If you’ve been a long-time reader of this blog, you may remember that burbed (our founder and long-time content creator) had this thing for pink houses.  So the site occasionally would dig up a pink house for Valentines Day.  This year, we found an even better listing for celebrating a day for lovers.  It’s all set up for a Special date you won’t forget!  Many thanks to Burbed reader The Maggadads for this fantastic find from Fremont!

2116 JACKSON St
Fremont, CA 94539
$894,950

BEDS: 3
BATHS: 3.5
SQ. FT.: 1,824
$/SQ. FT.: $491
LOT SIZE: 0.28 Acres
TYPE: Detached
STYLE: Ranch
STORIES: 1
VIEW: Hills, Mountains
YEAR BUILT: 1963
COMMUNITY: Mission San Jose
COUNTY: Alameda
MLS#: 40538102
SOURCE: EBRD
STATUS: Active
ON REDFIN: 186 days

Mission schools! 12,110 sq. ft. lot, 1-story. $50k spent on 2011 remodeling kitchen, baths, carpet, tile, french doors & lighting, dual pane, AC & backyard. Built-in 50′s Diner theme- pool cabana/antique western town, 6-car garage w/ 1/2 bath, pool w/ water fall, new lawn & sprinklers. Not a REO/SS!

Here’s what The Maggadads thought of this place with $50K spent on 2011 remodeling:

I just started reading your blog. Although I take a minor offense to the jabs you poke at Fremont, I couldn’t help but send you this listing.

I’m not sure which is cooler…the 50s themed diner or the western-themed fence. At least it has a 6-car garage!

Wait, let me check, is this a house for sale, or a commercial property?  Because while it’s always good to have a space for entertaining a crowd, a 50s themed diner wasn’t exactly at the top of my list in must-haves for an 1,800 square foot house.

But a 50s themed diner AND a western themed fence, both!  I can die now.  What a Valentines Day you’ll have!  And if your date isn’t successful, one of you can retire to the six-car garage.

Well, this is one of those good news/better news situations.  The good news is yes indeed, this house is in a 100% residential district and there is no danger that one of your neighbors will be opening up a 40s themed diner to compete with yours (and incidentally use up all the street parking).  The better news is, well, location, location, location!

Thanks very much to Burbed reader Petsmart Groomer for this, um, property with views, views, views.

115 Telegraph Hill Blvd
San Francisco, CA 94133
$3,000,000

BEDS: 0
BATHS: –
SQ. FT.: –
LOT SIZE: –
PROPERTY TYPE: Single-Family Home
VIEW: Panoramic, City Lights, Water, Bay, Bay Bridge, Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, Downtown, Park, Garden/Greenbelt, Woods, Hills, Mountains
YEAR BUILT: 1906
COMMUNITY: Telegraph Hill
COUNTY: San Francisco
MLS#: 373325
SOURCE: San Francisco MLS
STATUS: Contingent – Show
ON REDFIN: 572 days

REDUCED ON 9/2/2011 BY $500K!!! Rare Opportunity to purchase a large RH-3 Panoramic View Parcel at the Crest of Famed Telegraph Hill. Panoramic Vistas, including the Golden Gate Bridge, SF Bay & Bay Bridge, Dramatic City Skyline, Coit Tower and Historic Pioneer Park. The cottage on the parcel is unfinished. THE OWNER IS MOTIVATED TO SELL QUICKLY! Nearby Homes are valued at over $10MM and are architecturally significant. BUILD YOUR DREAM HOME OR HOMES/MULTI-CONDOMINIUMS! Walk Score of 95! A Short Distance to The Financial District, North Beach, The North Waterfront, Bay Club and Key Transportation Corridors. Just steps away from the Renowned Grace Marchant Gardens and World Famous Coit Tower! It does not get better than this in our opinion!

Here’s why PG sent this one in:

555 days on the market. If only the buyers were as motivated…

Somebody was motivated.  It’s pending.  Took them long enough (and a 14% price reduction).  But why would they sell a “view parcel” and not mention how big it is?  Makes it a little difficult to build an “architecturally significant” place to fit in with the neighborhood if you don’t know whether the lot is 4000 feet or 40.

However, looking at the lot, perhaps we can infer the size by getting information from another home on the same block.  The map of the immediate neighborhood is below.

Unfortunately, this may not be the lot we are looking for.  The outlined parcel below is on Genoa Place, not Telegraph Hill.  Even more bizarre, the Redfin link to this property is:

http://www.redfin.com/CA/San-Francisco/363V-Filbert-St-94133/home/1973351

No wonder nobody knows how big it is, nobody knows WHERE it is.

Here’s where Zillow says we should look:

I can’t find the cottage, though.  Maybe it’s cowering under the trees for fear someone will BUILD THEIR DREAM HOME OR HOMES/MULTI-CONDOMINIUMS!

Today’s find is a high-end listing, courtesy of Burbed reader Overheard in San Carlos.  Now, if you read yesterday’s feature based on price tiers in the SF Case-Shiller Index, you might be thinking that means a property that costs more than $579,803.  This property indeed qualifies as costing more than not a lot of money.

16100 GREENRIDGE Ter,
Los Gatos, CA 95030
$2,900,000

BEDS: –
BATHS: –
SQ. FT.: –
LOT SIZE: 36 Acres
PROPERTY TYPE: Residential Land (Single Family)
VIEW: Bay, Green Belt, Mountains, Canyon, Neighborhood, Valley, City Lights
COMMUNITY: Los Gatos/Monte Sereno
COUNTY: Santa Clara
MLS#: 80930783
SOURCE: MLSListings
STATUS: Active
ON REDFIN: 934 days

The finest estate land left in Los Gatos with unparalleled privacy, views and proximity to Town amenities. 36 pristine acres just minutes from downtown. Potential for subdivision with multiple view lot possibilities. Adjacent to the desirable Highlands of Los Gatos subdivision. Fresh air, wildlife, beautiful oaks, privacy with views of the valley, city lights, and views all the way to the Bay.

Here’s what OSC had to say about this property flyer.

Wow.. having to reduce a property’s price by over 50% to get it sold is NOT something to brag about…

Price slashed 50%, after two and a half years on the market. If you’ve been waiting for a big open space to hide lots of bodies, this could be what you’re looking for!

Today’s find is from Burbed reader Swan, and what a find it is.  Have you always hankered to create a side business, where you simply find a need and fill it?  This house will have carloads of cash leaping into your pockets!  Ka-ching!

374 S REDWOOD Ave
San Jose, CA 95128
$450,000

BEDS: 4
BATHS: 2
SQ. FT.: 1,880
$/SQ. FT.: $239
LOT SIZE: 6,534 Sq. Ft.
PROPERTY TYPE: Detached Single Family
STYLE: Traditional
STORIES: 1
VIEW: Neighborhood
YEAR BUILT: 1945
COMMUNITY: Campbell
COUNTY: Santa Clara
MLS#: 81043492
SOURCE: MLSListings
STATUS: Pending With Release
ON REDFIN: 495 days

SUBJECT TO RELEASE OF CONTRACT. CAMPBELL SCHOOL DISTRICT. SANTANA ROW. CLOSE TO SHOPPING, FREEWAYS AND/OR TRANSPORTATION. BACKYARD. BUYER TO VERIFY USE.

And here’s why Swan brought this domestic discovery to discussion:

Here’s a listing longing for some Burbed lovin’!

What’s not to love?

ALL CAPS, 460 days on Redfin, concrete front yard, what was the realtard thinking photos, proximity to the famed Santa Row (never worry about finding parking again – you’re within walking distance), and the always fun, “BUYER TO VERIFY USE.”

Concrete front yard?  You see a front yard, I see satellite parking lot.  This is all about location, location, location.  Santana Row is somewhere in the same timezone, and you could probably park eight cars in front of the house.  Set up a few orange cones and reserve street parking for your concession as well.

And there’s a backyard too!  No wonder you have to verify use!

Look, when opportunity like this knocks, you had better fling that door wide open.  You never know what’s going to be on the other side.

2898 Bouveron Ct
San Jose, CA 95148

$329,990

The science fiction that you only dreamed about is here. Text now randomly pops up when you visit properties.

I bet this house says “Please wait while 19051 other buyers are touring, bitch!” when you step up to it. What else could it possibly say?

But, as they say – true love is always worth the wait…

16240 WOOD ACRES Rd
Saratoga, CA 95030

$698,000

Yes. I would also guess that this home may be larger than county records. By just a little though.

Any thoughts on how one would go about measuring this?

DEALS, DEALS, DEALS, we’re going to travel all around the Bay Area to bring them to you!  Here’s something close to a major center of higher learning!  No, not Stanford, that would be the cheapest house in Palo Alto.  This is the cheapest house near Cal!

And since Cal’s a public school, you can pay a public house price!

1509 ASHBY Ave, Berkeley, CA 94703
$170,000

BEDS: 3
BATHS: 1
SQ. FT.: 754
$/SQ. FT.: $225
LOT SIZE: 2,516 Sq. Ft.
TYPE: Detached
STYLE: Bungalow
STORIES: 1
YEAR BUILT: 1922
COMMUNITY: Berkeley
COUNTY: Alameda
MLS#: 40498800
SOURCE: EBRD
STATUS: Active
ON REDFIN: 384 days

Nice home but does need work. Public record shows 754 sq feet, and 1 bedroom but it has 3 bedrooms, so sq foot is larger.

“It has 3 bedrooms, so sq foot is larger.”

You know, maybe someone subdivided that one bedroom into three and turned this into a super-cheap student rental.  Maybe the sq foot is not larger after all.  Maybe it is.  Maybe it’s a tesseract and the house is actually 25,000 sq foot.  Maybe it’s in some kind of non-Euclidian geometry zone where a sq foot is 25,000 sq inch.  (That may be the best explanation, as Euclid is on the northeast side of town.)

There’s no inside photos, so the only way you’re ever going to find out if sq foot is larger is to BUY THIS HOUSE RIGHT NOW.  Think of it as a lucky raffle ticket, only instead of possibly winning a new car, you could win a larger sq foot.

DEALS DEALS DEALS just keep on coming!  And if you’re interested in downtown San Jose, you’re very busy so we’ll keep this quick.  Now, you may be asking yourself, how can this be the cheapest house downtown when the cheapest house in the entire county cost (gasp!) a hundred dollars more?

Well, that’s simple.  There are actually several houses listed for around this price, and the official cheapest house was one of the few that wasn’t pending.  But look, you read Burbed.  You know how the real estate business means real funny business.  You know a “pending” on a short sale means the seller is doing everything possible to jinx it, and a pending with release on a short sale means the buyer isn’t exactly trying their hardest either.  So this listing is like an irresistible force meeting an immovable object, or maybe the opposite; say a buyer with better places to invest making an offer to a seller who doesn’t want to go anywhere and won’t see a dime from the transaction.

That means all you have to do is threaten bribe heartily encourage everyone involved: seller, buyer, listing agent, buyers’ agent, bank agent, and of course, your agent to sell you this property!

560 E JULIAN St, San Jose, CA 95112
$149,900

BEDS: 3
BATHS: 1
SQ. FT.: 1,188
$/SQ. FT.: $126
LOT SIZE: 1,242 Sq. Ft.
PROPERTY TYPE: Detached Single Family
STYLE: Victorian
STORIES: 2
VIEW: Neighborhood
YEAR BUILT: 1908
COMMUNITY: Central San Jose
COUNTY: Santa Clara
MLS#: 80840481
SOURCE: MLSListings
STATUS: Pending With Release
ON REDFIN: 1154 days

Back on the market! No fault on property! Beautiful Victorian Home waiting for you.

Yup, if you’re wondering how they got a 1,188 square foot house on a 1,242 square foot lot, that’s no fault on property.  If you’re wondering why it’s been listed 1154 days, that’s no fault on property, either. Maybe agent means no tennis matches have been played here.

Also I don’t know what’s on the counter next to the sink, but I think it qualifies for the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.  Or at least the Burbed good housekeeping tag.

DEALS, DEALS, DEALS!  Even Saks Fifth Avenue has a sale sometimes, and we’re moving those homes out in Los Altos!

26 PASA ROBLES Ave, Los Altos, CA 94022
$1,119,000

 

BEDS: 2
BATHS: 2
SQ. FT.: 1,334
$/SQ. FT.: $839
LOT SIZE: 5,828 Sq. Ft.
PROPERTY TYPE: Detached Single Family
STORIES: 1
YEAR BUILT: 1923
COMMUNITY: North Los Altos
COUNTY: Santa Clara
MLS#: 81139656
SOURCE: MLSListings
STATUS: Active
ON REDFIN: 90 days

Beautifully Remodeled Spanish Mediterranean Home in the Heart of North Los Altos. Open, sunny floor plan with lots of windows, stainless steel appliances, and plantation shutters. Living room with wood-burning fireplace and separate dining area. Hardwood floors throughout. Completely remodeled bathrooms with travertine floors and stone-tiled walls. Bonus room currently configured as an office.

Listed at a substantial price cut from its 2006 sale price, this one won’t last!  Yes, under 2006 pricing.  In Los Altos.  It’s time to CALL THE BOTTOM!

Meanwhile, these poor homeloaners have been trying to ditch this millstone since 2008.  But their nightmare could be your dream house!  HURRY!

I read a lot of real estate sites in order to bring you Burbed-worthy features.  Recently, I found an agent’s special “Astonishing Homes” page that looked absolutely scrumptious.  Plenty of seven and even eight-figure high-end properties on acres of land with great schools.

Now I know absolutely nothing about this particular agent, but all these homes were on MLS. Member agents can detail any MLS listings in their region, and Sophia Delacotte put together a webpage with nicer luxury properties for people to get some real estate pr0n action.  But something was amiss when I took a closer look at the actual listings.

With ten different houses, that’s ten front facades and ten sets of details.  I have all that waiting for you inside, but before you join me, make your prediction how many of these ten estate properties:

• Sold (pending within 7 days)
• Sold (pending within 30 days)
• Sold in a longer timeframe
• Are still active on MLS
• Had their listing withdrawn
• Had a price reduction at some point

For “bunus” yucks, guess how many of these ten estate homes have marble columns.

Got your guesses ready?  Good.  Now, let’s see these Astonishing Homes and find out if you’re as Astonished as I was.

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