Repeat offenders: April 2009 Archives

If a baker is willing to spend time and effort on presentation for $2 pastries, you'd think a Realtor(r) would have the decency to do the same when the price tag is 201,000 times that. But evidently that's not the case. 1127 "BROAD Way", represented by an illiterate, spastic baboon by the name of Wilson Stephens of "WS Investments" (I wonder if he's the WS), has the following specs and unfortunate description:

2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 1,300 sqft, 2,590-sqft lot, MLS(r) #40404977, $402,000

Lovely Home in ALameda, Move in Ready w/ Bright ,light and Airy open plan.Hardwood floors, tile in Bonus rm.

Mr. Stephens might be the only person in the English-speaking world who can't spell "Broadway" properly.

That medium-sized house on a little lot is priced to sell, assuming the inside isn't wrecked, and its open house(s) will probably be "mobbed", to use the vernacular. It's still way too much money for such a boring house in a high-traffic location with practically no lot, but there's a fool born every minute willing to catch the knives thrown by even greater fools:

Sales History

Sale History & Tax Info

Sale History
11/12/2008:	$577,494 *
12/23/2005:	$675,500
10/24/1997:	$210,000
No other sale data is available
* Transaction not included in Zestimate. More info

You read right, some bright bulb got themselves a Christmas present 3 1/2 years ago for $675,500 ($520 / sqft) and promptly proceeded to lose it, to nobody's surprise. They apparently tried to get rid of the house in March 2007 and had the gall to ask $699,500. It'll probably sell this time around, since the asking price is 43% off and flirting with reasonableness, but lower Broadway sure feels a bit crowded these days.
 

Remember 2524 Eagle?

I do too.

It's back as MLS(r) #40403901, listed for $499,000. New listing my foot.

[...] fabulously remodeled kitchen and bath. Oringal built-ins in the living room and in formal dining room, [...] nothing left to do but move in. Priced to sell fast.

The basement photo in the MLS(r) listing looks as though the paint cans went for a walk.

A distressed McMansion at 2438 Coral Sea St is back, yet again, with new MLS(r) #40403518 and old price ($799,000). Please refer to the multitude of prior posts for details.

Update 8/30/09: Apparently sold for $750,000.

Update 1/10/10: Actually sold for $700,000.

The 900 block of Post Street is one of the main island's more desolate spaces, dotted with some of the ugliest, most depressing post-war construction you're likely to see in this area. After what was evidently a failed attempt a year ago, 992 Post is back on the market as MLS(r) #40403453, with the following description:

Don't let the square footage fool you this ranch style home in Alamedas east end is compact but very livable. Completely remodeled in 2007 with upgraded custom granite counter tops in the kitchen and stainless steel appliances. [...] new plumbing, electrical, furnace, continous flow hot water heater and dual paned windows. [...] quiet no-outlet tree lined street within walking distance to top tier schools and great parks. It's like a brand new house

The full-blown remodel probably cost a pretty penny. It's not as if this house was cheap the last time around:

Last sale and tax info

Sold 10/03/2006: $550,000

2008 Property Tax: $6,921

It's now listed at $535,000, down a full $150,000 from last year's initial list price. If this is a flip gone bad, it is spectacular. We need a few more of those to make sure specuvestors stay out of the market for a few years. If not, why did the owners spend so much on a tiny house that evidently needed so much work, if they were likely to move so quickly, when all signs pointed to an impending market crash?