Archive for the ‘Hillcrest, Ocean Beach, North Park’ Category
April 21, 2008
San Diego real estate is a plethora of architectural and building styles. From spanish to colonial, traditional to modern, bungalows to mansions and everything in between. What is your style? If you’re a Ginger, then you might lean towards sleek and glamorous. If you’re a Mary Ann, then perhaps your taste is more along the lines of casual simplicity. Hillcrest, Ocean Beach and North Park have lots of listings to choose from in each of these realms and in similar price ranges so you can be a movie star on a budget or the girl next store who wants to splurge on something special. Doesn’t that just make you want to break into song?
Ginger in Hillcrest: 4055 Third Avenue #103. 2004 condo with one bed and two baths. It has 1,820 square feet and is priced at $329 per square foot. Asking $599,000. Short sale with no past sales price or valuation data. On Redfin 36 days.
Mary Ann in Hillcrest: 3633 Indiana Street #13. 1980 condo with two beds and two baths. It has 975 square feet and is priced at $327 per square foot. Asking $319,000, last sold for $223,000 on January 26, 2001. It’s Zestimate is $401,000 and eppraisal is $335,059. On Redfin 46 days.
Ginger in Ocean Beach: 4916 Del Mar Avenue. Single family home with two beds, two baths. It has 1,410 square feet and is priced at $635 per square foot. Asking $895,000, last sold for $850,000 on September 17, 2004. It’s Zestimate is $707,000 and cyberhomes valuation is $782,548. On Redfin 10 days.
Mary Ann in Ocean Beach: 5040 Saratoga Avenue. 1948 detached condo with two beds and one bath. It has 792 square feet and is priced at $581 per square foot. Asking $460,000, last sold for $536,500 on November 9, 2005. It’s Zestimate is $387,000 and cyberhomes valuation is $401,374. On Redfin 102 days.
Ginger in North Park: 3779 Granada Avenue. 1971 single family home with three beds and two baths. It has 1,838 square feet and is priced at $326 per square foot. Asking $599,000, last sold for $160,000 on September 23, 1994. It’s Zestimate is $663,000 and eppraisal is $512,003. On Redfin 92 days.
Mary Ann in North Park: 3140 Thorn Street. 1916 single family home with three beds and two baths. It has 1,775 square feet and is priced at $326 per square foot. Asking $579,000, last sold for $653,454 on April 30, 2007. It’s Zestimate is $614,000 and eppraisal is $477,543. On Redfin 185 days.
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Tragedy, Triumph, Tides: What Wikipedia Has to Say About San Diego
The $6,000 Chair: Seller Knows Best?
Elephants to Ants: Price Reductions Big and Small
April 17, 2008
Do you love San Diego for everything that we are and all we have to offer? So do I and how we got to be here is as diverse as our neighborhoods and communities. For all their similarities, North Park, Hillcrest and Ocean Beach each have their own histories and stories to tell. Whether you’re a long time local or a new comer, there’s probably something about this city you didn’t know. So read on. Hopefully you’ll gain at least one small insight into what makes us tick that you never had before.
North Park
North Park was the site of California’s worst aviation accident to date when, on September 25, 1978, PSA Flight 182, a Boeing 727-214 jetliner, crashed near the intersection of Dwight and Nile streets after colliding in midair with a Cessna 172 aircraft. The disaster killed 144 persons, including all 135 passengers and crew members on board the PSA jet, both occupants of the Cessna, and 7 persons on the ground in North Park. Nine other people on the ground were injured and 22 homes in the neighborhood were destroyed or damaged.
Hillcrest
Hillcrest is a neighborhood in the Uptown community of San Diego northwest of Balboa Park. Hillcrest is known for its tolerance, diversity, and locally-owned businesses, including restaurants, cafés, bars, clubs, trendy thrift-stores, and other independent specialty stores. Due to Hillcrest’s grid street pattern and relatively high population density, pedestrian activity is relatively high. Hillcrest is the residential and commercial hub of San Diego’s gay and lesbian community. Most gay bars in San Diego are located in Hillcrest and surrounding neighborhoods. The LGBT community center (”The Center”) is also based in this neighborhood.
Ocean Beach
Earlier names for O.B. include Mussel Beach, Mussel Beds, Medanos (Spanish for ‘dunes’), Palmer’s Place/Ranch, and Palmiro’s. The Ocean Beach Municipal Pier, built in 1966, is the longest pier on the West Coast, measuring 1,971 feet (601 m). The pier, which includes a restaurant and bait shop, is located at the south end of the beach and is available to the public for walking and fishing. A concrete walkway spans most of the length of the one-mile beach. The northern end of OB’s waterfront is known as Dog Beach, alongside the canal that empties into San Diego River. It has been set aside specifically for leash-free pets and their owners 24 hours a day.
If you liked this post you might also enjoy:
The $6,000 Chair: Seller Knows Best?
Elephants to Ants: Price Reductions Big and Small
Slippers - Lowest Priced North Park Homes
April 15, 2008
This is the Messier Momma chair and the sellers are asking $6,000 (a piece). I think I’ve seen something similar at Ikea for significantly less than that, or at the very least I’m certain I could find a pretty good copy at a much more reasonable price. Now, this chair is really wonderful, I admit, but $6,000 worth of wonderful? It has a great name and an endearing story behind its invention. I like the name a lot, after all, I am a messier momma. And the designer (Messier) made this special rocker for his pregnant wife just before the birth of their first child. Still, much as I love all that, and assuming I had that kind of money to throw around, I wouldn’t do it. I bet you wouldn’t either. It just doesn’t make any sense. I figure the market value of this cool contraption is around $150.00, so why pay more when you don’t have to? Same goes for real estate, if a seller is asking an astronomical amount for something of lesser value (even if you love it oh so much) that doesn’t mean you should or would pay that price just because.
3035 Nile Street - This North Park home’s Zestimate is $475,000, eppraisal is $506,837 and cyberhomes valuation is $602,970. It last sold for $549,000 on June 24, 2004. Seller is asking $685,000 ($571 per square foot). On Redfin 156 days.
3812 Park Blvd. #501 - This Hillcrest condo’s Zestimate is $314,000, eppraisal is $340,382 and cyberhomes valuation is $400,851. It last sold for $406,000 on October 27, 2006. Seller is asking $445,000 ($543 per square foot). On Redfin 91 days.
1756 Cable Street - This Ocean Beach home’s Zestimate is $443,000, eppraisal is $512,343 and cyberhomes valuation is $435,600. It last sold for $445,000 on December 24, 2003. Seller is asking $590,000 ($806 per square foot). On Redfin 163 days.
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Elephants to Ants: Price Reductions Big and Small
Slippers - Lowest Priced North Park Homes
Knowledge in Numbers - A Glimpse at Real Estate Happenings in Hillcrest
Dove Developer Does Dollar Dance
High Brow, Low Brow - Ocean Beach
April 13, 2008
Fortunately, real estate prices are still coming down in San Diego. With that said, some price reductions seem to be more of a sales gimmick than an incentive to buy. Itty bitty take aways with no real reflection of a home’s true value are annoying and silly. Good chunky reductions are much more appealing, especially when they bring a property down below its market value. Here are some recent price reductions that will irk and excite you.
Reduced $5,000 - 4857 Vista Street. 1933 single family home with three beds, 2.5 baths. 1,775 square feet priced at $492 per square foot. Was asking $879,000, now $874,000. Last sold for $800,000 on June 12, 2005. It’s Zestimate is $696,500 and eppraisal is $742,274. On Redfin 107 days.
Reduced $4,900 - 3634 Plumosa Way. 1932 single family home with four beds, three baths. 2,355 square feet priced at $501 per square foot. Was asking $1,183,900, now $1,179,000 (nine price reductions since 12/17/07). Last sold for $600,000 on June 22, 2000. It’s Zestimate is $1,099,000 and cyberhomes valuation is $957,278. On Redfin 118 days.
Reduced $100,000 - 3008 James. 1924 single family home with four beds, 2.75 baths. 3,908 square feet, priced at $320 per square foot. Was asking $1,250,000, now $1,250,000. Last sold for $509,000 on December 30, 1999. It’s Zestimate is $1,351,000 and eppraisal is $1,151,674. On Redfin 33 days.
Reduced $15,000 - 4474 Polk Avenue. 1924 single family home with two beds, one bath. 623 square feet priced at $278 per square foot. Was asking $188,000, now $173,000. Last sold for $339,000 on December 9, 2004. It’s Zestimate is $383,500 and cyberhomes valuation is $319,671. On Redfin 86 days.
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Slippers - Lowest Priced North Park Homes
Reversion of Loan Limits - What You Can Buy Under the New Cap
Cranky Ape and Winnebago: Thermometers for Real Life
Knowledge in Numbers - A Glimpse at Real Estate Happenings in Hillcrest
Palatial Pad - This Aint Your Momma’s Condo
April 12, 2008
North Park has some of the best priced homes in the Hills. It’s also a great neighborhood and, while it has some marginal pockets, for the most part it is a very nice place to live. North Park has older homes and some pretty unique condo conversions with a little bit of new development that hasn’t detracted significantly from the character of this part of the city. The atmosphere is young, hip and earthy. Art galleries, good eats and funky shops line the commercial corridor. Homes and schools branch out to the north and south of University Avenue.
North Park home prices vary widely and it is interesting to see where the bottom is in this area. Sometimes the lowest priced homes also have the best prices per square foot but that is not always true. Right now, the condo on 34th Street is the lowest priced attached property by asking price and square footage. The home on Swift Avenue is the lowest single family home by asking price and the property on Parrott is the lowest detached home by square foot.
4150 34th Street #2 - Asking $129,000. 1986 one bed, one bath condo. It has 613 square feet and is priced at $210 per square foot. It last sold for $240,000 on January 15, 2005. It’s Zestimate is $178,500 and eppraisal is $196,201. On Redfin 14 days.
3815 Swift Avenue - Asking $239,900. 1918 two bed, one bath single family home. It has 700 square feet and is priced at $343 per square foot. It last sold for $304,254 on August 10, 2006. It’s Zestimate is $284,500 and eppraisal is $379,772. On Redfin 106 days.
1734 Parrott Street - Priced at $153 per square foot. 1962 four bed, two bath single family home. It has 2,289 square feet and sellers are asking $350,000. It last sold for $410,000 on October 3, 2007. It’s Zestimate is $432,500 and eppraisal is $467,658. On Redfin 197 days.
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Reversion of Loan Limits - What You Can Buy Under the New Cap
Cranky Ape and Winnebago: Thermometers for Real Life
Knowledge in Numbers - A Glimpse at Real Estate Happenings in Hillcrest
Palatial Pad - This Aint Your Momma’s Condo
Dove Developer Does Dollar Dance
April 10, 2008
Come the end of the year, conforming loan limits will roll back. Not quite as far as they were, but they will fall to $550,000 under the current plan. What does that mean for us San Diegans? Well, it means loans will be in shorter supply and the pool of properties falling under the new guidelines will get a whole lot smaller. If you follow any of our posts dealing with pricing, you understand the implications exactly. While they say the median home price in San Diego is somewhere around $500,000, the truth is that takes a lot of territory into account. The more desirable neighborhoods in the Hills and by the beach have very little inventory in that price range and those that are have their issues. If the loan limits were to be rolled back today, here are your choices in Ocean Beach for which you could obtain a conforming loan. Pretty slim pickin’s!
5176, 5178 and 5180 Longbranch - Three condominiums in the Sea and Sand Building. Each has one bedroom and two baths. They are priced between $499,000 and $539,000. All have been on Redfin 333+ days.
4521 Voltaire Street - 1921 single family home with one bed, one bath. Asking $385,000. Last sold for $205,000 on July 5, 2000. It’s Zestimate is $402,500 and eppraisal is $462,119.
2440 Seaside Street - 1941 single family home with three beds, one bath. Asking $469,007. Last sold for $597,500 on April 5, 2005. It’s Zestimate is $587,500 and eppraisal is $724,696. Fixer-upper.
4636 Longbranch Avenue - 1937 single family home with two beds, one bath. Asking $500,000. Last sold for $615,000 on August 21, 2006. It’s Zestimate is $648,000 and eppraisal is $613,117. Probate and Short Sale combined.
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Knowledge in Numbers - A Glimpse at Real Estate Happenings in Hillcrest
Dove Developer Does Dollar Dance
The Three Wheelin’ Bicycle Broker - Times are Tough
April 9, 2008
I wanted to take a few minutes to get caught-up on what’s happening in the world of Hillcrest real estate. Things have been pretty busy, but in a less frenetic way than the recent past. There are fewer new listings and many, many more price updates but the drops are small, if more numerous. I’m a firm believer in quiet observation. If you’re the strong silent type like me then you will also enjoy watching what’s going on with new listings, recent sales and price reductions. There is knowledge in numbers, watch and learn.
New Listings:
4057 First Avenue #104 - Asking $575,000. This 2004 condominium has two beds and three baths. It last sold for $558,718 on June 21, 2004. It’s Zestimate is $698,000 and cyberhomes valuation is $680,942.
1041 Cypress - Asking $2,850,000. This 1935 single family home has four beds and 3.5 baths. It last sold for $2,375,000 on October 13, 2006. It’s Zestimate is $1,749,000 and eppraisal is $2,072,103. Buyer beware: this is actually a re-listing; it’s been on the market and I’ve been watching it for months.
Price Reductions:
1012 Lincoln Avenue - Was asking $756,000, now asking $738,000. This 1920 single family home has four beds and two baths. It last sold for $350,000 on November 18, 1998. It’s Zestimate is $814,000 and eppraisal is $647,713.
4253 Palmetto Way - Was asking $1,599,000, now asking $1,450,000. This 1923 single family home has two beds and 2.5 baths. It last sold for $450,000 on September 26, 1988. It’s Zestimate is $1,103,500 and eppraisal is $1,172,039.
Recent Sales:
3355 Front Street - Sold for $621,000 on February 20, 2008. This 1920 single family home has four beds and 1.5 baths. It’s Zestimate is $635,500 and eppraisal is $716,099.
4075 Vermont Street - Sold for $600,000 on March 4, 2008. This 1930 single family home has two beds and two baths. It’s Zestimate is $620,000 and eppraisal is $672,256.
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The Three Wheelin’ Bicycle Broker - Times are Tough
The Redfin Advantage: Two Years and Growing Strong
April 4, 2008
There is a new row house development in Mission Hills. Nine units are on the market and the developer has recently dropped his asking price on each of them. None are cheap by any means but this is an upscale development and if you know this area, you already realize that there are very few deals here. Mission Hills is an absolute gem and highly sought after for its mature trees, magnificent mansions, beautiful bungalows, comfy hangouts and great shops. If you’re a regular reader, you know I am not a great fan of condo developments or contemporary design, but I do find this one appealing. There’s something about row homes that I really like but can’t quite articulate. Take a look.
3966 Dove - Two bedrooms, two and a half baths. Was asking $745,000. Dropped to $675,000.
3968 Dove - Two bedrooms, two and a half baths. Was asking $735,000. Dropped to $665,000.
3970 Dove - Two bedrooms, two and a half baths. Was asking $735,000. Dropped to $665,000.
3972 Dove - Two bedrooms, two and a half baths. Was asking $740,000. Dropped to $675,000.
3974 Dove - Two bedrooms, two and a half baths. Was asking $1,265,000. Dropped to $1,150,000.
3978 Dove - Two bedrooms, two baths. Was asking $685,000. Dropped to $648,000.
3980 Dove - Two bedrooms, two baths. Was asking $670,000. Dropped to $638,000.
3982 Dove - Two bedrooms, two baths. Was asking $670,000. Dropped to $638,000.
3984 Dove - Two bedrooms, two baths. Was asking $685,000. Dropped to $648,000.
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Look Who’s Blogging San Diego
The Three Wheelin’ Bicycle Broker - Times are Tough
The Redfin Advantage: Two Years and Going Strong
Reversal of Fortune Real Estate Style
Listings Lingo - A Real Estate Double Dare
April 2, 2008
I was playing tourist in my own backyard yesterday and, as fate would have it, a blog-o-chance rolled right over me. We parked at Seaport Village and were looking for the Seal Tour, but got lost and were headed in the wrong direction.
Just then along came Nick the Bicycle Broker. Noting that we looked dazed and confused, he offered to give us a ride (for a fee of course), but not before he kicked two former American Idol wannabes off his buggy. They were not fare payers, so were willing to oblige. Each broke out into song before shaking our hands and telling us about their brief brushes with small screen fame.
Back to Nick. He was quite a chatterbox. I typically don’t engage in small talk with strangers, mostly because of those people who will suck the life out of you with their self indulgent and long winded diatribes about their have-dones that neither matter nor have any great significance. But it couldn’t be helped, our cycling chauffeur seemed completely ignorant of the intention behind my short winded responses and hmmms. He seemed content with my lack of interest and happily jabbered away about this and that.
At the end of our ride (which was intentionally an expanded excursion), he offered me his business card. I expected to see a picture of his bike and maybe a cell phone number in case we got lost and needed his services again. But oh no, turns out our guy is a real estate broker. I kid you not! All that time and now he had something that I was interested in hearing about.
Seems the market has taken a toll on my new friend and he is having a hard time making ends meet. So he spends his days biking around downtown and the bay, picking up fares here and there. When I asked him if he had been able to garner any clients along the way he said, sadly he has not, but he has never had so much fun in his life. He genuinely enjoys cycling the city, meeting people from all over the world and learning about their lives. For all the small talk, I felt touched by Nick’s story and realized that his patience with others has given him a greater sense of the world beyond the simple confines of his own. I plan to take something from this experience and listen a little more often.
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Reversal of Fortune Real Estate Style
Mayhem, the Market and Messy Monsters (What a Whammy)
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April 1, 2008
Have I ever mentioned how much I hate real estate price increases? I don’t mean increases in market value. I’m talking about sellers who arbitrarily, randomly or purposefully raise their asking prices while their homes are actively listed.
There could be several reasons why a seller would do this. Maybe they didn’t appreciate the true value of their home initially and somehow came to be better educated during the process, necessitating a higher asking price. Maybe they got some bad information and felt the need to make a correction. Or maybe they are playing the low ball game, hoping to lure interest in their home and cause a false sense of urgency by drawing multiple bidders willing to compete with each other.
Honestly, I don’t care for any of these excuses or rationales. They’re all based on confusion and, ultimately, not good for the buyer(s) or seller. If the seller’s agent is responsible for any of these mishaps, perhaps a better option would be to pull the listing, shop for a serious agent and re-list the property with a clean slate.
3571 Herman Avenue - 1923 single family home in North Park. It has three beds and two baths; 1,316 square feet and priced at $418 per square foot. Short Sale. Was asking $525,000, price recently increased to $550,000. It last sold for $550,000 on September 26, 2005. Its Zestimate is $548,000 and cyberhomes valuation is $514,305. On Redfin 55 days.
4355 Hermosa Way - 1914 single family home in Mission Hills. It has five beds, four baths; 4,019 square feet and priced at $571 per square foot. Was asking $2,249,000, price recently increased to $2,295,000. It last sold for $2,025,000 on August 1, 2005. Its Zestimate is $1,597,500 and cyberhomes valuation is $1,781,109. On Redfin 61 days.
2412 30th Street - 1926 single family home in North Park. It has three beds and one bath. It is now off the market, but right before it disappeared, the asking price was raised from $390,000 to $400,000. That makes me think the increase was directly related to the sales transaction and financing arrangements. Its Zestimate is $495,000 and cyberhomes valuation is $470,547.
If you liked this post you might also enjoy:
Listings Lingo - A Real Estate Double Dare
High Brow, Low Brow - Ocean Beach
Toys for Boys (and Grit Iron Girls)
Mayhem, the Market and Messy Monsters (What a Whammy)
I Sure Wish You Hadn’t Done That
