Bargain-Priced Home Under $200,000 Available in Mountain View Mobile Home Park
MOUNTAIN VIEW (KPIX) -- Despite the pandemic, the price of homes in the Bay Area continue to skyrocket, with the Peninsula having some of the most expensive neighborhoods in America.
But there are still deals out there and there is one in Mountain View that is a little hard to believe.
In the heart of Silicon Valley, the city of Mountain View has a median home price of about $1.5 million. But it also has what may be the mother of all bargains: a two-bedroom, two-bath home with granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and cathedral ceilings priced to sell for $189.999.
"Now that we've lowered the price to the point that it's a really good deal, I'm getting calls like crazy on it," said listing agent Eric Sjoberg.
In May, it was listed for $250,000, but Sjoberg has reduced the price four times since then to get it to sell. What's wrong with it? Nothing...except it is in a mobile home park.
"Yeah, the stigma is a big thing," said Sjoberg. "Because, especially people from other parts of the country, they think it was only poor people that lived in a mobile home."
Known locally as the "King of Mobile Homes," Sjoberg has sold thousands of the units over the years. He says the original mobile homes were nothing like today's high-quality manufactured homes.
"They'll invite their friends over, and with the sheet rock walls and the granite counters, the people go, 'My goodness, this is nicer than my $1.5 million condo I just bought for a fraction of the cost,'" he said.
There are 58 mobile home parks in San Jose alone and if they look a little dated, it's because the last one was built in 1980. Such parks are not considered an efficient use of land now. At its price point, the home in Mountain View would only cost its buyer about $905 per month.
There is a modest monthly space fee and the park, New Frontier, restricts buyers to 55 years and older. But you won't beat the deal anywhere.
"I think it's the best bargain in the Bay Area," said resident Steve Wozniak -- who happens to have the same name as the Apple co-founder -- as he delivered Christmas cards to his neighbors. He said he doesn't mind a bit that other people might look down on living in a mobile home park.
"I enjoy that there is a stigma because it keeps our rent down," he said with a laugh. "There's less pressure on raising the rent."
Sjoberg said as with all types of real estate, the inventory of available mobile homes is currently very low. Normally, Sjoberg said there are about 400 units on the market, but now there are only 60 for sale in all of San Jose.
