Real Estate Insight, Statistics, Gossip, and News – with a Twist and some Flavor

Archive for the ‘Pacific Heights’ Category

The Grinch Who Stole Our [Reader's] Christmas Wreath (Caught On Tape)

Monday, December 21st, 2009

From our reader:

Greetings,

I’m looking to enlist your support in some public shaming. You can also point-out the utility of installing a video camera system during a renovation :)

This Grinch stole the Christmas wreath from the front door of my house early Friday morning. She looks like a fairly put-together person, why is she out stealing in the middle of the night? Pacific Heights of course…

The Grinch comes then goes, and returns (cloaked/disguised) at 2:07.

Poor Pacific Heights. It gets such a bad rap…Maybe we need to put a little “Chopper” in Pacific Heights.

[Update: Some questions answered...

[Update #2: From the reader when we informed him/her of the # of links coming to our site for this post, "Good stuff indeed. Channel 7 wants to run a story on it tonight. And it seems the mystery lady has a name..." Guess you'll have to check Channel 7 (anybody got the link to a report) for the name, and apparently a friend of the owner has placed a new wreath on their door, with a lock hopefully. ;-) ]

More Fun Posts:
-Sexy, Sexy Realtors [theFrontSteps.com]
-Metallica’s Kirk Hammett Finds A Buyer For His Pacific Heights Monster Den [theFrontSteps.com]
-San Francisco Needs To Harden The F**k Up! [theFrontSteps.com]

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Metallica’s Kirk Hammett Finds Buyer For His Pacific Heights Monster Den

Thursday, December 10th, 2009

After what must seem like an eternity (we lost track of the days on market), we’re told the metal lair on top of Pacific Heights at 2505 Divisadero (originally asking $12,500,000 now just $8,995,000…it is on top of Pacific Heights and does include a sound studio and party room built for, and occupied by, Metallica for chrissakes!) has found a buyer.

Hammet

Was “The Black Album” conceived in this room…their worst album if you ask us, and all down hill from there. Give us “Master of Puppets” again!

hammetsound1

“Is that…Is that James? Is that James in the mixing room?”-Bonus points if you know which PUNK band has that quote. And no, it does not refer to James Hetfield (of Metallica).

hammetstudio1
Picture “Garage Days” and picture the parties…Metallica did party didn’t they? ;-)

hammettparty1

Who is the lucky buyer catapulting themselves into the home of one of the largest rock bands ever? Enquiring minds want to know….

If you want to see the party room pre staging and fancy photos, this is what we snapped back in 2007 upon first taking a look at the property.

Congrats to all involved in this one, especially Kirk Hammett.

[Update: We asked our source about the price and got this (no surprise) reply: "It's a "confidential" sale... although we all know who sold it [Nina Hatvany], just no one is saying who bought. Word on the street is that Ronnie Garfield rep’d the buyer, but I don’t know for sure.”]

-2505 Divasadero [Property Website and Details]
-Fly On the Wall, 2505 Divisadero hits the market [sfn BLOG]

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What To Do With Your $45,000,000 San Francisco Backyard

Friday, December 4th, 2009

We’ve always said a skatepark or velodrome in the backyard of 2901 Broadway (last check it was still listed for $45,000,000) would be a most excellent idea (see red arrow).

Maybe we should have Tony Hawk and crew come teach the Pacific Heights crowd a thing or two about what to do with all of that space:

Or maybe Bob Burnquist’s backyard is a better example:

The skiers/snowboarders had the right idea, but getting snow in San Francisco proved a bit problematic:

But with the naturally steep hills here, maybe a skateboard megaramp is the answer? They could launch over the Getty compound.

Those are a few things you’ll see on our Christmas list to Santa this year….

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Another Reason to Love Living Here: The Heights

Friday, October 9th, 2009

Seacliff in San Francisco

Fridays are for less serious real estate topic-age, so here is a meaningless poll and a tribute to another characteristic that makes SF unique.

Riding my bike through the Presidio last Saturday, I decided to cruise Presidio Heights. And oh my, the elevation-  in status, I mean. It’s dizzying. The homes are palatial, complete with giant grand pianos, harps, chandeliers,  all of which one can glimpse through elaborate stained glass windows. This got me wondering: why did I pick “teacher” as a career path?

But I digress. From a real estate standpoint, which Heights are really the highest (as in, highest class)? Where would you most desire to spend your halcyon days?

For my money, the top four are Presidio Heights, Pacific Heights, Telegraph Hill, and Sea Cliff.

No offense to any other Heights or Hills. Let’s be honest: SF is chock full of breath taking views from almost every corner (and I’d be thrilled to own a house in any of them), but if we include proximity to open space (like the Presidio or the ocean), the size of the homes and their lots, yards (front, back, side) and those cool carriage houses in back that are bigger than most people’s primary residences, then really, these four take the cake.

But I’m a sucker for parks and beaches, and if I have to pick from there, it’s sand and surf forever. My vote then is Sea Cliff.

Here are four ridiculously lush listings, one in each of my hypothetical contender’s neighborhoods. Study them, perhaps shedding a tear for your own career choice. From your own city explorer insight, which height is really the tops? Are certain areas more steady as investments? Are these places really worth all this dough? And are there really still enough buyers for places like this? After all, the four below are just four of myriad listings on the MLS for well over 3 million dollars, when the the San Francisco Census put the median income in our fair city at less than $70k.

2901 Broadway (Pacific Heights) (7 Bedroom mansion for $45 million.)

37 Presidio Ave (Presidio Heights)  (7 Bedroom single family for or $5, 395,000)

632 El Camino Del Mar (Sea Cliff) (5 Bedroom single family for $9,000,000)

 1454 Kearny St. (Telegraph Hill) (3 Bedroom single family for $3,500,000)

 

Sea Cliff shot via Panoramio

Update: Pool Party On Broadway! Marco….Polo….Fish Outta Water! (And Now On The Market)

Friday, July 17th, 2009

[Update: Our original tip ran in May of this year, and now as "Curbed SF" reports, it's on the market (in MLS)...with photos.]

From a connected reader:

Designed in 1922 by Frederick Meyer (think Bill Graham Auditorium) [2950 Broadway] is a serious presence on outer Broadway’s Gold Coast and I think the only one with a pool.

2950broadwaypool1

2950broadway1

…and not yet on MLS, but we’d be glad to get you in early. ;-)

broadway2950_01

Asking $39,500,000.00.

Lifeguard not on duty, and Toyotas parked out front not included.

-2950 Broadway [website]

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Stolen Thunder: 2712 Broadway In Contract, What To Do?

Wednesday, February 18th, 2009

You gotta love when you pick up some clients in the “price is not an issue” category (thanks to this blog mind you), a good opportunity like 2712 Broadway (7 bed, 5 bath, Gold Coast Single Family Home originally asking $9,495,000, immediately reduced to $7,750,000) comes along while your clients are on vacation and unreachable, and they come back and ask, “What happened?”

2712broadway

We know what we’re doing, what would you suggest?

-2712 Broadway [sfnewsletter.com listing detail]

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What Awaits Behind Those Doors? (2219 Pacific)

Monday, February 2nd, 2009

While everyone else is talking about the end of the world, we’re talking about opportunities (pricing aside)! (Edited for syntax.)

Permits issued and complete plans available to finish this spectacular three story home in AAA Pacific Heights location. Down to studs, completely reframed, needs electrical, plumbing, floors, mechanical etc. & will be a 4900 sq ft home with elevator & private alley entrance off Webster St. Three quarters of foundation is brand new with all current seismic upgrades.

2219pacific

This dream opportunity could be yours for the bargain basement price of….$3,495,000.

-2219 Pacific Avenue, $3,495,000 [sfnewsletter listing detail]

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East Bay: How Piedmont Brings Out the Worst in Me

Monday, November 10th, 2008

By Home Girl, aka real-estate blogger Tracey Taylor).

Go to Piedmont and you feel you have entered another world. That’s if you live in Berkeley or Oakland or anywhere else where you are a mere mortal.

I suppose Piedmont is the East Bay’s equivalent to Pacific Heights. Rarefied, privileged, cocooned. The median list price here for a SFH is $1,236,000 (admittedly a tad lower than Pac Height’s $3,357,000, but you get the picture).

I saw a couple of Piedmont listings this weekend. The first was a pink chateau (above) priced at $3,295,000; the second, a 1950s one-level given a complete contemporary overhaul (below), was $745,000 less expensive, but by far the more interesting proposition in my humble opinion.

If you are the old-school type who favors traditional interiors and bourgeois accommodations, the chateau is for you. If, however, you like something a little more risque — a splash of California indoor-outdoor living, a few floor-to-ceiling windows and a handful of sumptuous bathrooms thrown in — then opt for the newer model (below).

Both homes have been on the market for 64+ days, and I would want to know why the second one, at 43 Farragut Avenue, has changed hands no less than four times in the past 11 years (beginning in 1997 — a snip at $1,250,000). But if you’re after more bang for you buck than in the Heights, these are both worth investigating.

Oh, I did visit a third open house on my tour of Piedmont:  224 Ricardo Avenue is a perfectly nice house in a perfectly nice area, but it costs $1,275,000 and, to be honest, I felt like I was slumming it. That’s the effect Piedmont has on you if you spend more than enough time there.

Above: your new neighbors should you choose to buy 43 Farragut Avenue in Piedmont.

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A Worse Punishment for Sisyphus: Policing Noise in a Metropolis

Friday, October 24th, 2008

Hello out there, theFrontStep Readers! You may (or just as likely, may not) know my name from my blogs for Redfin. I’ve kindly been invited to write also for theFrontSteps, so here I am, on the steps, with my first blog.

So here’s the setting: last night, 2:00am, sultry night, people walking up from the bars, falling down, giggling. That noise doesn’t bother me much. I’d have to be a hypocrite if I tried to pretend I’ve never, after closing time, made too much noise under someone’s window as I staggered home. But another noise does bother me: some a-hole flooring his car and slamming on the breaks as he reaches the stop sign in front of my house. Then, from fully stationary, he floods the car again, tyring to go from zero to sixty instantaneously. Then he screeches off, circles the block, and comes back to do it again.

But we all live in a city. We can’t really expect quiet, can we? We can hope for it, and maybe in some areas, get it most of the time. But in the end, we’re sharing with a lot of people, some of them loud and possibly crazy. That’s why this new law aiming to curb SF noise interests me. (more…)

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Pacific Heights in the Spotlight

Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008

As always, theFrontSteps is open to new contributors and writers joining us, so if you think you have what it takes to blog (doesn’t take much), give us a shout and let us know. This comes to us from Arrian Binnings, via his new blog Inside SF Real Estate. We found it quite good (void of most Realtor spin, and generally informative) and have asked him to write a column for us (hence the full content version, rather than just a link). What say you, the readers? Good stuff?

Pacific Heights. Mmmmm, what an incredible part of our City. Just imagining it conjures up images of huge mansions, gloriously landscaped yards, jaw-dropping views, and:

Standard Pac Heights TP Roll
Standard Pac Heights TP Roll

Seriously though, we wanted to take out our San Francisco micro-market magnifying glass and see what condo prices are doing in the area. Are they up? Down? Major bubble burst (aka, Bubblicious)??

Well that’s exactly what we set out to do, and here’s how we did it.

First, we looked at Median Sales Prices for condos in Pacific Heights, dating back to the year 1995. All sales are per MLS. We capped each year at October 20th, so we could include 2008 and get an even comparison (something about saying apples to apples just drives me crazy). As you might expect, we left out Single Family Homes, TICs, Lofts, and Stock Co-Ops.

 

Here’s the tale of the tape: (more…)

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