476 FERNANDO Ave Palo Alto, CA 94306

$1,499,000

Beds:	4
Baths:	3.5
Sq. Ft.:	2,347
$/Sq. Ft.:	$639
Lot Size:	7,840 Sq. Ft.
Property Type:	Detached Single Family
Style:	Traditional
Stories:	2
View:	Neighborhood
Year Built:	2005
Community:	Ventura
County:	Santa Clara
MLS#:	80903496
Source:	MLSListings
Status:	Active This listing is for sale and the sellers are accepting offers.
On Redfin:	464 days

ENJOY THIS ELEGANT, 4 YEAR OLD HOME WITH FORMAL ENTRY, LIVING, AND DINING ROOMS. ENTERTAIN YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN THE FAMILY ROOM KITCHEN THAT OPENS TO THE PATIO. LARGE MASTER BEDROOM WITH BALCONY, WALKING CLOSET, LUXURIOUS BATHROOM. GROUND FLOOR BEDROOM WITH FULL BATH. CLOSE TO STANFORD UNIVERSITY AND HOSPITAL, PALO ALTO MEDICAL CLINIC, RESTAURANTS, SHOPS, POST OFFICE, AND TRANSFORTATION.

Thanks to Burbed reader Nate for this find. Here’s part 2 of his post:

Sure, it’s a couple years older but it makes that up with it’s sheer opulence.  Make sure they include those curtains with the sale!  It’s already been marked down $300k from it’s original asking price from January 2009 – so act soon. 

And if you don’t want to dirty the kitchen by actually cooking in it, there’s a great everyday eatery just steps away – Boston Market!  Enjoy your rotisserie chicken or meatloaf under that beautiful chandelier – but be sure to play some classical music lest you be bothered by the sounds of El Camino traffic.

What’s that?  You want the benefits of having a commercial establishment as a neighbor but you also want to live in a cul de sac?  Tall order, my friend, but you’re in luck. [Stay tuned for the conclusion tomorrow!]

1517 HICKS Ave San Jose, CA 95125

Listed at: $650,000

Beds:	2
Baths:	1
Sq. Ft.:	734
$/Sq. Ft.:	$886
Lot Size:	10,143 Sq. Ft.
Property Type:	Detached Single Family
Style:	Victorian
Stories:	1
Year Built:	1929
Community:	Willow Glen
County:	Santa Clara
MLS#:	81012515
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:	46 days

Check out this wonderful lot. Dimensions are appx. 69 x 147sf or 1/4 acrew. Existing houseon lot is older and has not inherent value. Build your dream home as the market for custom homes is great. Builders can alos see the upside down. Please be careful if you want to go into the house. Take your time and walk the lot.

Thanks to Burbed reader Madhaus for this find and guest post! Here it goes:

This property has a number of things going for it.  First of all, this older home has “not inherent  value,” which is better than having no inherent value.  Second, it claims to be in Willow Glen, which, like the RBA, can expand to fill the entire 95125 zip code, or contract to the corner of Willow and Lincoln.  The northwest corner.  And third, it’s being shown by the prestigious Realtards at Alain Pinel, so you know somebody is paying top dollar to move this pile of wood. But best of all, despite the snooty pretensions of the agency, here’s an ad for an older home (if eighty years is older, I’d hate to see what they call “decrepit”) with so many typos, were this a ninth grade essay I’d be giving it a D and I’ve only read the first paragraph.  Shall we have a little fun?  We shall.

Check out this wonderful lot. Dimensions are appx. 69 x 147sf or 1/4 acrew.  Oh dear, somebody misspelled
‘screw.’ Existing houseon lot is older and has not inherent value.  houseon lot?  Don’t they mean housing lot?
Build your dream home as the market for custom homes is great.  Especially during an economic downturn
like nothing since 1933. Builders can alos see the upside down.  Whoops, misspelled ‘alas.’  As in, ‘Alas, I
can see the upside down.’ Please be careful if you want to go into the house.  since you may never be seen
again due to the sinkholes, especially the sinkhole your equity is headed for. Take your time and walk the lot.
Yes, indeed, take lots of time.  Maybe wait about six years until you make an offer on this place.

Somebody didn’t take their time.  It’s pending.  I hope they were careful when they went in the house.

UPDATE: Fixed an editing error.

1773 W SELBY Ln Redwood City, CA 94061

$1,395,000

Beds:	4
Baths:	2.5
Sq. Ft.:	2,470
$/Sq. Ft.:	$565
Lot Size:	10,030 Sq. Ft.
Property Type:	Detached Single Family
Style:	Craftsman
Stories:	1
View:	Neighborhood
Year Built:	1948
Community:	Horgan Ranch
County:	San Mateo
MLS#:	81021204
Source:	MLSListings
Status:	Active This listing is for sale and the sellers are accepting offers.
On Redfin:	2 days

Almost new single story home custom built by owner. Tremendous curb appeal, fantasy backyard & ideal floor plan. A rare gem on almost 1/4 acre. Stainless kitchen features 48��� DCS Fisher & Paykel range & huge granite island with seating for 4. Sumptuous master suite boasts spa-like master bath & huge master closet. 3 additional bedrooms, one with built-in desk and Murphy bed. This home is a must see!

Thanks to Burbed reader Nate for this find. This is what Nate had to say:

Sometimes standard realtor-speak isn’t enough to adequately convey the value of a property feature and the agent has to go to the thesaurus for the big-guns.  This is the case with this listing, where phrases like "lush", "expansive" and "professionally landscaped" just don’t do justice to the backyard.  According to the listing, this house has a "fantasy backyard." 

Judging by the picture, it appears the "fantasy" in this case includes a lot of lawn care.

Based on my handy dandy guide to realtor-speak, "fantasy" ranks above terms like "pristine" and "flawless", but indicates slightly less value than yards that are "plantasmical" or "organigastic".
In case you’re wondering, to communicate the ultimate, never-to-be-topped backyard, the phrase is, "A yard of such perfection, a zombie Claude Monet would claw out of his grave to paint it."   

What? You’re not fantasizing about this?

What are you, some sort of freedom hating terrorist?

Personally, I think the most awesome part of this house is the Murphy bed:

Just make sure it doesn’t fall on you when you’re at your desk! All for just $1.4M!

Thanks Nate!

2318 FLORES St San Mateo, CA 94403

$779,000

Beds:	3
Baths:	2
Sq. Ft.:	920
$/Sq. Ft.:	$847
Lot Size:	5,740 Sq. Ft.
Property Type:	Detached Single Family
Style:	Spanish
Stories:	2
View:	Neighborhood
Year Built:	1927
Community:	Beresford Manor
County:	San Mateo
MLS#:	81016043
Source:	MLSListings
Status:	Active This listing is for sale and the sellers are accepting offers.
On Redfin:	5 days

Fantastic Opportunitty for a Big Family , 2 extras Bonus Room, and very nice Garden.

From the description, “Fantastic Opportunitty for a Big Family , 2 extras Bonus Room, and very nice Garden.”

So I guess that would be 3 bedrooms and two bonus rooms in the 920sq ft house?

Pic 5 is either a garden or a lava field.

1647 OVERLAND Dr San Mateo, CA 94403

$900,000

Beds:	4
Baths:	2.5
Sq. Ft.:	2,480
$/Sq. Ft.:	$363
Lot Size:	8,362 Sq. Ft.
Property Type:	Detached Single Family
Stories:	1
Year Built:	1971
Community:	Laurelwood
County:	San Mateo
MLS#:	81011291
Source:	MLSListings
Status:	Active This listing is for sale and the sellers are accepting offers.
On Redfin:	5 days

Enter at your own risk. 1st floor is flooded with sewage. recommend wearing a mask before entering.

Thanks to Burbed reader Wendy for this find!

Wow what a great way to start the week! No wonder this is such an amazing deal… at just $363 per square foot, this would’ve been a mistake. But this is simply because of a bum pipe. How much could that possible cost to replace? And… then… just a little cleanup. I’m sure “flooded” is an exaggeration. I mean, how could that have possibly happened in a house this nice?

There’s a whole lot of instant equity waiting for you in this house. Just bring a mop and some bleach – boom! Watch that $ per square foot soar!

366 DALE Dr San Jose, CA 95127

$495,000

 

Beds:	3
Baths:	2
Sq. Ft.:	576
$/Sq. Ft.:	$859
Lot Size:	7,644 Sq. Ft.
Property Type:	Detached Single Family
Stories:	1
Year Built:	1947
Community:	Alum Rock
County:	Santa Clara
MLS#:	80940248
Source:	MLSListings
Status:	Active This listing is for sale and the sellers are accepting offers.
On Redfin:	164 days

Big house for big family and ready to move in. Bring your offer this one won’t last long.

Although Silicon Valley might not be particularly family friendly (they’re bad for efficiency and productivity), there are definitely houses that are family friendly.

Like this one!

While 576 sqft may seem a bit on the small size, and that $859 per square foot might be a bit expensive, the realtor says that this house is great for a big family. And, let’s face it, realtors are the most knowledgeable people on the planet when it comes to real estate. Would you dare deny the listing?

More importantly, this house last sold for $538,000 in 2004! Hello instant equity.

So buy this house today for your big family. It’s ready for move in, although it may not last long!

948 RINCON St Mountain View, CA 94040

$1,249,950

Beds:	4
Baths:	3
Sq. Ft.:	2,036
$/Sq. Ft.:	$614
Lot Size:	4,080 Sq. Ft.
Property Type:	Detached Single Family
Style:	Tudor
Stories:	2
Year Built:	2009
Community:	Grant
County:	Santa Clara
MLS#:	80940090
Source:	MLSListings
Status:	Active This listing is for sale and the sellers are accepting offers.
On Redfin:	158 days

Move in 60 days! Located on Los Altos side of El Camino and walking distance to downtown Mountain View. Miramonte Park is an exclusive collection of 58 single family detached homes with all the charm of the great CA neighborhoods of the 20′s and 30′s. Great neighborhood, outstanding schools, and parks.

Hm… I hadn’t realized that in the 1920’s and 1930’s, that houses were built edge to edge, with giant slopes, with metal gates, and without yards in California. But then again, I’m no history buff – so who am I to say. Oh wait, it’s a description about the neighborhood! Oh that makes sense:

Uh… yeah… charm is definitely a word in the dictionary.

I’m going to go out on a limb here, and guess that getting Direct TV installed may be a bit of a challenge. But hey, if you can afford this house, you can probably Comcast!

175 CHURCH St Mountain View, CA 94041

$1,050,000

Beds:	4
Baths:	2
Sq. Ft.:	864
$/Sq. Ft.:	$1,215
Lot Size:	7,500 Sq. Ft.
Property Type:	Detached Single Family
Stories:	1
View:	Neighborhood
Year Built:	1928
Community:	Downtown
County:	Santa Clara
MLS#:	80956104
Source:	MLSListings
Status:	Active This listing is for sale and the sellers are accepting offers.
On Redfin:	21 days

* Lots of upgrade charming old world bungalow in prime old Mountain View. * Large lot w/ rear set non-congorming 1/1 cottage. * Total of 1626 sqft of living area. * Front house is immaculate.

It’s buy one get one free time in Mountain View!

At first glance, it would look ridiculous to spend $1,215 per square foot in Mountain View this year (next year it might be reasonable), but the fact is that you’re actually get 2 houses. In reality, you’re just paying $646 per square foot. Far more reasonable for two old world cottages! And the front one is in great shape while the rear one is… uh… non-congorming.

But wait, there’s even more!

Wow, just look at this garage! So really, you’re getting 3 buildings! Just think about how much you can rent the second house and the garage out for. The garage can go to the next Google/Facebook startup, and so you’ll be rich from Friends and Family shares. The second house can go to the CEO of that startup, so you can get cash in the meantime.

Win-win-win! Cha-ching!

This is going to be your best investment ever!

1147 NILDA Ave Mountain View, CA 94040

$1,200,000

Beds:	3
Baths:	2
Sq. Ft.:	1,788
$/Sq. Ft.:	$671
Lot Size:	5,406 Sq. Ft.
Property Type:	Detached Single Family
Style:	Ranch
Stories:	1
Year Built:	1952
Community:	Miramonte
County:	Santa Clara
MLS#:	80956134
Source:	MLSListings
Status:	Active This listing is for sale and the sellers are accepting offers.
On Redfin:	21 days

wow!this is perfect 10!Best property in questa park home!The house was rebuild from studs in 2004 with all top of the line materials!First class kitchen w/ top of the line appliance, granite counters, maple cabinets, family rm w/ buildt in cabinets 48" panasonic HDTV, sound sysytem, remodeled bathrooms, the master retreat is fit for a king w/ view of the pool and water fall, hardwood floorsand high ceiling.

This house is definitely a perfect 10. Just look at these pictures! Especially this one:

You know what the problem is? You don’t have the 3D glasses that are needed to see these pictures in their full glory. That’s right! Who knew that the team from Avatar was available to do home photos too!

If you squint your eyes, you can see see some Na’vi in the background – look for them.

It’s kind of unfortunate that all the money was spent spiffying up these photos, so that there wasn’t enough for spell checking and spaces.

But in any case, check it out – the house comes with a 48” Panasonic HDTV. WOW.

Great for you to watch Avatar when it comes out!

1603 Shortridge Ave, San Jose, CA

$300,000

Status: Pending Release
Bedroom: 2
Bathroom: 1

Year Built: 1920
Lot Size: 3840
Square Footage: 1080
List Date: 11/23/2009
Garage Spaces: 2
MLS#: 80954766

COME SEE WHAT A GREAT BUY THIS CHARMING BUNGALOW IS!REGULAR SALE-NOT A S/SALE OR REO!LARGE CORNER LOT IN LITTLE PORTUGAL W/2 CAR GARAGE ATTACHED BY A COVERED PATIO*CHARMING COUNTRY KITCHEN W/FARMHOUSE SINK & STUNNING DECO TILE COUNTERS W/FULL BACKSPLASH*FRIDGE INCL’D*INTERIOR LAUNDRY ROOM W/WINDOW*SPACIOUS LIVING ROOM W/XMAS TREE WINDOW & FIREPLACE W/MANTLE*VIEW A 19 PHOTO SLIDE SHOW ON MY WEBSITE

Thanks to Burbed reader sonarrat for this find.

Frankly, I don’t see why anyone needs to go to school – you can learn a lot just from real estate listings. For example, did you know that there’s a Little Portugal in San Jose? I certainly didn’t. Heck there’s even a North and South!

And also, who knew that you could have a farm house right next to 101? How quaint! How convenient!

Let’s go look at some of the photos:

Vintage indeed! Look the appliances! Look at the car! Too bad the car doesn’t come with the house, that’d be a real bonus!

But more importantly, this house is now pending, which goes to show just how HOT HOT HOT the market is. Don’t you wish you had purchased this house?