Today’s featured property is brought to you by Burbed reader wahnny.  It’s perfect for a quick little mini-vacay, because it’s an easy drive from Google, Facebook, Apple, or wherever you should be working this weekend.  Just plop down the cash (easily found behind the couch cushions or by redeeming a couple of stock options), pitch your tent, and enjoy!  Plus, you could build a house on it!

2155 Tucker
Scotts Valley, CA 95066
$140,000

— Beds
— Baths
— Sq. Ft.
Built: —
Lot Size: 4.74 Acres
On Redfin: 9 days
Property Type: Residential Land (Single Family)
Community: Scotts Valley North
MLS#: 81304038
View: Mountains
County: Santa Cruz

Perfect vacation spot with a self sufficient little cabin. Off the grid with spring fed water. A wonderful tree house, a zip line, a foot bridge PLUS your own beach on Soquel Creek (year round water) Great place to get away, enjoy the peace and quiet. Read a book, go for a hike, let you kids enjoy the the outdoors! Can’t see a neighbor who you all share in the road maintenance.

Here’s why wahnny sent in this delightful home away from home (that is, if by home, we actually meant a place that doesn’t have a house for grown-ups on site).

Just came across this offbeat/offgrid Scotts Valley getaway.  What an interesting use of children, to help sell property.  And deep in the woods no less!

Unlike the "mini-San Simeon" property, this one actually has a zip line, as well as other fun structures (cabin, treehouse), and isn’t as far from civilization/paved roads.  And it has "beach" access (to the creek) too!

Given its relative proximity to the RBA, relative RBA pricing, and r3ltrd copyspeak, it’s quite clear who this would appeal to!

Every rule we’ve ever heard about staging a property for sale says to take family photos out of the house, because the buyers want to visualize themselves in the house. If they see pictures of your family, then that makes it harder for them to see themselves living there.  Obviously either the agent never heard of this rule, or she has some really obstinate sellers.  Why?  This property features a bunch of family snaps instead of the usual listing photos.

And whoever’s idea this was, they really want you to admire the family.  The pictures of the grounds that left the wife and kiddies out are not the sharpest prints in the drawer. 

Just wait until you meet “can’t see a neighbor who you all share in the road maintenance.”  We double dog dare you to share in the road maintenance with someone you can’t see.

Bunus: Be sure to check out the listing history.

Extra-super-bunus: Last sale (at $190K in 2007) and the older photos are still available for your viewing pleasure.  You can tell this one on the right is from the old set, because it’s actually focused.

Wow, what a week!

We started off with a bang, or at least a toilet that could have used some blowing up.  We had an abandoned construction project featuring garage space for seven cars. Not only did we have a Burbed-style debate, our Friday feature wasn’t just the usual mawbul kawlum love.  No, that house turned out to have had a murder take place on the property… while the owner was in court defending someone accused of an even more infamous murder just a few miles away.  That’s the East Bay for you!

Good thing we’re just going to sit back and read a delightful children’s story now.  It’s all about you and your shadow… inventory.  Thanks very much to the shadowy folks at Movoto for this terrific tale.  You can check out their blog for other real-estate-related tomfoolery.

Have an idea for other great kids’ books that would do double-duty explaining real estate trends?  Share them here, or share anything you want in this Weekend Open Thread.  Any Open Houses in your book?

Here’s a stupendous short sale, with a DHO count of 2, count ‘em, 2!  Check out the DHO tag for more listing and Streetview photos featuring one or more Dudes Hanging Out.

Many thanks to Burbed reader Upwardly Noble for these luscious listing photos.

235 D St
Redwood City, CA 94063
$615,000

BEDS: 3
BATHS: 2
SQ. FT.: 1,580
$/SQ. FT.: $389
LOT SIZE: 4,850 Sq. Ft.
PROPERTY TYPE: Attached Single Family
STYLE: Traditional, Contemporary
STORIES: 1
VIEW: Neighborhood
YEAR BUILT: 1941
COMMUNITY: Lenolt
COUNTY: San Mateo
MLS#: 81142784
SOURCE: MLSListings
STATUS: Pending Without Release
ON REDFIN: 131 days

Absolutely gorgeous 3 bed, 2 full bath, 1580 sq ft living area, single story residence in a desirable area of Redwood City. 5 minutes to/from the freeway. Carpeted living room , family room, all bedrooms, and hallway, Roof 5 years old, House was gutted in 2009, by a professional contractor, updated to todays standards, and remodeled with all required permits. Dual Pane Energy saving Windows.

Here’s why Upwardly Noble sent in this house:

If this doesn’t sell it, I don’t know what will.  Gotta love the youthful exuberance of a short sale in this listing’s photos.  Not sure if the children were placed in the photos to inspire pity, excitement, or what, but I like their moxie.

Looks like they’re trying everything they can to sell this house, including listing it on different services.  On BAREIS, it’s been sitting unloved for 175 days (and very much still for sale).  Head over to MetroList, and you can only look at the driveway and the street.  Those are pictures #2-5 on MLSListings, the Redfin link up top.  And that’s also where you’ll find four, count ‘em, four different DHO photos!  BAREIS just had one, and MetroList, zilch!

Finally, here’s a shot only on BAREIS, which just barely squeaks this place into a Burbed Good Housekeeping award and tag.  Nice job keeping the pet bowls where we can see them, but next time, please include the kids WITH the dog.

A black dishwasher with white cabinetry.  Daring!  Now that’s “todays standards.”  Or on BAREIS, “todays colors.”  Yes, on the other two listings; the copy is different, as is the size of the lot.  Whoops!

BAREIS:

Back on the market, large spacious 3 bedroom, 2 full bath, 1580 sq foot home located in central area of Redwood City, Totally gutted, and redesigned in 2009. All modern appliances, todays colors, and heavy duty carpeting. Dual Pane windows, wood buring fireplace, Crown Molding through out the home. Refrigerator to stay, Corian Tile Kitchen Counters, and ceiling fans through out the house. 1 car attached garage, with electric garage door opener.

MetroList:

BANK APPROVED SHORT SALE Lovely 3 bedroom 2 bath single level 1580 sq ft home in Redwood City. 5 minutes to freeway. 30 minutes from SF. Much sought after area of Redwood City. Quiet community. Totally updated and renovated, New Exterior, new interior paint. Original hardwood flooring in Living Room. Large spacious kitchen with decent size eating area. Carpet in Family Room. Wood burning fireplace in living room. Active Short Sale.

These different agencies are supposed to cover different regions.  MLSListings covers San Francisco and south to Monterey, including Burbed’s frequent targets of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties; BAREIS is North Counties (Marin, Napa, Sonoma, Solano, Lake and Mendocino Counties); and MetroList is Sacramento/Central Valley.  You may have heard of one more, EBRD, which is for Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.

This artistic photo at right is from the BAREIS listing.  From the different photo sets and listing copy for the same house, we can only conclude that the agent deliberately listed this house on three different services, trying to see which approach would get the bank to eat the short sale first.

Update 10:50 AM: Just found this “bunus” extra shot on Zillow adding to the Xtreme DHO awesomeness!  Can you find yet more pictures of this house or these kids on some other listing sites?

1043 SYLVAN Dr San Carlos, CA 94070

$529,000

Beds:	3
Baths:	2
Sq. Ft.:	1,310
$/Sq. Ft.:	$404
Lot Size:	5,000 Sq. Ft.
Property Type:	Detached Single Family
Style:	Ranch
Stories:	1
View:	Neighborhood
Year Built:	1948
Community:	Clearfield Park/North Redwood Subdivision
County:	San Mateo
MLS#:	81051733
Source:	MLSListings
Status:	ActiveThis listing is for sale and the sellers are accepting offers.
On Redfin:	75 days

Large fenced rear yard. Level lot, tile floors and fireplace in living room. Garage converted. Huge master bedroom addition.

Thanks to Burbed reader RBSC for this find!

Nothing too unusual here so far. Garage converted probably without a permit… blah blah blah. let’s look through the pictures:

Ok, some torture instruments from medieval Europe. Cool. This house has some history.

I like the modern art piece! And… the… whatever it is on the toilet seat! (It looks like tracking dots for CG purposes. Are they animating the next Aquaman here?)

There you go! Free boy with purc
hase of house! And he can even play the guitar! Sweet!

Better act fast before this guy beats you to the house!

 

Bay Area Children Better Off Than Rest of California

In a sign of the Bay Area’s relative wealth, children in the region are more likely to live in households with higher incomes and with parents who are married and have higher education levels than children statewide, according to a survey of parents from the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health released in December. While 24% of children in the Bay Area live in households with incomes above $125,000, only 18% statewide had this level of income, the survey found. But because of the high cost of living in the Bay Area, 23% of parents here said their level of income isn’t enough to provide for their children, only slightly lower than 26% statewide. "While that’s better than the rest of California, that’s still concerning," said David Alexander, president and chief executive of the foundation.

Congrats to the Bay Area. And let’s face it, since California is the center of the world, then Bay Area children are better off than the rest of the world.

We’re #1! We’re #1!