Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008
Some time ago, I noted the construction in West Portal and asked around the Front Steps for the scoop. Those folks on the steps always know a lot, and more importantly, they like to argue. We had ideas that the construction would yield five- no, six- no, seven- no, eight homes. They were to be made of the cheapest- no, the most luxuriant materials. They were to be a blessing to- no, a curse, on San Francisco housing.
One thing we all seemed to agree on was that a stand of less than ten single-family homes was not the way to maximize that open space in West Portal. A larger building project, sized to maximize density, would have been a better call.
Still, the call was made; and without much of the NIMBY drama that normally plagues construction, Arden Estates are here.
Well, almost.
The now live website’s photo gallery so far boasts one photo (seen above). Such dearth is logical since the homes aren’t done yet; however, the location is awesome for families, and the units back up onto a thick mass of trees that completely belie an urban setting. Plus, their plans look pretty sweet (see below: Click to enlarge).
click to enlarge
And to the Front S
teppers who argued over units, there are to be seven stand alone homes here. Each will have three bed rooms + a bonus room, three baths, high end finishes, attics, 2-car garages, fireplaces…. and
geez, more, more, and more. Frankly, I’m getting light headed. You can see the list yourself by visiting the amenities link on the website.
Price is, unsurprisingly, not advertised on the website. However, rumor has it these homes will run in the $2 million range.
So that’s me out of the running for one of these beauties, unless you’ve all been fooling me and there really is a Santa. If so, Santa, if you’re reading, I’ve been a very good girl.
Tags: Arden Estates, Arden Wood, Luxury Homes, New Construction, San Francisco Real Estate, single family home
Posted in "Green", Anna Marie Hibble, Announcements, Luxury Homes, New Construction, Unique Property, West Portal, theFrontSteps | 20 Comments »
Wednesday, October 29th, 2008
Realtor Kevin Gueco writes a very sunny review for the coming soon Mosiaica 601 condo project (pictured above) in his SFNewDevelopments blog. There’s definitely some room for pleasant surprise in the announced price (pleasant to me, anyway, since I selfishly find all condos I cannot afford to be unpleasant):
“Mosaica 601 announced last week that it plans to start pricing of its 3 bedroom / 2 bath condos in the low $600s! This is an incredible value considering each home is around 1400 square feet.”
Of course, putting aside Gueco’s near-by restaurant list, the area (where Mission meets Potrero) is a little rough, but the price still seems all right to me. Perhaps the developers see the price cuts so many other condo developers have had to make recently, and are starting lower to begin with?
Also coming soon (but not as soon) are a more mysterious set of housing units. Just off West Portal and 16th Ave., in front of Arden Wood, you can see the pushed-up dirt, huge bulldozers, and thin wood skeletons that signal housing to come, and their sectioning looks multi-unit. Thus I suspect these are the long awaited condos that were subject of news and speculation in 2006. In fact, that’s still the only information I can find on this construction: 2 years old, via SFHomeBlog and J.K. Dineen. Someone has to have a more updated scoop here. Anyone?
Meanwhile, still a pipe-dream (ha ha! Really, Haight Street, how many pipe stores can one street support?), but with the supervisorial green light is the Whole Foods/condo complex, slated to replace long-dead Cala Foods at the corner of Stanyan and Haight. The Chronicle outlines the plan here:
”The large, four-story project, which also includes some 60 high-end, market-rate housing units, was expected to be controversial, but the commission voted 6-0 to approve the conditional use permit – a result supporters think had a lot to do with their organized turnout.”
Right, agreed: Haight could use a face-lift and perhaps a gentle reminder that THE 60′S ARE OVER. Also, I like Whole Foods, but I’m saving for one of those condos, so I’ll stick to Trader Joe’s (with a new one also coming soon!). I’m curious what “market rate” will be when those units go up, since so many new developments are struggling to sell out units already. The Frontstep’s own banker/blogger, aptly known as “The Banker,” says: “We are overbuilt. . .and it is next to near impossible to get financing!”
What do you say?
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Construction photo via SFNewDevelopments
Tags: Arden Wood, Condominium, condos, Haight Ashbury, Mosaica 601, New Construction, Reduced Prices
Posted in Below Market Rate, Condominium, Economy, General Info, Haight Ashbury, Insider Information, Marketing, New Construction, New Developments, Potrero Hill, SOMA, Updates, West Portal, coming soon | 14 Comments »
Monday, October 27th, 2008
I’ve heard from multiple sources that SF real estate is, for the most part, immune to the havoc wreaked on other parts of the US. But sales at our most recent condo complexes show that happy-smile-don’t-worry line of rhetoric is about as reliable as the clown’s was in Poltergeist (Happy Halloween!).
| T-907 Penthouse studio w/built in Murphy bed & views |
$515,000 |
$419,000 |
| T-602 1-br, Quiet courtyard location |
$565,000 |
$449,000 |
You have to wonder if those buyers among the 55% sold group are perhaps a wee bit upset. You might also wonder if you can’t, given the hint of desperation (“close out”= we really, really want to sell these goddamn condos!), get one of these units for even less than the advertised price.
More good news for people who love bad news is that,
according to the San Francisco Business Times, construction has been suspended at 535 Mission St: “The $100 million HOK-designed tower was put on hold earlier this month in response to worsening market conditions.”
Well then. Seems like if one wants to buy right now, one should take these worsening conditions to the negotiating table. Don’t invite the clown.
—————–
Tags: Arterra, Market News, New Construction, Reduced Prices, San Francisco Real Estate, The Hayes, The Potrero
Posted in Arterra, Civic Center/Van Ness, Doom & Gloom, Hayes Valley, High Rise, New Construction, New Developments, Potrero Hill, Reduced, SOMA, San Francisco Real Estate, Symphony Towers, The Potrero, Updates, Van Ness/Civic Center, market info, real estate, san francisco, theFrontSteps | 5 Comments »
Thursday, October 2nd, 2008
We’ve been told that 2915 and 2917 Laguna (two very sweet modern condominiums), have been purchased, all cash. Here’s the kicker…to the same buyer!
The top unit living area (notice that big red bridge?)
Lower unit bath…
One buyer, two buyers, three buyers four. Who really cares! Five million seven hundred twenty five thousand dollars ($5,725,000) of property is about to change hands just behind the Wells Fargo on Union Street.
Those homes are sweet and some clients we know aren’t too happy they’re gone. Do let us know if that all cash offer should fall out of escrow!
-2915 Laguna [Listing Details]
-2917 Laguna [Listing Details]
Tags: contemporary, Modern, New Construction
Posted in Architecture, Cow Hollow, Modern, theFrontSteps | No Comments »
