Deidre's Fave's

What's up!  I have been MIA and I apologize.  You have been keeping me very busy and I am so blessed and grateful to have sold 2 dozen homes thus far in 2013, keep it coming!
Here are few local businesses that I want to pump!

salt and pepper bagel filled with lox, capers, cream cheese and red onions

3838 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94609
I am pretty addicted to the Classic closed face bagel with lox, capers, red onion, cream cheese on a salt and pepper bagel.  They are Montreal- Style Wood-Fired bagels that are hand rolled, boiled in honey water, and then roasted in a wood-burning oven. 

Stop in at Doughnut Dolly and Esqueleto, they are neighbors

Doughnut Dolly 

482 B 49th Street at Telegraph on "Alley 49"

The Doughnut Dolly Naughty Cream Donuts are ridiculously good.  I have brought them to my office to give to the staff and I have heard comments such as, "that is the best thing that I have eaten".  This is the creation of a Chez Panisse alum's baby, Hannah. She wakes in the middle of the night to bake fresh donuts and then has several fillings available and fills them to order. 

Lauren Wolf inside her super cute boutique in Temescal Alley

482 49th Street , Suite A Oakland, CA 94609
Esqueleto is Jewelry Designer, Lauren Wolf's shop that features her designs as well as many other creative artists' work.  She has a mix of fine jewelry, chunky statement pieces, beautiful art, all in an uber dreamy store.  I walk in and want to buy armful's of stuff.

vintage numbers, why is there never a J

5640 College Avenue, Oakland, CA 94618
Maison d'Etre is a Rockridge staple and is always one of my faves to find both new and vintage treasures.  I keep hoping I'll walk in one day and find a vintage bronze or enamel letter J for my home.  Owners Patty and Fred curate a unique mix of coffee beans, candles, jewelry, pajamas - basically a really cool place to pick up a gift.

Jack London Kitchen & Bath

2500 Embarcadero St. Unit F - Oakland, CA 94606
I set out with a goal to renovate my bathroom without products made in China. Everyone said it would be impossible.  I was lucky enough to find Brianna Dukes at Jack London Kitchen & Bath.  I found a cool tub and vanity, toilet and linen cabinet all made responsibly in the US. I also found  faucets from Germany, a medicine cabinet made in Switzerland and received a good discount on my order.  Brianna was available to help me with measurements, suggestions and recommendations.

Art Deco inspired rare peridot and diamond ring designed and crafted by Jeff Sahadi

4206 Piedmont Ave, Oakland, CA 94611
My favorite Jeweler is J Sahadi on Piedmont Ave.  I have been going to Jeff for repairs for years.  I absolutely love Jeff and when you look at his hands, you will immediately recognize that he is a true artisan.  He creates handmade, exquisite pieces that are sure to be heirlooms.  I have a few of his treasures, but think this rare, peridot, deco inspired ring is the business.

Saturday Brunch @ Grand Lake Kitchen

Grand Lake Kitchen

576 Grand Ave

I am loving Grand Lake Kitchen, I have had 2 meals there and both were fresh and delicious.  Try the, Breakfast Sando - fried eggs, country ham, jack cheese, avocado on ciabatta or the Savory French Toast - rye bread, 2 poached eggs, wild mushrooms, parmesan, arugula and herb oil.

coming next week!

I am finding that many house hunters are looking for walkability over house size.  Next Sunday, my new listing in Rockridge will open, located blocks away from some of the best food in Oakland!

You could live near all of this!
You could live near all of this!

428 63rd Street, Oakland

 

A picture is worth a 1000 words

3707 Kansas FLOWER

In a world where people want to see homes in their pajamas in bed, property photography needs to be stellar to grab a buyer's attention.  I love working with my photographer, Peter; he totally gets me.  On every photo session, I explain to Peter what I am trying to exude to potential buyers.  A house is more than the rooms and the staged furniture, it is about setting the stage and giving a vibe.  This photo was captured last week at 3707 Kansas Street in the Laurel District of Oakland - a sweet, sunny bungalow studded with fruit tree- love the bee on the citrus blossom.

I am back - February 2013 Oakland and Berkeley Real Estate Update

Sorry for the lengthy lapse in posts!  I have been very busy helping clients! Over the past few months, East Bay real estate has been a whirlwind.  The combination of low interest rates, high rents, and a surge in desire for homeownership has once again created a sellers market.  Prices in communities of Oakland and Berkeley are still not at the peak prices of 2005 through 2007, but they are up from the steep decline of 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.

The biggest equity gains in Oakland have happened in the the walkable areas such as Rockridge and Crocker Highlands. (See the stats for these neighborhoods at the end of this post.)  As more buyers migrate to the sunny side of the Bay from San Francisco,  a higher demand is placed on a home with an easy walk to coffee, restaurants and public transportation.  Lifestyle can often trump home size in importance.

For buyers it is important to consider that interest rates will likely rise as the economy improves. This historic window of "cheap" money will not last forever.  As a buyer, if you plan to keep your new home for a long time, you can count on keeping that fixed rate, low interest loan and will maximize the savings.  I suggest that my buyers consider purchasing a home that will fit their needs for a minimum of 7 years.

Is now still a good time to buy even when buyers must compete, and prices can go substantially over the original asking price?  My answer is yes. Consider this. A listing price is a marketing tool. Many sellers decide to price their homes under its expected sale price to gain maximum exposure during the period the home is marketed to the public. Using this tactic often means that a seller with a home that might be worth $800,000 will price it at $720,000.  When a buyer offers $80K over the asking price, their offer is actually spot on in regard to value. But stopping there does not take the competition into consideration. With multiple buyers offering to buy the same property, it is often necessary to bid even higher than fair market value to win the home. What a buyer should factor into the equation while they ponder what price to offer is,  the record low interest rates. At a 3.75% interest rate on an offer of $811,000 and a buyer just might beat the competition by offering a few thousand dollars more. For example, the monthly payment with a 20% down payment, (not including property taxes and insurance) would be $3004.69.

What's the risk in waiting? Using the same example, if the interest rates rise to 5%, (still a great rate!), your monthly payment would be $3482.90. That equals a $480 per month increase for the same loan. It equates to an additional $5760 per year and $40,320 over a seven year time span. If you decided that you wanted to keep your payment down to the $3000 per month range and interest rates went up to 5%, your buying power would equate to a purchase price of $700,000 as opposed to $811,000- decreasing by over $100K. The risk here is that there is no guarantee that home prices will decrease accordingly by 7%.

A final factor to consider is whether you will  benefit from a tax deduction.  For example, if you make $100,000 annually and pay $30,000 in mortgage interest, you will be able to deduct that cost from your income for a substantial savings. (Please consult your tax adviser for the exact tax saving).

Ultimately home ownership is a personal choice, and a big investment. As you consider whether buying a home at this time  is right for you realize the numbers are now showing that the current market is in a sweet spot. The prediction moving forward is that prices and interest rates are on the rise...

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Field Trip for Inspiration

The other day I took a few hours off to service my computer at the Apple Store on 4th Street in Berkeley.  I always enjoy strolling down 4th Street so after my computer was serviced, I meandered down the street. The Gardener is always a place for inspiration.  The scent and the styling  here always makes me salivate.  Here are a few things to inspire:

The Gardener
The Gardener
persimmons
persimmons
succulents
succulents

Yasai Produce Market on College Ave at 63rd across from Cole Coffee has wonderful affordable produce for sale such as gourds and persimmons that can be styled into your home instead of fresh flowers.

gourds
gourds

Roger Lee Home For Sale!

Roger Lee who is known for bring high design to the middle class is an acclaimed architect who designed roughly 100 homes in the Bay Area, Nevada and Hawaii.  If you are a sucker for modernist design, walls of glass and open space,  you may want to check out 20 Reed in Kensington, listed by Mark Hardwicke.  Listed at $729,000 and open again this Sunday.

Giving Back

Since 1985 ROOF, Red Oak Opportunity Foundation, has been giving back to our community by collecting contributions from our 4 owners and real estate agents and dispersing the funds to small local non-profits.  It is unbelievable that the small donations many $20 dollars each has accumulated to nearly $1,000,000 over the last few decades. Click here to see our 2011 recipients. Next month ROOF will have our annual Poker Tournament Fundraiser . $100 gets you a night of poker and snacks. If you have a poker face, please come! (Call me for tickets)

If you are a non-profit you can now apply for a grant online, click here. The deadline for grant applications is Nov. 8th, 2012.

To donate to our non-profit, click here.

I am proud to be a ROOF supporter!

 

 

Out on the Street

Many house hunters know that Monday and Thursday are Broker Tour days for the Oakland and Berkeley area. This is the day that Realtors tour the newest listings. Last Thursday I really enjoyed visiting Dee Knowland at her new listing at 6319 Brookside in Upper Rockridge.  Perched on top a hill this home is bright and sunny and perfect for executive living.  The rooms are ample and the seller has impeccable taste!  I love the simple kitchen with large pantry and French door out to the patio.

Asbestos

 

Asbestos was popular among home builders and manufacturers in the mid and late 1900's.  Widely used for its affordability and its resistance to fire, heat, electrical and chemical damage.  Asbestos was commonly used in electrical insulation and as an application for the exterior of heating ducts.  When asbestos fibers are airborne, they can cause serious illness, so it is recommended that any asbestos in your home is encapsulated or removed.  If you are looking at a property to purchase, do not be alarmed if you learn that the house contains asbestos, as I have first hand witnessed hundreds of homes with asbestos ducting.  Every homeowner is different and you may opt to encapsulate the asbestos or remove it.

After living in a 1951 home with the original heating ducts intact that contained asbestos, I finally had the ducts removed when I replaced my furnace. The process entailed several guys from Synergy taking  great care to tape off the the area surrounding the ducts that they were removing to ensure that no fibers would penetrate my home.  After a FULL day of hauling 21 long ducts out of my home, they came back to check the air quality to ensure the asbestos levels were safe.  The cost was $1500.

 

 

 

1936 Rancher Captured My Heart on Broker's Tour

Last Thursday I saw a house that I could picture my life in - 2665 Camino Lenada in Montclair. (Listed by Mindy Scott)  I drive down this street almost daily during the school year to drop my son off at Montera Middle School and I never noticed it before.  This street is typically tight with school traffic, but one of the special features about this property is that it is set back from the street on a  large lot size, (.33 of an acre) with plentiful and easy parking. If you decide to utilize the public schools, Joaquin Miller and Montera are a block away.  Additionally, Montclair Village is a few blocks away. This is not a mid century modern rancher, but a colonial rancher with 1930's details including, vaulted beamed ceiling in the living room and many traditional details.  The house just feels good with breezy indoor/outdoor flow, large rooms and great separation of space with an ample master bedroom.  Listed at $972,000, this home was my favorite property on Broker's Tour.