189-step program--576 Queens Road, Alameda, CA
The condos at Crown Harbor are very nice, good sized, and very close to the water. A lot of them have great views, and the whole cluster is sheltered behind a heavy gate that keeps the riff-raff from the nearby Webster Street liquor stores out and the mostly middle-aged and senior residents in. The grounds are vast and very clean, which suggests a whopping monthly HOA fee.
That being said, they've also been grotesquely expensive, and the current market correction is hitting them very hard--they're competing on price with a million full-blown, free-standing Victorian and Craftsman houses.
A large unit on Queens Road recently dropped its price in mid August from its initial $675,000 (or $670,000, depending on where you look), while its smaller cousin had the hardest time selling (I don't know what happened to it; it's off the MLS(r) as of September, 2008). So I thought I'd look under the carpet to see what kind of nastiness lurks beneath. First, the specs:
I don't know if Dianna Wyman is the owner of this particular unit--she's the (co-)owner of the Bayside Real Estate brokerage firm. For her sake, let's hope she doesn't also own our big townhouse, given...
sad funny thing is that whoever owns this place over-improved in every room, judging by the photos on the site and the description above (which suggests the remodel is the current owner's doing, at least in my reading of it), in addition to massively overpaying for a condo under 2,000 sqft three years ago. The result is a gilded elephant they're never going to be able to sell for close to a breakeven point (not even counting the cost of the remodel).
Update 9/19/08: Down we go, to $625,000. Maybe with a new agent named Belinda Young. The official site still shows the old $670,000 price as of today.
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That being said, they've also been grotesquely expensive, and the current market correction is hitting them very hard--they're competing on price with a million full-blown, free-standing Victorian and Craftsman houses.
A large unit on Queens Road recently dropped its price in mid August from its initial $675,000 (or $670,000, depending on where you look), while its smaller cousin had the hardest time selling (I don't know what happened to it; it's off the MLS(r) as of September, 2008). So I thought I'd look under the carpet to see what kind of nastiness lurks beneath. First, the specs:
2 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, 1,816 sqft, townhouse, MLS(r) #40354108, $649,000The official site describes the unit lyrically:
Lovely Townhouse Nestled Near Alameda Beach.The old price still shows, as well as an obviously over-improved bathroom and an ambiguously-worded credit at the bottom (my emphasis):
From your front door turn right, take 189 steps and enjoy bird and marine wildlife, the marina, views of San Francisco, and the shoreline path.
This home in a restful gated community with well-kept grounds and sweeping lawns, enjoys a bay view from the upstairs. With over 1800 square feet per the assessor, the bedroom suites are large, with vaulted ceilings, plenty of light and tree views. The home has been tastefully remodeled with hardwood floors throughout the downstairs, granite counters, cream-colored cabinetry and stainless steel appliances. The patio off the dining room is private with slate tiles and room for planting
I don't know if Dianna Wyman is the owner of this particular unit--she's the (co-)owner of the Bayside Real Estate brokerage firm. For her sake, let's hope she doesn't also own our big townhouse, given...TheLast sale and tax info
- Sold 11/10/2005: $717,000
- 2007 Property Tax: $6,136
Update 9/19/08: Down we go, to $625,000. Maybe with a new agent named Belinda Young. The official site still shows the old $670,000 price as of today.
Announcement: read about EBRD, Inc.'s DMCA content removal complaint against this blog
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