Designed by Julius Ernest Krafft and built in 1902, it was just under a year ago when a plugged-in reader first noticed a move to foreclose upon 2420 Pacific with a Notice of Trustee Sale (NOTS) filed last June.
As far as we know the foreclosure never happened but the big Pacific Heights property is now on the market and asking $12,800,000. Tax records report 7,263 square feet and seven bedrooms, but the listing touts 10,650 square feet per “appraisal” and ten beds.
And the newly landscaped rear yard? Yes, plugged-in people saw that coming too.
∙ Listing: 2420 Pacific Avenue (10/8.5) – $12,800,000 [MLS]
∙ We Should All Be So Fortunate As To Have A Fireplace In Our Foyer [SocketSite]
∙ 2830 Pacific Scoop: Still Not Sold, But Leased With An Option To Buy [SocketSite]
Great opportunity for a potential fashionista to paint all the lovely woodwork white.
Hard sell at this price, esp with an owner who may or may not be in financial distress… It needs a lot of work. The dated, well, everything is going to turn off buyers in this price range who don’t want to spend a year fixing its many problems. Inferior in location to 2830, but with better views. It’s sort of a trade-off, but a comp is still a comp thus putting the selling price of this house closer to 8.5 million.
Just as a side note, I find it funny that when the homes on this block were built with the main, public rooms and (likely) master bedroom all in the front of the house. I don’t feel that any of these homes really took architectural advantage of the spectacular views. The glass portico room looks like an obvious add-on.
I want it! Calling my banker right away.
He tells me I could go with 3.5% down and 3.4% variable for $54778.80/month. I’ll think I’ll go I/O then. What? $34997.33? Can I do Neg Am? $1700/month? I’ll take it!
I have no clue how the agent came up with the $12.8 list price!
This house is just too ugly and dated to get anywhere near that.
WTF is that in front… [they’re] trying to pass that as a garage?!
I guess a gated car port is the next best thing when you don’t have a garage.
I guess a gated car port is the next best thing when you don’t have a garage.
all the better to show off your Maybach.
It really isn’t a true carport, just a gated driveway covered with an arbor (there’s no solid roof) This parking area is much more attractive than plunking an afterthought garage box in front of the house. It looks like part of the front garden with the added plus that you can park beneath it.
Crimeny, is that kitchen ever ugly !
A partial fail on that green marble Temple of Bathing – not enough room for your servants to perambulate.
All of which is redeemed by that luscious stained glass and woodwork. Wow, what beautiful craftwork ! I really hope that the new owner doesn’t tear any of it out. Except that kitchen.
Several years ago, I tried to have something similar built over our parking pad area and was told that SF wouldn’t allow it.
Don’t think the house is as bad as all that. Love the woodwork. Also happen to love this location. Jackson Filmore is right around the corner. Perhaps I could have my own table.
Oh, so much to be said, but it’s Fri pm.
This is a pretty unsurprising listing, there have so many rumblings (and even paid advertisements, um I mean “journalism”) about this place recently.
The location is great. Really a fantastic block. Flat, just off Fillmore, and wonderful views. Outstanding.
Moving inside, well, that’s all a question of taste. The main kitchen and that big green bath give me the heebie-jeebies. So many other rooms just don’t make match. A hint of arts and crafts, the scent of mom’s attic. Someone’s initials above the doorway. Weird and not so inviting.
This ain’t a terrible house, but if I was spending $12.8MM, I’d want a place that suited my own tastes. Eddy’s right about price, and he does know the scoop on neighborhood pricing. There’s a lot of work to be done here to appeal to a typical D7 buyer. But then again, you only need one…buona fortuna.
Magnificent. The usual commenters are putting it down, for the usual reasons. As there are no perfect houses, this one has a few issues.
The cage for cars in the front has always been peculiar and amusing.
The house next door to the west put in a garage, and this could have one too. The owner died several years ago; his widow must still be living there alone.
This is a very big house for someone who wants to live in splendor in real San Francisco, and has a lot of money. If you can afford the house, you can change the kitchen and the odd bathtub.
“Someone’s initials above the doorway.”
“The owner of 2420 Pacific appears to be Renaissance man and San Francisco real estate investor Dinesh Maniar…”
Initials: DM
It was EB that brought this one to my attention a few years(?) ago. I don’t think you can really dig out a basement here without losing some of that lower entertaining level. I like this block and think this is a nice house. Hard to guess this one. I think Denis is probably right. I’d peg this between $8-9 depending on the structural integrity and ease of renovation. I think there is easily a scenario where this could go in the high $7s. But not likely. I’ll report back after I see it next week.
Same listing agent as 2849 Pacific and 200 Locust. One was over priced, the other under priced. Both sold so she’s got a good track record here.
She also has this thing on the market.
http://www.3157steiner.com/
How did this exterior get built?!
^ haha, that’s quite the facade. and the site with that MUSIC. yuck.
agent will get these houses sold at some price, she’s on a decent roll.
Ceilings seem low, are they 9′?
Are those the original cabinets in the kitchen?
I guess the bathrooms are Las Vegas style?
Seems like the nicest rooms are in the attic.
Perhaps Dinesh Maniar simply enjoys low-ceiling dining rooms?
https://socketsite.com/archives/2009/07/we_should_all_be_so_lucky_as_to_have_a_fireplace_in_the.html
Must every thing be Dwelled to get any respect around here?
The closest thing to original in the main kitchen is the stove and it post dates construction by a couple of decades. The rest of the kitchen looks to be a century newer as do the bathrooms.
The whole remodel has a Las Vegas does a turn of the 20th century San Francisco Robber Baron Mansion to it, or daddy made a lot of money cracking ships, but personally it makes me smile like a theme room at the Madonna Inn. I would smile more at $750/sqft, change the 24kt gold plated fixtures to chrome and throw in some new initials over the door.
Why would anyone spend $12 million for a home without a secure place to park a single car?! Don’t people with that kind of dough like, and usually own several, expensive cars? Very surprising that in 108 years none of the well-heeled owners ever put one in.
This does not sell without some guarantee that a garage is doable and permittable.
The lack of a garage doesn’t bother me at all. Most of the mansions (especially those on Pacific) in Pac Heights have slightly wonky garages. Again, it’s a trade-off. With this house, you really don’t need a car. It also seems to me that most families that have recently bought $12+ million homes rarely have a luxury car collection (and if they do, they can keep them off-site). They just need a spot for their RX or X5 and that seems to be enough… unless of course the buyer is Danielle Steel.
^Every statement is ridiculous.
The lack of a garage doesn’t bother me at all.. Then you should buy it, and good luck reselling it.
Most of the mansions (especially those on Pacific) in Pac Heights have slightly wonky garages. At least they have them.
Again, it’s a trade-off. With this [twelve frikkin million dollar] house, you really don’t need a car. The most laughable statement I’ve seen on here in awhile. No one actually needs a $12M house, so if you want to go down that road, it’s kind of a losing argument.
It also seems to me that most families that have recently bought $12+ million homes rarely have a luxury car collection (and if they do, they can keep them off-site). I suppose they could just have an outhouse and get by, but you kind of have certain expectations when you buy a $12M house.
They just need a spot for their RX or X5 and that seems to be enough. Here here. They can just park it on the street!
Clearly you are the realtor or the seller or a friend of one of them because every statement you made is simply laughable at this price point.
The reality is the number one concern a buyer at this price point has is security. A carport like that is a robbery waiting to happen.
Those are definitely not low ceilings in the dining room — it’s only photo distortion that makes it seem so. Look at the (presumably 7′ high) doorway. The ceilings are at least 10 feet.
A garage is an easy add to this place, but at the expense of room behind the garage. A loss of square footage that will make the true cost of this place even greater on a psf basis. so if you lose 1500 sq ft on a garage addition, plus the 300k cost to do it…. Plus this block and the block west of north facing homes all have massive parking. Here are a few of my favorites:
http://www.mapjack.com/?Q6BnWpjybFFG
http://www.mapjack.com/?n3BnWDPybFoFQD4A
Both of these have a massive parking area plus multi-car garages.
As for Denis comments, he is speaking from experience and reality. And I don’t think the selling agent, or his friend would be casually suggesting a 25-30% discount (as he did in the first few posts).
And lastly, I don’t think security is the real issue with the parking situation. If it were me, I’d just get the 311 going and build a litle SxS garage and add a door to the inside and be done with it. There is enough to do on the inside of this one. I’m thinking more and more that even 9 is a stretch for this place. 7s or low 8s could be a reality. With an assessed value of 250k and taxes of $2900.00 — I’d say the seller has some negotiation room!
tipster – I’ll bet that gate in the front locks securely enough to prevent car theft.
Sure, the lack of a garage is a bit of a negative here though I agree with Denis that this is not a deal breaker. You’ve got off street parking for two cars and the street itself isn’t too hard for parking.
A buyer at this level can both afford offsite parking as well as a valet to rotate vehicles. “Robert, could you bring the Tesla around please ?”
Oh good lord…
The fact that MOST north-side homes on Pacific, Broadway, and Vallejo have jacked up garages is just inarguable. If you want to live on those blocks, in all likelihood you will have to compromise on parking. Hell, have you even seen what the Getty’s garage looks like? They park most of their cars on the street because it’s so inaccessible. There have been several 8 figure sales over the years for houses that have less than ideal parking (one car garages, awkward tandem parking, shared easements, no interior access etc).
So it’s OK to park your cars in your paved over front yard in Pacific Heights? Good to know.
I am unfamiliar with the peculiarities of the Pac Heights market, but in Noe Valley, another upscale market that I do know somewhat, the lack of a garage can really bring down the price.
The sellers here have a lot of room to negotiate (thanks, eddy) and I think they’re going to need a lot of it to move this place. I don’t think anyone here is arguing otherwise.
Also, why no garden pics?
this is one of the more ridiculous threads on SS in a while. yes, affluent people do own cars, and they want to easily access them, just like anyone else. even the getty’s bought a neighboring house, hoping to store part of the lexus fleet there.
regarding car-ports, this place reminds me slightly of the parking situation at 2780 vallejo.
and eddy is more correct than not about pricing on this house. unfortunately, redoing this place will very likely require a lot of work, thus making the proper pricing comp a gut-job, rather than a fully “done” house.
I actually don’t think a discussion about parking in Pacific Heights is ridiculous… I made a somewhat humorous post, and it took a slightly weird direction. Whoever buys this place should probably add a garage, but the lack of parking doesn’t taint this house. Malin recently a little Victorian three blocks down on Clay that only has a paved over front lawn for around $1000 per foot.
Eddy is right. If you add a garage you are going to lose 1000+ square feet. It’s probably no great loss, but he can report back if it’s even possible. I’m somewhat curious to see the floor plans. My only point was that it’s clearly not impossible to sell a high-end home in this neighborhood that has a less than ideal parking situation. I knew I shouldn’t have brought up the Getty’s. It just tickles me that have three consecutive houses and only one itty bitty garage – the result being their cars are just parked all over the street.
I don’t necessarily see what’s so offensive about the kitchen (agree with GetOffTheIvy’s Dwell comment for the kitchen). The bathroom is ugly because of its design, but why do people have a problem with the “green marble”? If it’s Serpentine, it should be better and more practical for a bathroom than marble.
Made the reception this evening. Foggy weather didn’t help their cause, but there is just nothing special about this home. Don’t even know where to start, so I’m just going to keep quiet on this one. I’ll add that the lack of garage is the least of this homes issues and the easiest to resolve. The yard area is actually quite nice. 750psf isn’t a stretch here. I think you could get 2601 Broadway or 2100 Valejo for sub $10 if you really wanted them and both are in better condition. This home does have the best location of the 3, but that’s about it.
“If you add a garage you are going to lose 1000+ square feet.”
seems like funny math to me. 10feet by 100feet?, 15ft by 66ft? what kind of garage are you talking about here?
The list price for 2420 Pacific has just been reduced $1,100,000 (9%), now asking $11,700,000.
Reduced: $9,800,000. I think this is getting closer to a salable price. The market is much improved. The $15.5M comp down the road is hard to swallow even though it was a great property.
The list price for 2420 Pacific Avenue has just been reduced to $8,700,000. See: Winning?