Archive for the ‘Good Deals’ Category
Posted by insidesfre on July 29, 2010
One of the main aspects of my job is to continually scour the market for what I believe are lurking deals. And by “deals,” I mean properties priced below the average for the neighborhood, and homes that are in centrally located, desirable areas.
I’m a fan of 624 Belvedere, a 2BR/1BA condo with about 1125 square feet that’s situated on Belvedere at Carmel—a nice Cole Valley location. The $759,000 unit (down from its original $785,000 list price) is on the first floor of a two-unit building. Though it doesn’t have the Edwardian charm and period detail of some of the other homes in the area, this 1940s building does offer a good, functional floor plan. There’s also a wood-burning fireplace in the unit; two-car, side-by-side parking; lots of storage; and a sweet garden. An added bonus: The front windows look out at the Marin Headlands. HOA dues are a low $256/month, and include water, common area electricity, building/grounds maintenance, trash and insurance.
The average Cole Valley condo sold for $815,286 in the second quarter, with an average square footage of 1168. 624 Belvedere last sold in February 2006 for $705,000.
Posted in Cole Valley, Good Deals | Tagged: Cole Valley | Leave a Comment »
Posted by insidesfre on July 1, 2010
It’s a condo, not a TIC, and it has direct access to the idyllic garden pictured above. The 1BR/1BA, 787-square foot unit at 3915 26th Street is listed at a seemingly reasonable $565,000, and it also comes with one-car tandem parking.
Last sold for $405,000 in 2006, the property was on the market at the end of April for $579,000. It never sold, so the owners are giving it another try. The unit also has a little office area, nice period details and built-ins and a large storage space. Seven one-bedroom condos have sold in Noe this year, ranging in price from $525,000-$768,000. The upper unit at 3913 26th—a 2BR/1BA with 982 square feet—just sold in May for $708,000.
The big selling point for 3915 26th Street is location—you’re right off Church Street, which is highly convenient. And for the buyer who wants direct access to a nice garden, this is a great fit. Who knows? Maybe there’s room to move in the price.
Posted in Good Deals, Noe/Eureka Valley | Tagged: noe valley condos | Leave a Comment »
Posted by insidesfre on June 16, 2010
I came across what I thought were two good deals yesterday on broker tour, both on the same block of Leavenworth between Green and Vallejo in Russian Hill.
Let me start by saying that I’ve been contacted recently by at least two potential buyers who are looking for condos with exclusive-use outdoor space. And those types of properties are not that easy to find. Most of the time, condo gardens or roof decks are shared.The patio above belongs to 1835 Leavenworth #1. You access this huge patio through either of the bedrooms located at the rear of the flat. (There’s also a second, smaller deck on the front of the building.) The building was constructed in 1987, so it doesn’t have that period charm that’s prevalent in Russian Hill. But you do have a reasonable floor plan, with the living/dining/kitchen areas up front, and a hallway leading to the bedrooms and baths. Tax records show around 1,550 square feet. There’s a fireplace, a spacious master suite, one-car side by side parking and an in-unit washer/dryer. HOA dues are $208.33 (very low), and there are only two other units in the building. List price is $1,195,000.
If I sound a little sales-y on this one, it’s because I think it’s a pretty good deal. The lowest-priced 3BR in the area was at 1438 Green, which sold for $1,385,000 in February. And that didn’t have deeded outdoor space (but it had big views).
We move on down the hill to 1845 Leavenworth #203:
This 2BR/1BA, top-floor unit has about 1,173 square feet and comes with one-car parking. It also has nice city views, period detail, and a bonus room off the kitchen. There are also high ceilings and hardwood floors. List price is $819,000; only two other 2BR condos have sold for less than this price since September, and neither had parking.
Posted in Good Deals, North End of Town | Tagged: leavenworth, russian hill | Leave a Comment »
Posted by insidesfre on May 26, 2010
One of the ways to sniff out a good deal in the San Francisco market is to measure the median price against the subject property. And then factor in all the amenities and “value attributes” involved (location in the neighborhood, top floor vs lower floor, parking type, etc). My Good Deal today is 1385 Waller, a 2BR/1BA, top-floor condo with one-car independent parking located at Ashbury. Yeah, quintessential Haight.
The median price since January for two-bedroom condos in what’s known as District 5 (most of the areas that lie in the central part of the city) is $777,263. 1385 Waller is listed at $750,000 and is nicely remodeled; it also has great period detail. Bedrooms are on the small side (the unit is about 1,063 square feet). But I think the property is an excellent one for a first-time buyer who wants to be in a highly walkable location (Walk Score is 95).
Another nice point is that there are only two units in the building—definitely a factor that contributes to overall value. HOA dues are $182/mo, and you also have a private laundry room.
Posted in Good Deals, Haight/NoPa | Tagged: Edwardian, haight ashbury | Leave a Comment »
Posted by insidesfre on February 2, 2010
Like a lot of properties currently on the market, 2017 Grant Avenue #1 was on the market last year at a much higher price. But the sellers have adjusted their price and their expectations, and I think this unit now offers good value for its $599,000 list price.
This first-floor condo in a 1960s-era, four-unit building has views of the Bay and Alcatraz, along with a galley-style kitchen. The size of the second bedroom is more suited to a home office or guest room (or both), and there’s one-car parking and storage. Square footage appears to be roughly around 750.
The unit was on the market initially at $698,000, and ended up at $659,000 before the sellers withdrew it in December 2009 after 101 days on the market. Its current asking price is definitely below that of other two-bedroom units in the area, though you need to take square footage into account. But for a buyer looking for views in a quintessential, classic San Francisco location, 2017 Grant #1 is a good deal.
Posted in Good Deals, North End of Town | Tagged: telegraph hill, view condo | Leave a Comment »
Posted by insidesfre on November 23, 2009
No, the chair is probably not included in the sale of this 4BR/2BA home at 275 Claremont, but the 1920s period detail, original kitchen, huge room down with a Murphy bed, and close proximity to the West Portal retail area are.
The 2569-square foot property was last sold for $1.2M in May 2005, and is now available at a $950,000 list price.
Your closest comp is 249 Claremont, a 3BR/2.5BA home that sold for $1.2M in September. Given the relatively low turnover in the enclave that is West Portal (only 19 homes have sold here since January), I’m thinking 275 Claremont could be a good opportunity. Buyers, strike while your competition is off eating turkey out of town.
Posted in Good Deals, Miraloma/West Portal | Tagged: west portal | Leave a Comment »
Posted by insidesfre on October 22, 2009
There was a time when one- to two-bedroom condos and lofts were out of reach for those who could afford up to $600,000. I know that’s a lot of money in most parts of the world, but in San Francisco, it’s first-time home buyer territory, and it’s not been an easy price range.
But things have loosened up a bit, particularly in the South of Market neighborhood. The ongoing short/foreclosure sales have brought prices down, and there’s actually plenty of inventory. A nice loft that previously commanded a price of $650,000 or $700,000+ two or three years ago can now be purchased for about $100,000 less.
There are currently 33 one- to two-bedroom condos/lofts on the market in SoMa for up to $600,000. Sure, many of them are located in less-desirable locales (hello, 140 South Van Ness!), but I thought I’d spotlight two properties I think could be good deals—at the right price—due to location and overall appeal:
You wouldn’t know it from the listing detail, but 601 4th St. #101 is located in the Heublien Building—the first large loft development in San Francisco. It’s always been a favorite of mine due to its large windows, high ceilings, and overall character. The building is also in a very central location (94 Walk Score). The unit itself features 16-foot ceilings and an outlook to a shared garden. It’s listed at $579,000, but maybe at $550,000 or so, more buyers will bite.
Next up is 695 5th #7:
Last sold for $700,000 in March 2005, this unit started out at $619,000 in July and is now down to $599,000. It’s not very different from other lower-priced lofts, so hopefully there’s room to move in price. But here’s the good stuff: You’re right at Townsend & 5th, which is a pretty central location (Walk Score: 92). The sleeping area upstairs is reasonable, and there’s one-car parking and a large deeded storage space. Knock this baby down to $540,000 or so, and you’ve got yourself a nice loft that’s just over 1,000 square feet in a hip location.
Posted in Good Deals, Home Buyer Tips, Mission/Potrero, SoMa/S. Beach/M. Bay | Tagged: first-time buyer, lofts, mission, SoMa | 2 Comments »
Posted by insidesfre on September 2, 2009
The South of Market neighborhood remains the go-to place for young professionals and empty nesters looking for affordable condos or lofts with reasonable homeowners association (HOA) dues.
With 63 units currently listed as available in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), there’s plenty to choose from. And that doesn’t include some of the new developments which don’t typically begin marketing through the MLS.
The selection of condos and lofts includes two below-market units listed at around $300,000 at The Metropolitan, as well as a $2.7M two-bedroom unit in South Park.
There are 27 one-bedroom units on the market, at an average list price of $625,240. In the two-bedroom category, the average list price is $1,245,838 for the 27 units available. This average is boosted by five units priced at $1.5M+.
Posted in Good Deals, SoMa/S. Beach/M. Bay | Tagged: lofts, SoMa, South of Market | Leave a Comment »
Posted by insidesfre on July 27, 2009
The 3BR/2BA, top-floor condo at 1215 17th Avenue #3 in the Sunset is steps from Golden Gate Park. It came on the market at the end of May for $799,000, was reduced to $759,000 and then withdrawn very briefly. The property is now staged and listed at $749,000.
For the space (1275 square feet), floorplan, and location, I think 1215 17th Avenue #3 is a good deal. Toss in a walk-out deck, spacious dining area, three sizable bedrooms, a wood-burning fireplace, low $250 HOA dues, and proximity to the heart of the Sunset’s Irving Street hub and Muni. You have yourself a nice little lifestyle going—if you ask me—in a contemporary building that doesn’t need any work.
Posted in Good Deals, Sunset/Parkside | Tagged: Sunset | Leave a Comment »
Posted by insidesfre on June 26, 2009
Prices have softened in San Francisco, but it’s still a challenge to find a one-bedroom condo with parking for less than $500,000. Here are two properties I think are good deals in this price range:
77 Van Ness is a 50-unit building at the corner of Van Ness and Fell. Priced at $443,170, the unit’s definitely on the small side, clocking in at only 575 square feet. But it’s a block from Muni, in spitting distance of the Opera and Symphony, and a pretty easy walk to the heart of Hayes Valley. HOA dues are $448 per month.
If you’re not afraid of a little litigation possibility, 1310 Minnesota #206 offers an 877-square foot loft space in the hot Dogpatch/Central Waterfront neighborhood:
The unit is listed at $499,000, down from its original $575,000 price. The HOA is working with the insurance company and developer to sort out a claim that occurred prior to the ten-year expiration for new development laws, and it’s believed that the matter will be settled without involving litigation. HOA dues are only $265 per month, and the unit gets nice light from an airy outlook.
Posted in Good Deals, Mission/Potrero | Tagged: 77 van ness, central waterfront, dogpatch | Leave a Comment »
One of the main aspects of my job is to continually scour the market for what I believe are lurking deals. And by “deals,” I mean properties priced below the average for the neighborhood, and homes that are in centrally located, desirable areas.
