It’s been a hectic 2018 for San Francisco home buyers. Lots of offers written, disappointing outcomes, and for some, towels thrown in.
But not every home slams into contract and closes in a flash. In fact, I’ve been keeping an eye on the houses and condos that have been sitting on the market—waiting for buyers to materialize. With some compromise and reasonable trade-offs, maybe one of these homes could be a fit.
Here are three homes that have been on the market for 30 days or more—and are worth a look:
3615 20th Street
Eureka Valley/Mission Dolores
Days on Market (DOM): 56
3BR/2.5BA condo, 1,429 sq ft, 1 parking
List price: $1,495,000
3615 20th Street is a unique condo that has all the amenities: Two bedrooms on the main level, remodeled kitchen, a private balcony, parking, phenomenal location. What I think buyers have been objecting to is the entrance right out onto the sidewalk. The third bedroom and bath are just inside that entrance, and a majority of buyers probably feels like the home is a little too exposed to the street. This is a property that needs the right buyer who will make use of that ground-level space as an office, guest or media room, for example. If you can work with the entrance issue, this condo is a good deal.
676 Peralta
Bernal Heights
DOM: 42
3BR/2BA, 1 pkg
List price: $1,750,000
Mid-century lovers will appreciate 676 Peralta on Bernal’s east slope. The house has nice finishes and good space overall. The outdoor space is a deck and patio; you would have to do some work to incorporate more of a yard. So that’s throwing some buyers off at the $1,750,000 price point in Bernal. The location is also not ideal in that it’s tucked in the corner of the neighborhood closer to 101 and uphill from Cortland. The story is that the initial list price was $1,600,000. When that didn’t work, the sellers decided to set the price for what they’ll accept. But with some smaller, two-bedroom houses selling for $1.6 and even $1.7M in Bernal, 676 Peralta is worth considering.
780 Elizabeth
Noe Valley
DOM: 48
3BR/2BA, 2,790 sq ft, 1 pkg
List price: $2,495,000
A rarity in popular Noe Valley, 780 Elizabeth is a Victorian house that’s been spending some time on the market. Objections seem to be that the upper level and its two bedrooms/one bath feel too much like an attic space, with steep, awkward stairs for access. And the bonus rooms on the first floor don’t have internal access. Price also was an issue, with an initial list of $2,995,000. However, the price is now substantially lower, and the sellers do have their initial concept plans on hand to dormer the upper level (adding a more spacious feel), re-do the stairs, and connect the first floor to the main house. Take a walk through with your architect and see if the numbers make sense for you. Because 780 Elizabeth is located in an excellent Noe Valley spot, and the location is worth the investment.
Give me shout if you’d like to schedule a showing at any of these properties, I’m at 415.823.4656 / ebermingham@zephyrsf.com.