A San Francisco-area home with rare architectural pedigree has sold for $1.6M — 101% over its list price

New York Post - Mar 17th, 2025
Open on New York Post

A midcentury-modern home in the Berkeley Hills, designed by renowned architect John Hans Ostwald, has sold for $1.6 million, doubling its initial asking price of $795,000. The property, known as the Foley House, attracted over 30 offers and 1,000 visitors during its brief two-week market stint, fueled by its unique hexagonal design, panoramic views, and meticulously preserved features. The listing agent Jodi Nishimura expressed surprise at the intense interest, noting the perfect storm of design, location, and market conditions that led to its rapid sale. The eventual buyer had a personal connection to Ostwald’s work, having admired another of his designs.

This sale underscores a resurgence in the luxury real estate market in San Francisco and its surrounding areas, highlighting the competitive landscape amid limited inventory. The Berkeley Hills neighborhood, home to notable figures like Robert Reich and Michael Pollan, remains highly desirable. Ostwald's architectural legacy, marked by a seamless blend with natural surroundings and collaboration with design luminaries, adds historical significance to the property. As Nishimura observes, the demand for such unique homes continues to drive fierce competition among a diverse pool of buyers, including architecture enthusiasts and professionals.

Story submitted by Fairstory

RATING

6.4
Moderately Fair
Read with skepticism

The article provides an engaging and clear narrative about the sale of a unique midcentury-modern home in the Berkeley Hills. It effectively captures the attention of readers interested in real estate and architecture, with vivid descriptions and a compelling storyline about the competitive bidding process. The article's accuracy is supported by verifiable claims, although it relies heavily on the perspective of the listing agent, which limits the balance and source quality.

While the story is timely and relevant to current market trends, it lacks a broader exploration of public interest topics such as housing affordability and market regulation. The potential impact of the article is limited to niche audiences, and it does not engage with controversial issues that could provoke debate or drive policy changes.

Overall, the article succeeds in presenting an intriguing real estate story with clarity and readability but could benefit from a more balanced approach and a deeper exploration of broader societal implications.

RATING DETAILS

7
Accuracy

The story presents several factual claims that are generally verifiable, such as the sale price of the home and its original listing price. It states that the home sold for $1.6 million, which is 101% over its list price of $795,000. These figures can be confirmed through real estate transaction records. Additionally, the involvement of architect John Hans Ostwald and the unique hexagonal design of the house are verifiable through architectural records and publications.

However, some claims require further verification, such as the exact number of offers, showings, inquiries, and visitors during the open houses. These figures are attributed to the listing agent, Jodi Nishimura, and would need corroboration from her records or other real estate data sources. The story also mentions the buyer's personal connection to Ostwald's work, which is a subjective claim that would benefit from direct confirmation through interviews or statements from the buyer.

The article's accuracy is generally strong, but it relies heavily on quotes and information from the listing agent, which introduces a potential bias. The broader market trends mentioned by Nishimura about the luxury market's resurgence in San Francisco and the East Bay are subjective and would need support from market reports to confirm their accuracy.

6
Balance

The article primarily focuses on the perspective of the listing agent, Jodi Nishimura, and her experiences with the sale of the house. This provides a detailed view of the seller's side but lacks balance by not incorporating perspectives from other stakeholders, such as the buyers, neighbors, or independent real estate experts.

The story could benefit from a more balanced approach by including insights from other real estate professionals who could provide context about the market conditions or the architectural significance of the house. Additionally, it does not explore potential downsides or criticisms related to the sale, such as concerns about housing affordability or market speculation, which could provide a more rounded view.

While the article does mention the broader market conditions and notable neighbors, these are presented in a way that supports the narrative of a successful and desirable sale, without critically examining other possible interpretations or implications.

8
Clarity

The article is well-structured and uses clear, straightforward language to convey the story of the house sale. It effectively outlines the sequence of events, from the listing to the sale, and provides detailed descriptions of the house's features and the market dynamics.

The narrative is easy to follow, with a logical progression that guides the reader through the key points of interest, such as the architectural design, the unexpected demand, and the final sale price. The quotes from the listing agent are integrated smoothly into the text, adding depth without disrupting the flow.

While the article is clear and engaging, it occasionally assumes a level of familiarity with real estate and architectural terminology that may not be accessible to all readers. However, overall, the clarity of the writing supports a good understanding of the story's main points and context.

5
Source quality

The primary source for the article is the listing agent, Jodi Nishimura, who provides detailed information about the sale, the house's features, and the market conditions. While she is a credible source for details about the sale, her vested interest in presenting the sale positively may affect the impartiality of the information.

The article lacks a diversity of sources, as it does not include input from independent real estate analysts, architectural historians, or other buyers who participated in the bidding process. This limits the depth and reliability of the reporting, as it relies heavily on one perspective.

Incorporating additional authoritative sources, such as real estate market analysts or architectural experts, would enhance the credibility and depth of the article by providing a broader range of insights and reducing potential bias from relying on a single source.

6
Transparency

The article is relatively transparent in its presentation, clearly attributing most of the information to the listing agent, Jodi Nishimura. This attribution allows readers to understand the source of the claims and assess potential biases.

However, the article could improve transparency by explaining the methodology behind the reported figures, such as the number of offers, showings, and inquiries. Providing more context on how these numbers were obtained and verified would enhance the article's transparency.

Additionally, the article could benefit from disclosing any potential conflicts of interest, such as the listing agent's motivation to present the sale in a positive light, which could influence the narrative. Greater transparency in these areas would provide readers with a clearer understanding of the basis for the claims made in the article.

Sources

  1. https://edificionado.wordpress.com/category/architect-designed/john-hans-ostwald/
  2. https://stoutbooks.com/products/john-hans-ostwald-architect-16273
  3. https://www.sfgate.com/homeandgarden/article/SIGNATURE-STYLE-John-Hans-Ostwald-Modern-ski-2505662.php
  4. https://abioproperties.com/news/abio-sf-curbed-midcentury-oswalt-berkeley-april-07-16/
  5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCamVCnu0DY