NEW TUSCAN VILLA WITH BAY VIEWS FOR LEASE
601 Bonnie Dr., El Cerrito, CA
New Tuscan style villa overlooking the Golden Gate and San Francisco Bay
4BR/4BA Single Family House

offered at $1,596,880
Year Built 2007
Sq Footage 3,860
Bedrooms 4
Bathrooms 4 full, 0 partial
Floors 2
Parking 2 Car garage
Lot Size 5,500 sqft
HOA/Maint $0 per month

DESCRIPTION
Overlooking the Golden Gate and San Francisco Bay, this new, Mediterranean masterpiece was build without compromise, reflecting only the best melding design and décor to excite the senses. Featuring magnificent living and dining areas with exquisite detailing, sky-high ceilings, tiled terraces, the finest quality materials & craftsmanship and every luxury amenity one would expect in a world class residence. Almost 3900 sqft. with four plus bedrooms four full bath this residence is offered to those who appreciate the very Best!

Normally Burbed doesn’t feature much in the East Bay, as this is a blog that focuses on the Real Bay Area. In fact, I had to double check on a map where El Cerrito is. But nonetheless, what Burbed reader Aaron had to say caught my attention:

Hi Burbed,

Thanks so much for what you do.

I am an East Bay renter looking to buy when sanity returns. I always peruse the rentals and for sale listings in Albany/El Cerrito, to see if I can do better than what I rent now.

Found this gem today in a nice part of El Cerrito:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/apa/736177961.html

Rent: $4200/month. Sale Price: $1.6m. Isn’t that awesome? Recently reduced from $1.8m!

It gets better - the comments on zillow indicate friction between these folks who built up this house and the 2 lots adjacent and their neighbors, and some suggestions of shoddy construction. Also has some of the sales history, etc.

http://www.zillow.com/HomeQnA.htm?zpid=68032792

I can’t afford $4200/month in rent, but if I could, this a steal - you can live in this place (which does seem awfully nice, and I love the neighborhood) for like 1/4 of what it costs to own it. Maybe more. Figure $1800/month in property taxes alone! Then insure this puppy!

-Aaron

Well Aaron, there are some downsides to renting this - among other things, you wouldn’t be able to modify it, or paint the walls, or even water the lawn. Where is the pride of homeownership?

Frankly, I can’t make too many snarky remarks about this because I don’t know diddly about El Cerrito. Can someone fill me in on what’s there? What the scoop is? Should it be a candidate for the Real Bay Area?

Help me out! (And thanks Aaron!)

2995 Waverley St, Palo Alto 94306 (Midtown)
$1,500,000

* Status: Active
* Bedroom: 1
* Bathroom: 1
* Year Built: 1949
* Lot Size: 11610
* Square Footage: 861
* List Date: 4/9/2008
* Garage Spaces: 1
* MLS#: 800730
ADDRESS ON HOUSE IS 2993. Rare opportunity in “Midtown” area of PA Located on one of Palo Alto’s most desirable streets, this home built in 1949 offers great potential. Lot size 11,610 per county records. Buyer to confirm with the City of Palo Alto regarding any remodeling and/or building possibilies. OPEN SUNDAY Probate sales & subject to overbid.

I thought I’d wrap up the week with a reminder of what it means to live in the Real Bay Area. At $1742 per square foot, this house actually gives many apartments in Manhattan a run for the money (SWEET!).

But the real reason I chose this house is because frankly I appreciate the open candor of the listing. You see, I’m a fairly straightforwards kind of guy - I believe in cutting the b.s. and getting straight down to business. And that’s why I love this listing: “subject to overbid.”

This house only wants real (tech) men (and women) to play The Game. It doesn’t want any of you poseurs or wannabe’s. It’s saying “I’m a Palo Alto house, and you my bitch.” $1.5 mil is going to cut it for this sweet piece of Midtown lovin’. Get read to man up, and spend $2 mil ‘cuz this is going into OVERBID baby! OVERBID!

Thanks to Burbed commenter “Renter” for finding this. The fact that this house sold at 29.5% over asking restores my faith in humanity… and my faith in that there is a Real Bay Area.

Palo Alto - seriously, if you’re not getting an option arm to get in right now, I don’t know what you’re doing.

Burbed reader E.V. spotted this:

Huge 6bed/5 1/2 bath Executive Home in EAGLE RIDGE COUNTRY CLUB
$3975 / 6br - Huge 6bed/5 1/2 bath Executive Home in EAGLE RIDGE COUNTRY CLUB (gilroy)
Reply to: hous-370156683@craigslist.org
Date: 2007-07-09, 2:28PM PDT

THIS HOME HAS IT ALL…Only 6 years old, it is loaded with two balconies, one that looks over a Pond on the 5th. tee.

Professional Kitchen with cherry wood cabinets throughout, Viking 6 burner stove, Sub-Zero refridgerator, with no home on the back or side yard.

Brand new swimming pool, tennis courts, elementry school, 8 1/2″ crown moulding and wainscoteing everyware.

Hardwood floors granite kitchen and each bedroom has its own private bathroom.

Beautiful views of every room in the home.

This home would sell for $1,500,000 but we have decided to keep it for the young children when they become adults. AVAILABLE AUGUST 1st.

Call for a private showing at 408/210-7740 and ask for Pierce.

2420 muirfield way, gilroy, ca 95020 at club drive at santa thersa ave google map yahoo map

Like E.V. I thought the comment about keeping the house for the young children around kind of amusing. This is one heck of a generous gift!

Assuming you put 20% down, an Interest Only ARM would still be $5,000 a month. A 30 year fixed? $7,388 a month.

It seems to me that there are other investments that may have better returns, but that’s just me.

Oh, BTW, E.V. also found that a business seems to be based out of this house:

Business Name: First Choice Funding Mortgage
Company Type: Mortgage Brokers
Street Address: 2420 Muirfield Way
City: Gilroy
State: California
Zip: 95020
Contact Email:
Phone: (408) 987-2286

What does this all mean? I don’t know.

MLSlistings Property Detail for MLS number 701796
746 MOUNTAIN VIEW AV
Mountain View, CA 94041
$1,589,888

Open House Showing
Sunday, February 11, 2007 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Minutes to Downtown Mt. View & Google Corp.
Large landscaped lot, spacious rooms, hickory floors, stainless appliances. Granite & marble,cathedral ceilings, cat 5 wiring,…

This Single Family Residence has the following features:
MLS#: 701796 Approx Age: New Approx Sq Ft: 2800
Detached Single Family 2 Stories Contemporary
4 Bedrooms 2 or More Master Suites 3&1/2 Bathrooms

Remember: Houses are for Google employees. If you’re not a Google employee, please move to Gilroy and get a condo there. Got it?

Burbed Reader Nick had this fantastic find recently at 1098 W El Camino Real in Mountain View:

Ok… so what’s across the street:

Here’s what Nick had to say:

I thought you might be amused by this house that I pass every day on the way to work. For only $1.8M you can be the proud owner of this very ordinary-looking single-family home at 1098 W El Camino Real in Mountain View. That’s right, it’s directly on the busiest road in the area so you get to listen to traffic and sirens all day and night. But to make up for that minor annoyance, it is very conviently located and close to shopping: you’ve got an “adult” video store directly across the street. (Sorry about the crappy camera phone pictures.) That sign in the video store window says “Help Wanted”, so it should be easy for the buyer to get a part-time job to help pay the mortgage.

http://listings.metrodt.com/agents/r/richards-david/mountainview/

What do you think? Could this be the perfect starter home for my wife and I to raise a family?

Well Nick, I’m not familiar with your family - but perhaps if you and your wife are open minded, this might be a great property for you! Your kids could set up a basketball hoop on El Camino, and when they get older, they can get a job across the street to help you pay your mortgage. Even if you and your wife are prudes, they could work at what appears to be a car repair store next door.

Great find!

BTW, did you remember to buy your wife a Valentine’s Day present? Because if not, I know a place you could go to on El Camino Real…