When thinking about where to take the kids to see the holiday lights don't forget about Zoo Lights, the Oakland Zoo's very own celebration in lights!
This special holiday light festival takes place from December 4th through January 3rd. and is certain to delight the whole family.
Although there was one year this event did not take place ,during the transition to LED lights, it is now back on track.
Hundreds of lights, music, and Santa's village are sure to put you in the holiday spirit. Also check out the train ride on the Snowball Express with amazing views of oakland and the Bay Area (Best to try and go on a clear night)
For a great place in the East Bay to take the kiddies for a fun display of holiday cheer, visit the Oakland Zoo, our very own…

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No matter what your belief or religion, if you have never seen the Christmas light display that Oakland's Mormon Temple puts on, be sure to drop by this season. Although easily seen from many areas of the East Bay, the temple is located at 4770 Lincoln Blvd in Lincoln Heights. Just west of Woodminster, Joaquin Miller Park and Highway 13. I must admit that when I was a kid, I thought that the temple was a castle and a king and queen use to live there. Drop by with your own kids, it is quite a sight.

 

 


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Still known to many as Dr. Boone's house, named for the Alameda fixture who owned it for years, 1000 Grand St. in Alameda's Gold Coast has come on the market for $1,385,000. The sprawling 4 bedroom 3 bath Colonial revival home sits on over a 1/4 acre with an abundance of original details that were retained over the years. The architech was C.H Russell who also designed the Joseph Leonard House at the foot of Union St. Theporte cochère that used to sit on the West side of the home has been turned into a sitting room, but portions of the wrap around porch are still used today. Alameda's Fourth of July parade passes right in front of this massive home. The carpets have recently been removed to reveal the quarter-sawn parquet oak flooring. The dining room's…

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Green Day’s frontman, guitarist Billy Joe Armstrong, has just added his Oakland, California estate to the luxury market. The 5 bedroom Mediterranean / Normandy estate was built for Armstrong back in 1998 by architect Mark Becker and features over a half acre lot, pool with pool house and an open floor plan. Located in the Claremont Pines area of Oakland, the mansion has wonderful views for the San Francsico Bay. Boasting lots of unique ironwork, a rough-hewn beamed rotunda and, of course, a music studio, the home also includes a winding brick staircase. The remains of a 1911 'Red Gate' mansion designed by Julia Morgan.

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While most of the house has been redecorated, there are a few vestiges of Billie Joes' taste, including a bathroom adjacent to the…

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This is the next part of the vintage Oakland real estate developer movie from the 1920's that documents the building of Oakland's 9th St pier and the famous Alaska Packers Fishing Fleet of sailing ships with their big masts. They also show the "new" Oakland airport which cost over a million dollars to built. The lineup of biplanes and old aircraft are great to see.

 

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I found some great vintage footage from the 20's that a real estate developer made of the Oakland area. It was trumpeting all of the great things about the Oakland in regards to shipping and transportation. Oakland had one of the largest train hubs and continues to have one of the largest shipping ports on the west coast. There are some great shots of Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon built in 1883, it looks the same today as it did back then. The name was based upon the fact that Alameda was a 'dry' town. If you were coming or going to Alameda on the ferry, Heinold's was your first and last chance to get a drink. There are also some great shots of the Tribune tower and downtown Oakland as well as the shipping ports that made Oakland famous. I will…

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I just finished filming a feature story for NBC Channel 11 with Tech and Business reporter Scott Budman about the Internet and Real Estate. It should be on tonight at 6pm during the Business segment. Hopefully I don't end up all over the editing room floor. Scott is an old friend from Oakland, an award winning journalist and father of two. You can see the video here. Click Here

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The figures for the 1st quarter have come in with some predictable results. Housing sales are way up (almost 200% in Hayward!) with the bulk of these sales in the lower end markets. Foreclosures have been the bread and butter of this market with Short Sales and REOs bringing in buyers from all over. I've had one eager man in New Zealand who has been buying up properties in Richmond.

The low interest rates combined with the $8000 tax credit has made first-time buyers and investors dive into affordable East Bay and Oakland Real Estate. The median sales price of homes sold has dropped dramatically because of the focus on the lower end market. The median price of a Oakland home sale has dropped 70% since the same quarter last year. While many areas of…

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