2360 HARVARD St Palo Alto, CA 94306
Price: $999,000

Beds:     2
Baths:     1
Sq. Ft.:     1,091
$/Sq. Ft.:     $916
Lot Size:     3,680 Sq. Ft.
Age (Years):    59
Year Built:    1949
Type:    Detached Single Family
Style:    Cottage/Bungalow
Stories:    1 Story
View(s):    Neighborhood
Neighborhood:    College
County:     Santa Clara

quaint cottage in desirable college terrace. features: family room/refinished hardwood floors/eat-in country kitchen/living room with fireplace/fenced yard with many trees, flowers & bushes. close to all the amenities of the stanford area. vacant & staged. come fall in love and enjoy the lifestyle. FR additional 200 sq. ft.

FR additional 200 sqft? Huh?

In any case, thanks to Burbed reader Herve for this find.

Wow. I can’t believe. A short sale in Palo Alto. OMG.

Even the king of the Real Bay Area - impacted finally.

Anyone know the scoop behind this?

I’m betting that this was a simple misunderstanding. Here’s my guess: the current owner went on a sojurn to discover his true self, racing across continents in a hot air balloon. When low and behold disaster struck and he was forced to land in Somalia. Once there, he was so distracted in helping the impoverished people with his skills honed at Facebook and Google, or fighting the pirates with his skills honed at Apple, he simply forgot to pay his mortgage.

It happens all the time.

Phew, glad to clear this up.

Bay Area home sales sluggish, prices continue to slip [Burbed.com]
steve Says:
September 22nd, 2008 at 7:55 am

some pricing news from the field: 2250 amherst in palo alto, mentioned here in the comments of a previous thread. 2377 sq ft and a very odd layout - one very large bedroom, one small one and one too small even for a daybed or a closet. 2 levels with a basement workshop and a garage. funky, interesting, but bad for families unless you sink $250K in it to fix the floor plan. it photographed well, but check the kitchen, the acoustic tile ceilings in many of the rooms, the lack of a master bath, the 6000 sq ft lot.

anyway, listed at $1.495M, open 1 weekend, sold with 6 offers for more than $1.7M.

Thanks to Steve for this on the ground report.

With all this bad news lately, I’m just glad to see there was some good news in the Real Bay Area!

2375 SIERRA Ct Palo Alto, CA 94303
Price: $1,199,000

Beds:     3
Baths:     3
Sq. Ft.:     885
$/Sq. Ft.:     $1,355
Lot Size:     7,620 Sq. Ft.
Age (Years):    58
Year Built:    1950
Type:    Detached Single Family
Stories:    1 Story
View(s):    Neighborhood
Neighborhood:    Green Gables
County:     Santa Clara

Must see. Move in condition. Live in exisitng or build your dream home. Cul-du-sac. Nice neighbourhood. Easy access to freeway. Close to midtown. No sign, no lockbox. Sellers are moving out of town & want quick close. “AS IS” Sale. Open house Aug 9 from 1.30pm to 3pm. Still accepting offers.

Burbed reader Michelle originally sent this to me at the end of July, but I missed it (junk mail folder woes.) Here’s what she had to say then:

Take a look at this gem, new to the market.  Priced for 34% appreciation in 36 months!

Crappy part of Palo Alto and “just” $1242/sf on a small-ish lot.  The buyers will have to act fast – offers are due this Tuesday.  Time for all of those bids to rush in.  (And I have to wonder, if the realtor says this place is “move in condition” then maybe he/she is color blind.)

Guess what Michelle! It looks like you should’ve bought it back then because the price has already appreciated an additional 9% since it was listed. Damn! Ouch!

Besides, is this really so bad?

The TV mounted over the stove gives it a certain retro-bling feel. Plus, these are Palo Alto schools!

Honestly, if you’re interested in this house you’d better buy it ASAP. Otherwise, I can easily see the sqft appreciate another 9% by the end of the month. This is Real Bay Area Prime Platinum. Better quick on the draw!

1111 Alma St, Palo Alto 94301 (Professorville)
$895,000

* Status: Active
* Bedroom: 2
* Bathroom: 1
* Year Built: 1923
* Lot Size: 5600
* Square Footage: 936
* List Date: 5/6/2008
* Garage Spaces: 1

A fixer-upper in a great, Downtown location of Palo Alto. The house belongs to one of the best school districts and is listed for a great price.

Unable to afford some of the recent properties featured on Burbed in Palo Alto? Well, when you’re not crying yourself to sleep at night because of how screwed your children are, you really ought to take a look at this listing. With 2 bedrooms and 1 bath, this 936 sqft will fit a fit and healthy family of 4 with no problems. Sure there are no pictures of the interiors, but really - do you need to see the interiors? Do you need to look at Google’s data center before you use it? Do you look at the iPod’s circuits before you buy it? This is freakin’ Palo Alto - there’s no need for that.

With one of the best schools in the entire nation state of California (which is ranked 47th), and situated on a small, slow traffic street like Alma, this house is a sure bet.

Now, for a pet peeve - this listing doesn’t mention anything about overbids. That’s pretty evil. You can 110% be sure that this house will be overbid. Prepare yourself. I’d say this will go for $1 mil easily.

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!

KINGSLEY Ave Palo Alto, CA 94301
Price: $10,500,000

Beds: 4
Baths: 4
Sq. Ft.: 5,025
$/Sq. Ft.: $2,090
Lot Size: 0.74 Acres
Age (Years): 85
Year Built: 1923
Type: Detached Single Family
Style: Mediterranean
Stories: 2 Stories
View(s): Neighborhood
Neighborhood: Professorville
County: Santa Clara
MLS#: 763160
Source: MLSListings
Status: Active
On Redfin: 175 days
Unsold in 90+ days
Expanded, remodeled, restored 2006.Traditional floor plan. Grt for entertaining. All bedrooms w/ baths. Second family room upstairs. Professorville Estate on nrly 3/4 acre w/ detach garage w/ space for carriage house. Wide terraces to terrific grounds. Grand kit/fam rm. Banquet size dining room. Study w/ FP. Master suite w/ sitting room w/ tree top views. Attic and basement. Oak floors. 9′ celings. Elegant !

Burbed reader Madhaus suggested I post this. I hemmed and hawed. Indeed the price has fallen:

Listing Price History
Date Price
Nov 15, 2007 $12,500,000
Jan 21, 2008 $11,500,000
Mar 04, 2008 $10,500,000

I couldn’t decide whether to feature this or not. You see, featuring price drops like this is sort of like talking about suicides on the Golden Gate Bridge, or showing Bin Laden videos - you’re just encouraging copy cats and terrorists. Do you really want others to think that it is ok to drop your offering price? Do you really want to showcase people who drop their offering price? Is this at all ethical?

I’m not sure. I leave it to you readers - is the owner of this house committing insane fiscal terrorism upon Palo Alto? What should we as Bay Area citizens do to him/her?

746 Homer Ave, Palo Alto 94301
$775,000

* Status: Active
* Bedroom: 2
* Bathroom: 1
* Year Built: 1926
* Lot Size: 1960
* Square Footage: 660
* List Date: 4/3/2008
* Garage Spaces: 1
* MLS#: 789008

Absolutely adorable cottage with gorgeous landscaping! Deck with built in hot tub, new lawn, gorgeous slate entry, wood floors, remodeled kitchen with corrian counters and cottage style cabinets, gas stove, fresh paint, and period details.

Thanks to Burbed reader Ross for this find. At $1174 per square foot, this Palo Alto house proves that everything is just fine in the Real Bay Area. Bubble bursting my ass. You’ll be lucky to win this house at
$775,000! I’m guessing it will clear an easy mil. Why?

Two words: period details

That’s right. This house showcases the best that the 1920’s had to offer. Just look at them in this photo. Oh wow! I feel like I’m in the 1920’s right now! It’s roaring! Roaring! And unstoppable just like the 1920’s!

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.