Take That, Meter Maids!

Are you trapped in a hate-hate relationship with your neighborhood meter
maid? 59 Park Manor Drive offers an escape from those pesky DPT letters.
Located in Daly City, minutes from Westlake Shopping Center and San Francisco
State, this home is located on a street that has no street sweeping
restrictions. Yes, I said it. No more, “Crap! It’s Tuesday! I have to move
the car!”

Beyond this stellar feature, however, the home is in need of some TLC (totally
laborious construction?). The wood-paneled walls that surround the floor-to-
ceiling brick fireplace take me back to my Grandma’s house. The living
room/dining room combination seems larger than it is, thanks to the open
kitchen–a bar separates the outdated cabinetry and appliances from the rest of
the common area.

In the upper section of this 1,080 square foot, split level home are the two
bedrooms (carpeted, and a bit on the small side) and an older bathroom. The
outside of the home is pleasant (although its design is repetitive; this home
was built in one of two or three designs that compose the entire neighborhood).

At $719,000, this home offers less per square foot than others in the area.
While there is potential to expand in the two-car tandem garage, the area is
not large enough for a true in-law. Beyond that, this home doesn’t differ much from its Daly City counterparts; much like the Sunset, if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen ‘em all.

Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover, Unless it’s Beige

The attached home at 1507 31st Avenue looks no different from its neighborhood
counterparts, but its stunning interior remodel shows such attention to detail
that this home stands out from the rest.

Recessed lighting and modern earth-toned paint offer a modern look and feel.
The parquet wood floors in the living and dining rooms (and standard wood
plank throughout the remainder of the home) are in beautiful condition. The
original brick fireplace is framed by two arched wall alcoves, a design that
you don’t often see in sunset homes.

The kitchen is small but sufficient, and updated like the rest of the home.
The cabinets are a dark wood, offering an odd contrast to the medium maple
color of the floors. The bathrooms have all been updated, complete with beige
colored tiles and countertops. Come to think of it, you had better like the
color “beige” if you plan on purchasing this home.

The back yard, while small, is well landscaped, and would make a good tricycle
track. While this five bedroom, four and ½ bath home has a wonderful layout
and has made good use of the space, its asking price of $1,330,000 seems a bit
high, considering there are other similarly remodeled homes selling for less.
Check it out for yourself, though. It will be open this weekend, April 15th
from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

360 Views versus No Backyard…Tough One.

Initially, I was not thrilled that 2432-2434 Judah did not have a back yard. This new construction takes up the entire lot. There is not even a little strip of dirt along the property line. However, the AMAZING 360 degree panoramic view from the roof deck entirely makes up for it. While yes, I did see this home on one of those amazing sunny days that we rarely have, I practically fell back down the stairs when I stepped out onto that deck. But enough about the deck, the rest of the house was pretty spectacular too.

These two units sit above a commercial unit on the street level. The entire building is being sold for (the flyer says $2,100,000 but Redfin says $1,900,000) I’m not sure. What I am sure about is that the upper unit (with the aforementioned kick-ass roof deck) is $849,000 and the lower unit with a slightly less-amazing side deck for $799,000–if purchasing them separately.

Both units offer four bedrooms (two of which are master suites with attached private bathrooms) and two regular bedrooms with one common bathroom. All the bathrooms are complete (bathtub, shower, sink, toilet) and high-end.

Seriously, you have to see these TICs to believe it. If TIC makes you jump like it does to me, it may help to know that this property was built with condo conversion in mind (up to building code standards according to listing agent). But honestly, the TIC part is the only element of this new construction that makes me skittish.

Dual pane windows, hardwood floors, multiple patios and modern lighting give these homes an open, airy feeling. Additionally, they are pre-wired for Internet access. The kitchen is an amazing focal point of the home, and the garage is so big you could practically put a pool in (although I am pretty sure the SF building department wouldn’t grant that).

No matter which way you swing it, this house offers excellent income opportunities or the chance to own a large, beautiful residence that anyone would be proud to call their home.

Cigarettes and Pine Trees

I wish I could post the photos I took of this building, but I couldn’t locate the agent or the seller at this open house to ask. But really, words cannot describe. The house smelled like cigarettes and Christmas trees (or maybe just those pine tree cardboard air fresheners that were hanging over the dead guy’s bed in “Seven”). The tile in the upstairs bathroom was in need of replacement, to say the least. In one room, an imposing floor to ceiling unfinished wood cabinet stands guard in the center of the room.

Assuming the downstairs unit had a similarly strange layout (but was filled with more scary smelly stuff) I declined to venture further. Maybe we should give this property more time to become “viewer friendly.” Otherwise, my advice to you is that the asking price for the two-unit property at 1270-1272 47th Avenue is not remotely low enough for the experience, at least not in it’s current state–give it a few weeks and maybe it will actually be ready for show.

There Aren’t Any Lower Than This

At $599,000, this house at 1890 24th Avenue could be built on Steven King’s “Pet Cemetery” and there would still be a bidding frenzy on it.

Being sold “AS IS” in a trust sale, I would not recommend purchasing this property without inspection contingencies. The seller does not stipulate as to the age of the roof, plumbing, or electrical systems.

There are two bedrooms and one bath in this 1335 square foot home. The carpet throughout the house is in poor condition and needs to be removed (or replaced). The kitchen and bathrooms are older, but the equity that may come with this low purchase price could easily finance a home-improvement loan. The semi-vaulted ceiling in the living room is nice, the center is raised a foot or two from where the edges meet the wall.

There is an existing tenant in the downstairs addition (not a full in-law, simply a room with a bath) renting for $500. This weekend is your last chance to get in on what I would call a “contractor’s special.”

Hollywood (Not as Glam as You Would Think)

Often known as a “Hollywood” style home, this house is anything but glamorous. This split-level home, located at 1730 43rd Avenue, would already have a difficult layout without the ill-planned addition that exists off the rear of the building.

Once you step across the threshold, you will find yourself in a narrow living room/dining room combo. The kitchen is adjacent, and you can see into it through a prison slit that is larger than a pass through often found in older dining rooms but smaller than the “open” design that allows the kitchen to play a more central role in the home.

The rear bedroom window is obscured by the construction of the lower level addition. The downstairs addition (which continues out into the back yard) is as unwieldy a layout as its upstairs predecessor and remains incomplete. The carpet is not cut appropriately nor is it tacked down and the stairs leading into the addition are composed of unfinished wood.

There is also a random room in the garage, empty with the exception of a sink. You’d think laundry room–but no. There are no hook-ups in this room. I am having trouble believing that any building department sanctioned this addition.

Bottom line, $745,900 can buy you a much more workable environment than this one. Take your time getting over there to see it for yourself; I think it’s going to be on the market for a while.

Pretty as a Picture

Normally, when I am scoping out homes to hit in my two-hour Sunday window, run of the mill homes like 2026 34th Avenue don’t make the list. Mid-range in price and standard in layout, these homes are difficult to describe because they are so cookie-cutter. If you’ve seen one you’ve seen them all. However, while this property appears the same, it is anything but.

This 1,325 square foot home has three bedrooms and one bathroom all on the main level. The garage is unsullied by the shoddy workmanship of a hastily built in-law (although any usable space is filled by a monstrous furnace).

The layout of the home is beautiful, the common areas in the front of the home, the bedrooms in the back. The kitchen is actually quite spacious, and includes a built-in breakfast nook. The appliances and the flooring in the kitchen are older; however, the space leaves room for improvement. The formal dining room and living room are spacious, and while the view leaves a bit to be desired (the windows look out onto the bungalows/portable classrooms of Stevenson Elementary School) the beautifully landscaped back yard makes up for it.

The rear bedrooms (two on the right side of the property and a large master bedroom and bath to the left) are spacious, and while access to the bathroom is available in the hallway, there is access directly from the master bedroom through the walk-through closet. The master bedroom offers a patio that descends into the back yard, offering another avenue of access rather than subjugation to the garage.

The basement can house two cars (tandem), and if the furnace were replaced with a space-saving model, room for a downstairs addition is certainly plausible. The windows are older but in good shape and the home has mostly copper plumbing.

The termite report on the property is under $3,000, and is mostly for damage to the rear deck and stairs. Ultimately, the home is very clean and well maintained. For $859,000, this home may seem average when you’re just looking at stats, but when you actually get in there, this home will charm you too.

Green Like A Leprechaun, Maybe It’s Lucky, Too!

While 1862 15th Avenue‘s price has just been reduced, I am not sure that it is enough to make this sell, especially with three similarly priced contenders that far outrank this home in beauty, and especially floor plan functionality.

For $980,000, a price that isn’t outrageous for a home so close to Golden Gate Heights, this three bedroom/three bathroom home could be made into something beautiful. However, when you’re paying this much out the door, who has the money for an interior remodel?

The decoration of this house is very ornate, to the point of being suffocating–and thus the property does not show very well to prospective buyers. On the plus side, the rooms are very large and the street and neighborhood seem quiet.

There is a giant metallic rose plant chandelier situated three feet above the bed in the master bedroom and it looks quite scary–it appears as if it could impale you if you sat up too quickly in the middle of the night. Of course that can all be changed.

The terraced backyard is very small, and seems to grow out of the back of the house. When you look out the windows into the yard, you are basically looking at the feet of the people outside.

The kitchen and bathrooms are older; there appear to have been very few updates in this home.

I left this home feeling confused, disoriented, and smelling like my Grandma. However, the festive Kelly green exterior paint still made me smile, even through my St. Patty’s Day hangover. Maybe I’ll venture out again next weekend and see if my perception has changed. I wouldn’t cross your fingers, though. My advice is to keep moving.

The House That Mary Poppins Built

I can’t believe a contractor was able to squeeze 3,300 square feet of living area into a Sunset lot without scrapping the backyard, but whoever handled the remodel at 1554 27th Avenue did it. Not only does this home boast 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, an office, a living room, dining room, and a family room–it also has a sauna! The two-car garage is still intact, and actually fits two cars with room to spare. The backyard is nicely landscaped, with access from both levels (via a huge upper deck from the master bedroom and sliding doors from the downstairs office).

The bedroom that is sandwiched between the front and rear of the building does not suffer from lack of natural light (as most attached homes do); the remodel has added a vaulted skylight surrounded by recessed lighting for the evening hours.

The hardwood floors have a dark cherry finish on them and shine like a new Mercedes. The interior paint is clean and the windows are new. The bathrooms rival those at a five-star hotel, with modern shower stalls and fixtures, separate Jacuzzi tubs and granite countertops on the vanity.

When I say holy crap, I mean it. Unfortunately, the price made me scream the same. $1,480,000. Come on. We are still on 27th Avenue in an attached home. However, if location is no biggie for you, I say right on: especially if you are agoraphobic. If I lived here, I might never venture outside either.

Shabby Chic…Not Shabby!

If you are into the shabby-chic movement, this home is for you. Originally, this house was not on my “hit list” of places to see today; however, I am so glad I stopped. 1637 16th Avenue has more character than Disneyland at the princess autograph hour.

With its white picket fences, latticework, and baby blue shutters–this home jumped right out of a storybook. The entryway is charming, offering a huge outdoor patio before you reach the front door–not something you are likely to see in many of the suffocating entryways of the standard sunset home.

The bedrooms and common areas all offer patios, decks, and porches that make communion with natural air, sunlight and nature possible. Watching the children of the other prospective buyers jump out of every doorway onto a balcony and pretend they were Rapunzel (or Dora the Explorer for that matter–I am not that up-to-date in what’s cool in the 9-year-old scene nowadays) brought a smile to my face (I am embarrassed to admit).

While everything in this home most likely dates back to its original construction, it has all been taken care of so well that it is in pristine condition. The bathroom tile is obviously antique, but it is in such good shape and offers so much character that you’d be crazy to try and remodel. The kitchen appliances could use an overhaul, and if you wanted to expand into a gourmet kitchen, there is plenty of room to do so. This house has an informal eating area (an entirely separate room) attached to the kitchen on one side and the formal dining room on the other.

To top it all off, this home has a downstairs complete in-law unit to help lighten the burden of a $1,195,000 mortgage. For the quiet, inner-sunset neighborhood and the unique design of this home, it is definitely worth a look.