November 18, 2009
A Rather Modern Listing (But Really Not So "New")

Back on the MLS and on tour "as new," the list price for 297 Cresta Vista Drive is down to $1,290,000. Asking $1,595,000 in June 2008 before being withdrawn that December and then listed again this past May at $1,495,000 before being withdrawn three weeks ago.

Built in 1991 and last sold for $789,000 in May of 1998, it’s now one day on the market for 297 Cresta Vista Drive according to those official industry statistics and market reports. And a sale at $1,290,000 would be another "100% of asking" data point.
UPDATE: As a plugged-in reader adds:
It is a crazy house...but also wonderful in its way. I knew the guy, Bill Deitch, who designed and lived in it initially. He was a San Francisco character who was trained as a structural engineer and worked [as] a residential building contractor. Knowing Bill, it is probably built to withstand the big one.
∙ Listing: 297 Cresta Vista Drive (3/4.5) 3,233 sqft - $1,290,000 [virtual tour] [MLS]
First Published: November 18, 2009 11:00 AM
Comments from "Plugged In" Readers
As much as this property assaults the sensibilities of the double-naught decade, I hope the new owner maintains its present form. Though it looks out of date right now, it will be a classic examples of 90s techno architecture in a few decades.
Silicon valley has quite a few commercial buildings with similar styling, though have been mowed down one by one to make room for the latest craze.
I dub thee ... Strongbadia
population tire
Posted by: The Milkshake of Despair at November 18, 2009 11:08 AM
you *have* to click on the pics as this house has it all.
5 levels, 50% more bathrooms than bedrooms, grey pedistal sinks with yellow hansgrohe faucets, bright red kitchen cabs, spiral staircases, glass block walls, indoor hot tub and a fireplace that cannot be described.
Posted by: steve at November 18, 2009 11:20 AM
When is this space shuttle scheduled for launch?
Posted by: DiverJ at November 18, 2009 11:29 AM
Those photos are epic. I clicked through them all hoping to see either Crockett or Tubbs.
Posted by: JayDawg at November 18, 2009 11:45 AM
It is a crazy house...but also wonderful in its way. I knew the guy, Bill Deitch, who designed and lived in it initially. He was a San Francisco character who was trained as a structural engineer and worked a residential building contractor. Knowing Bill, it is probably built to withstand the big one.
Posted by: curmudgeon at November 18, 2009 12:00 PM
I agree its a great house and some modest cosmetic changes could update it. Its on an odd street though, and backed up against a hill as I recall. Landslides?
Posted by: stucco-sux at November 18, 2009 12:06 PM
One of the bedrooms seems ideal for the exhibitionist.
Unless the tryst is with your neighbor.
That pretty much seals it for me: I love this place.
Posted by: Debtpocalypse at November 18, 2009 12:38 PM
I was in this house waaaaay back in the day and believe me, it looked even more odd then present. At that time it had a 'creek' running through it. A man-made water trough that gurgled from one level to another.
Also, with the water and the exposed side of the mountain in the interior bedroom, among other areas as I remember..........the house had a strange, moist, cave-like feel. I hated it !
Posted by: radar at November 18, 2009 12:43 PM
I dub thee ... Strongbadia. population: tire
ROFL. I haven't thought of that in a LONG time. I need to look at the pics now and see if Teen Girl Squad (my total fave) lives there! My guess is that it's The Ugly One's home.
at first, I thought "Ow, My most of me!"
Regardless, it's SO GOOD! even tough this house has been TOTALLY EIGHTY'D
(sorry for all the references, MOD got me going)
---
more seriously, this place is aesthetically challenged on the outside, but I have to say is quite striking (in a good way) on the inside except for the grey bathroom fixtures. And this is coming from a guy who usually dislikes modern architecture.
the windows make that place airy and light, and every wall and feature is a surprise. I especially love the window shapes from the inside and that spiral staircase.
this is one of the most fun places I've seen in a while.
Posted by: ex SF-er at November 18, 2009 12:45 PM
Imaginative...but I wouldn't want to come home to Storm Trooper helmet every day...
Posted by: VancouverJones at November 18, 2009 12:58 PM
I kind of hate everything, but other than the master bath being on a different level than the bedroom (am I looking at that right?!), the floor plan is far more functional than anything I'd seen in awhile: good separation of bedrooms for privacy, an open layout without having the kitchen in the middle of the living room, a spacious den and study... it's frustrating that it has to be so awful. Makes you want to fix it.
Posted by: kthnxybe at November 18, 2009 1:26 PM
I love modern, but this place makes me dizzy and want to throw up.
Posted by: Jan at November 18, 2009 2:28 PM
297 Cresta Vista Drive is across the street from 296 Cresta Vista Drive. The latter sold for $1.425m on 10/16/09 according to RedFin with an original listing of $1.799m, but was a very modern home and did sit in a landslide area.
The house in this posting does have the cave-like feel with exposed cliff/bedrock inside. It provided contrast with the modern home across the street.
Posted by: passerby at November 18, 2009 5:06 PM
I can't beleive nobody mentioned the screaming red open shower next to the indoor hot tub. Awsome!
Posted by: Can't think of cool name at November 18, 2009 7:01 PM
Sherwood Forest meets
Battle Star Galactica
Ready for take off
Posted by: Kurt Brown at November 18, 2009 11:10 PM
"297 Cresta Vista Drive is across the street from 296 Cresta Vista Drive. The latter sold for $1.425m on 10/16/09 according to RedFin with an original listing of $1.799m, but was a very modern home and did sit in a landslide area."
The original listing might have even been higher than $1.799M. The original listing was in August 2008, and the $1.799M price was in January 2009.
The claim on the permits was that it cost $965K ($935K for the main permit, $30K for an additional one) to build this house. The final sale price was apparently $339/sqft (4200 sqft -- which they recharacterized from 4 stories to 3 stories with a basement to avoid needing fire sprinklers, apparently).
Posted by: corntrollio at November 19, 2009 9:08 AM
One of the first things that come to mind are Ray Bans and SPF 40.
Posted by: Solis at November 19, 2009 10:27 AM
The white paint looks way better than the beige stucco that you can see on mapjack.
Posted by: HappyRenter at November 19, 2009 1:24 PM
Wow, people should compare the mapjack with the googlemap streetview. The mapjack is older and shows the property BEFORE a new house was built directly across the street, googlemaps shows it under construction. 297 must've had a great view from every floor that is now probably partially obstructed? Even more interesting is the lot directly to the left of 297...on the earlier mapjack view it is a verdant vacant lot, on the googlemaps view it looks like a landslide, or is it somehow construction related? Looks a bit scary in any case.....I would want to investigate.
Posted by: curmudgeon at November 19, 2009 5:11 PM
Morck and Mindy would love this house...Nanoo Nanoo
Interior is nice though.
Posted by: non-ex-SF-er at November 20, 2009 5:04 AM
I like this place - it reminds me of how we viewed modernism at the dawn of the internet/tech boom. The architecture forces you to think about your surroundings. Pretty cool - I hope it goes into good hands!
Posted by: t at November 20, 2009 10:54 AM
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