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I am really digging my new listing in the Laurel district of Oakland. It is part private yacht meets live/work space. The previous owner was a contractor who created a huge space for his large projects. Barbara Tapp created this great aerial view sketch for me. Click here for more info www.3901LomaVista.com
We are now in our Fall real estate season. Homeowners who have waited all summer to list their properties and are now trying to sell, before winter. . I am seeing “cream-puff” properties, (homes that have it all: vintage details in tact, great flow, structurally sound, lush landscaping, stable neighborhoods and are priced right) sell quickly. Other homes that need work, are over-priced and that are not presented well to the market seem to sit on the market.Buyers can be very cautious about neighborhood, property condition and their future space needs. Beyond that unless a buyer has all cash, a home needs to appraise. An appraiser is an independent person who analyzes a property, neighborhood and recently sold homes to determine if a home is worth the purchase price. They are the eyes to the bank who is providing the loan to the buyer. As a seller it can be difficult realizing your home is not worth what it was 1,2,or 5 years ago, but you have to price it carefully to gain the attention it deserves. Speaking of pricing and analyzing comparable sold data, Red Oak has proprietary data for our clients. My sellers are also able to study custom graphs scrutinize number of units sold, median pricing, average days on market and more. What makes the data available to me different from my competitors is: neighborhoods are broken down into real neighborhoods, not just zip codes. I can access data on various square footage, bathroom count, select time or just one Thomas Brother Map Code. The possibilities are endless. Red Oak as a company scored a great coup, with the addition of Aman Daro, our Director of Media. I am fortunate enough to partner with him on all of my listings. See my Bay Area recap on the next page, but please call or email me with your questions, I am happy to chat with you about your property. - Deidre 510.693.4253
The chart above illustrates the active conforming, (regular sales) and short sales by zip code in Oakland and Berkeley as of three days ago. Short sales are here and we are all affected by them. You as a seller might owe more than your home is currently worth and need to sell your property due to a life change; you could be a home-buyer and are in love with a property that is being sold as a short sale; or if there are multiple properties being sold as short sales in your neighborhood, (they are often being sold slightly under market price) and are affecting your home's value. To learn more about short sales email me at, deidre@redoakrealty.com.
This chart shows Montclair market data from the first quarter of 1997 through the second quarter of 2011. As you can see, sales and selling prices are trending down. As I was writing this blog post, I got word that my favorite property from last Thursday's Broker's Tour went pending in less than a week. A cool mid century home on Saroni was built in 1950 and and renovated to tug on the heart strings of any mid-century modern purist. Click here to view the project. This home was in pristine condition, was tastefully renovated to enhance the property, (no Home Depot cookie cutter finishes here), is level and has a sunny backyard. Additionally it was priced correctly, hence it is under contract.
Click on the link to view a cool video of the Montclair district of Oakland.
Every buyer has a wish list as they venture out and start their house hunt. My Crocker Highland buyers wanted a home in original condition. They wanted to embrace the vintage details of a 1920's or 1930's property and enhance it to blend with their modern edge.
All of the original gum wood was preserved. The hardwood floors were refinished with a water based matte finish to open up the space. The wall paper was removed and the plastered walls were hand restored.
If you follow my blog, you know what a foodie I am. I love exploring new taste treats in Oakland and Berkeley. A coworker told me about the new storefront for James and the Giant Cupcake. Eurydice Manning opened her concept in 2008, but realized her dream of opening her own shop, when her North Oakland location opened for business, just last week.
My Daughter, Nia has already made a special request for these cupcakes in lieu of a birthday cake for her next special day. Here you can also order gluten free and vegan varieties.
A thriving retail corridor, the area along the Oakland Berkeley border at San Pablo has been growing and is part of the Walk Score Renaissance that Oakland has experienced. This week Walk Score announced that Oakland ranked number ten in the nation’s most walkable cities. In the past ten years, walk-ability has become more important to Oakland families and is part of the reason that home prices have remained relatively stable in our neighborhoods. Click here to read the article.
While I was there, I happened along the Actual Café, which is, as the name states, (with tongue firmly in cheek,) an ACTUAL Café, not a cyber one. The owners invite you to unplug, kick up your feet and stay a while. There is a wonderful bike rack, free WiFi and they sell seriously local coffee, McLaughlin Coffee that is roasted a few blocks away in Emeryville.
A Verb for Keeping Warm is one of those Etsy-esque artisan knitting shops whose purveyors have a penchant for doing things by hand. I discovered knitting classes and yarn dyed by hand right on the premises.
I love exploring my City, and it’s always a great time to support local business. Consider a stroll in your very walkable Oakland!
Last Sunday I spent a great day at the Temescal Street Fair. The weather was gorgeous, (not too hot.) My company, Red Oak had a booth and so we were right there in the middle of the action. It was quite a cast of characters. There was live wrestling, not something you see at many street fairs, and my favorite, Barlata Tapas Bar with their famous paella.
Besides meeting our neighbors, Red Oak was there to promote the launch of our new neighborhood video series.
It’s so fun to see all my neighbors out and about. If you are not familiar with this vibrant neighborhood of Oakland, it’s worth a special trip, even on a non-street-fair day!
Often times people know what they want, but have no idea what it costs. I would love to live in Upper Rockridge for $600,000, but I know that is not feasible. A client came to me looking to buy a home in three specific neighborhoods - Rockridge, Claremont and Crocker Highlands.
He came to me with no real knowledge of the market or what these neighborhoods typically sell for. So as a way to help familiarize him with the market and the prices that these neighborhoods typically command, I had these graphs made for him. After he reviewed them, he was able to determine if these neighborhoods would in fact fit in his budget.
Below are some samples of the graphs I prepared for him: (Elmwood, Crocker Highlands, Claremont 1st quarter 2008 - April 2011)
The City of Oakland has hired some furry friends to help with the weed problem at Joaquin Miller Park and other public grounds. Goats are excellent crawlers, climbers and jumpers, so they don't mind being on the side of steep hill.
Goats are also a natural and less expensive alternative to weed control. According to Ken Gee, Noble Foundation wildlife researcher, goats will choose weeds or woody plants 85 percent of the time and grasses only 13 percent of the time.
Mountain View Cemetery is an architectural gem in Oakland. Frederick Law Olmsted, the same guy that designed Central Park, Stanford University and much of UC Berkley's campus, designed this beautiful cemetery. The famous landscape architect drew upon the sloping foothills in Piedmont and Oakland to express the harmony between man and the natural setting. It is common to see people remembering their loved ones and folks jogging during a week day lunch hour.
The Mountain View Cemetery Association is a nonsectarian, community nonprofit corporation which maintains the cemetery through an endowment fund. Docent-led tours occur two Saturdays a month. Check out this true Oakland natural beauty. More information about the cemetery, including tour information can be found here: http://www.mountainviewcemetery.org/
Today we honor all of the fathers. The photo above is by Oakland artist Sara Haba of my husband and children.
Amy Perl's (http://www.amyperl.com/) latest photo art work and Craig Erickson's (tmdwblog.blogspot.com) awesome illustrations on wood + resin art work will be on display. Fivetenburger (delicious food!), as well as super cool crafters Hoof and Horn (hoofandhorn.tumblr.com), A Boy Named Coy (aboynamedcoy.com), and Cougar Horse (http://cougarhorse.com/) will be open with their custom clothing designs, and some great artisans' work!
TONIGHT - Thursday, June 16
6:30ish - 10 pm
Amy Perl Photography Studio and Dana and Reed from Cougar Horse Boutique
4456 Piedmont Ave (near the Oakland Cemetery)
It should be a fun time!
This is in conjunction with Piedmont Avenue's first monthly THIRD THURSDAY ART WALK.
Some of Amy Perl's work:
A few years ago, Liz and Eric sold their small house in Temescal and were able to buy a large home in Redwood Heights. This neighborhood is sometimes overlooked, but it's a great place to live. Plus, your money goes a lot farther compared to others. Liz and Eric's home in Redwood Heights was built in the 1970s, and they've renovated it to give a nod to mid-century design.
They also opened up the entrance to the backyard with these great double doors. It opens up the kitchen, brings in natural light and frames the gorgeous landscaped backyard.
What I like the most about their landscaping (besides that they designed it themselves) is the various focal points. The water feature, the private corner spa area, the deck, variety of foliage and the grass.
Sometimes it's difficult as a seller to find out that your home is worth less than you thought. I always encourage my clients to price right initially so they can sell quickly and at top dollar. For example, a house should be listed at $549,000 but a seller insists on listing at $599,000. Because it's priced too high and a buyer is not willing to purchase a property for more than it's worth, it sits on the market. Often times, it can take more than one price reduction to ultimately sell the house. On average in Oakland for 2010, a seller had to reduce by 14% to sell.
Let's do the math.
Agent suggested listing price: $549,000
Seller insisted listing price: $599,000
Ultimate selling price: $515,140
In this scenario, the seller actually lost $33,860 compared to if they had priced it right at $549,000. This doesn't take into account the mortgage, the property tax, etc. the seller had to pay while maintaining the listing.
A recent client of mine went with my suggested listing price of $329,000, and we just closed at $347,000. My seller obtained 3 offers in 6 days, and the market took the price where it needed to be - $18,000 more!
I really try to be honest with my sellers about property values. As you can see below in the chart, Red Oak Realty sells more of their listed properties than our competitors.
Love this new listing - had to share. The sellers completely renovated the entire house. They have fabulous aesthetic and style, and their art collection and furnishings were really inspiring. Listing Courtesy of Dave and Carla Higgins at Grubb Co.
4 Bedrooms • 2++ Baths • San Francisco Views • Listed at $1.2M
Ron Perry of Grounded and Green Electric
Wow, what a lesson learned.
About 6 years ago, I hired someone to install recess lighting into my home. This person was recommended by a colleague of my husband and I did not call any references or verify anything about this person. That was my first mistake.
I then went down to my favorite lighting store in Berkeley and purchased recessed lights. I explained to my favorite lighting guy that I was having recessed lights installed in my home. He asked me if I needed remodeled cans or new construction cans. Of course I said, "remodeled cans". Didn't remodeled cans mean, they were perfect for my lighting remodel? That was my second mistake.
I purchased 21 of these cans with all of the trims, etc... and had them installed.
Last summer I replaced my furnace and removed and replaced all of my old asbestos duct-work. During this time, many things were moved around in the attic to accommodate this project. (Yes, a licensed heating professional and asbestos abatement company were hired!) Shortly after this home improvement, my hallway recessed lights stopped working, one by one. I hired an licensed electrician, (and yes I checked his references) who said the lights were overheating. I found out that the recessed cans that I purchased, (the remodeled cans) were for properties with no insulation. If insulation surrounds the remodeled cans they will get too hot and stop working or the wires inside the fixtures will fry! Remodeled cans have no barrier to protect the unit. I took a light down and guess what? The wires were burned!
IC or “insulation contact” rated new construction recessed lights are needed if a recessed can comes into contact with insulation. These lights have a metal box built around the can to protect the light from insulation!
Learn from my mistake!
Since the real estate market slow down, most of my home-buying clients look for properties in the best neighborhoods that they can afford having wonderful lay-outs or flow with potential for improvement. They are willing to live in an outdated home that is structurally sound. Old floral wallpaper or brown 1978 laminate kitchen cabinets? Bring it on!
I'd say the number one question asked when house hunting: is there hardwood under that carpet? ( if there is wall to wall carpeting) I often look for hardwood in the closets or any small seam in the carpet to take a peek. When Amy and Drew purchased their home last Fall, we knew there was hardwood in all of the rooms except the hallway was an unknown. The day escrow closed, I met them at their new home with my go-to hardwood floor guy, Danny. We immediately pulled up the carpet to reveal oak floors. Refinishing hardwood floors before your move-in day is ideal, as you will not have to re-arrange and move furniture later for access. Silky smooth, clean floors is a great starting place for new beginnings in your space.
At Amy and Drew's Crocker Highland's property, Danny sanded a few spots on the floor and rubbed on oil based and water based polyurethanes for comparison. Amy who has a fantastic aesthetic preferred the matte and subdued water base finish that also has lower VOC's.
Here in the East Bay where we have older housing stock, original oak and fir floors are prized. If you are considering a floor improvement try to avoid, laminate or engineered flooring if you can. Floors that match the era of your home is ideal. A good hardwood floor person can make repairs on your existing floors including the removal of your old floor furnace and /or a few rotten boards and add new boards that will blend in seamlessly.
Almost daily, I am reminded of how glorious the East Bay is. As I take my quick drive to my office at Red Oak, (from Montclair Village down Moraga to Pleasant Valley Avenue) I capture photo perfect glimpses of the Bay and San Francisco. Our burgeoning restaurant scene is rivaling San Francisco's and New York and if you want to get away to the lush green terrain of the wine country you are only about an hour away. My good friend Claudia and I decided that a vacation doesn't have to be an airplane ride away, nor does it have to be for a length of time. As our lives seem more hectic than ever, and everyone is on a budget, try a weekend getaway to decompress from it all. Downtown Napa is only 15 minutes or so from Vallejo and downtown is drawing tourist and natives alike. The redeveloping waterfront where the Napa River and Napa River Trail meet includes Oxbow Market and the world-famous Chef Masahura Morimoto's restaurant, Morimoto. Old town Napa has Butter Cream Bakery and Diner. (My friend Monica turned me on to this donut heaven!)
If you head North, Yountville is a great place to stop and get fresh oysters or a a croque madame at Bouchon. Drive about 10 minutes longer and you are at one of my favorite standards, Rutherford Grill. The Nice salad and the grilled fish of the day is my go to meal. If your budget permits, stay at Solage Calistoga for an incredible overnight stay. Solage is the hip spa /resort located on 22 acres in the heart of Calistoga. Part of the Auberge Resort family, Solage is a bit more relaxed and affordable than Auberage Du Soleil in Napa. The Michelien rated Solbar on the property is a great place to eat in the bar, in the dining room or outside in the sun. The Lucky Pig is enough food for two and is super satisfying with slow roasted pork, sesame seed crepes, a myriad of topings including fresh mint, cilantro, lime, roasted peanuts and various sauces.
One of the amenities at Solage are the two cruisers that you can use during your stay. Ride all around Calistoga and there is no need to lock your bike, with the Solage license plates to identify them, lost bikes are returned back to the resort. Sometimes we forget that the Bay Area and Napa Valley is a worldwide vacation destination and it is in our backyard.
Montclair Village is one of my favorite communities in Oakland. Here's the scoop:
What to do in Montclair Village...
Realtor, CA DRE #01451749 – Red Oak Realty
510 693 4253 / deidre@redoakrealty.com / 6450 Moraga Avenue, Oakland CA 94611
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