Today is the last entry of a string of hella fine housing from Burbed reader Petsmart Groomer.  We hope you have enjoyed Petsmart Groomer week.  Next week we’ll return to a mix of properties from all over the Bay Area submitted by some of our other readers (if we still have any).

Many thanks again to Petsmart Groomer for all the finds, including this, um, place that’s been on Burbed twice already!  But you’d have to go all the back to 2008 to remember this one.  That was so long ago we were still using the MLS website for our listings!

And then we revisited the same house again three months later!

Now it’s back, and it’s better than EVEH!  You can find out how much better after the break!

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Thanks very much to Burbed reader nomadic for finding this luscious living situation in Los Gatos, one of Silicon Valley’s few celebrity domiciles!

300 SANTA ROSA Dr
Los Gatos, CA 95032
$5,000,000

BEDS: 6
BATHS: 6.5
SQ. FT.: 7,500
$/SQ. FT.: $667
LOT SIZE: 1.19 Acres
PROPERTY TYPE: Detached Single Family
STYLE: Modern/High Tech, Contemporary
STORIES: 2
VIEW: Canyon, Valley
YEAR BUILT: 1986
COMMUNITY: Los Gatos/Monte Sereno
COUNTY: Santa Clara
MLS#: 81207180
SOURCE: MLSListings
STATUS: Active
ON REDFIN: 38 days

This exquisite 7500 sq/ft, 6 bedroom, 6.5 bath home on 1.19 acres nestled in the Los Gatos Mountains, combines post-modern style with majestic natural views. It is a natural abode for light and warmth. Recently re-designed and renovated, this home was originally built by Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Computer, Inc. and retains several of his most unique design elements.

Here’s why nomadic sent us this natural abode for light and warmth:

The former Wozniak house.  Featured on burbed many moons ago, and now listed for $5M.  Look at its history.

We don’t have anywhere as many celebrities in Silicon Valley, but Woz is one of the few that we ought to look into a house he had built.  So let’s have a look at how this house was marketed back in the early end of the bubble days of 2008, right after the break!

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Remember the house we featured yesterday, the “fixer” in San Francisco?  Yes, it was in hot, hot, HOT Noe Valley, so of course all the agent had to do was take pictures and slap that puppy on the MLS to let the wild overbidding start.  This low-inventory situation means less work for agents, so they can spend more time finding more excellent properties… for our front page.

Inventory isn’t low just in San Francisco.  Today’s house in Saratoga, courtesy of Burbed reader hsjb, may remind you of yesterday’s.  Grab your oven mitts, because you better be ready for the heat!

12546 NORTHAMPTON Ct
Saratoga, CA 95070
$1,299,888

BEDS: 4
BATHS: 2
SQ. FT.: 1,880
$/SQ. FT.: $691
LOT SIZE: 9,945 Sq. Ft.
PROPERTY TYPE: Detached Single Family
STYLE: Ranch
STORIES: 1
VIEW: Mountains
YEAR BUILT: 1962
COMMUNITY: Saratoga
COUNTY: Santa Clara
MLS#: 81207583
SOURCE: MLSListings
STATUS: Pending Without Release
ON REDFIN: 28 days

single family ranch style home in a quiet cul-de-sac with great potential!! 4 bedrooms, 2bathrooms, 3yr new red tiled roof, hardwood floors, copper plumbing, nice size yard with pool and jacuzzi, close to great schools and needs updating and reflected in the price.

Here’s what hsjb had to say when alerting us to this superb suburban synonym-for-“house”-that-starts-with-the-letter-S.

Owners can’t understand why it’s not selling

The agent who took these photos really knows how to make this home look attractive enough to go check out.

He certainly does! Yet after this was sent in to Burbed, the house went pending anyway!  This is a signal to realtards everywhere: you needn’t bother with the light bulbs and Drano anymore.  These houses really do sell themselves.  All the agent needs is a camera phone.  We’ve got plenty of pictures for you, so click on through to the Open House!

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Today’s prestigious property was sent in by Burbed reader Tracy.  You know that saying about shutting the barn door after the horses run away?  These barn doors are wide open, and the barnyard is large.  Deep, too.  Come to Peacock Canyon, and breathe in the fresh air.

UPDATE at end of article.

16235 ALUM ROCK Ave
San Jose, CA 95127
$320,000

BEDS: 3
BATHS: 2
SQ. FT.: 1,400
$/SQ. FT.: $229
LOT SIZE: 2.17 Acres
PROPERTY TYPE: Detached Single Family
STORIES: 2
VIEW: Mountains, Canyon
YEAR BUILT: 1900
COMMUNITY: Alum Rock
COUNTY: Santa Clara
MLS#: 81208053
SOURCE: MLSListings
STATUS: Active
ON REDFIN: 11 days

Historic ALum Rock Stables is ready for a new start. 12 stall horse stable as well as level lot that could be used for a home or possibly an arena. Gourgeous views of Peacock Canyon and access to the Alum Rock Regional Park make this an ideal location for the horseman or naturist.

Here’s why Tracy sent this listing in for some Burbed loving.

I have fantasized about this place, many times when it has been on the market. It looks to be located midway down a landslide, but that might just be me. The view is amazing, and the price seems right, but it is a crap shack, so qualifies for the burbed treatment.

It certainly does!  This place sold for an eye-popping $1.2 million in 2006, which means it’s worth almost two million now.  What a deal the bank is offering. 

And go over to the Redfin listing to check out the pictures, because this is another one of those homes for visually organized people where every room is painted a different very bright primary color.  Maybe the FBs were running a daycare along with the horse business.

Given how old the structures are, these are in surprising good shape!  They were built in the 19th Century, yet modernization was allowed to happen.  Look, they even installed indoor plumbing!

Now if you really want some cognitive dissonance with your morning coffee, check out Zillow’s price history:

You let those horses out of the barn, and the barn is now worth less than it was 21 years ago.  Then again, Zillow has a completely different set of pictures for the property, so that could explain the discrepancy.  Also a different address.  Maybe these are competing Alum Rock Stables properties.

Well, one address or the other is an ideal location for the horseman or naturist.  I just wonder if the Realtard who wrote this copy knows what a naturist is.

Update 12:15 pm: The Redfin link above is now bouncing to 11125 Canon Vista Ave, with 2006 information. And different pictures since that’s a previous listing. It also says that property is pending as of today.  Head over to Trulia to see the above pictures and copy, while you can.

We recently received this email (without the pictures; I selected them especially for the excess smug):

Open House 23+ Acres $1,288,000 in Los Gatos Sunday 01-29-2012 OPEN 1-5pm

Take in the spectacular views!
OPENHOUSESunday 1PM-5PM!

21631 HICKS Rd, Los Gatos, CA 95032
MLS# 81200553
23 beautiful acres with SFR
Priced to sell @ $1,288,000

Spectacular views of city lights, Lexington Reservoir, the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Valley.
Build your dream estate on this 23 acre property with over 3 buildable pads.

A secluded and private retreat close to town!
Possibilities are endless, vineyards, horses, lush gardens, orchard, solar, Helipad.
Only 5 minutes to Los Gatos.

Valuable property that is priced to sell now.
Thanks,
agent name and phone

p.s. Email me if you would like to see photos of the property.

Hicks Road?  Why did that seem familiar?  Ah, yes!

We don’t know why this agent’s email got caught in a time warp where it didn’t show up until yesterday, but we can only assume it was sent to Burbed because they want the property featured again.  The least we could do is oblige them.  Quickly.  Click on through to see how the place is being marketed now.

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Did you know that Burbed turned six last week?  Our very first post was on February 4th, 2006.  Here’s a peek:

What’s really great about the very first house on Burbed is it’s a castle on Buckingham Avenue!  That’s like finding a ski chalet on Zermatt Street, or a tilt-up industrial building on Technology Drive!

If you look up the listing history on Redfin, we can see just how good a job the agent did with that $555K asking price.

What do you think this house would sell for in today’s fever-pitched market?  Close to Facebook… I would say $888K FTW!

Any suggestions for celebrating six years of Burbed content?  This is an open thread.

Redwood City is always full of delightful surprises!  Today, Burbed reader Mole Man has one to share with all of you.  Unfortunately, it’s pending, but let’s enjoy it anyway.  Oh wait… they pulled the listing.  WTF?

1363 Gordon St
Redwood City, CA 94061
Sold on 4/21/2006 for $760,000

Fortunately, Burbed will stop at nothing to scour teh internets to find you photos, listing history, prices, anything we can, no matter how slimy the rock it’s under or how icky the bits in that old cache are.  Let’s see if we can come up with anything.

Ding! Ding! Ding!  Look what we found on Sawbuck!  Six photos and some listing lusciousness!

Bedrooms : 2
Bathrooms : 1
Lot Size : 0.18 ac
Finished Sq Ft : 840 sq. ft.
Type : Detached Single Family
Year Built : 1946
Subdivision : Central Park Etc.
Stories : 1
MLS# : 81145133
WalkScore™ : 66 (Somewhat Walkable)

BANK-OWNED! Adorable starter home in move-in condition; hardwood floors throughout; updated bath; 6-car garage in the backyard perfect for car collectors. Hurry this won’t last! Sold AS IS! Bank of America Prequalification REQUIRED on all offers! Plus Proof of Funds! "Cash transactions are subject to special deed restrictions."

Here’s why Mole Man thought this property belonged on the front page:

Check this redwood city gold mine out:

• Sold for $760k in 2006
• Now listed at $467,850
• You save nearly 40%!

And don’t worry about the flood zone stuff– it’s been years since there was high water around there.

Um… what flood zone stuff?  Is that why they pulled a pending listing?  And it looks like the price was cut some more, to $450,000, after Mole Man sent it in.  Somebody sure wanted a new house for the New Year, going into contract on December 30th.

Plus a six car garage?  Let’s say that again, an 840 square foot house with a SIX CAR GARAGE.  That means the garage is bigger than the house, as a two-car garage is 400 sf.

When I first saw this photo, I thought I was looking at a barn, and wondered where the riding tack was.

As you admire the rest of the photos (not available on most other sites!), remember, they really knew how to build them in 1946.  Look at those hardwood floors, and those hardwood floors!

And yet another Home Depot Bathroom Sink Special right up against the bathtub.  You can’t great design like this just anywhere.

Hurry, this won’t last.  That’s why it’s being sold as-is.

Any idea what the “special deed restrictions” might be for all-cash transactions?  At least they’re saying this place is Special.

Today we have a guest post from Burbed reader A Lewis.  Burbed tends to spend too much time in Silicon Valley, so it’s good we’ve got a frequent contributor to remind us that there’s listings full of Burbed Win all over the Bay Area, not just within three miles of Google.

Please give A a big, warm, Real Bay Area welcome as today’s guest blogger, revisiting his very first Burbed posting.

One of my favorite features on Burbed is follow-up stories from previous listings.

Cast your mind waaaaaaay back to the dim past of March, 2011 (just think how much the Republican primary field has changed since then! And who would have bet the 49ers would have clinched their division?) and this thread:

We actually ended up with a pretty good conversation full of East Bay Love (TM)!

Well, I’m sure you will be as excited as I am that 8190 Terrace was not snapped up by an ordinary buyer who intended to live in it for years…No, it was clearly a flipper who has renovated it and is ready to pass the instant equity on to you at the low low price of $849K $799K! 

Have a look inside to see what they did!

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We have another Guest Post for you today, this time from all the way across the Bay!  Yes, live, from El Cerrito, it’s Burbed reader A Lewis!  A (he says I can still call him A) is a big fan of Burbed because we love the East Bay so much.  And there’s so much to love, if by “love” we really mean “POINT AND LAUGH!”

So share the love, enjoy today’s visit to the East Bay, and give A Lewis a big, warm, Real Bay Area welcome as today’s Guest Blogger!

6601 Gatto Ave, El Cerrito, CA 94530
$359,000

BEDS: 3
BATHS: 2
SQ. FT.: 1,279
$/SQ. FT.: $281
LOT SIZE: 3,534 Sq. Ft.
TYPE: Detached
STYLE: Contemporary
STORIES: 2
VIEW: Bay, Bay Bridge, City Lights, Panoramic, San Francisco
YEAR BUILT: 1957
COMMUNITY: Junction Heights
COUNTY: Contra Costa
MLS#: 40547115
SOURCE: EBRD
STATUS: Pending – Subject to Lender Approval
ON REDFIN: 62 days

Sweeping panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay seen through the walls of glass in this beautifully modern home in the El Cerrito hills. Beautifully remodeled two bedroom, two bath plus home office features 20 foot vaulted ceilings in the living room and kitchen. Master bedroom w/ walk in closet.

"Distinctive" Staging, the ladder to nowhere, and a listing history only a mother could love!

It’s time for some East Bay goodness – here’s a local favorite I’ve been watching struggle since Aug. 2010.  So many fun things happening with this listing. First, the interior layout:

Yes, it does have a great view, but only if you can tear your eyes from the 100% carpeted stairs jutting diagonally into the dining/living combo. That metal railing – oooh, shivers of delight. And what better place for those intake vents then the stairs? I have got to talk to the architect!

Fortunately for the realtor, these bizarre stairs give you the opportunity for a ‘make it look way bigger than it actually is’ picture of the kitchen & nook. Which I actually kind of like, except for that gigantic free standing cabinet jutting out of the wall. It looks like an alien artifact posed to open a portal from another dimension and unleash demons into our world. But maybe that’s just me. Don’t miss the awesome view of the gravel roof of your neighbor’s house only 18 inches away from the kitchen sink! But wait, there are MORE pictures of this room taken from the top of the stairs!

Mmmm, close up view of that metal railing on the stairs – and nice detail visible on the non-vacuumed carpet. Oh the color of that carpet is just so….so….help me out here. Is this thing staged or is this how they live in it? Let’s move on to the best room in the house:

The only thing to say about this ‘special’ room is WTF. One 90-degree angle is all you need to enjoy 81 square feet of dim crampedness. Looks like the non-permitted 3rd bedroom I’ve been dreaming of! Not seeing a closet. But now we know this thing MUST be staged. A ladder to nowhere? That’s the true gem in this listing. I LOVE this ladder. I come back to this listing time and again just to gaze at that ladder. It gets my vote for best-attempt-by-an-overpaid-stager-to-turn-a-sub-100-square-foot-room-into-the-idea-of-a-massive-library-via-use-of-a-ladder! (I admit, we do get very few entries in this category each year). But c’mon, people, put your hands together for that shiny black ladder! It matches the desk!

On to the location:

It’s not just a corner lot – it’s an almost 180-degree turn! With absolutely no yard space! Look at that efficient use of a lot that should never have been developed! At least it’s on awkward, hilly terrain – who wants a level lot these days, anyways?

If that isn’t enough for you, let’s sit back and enjoy the listing history, shall we?

From Redfin:

That’s what we like to see – put ingredients into Redfin listing on ‘low’, add a "not an arm’s length transaction" into the pot to pique the curiosity, and stir occasionally every month while adding nothing of value or taste. Step 3 = ????. Step 4 = Profit! It’s pending! For the 4th time!

Let’s pop over to Zillow for the full price history, shall we?

Aw, it’s not all here! My faint recollection says they started at $600k in 2010. But after a few slaps in the face, they were willing to bite the bullet and move to a lower asking price than what they paid of $499,900 starting in April of 2011. Tried the old ‘make it new again!’ trick of pulling it off Redfin for 20 minutes and re-listing trick a few times. How’d that work out for you? Looks like it only cost you ANOTHER $140k so far! And they’ve been willing to switch between the incredible services of "J. Rockcliff Realtors" and "Distinctive Home Tours" not once, but three times! The competitive marketplace of real estate in action. I bet "Distinctive" paid for the staging and pictures the first time, and J. Rockcliff has just been coasting on their hard work ever since.

How will the story end? Wonder what that pending offer is…I’ll let you know if it sells! Thanks for joining me in this distinctive jaunt over to the East Bay!

Fremont doesn’t get anywhere near enough attention from Burbed, but today we take a step toward correcting that oversight.  This is a DEAL, DEAL, DEAL that should make anyone happy. 

Fremont: Close enough to Silicon Valley that commuting is in the realm of possibility, yet with all the quality features we’ve come to expect from close-in areas such as Redwood City, East Palo Alto, or Alum Rock!

57 Sycamore St, Fremont, CA 94536
$147,250

BEDS: 3
BATHS: 2
SQ. FT.: 845
$/SQ. FT.: $174
LOT SIZE: 4,237 Sq. Ft.
TYPE: Detached
STYLE: Fixer/Handyman Special
STORIES: 1
YEAR BUILT: 1905
COMMUNITY: Fremont
COUNTY: Alameda
MLS#: 40551215
SOURCE: EBRD
STATUS: Pending
ON REDFIN: 27 days

View of Creek Hills, Trees, View of Niles River directly behind property, Very Scenic Location. Dual Pane Windows, Walk to Park. Sold in AS-IS condition.

Walk to Park.  Well, I’m sold!  Although I would love to see the inside.  How did they fit 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms in 845 square feet?  Did they leave out the living room and the kitchen?

The house has plenty of history, too.  Plenty of listing history.  BUY NOW!!!!!!