Serious defects include well contamination
We’ve been spending too much time in Santa Clara County, which means we’re forgetting about the other eight counties in the Bay Area. So let’s head north for today’s front-page feature. Thanks very much to Burbed reader Tom Paine for this deep subject.
4291 Gravenstein Highway S
Sebastopol, CA 95472Listed for $535,800 on 2/1/12
Several price cuts, to $315K on 10/19
Sold for $310,000 on 11/8/12BANK OWNED
1 Story Detached
3 bedrooms
2 bathrooms
2,535 sq ft
3.45 acres
13 years old
15 Photos
Style: Ranch
Lot Size: 3.45 ac
Mortgage Payment: $1,114/mo
Taxes –
Year Built: 1999
Subdivision: Sebastopol
Stories: 1
MLS #21202510
WalkScore™:18Nice piece of property on 3.4 acres. Cash only buyers. No financing. Serious defects include well contamination, rotted foundation and extensive wood rot.
Here’s why Tom thought this nowhere-near-the-Real Bay Area estate deserved to be all tarted up on Burbed:
Think of enjoying the beautiful views in the morning, sipping that cup of extra flavorful coffee and smelling the sweet scent of rot. And you get that special REO deed that doesn’t guarantee title as a bonus!
Can’t imagine why this didn’t sell faster. Nothing is more authentically Marin than extensive wood rot. But you get all this prestige at a Sonoma County price (complete with a Sonoma County address)!
This is also one of those listings we had to play Where’s Waldo with, because it didn’t show up on Redfin or several others. Plus it had different listing copy with fewer but blurrier photos on Zillow:
4291 Gravenstein Hwy S
Sebastopol, CA 95472
Not for SaleZestimate $392,863
Rent Zestimate $2,458/mo
Est. Mortgage $1,371/moBeds: 3
Baths: 2
Sqft: 2,535
Lot: 150,282 sq ft / 3.45 acres
Type: Single Family
Year built: 1999
Fireplace: Yes
County: Sonoma
Legal description: MAP D5 151
Parcel #: 062240030
Per floor sqft: 2,535
Total rooms: 7
# Stories: 1.0
Unit cnt: 1
Zillow Home ID: 15806148Excellent country estate on over 3.4 acres. Home features tile entry, large living area with fireplace & fish tank, granite counter tops & island in kitchen, oversized master bedroom w/sitting area. Outside kitchen with built-in BBQ. Fantastic views of pastures, hills and seasonal creek. Pre qual with BOFA required on all offers. Cash buyers are subject to Deed restriction.
Bunus: Check out the listing history!
November 15th, 2012 at 8:00 am
built in 1999 – how could it have serious foundation rot & wood rot so fast? did they put a pool in the basement, where there was no actual basement?
November 15th, 2012 at 8:22 am
9/9/2005 Sold $850k?
Contaminated well on Gravenstein Highway? Bad horror film with liquid Drano to the rescue?
Just remember: You don’t want to be a ‘rentard,’ and real estate can only go up, uP, UP!
Fortunately no one lost a lot of money on this place. It looks like the lender and ‘owner’ each lost ~$300k = no big deal for either one.
November 15th, 2012 at 11:05 am
“Budweiser you’ve creeeeaaaaated a monster! And they call him DRINKEN, ER, GRAVENSTEIN!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDAQEwDiaKs
November 15th, 2012 at 6:22 pm
MabelDu, build a crappy enough home and it will fall apart real quick with bad or no maintenance.And it’s foundation problems might be due to land movement, that’s a seismically active area. A contaminated well may be a big deal if there are pesticides in the aquifer ( or arsenic, like there is along parts of High School Rd in Sebastopol)or it may only require a new well.
November 16th, 2012 at 5:05 am
[...] wasting everyone’s time far far away from the RBA yesterday, the least we can do is finish strong for the week. And what could be stronger than a house full [...]