Today, a condo just came on the market that is over 2,300 sqft.   Listed at $1,699,995, this unique south facing condo has three balconies AND it comes with FOUR PARKING spaces.  Two units were combined to create this space and is currently being used as a 1 bedroom, 3.5 bathroom condo with an office.  It doesn’t have the best layout, but it is very open and spacious.  There are two kitchen areas and lots of open space.  If you wanted, you could turn it into a 3 bedroom condo.  This condo at The Mark has a lot of options and potential!

Call Denny Oh at 858-243-2092 or email denny@sandiegoh.com to see this, or other homes in San Diego.

Click here to see what’s currently for sale at The Mark condos in San Diego.

1. Hard Rock #835 – this one should go to auction.  This queen studio has a private balcony and faces over the pool area.  The owner is not trying to short sell it.
2. The Mark #2204 – this condos is also not listed on the MLS and will probably go to auction.  This is a 905 sqft 1 bedroom, on the NE corner of the building.
3. M2i #612(527 10th) – this loft is also not on the MLS.  This loft is 1126 sqft and is in a great building.

If you’re interested in buying a property at the auctions, just let me know.  Happy Thanksgiving.

Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks.

Denny Oh 858–243–2092 denny@sandiegoh.com

Denny Oh 858–243–2092 denny@sandiegoh.com  

Click here to search the MLS and see what’s for sale.

The Mark condos

The Mark condos consist of a 33 story highrise tower with several townhouses that surround the common areas.  The north side of the building also has commercial space on its ground floor and has done a

great job of integrating with the city.  The condos have high, 10 ft ceilings and portions of exposed concrete walls, which reminds you that The Mark and Parkloft(which is across the street) are indeed related. 

There are several things that I like about The Mark…

Location

Downtown San Diego’s East Village is a developing area and has a wide variety of people and places to explore.  There are multi-million dollar condos, luxury apartments, several hotels, Petco Park, the new Thomas Jefferson law school, the future public library, a bowling alley, bars, a hardware store…it’s by far the most diverse area of downtown San Diego in my opinion.  And with the downtown tax revenue cap being removed, I think East Village will be the area that sees the most appreciation over the next 10 years – especially if the new Charger’s stadium gets built.

Design

The Mark condos have an urban, yet elegant feel to them.  The exposed concrete walls are one of my favorite parts of the building, but don’t be fooled by this unfinished look.  The hand crafted German cabinetry, granite counter tops, walk-in closets and floor-to-ceiling windows are hardly unfinished and the views are incredible.  The 10 foot high ceilings, are also a great feature, which few buildings offer.  The Mark also offers some great floorplans and all of the 2 bedroom, 2 bath floorplans have 2 parking spaces. 

I especially like the layout of the building, which has the tower on the north end of the block, with the pool and common areas to the south.  The townhouses protect this area from noise and keeps the wind out.  I also am a big fan of the mixed use layout, with shops along Market Street.

Views

Given its non-water front location, The Mark isn’t particularly known for it’s breathtaking water views.  It does however, have some great views – they’re just slightly removed, water views.  With Petco Park only a few blocks to the south, residents on higher floors also have a great view of, and into, the ballpark.  To the north, east and west, people get some nice city views as well(directly west is the new apartment building, Strata though).  Even on lower floors, residents can look out over the common area, or towards the adjacent, but not overbearing, neighboring buildings.

Conclusion

The Mark is a great building.  It won’t appeal to everyone, but I think its combination of views, location and amenities will certainly make people think twice about East Village.  I personally prefer the slightly off-set water views, since there’s more to see.  As downtown San Diego grows, the east side will see the most appreciation and I think The Mark is setting the bar. 

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Click here to search condos for sale at The Mark.

denny@sandiegoh.com 858–243–2092

M2i

What I like about M2i the most, is its unique design.  CityMark tends to create more urban/industrial styled homes, which I really like.  M2i was built as lofts “ meaning that there are no interior walls that separate the living spaces.  In other words, its just one big open space for you to decorate and manipulate into your own creation.  However, since many people dont want their roommates seeing everything they do, many people have had walls/rooms built out and have created more traditional spaces.

CityMark created 38 free-flowing floor plans that range from 542 to 1889 square feet with 11“14ft ceilings.  The most common floorplan is a variation of a rectangle that you would enter near the midpoint of the longer side.  As you enter, the kitchen would be on one side of you, with the living room and balcony in front of that.  Walking further in, youd have space to either side of the living room, which may have been converted into a bedroom or two.  Obviously there are other floor plans, but this is the most common.  Ive seen some condos at M2i where the owner has created one or two bedrooms by putting up drywall, or in some cases, sliding walls/doors.  The nice thing about these lofts is that you can do whatever you want to them to create the perfect space for your needs.

I also really like the fact that there are sections of exposed concrete in the condos.  Some of the walls were left unfinished and do not have drywall over them.  The ductwork and plumbing is also exposed, giving it a unique look and feel.  M2i isnt all concrete and gray though.  Ive seen several condos/lofts that have been softened up by using paint, or even texturing over the concrete “ theres a lot you can do.

Another thing that I like about the M2i lofts is that the HOA dues are very low, relatively speaking that is.  For a 1,000 sqft condo, youll pay around $400/mo, which would be closer to $600/mo in most other downtown buildings.  M2i doesnt have a swimming pool or jacuzzi, but it does have a nice fitness center and a roof top deck in the 1050 Island building.  Up on the south facing deck, theres a fireplace, lounge chairs and a BBQ for you to use “ it doesnt matter if youre in the 527 10th Ave building, or the 1050 Island side “ everyone has access to the common facilities.  Parking at M2i is underground, just like almost every other downtown building.

M2i is a mixed use building, meaning that there is some commercial space on the bottom floor.  Currently, there is a Starbucks, a pet grooming place and some other stores.  There are a handful of walk-up lofts here as well, which are nice if you dont like going through the lobby, etc.  In the middle of the complex is an open air courtyard that basically has some planters and greenery.  My favorite lofts at M2i are the seventh floor condos, which have huge 14 foot high ceilings.  Even though you cant/wont use this extra space, it makes the place feel much larger than it is.  The windows at M2i are also very large, many of which stretch the entire length of the wall(s) and go from the floor up to the ceiling.  M2i does not have a concierge service, nor does it have guest parking “ but most of the East Village residences dont either.

Another thing I really like about M2i is the location.  Bounded by Market/Island and 10th/11th, M2i is in a great place.  The developing East Village is an exciting and diverse part of downtown San Diego.  You can walk across the street and go bowling, head over a few blocks to Petco Park, grab a drink at a local bar or be anywhere you want downtown in less than 20 minutes.

The prices at M2i are also very reasonable.  Currently, these lofts are listed and selling anywhere from about the high $200K range for an 883 sqft loft(sold in February 10) to the $700K range for a 1,295 sqft loft(currently available).  The bulk of the condos at M2i sell from the mid $300K range to about the mid $500K range.  However, the biggest issue is that theres very little inventory.  M2i is a popular building and condos typically do not stay on the market very long here.  For those of you who like lofts, but want something a little, well, more, Id suggest you check out the Parkloft condosthis is what I call the big boy lofts.

Click here to see condos for sale at the M2i lofts

The Quiet Zone Act stretches from Laurel Street, all the way to Park Boulevard and will reduce the places that the trains have to blow there horns, which can reach up to 120 decibels (a gun shot registers at 140 db).  The construction will begin this August and is supposed to be completed by November of 2011.

The town homes are typically 2-3 stories and offer more space than your average condo.  Most of these town homes range from about 1500-2000 square feet, but I’ve seen some that are quite larger.  Some people really like the town homes because they “feel” more like a detached home and in some ways, offer more privacy that living in the high rise portion of a building.

Another great thing about the town homes, is that they usually have a lot more outdoor space.  Many of the town homes I’ve seen are three stories with the living room, kitchen and a half bathroom downtown stairs, two bedrooms on the second floor and an open loft/office/guest room on the third floor.  Additionally, these homes will typically have a patio/outdoor space on the ground floor, a balcony on the second floor and either another balcony,  or a much larger outdoor space on the top floor.   Some condos, like at Park Place, dedicate the entire third floor to large rooftop decks.  This is great for people who like to garden, layout, entertain, or anything else!

The drawback(and to some, the pros) to these town homes, is that they’re multilevel.  I always advise my clients to think about the resale value of whatever they’re buying, even if they think they’ll never sell it…and with stairs, you automatically cut out a percentage of potential buyers.  You also won’t get much of a view from a town home, but there are pros and cons to all homes.

In some buildings, like La Vita in Little Italy, many of the town homes have private garages.  Owners of these town homes pull into the buildings main garage entrance like everyone else, but then they have an additional garage entrance to their own private space.  This is great for those of you who need/want more space and privacy.

If you’re looking for the convenience and luxury of a high rise, but want your “own space,” a town home might be the perfect fit for you.  If you’d like a list of town homes that are currently available, please call Denny Oh at 858-243-2092 or denny@sandiegoh.com.