Oakland Oozing With Possibilities

When I was 16 years old I worked at Emporium-Capwell's in Downtown Oakland.  This department store was on Broadway in what is now Sears.  As I was growing up I remember Oakland and its thriving retail business.  We had I. Magnin's,  Joseph Magnin's, Liberty House, Little Daisy and more.

These businesses are gone, but the beautiful buildings remain.  I yearn for healthy downtown.  I would love Oakland to model after Pasadena, California.  Their shops, department stores and restaurants are on a main street, not in a mall.

Look at the buildings, you can't deny Oakland's beauty.

Eichler Anyone? Iconic Mid-Century Home In The Oakland Hills

Real estate developer Joseph Eichler was instrumental in bringing Mid-Century Modern architecture to subdivisions in California.  The Sequoyah Hills district of Oakland, is a quiet neighborhood in the East Oakland Hills that boasts 40-50 Eichler homes.   8050 Phaeton is a 5 bedroom, 2 bathroom Eichler currently listed for $798,000 by Hiedi Slocomb of APR.  This home includes an atrium with a succulent garden, Eichler's signature radiant heating and a remodeled kitchen .  If you like Eichler's, San Mateo is having an Eichler tour this month, click here for more details.

Exploring Oakland, California

The other day as I drove through Oakland on Broker's Tour, (A tour of the latest listings for Realtors) I decided to drive from Montclair to the Elmwood District of Oakland via Grizzly Peak. I drove up Shepherd Canyon to Skyline Blvd. and turned left. (Skyline turns into Grizzly Peak.)  Here I actually stopped my car to soak in the beautiful views you can only find from the Oakland-Berkeley area. I love the turquoise blue water and the outline of Lake Merritt. Grizzly Peak will then take you to Claremont Avenue, and on Claremont you will drive through lush foliage and trees to get to Domingo Street and the Claremont Hotel. Get lost in Oakland

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The lush trees on Claremont Avenue in Oakland, photo by Deidre

Grand Opening of New Oakland Winery!

Stage Left Cellars Opening and Wine Tasting

This Saturday, April 4th,  from 11:00- 5:00 pm Owners Melinda and Rich Doty of Left Stage Cellars will be having their grand opening in their new space at 2102 Dennison St., in Oakland. (Click here for a map) Come see this new Oakland business and see 13 original works of art by Oakland artist, Scott Courtenay-Smith.  (Click here for Scott's website)  It's at the 23rd Avenue exit from 880 South, in a cool little industrial park.   Support Oaklanders who are making Oakland a great place to work, live and thrive!

Oakland Fraud Alert

Last evening a person called me and said they were calling on behalf of the Oakland Police Officer's Association and they asked me if I wanted to donate to the organization.  In light of the recent shootings and deaths of four Oakland Police Officers, you may want to contribute money to the families who just lost their loved ones, but be AWARE the OPOA does not solicit donations over the phone. This is a scam!  I called the President of the Oakland Police Officer's Association and he confirmed this.  Please pass this information on.

Beautiful until the last petal drops!

Take a second out of your busy day and enjoy the delicate tulip-like flowers that appear in late winter, early spring.

Mortgage Interest Over Time

  Are you curious about interest rates?  Here is a chart showing interest rates over the past 37 years.

Found It! Franciscan Starburst Tiles From the 1950's

Gladding, McBean & Co., began production of Franciscan dinnerware in 1934 at their plant in Glendale, California. Gladding, McBean & Co. formed in 1875 to produce sewer tile for the then expanding American West. Over the years they acquired several regional potteries and expanded their product lines several times to include roof tile, decorative art tiles, garden pottery, and art pottery.  Franciscan introduced their Fine China line in 1942.   The Eclipse "American Modern" shaped patterns of 1954 included Starburst. Starburst would prove a radical departure from prior tradition and used an irregular shape and abstract radiant stars resulting in a very modern earthenware pattern. Today it is collected as some of the best design work from the Modern 1950's.  When googling Franciscan Starburst dinnerware which is out of production but is available through companies such as Replacements.com.  Last week I was able to spy Franciscan Starburst tiles in the master bathroom of 716 Blair Avenue in Piedmont.  (A small well manicured city that neighbors Oakland.  716 Blair is listed by Dee Knowland of Pacific Union Listed at $1,395,000.)  716 Blair Ave is a mid century ranch home complete with a courtyard patio, original 1950's bathrooms and front door with starburst door hardware.

Home Sales Statistics in Oakland and Berkeley

I thought I would pull some statistics for Berkeley and select zip codes in Oakland.  ( 94609,94610,94611,94602,94618,94619 - areas of  Oakland that buyers seek out.) To see what our real estate marketplace is doing over the past year. The graphs for Oakland include all 6 zip codes combined.

Glenview Bungalow That Caught My Fancy

4039 Linwood Avenue in the Glenview district of Oakland caught my fancy last week on Broker's Tour.  (This home is currently listed with Leslie Easterday of Pacific Union. Listed at $695,000)  When you are purchasing a home you either want one of two things: You want the purchase price to include finish work that suits your style and sensibility or you want the purchase price to reflect that it is in need a cosmetic face lift to suit your needs.

This house on Linwood was pristine, great light, warm hardwoods and original details such as the original hearth tile and built-in shelving.  The lot is a small, but the raised garden beds really appealed the gardener in me.  Additionally the Glenview district is a very walkable neighborhood with great restaurants.  A Cote, (The very popular Rockridge eatery) is in the process of opening a sister restaurant in the Glenview on Park Blvd.  This restaurant will feature Pan American food highlighting food from Argentina, Cuba and Mexico.

Mid Century Modern Home in Montclair Hills, Oakland - Yum!

  39 Kimberley Court in the Piedmont Pines area of Montclair was my favorite house from last Thursday's Broker's Tour.  I loved the living room with the stacked flagstone fireplace, walls of glass with the unobstructed views! This home is listed with Helen Nicholas of APR.  Thanks Helen! List price is $949,000

Hidden Trails to Montclair Village, (Oakland, CA)

The Montclair district of Oakland is a distinct area comprised of an eclectic array of architectural  within mountainous landscaping full of eucalyptus, oak, pine and redwood trees.  I love the hidden passages that lead to Montclair Village, the retail area of this community.

Dreamy 1941 Laurel Heights (Oakland) Traditional

4145 Eastlake Avenue is my favorite house from Monday's Broker's Tour.  (Broker's Tour is a scheduled tour of homes open to Realtors.)  Eastlake Avenue located on the border of Laurel Heights and Redwood Heights is one of my favorite streets. This street features views, a cul de sac and is a tucked away street off of the beaten path.  This house has random plank hardwood floors in the living room, views, rounded corners, (a feature seen in the 1930's and 1940's) an eat-in kitchen and a large downstairs which includes a living area, an extra bedroom, kitchen and bathroom.  The master bedroom upstairs has a small balcony, a great place to catch a few rays of sun and glimpse Downtown Oakland and the Bay. This property shows pride of ownership,  is super clean, appears to be well maintained and is move-in ready.  Homes are rarely for sale on this street making this a property to see. This house is currently listed with Vicky Faulk of Coldwell Banker for $725,000, Thanks Vicky!

Crocker Highlands House in Oakland In Need of New Owner

570 Santa Ray in the Crocker Highlands District of Oakland is new to the market and oozing with potential. This property is listed by my colleague, Julia Temple at Red Oak Realty and is a bank owned traditional listed at $599,900. This home has fantastic light, huge rooms, original details, loads of charm and handsome woodwork. This house looks in need of work, but there is no doubt this could be a masterpiece, with a superb location. Last Saturday I took some clients out to preview this home and I was asked what this property would be worth in today's market once all the work necessary was done. I just did a little research and looked at properties that have sold in Crocker Highlands with at least 1800 square feet since September 2008 until now. (Keep in mind there were a few properties that were fixers, as well as stunning gems.) The average listing price was $948,349 and the average selling price was $927,705. I can't wait to see what this home ultimately sells for and what the new buyers decide to do to this property!

Lakeshore Avenue - Crocker Highland's Retail District

When people are thinking of relocating to Oakland, I like to drive them through the different districts of Oakland, so they can get a sense of our community.  One of Oakland's greatest assets is the diversity.  While other cities have numerous nationalities living within the city limits, but sticking to their separate districts; Oaklanders tend to intertwine.  A prime example is Lakeshore Avenue.  Often you will see a dozen nationalities mingling on the front bench of Peet's  coffee enjoying the sun. On Saturday mornings Lakeshore Avenue bustles as folks from all over Oakland attend the weekly Farmer's Market for food, music and culture. (On Lakeside between Lakeshore Avenue and Grand Avenue - Open All Year Long)  Lakeshore Avenue is the retail district (within walking distance) from Crocker Highlands and the Lake Merritt area. When I was a teenager I worked a few summer jobs on Lakeshore  Avenue and this is still one of my favorite stomping grounds.   Stop by Maribel to consign your quality, chic clothing and accessories or spy and buy  new and gently used jewelery, handbags, clothes and accessories.  3251 Lakeshore Avenue. (510) 419-0677, consignment hours 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Open Daily.

My favorite vegetarian pizza is baked fresh and all day long at Arizmendi.  This worker owned cooperative bakery is the sister to the The Cheese Board Collective in the Gourmet Ghetto of Berkeley.  Here you can buy all things bread made with the best ingredients, from baguettes to their wonderful cornmeal and dried cherry scones to the veggie pizza.  Purchase pizza by the slice or whole pie. Click here for the daily pizza menu.

Lakeshore Avenue has Trader Joes, Peet's Coffee, Noah's Bagels, Flavors of India Restaurant, Mezze Restaurant, Urban Indigo and more.  Additionally around the corner, (within walking distance) is the Grand Lake Movie Theatre, where you can still hear the Mighty Wulitzer Organ play briefly before select movies on Friday and Saturday nights.  Lakeshore Avenue has a few vacant retail spaces, what would you like to see on this street? Please leave a comment.

North Oakland Redo

This home at 5932 Whitney Street was for sale last year.  Many buyers like this neighborhood as it is super close to Berkeley, Ashby Bart and the Temescal shopping district of Oakland.  The problem was, last year this house was a fixer, and many buyers could not afford to purchase this home and pay for the renovations necessary.  Fortunately, this home was purchased by a licenced contractor who renovated this home, all with permits.  5932 Whitney is now beautiful, available and move-in ready!  This is my colleague's listing and I will be holding it open for her this Sunday, open 2-4 pm.  Come visit me this Sunday and don't forget to set your clocks forward tonight for daylight savings time!   Cheers!

Get Property For $5000 in Oakland? What You Should Know About Auctions.

I am hearing from many people that they are itching to buy a house via auction.  One friend told me that they were going to buy a house in Oakland this year for $5000.  He said that he did not care about the condition of the house or the neighborhood.  I understand, buying a piece of property for 5 grand is enticing.  If houses were available to purchase for $5000, I would buy a West Oakland Victorian and renovate it back to its turn of the century glory.    Here are a few things you should know about buying property via auction.

There is no Department of Real Estate regulations of auctions, nor separate regulations of auctioneers who conduct real estate auctions.  If the auctioneer is selling real property the auctioneer must be a licensed broker or work with a Department of Real Estate licensed broker.

To buy a home via auction you MUST have adequate financing lined up before bidding as the purchase agreement usually does not contain a financing contingency. (a period a time in which you can back out of the contract if you can not cement financing.)

When buying a home via auction you will not be provided with any reports or disclosures regarding the property condition.  For example, the foundation could fail and the roof could be long overdue for replacement. Unfortunately an inspection contingency period will not be a part of the part of the purchase contract.  A time period in which you can back out of the deal if you are not satisfied with condition of the house.

Typically bidders who purchase homes via auction are professional investors, they are not folks looking to buy a home to owner occupy.  They are investors who know all of the potential pitfalls regarding the process When you are bidding on a foreclosure via auction you could be bidding on just the junior or second mortgage that has been foreclosed.  For example the starting bid on a home is $40,000.  You bid on this property and win the home for the $40,000 amount.  However, unbeknown to you, there could be a senior loan or mortgage attached to this property for an additional  $300,000, where you are now responsible for paying it off in full in order to actually own the home.  How horrifying would that be to think you are purchasing a fixer upper home for $40,000 and realize you are now on the hook for $340,000!

I wouldlike to hear from you!  Do you have a positive auction experience in the Bay Area?  Let me know.

Independent Oakland Businesses in Temescal

The other day on the news I heard a bleak  forecast regarding small businesses in this economy.  The report said that 1 in 5 businesses will close.  I thought about all of the mom and pop shops that I patronize and how I like that they know me and my family.  I will be honest, I do shop at Target for my basic household supplies, but there is so much more variety in the boutiques around town.  Here are few shops within a one block radius of Telegraph Avenue in the Temescal District of Oakland.

The other day I stumbled upon Ruby's Garden in the Temescal Plaza next to Genova Deli.  How could I have missed this store for the last year?  A clean and cool boutique with original art covering the walls and funky tee shirts for kids,  handmade capes made by local folks, colorful ugly dolls and more.  This is my type of shop.  Ruby's Garden features clothing for babies and children up to age 8  and is a full service florist with delivery service available.  Owners Mae and Mary are Temescalians , (Okay, I just made that word up - they work and live in Temescal and they are committed to the success of this district of Oakland.) Click here for Ruby's Garden online.

Stop by Ruby's Garden for gifts, inspirations and urban chic clothes for your kids.

The Shaver Shop is a local business that specializes in the sale and repair of knives, fine cutlery, scissors, barber and sewing equipment.  Purchase new knives or maintain your old.  510-655-8742 Click Here to visit Shaver Shop online.

Article Pract's owner Christina Stork was super friendly when I stepped into her shop.  She showed me the naturally dyed yarns made in Berkeley by, A Verb To Keeping Warm.  Her shop features as many locally made products as possible and offers an assortment of classes.  Click Here to Visit Article Pract online.

Proprietor Scott  of Scout Hardware brings home inspiration to all.  Showcasing uncommon goods from around the global including finds from French flea markets, no VOC paints by Mystic, window treatments, furnishings, lighting and more, Scout is an ever changing home and accessory store perfect for your Berkeley Bungalow, Rockridge Craftman, or any room that you want to add a little nostalgia. Click Here to Visit Scout Online.