A home designed by William Wurster is always going to be worth a second look. Wurster, the co-founder, in 1959, of the College of Environmental Design at UC Berkeley, created eminently livable homes with the sleek aesthetic and early 20th-century modern design touches so beloved of a current generation of architectural enthusiasts.
So beloved for one person, in fact, that he or she was willing to pay $300,000 over the asking price for a William Wurster designed home in San Francisco’s Eureka Valley area which went on the market for $1,575,000, and just closed escrow at $1,875,000.
The two-bedroom, 2.5 bathroom home, at 4015 21st Street, has “huge views” of the City and Bay, a “dream kitchen”, two master suites and a private courtyard, as well as two-car parking. It listed in early March and apparently received multiple offers — just like old times in fact.
Here in Berkeley, another William Wurster designed house is waiting for a buyer (pictured above). At $1,850,000, its listing price is just a tad lower than the closing price of the Wurster in San Francisco. It too has views but it is substantially bigger, with seven bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms configured as a duplex. Two additional parcels are included. The home, tucked into the hills at 336 Panoramic Way, was built in 1941, but the mid-mod vibe has been largely replaced with more contemporary finishes.
The last Wurster to sell in Berkeley was the diminutive home of Twitter co-founder Biz Stone which listed in July 2009 for $575,000. It sold in September for $550,000.
Also in Berkeley, a lovely Wurster home at 210 Stonewall Road changed hands this time last year for $2.1 million.
