Thanks very much to Burbed reader Barbara for a look at what’s below median income in Mill Valley.

14 Tamalpais Commons Ln
Mill Valley, CA 94941
$328,555

HOA Dues: $308/mo.
0 Beds
1 Baths
400 Sq. Ft.
$821 / Sq. Ft.
Built: 2010
Lot Size: 401 Sq. Ft.
On Redfin: 5 days
Status: Active
HOA Dues: $308/month
Style: Contemporary
Community: Mill Valley
MLS#: 21403124
Property Type: Residential, Attached, Condominium/Coop/Other
Stories: 1
County: Marin

Welcome to Tamalpais Commons, a mixed-use ‘Build It Green’ luxury home development in central Mill Valley. This affordable studio unit is available to low-income buyers who earn $64,890 or less in gross income. The studio features southeast facing windows, maple floors, a full bath, a small balcony, a stacked washer/dryer, a range, dishwasher, and oven. This is an accessible unit and all appliances meet ADA guidelines.

Here’s Barbara on this Econobox:

Thought this might be worthy of burbed – $821/sq foot affordable housing

Yes, but it’s $821 a square foot affordable housing with really shiny floors.  And don’t forget the three hundred bucks for HOA fees on top of your $1317 a month mortgage!

Today’s featured property is no longer available either in this condition or at this price. Yes, you are now priced out forever! But let’s enjoy what you could have had in 2009, if only you had acted! Thanks very much to Redfin Collections member Quinn, who showcased this place in the awesome gallery Possible Crime Scene.  Some Burbed properties are featured there, which is how we found this one and are now returning the favor!

2222 FRANCISCO Blvd
Pacifica, CA 94044
Sold for $179,000

1 Beds
1 Baths
— Sq. Ft.
Built: 1948
Lot Size: —
Sold On: Feb 27, 2009
Status: Sold
Property Type: Detached Single Family
Community: West Sharp Park
MLS#: 80821476
Stories: 1
County: San Mateo

Complete fixer!!! Everything needs replacing. Do not enter. Property is sold "As Is". Trash and garbage have not been removed. Public records do not state Sq Ft of lot nor building. Age is an estimate. Bulldoze and start from scratch.

Source: MLSListings
Listing provided courtesy of: Galina Plizga, New Light Realty, DRE #01372469
Buyer’s Agent: NON MULTIPLE LISTING OFFICE

Is a non-Multiple Listing Service the same thing as a Single Listing Service?  While you’re pondering that, enjoy the Possible Crime Scene photos from this Non Multiple Listing.

Maybe this is just us, but we’re sure getting a Was This House A Meth Lab vibe from these photos.

And be sure to check out what happened when someone bought the house, bulldozed, tore down, built up, and sold it for a lot mo’ money in 2012.

Today’s prestigious property was brought to you by Burbed reader shannon. Enjoy!

37 Rutledge St
San Francisco, CA 94110
$749,999

2 Beds
1 Baths
900 Sq. Ft.
$833 / Sq. Ft.
Built: 1906
Lot Size: 1,750 Sq. Ft.
On Redfin: 98 days
Status: Pending
Property Type: Single-Family Home
Community: Bernal Heights
MLS#: 412399
View: Panoramic, City Lights, San Francisco
County: San Francisco

WOW 2 Continguous Properties in One (must purchase together) For Sale AS-IS and must be Cash-only. At end of Mullen and part of the Bernal Steps with views/street access for parking and TONS of potential for the right buyer. Lot 21 is a 2 bedroom house-non-habitable. Lot 22 a Vacant Lot with Carport on it for parking for both lots. Both properties are 1750 sq. ft. as typical for Bernal Hts. for a total of 3500sq. ft! Lots are stepped down from street but are level lots. Brand new construction on three sides make this a prime site.

Shannon remarks:

Grandma’s house of horrors can be yours for $749,000

Wait! There’s a vacant lot next door, a whopping 1750 square feet!  And just look at all you get!

Have you ever wanted to live right on the water, like some homes we’ve featured in Alameda, but thought to yourself, “Dang it, I don’t want a killer commute like that! I have to live near major employers and be able to hang out with my friends in downtown Palo Alto if we ever get any time away from work! Oh yeah, and I don’t want to pay a million dollars for the location! Plus I want a property listing that acknowledges how creative I am.” Now you can have it all!

1548 Maple Street #82
Redwood City, CA 94063
$265,000

2 Beds
2 Baths
890 Sq. Ft.
$298 / Sq. Ft.
Built: 1996
Lot Size: —
On Redfin: 31 days
Status: Active
Property Type: Other (See Remarks)
County: San Mateo
Community: Lenolt
MLS#: 81336823

This charming 2BR 2BA floating home features unobstructed Redwood City water views. The two level home is an entertainer dream home with open flr plan, modern Kitchen, expansive decks, and a two person hot tub. Bonus work room/ workshop makes this home a dream come true to every person who enjoys the outdoors, entertainment and being creative.

Yup, nothing screams “I am being creative” more than a houseboat in Redwood City, unless it’s a schoolbus in the Santa Cruz Mountains. And the houseboat not only has an open flr plan, it’s much closer to Facebook.

Bunus: Absolutely NO public info on this place except the fact it’s a mobile home. A floating mobile home. Speaking of sunk costs…

There are houses that wow buyers.  This is a house that will make the real estate professionals thrilled.  Why?  Take a look and find out!  Thanks loads to Burbed reader waiting_for_the_fall for this San Bruno spectacular!

359 WALNUT St
San Bruno, CA 94066
$439,000

3 Beds
2 Baths
920 Sq. Ft.
$477 / Sq. Ft.
Built: 1948
Lot Size: 2,500 Sq. Ft.
On Redfin: 80 days
Status: Active
Property Type: Detached Single Family
Stories: 1
County: San Mateo
Style: Ranch
Community: Belle Air
MLS#: 81329313

Gorgeous and Affordable Single Family Home! 3 bedrooms, 2 bath with 1 master suite. Featuring a Delightfully Upgraded Granite Countertops, Stainless Steel Appliances, Hardwood floor Double Pane Windows, and Crown molding. Laundry Inside. Close to transportation, Tanforan Mall, SFO Airport and freeways. Street Parking. Good Size Backyard. Great for investment!

So, why is this a Realtard’s dream?

It’s not just the trifecta of stainless, granite and hardwood, or the “affordable” price of not much less than not a lot of money.  It’s not even the HDR photography that lovingly picks up every bit of the shredded plastic in the back yard.

Let’s hear the answer from wftf:

I have a perfect representation of the last 2 or 3 housing bubbles, all in one house!

Maybe people didn’t realize planes would be rumbling by overhead and couldn’t take it anymore after a year. This might explain the rapid turnover/flipping activity, but not all of it.

Selling 8 times in 25 years and going for number 9?  That’s got to be some kind of record.

Maybe the agent just has their card laminated onto the room divider when the residents give up.

That’s also a record for the fewest steps from the front door to the kitchen we’ve ever seen.  But check this out, the agent wasn’t kidding about close to transportation. And yes, that’s the airport off the right margin of US 101.

Ha! Fooled you! Bet your thought we weren’t going to post until the Weekend Open Thread again. Nope, we have a winner of a house today from Burbed reader Lefty Lucy.  And you know by “winner” we mean it in the Charlie Sheen sense.

12968 HIGHWAY 9
San Lorenzo Valley, CA 95006
$349,000

2 Beds
1 Baths
936 Sq. Ft.
$373 / Sq. Ft.
Built: 1921
Lot Size: 7,492 Sq. Ft.
On Redfin: 18 days
Status: Active
Property Type: Detached Single Family
Stories: 1
Community: Boulder Creek
MLS#: 81336122
Style: Cottage/Bungalow
View: Neighborhood
County: Santa Cruz

Older private cottage tucked away at end of shared driveway. Large front yard-plenty of parking. Some updated plumbing and electrical. 2bdrm/1ba plus bonus room. Updated det studio/living unit in rear with separate patio/yard w outdoor fireplace. Combined w adj 13068 sf parcel #081-174-09-flat, sunny, fenced w separate access. C-2 zoning -check w county re options. Open Oct 3 9-12 & Oct 6 1-4

Upcoming Open Houses

Sunday, Oct 20: Open House – 1:00-4:00 pm

Let’s check in with LL on why this house got sent in:

The front of this house is sorta cute, and then this winner gets better with each picture.

yeah, I’m reduced to shopping in Boulder Creek, so what?! 🙂

There’s the W word again. Let’s see what Lefty Lucy meant about “gets better.” Maybe that’s in the Charlie Sheen sense as well.

And we’re only up to picture #9!  It gets even better.

Here’s a house for the budget-conscious. You may not get much when you look for “affordable housing” in the Bay Area, but at least there won’t be huge swathes of ugly.  Just small ones.

7324 WELD St
Oakland, CA 94621
$115,000

4 Beds
1.5 Baths
780 Sq. Ft.
$147 / Sq. Ft.
Built: 1912
Lot Size: 3,500 Sq. Ft.
On Redfin: 2 days
Status: New
Type: Detached
Stories: 2
Community: East Oakland
MLS#: 40634301
Style: Bungalow
View: Other
County: Alameda

Fixer upper house this property needs a lot of work, two story building with a large back yard.

If a 3500 square foot lot leads to “a large back yard,” just imagine how much “a lot of work” adds up to. Our money is on that streetname illustrating just one of the many kinds of fixes in store.

Bunus: Dudette Hanging Out in the Streetview shot.

Tired of seeing three million dollars for a cracker box in Palo Alto?  Us, too.  Here’s how far you can S-T-R-E-T-C-H your dollar if you’re willing to look in San Jose. Well, the Special parts, anyway.

602 DRAKE St
San Jose, CA 95125
$319,000

2 Beds
1 Baths
966 Sq. Ft.
$330 / Sq. Ft.
Built: 1948
Lot Size: 4,840 Sq. Ft.
On Redfin: 8 days
Status: Active
Property Type: Detached Single Family
Community: Willow Glen
MLS#: 81333635
Stories: 1
County: Santa Clara

Diamond in the rough, Corner lot with potential, with some imagination and love you can turn it into your dream home. Large backyard with room for RV or boat parking. Detached garage, perfect for an at home workshop. ALL CASH ONLY. Property condition restricts financing options.

Didn’t we already have a diamond in the rough this week? This one appears to be a little rougher. At least it won’t set you back too much scratch. And here’s why.

Not only do you get these lovely pavers, the shadowing on the house makes it look jauntily nautical. Um, that is if “tugboat” can go in that nautical category.

And don’t worry about the low price meaning you’ll do without amenities! As you can clearly observe, the house does have rooms in it!

There’s more! Looks like we found another R.O.U.S, stronghold as well!  That’s two this week!

And here’s really why this place is such a bargain: Location, location, location! Although this location sure ain’t Willow Glen.

Bunus: Dorky datestamps on photos are from July!

Here’s a little bit in the boonies for you to brew in. Or simmer, because it has plenty of SUN. Thanks very much to Burbed reader Tom Paine for today’s capacious cabin in the wilds of Sonoma County.

Undisclosed Address
Camp Meeker, CA 95465
$117,000

1 Beds
1 Baths
648 Sq. Ft.
$181 / Sq. Ft.
Built: —
Lot Size: 7,600 Sq. Ft.
On Redfin: 8 days
Status: Active
Property Type: Residential, Detached, Single Family
Stories: 1
County: Sonoma
Style: Cottage
Community: Sebastopol
MLS#: 21320135

vintage home in camp meeker off street parking, and, SUN. Bring hammers and contractors and septic pro’s, cause it needs some (a lot) of work. great potential. .did i say off street parking and SUN. .. .. .. .. note lot size. .all sq. ft. via auto fill. . easy to work under house plenty of head space.

Vintage home? How would the agent know? There’s no year given for the structure, although public records say 1938. Which means this house is, um, carry the 3 and… wow, 75 years. Which is five years too young to earn the Burbed “old house” tag!

Fortunately we’ve been provided with an inside look that shows the place is so old, the walls aren’t plumb anymore.

In fact we’re wondering if the interior pictures got mixed up with one of those schoolbus conversions.

Bunus: Undisclosed address? Ha! Burbed loves disclosing them.  It’s 42 Mission Street.  That link goes to Homesnap, which includes a really helpful Google Street View shot.

Bring septic pro’s.  At least it’s easy to work under house.

It’s time to visit Palo Alto again, and see just how much house you can get there for your dollar, or in this case, your million and a half dollars.  Today’s find is courtesy of Burbed reader Wendie, thanks a ton! Or a million and a half tons.  And that’s before the overbidding!

3475 MIDDLEFIELD Rd
Palo Alto, CA 94306
$1,495,000

1 Beds
1 Baths
607 Sq. Ft.
$2,463 / Sq. Ft.
Built: —
Lot Size: 0.32 Acres
On Redfin: 12 days
Status: Active
Property Type: Detached Single Family
Stories: 1
Community: South Palo Alto
MLS#: 81332199
Style: Traditional
View: Neighborhood
County: Santa Clara

Small cottage on extra large lot in the heart of Palo Alto. Wonderful and rare opportunity to build your dream! Additional opportunities include incorporating this beautiful lot into the adjoining property to create a unique family compound. Neighboring property consists of 19,768 ft. ² lot with 3,44 ft. ², 10 year new home (see MLS 81332198).

Steve Jobs bought the house next door to his, knocked it down and turned the property into an orchard. Larry Page thought buying up as many properties on his block was an even better idea. Do you see where we’re going with this?  This property, along with the house for sale next door, will allow you to be a high-profile land baron in Palo Alto.

Okay, South Palo Alto.  And both places list, collectively, for $4.5 million, which is an absolute bargain.

After all, if you’re going to build your dream, it’s going to cost you. And as Wendie notes, you’re paying $1.5 million for the servants’ quarters.