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ActiveSingle Family

$6,280,000

979 Lawrence Ln, Palo Alto 94303

Beds5
Baths5
Sqft3,460
DOM2
No Photos Available

AddressIntel AI Briefing

This luxury estate is a brand-new 2026 build, ruling out any teardown or major remodeling plays. Additionally, severe development blockers including high flood hazards and liquefaction completely block any SB 9 lot split potential, leaving standard ADU additions as the only viable play.

Property Permit History

No permit history found directly associated with this property's address.

Recent Neighborhood Remodeling (Palo Alto)

2026-09-042330 YALE ST, PALO ALTO CA 94306
Project - Building Permit
--In Plan Check
2026-09-04864 AMES AV, PALO ALTO CA 94303
Roof: Like for like re-roof, only one structure per permit (detached single-family and duplex only, non-historic property)
--Permit Issued
2026-09-04660 PALO ALTO AV, PALO ALTO CA 94301
Solar: Roof-mounted solar system with SolarAPP+ (Single-family detached residential or duplex only)
--Pending
2026-09-041637 ESCOBITA AV, PALO ALTO CA 94306
Heat Pump Space Conditioning Systems: New, retrofit, or replacement of space conditioning system (heat pump, furnace/air handler) and associated ductwork (detached single-family, duplex, and ADUs)
--Permit Issued
2026-09-041585 EDGEWOOD DR, PALO ALTO CA 94303
Project - Building Permit
--Submitted
2026-09-044170 WALLIS CT, PALO ALTO CA 94306
Solar: Roof-mounted solar system with SolarAPP+ (Single-family detached residential or duplex only)
--Pending

Parcel & Zoning Info

APN12754003
Official Lot Sqft8,276
Zoning Code--
SB 9 StatusBlocked
SB 9 Block Reasons
FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area
Development Blockers
Flood Zone (SFHA) Liquefaction
Unlock Pathways
Ministerial ADU
Entitlement RiskModerate (21/100)

ADU Potential

Feasibility Score70/100
Max ADU Units2 (ADU + JADU)
Est. ADU Size1,200 sqft
Existing Coverage41.8%

Flag / irregular · Corner lot · ~127 ft frontage × 148 ft deep, a tucked-away rear unit is very private; access is typically via the pole driveway. A second street frontage lets an ADU take its own entrance and address.

Screening heuristic based on lot size, existing coverage, lot orientation, and hazard overlays. CA ADU law is ministerial statewide; verify max size, setbacks, and JADU owner-occupancy with the local planning dept.

Redevelopment Potential

Redevelopment Score14/100
ClassBuilt out
FAR Utilization107% of allowed
Buildable Headroom+0 sqft

Existing home already uses most of the allowable floor area, little expansion headroom. Zoning allows roughly 3,233 sqft of gross floor area on this lot.

Screening estimate comparing existing living area to the city's single-family floor-area limit. FAR rule curated from current municipal code. Source: PAMC 18.12.040 Table 2; max house size 6,000 sqft (as of 2026-06-30). Verify FAR, coverage, setbacks, and height with the local planning dept.

Hazard Snapshot

Flood Zone

AE
Special flood hazard area; insurance may be required.

Fire Severity

None
Not in a mapped state fire severity zone.

Liquefaction

Yes
In a mapped liquefaction zone. May require specialized foundation engineering.

Fault Zone

No
Not in a mapped Alquist-Priolo fault zone.

Not a substitute for a Natural Hazard Disclosure (NHD) report. Zones reflect available GIS data and may not cover all localities.

Nearby Public Schools

Elementary School

Ohlone Elementary

Palo Alto Unified

0.2 miles away
Middle School

Frank S. Greene Jr. Middle

Palo Alto Unified

0.8 miles away
High School

East Palo Alto Academy

Sequoia Union High

1.8 miles away

School boundaries are subject to change. Nearest school distance does not guarantee enrollment eligibility. Check with the local district. Data provided by CDE.

Proprietary Intelligence

Market Heat Index

70/100

Based on recent sales velocity and local demand in 94303.

Flippability Score

20/100

Measures neighborhood renovation density vs. recent permits on this property.

Bidding War Prob.

31%

Likelihood of multiple offers based on local list-to-sale ratios and DOM.

Proforma ROI Calculator

Back-of-the-napkin deal analysis across development strategies.

Zoning allows roughly 3,233 sqft here, less than the 3,460 sqft standing today, so a compliant rebuild would be smaller than the existing house. We don't quote a return on this one. Demolishing generally forfeits the existing non-conforming floor area, so treat it as a remodel or check the local code for what it lets you rebuild.

Median of 12 recent single-family sales in Palo Alto (94303): $1,937/sqft. Sized within 25% of the 3,500 sqft build, because smaller houses sell for more per foot and pricing a rebuild off them overstates resale.

Commission, transfer tax and closing. Deducted from resale before profit, so the ROI below is net of the exit rather than gross.

Carry on total capital for the project duration. At 0% the model is a cash purchase; 12 months at a typical construction-loan rate moves ROI by 6 to 10 points on a deal this size, so price it with your real rate.

Hard Costs$1,760,000
New Build3,200 sqft
Total Capital Required$8,215,000
Estimated Resale (ARV)$6,198,400
Cost of Sale (5%)-$309,920
Net Proceeds$5,888,480

Projected Profit

-$2,326,520
-28.3% ROI

Warning: Project is mathematically underwater.

Recent Comparables (Palo Alto 94303)

Sized to the modelled 3,500 sqft build: sales within 25% of it. Smaller houses sell for more per foot, so pricing a rebuild off them overstates resale.

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