The Chocolate Box, Clarence the Flying Pig and The Florence Arts District
470 Florence Ave, Sebastopol - Sold
The Deets
Single Family Home | 2 beds 1 baths | 1000 sf | .1399 Lot sz
On Market | 65 Days
Close Date | 01/22/2025
Clarence the Flying Pig, The Chocolate Box and The Florence Ave Art District
What does a flying pig, a chocolate box and the Florence Ave Art District have in common? Read on!
The first weekend out of the new year I did an open house at 470 Florence Ave, Sebastopol. I was expecting NOBODY. This is how it went most of 2024. But YAY! Needless to say, many people attended the open house both days. Actually, it's common to for people who are vintage home lovers (and mid-century-modern home lovers) to come just to see the house.
Who the heck is Clarence the Flying Pig? Clarence is the guardian of the heirloom roses in the Florence Ave garden. Clarence is a 'junk art' statue gifted to the former owner by Patrick Amiot, a junk artist whose work is prolifically displayed on the Florence Ave Art District Walk. Yes, you can be a tourist and walk Florence Ave to see all the installations. There are a LOT. If you're going to make a day of it, eat at Handline - best bunnless burger and french fries in the county, IMHO.
The Florence Ave Art District is riddled with vintage homes and junk art. Want to buy a vintage home in downtown Sebastopol? Get in line. I call them 'Chocolate Boxes' because they look better than a box of chocolates!
That first Saturday I met my buyer. We just started talking and connected on a few things in common. I asked her what did she want to do when she wasn't at home and we quickly came to the conclusion a house in that neighborhood would afford her all the amenities she wanted access to - shopping, restaurants, movies, The Barlow, the Joe Rodota Trail and, well the list in endless when you live downtown Sebastopol. The buyer was quick to make an offer and VOILA! Her offer was accepted. This was a quick close too, only 22 days. So we both had to hustle to get inspections done and for me to get the buyer everything she needed to make an informed decision.
I am 1000 percent thrilled for the buyer. She is going to have a fun life in Sebastopol, living in her little chocolate box house.
Real Time Advice
Buying a house in downtown Sebastopol is not for the faint of heart, especially those darling vintage homes. Everybody wants to live there. And why not? It's spitting distance to a theatre, a supermarket, a hardware store, restaurants, trails, wine tasting rooms, coffee shops, book shops... anything you need, it's there.
If you've got it in your heart you'd like a downtown Sebastopol residence, I'll get you there, but you'll need to follow my guidance and trust the process because you and everybody else will show up and submit an offer.
Talk soon, Annalise
