1223 Bosworth

Officially hitting the market/MLS yesterday priced at $1,479,000, we have our answer to which of the 2009 AIA San Francisco Living Home Tour homes would be the first to do so: 1223 Bosworth.

1223 Bosworth: Living

Design by Sasaki architect Strachan Forgan for himself, constructed in 2007, and featuring two master suites (plus a half-bath), a double height living room with lots of glass, “energy efficient materials and fixtures,” radiant heating, and a 2 (plus) car garage.

And did we mention the climate controlled 400 bottle Vigilant wine racks or the climate controlled and digitally locked server room? Hello blogopreneur(s)…

60 thoughts on “1223 Bosworth Wins First to List Challenge (And You a Peek Inside)”
  1. Wow, that place is impressive.
    “climate controlled and digitally locked server room? Hello blogopreneur(s)”
    Hello 2009, colocation, and cloud computing. It has been at least a decade since organizations large and small located their equipment “in house”. Now almost all compute servers are at few colocation sites sitting atop the confluence of some really large fiber optic pipes.
    The only equipment room a homeowner needs these days is a place to store their wireless router.
    “Design by Sasaki architect Strachan Forgan for himself”
    What’s the deal with architects designing a home for themselves, and then reselling in a couple of years? We’ve seen several here on SocketSite. Loan resets can’t be the only explanation here.

  2. ^Getting out while the getting is good?
    A sudden increase in the desirability of cash vs. possession of an excessive status symbol?

  3. “What’s the deal with architects designing a home for themselves, and then reselling in a couple of years?”
    My guess is it is to get the tax-free capital gains (up to $500,000 if married), which requires living in the place for two years. I thought the law was changed last year so that the gain is not totally untaxed if you lived in the place more than two but less than five years, but I am not certain how that change would apply here.

  4. Is the reference to “energy efficient materials and fixtures” a way of glossing over the reality that so much glass and high ceilings is likely energy wasting? Who cares about fixtures when the overall box is a radiator, pouring warmth into the gusty fog coming over the hill?

  5. i’m going try to stay out of these comments because i’m sure to be beaten up in here, but i did want to address Patrick Santana as there is more to the house than just energy efficient materials and fixtures. The exterior features a high quality building envelope that exceeds California Title 24 Energy requirements by 23.7% by using low maintenance durable exterior materials including Integral color stucco and Hardiplank siding, Bonelli custom insulated aluminum windows nad roofs from standing seam metal and single ply membrane ‘cool roof’ (more durable and energy efficient than a traditional built up asphalt roof). the home is smart and actually uses light to its advantage to keep a steady temperature in the house w/ automated shades, etc.

  6. ooops, sorry, i pressed “post” too quickly;
    When developing the design, it was important to capture as much light and air as possible through the north and south facing facades, which resulted in a relatively high proportion of glazing. Those facades are balanced by the lot line walls, which essentially have no windows, so the overall envelope is efficient. The double height volume of the living area allows the light to penetrate deep into the floorplan, even on an overcast day – as to avoid turning lights on as much as possible. Radiant heating was selected for comfort, but also because its the most efficient way of heating such a tall volume, as you put the energy where the people are. Finally, a high level of automation and controllability was included (you can control the lighting, heat and security systems via an ipod, laptop or from the internet), so the house can intelligently try to reduce energy usage. For example the security system is smart enough to automatically set the thermometers lower when the alarm is set, as there is nobody in the house. The lighting control system is aware of the sunrise and sunset each day and adjusts the motorized shades and lights accordingly.

  7. Beautiful but a bit over-the-top. I wear alot of skirts so having transparent stairs isn’t high up on my list but my husband would love it.
    That said, the “canyon views” are from the opposite side of a very busy street that’s a bus line.

  8. I think the list price reflects the location’s downside. Unfortunately, the Bosworth corridor is like a small freeway. But for less than $1.5M, you can’t get a house on this level elsewhere in San Francisco.

  9. “..the home is smart and actually uses light to its advantage to keep a steady temperature in the house w/ automated shades…”
    So the shades will automatically open to let in more light to heat the house up ? If so that is really cool.
    But negapoints for the deceptive photoshopping.

  10. insidesfre nails it. stunning house. I wish you could pick it up and move it, but then the price tag would be oh so much higher. at $1.5 in the city you still have to pick between street and house. you don’t get A versions of both (yet??)

  11. This price seems way too high for the area, a la most expensive house in the neighborhood. Plus it’s only a 2BR, even if it’s big, so you’re limiting the potential buyer there too. The house itself is nice and all, FWIW, even if over the top, as geekgrrl said.

  12. Great house on the inside but it is a very busy street and getting in and out of that driveway with the traffic will be a major downside. I would make sure that the car insurance is paid up and the seat belt buckled because you are going to get dinged by somebody coming down the hill tooo fast.
    Also a very shady part of an already foggy Glen Park area in my opinion.

  13. Now here’s a realtor who actually knows a lot about the house he’s selling.
    On a sidenote, I’m more impressed with houses that offer large open rooms/spaces rather than a maze of multiple dinky rooms. This place fits the bill. Throw an aerobed, chair and rug in the swanky garage … walla … bedroom #3 … problem solved!

  14. My guess is it is to get the tax-free capital gains (up to $500,000 if married), which requires living in the place for two years. I thought the law was changed last year so that the gain is not totally untaxed if you lived in the place more than two but less than five years, but I am not certain how that change would apply here.
    Trip, we don’t need you discouraging enterprising ‘developers’ like the couple here. They’ve got a $900k construction loan (thanks WaMu); after paying the RE agents, they just might make that $500k (wonder if that’s how the price point was figured). Again, the pro-rating change from the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 only applies to second and rental homes that are converted to a primary residence.
    Garrett, beautiful pics. From the preview you linked last week, I was going to criticize the “galley” kitchen, but now I see that was only due to cropping. I have to say the exterior shot is magical — when I went to Google maps I thought I was at the wrong address 🙂

  15. EBGuy, sorry, the language of the Internal Revenue Code section (section 121(c)) makes my head spin. I think your reading is right, but to be honest, I cannot tell from the statute without studying it more than I care to do!

  16. I like more information on the single ply “cool roof.” Is it cheaper to install than the two ply modified bitumin roofs because it is only single ply, or is the cost of the new one ply material outweigh whatever savings from labor costs?
    I would be interested in getting it for my next roof if the 30% energy-efficiency tax credit applies.
    Thoughts from anyone with some first hand experience with this?

  17. They list Smith & Fong Plyboo bamboo floors as if they are an asset to the house. They will look like crap once the house is actually used.

  18. Here’s a link on the cool roof:
    http://www.coolroofs.org/HomeandBuildingOwnersInfo.html
    These are considered a “Green” product due to the energy saving properties. These roofs are generally more expensive than traditional types. The practicality of installing this roof is a big question mark in SF. They save primarily by being reflective rather than absorbative. If you’re in the East Bay this should pay off. Due to the temperate climate in the City, not so much. If you have a structure that gets warm or requires AC on sunny days and adding insulation is not practical this would definitely be worth pursuing as an option.

  19. OK bitches, let’s lay our cards on the table.
    This is the first featured property on SS in a while that I feel like will close close to asking. Even with the location, small “yard”, and only being a 2BR, it’s a stunner. I predict a 1.395M.
    Who else wants to play? Winner gets The Milkshake of Despair to come up with an equally cool SS handle for them.
    K
    PS @Milkshake: You’re right that nobody hosts sites (blogs or other) in their homes. But any techno geek is going to want a nice place for their digital video / audio servers, 50 TB RAID array, 30 port 10 Gb switch, etc. You are so not going to stream big media from the cloud in real time. Trickle it up there overnite for backup, yes, but cloud pipes big enuf to completely obviate the need for local storage and servers are rather pricey. So it’s nice to keep all that local stuff air conditioned on a hot day, even tho it’s definitely not hosting your blog.
    * Goes to check temperature on RAID array. Dreams longingly of a climate-controlled equipment area. *

  20. I’ll play – $1.350. I agree w/K. This house is thoughfully designed with an excellent balance of sustainable and user-friendly features. It should hold up well over time.

  21. What would this pad have gone for in July of 2007!!
    In defense of the owner – giving up his pad – he’s an ARCHITECT, for god’sake! Dreaming up new and better ones is like brushing his teeth. Just needs a little fundage to keep the juice flowing. The only thing missing from the listing website is the ‘before’ pic…

  22. Okay, now that I’ve wiped the drool off my keyboard, time for some (cogent?) criticism. Architect vanity project. I really think they limited their audience by not putting in another bedroom and focusing all of their efforts on the “temple of light”. Not sure you can do that when the unemployment rate is over 10%. I suppose we shall see…
    While the lack of yard is somewhat limiting, there is an access point to Glen Canyon Park two doors down. Not too shabby for a front yard. My kids already share a bedroom — so, when can I move in? (Oh stop, enough with the drooling already!)

  23. Isn’t there a better place/way to place the TV? The way it is placed, it is not viewable from any point except the far corner of the couch, and even then it is at a terrible angle. Off the top of my head, I can’t think of a better location in the common living space. Do architects/designers not worry about things like that when designing spaces?

  24. OK, $1.37M. The pluses — different from anything else I see in this price range and will appeal to those interested in a very modern look; and they have a great realtor who is marketing the place very well (and thus it won’t surprise me if I end up low). The minuses — there are dozens of really nice, bigger SFRs on the market now in much better neighborhoods for around $1.5M; this place is really designed only for a single person or a couple with no kids; and we’re heading into the slow buying season.
    Two years ago — $1.7M in a heartbeat, even in Glen Park.

  25. It’s not bad but with all the 90 degree angles I’d want a crate of bandages from Costco for all the cuts the house will be inflicting on me over the years.
    The energy efficiency angle is kind yadda-yadda-yadda to me, too. Yeah, it’s got windows.
    Minimal/ Square is easy, too easy. I need more variation and organic homeyness in my primary living space.

  26. Garrett – since you are reading this, as a resident – I’d definitely get a few pictures of the Canyon. The shots of the village aren’t that exciting and the Canyon is one huge benefit to the neighborhood. Perhaps at the little wooden bridge tucked back into the park and then perhaps a vista from the top of the “social” trails, and maybe some of off-leash dogs romping through there. My agent always joked that it will be a gay couple with two dogs that will buy our place after we remodel.
    With that said, it’s a sweet house. It seems like it’s got some nice high-end features to complement the price per sq. ft. Good Luck!

  27. $1.335. It’s really lovely space for a bachelor or maybe a couple (though there’s nowhere to escape, with the common areas all being one room), but I suspect at the moment they can get more for less in more bachelor-friendly areas.
    Best of luck, Garrett!

  28. Anyone see the sq footage anywhere for this place? Seems like the gallery had about 5-6 pictures of the same room from different angles; makes me think it’s fairly small.

  29. yeah, you can’t get a house like this in SF for less than $1.5M anywhere except this place. It’s beautifully done. Of course had the architect not do a two story living room, it would lack the drama and airy feel. I hate the glass walkway on the 2nd floor. but that’s just me personally.
    By the way, this is the only way for architects to make money (flip houses). Most people don’t realize how little architects make. Even if you get a master degree from Harvard, the best you can hope for in your first year of employment is 50k-55k (most get 40k-48k here in SF). Work for 10 years, you might get 70-80k if you are lucky.

  30. “By the way, this is the only way for architects to make money (flip houses). Most people don’t realize how little architects make.”
    Jaja, I have posted before that it is possible for realtors to make more money on the sale of the home than the architect who designed it (especially when you take into account hours spent on the project). When you consider the amount of education, training, certification requirements, etc. an architect must have before stamping construction documents, it is a vastly underpaid profession with a lot of liability.

  31. Very cool house in person. The street or road is busy but the bedrooms face the back and the abundance of trees makes for a very peaceful setting. This will sell very close to asking.

  32. You’d be hard pressed to call this a neighborhood comp, but we’ll at least put it in the ‘bang for your buck’ category. In January 2008, you could have picked up 291 Sussex (1,708 sq.ft. 4/2) for $1.53 million. Available at the courthouse for $1,120,887 on October 8 courtesy of JPM Chase.

  33. Hey EBGuy,
    Any updates on 2209 9th Ave., a property that’s been featured on SS a few times? Is there a foreclosure or bankruptcy sale coming up? Thanks!

  34. For those of you interested in building your own temple of light, a building site up the hill has recently become available. The home at 663 Congo Street (2 bedrooms, 1,019 sq. ft.) was taken back by the bank on Oct. 16 for $551,663. Bought in simpler times (1999) for $461k, and, evidently, refinanced a couple of times.

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