My Piedmont and Oakland Real Estate Adventures. History, Architecture and Homes

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The Epic Homes of the East Bay Contest- If you've been waiting for the chance to show off your home's artful design, and pick up a few more ideas along the way, this may be the event for you. The Epic Homes of the East Bay Contest is getting under way, with a chance to submit your home, and make the East Bay proud.  You don't have to own an estate to enter, humbler abodes are welcome, with any owner-occupied one to four unit residential property accepted. Those who enter may be lucky enough to receive a consultation with HGTV star Cora Sue Anthony, and be highlighted in her upcoming book, Cora Sue Anthony's Epic Homes of the East Bay, coming out sometime this winter. Submissions for the contest are accepted until July 15. Homes are

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Oakland's Trestle Glen area was built around transportation.  Before it was as you see it today, it was the heart of  railroad line which ran along Trestle Glen Creek (mostly underground, now), and was originally named Indian Gulch after the Huchiun Indians who lived in the area. That railroad ran through nearby Montclair, and back through the Oakland hills, carrying freight, passengers and tourists from 1893 to 1906 when it was rerouted and torn down. The next transportation influence to encourage growth and development was the expansion of streetcar lines which allowed homeowners in the neighborhood to travel the short distance from their newly built homes above Lakeshore Avenue to their jobs in downtown Oakland, or across the bay

With so many hip new cultural events taking place here in the East Bay, and now more than ever here specifically in Oakland, it can be tough to pick what event to check out. There really has been a renaissance in Oakland,

with a total revitalization culturally, as an explosion of food, art, music and all types of expression have arrived on the scene.  From Art Murmur to the new Gourmet Ghetto in Oakland's Temescal district, one is not for want when yearning for a bit of the good stuff.  As a native growing up in the late 70's and early 80's, I remember Oakland in general, including downtown Oakland, Jack London Square, and the Temescal, as very deserted, like a ghost town. To see my city thriving now, and to encounter yet another

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If there was ever a small town neighborhood within a larger town, it would be the Glenview District, in Oakland.  Located adjacent to the the Trestle Glen and Oakmore neighborhoods, it, like all small towns, has it's "main street" --in this case, Park Boulevard--which is filled with local shops and small merchants that serve the needs of its residents.  For most of these residents, these amenities are within walking or biking distance.  Many of the restaurant in the small complex are highly rated, the market is handy and well stocked, and an excellent coffee shop attracts Saturday and Sunday morning get togethers among friends.

Developed the 1920's and 1930's along the trolley lines running up and down Park Boulevard, it grew,

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In Oakland, California, there is a neighborhood tucked into the hills called Montclair.  It is one of the most heavily forested neighborhoods in the city.  It reminds a visitor of Tahoe with its winding tree lined streets.  Views of San Francisco are available peaking through the trees at many locations, especially  among those Montclair view homes that are perched high atop the many canyons that are found descending from the high hills above. 

Immediately adjacent to the city of Piedmont on one side, and Oakland's Woodminster and Oakmore neighborhoods, it is the location of Montclair Village-an  enclave of small shops, and excellent restaurants which are visited by Oakland residents from throughout the city.  To add to the food

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The hills above Oakland, California were, at one time, full of huge forests of trees, some of which were over 30 feet in diameter.  With the demand for lumber by growing San Francisco and Oakland around the turn of 19th century, the lumber industry established itself in the area.  Redwood Road, one of the boundaries of the Redwood Heights neighborhood was a major logging road.  As the nearby Oakmore and Laurel districts began developing along the trolley lines transporting their new residents, Redwood Heights began to grow as well.  One of the first developments was Avenue Terrace, built in the early 1920's.  It's entrance can be seen on 35th Avenue and Victor, where a stone obelisk , believed to be the marker for the area homes

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On the last blog, I offered some ideas about a few ways to evaluate the neighborhoods surrounding some Berkeley homes for sale that you might be considering.  While it is important to choose a home just for itself, there is no doubt that the choice of a neighborhood plays a crucial role in your family's happiness once the home is purchased.   Yesterday, I mentioned the importance of choosing the right school district, and the quality of the neighborhood location as to amenities and services. 

In this blog, the suggestion for a criteria has to do with a financial consideration of the home's appreciation possibilities.  No one wants to buy a home to find out that within a year or two, it will be worth less than its original purchase

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As you begin to search for a Berkeley home for sale , it becomes obvious, when looking around, that in addition to considerations about the home itself, the neighborhood surrounding that home is certainly worthy of serious evaluation as well.  Whether you are looking around the University of California, or down by the Berkeley/Albany home border, there are some things that need review.

Each family, in  beginning the search, has different priorities as to what things comprise their most important needs.  For some, it will be the school district, for others closeness to family or friends or work.  However, when all is said and done, each family member wants to feel safe, comfortable and welcome in their new home.

Two important

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Sitting immediately adjacent to Alameda, California in San Francisco Bay, is tiny Alameda Bay Farm Island.  It was originally farm land, and known for producing two unique products for the nearby city restaurants--asparagus and oysters.  Originally known as Asparagus Island, it also supported large oyster beds,( along with other portions of the Alameda island coast) which produced what was then considered a great delicacy to Edwardian San Francisco. 

Although separated by an estuary in the 19th century from mainland Alameda, it is now connected to both Alameda and Oakland.  By extension, it is connected to the Oakland International Airport, which was opened by Charles Lindbergh in 1927. What was once a quiet agricultural area,

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The recent Bay Area Market Report for the first quarter of 2013 has just been released, and the results are very exciting for Oakland homeowners, and Piedmont home sellers who have been considering putting their home on the market.  Right now, there is a drastic shortage of homes for sale on the market.  As of March 31, 2013, there are only 4098 existing single-family detached homes were listed for sale in the entire nine-county Bay area.  While this is an improvement from the 3.370 homes available as of 12/2012, it is still down 55 % from the 10,282 homes available a year ago to date. 

While home sales have fallen to their lowest level in five years in the Bay Area, once homes are placed on the market, all nine Bay Area