January 25, 2011

With all three Good Cupertino schools!

You remember the phrase “the value is in the land”?  Usually that’s said when calling the house a crapbox is an insult to outdoor toilets everywhere. Let’s just say that today’s land isn’t much to talk about, either.  So, where is the value?  Because today’s house is a value!  Read on to find out if it’s a positive or a negative value.

1586 S Bernardo Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94087
$929,999

image

BEDS: 3
BATHS: 2
SQ. FT.: 1,603
$/SQ. FT.: $580
LOT SIZE: 7,956 Sq. Ft.
PROPERTY TYPE: Detached Single Family
STYLE: Ranch, Contemporary
STORIES: 1
YEAR BUILT: 1956
COMMUNITY: Sunnyvale
COUNTY: Santa Clara
MLS#: 81100512
SOURCE: MLSListings
STATUS: Active
ON REDFIN: 19 days

Charming home with all three good Cupertino Schools- West Valley, Cupertino Middle, Homestead High. Double Pane windows * Bright Kitchen with Family room * Hardwood Floor * Central Heat and A/C * Spacious living room w/ fireplace, sliding doors to fruit tree large yard * Los Altos border * Must see to appreciate. Compare the price to other homes with all three Good schools!

Does this house have Cupertino schools?  It does?  Great!  Just checking, as the Realtard only mentioned it a few times. Does the house have anything else, in case I might want to consider living in it rather than merely taking advantage of all three Good schools?

image

Well, it has a kitchen.  At least I think this is a kitchen.  It’s hard to tell because while it has cabinetry and counter-like fixtures, this room seems decidedly short on luxury kitchen-type appliances. You know, such as, say, an oven or a refrigerator.

It’s got a sink, okay?  Plug in a microwave next to it and you can make all the ramen you want.  And you don’t need a fridge for PB&J.  What’s that?  You do?  You’re just not being flexible enough.  There should be room to keep a small ice chest in one of those cabinets.  Store the peanut butter and jelly jars in the cooler.  Problem solved.

What?  You’re worried about where to get more ice for the cooler?  Right here:

image

imageSee that circled area at the bottom?  That’s a Mini-Mart at the gas station.  See that school between your future house and the Mini-Mart?  That school is the reason this architectural armpit has a wishing price of $930,000.  You are not buying this house unless you have at least one child who will attend every one of those Three Good Schools.  So make the little brat bring home ten pounds of ice for the cooler every day.  It’s the least the ungrateful wretch can do for you after you spent almost a million dollars for public school.

imageThe value of this place is not in the land, as the backyard demonstrates.  The value is obviously in The Three Good Schools.  And proximity to the Mini-Mart.  And so convenient to the freeway and the Los Altos Border!  Why, Caltrans has installed a handball court right across the street!  So not only will your kids attend The Three Good Schools, you need not waste money on sports leagues or appliances!

imageYou know those other homes with all three Good schools you’re supposed to compare to this one?  They not only cost more, the kids living there will have to travel much further to play handball for free.  Every time you look at this sound wall handball court (which means whenever you leave this house), you can pretend you’re living in an exclusive, ivied walled compound, just like in Atherton.  A very, very large one, because it’s so Full of Win.

Comments (19) -- Posted by: madhaus @ 5:05 am






December 3, 2010

Black Friday Sale – Cheapest Houses in Sunnyvale!

Black Friday DEALS continue…

We’ve already recently featured the cheapest house in Sunnyvale, so we’ve got a rain check for you.  You know how you go to Costco and want to buy a stapler and they make you buy three of them in a blister pack?  This is the same idea: the three cheapest houses in Sunnyvale (not counting the cheapest one)!  You can pick up all three for just a smidgeon over a million.

And this is a Black Friday sale, so no long write-ups.  You get a link, a price, and a picture.  And when you see these prices, you’ll agree any added description is superfluous.

1043 Duncan Ave, Sunnyvale CA 94089
$339,000

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Beds: 3
Baths: 1
Sq. Ft.: 960
$/Sq. Ft.: $353
Lot Size: 5,250 Sq. Ft.
Property Type: Detached Single Family
Stories: 1
Year Built: 1954
Community: Sunnyvale
County: Santa Clara
MLS#: 81044809
Source: MLSListings
Status: Active
On Redfin: 67 days

Great location. Well kept home. Doublepane windows. Easy access to 101 & 237 & Yahoo offices. All appliances included. Large covered patio area. Next to park with tennis courts. Short sale – First & Second. Package sent to the lender. Both lenders are waiting for your offers for a quick close.

Both lenders waiting, says it all.  Let’s move on to house #2, same delicious DEAL.

605 W McKinley Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94086
$339,000

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Beds: 2
Baths: 1
Sq. Ft.: 576
$/Sq. Ft.: $589
Lot Size: 3,000 Sq. Ft.
Property Type: Detached Single Family
Style: Cottage/Bungalow
Stories: 1
View: Neighborhood
Year Built: 1930
Community: Sunnyvale
County: Santa Clara
MLS#: 81053792
Source: MLSListings
Status: Active
On Redfin: 7 days

Opportunities. .. close to many conveniences, near Town Center, near park, school, shopping, restaurants, and much more. Make the house your style and your own. Generous-sized bedrooms, eat-in kitchen, laundry room and unfinished basement, fenced yard and patio for outdoor entertaining.

It’s downtown, it’s not in 94085 or 89, yes of course we take American Express.  And we’ve saved the best DEAL for last!

602 Bernal Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94085
$349,000

image

Beds: 3
Baths: 2.5
Sq. Ft.: 1,501
$/Sq. Ft.: $233
Lot Size: 6,496 Sq. Ft.
Property Type: Detached Single Family
Stories: 1
View: Neighborhood
Year Built: 1953
Community: Sunnyvale
County: Santa Clara
MLS#: 81016874
Source: MLSListings
Status: Active
On Redfin: 222 days

Huge corner lot home in a desirable large corner lot location. . Large and Remodoled Kitchen, Ceramic floors, double paned windows and more. .. .Extra 1 bedroom apartment with a private entrance.

Only thing you need to find out is whether it’s still on a huge corner lot, agent only repeated it twice.  And that fire hydrant means a reserved parking space in front of your house.

DEALS DEALS DEALS, yes pick up all three of these houses for a million and change.  That’s less than one scraper in Los Altos!  Live in one, rent the other two out; live in two and rent one out, rent all three to yourself… at these prices you really can have it all!

Comments (9) -- Posted by: madhaus @ 5:05 am

November 8, 2010

Silicon Valley Has Never Been This Cheap Before!

Here’s a great place that I was planning to write up someday, and then burbed reader sonarrat sent it in.  If we both thought it was worth sharing, it must really be something Special.

973 E Duane Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94085
$329,900

image Beds: 3
Baths: 2
Sq. Ft.: 1,050
$/Sq. Ft.: $314
Lot Size: 5,200 Sq. Ft.
Property Type: Residential, Attached, Single Family
Style: Flat
Stories: 1
Year Built: 1954
Community: Santa Clara
County: Santa Clara
MLS#: 21006054
Source: BAREIS
Status: Active
On Redfin: 244 days

Great property in a great location! Close to all shopping and freeways, excellent for the first time buyer family. Silicon Valley has never been this cheap before! Hurry up and submit your offer today!

Yes, do hurry up.  It’s been listed for 244 days… on the wrong listing site.  You never know who’ll stumble on this great property in a great location while searching for a listing in Mendocino.

But yeah, this is a great location all right.  I wonder why the agent didn’t mention that you could walk to Fry’s?

image

And you’ll get to know your neighbors really well, because all the houses connect.

image

Plus look at all that open space right across the street for the kids to run around!  Aw, AMD is such a model corporate citizen!

image

And it’s all perfectly safe. Why, there used to be a school down the street.  It must have been a really good school since Westinghouse took it over in a leveraged buyout.  Just don’t dig anywhere.  Although I bet there’s buried treasure in the yard, and the people who paid $625,000 for the house in 2007 want it back.  So hurry up and submit your offer today!

Comments (24) -- Posted by: madhaus @ 5:08 am

October 27, 2010

Definitely the Best Value in Sunnyvale. Definitely.

When a property has been listed for a year and hasn’t sold, there’s a problem somewhere.  Your mission today is to find out why the house with the lowest price per square foot in 94087 can’t get a closing date.

1058 Lois Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94087
$950,000

image Beds: 6
Baths: 4
Sq. Ft.: 2,930
$/Sq. Ft.: $324
Lot Size: 6,000 Sq. Ft.
Property Type: Detached Single Family
Style: Contemporary
Stories: 2
Year Built: 1953
Community: Sunnyvale
County: Santa Clara
MLS#: 80948844
Source: MLSListings
Status: Active
On Redfin: 379 days

Great home for a large family or for a family that needs inlaw quarters. Lowest price per sf ($324) in 94087 area code. 6 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 2 bedrooms and bathroom downstairs can easily be inlaw quarters. Bonus room, office, family room, living room, large kitchen, large dining room, large backyard, large utility room. Homestead High School, Cherry Chase Elem. Definitely the best value in Sunnyvale.

94087 used to be in the RBA, but this house ensured that zip will never be invited back.  This traitor to doubling every ten years sold on 10/31/2001 for $680,000.  It was listed in April 2009 for an unknown amount, and taken off the market in October.  October 2009.  Then it was listed again for $998,888, with the price reduced to $950K in March.  Taking away all those eights didn’t improve its luck.

Maybe the problem is the vanishing second floor.  When you look straight at it, it disappears.  It even fooled the GoogleCam.  You can see daylight through the trees.  That’s just like not seeing a vampire in a mirror, only it’s a Halloween house and a camera, and you can see the bottom floor fine.  Plus all the trash cans!

image

Meanwhile, the poor lonely house is still waiting for a suitor.  Can you give it some dating advice before another Halloween passes by?

Comments (31) -- Posted by: madhaus @ 5:09 am

September 3, 2010

Bank Owned!!! Rehabbed!!! Spacious Driveway!! Convenient Location!!!

Yesterday’s featured listing got a warm burbed welcome, especially from Ted O’Malley. So let’s spend another day in central Sunnyvale!

801 Birch Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94086
$369,900

image

Beds: 2
Baths: 1
Sq. Ft.: 770
$/Sq. Ft.: $480
Lot Size: 5,000 Sq. Ft.
Property Type: Detached Single Family
Stories: 1
Year Built: 1944
Community: Sunnyvale
County: Santa Clara
MLS#: 81043450
Source: MLSListings
Status: Active
On Redfin: 1 day
New Listing (24 hours)

Bank Owned!!! Rehabbed!!! Maintained 2 Bedroom, 1 Bath with spacious driveway and plenty street parking space. New Interior paint and New Carpet. Updated Kitchen and bath with granite counter tops and tile flooring. Hardwood floors, dual pane windows and a good size deck to entertain guest!!! A Must See!!!

So much to say about this New Listing.  A good size deck to entertain one guest.  Would that be a double pinochle deck?  Those have 98 cards.  Double pinochle, what does this mean?

I especially like the exclamation points in the copy after the terms “bank-owned” and rehabbed,” two terms not usually associated with realty gushing.  Does it have stainless steel appliances to go with the hardwood floors and “granite counter tops”?  That’s gotta cause an REO trifecta.

Also, you can’t beat the location, location, location of this place!  Not only is there a street sign right in front of your house so you won’t get lost, it’s in a great neighborhood!  Just take a look!

image

Convenient to so many places, like Central Expressway, Fair Oaks Avenue, and a really expensive place right across the street!  Wow, not every house gets a view like this one!  This is an historic property that you’ll get to admire every time you leave your house.  Formerly the Joshua Hendy Ironworks (built right after the 1906 SF Earthquake, thus even older than yesterday’s house!), it was acquired by Westinghouse in 1946. 

image

And it is a super view, because all 75 acres qualify as a Superfund site.  A few thousand gallons of PCB-laced oil in the aquifer won’t hurt anybody.  Plus it’s now an operating Northrop-Grumman Marine Systems plant, so you could nip across the street and see if they need any spare crane operators.  Alternatively you could sneak a few of their Trident II Launch subsystems under your sweater and sell them to any Russian spies you meet at the nearby Home Depot.

Be sure to admire the low-maintenance back yard!  The agent’s pictures truly don’t do it justice.  You have to see the whole place at once to appreciate the benefits of paving every square foot.  For one, the PCBs will stay in the ground where they belong!

image

Comments (32) -- Posted by: madhaus @ 5:07 am

September 2, 2010

Downtown Sunnyvale: So Convenient to Construction Sites

It’s been a while since we featured a property in Sunnyvale.  Sunnyvale isn’t considered a “prestige” address such as Portola Valley or Woodside.  But there are plenty of advantages to living in Sunnyvale.  How about a two-for-one special?

297 CHARLES St Sunnyvale, CA 94086
$1,100,000

image

Beds: 7
Baths: 3
Sq. Ft.: 2,516
$/Sq. Ft.: $437
Lot Size: 6,500 Sq. Ft.
Property Type: Detached Single Family
Style: Colonial
Stories: 2
View: Neighborhood
Year Built: 1908
Community: Sunnyvale
County: Santa Clara
MLS#: 81025224
Source: MLSListings
Status: Active
On Redfin: 104 days

Open house July 24th today 1-4. AMAZING!!!2 homes on one parcel!First time on market ever!2 car detached garage. 297 Charles St. 1908 Colonial Revival Historical 5bd/2ba, 2,516+-sqft, newer kitchen, carpet, beautiful floors-545W. McKinley 2bd/1ba-700+-sqft. Both have large basements. Gabel dormer, original hardware, Full kitchen upstairs can be used as a rental-separate address 295 Charles.

See, not only do you get two houses for the price of one (if that one were in the Cupertino school district), you also get an agent who doesn’t believe in using both spaces and punctuation at the same time.  Plus you can use the full kitchen upstairs as a rental!  Seriously, talk about prestige!  Two basements! 

297_charles_svlAnd talk about convenience!  These houses are walking distance to both Sunnyvale Town Center and Town & Country Village.  That means they’re  smack-dab in Downtown, but for some reason the agent doesn’t want you to know that.  Maybe it’s because “Downtown” reminds people of the endless reconstruction of both shopping malls.

Alert burbed reader Pralay sent in this news update on the problems.  Poor Town & Country Village!  Not only did it get a mall in Palo Alto named after it, but it’s now serving as a wildlife refuge.  What a boon to property values!

New developer buys Town & Country parcel in Sunnyvale for $19 million

By John Dugan

Posted: 08/31/2010 06:02:44 PM PDT
Updated: 08/31/2010 07:19:26 PM PDT

A San Francisco development company has bought part of the former Town and Country shopping center in downtown Sunnyvale for $19 million, with plans to put 280 housing units and possible street-level retail on the site.

BRE Properties Inc. announced the purchase of 2.4 acres of land in downtown Sunnyvale in a press release Tuesday. The release said the "transit-oriented" site was one block from the Caltrain station and adjacent to the Sunnyvale Town Center.

Santa Clara County property records show that BRE purchased parcels at 101, 201, 301 and 401 Town and Country Village Way, or roughly half of the 4.6-acre Town and Country site, from Capella Holdings, LLC, on Aug. 20.

A BRE spokesman said there is no timetable to begin construction on the site, which has been vacant since the old shopping center was demolished in April. Previous to the demolition, the buildings sat empty for more than a year, and the site drew complaints from citizens and Sunnyvale City Council members alike for its decrepit appearance and rat infestation.

Yes, The Excitement Is Building in Sunnyvale!  The property is definitely easy walking distance to shops… if any of them were open.  Or standing.

Sunnyvale isn’t a prestige address?  Get real.  Not only is this a hundred-year-old million dollar property, the houses are on the corner of Charles Street and McKinley Avenue.  That’s a Prince and a President!  How much more prestige do you need?  And if Elizabeth II ever keels over, then it’s a King and a President!  The only thing that could make it any more prestigious would be a nearby Starbucks.  If only someone would open a shopping mall.

Comments (27) -- Posted by: madhaus @ 5:02 am

August 6, 2010

Best places for the rich and single in the Bay Area

Thanks to Burbed reader BK for this find!

6. Milpitas, CA

Milpitas, CA

Population: 67,503

Single: 30.4%

Median family income: $113,735

Ever dream of flying? Give it a try in this Silicon Valley town, which serves as the epicenter of Northern California’s hang gliding and paragliding community. Milpitas has one of the largest ratios of residents to parkland in the San Francisco Bay area. All that wide-open green space and a warm, Mediterranean-like climate make it great for outdoor sports all year-round, and young singles enjoy hiking, fishing and cycling in Ed R. Levin Park. Plus, the dog park there can be a great place to find puppy love. –A.C.

Go Milpitas! What? No mention of… The Smell?

7. Sunnyvale, CA

Sunnyvale, CA

Population: 133,876

Single: 30%

Median family income: $110,276

Geek is chic in this hub for tech companies, where you’re likely to meet an engineer from Yahoo!, Honeywell, Palm or Lockheed Martin at the latest Tweetup or “Tech and Beer” happy hour. Flirt over the latest gadgets and a cup of Joe at the Sunnyvale Art Gallery’s café, where Thursday is open mic night. Or take a romantic walk through the historic Murphy Avenue area downtown — a popular place for bar-hopping, open-air summer concerts and farmers markets. –A.C.

Congrats Sunnyvale! Nothing says chic like big box office buildings that you have to cross a giant parking lot to get to. Nope, nothing at all.

8. Mountain View, CA

Mountain View, CA

Population: 73,093

Single: 34.8%

Median family income: $109,215

With NASA and Google in town, Mountain View is the perfect place to find a rocket scientist. Googlers alone range from former neurosurgeons, CEOs and puzzle champions to alligator wrestlers and Marines, so there’s no shortage of interesting dates. But since eligible bachelors outnumber women in this town, the savviest singles may want to head to wine-tasting classes, get involved in a local charity, or try yoga — instead of standing around in a bar. –A.C.

Woot Mountain View! Wait… eligible bachelors outnumber women in this town? Only this town? No way!

BTW, where is this photo taken?

10. Santa Clara, CA

Santa Clara, CA

Population: 110,200

Single: 34%

Median family income: $105,516

European-style streets lined with upscale shops, spas and restaurants give this Silicon Valley `burb a sophisticated appeal. Stroll along Santana Row for luxury boutiques and bars. Like many of Santa Clara’s neighboring towns, you’re likely to meet wealthy techies here, but that’s not all. Since the 49ers are headquartered here, you can also rub elbows with eligible single football players and cheerleaders. –A.C.

So true. You can’t walk a foot without bumping into a 49er.

Ok, confession: I did not know Santana Row was in Santa Clara. It’s so confusing over there.

15. San Jose, CA

San Jose, CA

Population: 948,279

Single: 31.3%

Median family income: $100,219

There’s a reason San Jose’s residents jokingly refer to their city as “Man Jose.” Since men outnumber women in Silicon Valley’s high-tech jobs, the dating scene is disproportionately male. Meet the dot-com millionaire of your dreams in the city’s downtown area, which offers a technology museum, several parks, free concerts, an outdoor ice rink in the winter and — great for those nerdy dates — the world’s largest outdoor Monopoly board. –A.C.

Dot-com millionaires? Whoa… dated. But nonetheless, congrats to Man Jose!

Comments (9) -- Posted by: burbed @ 5:23 am

June 8, 2010

House on the market for 855 days needs your help

$665,000

image

Beds: 3
Baths: 2
Sq. Ft.: 1,273
$/Sq. Ft.: $522
Lot Size: 4,400 Sq. Ft.
Property Type: Detached Single Family
Style: Contemporary
Stories: 1
Year Built: 1969
Community: Sunnyvale
County: Santa Clara
MLS#: 80774011
Source: MLSListings
Status: Active This listing is for sale and the sellers are accepting offers.
On Redfin: 855 days

 

Hm. A low low price of just $522 per square foot. What is this house doing wrong?

Quick, if you were the realtor, what would you do to help get this house sold… besides the obvious of adding a description and internal photos.

I’m thinking… raise the price. Or add $888 to the price. What do you think?

Comments (44) -- Posted by: burbed @ 5:17 am

May 14, 2010

Drought? What drought? Wash your car twice!

$899,500

image

Beds: 3
Baths: 2
Sq. Ft.: 1,406
$/Sq. Ft.: $640
Lot Size: 6,254 Sq. Ft.
Property Type: Detached Single Family
Style: Ranch
Stories: 1
View: Neighborhood
Year Built: 1961
Community: Cupertino
County: Santa Clara
MLS#: 81020758
Source: MLSListings
Status: Active This listing is for sale and the sellers are accepting offers.
On Redfin: 11 days
Gorgeous home in nice neighborhood- Upgraded kitchen w/ maple cabinets, grantnite slab counters, and built-in microwave oven. Recessed lightings. Copper pipes. Dual pane windows & sliding door. Hardwood flooring in living room, Laminate flooring in kitchen & dinning room. Fire Place in living room. Updated all doors. Top Cupertino schools Homestead/Cupertino/West Valley. Easy access to 85/101/280.

Thanks to Burbed reader Madhaus for this guest post. Take it away, Madhaus!

Drought?  What drought?  Wash your car twice!
Admittedly, this is not the year Northern Californians are worrying about water conservation, but it’s only a matter of time before the reservoirs are 20% full and we’ll be calling out Southern California again for stealing our water.  What’s felt like a rainy year is merely 116% of normal San Jose rainfall, and most of our reservoirs are below capacity.

So if you’re worried about buying a new house just for the privilege of watering your own lawn, and then not being allowed to use any water, here is the perfect home for you.

clip_image001You’re probably wondering where the house is in the photo above.  No problem, here’s the “cover photo.”  I just wanted you to admire all that greenery and wonder how you’d keep it that way if we have another low rainfall year.  You could do some “hardscaping” and cover the front lawn with low-maintenance asphalt.  It will look a lot like the photo anyway, since this Realtard wouldn’t invest in a wide-angle lens and took the photo from the sidewalk across the street.
Or, you could take advantage of a terrific feature not called out in the property listing.  Yeah, yeah, yeah, the place has a shower over tub, a dishwasher, sprinklers — although those sprinklers won’t do a lot of good if your water gets rationed.  Are those Real Cupertino Schools going to make up for an eyesore like a dead lawn?
A number of people are going to drive over to check out this property, and most of them are going drive away even faster.  This house has “Easy access to 85/101/280.”  And by easy access, they mean just steps away from 85 and 280!  Just steps!  Close your eyes and pretend you’re hearing the seashore!  And the part about 101?  Well we all know Realtards like to stretch the truth a few miles.
clip_image003
Okay, okay, so there’s a few too many freeway ramps near the property.  But do you see those big white circles?  Those are WATER TANKS.  A humongous water tank right across the street from you!  Plus a spare!  Are you thinking what I’m thinking?  Are you handy with tools?
clip_image005
Plus, think of all the shade you’ll get on those hot summer afternoons!

Comments (29) -- Posted by: burbed @ 5:24 am

April 19, 2010

A house fit for Paranormal Activity

Listed at: $425,000

image

Beds: 3
Baths: 2
Sq. Ft.: 1,108
$/Sq. Ft.: $384
Lot Size: 6,510 Sq. Ft.
Property Type: Detached Single Family
Style: Contemporary
Stories: 1
View: Mountains, Neighborhood
Year Built: 1957
Community: Sunnyvale
County: Santa Clara
MLS#: 81007012
Source: MLSListings
Status: Pending Without Release This listing is in escrow, past inspections and waiting for loan funding. "Without Release" indicates that the current buyer doesn’t need to sell a home to buy the new home.
On Redfin: 49 days
Comfortable home on large lot. Quiet street, convenient access to Hwy 101, 17, 880, 237 and Lawrence Exprwy. Open floorplan with vaulted ceilings. Expanded kitchen, large master, bright and airy floorplan, large backyard, large 2 car garage.
Thanks to Burbed reader Herve for this find.
 
Wow… remember the movie Paranormal Activity from last year? Low budget, but huge revenue. Hence, the inspiration for this photo. That’s right… if you buy this house, at its amazingly low price, you too will have huge profits when you sell it in the future!

Comments (15) -- Posted by: burbed @ 5:00 am
 
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