With a Mid-Century Modern design “attributed to Henry Hill,” and touting plans for a 750 square foot expansion of the second floor which were approved in 2007, the Forest Hill home at 29 Mendosa Avenue hit the market last week listed for $1,298,000.
Purchased for $1,189,000 in 2004, the kitchen now sports “all new high-end appliances” as well as custom cherry cabinetry so unfortunately no “apples” here but lots of light.
UPDATE: Speaking of apples and Mendosa, three weeks ago the bank-owned sale of 135 Mendosa closed escrow with a reported contract price of $880,000. The property had changed hands with a recorded sale price of $1,150,000 in 2003 (as well as $1,580,000 (2006), $1,750,000 (2007) and $1,995,000 (2008) in between).
And yes, the sales in 2007 and 2008 and possibly even 2006 do look a little, uhh…funky.
UPDATE: Apparently this isn’t the first time 135 Mendosa has been mentioned on this site. And to bring this post back around to 29 Mendosa, as the property looked when purchased in 2004 by way of MapJack.com:
Anyone know whatever happened with that other Henry Hill house down the block (2209 9th Avenue) that was featured on SS last year?
[Editor’s Note: A Well Designed District 4 Data Point Is Withdrawn (2209 9th Ave). No sale was ever recorded.]
Yes, we know that much already. I meant “inside scoop”.
nice how they photoshopped in the fog on this one
UPDATE: Speaking of apples and Mendosa, three weeks ago the bank-owned sale of 135 Mendosa closed escrow with a reported contract price of $880,000. The property had changed hands with a recorded sale price of $1,150,000 in 2003 (as well as $1,580,000 (2006), $1,750,000 (2007) and $1,995,000 (2008) in between).
This has a strong family resemblance to the Henry Hill at 66 Montclair in Russian Hill…or did until they awkwardly added a second story to that one.
The house looks a fairly distressed in the google street view image, which makes all those previous sale prices seem truly insane. Is that tinfoil on the circular (office) room windows?
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=135+mendosa,+sf,+ca&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=33.847644,79.013672&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=135+Mendosa+Ave,+San+Francisco,+California+94116&ll=37.749018,-122.465758&spn=0.008246,0.01929&t=h&z=16&layer=c&cbll=37.749054,-122.465639&panoid=aO_Jbcp6Obh-1rsb9tFXtw&cbp=12,173.31,,0,5
.. As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster.
About 135, something doesn’t smell right. This ugly thing was the highest sale ever on the street by 1/2 million?
Link below.
Maybe the tinfoil was put in the windows because they were tired of people always looking in.
If you look at the map, or better google earth view, you see that the street wraps around the house on three sides with not much privacy.
What’s all this conspiratorial nonsense regarding 135 Mendosa. There was a first and second mortgage with WaMu in April 2008, so I’m sure everything was on the up and up.
The upstairs master bedroom is open to the stairwell and the lower level – no real privacy there and not practical for a family. Also the abundance of single pane glasses raises a question about heating and privacy. Bathrooms not re-done at all. Still, not a bad price for that area.
“Speaking of apples and Mendosa, three weeks ago the bank-owned sale of 135 Mendosa closed escrow with a reported contract price of $880,000. The property had changed hands with a recorded sale price of $1,150,000 in 2003 (as well as $1,580,000 (2006), $1,750,000 (2007) and $1,995,000 (2008) in between).”
There aren’t any shady dealings in the chain of title for 135 Mendosa that I can see. The 2003 buyer also owned 131 Mendosa at some point and owns or has owned several properties in SF, some for short-term holds, some for long-term holds.
Nothing about the 2006, 2007, and 2008 sales looks particularly suspect, although the 2007 buyer made a strawman assignment or two (as he and the strawman have done a few times for various houses, if you look at SF property records) and then assigned the property to Lenik Corporation for some reason in April 2008. I’m not sure if Lenik is a lender or if Lenik is that guy’s alter ego. The current seller bought it from Lenik in 2008. The current seller also owns 865 Duncan.
Also, I believe the 2007 buyer of 135 Mendosa is a realtor and bought it with her husband, possibly, and that may account for the strawman transfers.
Drove by on last Sat. This is very exposed on the west side. From a moving car it felt like I could see perfect detail inside the house. Some good landscaping could take care of that
Who took these pictures? Tim Burton?
I hate the zoom and pan slide show.
Interesting that this appears to be the first real estate photos where fog makes the property look better. Interesting how they use it (along with camera angle) to make the property appear a bit more isolated.
Also interested to learn from bernalkid that fog has been added using Photoshop. While I am sure that there was some manipulation, I would like to understand why it is obvious that fog has been added. Please instruct us. What are the tell-tale signs?
Judging by the before and after photos, it’s amazing how much better this place looks with a good paint job.
Also interested by the Google street views link. Google gets a little confused; I guess the photo truck drove right into the house (judging by the white lines). 😉
I also have found myself incapable of finding the tin foil that others have mentioned. I guess I’m not very observant.
Wow. Was battleship gray a bad fashion choice, or are the owners in such bad shape that they used Sunset Scavenger’s landlord-loved free recycled gray?
Oops; I see now that Sunset Scavenger offer a *range* of colors. That might still be their gray shade.
http://sunsetscavenger.com/hazardousWastePaintRecycling.htm
I see a red door and I want it painted black…
Designed by John Dinwiddie not Henry Hill.
Loved the comments about photoshopping fog – ROTFL! SF City Records say year built is 1956, source: SF 3R Report. You guys are just too much! Love reading your BUZZ – Truly thank you!
All those anonymous posts sans references are amazing. Our hit counters have been going crazy!
Showing contingent. Personally, I think it is a neat looking house.
The sale of 29 Mendosa closed escrow this past Friday with a reported contract price of $1,275,000 ($23,000 under asking). Don’t forget those invitations to the housewarming.
This would have needed to sell at $1.375M just to keep up with inflation if it were an apple. But it was $100K below that AND the prior owner put money into it for the relatively unimpressive renovations. The main thing this place has going for it is the view, but the location where you’re open on all sides except the back isn’t so great. Maybe the next owner will re-design in a way that makes sense and actually accounts for the location.
$23 below asking? Congrats to the agent!
Sorry–forgot also congrats to the lucky buyers, they got a great deal!