reposting in Lounge: California office converted to $520K 1 bedroom condo goes viral

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

California office converted to $520K 1 bedroom condo goes viral. still kinda looks like an office

A recent viral video on TikTok features a San Rafael office that’s been converted into a one-bedroom condo, priced at $520,000. It doesn’t look like it was much of a conversion — the owners seemingly just added a full kitchen along one wall — since the “bedroom” still looks exactly like a conference room. As TikTok user zillowtastrophes points out, they kept the sad, gray industrial carpet installed in most corporate offices throughout the whole apartment. Meanwhile, the stained commercial ceiling tiles are probably enough for most people to give it a hard “nope.”

“I’ve never seen it done so lazily as they did in this conversion in San Rafael,” zillowtastrophes says in the video. “… I think living here might be just as soul-crushing, if not more soul-crushing, than working here.”

The one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment spans just over 1,000 square feet — not bad for a Bay Area apartment, and to be fair, it’s listed as a “live/work” opportunity. The bathroom is tiny, but that’s likely because it previously had just a toilet and sink and not a shower, too. It also has in-unit laundry.

https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/viral-bay-area-zillow-listing-office-to-housing-18199614.php

https://www.redfin.com/CA/San-Rafael/777-Grand-Ave-94901/unit-204/home/176155816

[sakabatou]

1. New ceiling, get rid of the carpeting

Different color paint for the walls. Make everything less utilitarian.

[calguy]

2. If they did all that, the price would be $800,000

[highplainsdem]

3. Such outrageous prices for small homes there.

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/16-Hacienda-Ct_San-Rafael_CA_94901_M23315-75964

[XanaDUer2]

4. Fugly nt

[usonian]

5. San Rafael? (pronounced San Ra Fell to non-bay area folks)

If it were anywhere in the bay, $520K for a 1-bedroom condo is a great deal.

In San Rafael? A steal!

Sorry to say.

Too bad they took out the ethernet cables and left the ceiling tiles.

I can decorate that sucker in no time.

Plusses:




Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Sprouts. Everything I drive 50 miles to shop at, and I could save thousands on air conditioning costs compared to central California.

Minus

$655/month HOA dues.

I pass on it for that reason. Too much to keep that concrete clean!
It will probably be a bit noisy and polluted until most autos and boats are electric

[highplainsdem]

6. Re HOA fees - I was checking San Rafael real estate yesterday and saw

a number of condos that were reasonably priced even by Midwest standards, and really cheap compared to other San Rafael properties.

But they had monthly HOA fees of more than $4,000. In some cases over $5,000. I've never seen HOA fees that high, anywhere else, and I did some quick checking of other locations, and those HOA fees seem to be 10x what they'd normally be.

Just did some more googling and found out this is a retirement community with an on-site medical facility and lots of other amenities: https://www.marincounty.com/55-communities/villa-marin/ . Which helps explain the HOA fees.


https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/100-Thorndale-Dr-APT-338-San-Rafael-CA-94903/19299902_zpid/

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/100-Thorndale-Dr-Apt-135_San-Rafael_CA_94903_M24592-24411?from=srp-list-card

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

7. car dealership shuttle took me and another woman home..her stop was high HOA fee los angeles

high rise.

two doormen opened the shuttle door. one reached for her bag. riding in the shuttle with her was a woman wearing a housekeeper uniform. thats the level of service a few thousand a month gets you

[Brother Buzz]

9. Zero boats after they build the Grand Avenue bridge

I grew up in that area and the bridge is totally new to me. Kayaks or pulling boats maybe, but the creek is becomes tidal area a block up and is only usable at high tide.

[ellisonz]

8. LOL $520K