanging out on a sunny sidewalk waiting to collect a faceful of pepper spray.

Previous Entries in the Most Expensive Zip Code Series:

• Top 50 Most Expensive Zip Codes, RBA Edition
• Next 50 Most Expensive Zip Codes, Almost-RBA Edition
• Third Tier Realty: Zips 101-200 or I have a feeling we’re not in the RBA Anymore
• Fourth Tier Cul de Sac: Submillion in Suburbia

Now, we’ll take the Fifth!  Fifth Tier, that is; the Top Half of the Bottom 200!

Let’s see which cities can still scrape together a property median wishing price just under $850K.  Remember, we correct the mistakes as we find them, and we added the comparison to last year’s list.  That’s the kind of original work you’ll only find done by obsessive-compulsive bloggers who think zip codes are fascinating.  Well, Mr. Zip certainly agrees!

#304: San Mateo 94402

• Median Home Price: $849,292
• Median Price Change: NA
• Average Days On Market: 200 114
• Inventory: 114 81
• Rank in 2010: 236 (-68 spots ⇓)
• Most Expensive Home: $13 Million

Now I am beginning to think that the people at Forbes were just making stuff up for that “Most Expensive Home” field.  $13 million.  In San Mateo.  The most expensive place I could find sold for $3.3 mil in June, including the gated entryway.  It’s just like what you get in mid-level condoplexes, including calling itself an ESTATE (complete with the CAPITAL LETTERS).

Ah, but that living room does look spacious enough to hold a very small charity ball.  More goodness from Mr. Zip after the break!

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It’s Thanksgiving Weekend, and we’re scouring the MLS, looking for the best DEALS out there.  You can even find DEALS in hard-to-buy-in San Francisco.  How about a HOUSE for the same price as the cheapest house in San Mateo County?

Can do!  Just remember that we’re in San Francisco, so their definition of “house” is a little different than what we’re used in the ‘burbs.

1881 Oakdale Ave, San Francisco, CA 94124
$99,000

BEDS: 0
BATHS: 1
SQ. FT.: 1,090
$/SQ. FT.: $91
LOT SIZE: -
PROPERTY TYPE: Single-Family Home
STYLE: Victorian
YEAR BUILT: 1900
COMMUNITY: Bayview
COUNTY: San Francisco
MLS#: 387365
SOURCE: San Francisco MLS
STATUS: Contingent
REDFIN: 131 days

Probate Sale with limited authority requiring court confirmation. The subject property is in major disrepair and listing agent has been told that access can’t be provided, and that it may not be safe to enter the property. (no showings) There may be roof damage and fire damage, etc. It is highly possible that the highest and best use is as a tear down for lot value. Ratified @ $95,000 w/ No Contingencies, All Cash, 10 day close, buyer to pay transfer tax, title, escrow, and buyer to take responsibility for all point of sale compliances, As Is. Court Date for Overbid Feb 6th, 9am @ 400 McAllister SF. Must have Cashier’s Check at court. Disclosure package available and overbids will be on same terms, no contigencies!

The listing says “no contigencies,” yet the status is Contingent.  Maybe this house was a Zen Buddhist retreat and you’ll have to listen to the sound of one hand clapping.  Or the sound of one “n” present.

So what does Contingent Status mean in a listing?

This means the sellers have accepted on an offer on the property, but success may still depend on passing a home inspection or the buyer’s financing approval. It may still be possible to tour these properties and submit a backup offer in case the current one falls through.

Given the condition of that staircase, just about anything could fall through.  You just can never tell.

Lot value only?  Note the lot size above; nothing could be bigger. The public records say the lot size is a whopping 1642 square feet.  Plenty of room to build a rental apartment in the back!

There are several real estate search sites out there that let you peruse homes on the Multiple Listing Service.  Regular Burbed readers may have have noted we’re partial to Redfin.  Zillow gets noticed for their ZEstimate, an automated model that attempts to value most homes in the United States.  Some of our fans like Trulia, as I get the occasional submission pointing to their site.

I just took another look at Sawbuck when I put a recent feature together.  Sawbuck is a Washington DC-based site that partners with local agents in several regions, including the Bay Area.   Until I found their listing information last week, I figured Sawbuck links were just nuisances. Google searches for property addresses pointed to Sawbuck’s very silly videos that were animated frames for MLS photos and information. 

But this time they had a very detailed page on the house I was checking out.  The videos were gone, even when Google pointed to embedded players.  They also had something I haven’t seen on any of the other sites before.

Their pages for each city have a Market Overview, showing how many homes are for sale, the median list and sales price, ho-hum, seen it.  But I hadn’t seen a Market Health Score on a city’s real estate activity before, at least not on a site that links to individual home listings.  Altos Research does something like that called the Market Action Index (MAI), but they’re in the Useless Aggregate Data business.

So how is the market doing in the Real Bay Area?  Let’s have Sawbuck and Altos fight it out, after the break!

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It may be the weekend but the DEALS will continue, along with all the regular Burbed features you know and loathe!

Today’s DEAL is the absolutely cheapest house we could find in all of San Mateo County!  It’s also been featured on Burbed before, when it was (hold onto your Thanksgiving leftovers) the cheapest house we could find in all of San Mateo County!  Only back in June the cheapest house in all of San Mateo County would have cost you $142,000.

Since then, there’s been a little bit of a price reduction.  Now how much would you pay?

87 REDWOOD Dr, Loma Mar, CA 94021
$99,900

BEDS: 1
BATHS: 1
SQ. FT.: 740
$/SQ. FT.: $135
LOT SIZE: 0.39 Acres
PROPERTY TYPE: Detached Single Family
STYLE: Cabin
STORIES: 2
VIEW: Neighborhood
YEAR BUILT: 1950
COMMUNITY: Loma Mar
COUNTY: San Mateo
MLS#: 81114783
SOURCE: MLSListings
STATUS: Pending Without Release
ON REDFIN: 234 days

Price reduced for quick sale!! Please take a look again. Cozy Cabin in the hill, adjacent to the Memorial State Park, within walking distant to the local stores in Lomar Mar, and short drive to downtown Pescadero and the Ocean. Home is dated which can be updated and upgraded to your desire. Property is perfect for a weekend getaway cabin or for rental purposes.

Property is perfect, perfect I tell you.  And the price is reduced.  The next-cheapest house in the entire County will cost $40,000 more than this one.  Please take a look again.

I’ve seen houses for five times the cost of this one with completely gutted kitchens.  This property features a fridge, a sink, and a range.  At least three windows are still glazed.  BUY!