Archive for October, 2007
October 31, 2007
Glendale Village, one of the more “affordable” neighborhoods in San Mateo, is located between Highway 101 to the east, El Camino to the west, 40th Avenue to the south, and Hillsdale Boulevard to the north. It is a neighborhood of primarily single-story homes, although there have bee
n some second-story additions over the years. You will typically find three bedroom SFRs, with a few two bedroom, four bedroom, and even one six bedroom currently available. Architecture is run-of-the-mill suburban, primarily ranchers and bungalows. But it is a close-knit neighborhood, with George Hall Elementary School within walking distance for residents of the area, and there is even a neighborhood Association with meetings, a newsletter, and an online site. Bonus: you have easy access to Highway 101, Hillsdale CalTrain, SamTrans, and Hillsdale Shopping Center.
Currently there are 13 homes for sale in this neighborhood, ranging in price from $609,000 to $899,000:
3821 Pasadena Drive $609,000 2/1, 860 sf. Cheapest one of the bunch, also the smallest. Needs complete update and remodel, and there is potential for expansion.
3514 Casanova Drive $679,000 3/1, 1100 sf
505 39th Street $684,900 3/1, 1110 sf Corner lot.
3981 Casanova Drive $699,000 3/1, 1080 sf Very nice home, with new paint, parquet hardwood floors throughout, remodeled kitchen and bath, and bonus sun room.
70 Otay Avenue $729,000 2/1, 900 sf
3901 Branson Drive $748,000 3/2, 1490 sf
3615 Orinda Drive $749,500 2/1, 1000 sf
82 E. Hillsdale Blvd $749,900 4/2, 1580 sf. On the busiest street of the neighborhood.
3610 Casanova Drive $759,000 3/1, 1120 sf. Price reduction on this one with motivated seller.
2620 Oso Street $759,950 3/1, 1080 sf
164 Poinsettia $850,000 3/2, 1400 sf. Great kitchen and bath remodel, as well as child-friendly back yard.
88 E. Hillsdale Blvd $888,000 4/3, 1990 sf. On the busiest street of the neighborhood, but completely remodeled by a contractor. Actual square footage is 2988, not 1990 sf according to listing agent.
23 Poinsettia $899,000 6/3.5, 2270 sf. Originally listed at $910,000, this is the largest home of the bunch. Virtual tour here.
October 31, 2007
Price reductions, help with financing, a few choice pieces of furniture thrown in with the deal… these are all fairly standard ways nowadays to boost your chances of selling your home.
But, according to report today on NPR’s Talk of the Nation program, homeowners are getting even more creative (
read desperate) with their sales techniques.
Some are now tossing in free plasma TVs, jacuzzis, even a car to fill half that two-car garage.
And on the same station yesterday, I heard a snippet about a couple in their fifties who sold their home with the proviso that the buyers could get the $399,000 asking price back when that couple died. A step too far surely?
October 31, 2007
I am writing this post from the fire-torn area of Rancho Bernardo, San Diego - where people have lost their homes and the air smells like stale campfire.
I came down to visit several high tech companies in the area, expecting to see depressed people and devastation. Instead, I see people who have lost everything keeping a positive outlook, and looking forward to the future. The companies I am visiting are offering employees time off to help others impacted by the fires, and large corporations are donating funds in this time of need.
Last night when checking in to my hotel, I saw two young women with plates of brownies - baked for a family who lost a home in the fire. I saw hotel staff look the other way when dogs were brought into rooms, and children splashing in the pool. Red Cross bottled water was available at the door.
Thinking back on the earthquake of ‘89 - here in the Bay Area, we also helped our friends and neighbors who suffered damages and lost loved ones. We banded together, and came out stronger in the end.
Can such a tragedy as happened down here happen in the Bay Area? All we have to do is remember the Oakland fires to say yes. But if it does, or if we get the “Big One” - I know the spirit of our people will prevail. We will not roll over and play dead - we will band together, help each other, and rebuild, just as they are doing here in San Diego.
My hat is off to the strong people of San Diego - and I am proud to be a Californian!
October 31, 2007
Sweet Digs Bay Area is now covering six counties: Santa Clara, San Mateo, SF, Marin, Alameda and Contra Costa. There is a lot of diversity in population, climate, and housing prices in each of these areas. I got to wondering what the dollar could buy in each county, so last week I began a series on county cost comparison. We began with homes at or under $500,000, and this week we move up to the $750,000 price point. I randomly chose two cities in each county (except for SF), and I am using the same cities each week to be consistent, and only single family homes will be analyzed (no condo, townhouse or TIC). And to reiterate: each price point from now on will have more than one property at or near that dollar amount, so I will be choosing one based on…what I myself would buy if I had to choose. This could be based on square footage, architectural style, location, or my favorite: a kick-ass kitchen. I realize this is a bit subjective (well, more than a bit), but there is no real objective way to do it that I could think of. Again, should you think of one, let me know in the Comment Section and I will reconsider my selfish ways.
In the under $750,000 category, there was actually one city which had no single family home listings at that price: Orinda. I find that amazing. I think that Pleasanton had the best matches and best bang for the buck today, with Concord coming in a close second.
Mountain View: 229 Palo Alto Avenue, 3/1, 1116 sf, 5662 sf lot, $749,000. This is a new listing and is described as a short sale. Homeowners seem to have made improvements or maintained home well since purchase. Near downtown, easy access to CalTrain, 101, 85, 280, Central Expressway and El Camino.
Santa Clara: 2101 El Capitan Avenue. 3/2, 1350 sf, 5663 sf lot, $749,999. Located off San Tomas Expressway, there is good access to 101, 280 and 880, as well as Central Expressway and El Camino. Home appears nicely cared for with good quality upgrades. Only possible downfall is that the home may be located in a landing pattern for San Jose Airport.
Read the rest of this entry »
October 31, 2007
4759 Selkirk St. in Fremont is a lot of house to be selling for $740,000! And the area is what I would classify as ‘middle-class’ so it’s a good area for a family. It’s close to 880, by the Dumbarton Bridge on-ramp, and a hop-skip-and-jump to Newpark Mall.
With 6+ bedrooms and 3 baths the kids may never move out when they are grown. But that’s okay because we DO love the ‘little bugger’s’, right? This place could be like the Little House on the Prairie but without the prairie. Priced at only $301 per square foot (not my favorite way to price houses but still interesting) it is a steal. It does say it’s a fixer-upper but the pictures of it leaves me asking what needs fixing. Hope it’s nothing major. In the description it does say “Insulation: Unknown” and that makes me curious. But I plan to drive by it today and check it out and suggest you do the same. Besides, ‘fixer-upper’ always translates to ‘negotiable price’ in my mind.
REAL ESTATE TERMINOLOGY:
Conduit - Usually a metal pipe in which electrical wiring is installed.
October 31, 2007
Tuesday’s 5.6 earthquake is a less than gentle reminder that Bay Area residents live on top of several fault lines. And fault lines shift. Homeowners, prospective homeowners, and renters alike have reason to wonder if their homes are safe. Resources to draw on include”Liquefaction Maps” which highlight areas most likely to liquify in a large earthquake. These maps can help you chose homes which are built on land less vulnerable to such a terrifying phenomenon.
Another resource, perhaps one to help your home not become liquid at all (yes, please?), is the foundation upon which your home rests. Many homes on the market today include reinforced foundations that are retro-fitted for seismic safety. This improvement is in fact a major selling point, and one you should consider when selling or buying.
Concrete and steel in foundations and construction are among two of the strongest, most reliable materials for durability. Studies show that “Homes built with reinforced concrete walls have a record of surviving earthquakes intact, structurally sound and largely unblemished,” and that ”the combination of concrete and steel provides the three most important properties for earthquake resistance: stiffness, strength, and ductility”:
(Source: http://www.cement.org/homes/brief10.asp)
Want some strength in your foundation? Stay tuned: I’ll be posting some current listings that offer concrete, steel, or a combination of the two; such construction is your best defense against one of the Bay Area’s major faults: its fault lines.
Photo credit: http://www.laughingsquid.com
October 30, 2007
Yep, we are definitely seeing a slowdown. October brought us 19 sales the first week, 15 the second week and 14 during the third week. In addition, 11 of the most recent 14 were sold at or below asking price, which probably made buyers happy, but sellers frowning. Property did move quickly though, with 8 of the 14 selling in less than 30 days, and average DOM being 26 days. I’m thinking that sellers are becoming more realistic and know that multiple reductions will be in order the longer their home sits on the market. Amongst all the angst, there was one very bright star during this week: 1601 Vine Street in Belmont sold for $1,699,995, which is $500,000 above the asking price. Yes, I double and triple checked the original listing price and it was $1,169,995. My personal notes show that I thought it was overpriced, but just goes to show you that the market is a finicky one, and you never know what a buyer has in mind.
631 UPLAND ROAD, Redwood City List $1,175,000 Sold for $1,100,000 DOM: 23
510 MARINE VIEW STREET, Belmont List $739,000, then reduced to $695,000 Sold for $675,000 DOM: 60
9 ALDERLEE WAY, San Carlos List $1,625,000 Sold for $1,625,000 DOM: 34
1029 TAFT STREET, Redwood City List $694,500 Sold for $694,500 DOM: 26
1764 WEST SELBY LANE, Redwood City List $1,535,000 Sold for $1,490,003 DOM: 23
163 NORMANDY COURT, San Carlos List $1,995,000 Sold for $1,995,000 DOM: 10
3812 HARVEST DRIVE, Redwood City List $1,325,000 Sold for $1,338,000 DOM: 9
829 COVINGTON ROAD, Belmont List $1,149,950 Sold for $1,100,000 DOM: 38
1627 MADDUX DRIVE, Redwood City List $899,500 Sold for $912,000 DOM: 15
1088 HEWITT DRIVE, San Carlos List $899,000 Sold for $888,000 DOM: 10
1911 ROOSEVELT AVENUE, Redwood City List $749,000 Sold for $720,000 DOM: 78
266 CEDAR STREET, San Carlos List $799,000 Sold for $765,000 DOM: 36
949 CAMBRIDGE ROAD, Redwood City List $1,299,000 reduced to $1,275,000 Sold for $1,245,000 DOM: 64
1601 VINE STREET, Belmont List $1,169,950 Sold for $1,699,995 DOM: 12
October 30, 2007
Two nifty new charts from Altos Research clarify the state of play in Berkeley’s property market.
The Median Home Price Trends chart (above) shows the current median price for a single family home in the city, which, as of October 28, was $718,982.
More significant in terms of trends, is Altos’ latest Market Action Index (above). The research company calls this their barometer of real estate supply and demand. A value above 30 indicates demand is relatively robust — in other words, its a seller’s market. Below 30 is deemed to be a buyer’s market. The median market action index for Berkeley as of October 28 was 24.
I know which side of the coin I’d rather be on.
More facts and figures from Altos can be found on their website here.
October 30, 2007
Today’s Daily Stat Leader did just that for me…brought on the dreams. My husband and I are in the midst of researching and visiting places for our early retirement. So far we have only a few criteria, but the biggest factor is to have some open space, some land to call our own. I imagine myself plopped down in the middle of a field with no one around, just smiling. I don’t care if the land has a shack on it, I am willing to renovate or rebuild. Much of the core Bay Area will be out of our reach financially, but there is La Honda in San Mateo County, maybe the southern tip of Santa Clara County, parts of Contra Costa County, or up in a more remote area of Sonoma County, which is where our woodsy home of today can be found. Located fifteen minutes from the Healdsburg Plaza at 12076 Cloud Ridge, this 42-acre property includes a gorgeous Arts & Crafts style 2500 sf home, barn, and workshop, all set amongst a redwood grove. The home itself has 4 bedrooms and 3 baths, wood beam ceilings, hardwood floors, built-in bookcases, gorgeous kitchen with center island/breakfast bar, and a view. Oh, what a view. Acres and acres of peaceful living….no noisy neighbors, no nighttime traffic, room for a large garden, room to let my mind wander. And while the price is not within our range, at $1,995,000, a girl can still dream, right? (To really see this property, check out the virtual tour here.) Where is your dream house?
Recent Sweet Digs Bay Area Posts:
SF: Got Kids? Safe Halloween in Hayes Valley
Marin is Getting Ready
Oakland Tale of Woe
Thought Provoking
SF and Daly City: Get Smart
Getting Scary Out There
October 30, 2007
The city can be a scary place for an adult, much less a kid– not to even get started on an adult with a kid! And at Halloween? Terrifying! But take heart. Or take a Snicker’s bar. Because the Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association offers a Safe Halloween event for parents and their little ghost and goblins. Here are the details:
Safe Halloween:
LOWER HAIGHT/WESTERN ADDITION/HAYES VALLEY
The Community Partner will be having their 4th Annual Safe Halloween at five locations in the Western Addition. Activities will range from story telling, face painting, candy giveaway, music and roasting of smores over a grill. For additional information on activities and specific times please contact Richard Johnson at safety@hayesvalleysf.org.
October 31 :: 4:00pm to 9:00pm
Locations:
- Koshland Park (corner of Buchanan & Page)
- Hayes Valley Community Room 403 Rose Street (at Buchanan)
- Hayes Valley Playground (corner of Hayes and Buchanan)
- Patricias Green in Hayes Valley (corner of Octavia & Hayes)
- Plaza East Community Room (Buchanan & Eddy)
