Burlingame Eichler with History

It's rather bittersweet—seeing the marvelous Eichler home of bigger-than-life Eichler Homes' staffer Jonas Harschel listed for sale for the first time since it was built.

The Harschel residence is located in Burlingame's Mills Estates, where roughly 100 Eichler homes were built. As sales manager for Eichler Homes in the company's heyday, Harschel opened the development in late 1963, and for decades created a family home there for himself, his wife, Cora, and their two daughters, Kerry and Randy. Jonas died in 2007, Cora in 2021.

"This was my parents' "forever house…the house they figured they would always live in," reflects Randy Danielian, the younger of the daughters. "I'm hoping that we find somebody who will treat it as their forever home too."

"I was ten years old when we moved there," says Danielian. "I remember Joe's son Ned visited us quite often back then. He and my dad would have lively conversations."

"As a young kid," Danielian says, "when my dad bought the lot, it was just clay dirt. I remember going to the model homes and playing with the toys in the kids' toy room, which was really cool."

Mills Estates' hilly terrain makes for some of the most breathtaking views in any Eichler tract. You can catch birds-eye views across San Francisco Bay, and San Francisco International Airport is just a five- minute drive down the hill.

Reluctantly, Harschel opened Mills Estates for house sales on the weekend in November 1963 that President John F. Kennedy died. "My father was a tremendous Kennedy supporter," Danielian recalls. "That was the first time I saw my father cry. All I remember is coming home and seeing my parents glued to the television."

That's just one piece of this exceptional home's colorful backstory. Located on the 8 Mariposa Court, a cul-de-sac, the Harschel home is now listed for sale by Tom Fanucci of Compass Realty for $3,299,950.

"Living on a cul-de-sac was nice, and there were several wonderful neighbors who were always very close to my parents," Danielian says. "I babysat the kids across the street."

Filled with natural light streaming in through window walls and skylights, the home offers a balance of morning and afternoon sun. Entering from an open carport into the enclosed atrium (with a light fixture designed by Harschel), its Jones & Emmons' open-plan design is 100-percent iconic Eichler.

The 2,135-square-foot floor plan features five bedrooms and two baths, with radiant heating throughout. In one wing are the master suite and bath, with a flexible second bedroom, den, or study. Loads of Philippine mahogany paneling and vintage wall units add to the authentic Eichler feel. A loggia leading to the other wing contains the third, fourth, and fifth bedrooms, and a full bath.

Central living areas feature vaulted, open-beam ceilings, window walls, and a built-in concrete block fireplace.