Issue #3: Spooky Season Special

Iconic houses from classic spooky movies, and Bay Area homes that are perfect for Halloween decorations.

The Silvert Lining is a place where I will be talking about real estate, cool homes for sale, things I’m looking forward to, and how I’ve been spending my time. In addition to this newsletter, I’m also posting regularly on Instagram. You can follow me at Dan Silvert Homes.

Spooky season is here. Photo by Jessica Mosby.

In the first issue of The Silvert Lining, I profiled architect Julia Morgan’s former personal residence in Berkeley’s Elmwood neighborhood; 2816 Derby Street is for sale for the first time in 50 years and listed at $1,875,000 by my Keller Williams Luxury colleague Claudia Mills. I will be hosting an Open House at this 1908 gem on Sunday from 2 to 4:30 PM. Please come by and say hello! If there any other homes that you would like to see, please email me at DanSilvertHomes@gmail.com and we’ll make an appointment.

2816 Derby Street, Berkeley, California. Photo courtesy of Claudia Mills.

In celebrity real estate news, Billy Joel is selling his Long Island mansion, which he first saw as a teenager when dredging oysters in the Long Island Sound. He is selling the dream property for numerous reasons, including the $567,686 annual tax bill. Stars, they’re just like us when it comes to property taxes! You can read the details and see photos in this New York Times article (a gift link). I saw Billy Joel in concert earlier this year and he is a magnetic performer!

The real 1428 Elm Street house; photo by Douglas Elliman via the Robb Report. Ropes Mansion and Garden; photo via Peabody Essex Museum. The Owens home in Practical Magic; photo via PriceyPads.com.

I was once involved with the sale of a house with the address 1428 Elm Street, which is the address of main character Nancy Thompson’s house in A Nightmare on Elm Street. Very macabre! In the movie, 1428 Elm Street is located in the fictional town of Springwood, Ohio, but the house used for exterior shots is located in Los Angeles and was sold in 2022.

The 1993 Halloween classic Hocus Pocus was filmed on location in Salem, Massachusetts. Alison Watts’s home is the Ropes Mansion, which is open to the public for tours. Max and Dani Dennison’s house is a private residence that Zillow has valued at around $600,000.

The sequel to 1998’s Practical Magic is forthcoming. Much of the original movie was filmed on location in Coupeville, Washington, but the incredible house the Owens women live in does not exist! The filmmakers built the exterior of the home on San Juan Island, and it was only a shell with no interior. The scenes set in the home’s interior were filmed on a sound stage in Los Angeles. After filming concluded, the home’s shell was torn down. I wonder if a new shell, or perhaps a whole home, will be built for the sequel?

In the spirit of Halloween, I thought it would be fun to find Bay Area homes that are primed for fall decorations. I’m thinking lots of pumpkins on the front steps, and perhaps a few skeletons congregating on the front porch.

• Decorating your home for Halloween feels obligatory in Port Costa. This 1904 home listed at $919,900 has a historical exterior that lends itself to ornamentation.

• This 1912 Rockridge home listed at $1,399,000 already has an autumnal color palette. The large front porch with stone accents is ready for a gaggle of jack-o-lanterns.

• This 1931 Tudor home in Montclair is listed at $1,495,000. Between the historical details, dark paint colors, and lush landscaping, this home would be an ideal location to host a ghoulish good time.

• I could see a few skeletons hanging out on the Juliet balcony of this 1925 Piedmont Pines home listed at $1,799,000.

• This 1977 home in Oakland’s Woodminster neighborhood listed at $1,199,000 is already painted a dark color and primed for seasonal decorations, especially since orange would pop against the existing paint color.

• This 1955 home in Walnut Creek is listed at $1,625,000. The stairs leading from the street to the front door would look great covered in gourds, and there is a small front porch for more decorative elements.

• This 1910 farmhouse in the Laurel District is listed at $715,000. I think that between the color palette and historical details, trick-or-treaters would clamor to this home on Halloween, especially if full-sized candy bars were involved.

• This 1919 Crocker Highlands home is listed at $1,195,000 and would be a stately setting for a masquerade ball.

• This 1922 bungalow near Mills College is listed at $360,000. The front stairs and porch provide ample space to achieve your Halloween décor dreams, think gourd garden.

Let me know if you are looking for a new home, and I can create a customized search based on your wants and needs that will email you homes that meet your search criteria. You can schedule time with me to discuss your search for a new home or selling your current home by emailing me at DanSilvertHomes@gmail.com. DRE #01963734

Bull Valley Roadhouse in Port Costa, California. Photos by Jessica Mosby.

Port Costa is on record as the most haunted place in the United States. This is quite a feat (or maybe the root cause?) for a town with approximately 250 residents. Port Costa does feel like a world and era completely removed from the rest of the Bay Area. Perhaps it’s the narrow, winding road through a wooded area to reach the town or the 1880’s buildings that populate the main street. Fall is the ideal time to make the drive to Port Costa to have dinner at my favorite restaurant in town, the Bull Valley Roadhouse. The food and drinks are superb, and the décor is historic teetering on eerie. While I have never personally experienced any hauntings while dining, I do find the overall atmosphere of Port Costa spooky.

One House Bakery in Benicia, California. Photos by Jessica Mosby.

If you want to experience Halloween vibes while caffeinated in broad daylight, One House Bakery in Benicia has become an iconic destination. The bakery is well known for their sweet and savory food, but what really put them on the map (and in The New York Times) is their annual bread sculpture. This year’s dough creation is Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy. It is difficult to capture the details of the sculpture in a photo, so I highly recommend going in person to see it and ordering the seasonal spiced apple latte and a morning bun to eat on the restaurant’s patio.

This weekend is the last weekend before Halloween. If you’re looking to capture the spirit (pun intended) of the season, the San Francisco Chronicle has a list of the best Bay Area pumpkin patches and DoTheBay has a Halloween Party Guide. When in doubt, you can always visit San Jose’s Winchester Mystery House.

I hope to see you on Sunday at 2816 Derby Street for the Open House!