What $869,000 buys you in Alameda CA
Or What Things Cost in Alameda Part Eleventy-Twelve
Okay, so there were two open houses this past weekend that got us all excited cause they were in our dream neighborhood and both of the houses looked interesting.
Ala the now dead and gone ‘knifecatchers’ blog about the Alameda housing market here is our take.
The first house up for consideration is 1324 BAY ST, Alameda, CA 94501
What we have here is 4 bed 2 bath 1995 sq ft Mediterranean house on a 7,500 sq ft lot for $869,000. This house is the smallest house on the block. This is probably one of the best streets in the gold coast neighborhood and its Halloween central too!! See why we where excited about it?
Now onto the interior pictures of the house.
THE MOST AMAZING BATHROOM EVER!!!!!!!!
God bless the owners of this house, they had the balls to show a house in this neighborhood with the ultimate white-elephants of baths, a super over the top tiki-bathroom!
View ImageHere’s’ a shot looking into the bathroom from the hallway. Drink in all the details, everywhere you look there is something new to look at. Kinda like the pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland but in your own bathroom!
View ImageThis shower is awesome beyond words! From the bamboo enclosure to the fake palm trees and plants surrounding it. Its even got a rope-light above the shower to light the way, I guess…
View ImageCheck out the tub! With the ships wheel and the boat tie-downs in the corners. The custom painted walls…so awesome! If I was 5 I’d be begging to take a bath in here! Think of all the adventures on the high seas you’d be a having matey!
View ImageFake plants, driftwood trim and brass ships lights..so awesome-and the giant plastic shell for the sink basin.
Ahhh…does my heart good… Problem is, none of this work was done with permits…really not good in this part of Alameda cause the historical society will definitely nark on them…
View ImageThe other bath was just super boring so I didn’t feel like showing a bunch of pictures of it. Here is the other bath shower…how boring is this? Just big slabs of marble in a tiny shower stall….oh, by the way..this bath was also done without permits…this shower stall used to be a pass-through from the kitchen to the hallway… So that’s two bathrooms with no permits….not good…
View ImageHere’s a shot of the kitchen. Not bad really. The kitchen was redone recently we were told. Newer cabinets and appliances and an unfortunate tile counter top.
View ImageHere’s the eat-in nook off the kitchen good sized and usable we thought. Those are pantry cabinets on the right. I really like that this owner was not afraid of color.
View ImageThe other wall of the kitchen. The house has knob and tube wiring except in the kitchen which has romex. So the entire house is on fuses still except the kitchen which has a breaker panel out in front of the house….
Kitchen is not bad no? Guess what? Not done with permits either!!!
View ImageThe front room right side with the fireplace and cool craftsman built-ins. Nice oak floors in this area of the house.
View ImageFormal dinning room off the kitchen and front door. Good sized room don’t know what we would use it for cause we would eat all our meals in the dinning nook.
Next we move to the ‘basement’. We were originally excited about this place hoping that it had a full basement which we could use for storage and workshop space.
View ImageThis is about the entire size of it enough room for a washer-dryer and the hot water heater and forced air furnace and a little bit of storage…not gonna work for us.. Also, house is on its original brick foundation….really not good in my book.
View ImageHere’s one of the rooms that qualifies as a bedroom. Its really den sized but it does have a closet so technically its a bedroom. The oak floor in here is pretty trashed though…
View ImageThis is another bedroom…check out that carpet…yummy…why would you be selling a house in this super high-end neighborhood (for Alameda) and not clean the dang carpets? Decent sized closets though.
Another bedroom, not afraid of color here and the two windows bring in a lot of light I guess…
View ImageThis is the sunroom off the back of the house. It has a nice wood builtin. This room is also not original to the house. I don’t know when it was built exactly but its also not done with permits…
View ImageHere’s a view looking down the loooong driveway to the little tiny garage. There is enough space here for like 5 cars end to end. We could even fit Big Bertha here…though I bet the neighbors would freak over such an ugly thing parked in full view of the street.
The add called the backyard, ‘large’ and ‘good sized’….we beg to differ but hey Realtors whadaya gonna do?
View ImageThat door is off the eating nook in the kitchen. We have a little cement patio…decent enough space for a table and a couple of people.
View ImageHere’s the view from the patio looking out at the ‘large’ backyard….not a lot of space there we think. It does have a nice maple tree though.
That’s it the entire backyard! The green wall on the right is the garage.
View ImageThe windows in most parts of the house are newer single pane Al windows that were put in sometime in the past. Also not done with permits. To me it looks like there is water issues with all the windows. The weird textured coating is blistering off around the windows which to me means water intrusion behind the stucco. And since its stucco replacing these windows or even checking the situation is going to be a huge PITA. Since these were done without permits its unknown if they were installed correctly with the correct flashing methods..I see huge potential for dry rotted framing in all these areas.
View ImageHere is a shot of the wall where this textured coating is coming off. I don’t know what the coating is but its thin and is peeling off all over the place. Its not original cause this was applied with a spray gun and they coated everything on the outside of the house with it..even the down spouts….What manner of water damage is this coating hiding? Who knows.
Not pictured but the house has a 14yr old tar and gravel roof that needs replacing. I saw multiple indications that water has leaked into the ceiling in the past.
The house has its original galv plumbing which needs to be replaced.
Conclusion:
For this house to work for us personally…..we’d have to dig out the basement area and make it a full 8′ high basement with an under the house garage for one car. That way we could raise the rear garage and and the super ugly driveway and get back a meaningful-useful lot and we’d have all the storage and workshop space we need. That’s a $200,000 foundation job easy…plus I know that there is going to be hassles with the city over all the un-permitted work.
So, unless we can get the seller to drop her price down to $600,000 or so its unfortunately not worth it for us.
I’m sure the place will sell to some yuppie power couple and they’ll just gut the place and do a pop-top addition and be done with it.
Daniel Neumansky
Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA. Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/
Oakland CA
Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer
Edited 6/10/2009 3:48 pm by madmadscientist
Replies
What you think about this place?
Daniel Neumansky
Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA. Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/
Oakland CA
Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer
I should take pictures of my house. 2800 sq ft, bought 27 yrs ago fo, 12k. It has appreciated to, get this 74000 as of today!!
The house you show had best be in the best neighborhood!
It is in arguably the best neighborhood in our little city, in one of the best school districts. Houses hardly ever come up for sale in this 'hood and especially on this street. Its so dang picture perfect that they film commercials and stuff like that on the street all the time.
Daniel Neumansky
Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA. Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/
Oakland CA
Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer
Should I assume that Gilligan's Island was filmed in that bathroom, then? :)'Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt man doing it' ~ Chinese proverb
View Image
the bathtub was a lot of yo ho ho and a bottle of dumb
the bathtub was a lot of yo ho ho and a bottle of dumb
That almost made me spit coffee on my keyboard!
Daniel Neumansky
Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA. Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/
Oakland CA
Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer
Should I assume that Gilligan's Island was filmed in that bathroom, then? :)
It is totally ridiculus but I gotta admire the moxy...I've never seen anything that over the top on a place for sale...
Daniel Neumansky
Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA. Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/
Oakland CA
Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer
Hell, I just got an e-mail from Zillow that my house increased in value $100K THIS MONTH!
Zestimate¯:
$351,000
Value Range:
$256,230 - $407,160
30-day change:
$107,500
30-day value trend:
View Image44.1%
Zestimate last updatedon 06/05/2009
Page views:
7
About this reportSometimes the news is good, sometimes not. We feel it, too. Need advice from professionals? Visit Zillow Advice. Or, take a break and escape with a little "eye candy" in Dueling Digs. -->
Zillow Home Value Index Trend: 5 Years
View ImageThis home View ImageZIP: 30054 View ImageCity
View Image
Forrest
Edited 6/10/2009 4:57 pm ET by McDesign
One month huh! I think a house is only worth what someone is willing to pay.
Yep! Like any service, that ones's worth what i pay for it . . .
Forrest
Yep! Like any service, that ones's worth what i pay for it . . .>>.
It does make ya feal a little better!>G<
Well, as a homeowner in Alameda I like the price! Don't see it selling though. I predict it will sit and go off the market, or get dropped below 800K.
We have some friends that live on Fair Oaks, definitely a nice quiet area. Mike
Small wheel turn by the fire and rod, big wheel turn by the grace of god.
yea several places in the Gold Coast have come on the market recently. It'll be interesting to see how much they actually sell for or how long they sit on the market..
That amazing place on Morton and Encinal has been on the market forever at $965,000 and that place needs nothing.
Wife really wants to move to a place in the gold coast near Franklin park....I tell her sure right after we hit the lotto!
Daniel Neumansky
Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA. Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/
Oakland CA
Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer
So, I'm guessing "auctions abound" is not entirely accurate in Alameda?
Let us know if/what it goes for.
Dumpy place with a weird quasi-realtor, possibly underwater, (a few blocks the bad direction from our house) just closed for $550k.
k
So, I'm guessing "auctions abound" is not entirely accurate in Alameda?
Let us know if/what it goes for.
Yep Alameda has a couple of short sales and a couple of bank owned sales but nothing too bad yet.
My co-worker who is doing research into the housing market is convinced that there will be a new wave of foreclosures in CA. He is convinced that there are a ton of middle and high end properties that are going to be going into foreclosure in the very near future. His advice to me was, wait a year before buying.
If I was smart I'd figure out a way to see how many houses where purchased in my dream area within the last say five years. Figure out who is underwater the most and offer to buy them out cheap. Like a map with who took out exotic loans on it and when their interest rates are going to reset.
Daniel Neumansky
Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA. Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/
Oakland CA
Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer
Does all this mean you are not going forward with your project? I may have missed a meeting.John
Well it means we are looking at other options but havent made a hard decision either way....
Though to be honest, to have professionals do out place would put us over 1mill in the house and that's just nuts... The idea of buying an already done place in the 'nice' neighborhood has a pretty strong pull to it.
Daniel Neumansky
Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA. Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/
Oakland CA
Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer
If the market wasn't so low now, I'd probably sell and run. I am seriously fed up with my job and the general state of construction as of late.
I am getting hammered from both sides. Our owners are being totally hands on, the general is pushing hard and doing minimal coordination and the plans just suck big time! Every job lately is pushed through and being built before they really know what they have designed. Enough venting, forgive me.
I really love Alameda and will probably stay here a long time. Just have to hang in there. Sometimes I wish I just remained a simple carpenter and did not take on so much. Oh well. Tomorrow's another day.
Mike
Small wheel turn by the fire and rod, big wheel turn by the grace of god.
Sorry, I don't got that much money to put into housing. An' if I did, I don't tink I'd put it into that house.
Looks like multiple disasters waiting to happen - some already have.
I must have an east coast mindset......
Jim
I love the way the upper kitchen cabinets are supporeted off the lower cabinets.
Other than the issue of no permits, how much control does the city or historical group have over renovations to the inside?
"Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
I love the way the upper kitchen cabinets are supporeted off the lower cabinets.
Other than the issue of no permits, how much control does the city or historical group have over renovations to the inside?
Ya I actually met the father of the contractor that did all the work. He's the next door neighbor and was out trimming his roses during the open house.
The hist soc does not have any say over how things are done on the inside but they will narc on you for doing any modifications with out permits. So they will cause you a huge headache and this house has several....
Daniel Neumansky
Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA. Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/
Oakland CA
Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer
How do they know when the modifications took place?
It could have taken place BEFORE they put in all the obnoxious rules but after the house was built, right?
Plantlust - Defender of pirate decor, everywhere
Kitty has progressed from Hunter to Serial Killer.
Well yea but its pretty obvious that the kitchen was done in the past couple of years and the bathroom too.
You can get a pretty good idea of when the work was done by looking at the materials and what not no? I mean they didnt' have romex and grounded GFCI outlets back in the 20's.
Its scary how nosey and how much info the hist soc busybodies have on some houses....its their personal mission to save all old houses in Alameda from remuddleing.
Daniel Neumansky
Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA. Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/
Oakland CA
Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer
Oh I don't like remuddling either (did you guys have a rash of fake stone facades along with eye-exploding colours?) but it's tricky not to fall into Big Brother State, like England. And as long as the update meets code, why should they get their knickers in a twist?
Kitty has progressed from Hunter to Serial Killer.
(musing thoughtfully) Not to mention that the homeowners bathroom remodel has just saved you LOTS of travel time & cost. If you need a vacation to the Caribbean, just go potty!
Holy COW! That means if you buy the house, your carbon footprint has just PLUNGED!<g,d & r>
Kitty has progressed from Hunter to Serial Killer.
I cant believe how out of control housing is in California. IMO if thats what it takes ($) to buy that, i'd move to another state.
I agree with some of the other posts too, no permits may or maynot spell trouble.
Finally as a personal taste item, if someone put that bathroom in my house i'd sue them. Maybe it just doesnt photograph well.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
$800k what I think, they're fricken nuts. 800k here is a 100 acres on the river with a 5000 sf ft house three car garage
Like I said, i'd move out of state. Cali is going broke anyway.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
A pirate walks into a bar.
The bartender say's-
"Hey, do you know you have a ship's wheel on
your ####?"
"Aaaargg! It drives me nuts!"
With all the potential problems (roof, exterior coatings, foundation-basement, water damage near windows) and the required electrical upgrades you would still consider spending $600K on this?
Are the kitchen upper cabinets installed that way because the wall(s) won't hold them?
Is earthquake retrofit planned?
I will be blunt and ask WHY?
The location might be OK but even at best, given size, layout, etc. I couldn't see 1/2 that.
My mother lives in Watsonville and I have a cousin between Fremont and Milpitas, many years ago I lived in the Sunnyvale/Mountain View area so I'm a bit familiar with California's over the top prices.
I'm not flippin' you off.........just counting cubits
With all the potential problems (roof, exterior coatings, foundation-basement, water damage near windows) and the required electrical upgrades you would still consider spending $600K on this?
Are the kitchen upper cabinets installed that way because the wall(s) won't hold them?
Is earthquake retrofit planned?
I will be blunt and ask WHY?
The location might be OK but even at best, given size, layout, etc. I couldn't see 1/2 that.
I think if the house was redone it could fetch ~$800,000 maybe in this 'hood...well I don't know anymore with the way the market is falling...2 years ago it woulda sold for that much in a heart beat.
I think that shot of the upper cabs along that wall is a bit of an illusion-those are actually appliance garages with tambor doors that are rolled up...but it does look weird.
Why would we want the house? Well its the best street in the best neighborhood in the city in the best school district...
I would not pay $600,000 for it but I'd pay $500,000-of course the owner will never sell it for that much and some uneducated yuppie couple will buy it not knowing the can of worms they are getting.
But actually the entire point of this excersise is to buy a house we can afford in the niece 'hood that does not need >$200,000 worth of work... I'm not sure if something like that exists yet...maybe if the market keeps falling by this time next year things will be more sensible.
Daniel Neumansky
Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA. Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/
Oakland CA
Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer
I must be strange but i LOVED the bathroom and really liked the Tub.
I could set sail and proceed on many nautical adventures in that tub and be the CAPTAIN of the ship.
Given enough of the Kings Rum i might persuade my Wench to play the part of a hula dancer..
But not for 800 plus grand.
wench?......................oooooooooo
if either of your wimmin's heard that (DW or mAnn) they'd be making you walk the plank, matey...................RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
I'm not flippin' you off.........just counting cubits
Edited 6/12/2009 1:44 pm by oldbeachbum
All i have now is a little wading pool. I do soak my feet.. And dream;]
they'd drag your arse down to the beach at low tide and stake you out.................
I'm not flippin' you off.........just counting cubits
My wifes birth day is on 'talk like a pirate day' so we spend the entire day talking like pirates!
Daniel Neumansky
Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA. Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/
Oakland CA
Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer
Maybe some Jimmy Buffet playing?
now yer talkin'....................
I'm not flippin' you off.........just counting cubits
Beach Between you and me I think Mad has this all wrong, it is a house that is highly marketable to Parrotheads. For those that don't know, Google it you will quickly learn.WallyoAll you need are "BOAT DRINKS"
Personally I wouldn't consider it because of what it will cost in time and $. But, it's their dream. We all do what we have to.
There are many in the Bay area, other places too, that would buy it and raze it just to get the property. I do think most of that type of thinking has cooled a bit. The right location? Never know.
If it were more original and a bit more "transparent" I might consider the risk. Looks to me that with the permit issues and other evidence it could be a real expensive can'o'worms. A lot of the new seems to be covering up what may be real serious cancers or improperly done add-ons. Either way, a lot more money than I could ever afford.
He mentioned the foundation being the original brick. If you were to pull permits for the expansion of the basement the locals are going to insist upon seismic upgrades. That alone could amount to 1/3 the purchase price and you're still at ground level, so to speak.
I'm not flippin' you off.........just counting cubits
Happen to see the article on forclosures in the Sun this week? Kind of interesting.
Mike
Small wheel turn by the fire and rod, big wheel turn by the grace of god.
Ya I saw the article in the Sun...interesting that it was basically an add for the Knifecatchers blog which is written by a women not a man as stated in the article. It does paint a pretty dim view of island real estate in the near future...you're not planning on selling anytime soon are you?
I'm shocked this place actually sold!!!! For $795,000!!!
A couple big ticket houses have sold recently on the island the big place on @1600 Dayton sold for $1.6M and the place at the end of bay sold for $1.9M!! Two newer places on the market for $1.9M and $1.2M and the place on Hawthorne dropped their price from $1.3 to $1.1M...it will be interesting to see if any of these places sell in this climate. Oh then there was that giant place on St. Charles that was a short sale for $1.5M...don't know what happened to that...
Did you read this review I did on 1531 Morton?
http://chezneumansky.blogspot.com/2009/08/1531-morton-st-knife-catching-again.html
Read the comments the neighbors hate the place and are claiming that the developer had a council member in his pocket to get the place approved!! Lotta anger there...
Remember, its the season, swing by the place, after dark, to check out the decorations.
Daniel Neumansky
Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA. Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/
Oakland CA
Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer
I didn't follow this whole thread (busy on my bath remodel), but you're right: if you buy this place, you've got to get yourself at least one five year old, if you don't already have one. To fail to do so would be a crime against childhood.
Hey, does the Houghton part of your screen name have anything to do with Houghton Mifflin? My mom worked there for decades.
k
Or does it have to do with Houghtin college?