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

Fall In Tilden Park--Fun Activities for Children

Tilden Park, part of the large East Bay Park System, has been a favorite of S. F.Bay Area families for many years.  With its welcoming trees and greenery that house its varied wildlife, it is always a new adventure for families each time they visit.  While it has many things for adults to do, there are some interesting things that will hold children's attention as well. 

One of the most popular attractions is the Merry-Go-Round.  This delightful attraction, complete with beautifully carved, and handsomely painted animals to ride, along with wonderful calliope music, is a joy for children and adults.  Merry-go-rounds are becoming increasingly rare, so this is a unique treat.  It is open only on the weekends in the Fall, and charges a fee for the rides.

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Avoid These Mistakes When Presenting Your Berkeley Home

It is true, when presenting your Berkeley home to future buyers, that first impressions are the most lasting.  That is why it is so important to have all of your potential issues dealt with before you invite them to tour your home. I, as you agent, will suggest many simple and easy tips to make your home extra appealing, but there are some basic things that will always need attention. 

Below are suggestions to deal with the most common mistakes in failing to prepare your home for showing to potential buyers:

a. Deal With Your Plants and Gardens.- Make sure that the dead plants are removed, trees are trimmed and old branches removed. Consult with your nurseryman to see what plants are in season, and will be for a few months, and plant them.  It is one…

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What Important Feature Should You Stress When Selling Your Rockridge Home?

When potential buyers tour your Rockridge home, they are looking for many things.  One of the most important is space.  The more space you can show, the larger, and more appealing your home becomes.  Your goal should be to present an open, uncluttered home that allows them to envision their things in that space, and encourage them to want to live there.

 Homeowners create their home to suit their needs.  After living in that house for a long time, they may not see how cluttered it has become.  Very often, as the years go on, rooms gather much more furniture and accessories than are necessary.  Things become a jumble of style and function.  While the homeowner has learned to walk around narrow spaces, or ignore the mismatches, the possible buyers will…

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Oakland's Mormon Temple in the Lincoln Heights Neighborhood

At one point or another, visitors to Oakland look up into the Oakland hills, and say “What is that?”. Commanding a hill, and bright white in the sunshine, is the Oakland Mormon Temple, an architecturally stunning building that is 170 feet high sitting on 18.3 acres. It is located in Lincoln Heights neighborhood and adjacent to the Redwood Heights and Oakmore neighborhoods. Whether you are a tourist or resident, the building invites one to visit. It has an outstanding view of all of Oakland, and Alameda. Famous landmarks in San Francisco can be seen clearly, including the Bay Bridge and Candlestick Park. Once you arrive, however, there is more to see than the view.

Visitors are encouraged to walk the grounds. Running from the entrance towards the temple…

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New Listing!! Charming 3bedroom Redwood Heights Bungalow in Oakland

Considering a move into a better neighborhood/school district or a larger house? Coming this weekend is a perfect home for a family or a professional to call their own. $359,000

Located in Redwood Heights it is the perfect place to enjoy the best the Bay Area has to offer. Conveniently located, with Oakland’s supreme weather and diversity, Redwood Heights is both quaint and pastoral in the middle of the metropolis.

This 3 bedroom 1 bath Bungalow home has a beautiful lawn entry, and an exceptional backyard, with a majestic Redwood, gorgeous Magnolia, and a bounty (various) of fruit trees.

Newly refinished hardwood floors are an added bonus as are a recently replaced roof and deck, and a downstairs workroom.

Please come and…

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Piedmont High School ranked in top 100 in Nation for 3rd Year in Row.

The U.S. News & World Reports recent rankings of America's best high schools names Piedmont High among the top in the nation for the third year in a row, winning gold medal status. After analyzing 21,000 public schools in collaboration with School Evaluation Services, Piedmont High was ranked among the top 100 in the U.S. at number 73. Honors given to other East Bay schools included Campolindo High in Moraga, Miramonte High in Orinda, and Lionel Wilson College Preparatory Academy in Oakland, to name a few. Nice to see some good news regarding schools and the quality of education here in the Bay Area!

When buying a home in the East Bay, buyers may need to consider what school district they are buying into. Even buyers with no children may benefit from…

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The Oakland Zoo's Walk on the Wild-- A great East Bay event

Not to miss this month is the Oakland Zoo's Walk on the Wild,
an"epicurean escapade", which is truly one of the best summer events in
the East Bay.
An adults only affair, it's really like one big party where you stroll
the gorgeous grounds of the Oakland Zoo, whilst sampling food and drink from
over 90 Bay Area restaurants, caterers, breweries, wineries and
bakeries. Start with the stroll, don't forget to take the sky ride at
sunset, and finish off with dessert, live music and dancing under the
stars. This is the zoo's largest fundraiser of the year, 18th annual,
and guarantees to be a fabulous time. Cost is $125.00
for members, $150.00 for non- members, patron packages $250-5000, but
what a great way to support our beautiful zoo, and discover and support
…

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Oakland's Greek Festival next Weekend in Lincoln Heights--See you there!

With lots of great events happening here in the East Bay, sometimes it is hard to decide what to attend, and what to pass on until next year.
Well, one event not to miss, is the upcoming Oakland Greek Festival. Taking place at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Ascension on Lincoln Avenue in the Oakland hills, this fantastic celebration takes place May 14, 15, and 16.  So many great things to enjoy: live music, Greek dancing, imported goods, an incredible view of the Bay Area, and food, food, food. One definite item to indulge in, the Greek sausage. Still thinking about it from last year. And of course, the pastries. Eat some in the kafenion with a Greek coffee, and then grab some pre-wrapped on the steps of the church on your way out.  More…

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Berkeley and Oakland Home and Garden Tours This Spring

Now that the weather is clearing up, and spring is in full bloom, there is no better time to check out some of the many wonderful Berkeley and Oakland home and garden tours Here are a couple to start you off.  On Sunday, May 2 the Berkeley Heritage Julia Morgan Spring House Tour and Reception takes place. Tour starts at 1:00 at St. Clements Episcopal Church in Berkeley. The tour will highlight some of Morgan's early residential work. Another event to check out is the Celebrity Roses 63rd Annual East Bay Rose Society Show. This takes place Sunday, May 16 1:00 at Oakland's Lakeside Garden Center-Lake Merritt. A great chance to stroll through an abundance of roses!.  Many of the tours taking place this month benefit charity so you can be inspired on…

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My new Julia Morgan listing in Oakland near the Piedmont border--554 Oakland Ave

Touches of Julia Morgan are all over this 1912 home. Built for Charles Sutton, the property is centrally located between Grand Ave and Piedmont Ave. A brass chandelier with milky glass lampshades in the hallway rises above the stained glass encased back entrance. The matte green tiled fireplace with oak mantle in the elevated den is a special touch. On over a 1/4 acre lot, the grounds have 3 mature palms and many fruit trees with permitted plans for a 2 bedroom 2 bath maid's house adjacent to the main home. Zoned R-70, the options are great with this home, whether a single family home or four units or more, it currently has four meters. The upstairs attic has been finished with a kitchen and full bath to take full advantage of the Oakland downtown and…

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