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SF 311: Catch-All for Your Problems

November 9, 2009 By Leave a Comment

I recently used the newish SF 311 service that the city established to help residents resolve whatever issues are on their plates. The service cuts to the chase so you don’t have to spend time figuring out which department or agency will be able to help you.

I’ve contacted 311 twice in the past couple of weeks. First, I wanted to make a request for someone to pick up the stupid, full-size boxspring that someone left outside my house. I decided to contact 311 via Twitter. I sent a message to 311 on a Sunday, and got a response informing me that the city would respond to the request within three calendar days.

The boxspring was still sitting outside by 5PM on Wednesday. I sent a followup message via Twitter on Wednesday evening, and was informed that the Dept. of Public Works (DPW) had closed out the ticket and that the boxpring had been picked up. The Twitter rep offered to resubmit the request. But at this point, I didn’t feel like waiting another three days. So on Thursday morning, I called 311 and explained the situation. The boxspring was gone by the afternoon.

I also called 311 to find out the process for obtaining a parking permit for a moving truck. My client had closed escrow, and was going to need to block off parking spaces for the moving truck. 311 got me the contact information for the appropriate police precinct, and from there, I got the very complicated set of directions for the moving process.

Check out the various areas in which 311 can help. I’d recommend simply dialing 311 vs. submitting online requests. (When I tried to track my request for the boxspring pickup via my PC and iPhone, I got error messages. It’s probably best to just deal with a live customer service rep. In any event, keep 311 in mind for whatever random question or issue that might arise.

Filed Under: Home Buyer Tips, Home Owner Tips Tagged With:

Another Noe Valley Flip Hits the Market

November 6, 2009 By Leave a Comment

sanchez_dining
I’ve been watching the 1381 Sanchez renovation in Noe Valley between 27th St. & Cesar Chavez along my dog-walking route since the house changed hands as a fixer back in May 2008 for $1,005,000.

The price paid back then seemed reasonable for a future owner occupier to pay for the location, architectural style, and lot size.

But all along, the intention was apparently to do a flip. The property has now been expanded to 2200 square feet. It’s been outfitted with two front bedrooms and great room that combines a “farmhouse-style” kitchen, dining/living area, and bathroom on the main level, and a master suite plus additional bedroom and bathroom on the garden level. The rear patio is largely concrete encircled with trees & plants that I saw being trucked in recently.

There’s also an offer date of November 18th, which means that someone is very confident that a buyer will pay at least the $1,795,000 list price in another week or so. And they could be right: Given that the average price paid this year for a three- to four-bedroom Noe home in the $1.5M+ price range has been $1,998,148, maybe they’re not far off base. There are a few examples of homes that sold for similar prices that also relied on garage-level master bedrooms (vs. being located on a more desirable third level upstairs).

But let’s not forget my favorite recent flip attempt at 141 27th Street. This is about three blocks away between Guerrero and Dolores. Those owners also paid around $1M and did a down-to-the-studs renovation. But its floor plan had a few issues that didn’t warrant the $1,595,000 price tag. And the location is clearly less desirable. (The home has since been pulled off the market and put on a long-term lease.)

I’ll be keeping my eye on 1381 Sanchez. In the meantime, here are a few more pics of the master bedroom, yard and exterior:
sanchez_master

sanchez_yard

sanchez_exterior

Filed Under: Noe/Eureka Valley Tagged With: ,

A Sunny Day in Sherwood Forest

November 5, 2009 By Leave a Comment

When it’s a sunny day citywide on broker tour Tuesdays, I make sure to check out some houses in the usually fog-ridden western part of the city. In Realtor terms, that means District 4.

So I headed over to crystal clear Sherwood Forest earlier this week. This is a neighborhood located just west of Mt. Davidson, and adjacent to West Portal, St. Francis Wood and Westwood Highlands. There’s admittedly not a lot going on in Sherwood Forest—just streets lined with single-family houses and owners who enjoy being in a quiet, low-key area.

I saw two homes worth talking about:
lansdale

550 Lansdale is a 1500-sq foot, 3BR/2BA home with a contemporary feel and a good use of space. It’s got a spiral staircase (not my favorite feature) leading downstairs to a media room that leads out to a concrete yard.

You’re kind of at the end of Lansdale here, and opposite a bus stop and a trail leading up Mt Davidson:
lansdale_bus

This bus route will be changing and the listing agent says it’ll take you to Glen Park BART. Not bad if you really need public transportation. List price for 550 Lansdale: $845,000. The house was last sold for $930,000 in May 2007.

Next up is the high-falutin’ 101 Robinhood, which somehow manages to incorporate a pool into its floor plan:
pool_robinhood

And fortunately for the owners, it’s an indoor pool. Because the days in the Forest are not typically warm. This 3BR/3BA home has a “huge, lobby-like foyer,” and a reverse floor plan. So there are bedrooms on the main level, the pool downstairs, and the third level involves the living space. The whole thing does come off feeling like a house that was previously a two-unit building, but I could see a large family getting into it. List price: $1,395,000. Robinhood was on the market last year for around $1.6M and then $1,525,000, and it’s been on the market for the past month.

These houses don’t seem outrageously priced. Unremodeled, smaller houses sold this year in the area in the $700,000s, and one 1900-sq foot 3BR/2BA with original kitchen & baths sold for $979,000. I think the obstacle is the lack of walkability (i.e., you have to go to other neighborhoods to get to anything). But if you’re looking for good space and a private location, I’d give Sherwood Forest a shot.

Filed Under: Neighborhoods Tagged With: ,

Walk Score Winners: $700,000-$800,000

November 3, 2009 By 1 Comment

Here’s another trio of properties that have high Walk Scores. Today, we check out Noe Valley, Lower Pacific Heights, and the Mission.

23rd
3884 23rd Street
Condo
Noe Valley
List Price: $775,000
2BR/1.25BA
1042 sq ft
HOAs: $240.98
1-car pkg
Walk Score: 88
This top-floor condo on 23rd at Sanchez was on the market in October at $825,000, but the sellers just changed agents and reduced the price to $775,000. You’re a block from the 24th Street retail area, and only a short walk to Dolores Park and the Valencia corridor.

steiner
1880 Steiner, # 210
Condo
Lower Pacific Heights
List Price: $775,000
2BR/2BA
983 sq ft
HOAs: $454.75
1-car pkg
Walk Score: 98
They’ve managed to pack two bedrooms and two bathrooms into less than 1,000 square feet. But you’ve got a small balcony, parking, and a phenomenal walking location a block from the Fillmore retail corridor. The building was constructed in 1999, so you don’t get a ton of charm, but the floorplan works and there’s also a gas-burning fireplace—and a gas range.

25bartlett
25 Bartlett #2
Condo
The Mission
List Price: $749,000
2BR/2BA
1266 sq ft
HOAs: $275
1-car parking
Walk Score: 98
If you want to be in the heart of the Mission and all its restaurants, bars, shops and public transportation, you can’t get much closer than over at 25 Bartlett.The floorplan works, and the unit is in good condition. The current owners paid $813,500 in September 2005 for the property, so there’s a bit of compromise in the current asking price. There are only three units in the building, and the HOA dues are very reasonable.

Filed Under: Mission, Noe/Eureka Valley, Pacific Heights, Walk Score Winners Tagged With: , , ,

Checking in on the Church

November 2, 2009 By Leave a Comment

doloreschurchIt’s been on the market for 273 days, but 601 Dolores is still waiting for that angel of a buyer to come along and drop $9,950,000 on what’s being billed as the “castle on the park.”

Last sold in 2007 as a straight out church for $2,210,000 (with an order of abatement, lawsuit, and a slab of unreinforced masonry), the property was completely renovated and transformed into the current 3BR/2.5BA configuration. It’s legally zoned as a single-family house now.

It sort of looks like a church with a few bedrooms and baths added into the mix, so that might be what’s holding back those buyers with $10M purchasing power. The listing agents are encouraging “artists, musicians, and creative biz tycoons” to step up to the plate.

Filed Under: Mission Tagged With: ,