Monkey Bars Not Included

Well, given where the previous post's comment thread is heading I think it is "high" time for a new post. This Mill Valley "tree house" doesn't quite meet all of the "requirements" for the PoS designation, but it's pretty close. Break out the moonshine, grab your cute cousin, and check out these fragments from the realtor's write-up: "mountain home", "this home needs tlc but could be transformed", "currently functioning as 2 non-conforming units". No "life style" upgrades and it costs just a pittance (by Marin standards) -- just three-quarters of a million dollars.

Dark and Dreary in Larkspur

This 690 sq ft Larkspur house has not only seen two world wars (built in 1913) but has also seen the sun. That's about the only nice thing the realtor who wrote this one up has to say -- "...but up a quiet lane with sun". The implication being that other Madrone Canyon houses are in the dark (which is fairly accurate). No "lifestyle upgrades" mentioned. And someone really ought to tell the realtor that using the light meter that comes with a camera is generally considered a good idea. This PoS will set you back $625,000. That's $906/sq ft in case you are wondering.

Freakin' Tiny Mill Valley PoS

This Mill Valley PoS (built in 1923) is 699 sq ft and is asking $745,000! That's $1066/sq ft! What are you people thinking? Have people completely lost their minds or what? Just because it has the currently trendy bamboo flooring does that mean peoples' sense of monetary value is to be flushed down the toilet?

Tabula Rasa in Mill Valley

A reader sent this one in to me. Thanks!

This 1074 sq ft PoS in Mill Valley (built in 1944), according to the realtor, is essentially a blank canvas for your domestic creativity -- "Make this house a HOME! A home can be a vehicle for self expression. Express Yourself!". In other words, pay the $791,000 selling price ($737 per sq ft, the "perfect" house for any high six figure income Marin resident these days), tear it down, and dump another three-quarters-of-a-million dollars or whatever to build something worth living in. Yeah, welcome to Marin.