Laci's house sells again

[margaritaville]

I could't live there, knowing she was killed there....



Unidentified new owners of a home once owned by Scott and Laci Peterson aren't talking about buying Modesto's most notorious abode, and neither will their real estate agent.

"I respect the confidentiality of my clients," Chris Shaw, a broker with PMZ Real Estate, said Tuesday.

Authorities speculated that Peterson strangled his pregnant wife in the house on or just before Christmas Eve 2002 before slipping her weighted body into San Francisco Bay.

Remains of mother and unborn son were recovered nearly four months later along the eastern shore. Peterson was convicted of double murder and arrived on death row in March 2005, where he awaits appeals.

The 1,770-square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bath cottage-bungalow at 523 Covena Ave., sold for $280,000, said listing agent Joseph Bondi, also of PMZ.

That's $110,000 less than the parents of Scott and Laci Peterson received when they sold it in July 2005 to Gerry Roberts, a real estate agent who bought the home amid hoopla and lived in it before declaring bankruptcy. He was unable to sell the home and lost it to foreclosure. A bank hired Bondi to unload it.

He said he showed the home to a potential buyer only once in more than three months and never met the new owners.

http://www.modbee.com/reports/peterson/story/135820.html

[deputydi]

I could't live there, knowing she was killed there....



Unidentified new owners of a home once owned by Scott and Laci Peterson aren't talking about buying Modesto's most notorious abode, and neither will their real estate agent.

"I respect the confidentiality of my clients," Chris Shaw, a broker with PMZ Real Estate, said Tuesday.

Authorities speculated that Peterson strangled his pregnant wife in the house on or just before Christmas Eve 2002 before slipping her weighted body into San Francisco Bay.

Remains of mother and unborn son were recovered nearly four months later along the eastern shore. Peterson was convicted of double murder and arrived on death row in March 2005, where he awaits appeals.

The 1,770-square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bath cottage-bungalow at 523 Covena Ave., sold for $280,000, said listing agent Joseph Bondi, also of PMZ.

That's $110,000 less than the parents of Scott and Laci Peterson received when they sold it in July 2005 to Gerry Roberts, a real estate agent who bought the home amid hoopla and lived in it before declaring bankruptcy. He was unable to sell the home and lost it to foreclosure. A bank hired Bondi to unload it.

He said he showed the home to a potential buyer only once in more than three months and never met the new owners.

http://www.modbee.com/reports/peterson/story/135820.html
How sad. I'm afraid I, too, would be creeped out living in this home. The guy who bought OJ's home tore is down and rebuilt -- maybe that's what will have to happen to Laci's home.

[Invrdv8]

How sad. I'm afraid I, too, would be creeped out living in this home. The guy who bought OJ's home tore is down and rebuilt -- maybe that's what will have to happen to Laci's home.

There'd be a lot to consider if the house were to be torn down and a new house built in it's place. Would the lot alone be worth $280,000.? You'd have demolition costs plus the cost of building a new home. You'd probably have to put a price of well over $400.000. on the house just to break even. Would that be feasible considering the neighborhood?

[deputydi]

There'd be a lot to consider if the house were to be torn down and a new house built in it's place. Would the lot alone be worth $280,000.? You'd have demolition costs plus the cost of building a new home. You'd probably have to put a price of well over $400.000. on the house just to break even. Would that be feasible considering the neighborhood?
In a practical sense, you're right. I guess OJ's home was in a neighborhood that would support that kind of a pricetag. This one isn't. I just find it sad that the home Laci loved and put so much of herself into now has this stigma attached to it.

[Invrdv8]

In a practical sense, you're right. I guess OJ's home was in a neighborhood that would support that kind of a pricetag. This one isn't. I just find it sad that the home Laci loved and put so much of herself into now has this stigma attached to it.

Isn't the home on a corner lot? Thought maybe the mortgage co./bank would give up trying to sell the house and would tear it down, turn it into a small park/sitting area, name it after Laci and donate it to the city.

[deputydi]

Isn't the home on a corner lot? Thought maybe the mortgage co./bank would give up trying to sell the house and would tear it down, turn it into a small park/sitting area, name it after Laci and donate it to the city.
What a great idea that would have been. For some reason, I didn't remember the home as being on a corner lot, but my memory isn't what it used to be. LOL. Maybe someday that will happen and it would be the perfect memorial to Laci and Conner.

[Invrdv8]

What a great idea that would have been. For some reason, I didn't remember the home as being on a corner lot, but my memory isn't what it used to be. LOL. Maybe someday that will happen and it would be the perfect memorial to Laci and Conner.

I'm not sure that it IS on a corner lot either. For some reason, I thought I heard it was. The small park/sitting area idea would only work if it was a corner lot.

[adnoid]

Isn't the home on a corner lot?...

No, there's a house on each side. I doubt the economics would work out on a teardown/rebuild, especially right now - although the costs of building materials have been coming down due to lowered demands.

[Lavindar]

Isn't the home on a corner lot? Thought maybe the mortgage co./bank would give up trying to sell the house and would tear it down, turn it into a small park/sitting area, name it after Laci and donate it to the city.
Countrywide? I don't think so. They are not a "nice" lender anyway.

[deputydi]

Countrywide? I don't think so. They are not a "nice" lender anyway.
It sure was a nice thought, though -- wasn't it?

[Invrdv8]

No, there's a house on each side. I doubt the economics would work out on a teardown/rebuild, especially right now - although the costs of building materials have been coming down due to lowered demands.

Thanks for the info. I wonder where I got the idea it was a corner lot? Didn't think a teardown/rebuild would be feasible in that area. I'm amazed that it even sold given the way the housing market is right now. I'm really curious as to whether the new owner(s) intend to reside there or use it for a rental. Time will tell, I guess

[Rachel Cory]

Maybe they WILL tear it down and landscape to compliment the temple going in next door.

[deputydi]

Maybe they WILL tear it down and landscape to compliment the temple going in next door.
What's that supposed to mean?

[margaritaville]

Maybe they WILL tear it down and landscape to compliment the temple going in next door.


Yes i remember hearing about that. They added on to the neighbors house and it is just huge if I remember correctly... Didn't they add another story on the house so it just towers Laci's?
IIRC...

[Invrdv8]

Yes i remember hearing about that. They added on to the neighbors house and it is just huge if I remember correctly... Didn't they add another story on the house so it just towers Laci's?
IIRC...

I believe you're right. The owner of the house next door did a lot of reconstruction and added a second floor. I believe they also added tall pillars in front so the house resembles a southern mansion or some such thing. I believe the owner said they didn't put any windows on the second floor that would look out over the backyard of Laci's house so as not to intrude on the privacy of anyone using the pool.

[Rachel Cory]

What's that supposed to mean?
Let's googlemap it and see if the satellite pictures have been updated.

[adnoid]

I believe you're right. The owner of the house next door did a lot of reconstruction and added a second floor. I believe they also added tall pillars in front so the house resembles a southern mansion or some such thing. I believe the owner said they didn't put any windows on the second floor that would look out over the backyard of Laci's house so as not to intrude on the privacy of anyone using the pool.

The current satellite photos (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=523+covena,+modesto,+ca&sll=39.16488,-119.76695&sspn=0.272045,0.605621&ie=UTF8&ll=37.646216,-120.972111&spn=0.001085,0.002366&t=h&z=19&om=1) show the same house as Zillow (http://www.zillow.com/aerial/DualMapPage.htm?zpid=16067700), as far as I can tell. I drove by it a couple weeks ago, but I don't have a good recollection other than the neighbor house that was redone is heinous.

Also, it does not appear Zillow has updated the last sale - they still have the repossession figure up.