Sea Cliff mansion sells for $18 million

When it comes to prime catches in Sea Cliff, what’s a mere $1.5 million?

The stately 1920 mansion at 140 Sea Cliff wrapped up a sale at the end of July after only a few weeks on the market—City Real Estate listed the place publicly in mid-June. Although it technically fell a bit short, having asked $19.5 million and in the end netting $18 million, very likely nobody divvying up that payday is particularly disappointed.

The SF City Assessor reports that the five-bed, five-and-a-half-bath, 6,000-square-foot abode (the listing says 6,300) last sold in 2003 for $4.2 million, the equivalent of roughly $5.84 million in today’s currency. (When a neighborhood has the word “cliff” in the name, price escalation shouldn’t be that big of a surprise.)

“Built in 1920 by renowned architect Sylvain Schnaittacher, the home was one of the finest of the era, and continues to be having undergone substantial renovations to add all the modern amenities while maintaining its original charm,” realtor Joan Gordon wrote of the manse in June.

Among other structures, Schnaittacher built the original Argonaut Club building.

On the subject of renovations, the Department of Building Inspection lists the most recent permits for work in 2009. Spruced up work included window replacements throughout the home, relocating bathrooms, adding a powder room, and “reconfiguring the wine cellar.”

SFGate also notes that this sale is the second biggest this year (publicly anyway), behind the April sale of a home once owned by Vanessa Getty, which nabbed $27 million. Realtor Janet Feinberg Schindler procured the buyer.