June 14, 2006

Noe Valley “Pied a Terre” for $355,000

Today’s most clicked-on Redfin property is a “bijou pied a terre” in San Francisco’s Noe Valley listed at $355,000. Bijou means “jewel” and “pied a terre” means second residence (why doesn’t the Seattle MLS use any fancy French terms?). A better translation would be that the place is ridiculously small, but charming; with only a kitchenette rather than a full kitchen, one bathroom, and a living room you can sleep in after everyone leaves. The broker’s open was yesterday; the open house is this Sunday from 1 - 4.

The building was originally four 1-bedroom apartments, but the two upper units were converted into a 2-bedroom apartment and a studio, with the studio becoming our Sweet Dig. The listing brokerage isn’t sure — or isn’t saying — how many square feet this little Sweet Dig is, and since it was just split up, there’s no sales history.

I lived around the corner from here for many years, and it’s a beautiful neighborhood: good Chinese at Eric’s, burritos at Papalote, sushi at Hamano. If you like to run, you can haul yourself up the hill to Sutro Tower and see the whole city spread out before you, and the ocean too. If you like the neighborhood, there are a few bigger places for a little more money but with less charm.