There’s gotta be a catch

New low-low-low-price West Seattle real-estate listing: 4801 23rd Ave SW (map shows that’s a couple blocks off Delridge), 7 bedrooms/4 baths, described as “a serious fixer that needs a lot of work, not for the faint of heart,” $175,000. The listing agent’s page doesn’t have photos, but you can find them on search pages like this from other agents’ sites (from which we have pulled the photo @ left). County property records show its owner bought it for more than twice that two years ago. Googling the address shows an appliance-repair business there at some point, but nothing more nefarious, aside from a city stop-work order on some remodeling/rebuilding there earlier this year. Hmm.

cherylc November 15, 2007 (11:57 am)

Wow, it must be a total wreck inside. I’m guessing lots of crazy/amateurish remodeling. Looks nice enough from the outside. Now I’m really curious.

Mike Dady November 15, 2007 (2:51 pm)

There is a big ‘catch’ with this property. It has been an unooccupied disaster for the two years that the current owner has had it, and not much better before they took over the reigns. The foolish person(s) who are the absentee owners watched to many versions of Flip This House and got in way over their heads when they didn’t understand the place was not rebuildable from the start. The house, and its incredibly shoddy foundation, framing, siding, flashing, etc. is a cobbled together, collapsing and rotting disaster that some dude threw together back in the 70’s and 80’s. No permits, no adherence to code and probably fueled by lots of beer. It is a prime example of how not to build anywhere, but especially not in a DPD designated Environmentally Critical Area with Steep Slopes and poor bearing soil until you get down 18 feet or so below grade. The house is a tear-down and by no means a ‘fixer’. This property went all the way up the ladder to the City Attorney’s Office due to the numerous Notices Of Violation and non-compliance. Mayor Nickels got to view it last spring when he toured North Delridge. It was one of the proprites that prompted public testimony in favor of the Clean-Up-Your-Act Land Use legislation that sailed through the City Council.

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