On today’s broker tour list were a few properties in Fair Oaks, sometimes considered the bastard stepchild of Menlo Park. Fair Oaks residents naturally bristle at the description, brought about by the harsh reality of being a) unincorporated and, more importantly b) in a poor school district. Menlo Park-ians (and their southward Palo Alto-an neighbors) are nothing if not school-obsessed. Throw in streets that might politely be called “rustic”, generally small lots, and starter homes, and the image is complete.
You generally know what to expect when you see a Fair Oaks home: a small, but generally cute and nicely done up place. Nothing exciting, but certainly nothing shabby either.
As a sign of the neighborhood’s attempt to catch up with the rest of the city, I present two properties that were on tour today.
First up was 657 10th Avenue, a Natalie Comartin (Coldwell Banker) listing. Priced at just a whisker under $1.2M, the home looks respectable from the outside…but upon entering you have to stop and take a breath. “Am I still in Fair Oaks? Did I take a wrong turn and somehow end up in a small Atherton home?” Its columned entrance leads in to an elegant tall ceiling, painted a bold but pleasing red, with shining-to-within-an-inch-of-its-life hardwood floors. Even more striking is the high-ceilinged living room, with a fireplace and a skylight that gives the room a proper sun-drenching. With 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2320 sq ft, and a lot size just over 6700 sq ft, this same home in Menlo Park proper would set you back an extra $250K — at least — money that would buy years of private education.
Next up was Vincent Armando’s listing 433 8th Ave, a 3/2 with 1770 sq ft and a 5300 sq ft lot — standard in Fair Oaks. The home was on the market last year during the doldrums and didn’t sell; the owner should have better luck this time. Though quite modest from the outside, the inside was again a different story, with hardwood floors that may well have been done by the same craftsman as 657 10th. Most surprising was the small pool in the back yard — a rarity in Fair Oaks — which unfortunately left not much of a back yard.
Tags: Consumer, Fair Oaks, Home reviews, Menlo Park, Property reviews, Real estate
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