Story at a glance
- A house in San Jose was busted as a meth lab seven months ago.
- The home is now for sale for more than $1.5 million, as is.
- Surrounded by chain link fencing and warning signs reading “condemned,” the home has been deemed unsafe to occupy.
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) — A California home that was busted as a meth lab seven months ago is now up for sale for more than $1.5 million.
What’s more, the San Jose home at 668 Potomac Court is being sold as-is.
Surrounded by chain link fencing and warning signs reading “condemned,” the home has been deemed unsafe to occupy.
Keller Williams Reality’s website lists the 2,743-square-foot home for $1,550,000 and states, “Great opportunity to own large home. Great location to freeway and expressway. Home has inactive meth lab and meth.”
The homeowner, 35-year-old Peter Karasev, was arrested in March for keeping explosive materials, guns and narcotics inside. FBI agents said Karasev stockpiled highly explosive bomb-making chemicals while he lived at the home with his wife and three young children.
Police found chemicals, drugs, and firearms “within easy reach of children. It was not a safe environment for children, or for anyone,” San Jose Police Department Assistant Chief Paul Joseph previously told reporters.
When he was questioned by detectives, Karasev said he was interested in building model rockets, used meth, and was concerned about the war in Ukraine, according to court documents. Investigators said Karasev built bombs that he used to blow up PG&E transformers around the city.
The property’s listing description says the home will be transferred to a new buyer in its current state.
Real Estate 38 owner Zaid Hanna told Nexstar’s KRON that even though it’s a seller’s market, “if they do achieve the $1.5 million that they are asking for, that’s a home run. I’d be very surprised if they get it.”
Hanna says getting the home to a safe, livable state won’t be cheap. “Somebody will have to come and rip out the flooring, the sheet rock, insulation … so you’re looking at about $200,000 to $300,000 to bring this back to where it needs to be,” he explained.
Six bedrooms, four bathrooms and a 6,000-square-foot lot are some of the selling points. The house is also nestled in a residential neighborhood with a school nearby. But is the house worth $1.5 million, plus $300,000 in repairs?
“The answer is no,” Hanna said.
KRON reached out to the listing agent who is selling the property, but the agent was unavailable for comment.