Today is a very special day if you love romance and lovers and all that twaddle.  Our featured home was suggested by Burbed reader Tracy Tea House, who thought it was perfect for February 14th. We went along with it because we really weren’t up to finding yet another pink house for this year.  Thanks very much and please give Tracy a big, warm Real Bay Area welcome as today’s Guest Blogger!

And also some chocolate.  This stupid Hallmark Holiday does have an upside.

1048 Arlington Ln
San Jose, CA 95129
$1,598,000

4 bed, 3 bath
2,415 sqft
Single-Family Home
10 Days on Trulia
187 views
Status: For Sale
MLS/Source ID: NON
4 Bedrooms
3 Bathrooms
2,415 sqft
Single-Family Home
Built In 2007
Lot Size: 8,712 sqft
Zip: 95129
Neighborhood: West Valley

Beautiful Home in Top Cupertino School – Rebuilt in 2007

1048 Arlington Ln Rebuilt in 2007. 2415 SF of living space on a 7068 SF lot Hardwood flooring and recessed lighting throughout home. Fireplace in family room. Custom Cherry wood Kitchen cabinet and granite counters. All New Appliances. Master Suite with Sunken Jacuzzi Tub. Top Cupertino Schools.

Maybe a good house for Valentine’s Day as the Realtor is really trying hard to romance this house. Let’s go picture  by picture shall we?

Number one, bleak and dismal, focus on the stained and cracked concrete.

Number two, the desk will not fit in this small room so we will try to make you a believer by turning it diagonal.. Problem solved!

Number three, we are really proud of the stock door, and the paint. Pictures 3-5 are making the most of it.

Pic six, how to show the shower and tub in same photo? We wouldn’t want to waste an extra shot that could involve the commode. And, what makes the Jacuzzi sunken?

But my favorite is the last one. Like a set from a film in the San Fernando Valley. Imagine, an empty room, a bed, a bottle of wine and two glasses. And practically new remodeled 2007, and trying to get that back.

Some of our featured properties made it to the front page because the photos are full of curb appeal.  As in a “Peel out from the curb, NOT buying that house.”  Some are here because the price just makes your eyes pop out.  Today’s house has the best features of both, and you know that when we say “best” we mean the exact opposite of “best.”

Many thanks to Burbed reader Tracy Tea House, for finding an abode on an aristocratic avenue.

6107 Countess Drive
San Jose CA 95129
Price:  $1,198,000

Reduced $37,000 on 11/11/12
Est. payment: 
Bedrooms: 4 
Bathrooms: 2 
19 days on Trulia
52 views
Property type: Single-Family Home
Size: Ask agent
Lot: Ask agent
Price/sqft: Ask agent
Year built: Ask agent
MLS/ID: —
Neighborhood: West Valley, 95129
Provided by: Help-U-Sell Corporate
This info was not provided by this listing source.
Ask an agent for more details about this home.
Listing agent: Adalberto Gonzalez
Broker: Tito Gonzalez

Highly Desirable Location & Part Of The Cupertino Union School District With API Scores 943+ (Muir, Miller & Lynbrook). Great Layout And Extra Permitted 432sq Enclosed Bonus Room. Large Yard With Mature Trees. This Home Is Ready For A New Chapter In Home Ownership. Buyer To Verify Square Footage & Permits. Open House 11/03 & 11/04 from 11:00-3:00pm. Not A Distressed Sale. Come See! ****MLS# 81239614***

Here’s why Tracy nominated today’s featured listing:

This house may not be distressed, but these pictures made me depressed. And the PRICE! Campbell schools really driving the price of this house up. The pictures are so gloomy and really, three of one tree? Is it rare? On the plus side, I do love developments with royal names.

Ahem, don’t you go hating on Cupertino schools by confusing them with Campbell.  The listing even makes a point of naming them (and their test results).

And there’s not just three pictures of one tree, but this interior shot (above) of the living or family room is the only glance you’re going to get inside, and they provided 11 photos.  That means you’ll see plenty of trees.  Or of the same tree.  There are also two pictures of The Right Honorable Countess of Drive, so have a gander at Your Ladyship.

Using Help-U-Sell means the “agent” isn’t going to tell you squat, but a quick glance over at Redfin provides the missing info. (1808 sf, 6099 sf lot, $663/sf, built in 1961.  Was that so hard?)  Guess they have a different understanding of that word “Help” in “Help-U-Sell” as they didn’t even put the MLS number in the Trulia listing (81239614).

That’s the much-photographed tree at right.  Since it gives us a glimpse at the back of the house we chose that elevation.

Even though this is Not A Distressed Sale, we’re thinking that New Chapter in Home Ownership is Lucky Number 7.

It’s been too long since we’ve checked in with Burbed reader Tracy Tea House and her amazing collection of what-the-heck-is-THATs from the East Side. 

Today she’s back with another San Jose special for all you would-be Silicon Valley millionaires, but this one’s on the other side of the Valley.  Tracy likes Trulia for all her househunting needs, so let’s check in with them.

1454 Bing Drive Bing Drive
San Jose CA 95129
$998,000

Bedrooms: 4 24 days on Trulia
Bathrooms: 2 
Property type: Single-Family Home
Size: 1,650 sqft
Lot: 6,098 sqft
Price/sqft: $605/sqft
Year built: 1965
MLS/ID: 81224226
Zip: 95129
Listing agent: Michelle Carr-Crowe, ABR,ACRE,ALHS,ASP,CDPE,RECS,SRES, Top 5% US RE Agents
Broker: Just Call (408) 252-8900 Michelle Carr Crowe at Keller Williams Cupertino 

HURRY! Special Fourth of July HOT BUY! 1454 BING Dr., San Jose 95129, Open Sat. & Sun., 1:30-4:30 You and the people you care about are invited to see our HOT BUY! Effortless Elegance & Entertaining can Easily be Yours in this Lovely & Upgraded Lynbrook High Home. Featuring a Formal Foyer, Separate LR & FR & Skylight-Illuminated Dining, a Custom Tile & Oak Kitchen, 4 Light & Airy Bedrooms, and 2 Jaw-Droppingly Gorgeous Remodeled Baths, it all add up to Fabulous! Quality Upgrades include Dual Pane Windows, Copper Plumbing to the Main and Cement Tile Roof. COOL Central Air Conditioning, Wet

Put your best foot forward, invite the reader into your book with a great cover photo, you’ve got one chance to make a great first impression so always lead your listing with a terrific all-over picture of the house.  A photo of the house.  Not a photo of the flyer for the house.  Wow, this is worse than confusing Call by Name with Call by Value.  And in this listing the facade shot at left doesn’t appear until the fourth photo, but don’t worry, the agent put in another one right next to it in case you skip past.

See that green thing above the flyer and left of the price?  This property is “Active Contingent,” which means an offer was accepted but you just never know which contingency could derail the whole deal. That’s good news for you, because that means you can submit your own backup overbid!

For old times’ sake, head over to Redfin, where’ you’ll find:

• Different first photo, plus photos of school signs (this one is second)
• All home photos repeated
• But the street name isn’t
• Lot is 124 square feet smaller
• San Jose address in the “Cupertino” community (while being 1.1 miles from Cupertino)
• Pending Without Release (can’t figure out if that’s the same as Active Contingent since Redfin doesn’t define Without vs With Release)
• A Virtual Tour link!
• And different listing copy:

Effortless Elegance & Entertaining Can Be Yours! Fabulous Floor Plan Features Sep. LR & FR! Custom Tile & Oak Kit. Boasts Garden Window, Roll-Outs, Custom Details! Skylights! E-Z Care Laminate, Hardwood, Quality Carpet! E-Z Walk to Rainbow Park! E-Z Walk to Nat. -Recgnizd Cupertino Scls! Miller-API 981 & Lynbrook-API 943! Cool Central A/C + Private Hot Tub for Summer Family Fun!

It’s not enough to name the schools, now they also include the API scores. But the listing copy on Trulia is more deserving of the Burbed Seal of Approval.

Here’s another delightful find from Burbed reader sonarrat, who only comments, “One of the oddest listings I’ve ever seen.”  And sonarrat has certainly found us some odd ones before!

1566 Duckett Way #19, San Jose, CA 95129
$1,598,888

BEDS: 5
BATHS: 2.5
SQ. FT.: 2,776
$/SQ. FT.: $576
LOT SIZE: 4,620 Sq. Ft.
PROPERTY TYPE: Detached Single Family
STYLE: Colonial
STORIES: 2
VIEW: Green Belt, Neighborhood
COMMUNITY: Cupertino
COUNTY: Santa Clara
MLS#: 81050795
SOURCE: MLSListings
STATUS: Active
ON REDFIN: 99 days

This beautifully restored Colonial Revival home in new home community combines the character of the past era while offering all the luxuries of today’s lifestyle. 2 story home plus sunroom, detached artist studio and basement/wine cellar. Gourmet kitchen with viking appliances. Large redwood deck off master overlooking wooded creek! Top Cupertino School District (Blue Hills, Miller, Lynbrook).

Odd?  It’s a listing with Cupertino schools and there’s 8s in the price.  That sounds downright normal!  What is odd is the small lot size and all those extraneous buildings.  Which ones are yours and which are merely situated really, really, really close to yours?

You know what else is odd?  Upwards of a million and a half for the house and not one interior picture.  Are they still restoring it?  Guess they don’t want you to know, because they conveniently left the year built off the listing.

But the satellite view might give us a hint.

Heck, the $175 a month HOA fees are needed just to sweep up all that construction mess.  Well, other than the unspecified townhouses or condos on the site, let’s see who the neighbors are!

Definitely a million plus view!  So, is this a convenient location?

You betcha!  This house is within 1000 feet of three gas stations, four shopping centers, a bus line, and the world-famous California 85 freeway, which goes directly to Google! 

Now all the seller needs is the economy to do a Revival along with this Colonial.  Then some lucky buyer, somewhere, will say, “Honey, do you know what I want?  I want to live in a big Colonial Revival right next to a bunch of attached housing!  Then they will all know that WE live in the Big House, even if it has an apartment number!”

Plantation boss lifestyle without the kudzu!  What are you waiting for?  Think of the fun your kids will have giving out their new street address!

This listing was sent in by burbed reader sonarrat.  Here’s what sonarrat had to say about this absolutely sparkling home:  “Sparkling isn’t really the first thing I think of when I look at this house.  More like manufactured home.”

1039 Alderbrook Ln, San Jose, CA 95129
$988,888

Beds: 3
Baths: 2
Sq. Ft.: 1,330
$/Sq. Ft.: $744
Lot Size: 7,313 Sq. Ft.
Property Type: Detached Single Family
Style: Ranch
Stories: 1
View: Neighborhood
Year Built: 1957
Community: Cupertino
County: Santa Clara
MLS#: 81039029
Source: MLSListings
Status: Pending With Release 
On Redfin: 17 days

This absolutely sparkling home uplifts you the moment you lay your eyes on it. How often you get inspired by a home? With an amazing curve apreal, you will feel right at home. This home is warm & inviting. Newer roof, new crown molding, hardwood flooring, fresh paint, Huge Corner, New window and Front Patio ect. Top cupertino schools!

How often do you get inspired by a home?  Plenty of homes on burbed have been inspiring, as in leading to some incredibly snide copy and even better reader reactions.  Usually they have something notable about them, such as being insanely expensive, or having a lousy location, or not bearing much resemblance to a residential structure.  This one?  I am having a reaction all right, but uplifting doesn’t describe it.  It’s closer to ennui crossed with sticker shock.

Yawn.  Another million dollar crackerbox with Cupertino schools, San Jose services, and five 8s in the asking price.  And it’s pending after only two and a half weeks.  Must have been that amazing curve apreal or the Huge Corner.  I’m kind of amazed that it sold so fast when they only put in one New window.

Wait, 7300 square feet is a Huge Corner?  Maybe it is compared to the zero lot line of a manufactured home.  This picture provided by the agent certainly seems inspired by the trailer park.

What do you think?  Is this house absolutely sparkling?  Are you uplifted?

4881 MIRAMAR Ave San Jose, CA 95129

$848,888

Beds:	4
Baths:	3
Sq. Ft.:	1,249
$/Sq. Ft.:	$680
Lot Size:	5,800 Sq. Ft.
Property Type:	Detached Single Family
Style:	Ranch
Stories:	1
View:	Neighborhood
Year Built:	1956
Community:	Cupertino
County:	Santa Clara
MLS#:	81008438
Source:	MLSListings
Status:	Active This listing is for sale and the sellers are accepting offers.
On Redfin:	20 days

Lovely ranch style home with CUPERTINO SCHOOLS! Garage converted to one-bedroom, full bath, kitchen apartment, currently tenant-occupied. Private yet convenient location to ever popular Stevens Creek shopping. Fruit trees galore–White & Yellow Peach, Avocado, Asian Prunes, Apricot, Nectarine, and many more! New roof & hardwood floors. Sunroom & apartment non-conforming and not included in sq ft.

Hey it’s a lovely ranch style home with Cupertino Schools and a lucky price.

Did I mention CUPERTINO SCHOOLS? What about CUPERTINO SCHOOLS?

Even better, it comes with an apartment… can you say cashflow? You could easily rent it out to someone who is looking to spend big for CUPERTINO SCHOOLS.

But what really caught my attention was the idea of a tree growing Asian Prunes. Um… Just how do you grow prunes? Any agricultural experts here who can help resolve this mystery?

1360 JOHNSON Ave San Jose, CA 95129

$925,000

Beds:	3
Baths:	2
Sq. Ft.:	1,247
$/Sq. Ft.:	$742
Lot Size:	6,200 Sq. Ft.
Property Type:	Detached Single Family
Style:	Ranch
Stories:	1
Year Built:	1957
Community:	Cupertino
County:	Santa Clara
MLS#:	80957608
Source:	MLSListings
Status:	Active This listing is for sale and the sellers are accepting offers.
On Redfin:	8 days

Opportunity knocking! Excellent Cupertino schools, convenient location, easy walk to Lynbrook high school, fresh interior paint. May be available on a lease with option to buy.

Knock, knock.

Who’s there?

Opportunity.

Opportunity who?

Opportunity to send your kids to Lynbrook high school!

Let’s check out this amazing fresh interior paint:

Oh… it’s a little too dark there. Let’s try this one:

Oh… that’s a bit too dark too. But check out that light fixture. You know why that’s going to be helpful? In the event of an earthquake, you’ll know that the ground is moving because the light will be swaying! I hate when an earthquake happens and I don’t notice – this light will make sure you know. Especially when it hits the cabinet and shatters.

But let’s look at the finance aspect of this house – lease with option to buy.

Should you do it? Should you lease with option to buy? Or should you just buy it outright?

Pros/Cons?

1681 PROVINCETOWN Dr, Cupertino, CA 95129 | MLS# 80926285
1681 PROVINCETOWN Dr Cupertino, CA 95129
Price: $1,549,888

Beds: 5
Baths: 3
Sq. Ft.: 2,800
$/Sq. Ft.: $554
Lot Size: 6,500 Sq. Ft.
Property Type: Detached Single Family
Style: Mediterranean
Stories: 2
View: Neighborhood
Year Built: 2009
Community: Cupertino
County: Santa Clara
MLS#: 80926285
Source: MLSListings
Status: Active
On Redfin: 23 days
Gorgeous new custom home in great neighborhood of 3 new home subdivision! Reputable national award winning schools: Lynbrook High/Joaquin Miller Middle/John Muir Elem. Custom design/built exterior and interior with high end materials and appliances. Elegant taste makes the house stunning and most desirable for living. A definite rare opportunity in the neighborhood! You don???t want to miss it.

Thanks to Burbed reader sonarrat for this find.

Why did he send it? Because he noticed this:

Um.

Maybe this is disputed territory, like Kashmir. That said, it does seem peculiar that all the RE listing sites allow this to be classified as Cupertino. Is this an indicator for some sort of future land grab? Annexation? What’s the deal?

Maybe, it’s a reference to the fact that Cupertino is now a state of mind, and not just a geographical area!

BTW, what awards have these schools won nationally that distinguish them?

Anyway, buy this house, and then provoke Cupertino into becoming an occupying force. And watch as your equity instantly soars!

1036 Harlan Dr, San Jose 95129 (Berryessa)
$1,288,000

* Status: Active
* Bedroom: 4
* Bathroom: 2
* Year Built: 1967
* Lot Size: 7344
* Square Footage: 1843
* List Date: 5/20/2008
* Garage Spaces: 2
* MLS#: 810140

Totally remodeled home in the top Cupertino Schools: Dilworth/Miller/Lynbrook(walking distance), double pane windows, granite kitchen/bathroom counters, new maple cabinets in kitchen and bathroom , new flooring through out the house, new paint in&out, gated front door for privacy , beautiful backyard with durable fiber deck, copper plumbing, new light fixture. Quality Dura-style home.

Top congrats to 95129 for continuing to break new appreciation ground, and proving once and for all that there is no slump in the Real Bay Area. Let’s look at the Zillow:

Just look at that! Since the “slump” (which btw is a fiction of your imagination), prices have actually gone up nearly $300k! If you had bought when everyone was saying “OMG, don’t buy”, you would’ve made out like a bandit. This proves that it’s either a seller’s market or a buyer’s market. You simply can’t lose when you buy a house that’s in the Dilworth/Miller/Lynbrook district!

Not only that, but this house is Dura-style much like the famed Ford Duratec engine.

Everyone grows up wanting to live in a million dollar house, to show that they have made it. And if you buy this house today, you can show to to the world that you’ve made it – and not only that, but you’ll be surrounded intimately by other millionaires:

What? Don’t tell me you’d rather live like those phony millionaire savages do-nothing-hedge-funders in Connecticut do:

Gah, talk about anti-social.

UPDATE: Readers like mrbogue have pointed out that if you buy this house, you will also solve our smog problem! Just check out the sky this house comes with:

Too bad this new sky will eat your trees…