Yesterday we had a look at a Redwood City house with a curious price history.  Today’s featured fortress has fewer data points, but don’t worry, it makes up for it in overbids! Thanks very much to Burbed reader LomaLuvr for launching this one.  And we’ve got fresh data to share!

548 VIEW St
Mountain View, CA 94041
Sold for $1,061,000

2 Beds
1 Baths
994 Sq. Ft.
$1,067 / Sq. Ft.
Built: 1924
Lot Size: 6,300 Sq. Ft.
Sold On: May 7, 2013
Property Type: Detached Single Family
Stories: 1
Community: Downtown
MLS#: 81308770

Great Location! 1924 cottage on approximately 6300sft lot two blocks from Castro Street! Mostly original cottage sits on this large lot, ideal for renovation or maybe rebuild. Excellent location two short blocks to Castro Street. Theatre, coffee shops, restaurants and train station all within blocks!

Actually, LomaLuvr sent this in long ago, before we started in with the A to Z thing all April. But it’s good news for you that we waited, because now we have the winning overbid, and it’s 18% over asking. Ha! You call that a bubble? Why back in our day, an agent could list a house full of crappy photos near the train tracks and the buyers would throw offers through the windows tied to gold bars!

Hey, wait.  You think the gold bars are back?

And it’s time for yet another week of Real Bay Area Realty.  Really!  Let’s begin the week in Mountain View, because it’s the Borg of Burbed.  You WILL be assimilated.  Thanks very much to Burbed reader ctar for sending us this magnificent manse… which of course has already sold.

683 Mountain View Ave
Mountain View, CA 94041
Listed for $985,000
Sold 9/25/12 for $940,000

Zestimate® $1,008,421
Est. Mortgage $3,289/mo
Beds: 3
Baths: 2
Sqft: 1,272
Lot: 4,999 sq ft / 0.11 acres
Type: Single Family
Year built: 1946
Construction quality: 6.0
County: Santa Clara
Garage sqft: 360
Last remodel year: 1946
Legal description: –
Lot depth: 100
Lot width: 50
Parcel #: 15430046
Per floor sqft: 1,272
Total rooms: 6
# Stories: 1.0
Structure type: Other

Carefully maintained 1 owner home in desirable location near downtown. Fresh interior paint and great curb appeal, this home has a gas stove, refrigerator and dishwasher in the kitchen, featuring a breakfast bar and nook. Ceiling fans in the eating area and all bedrooms. 2 car garage partially converted to finished room; parking is now 1 car garage plus carport. Beautifully landscaped yard.

When ctar sent this find to burbed, here was the accompanying commentary:

Thought you would appreciate this one – ridiculous.

burbed noted, when forwarding this submission on to our extensive team of content creators:

You’re right! It’s ridiculously below market!

As we’ve been telling you for months, Mountain View is hot, hot, HOT so the home sold long before we could get to it.  What do you think the lucky new owner is going to do with this vintage decor? We’d be disappointed if the house got flipped, because the current fixtures are so full of win.

Also this is one of the few houses with pictures of every room that managed not to show any of the toilets.  For that we award this listing the Burbed George “the Grocer” Whipple Bath Tissue Award, for real estate bathroom photography most appropriate for a 1960s sitcom.

There weren’t any toilets in those 1960s television houses, either.

Bunus: Close to Shoreline Boulevard.  Real close!

One of the problems with buying a house in Mountain View is that much of the housing stock is old yet expensive.  And by “old” we don’t mean “charming,” we mean “out of style” and “needs major renovation.”  We’re still talking about cookie-cutter tract homes, but in Mountain View, they’re million dollar cookie-cutter tract homes.

Not today’s property!  Burbed reader Michael Boltonestater found us a new property, so new we’re having trouble figuring out where it is.  And that’s where you come in!

291 Geary Way
Mountain View, CA 94041
$1,249,900

Loan Payment:  $4,283/mo
Bedrooms:  4
Bathrooms:  4
Size:  1,744 sqft
$/Sqft:  $716/sqft
Type:  Single Family House
Year Built:  2012
Lot Size:  1,768
Days on Movoto:  48 days
Neighborhood:  Downtown
MLS#:  81231702
Status:  Pending – Do Not Show

This gorgeous new 4 bedroom home is sure to impress with its stunning wrap-around balcony. This Home is in a prime location on the park AND it is an end-unit! The open floor plan is spacious and fully equipped with all the latest interior finishes. The first level has a bedroom and full bath which is perfect for a guest or the in-laws. Hurry in before it’s too late!

You didn’t hurry in and now it’s too late!  Despite the lack of interior photos, you cannot buy this house (for $1.25M!!!!) because someone’s already beaten you to it.  And note that by “house” we really mean “who are they kidding, if they admit this is an ‘end unit’ then why not just call it a townhouse?”

Note the clever home type: “Single Family House.”  Nothing about whether it’s attached to or detached from anything (other than pricing sanity). 

Does anyone know where this complex is and if anything is still for sale there?  Could it be this one?  Because if it is, you have better like trains.  And by “like” we mean “like listening to them.” Lots of them. Most realty sites don’t map the location, and the one that did seems to be somewhat lost.  (Hint: Fremont is not a neighborhood in Mountain View.)

More importantly, are you impressed with its stunning wrap-around balcony?  PS: If you liked this house, you might also like this one, which is on the same street but not too late.

We’ll finish out our weekend with this find close to everything!  At least close to what matters.  Thanks very much to Burbed reader Petsmart Groomer for today’s listing.

579 MCCARTY Ave
Mountain View, CA  94041
$849,900

 

BEDS:  3
BATHS:  2
SQ. FT.:  1,194
$/SQ. FT.:  $712
LOT SIZE:  5,035 Sq. Ft.
PROPERTY TYPE: Detached Single Family
STYLE: Ranch
STORIES: 1
VIEW: Neighborhood
YEAR BUILT:  1957
COMMUNITY:  Downtown
COUNTY:  Santa Clara
MLS#:  81216279
SOURCE:  MLSListings
STATUS: Active
ON REDFIN:  78 days

Absolutely stunning & charming home adjacent to Old Mountain View. Great curb appeal. Remodeled kitchen with granite slab countertops, stainless appliances & travertine floor. Other features include beautiful hardwood floors, crown mouldings, dual paned windows, remodeled bath with spa tub. Huge rear deck perfect for entertaining. Two finished outbuildings w/ power-perfect home office, studio or playhouse.

It’s always a pleasure when a place we’ve already visited comes back to us, like a disagreeable meal or a reanimated zombie.

Except this time it’s got $30,000 more value than six years ago!  Hurry!  Now here’s why PG sent in this property:

“Absolutely stunning & charming home adjacent to Old Mountain View.” – I can think of a couple of other things it is adjacent to…

Let’s find out!  Burbed Sky 3 crew is on scene!

People sometime ask me, “How is the real estate market in Silicon Valley?”

Well, let’s look at this e-mail I got recently:

Townhouses across the street from train tracks, light rail, a high way, and a major road – starting at $624 per square foot?

If you ask me, the market is doing pretty darn well. Everything is back on track, just as nature intended. Finally the Real Bay Area is back on track to eventually overtaking lesser places like Manhattan, London, and Tokyo for most expensive real estate.

The real question is: will you be lining up for 3 days or 3 weeks on the street to get one of these units?

Thank goodness!

It’s always fun when a house previously featured on Burbed comes back for a second look. Sometimes it’s a flip that’s awful in a new way, sometimes it’s the same problems ensuring that the house will be bidless for a long, long time.  Today’s Mountain View mansion, courtesy of Burbed reader dollarbin, has some changes since its last appearance, but it’s not just the house that’s had things moved around.

290 CHIQUITA Ave
Mountain View, CA 94041
$888,000

BEDS: 3
BATHS: 3
SQ. FT.: 1,565
$/SQ. FT.: $567
LOT SIZE: 4,414 Sq. Ft.
PROPERTY TYPE: Detached Single Family
STYLE: Traditional
STORIES: 2
VIEW: Neighborhood
YEAR BUILT: 2009
COMMUNITY: Downtown
COUNTY: Santa Clara
MLS#: 81150934
SOURCE: MLSListings
STATUS: Active
ON REDFIN: 48 days

Curb Appeal-Perfect 10. Own this 2.5 yr old Single Family Home for the price of MV townhomes and Condos. Warm & BEATIFULLY designed. Very energy efft/extra insulation w/ E. Eff appls. Showroom finish 2car garage. Gated access for added security/privacy n kids to play. Walking dist. to Downtown restrnts/shops/farmrs mrkt/CalTrans & Parks. Xcllnt APIs for schools. Nice fenced back yard w/ patio. NO HOA Dues.

And here’s a reminder of how the house looked in its previous incarnation:  (warning, 180 comment thread)

Here’s what dollarbin has to say about why you should take another look at 290 Chiquita:

One of burbed’s most talked about houses is back on the market, baby!

What’s more, unlike 2009, it now sports lucky 8′s in the price tag.

Plus, unlike 2009, the assigned elementary school will be Castro, rather than having to schlep your kids across El Camino into the fancy side of town to attend Bubb with all of those obnoxious rich kids.

Also, thanks to Habitat for Humanity, you’ll have new neighbor families enjoying “eight ownership homes for ‘very low- and low-income families’ ” at 300 Chiquita Ave.”

You may object that the “Xcllnt APIs for schools” was not intended to be a factual statement, and there will be BMR housing next door.  The crime rate might be higher than you’re comfortable with.  You may not be too excited about the sex offender who lives around the corner on Villa Street.  And two different Redfin agents complained about how small the bedrooms are.

None of this matters in the least.  The agent presents picture #21 to refute all Negative Nellie natterings.

Start your overbidding!

Here’s a listing sent in by Burbed reader Erin.  Glad to see some agents are forward-looking.  Really forward.

 

525 FAIRMONT Ave, Mountain View, CA 94041
$865,000

BEDS: 3
BATHS: 1
SQ. FT.: 1,430
$/SQ. FT.: $605
LOT SIZE: 5,000 Sq. Ft.
PROPERTY TYPE: Detached Single Family
STYLE: Ranch
STORIES: 1
VIEW: Neighborhood
YEAR BUILT: 1941
COMMUNITY: Downtown
COUNTY: Santa Clara
MLS#: 81123846
SOURCE: MLSListings
STATUS: Active
ON REDFIN: 92 days

This 3 bedroom, 1 bath house is located on a quiet side street 1/2 blk from a small park. Just 4 blks from downtown shops and restaurants on Castro St. An enclosed patio is the surprise bonus room for children’s play and office/media room possibilities. Two large sycamore tree line the street with a young Red Oak growing near the garage for future driveway shade.

Here’s what Erin had to say about this house:

Just imagine how nice and cool this house’s driveway will be in 30 years when your investment in future shade will finally be realized!

And while you’re waiting, you can sit in this appropriately-painted room and pretend you watched all the trees grow tall!

I’m still trying to envision using that surprise bonus room for children’s play and office/media room possibilities.  At the same time.

I’m having trouble figuring out why this hasn’t been snapped up.  The seller even pulled the “raise the price when the sale falls through” trick.

Yeah, sounds like an awesome playroom!  You could have the little nippers play “Who can climb in the window fastest without bleeding on the rug.”

Think Mountain View is all Google and Microsoft?  Think again!  It’s also got a dynamic downtown, with, um, restaurants!  Yeah, that’s the ticket!  Restaurants!

Many thanks to Burbed reader Alex for today’s featured property.

238 VIEW St, Mountain View, CA 94041
$841,900

 

BEDS: 2
BATHS: 2.5
SQ. FT.: 1,332
$/SQ. FT.: $632
LOT SIZE: 1,160 Sq. Ft.
PROPERTY TYPE: Condominium
STORIES: 1-3 (Low Rise)
YEAR BUILT: 2008
COMMUNITY: Downtown
COUNTY: Santa Clara
MLS#: 81117753
SOURCE: MLSListings
STATUS: Active
ON REDFIN: 44 days

This amazing custom 3-year old Spanish style downtown condo unit has it all. Just blocks from desirable Castro St. 2 blocks from Mountain View farmers market, and walking distance to Cal-Train. – Marble kitchen and master bath – Grand master suite w/ walk-in closet – Marble bathroom w/ separate tub & shower – 2 parking spaces – Garage storage space – Stainless steel appliances

Here’s what Alex had to say about this listing:

At these prices, don’t expect to find any riff-raffs as neighbors. Nothing says exclusivity more than $600 in HOA. Take your children for a stroll down Castro and enjoy the artistic broken or papered windows. Or enjoy a romantic evening home with your partner, taking advantage of the constant vibrations from passing CalTrain. Who needs Santa Row when you have desirable Castro St? Move over, Palo Alto.  Make room for the new RBA.

And so convenient to City parking lots, which are always in use!  Think of all the new acquaintances you could meet there.

I am delighted to welcome a long-time listener, first-time caller to the front page of Burbed today. Usually new visitors to the site spend some time posting in comments, but this contributor decided to go for the gusto with a write-up of a century-old house in downtown Mountain View.

Please give NovaSupreme a warm Real Bay Area welcome as today’s Burbed Guest Blogger.

427 Franklin Street, Mountain View, CA 94041
$898,000

BEDS: 2
BATHS: 1
SQ. FT.: 432
$/SQ. FT.: $2,079
LOT SIZE: 7,500 Sq. Ft.
PROPERTY TYPE: Detached Single Family
STORIES: 1
VIEW: Neighborhood
YEAR BUILT: 1910
COMMUNITY: Downtown
COUNTY: Santa Clara
MLS#: 81114080
SOURCE: MLSListings
STATUS: Active
ON REDFIN: 17 days

Existing two bedroom/one bath property with no value. The value is in the land. Great opportunity to tear down and rebuild to your "dreams". Desirable neighborhood, tree lined street, and walk to downtown shops. Please call agent for more information.

This house has plenty to offer, specifically 432 sq ft @ $2,079/ft (don’t confuse with 2079 sq ft @ $432/ft). While that may seem a tad pricy, remember the property has no value (saves $$ during inspection) so it does not matter. 432 sq ft is just as good as 4320 sq ft if it’s a tear down.

It promises you a close walk to the downtown and the library. I know what you are thinking – why buy the house? Why not just save the money and spend the day in the library and night in the pubs in the downtown? You little cheapskate! If everyone starts doing that, do you think I’ll get a table on Friday night in any half decent pubs? Seriously, do your part in keeping me sane.

You can also build your "dreams" here. You may think being a rich guy (And for the first time you are right — $900k is plenty of money even in Bay Area where average household income is $80k) you can buy anywhere you want for that kinda money! Naive. Apart from the fact that you have never been to Atherton, let me tell you, you have no understanding of real estate and human culture. The problem with spending lots of money on a house is not that you spend lots of money (it would be a problem if I were to spend the money, you spending is OK). Rather, the problem is that an expensive house gets you in a certain ‘interesting’ neighborhood, shall we say? The schools are good, the streets are quiet, people are too busy founding the next Facebook to know the neighbors . It gets dull. It gets just too easy. Do you think your kids will grow up to face harsh realities of tomorrow’s world? Give them a chance. This house is unique, in that even after spending $900k (and thus earning bragging rights):

• You get no house (just the land — but hey, Wal-Mart is selling tent camps for $45)
• Parking will never be a problem, there is a big parking lot next door
• Kids go to solid average schools, like the rest of country
• Constant traffic on the 3 roads means you don’t need a clock in the house (save $100 right there). Too many cars going off to the south – must be time for library to open. People honking on California St, must be 9AM office time. Remember, the bus runs every 30mins, and the train every hour.
• And you get 3 roads, 3 cars and a gentleman with a suitcase as freebies as depicted in the MLS pictures

DISCLAIMER: as with every investment, this one too is not without risk. Just in 7 days, the listing price has been slashed by more than $50k. If the trend continues, and God forbid, the price gets below the prestigious $898k mark, you may not spend enough money to earn bragging rights. If you may try to overbid too much, the seller may think you are a nitwit. Act quickly.

422 LORETO St Mountain View, CA 94041

$1,499,999

Beds:	3
Baths:	2
Sq. Ft.:	2,029
$/Sq. Ft.:	$739
Lot Size:	5,750 Sq. Ft.
Property Type:	Detached Single Family
Style:	Traditional
Stories:	2
View:	Neighborhood
Year Built:	2007
Community:	Downtown
County:	Santa Clara
MLS#:	81033665
Source:	MLSListings
Status:	Active This listing is for sale and the sellers are accepting offers.
On Redfin:	24 days

Beautiful custom Craftsman style home built in 2007 and located in highly sought after Old Mountain View Neighborhood. This home was designed for maximum space and features an open floor plan. Filled with premium features and skylights throughout. Serene backyard with custom built playhouse. Nearby amenities include CalTrain, lightrail, and walking distance to vibrant downtown Mountain View!

Thanks to Burbed reader S.L. for this find!

S wanted to call attention to this curious statistic:

Wow! Look at all the trapped equity waiting in this… uh… non-fixer-upper!

As we all know, real estate operates in a 5 year cycle – so if you buy this today, it should definitely resume the $1.8M price by… July 11, 2012! Boom! Instant riches!

Thanks for the investment advice!