Monday, November 05, 2007

fighting the ennui




There is something oddly compelling about this place. I have scoffed at it's West Coast fusion of French Maison en pays/Admiral-range-hood-above-the-entrances with the art deco hut perched on top, but I really do like the red front door. That's...ballsy. Suddenly, I hear the Internationale, and I get to like this oddball infiltrator out of Proust or the like.

It's been on the market for better than 90 days, and the old timer that was originally there was listed in the neighbourhood of $550K. Giving for a deep discount construction cost of $100/sq', plus all the other costs, I would think that this place is priced at the developer's margin. That is why I have been watching this place. The price has not budged since September 30th, but the next cut will be seriously starting to eat into any possible profits. Is it time to cut and run?

There have been no signs on the lawn for a while now, but it still shows up on MLS. I don't know if the real estate agent has been reading my facile critiques of the photographs, but this is the best one yet. (Just a degree and a half counter-clockwise, and you are there.)

Enough of the snippiness (it's the ennui), here is your Deal of the Week. The only place in all of East Vancouver listed at less than $400K, in fact, this one lists at $329K. Not only is it a deal, it is the most realistic pricing I have seen for a while.



But calling Strathcona Mount Pleasant is a bit of a stretch.
Handyman's Special on charming street in Strathcona. Super location - only steps to McLean Park & Chinatown. Bring your ideas & hammers.
The stats claim a 4300 sq' lot (86 front x 50 deep), but I don't see that. If that is a fact, this place is a deal in this market. Still grossly over-valued in my estimation though. Steps away from McLean Park and Chinatown = steps away from DTES. I suppose hammers are recommended for self protection, as much as for hanging pictures. It's a cutesy pie little house though, and I do like the blue front door.

I'm giving the photographer a break on this one because there is an optical illusion with that metal railing.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

LOL @ needing hammers for protection. Indeed, if it's walking distance for the mob in DTES, then I don't want any part of it. I have deer wandering through my property on the island here, and none of them (that I have seen) have needles hanging out of their arms.

Unknown said...

Looking at VanMap, it shows 3 small row houses side-by-side: total lot for all 3 is 50'x86' (1x 25'x50', 2x 25'x61').

It also looks like two of the houses (including your star -- the middle one?) weren't placed according to the property lines.

J.Son said...

Handyman's Special on charming street in Strathcona.

Translation:

Teardown in Cracksville

Anonymous said...

hee hee.

or "worst dump in Needle Park"

Unknown said...

Am I the only one who looked at the picture and thought "This will soon be featured on the 6:00 news as yet another senseless arson in East Van"?

BTW, it looks like someone started painting the place gray, but could only reach about 5 feet up.