For Buyers

Apr

To arm or alarm?

Posted In: First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, Home Maintenance

One of the worst things about showing a house is when there is an alarm on it. Sure, the listing agent does their best to explain to you how to deactivate it, but that doesn’t always help when your heart rate is shooting through the roof and all you can hear is the “beep…beep…beep.” At one house, neither the client [...]

Mar

The East Bay market- it’s on fire!!

Posted In: Berkeley, El Cerrito, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, Listings, Local Market Statistics, Oakland

It’s hot, hot, hot! Despite what the media has portrayed over the past 6 months, our market still has its game. Last week a 2 bedroom/1 bath home in El Cerrito had 8 offers. Two weeks ago a condo in North Oakland had 5 offers. This week a 2 bedroom/1 bath home in the Berkeley Hills had 16 offers. Next [...]

Feb

HESA Do’s and Dont’s For Agents and Brokers

Posted In: For Buyers, Foreclosures & Short Sales, Investing, Legal

It’s all over the news: foreclosures are on a rise throughout the state. A foreclosure is started with a lender records a Notice of Default, or NOD, against a property. Agents and brokers beware–if a NOD has been recorded against the property you must adhere to the Home Equity Sales Act. In order for HESA to apply, there are four [...]

Jan

An offer I can’t refuse

Posted In: For Buyers, For Sellers, Good ol' Fashion Humor

Why are garage sales called “garage sales” yet they rarely take place in the garage? I recently came across an advertisement for a garage sale that said “What would you pay for this?” No item came with a price tag attached to it; buyer’s were the one who decided how much to pay for it. There was no haggling or [...]

Dec

Top 10: Real Estate Reading 2007

Posted In: For Buyers, For Sellers, For the Heck of It, Home Improvement, Investing

Give one as a gift or curl up on a couch with one. Here is the San Francisco Chronicle’s top real estate books of the year. 1. “Trump Style Negotiation” by George Ross. This book offers insights into Donald Trump’s big-thinking negotiating style. 2. “Buy Even Lower” by Scott Frank and Andy Heller. Aimed at investors. This book shows how [...]

Nov

Heritage Turkey’s? Find the history of your home.

Posted In: For Buyers, For Sellers, Neighborhood Businesses

Have you heard of a Heritage Turkey*? Heritage Turkeys are raised free-range on pasture and forage, they develop much stronger legs, thighs, and breasts than industrially-produced turkeys, which have mostly breast meat. The resulting meat from these Heritage birds is very firm and dark in color, as well as being succulent, rich and flavorful. They also come with a sort [...]

Nov

Payback for remodeling?

Posted In: First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, Home Improvement, Home Maintenance

“Help! If I remodel my kitchen will I recoup the cost when I sell?” The “Cost vs. Value Report” is published each year by Remodeling Magazine and gives you a city-by-city guide on what 25 common remodeling projects will pay back at resale in 60 U.S. markets. The project with the highest resale potential in the Bay Area? Replacing wooden [...]

Oct

Mr. Bubble is for the tubs: 2007 Market Forecast

Posted In: Economy, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, Local Market Statistics

Hmmmm…so the results are in. The median home PRICE in California is expected to drip, er, drop 2% in 2007 while home sales will drop 7% compared to 2006. But what about us here in the Bay Area? Chris Thornberg, an economist with Bay Area-based Beacon Economics claims “The market is flat and the bubble has popped.” Ouch, that is [...]