Some houses have curb appeal. Others have what you might call stopping power. As in, when you walk by them, you can’t help but stop and stare. Take the case of 2126 Linden Street, arguably one of the prettiest houses in West Oakland, presently asking $785,000.
(That’s a bargain by the standards of a San Francisco Victorian, but a bit over the median for an Oakland one.)
The bright blue carousel of a house dates to 1895, and is actually a duplex, running just under 2,200 square feet overall. The ad suggests reuniting the two halves back into their original five bed, five bath form, but according to the ad its duplex assets have up until now been utilized as an "Airbnb cash cow" by the present owner.
That surprisingly frank admission is indeed true. In fact, said owner, a flamenco musician, has four separate Airbnb listings out for different rooms in the house. In a fit of homestyle branding, he’s even given them each singular names like "The Port Gables," "The Bayside," "The 4 Palms," and "The Sunset." Rooms run $55-$75/night.
Entrepreneurial spirit aside, the house is the real value, with its vaulted ceilings and big blue frontage showing up the neighbors for over 120 years. It last sold in 2007 for a comparably modest $430,000, which is just under $500,000 in today’s currency.
- 2126 Linden Street [Redfin]
- Airbnb listings [Airbnb]
- Landlord profile [Airbnb]