This year, there is no reason for Piedmont residents to go out of town to celebrate New Year's Eve. The Piedmont Center For The Arts is presenting, for the first time, a Musical New Year's Eve Party.  They are encouraging residents to bring their children, their neighbors and their friends to come and celebrate together at the Center.  They will be entertained by strolling cabaret singers and comedic skits.  In addition, Shades of Gray, their resident jazz group will entertain, and dancing will be the order of the evening for celebrants. 

Dress is described as "whatever you like", and there is a no-host bar available, but BYO is just fine.  What a great way to start 2014!

To reserve a space send an email to: info@piedmontcenterforthearts.org.  Enjoy!

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As I mentioned in a recent blog, the competition for homes in Piedmont is very strong, and multiple bids are coming in for many of them, often raising the final price above the initial asking figure.  One of my jobs as your real estate agent, is to help you arrive at a competitive and realistic asking price, so your home will get immediate interest and attention. 

Many sellers, for different reasons, have a tendency to want to overprice their homes, and hope for the best when putting them on the market.  This is just not realistic, and there are reasons for this.  These are some of the top ones:

1. The Home Will Not Be Shown-With the sophisticated buyer having done his/her homework on the Internet first, most are very sophisticated as to current…

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During the busy time looking for a new Piedmont home, every family member has his or her "wish list" of things that they would like to have in the new home, and usually a list of things that they would like to avoid if possible.  Since it can get complex with so many ideas being considered, some things get overlooked.  Here are some important "Must Haves" that should be considered by everyone:

1. The House Must Have Sufficient Storage Space--While this may seem obvious at the outset, some houses are deceptive in the amount of space that is available for use.  Some have lots of closets, larger basements with nooks and crannies everywhere, upstairs under roof space, etc., while others are old fashioned, and have a small closet in each room, and that is…

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Once you have bought your new Oakland home, it is important to make plans for moving, so that your children can make the transition as easily as possible.  Moving can be stressful for parents, and often more so for children.  This is particularly true if you are changing schools, or moving quite a distance from your old neighborhood. Here are some ways to ease the transition--especially for toddlers and preschoolers:

1. Make all explanations about moving clear, simple, and easy to understand.  If the children are very young, maybe put the event in a story form, using toy trucks and furniture that the child can manipulate.  It will encourage questions that you can answer on their terms.

2. When the time comes to pack the childrens' toys, explain…

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During the past few years, after the severe economic downturn, many Oakland and Piedmont homeowners saw their home equities take a serious downturn, as the value of their homes in the open market dropped--some below what they originally paid for the house.  The good news is that in many Bay area neighborhoods, that fact is undergoing a dramatic change, and things are heading back up!

We indicated, as an example, in our November 8th blog, that Piedmont is undergoing a radical change in the area of home sales.  According to Forbes magazine, Piedmont, was rated #165 in the nation's most expensive homes in the nation (Sausalito is #160, and San Francisco is #161). However, because of very limited housing stock and dramactic competition among…

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There comes a time, when you, as the seller, must seriously evaluate the impression that your home will make on potential buyers.  Once you put it on the market, people will want to consider your home as a potential future home for their family, so it is important that you make the best possible impression on them. 

Remember, before we put your Montclair or Piedmont home on the market, we will spend some serious time discussing the ways to put your home's best foot forward, but keep in mind that there are some very simple and inexpensive things to consider:

1. Maintain your landscaping, plants, and shrubs.  Keep them trimmed and free of debris around their base. …

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Piedmont Haven's Dads' Club is proud to announce the 6th annual Poker Night Fundraiser, Friday January 10, 2013. You don't have to wait for spring fling to get your school fundraising spirit going, and you don't have to fly to Vegas to get a good poker game in, or a night on the town. Ladies and Gentlemen, all Piedmont residents, are cordially invited to come down and play some Texas Hold'em and party the night away. The Dad's clubs signature fundraiser is a very popular event, where participation and excitement runs high. Everyone has a great time out, and all proceeds directly benefit our kids! Per tradition, there will be exciting raffle prizes, as well as cocktails and snacks. Dealers are on hand to teach the game, so beginners fear not. Everyone…

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This happy little boy was a visitor last year at our yearly Highland Partners' Breakfast With Santa event. We want to invite all little boys and girls-big and little-to join us for food, fun, and festivities this Saturday, December 7th from 10:00 to noon.  There will be free pictures with Santa, and he will listen carefully to all the little ones' wish lists.  While waiting, Mom and Dad can enjoy our espresso cart selections.Cookies and hot cocoa will be available as well. 

Please bring an unwrapped toy for our Toys for Tot Drive. As always, we look forward to seeing you and your family during this special time of the year.  My family is partially represented already--that smiling little boy is my son, Kai.

See you Saturday! For more details:…

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You are searching for just the right Montclair home, and have already looked at a lot of houses.  Perhaps you are getting discouraged.  What you want, you may not be able to afford, or it might not be roomy enough.  To search effectively, it is time to take a break from the many good and bad choices that you may be making, and begin to focus. Here are some tips to help:

1.DETERMINE THE "MUST HAVE" ELEMENTS FOR YOUR FUTURE HOME--This may take some time, because there may be a lot of these to start with.  But, with some serious consideration, a list will develop that isolates these items for you.  It may start with a special school district-a real "must have", or it may be a minimum of 3 bedrooms and 2 baths, or a larger backyard.  Whatever the…

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Christmas is about to arrive in Piedmont, and there are so many things to do to put you and your family into the Christmas mood.  I have created a special list of family fun activities for the next few weeks. The good news is that some of these events allow you to "give back" to others, as well.

1.LIGHTING OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE--This Wednesday, December 4th, the annual Christmas Tree Lighting will take place at 7:00 p.m. at the Piedmont Communtity Center.  Lights will be ablaze, and Santa and his elves have promised to be there.  Christmas songs and melodies will be presented by the Piedmont High School Troubadours, and the Piedmont Council Boy Scouts will serve refreshments.  Candy canes will be given out to all good boys and girls--young and old. …

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