The condo located in Buena Vista/Ashbury Heights over at 898 Waller is shaping up to be a great potential holiday deal. First listed at $729,000 in early October, the sellers have reduced the price along the way by smallish increments. However, the latest reduction brings the list price down to $679,000, which isn’t bad for a roughly 1100-square foot property with fine Edwardian period details and one-car independing parking.

The bedroom situation isn’t ideal—double parlor for one bedroom, and a smaller room that’s more appropriate for an office or nursery. But you do get hardwood floors, high ceilings, and large windows. There is a split bath (you know, toilet in one room, everything else in the other), as well as a large eat-in kitchen with adjoining laundry room. The unit provides interior access to the garage, and a storage space is also included. Located on the first floor of a six-unit building, 898 Waller has HOA dues of $150/month.

One-bedroom condos in the neighborhood are selling in the $500,000s, and two-bedroom properties for well above $700,000. So the $679,000 list price for 898 Waller seems like a good fit. And if you have great financing behind you, it may be possible to negotiate further. Sellers love as much of a closing guarantee as possible, especially around the holidays.

The three-unit building at 2827-31 Pine at Baker in Lower Pacific Heights first came on the market for $1,075,000 in early October. Featuring a spacious, vacant main house unit and two rented 1BRs, the property is perfect for an owner occupier who wants some rental income. The building went into escrow a month or so later, but came back on the market at $1,050,000.

A flurry of offers later, Pine went into contract—and fell back out again, for unspecified reasons. So the sellers continue to search for a buyer at the $1,050,000 list price, hoping to close by the end of the year.

I’m a fan of the property, as I like the tree-lined street and its position within a row of lovely Victorians. The main unit can be used as three bedrooms, and has one bathroom, formal living and dining rooms with fireplaces, rear patio garden, and small garage. There are also lovely period details such as high ceilings, moldings and hardwood floors. The 1BRs are rented for $1237 and $1295 per month.

In terms of location, you’re surrounded by Laurel Heights village and the Fillmore retail area. Pine was last sold in 2002 for $1,000,000.

Give me a call if you’d like to see the property!

The renovated, vacant two-unit Victorian 76-78 Prosper in Eureka Valley/Mission Dolores may be the perfect place for two new owners to kick off their new year. Initially listed in early October for $1,548,000, the property had a price reduction about a month later to $1,468,000. And this week, just in time for the holiday shopping season, the sellers reduced the price again to an even more palatable $1,399,000.

If I sound a little sales-y about this property, it’s because I’m surprised it hasn’t sold yet. Both units are comparable, with nice finishes and two bathrooms each. The upper unit has two bedrooms plus a den, and the lower has two bedrooms. There are red oak floors, central heat, gas fireplace stoves in the living rooms and lovely period details such as pocket doors, picture rails, woodwork/moldings and rosettes. The garage can accommodate two small cars with independent parking (in my opinion).

The only drawback is that there’s not really a yard. And Prosper is a tucked-away street, though it’s highly central to public transportation, restaurants and cafes in the Castro and Mission Dolores. (Walk Score is 100.)

The building is perfect for two sets of buyers who can move in and start the condo conversion process after one year of owner occupancy. (From there, the conversion will likely be completed in about two years.) Individual TIC pricing is set at $734,500 for the upper and $664,500. Given what I’ve been seeing on the market in this price range, Prosper seems to offer excellent value in a location that I believe will hold its value.

Stop in this Sunday, December 4th from 2:00-4:00. And give me a call if you’d like more info! I’ll be working through the holidays.

One of my favorite times of the year to represent buyers is now—right after Thanksgiving, and through the end of the year. Though inventory is lighter, buyers are fewer and my clients can usually get good deals.

I’ve been noting at least half a dozen price reductions daily, which means sellers are attempting to be competitive so they can at least get into contract before Christmas. Buyers running around with cash who can close before December 31st are in strong demand, and they can use this advantage to their benefit big time.

I’ll be highlighting what I think are good holiday home shopping opportunities through the rest of the year. And here’s one to kick things off:

This is a 3BR/2BA condo in a two-unit building with parking in Pacific Heights, located at 2238 Divisadero. The unit clocks in at 1800 square feet, and has generous entertainment space, hardwood floors and nice natural light. The living room (above) has a wood-burning fireplace and window seat, and there’s a formal dining room, too. The master suite is located in the rear of the flat and includes a sunroom and seating area. You also get a bonus room down, storage, and direct yard access from the master suite. HOA dues are $250/month.

2238 Divisadero was last sold in 2008 for $1,530,000. It hit the market in the summer for $1,265,000 and has been seeing a steady stream of price reductions since then. The latest chop happened this weekend, with a $250,000 reduction. Current list price is $1,130,000. Yes, this is a short sale, but I wouldn’t let that deter you. (It’s just important to speak with a knowledgeable agent who can give you a very solid idea of what to expect from the process.)

I think this can be a good deal for a holiday shopper! Give me a call if you’d like to see the property.

If you’re a first-time home buyer looking for a totally charming, 1920s-style Arts & Crafts home situated on an amazing, park-like lot, check out my new listing at 55 Exeter in Bayview Heights.

The property has two bedrooms, one bathroom and a living room with a wood-burning fireplace. There’s also a formal dining room, vintage kitchen with unfinished wood plank floors, and an additional room at the rear that’s currently being used as an office and laundry area. The rear deck gets nice eastern Bay and city views, and the huge garden is planted with mature fruit trees, cacti and a variety of flowers. It’s the perfect place for that organic garden you’ve been wanting to start. There’s a spacious garage, as well. The lot is 50×100, so it’s double the width of the typical San Francisco lot.

And 55 Exeter is only a few blocks from the Third Street rail line that goes downtown, as well as the new Fresh & Easy grocery store. Access to 101 is nearby, too.

List price is $325,000. Please note that this is a short sale, so it’s subject to two lenders’ approval. However, we’ve engaged a negotiator to deal with the lenders, so everyone knows what they’re doing on the seller side.

First open is Sunday, October 9th from 2:00-4:00. Stop by and see me! And visit our Web site at www.55exeter.com for photos and more details.

Whenever I come across good deals, I like to give them a shout out so prospective buyers can recognize good things when they see ‘em. This week, I toured a couple homes that fall into this category.

1145 South Van Ness (above) is a sweet 2BR+/2BA Victorian single-family home listed at $749,000. It’s got a great floor plan that features a large, bright living room with decorative fireplace, nice period details, a cool and spacious downstairs master suite with an updated bath and French doors leading to a yard with a hot tub. There’s a one-car garage with space beyond for more cars, and a laundry room plus additional storage on the garage level. Yes, you’re on South Van Ness, but if you can get past the four lanes of cars, the location at 25th Street is very convenient to BART and the freeways—not to mention to the Valencia corridor and Mission restaurants. You can add value to this property by updating the kitchen.

On the other side of town is 351 Buena Vista East #503E:

I usually don’t initially focus on outdoor space, but the 575-square foot deeded patio for this 1BR/1BA condo listed at $485,000 is pretty amazing. This is an end unit with 270-degree views, and also has deeded parking and wood floors throughout. HOA dues are $577/month, and get you a full-time lobby concierge and club room. Park Hill is a 136-unit association spread across two buildings. It was a former hospital, and you can see it perched atop Buena Vista Park from many locations in the city. This particular unit is situated within the 35-unit second building and has spectacular southern views. Buena Vista Park is just up the hill from the N Judah and J Church Muni stops, and near the Castro and Haight/Hayes Valley. So it’s not only an attractive and desirable neighborhood, but it’s also very central.

It’s a testament to these two properties that there are multiple buyers interested in both of them, and offers are being accepted today in both cases. So if you’re a buyer looking for these types of homes that are well priced, it’s best to get in early so you’re prepared to pull the trigger if need be.

I toured the 2BR/1BA condo at 791 14th Avenue this week. It’s a great deal for a buyer looking for good space, period detail and a nice outlook of the Park Presidio greenbelt.

The condo is situated in a smaller, four-unit building that was constructed in 1921. So you can appreciate the coved ceilings, hardwood floors, and original built-ins of this Edwardian property. There’s a wood-burning fireplace, remodeled kitchen and bath, large storage unit and a private, one-car garage. The property is professionally managed—unusual for this size building, but a big plus—and HOA dues are $300/month. (The dues are pretty low, considering the latter detail).

Public transportation options largely consist of buses, but you can walk across the park to catch the N Judah. Speaking of which, Golden Gate Park is essentially your backyard, so if you’re into running, dog walking,  or museum going, this location is excellent.

List price for 791 14th Avenue is $599,000, which is right in line with the comps. Square footage is around 980, but if you factor in the aforementioned amenities, fact that you’re dealing with a smaller, architecturally appealing building and a smaller HOA, things balance out quite nicely. Sounds like they’ll likely be taking offers soon, so give me a shout if you’d like to see the place.

One is vacant and one is tenant occupied, but the two condos at 336 Castro #3 and 336 Castro #4 are good deals either way. Both are 1BR/1BA top floor units at the corner of Castro and States. The vacant property has a remodeled kitchen, wood floors and nice period detail such as picture rails and original baseboards. The tenant-occupied unit hasn’t been remodeled, and has a month-to-month lease in place. Both units have unassigned parking spaces.

You can’t beat the prices: $395,000 for the vacant condo, $360,000 for the occupied one. That’s why I’d call either one a good deal.

I visited 2363 Larkin #31 this week on my broker tour, and thought it was a decent price for a one-bedroom condo in the neighborhood. Built in 1923, the building has lovely period details, hardwood floors and spacious rooms. The kitchen has been updated—though you could certainly update it again—and the unit gets nice natural light. There’s extra storage and a washer/dryer in the basement, and one-car deeded parking. List price is $699,000.

2363 Larkin is situated on the corner at Filbert, and has an 89 Walk Score. This is prime Russian Hill, so keep the adage “location, location, location” in mind when you consider the property. HOAs are $506/mo and there are 16 units in the building. The unit has been on the market for 42 days, so the good deal could be getting better as time goes on.

If you’re looking for a condo or TIC in what we Realtors call District 6 (Hayes Valley, NOPA, Western Addition, Alamo Square)—and weren’t able to hit Sunday’s open house circuit—here’s your chance to check out some hot properties after work.

We’ve organized a twilight tour scheduled for this Wednesday, April 20th from 6:00-7:30 that will showcase some of the best units on the market in the area. Here’s the lineup:

1835 Golden Gate/Broderick   1BR/1BA    $625,000    Nopalito treats!
105 Scott/Waller    1BR/1BA    $565,000
228 Scott/Page   2BR/2BA    $779,000    Wine & cheese!
221 Octavia/Oak   2BR/2BA    $789,900    Fruit & chocolates!
988 Fulton # 335/Steiner    2BR/2BA    $599,000   Cookies!
720 Fell #6/Webster    2BR/2BA    $599,000
1910 Divisadero #6/California (TIC) 2BR/1BA $585,000
1390 McAllister/Pierce (TIC)   3BR/2BA   $598,000

Please let your friends, co-workers and neighbors know about our tour. We’d love to see you there!