Time Capsule, $1.8M

Multiple-unit dwellings are the heart and soul of sitcoms. Seinfeld? Three's Company? I Love Lucy? Even the turgid drama queen Dynasty had everybody living in the same house with their in-laws and bastard third cousins. And of course the San Francisco classic Tales of the City. So when I came across

The 2 other 1 bedroom units are protected by owner's will from any rent increases during their occupancy

on a quiet, hidden lane just downhill from Grace Cathedral, I had to check it out. Trusts! Wills! Rent Control! You might as well hand me a paper bag soaked in paint thinner. It's simple: the buyer has to agree to permit life occupancy to two tenants who were dear friends of the previous owner who died at ninety-four. No rent increases. One pays $300, the other $660.

Aside from the hand of the dead reaching out from the grave on a monthly basis, the house is in sad shape. The realtor said they'd only just discovered the brick foundation was in very bad condition. The house was remodeled in the mid-'Sixties and untouched since; if the original construction values had been better one could argue that the double-height owner's unit on the top floor should be preserved. It has that vibe- this place had some good parties.





Then there's the terrace. The astroturf may be regrettable, but here it's about the enclosure- a beautifully detailed and weathered Japanese-style fence with roofs and brackets for bonsai. An amazing little detail hidden away, and subtle enough to have be the work of R.G. Watanabe or one of his associates.

6-12 Leroy Place [Janis Stone, TRI/CB]
Nice Shoji, Dude [Curbed SF]