The varied and wonderful Oakland Neighborhoods.

 Often, as we begin to make plans to purchase an Oakland or Piedmont home, we have a tendency to decide what we can afford by looking at the asking price of the home for sale.  While this is certainly a sensible place to start, some other issues come into play that should be considered when deciding what one can pay for the home.

There are, in fact, other costs involved in purchasing a home that will need to be included in any buyer's budget.  While many things are negotiable between buyer and seller, it is a good idea to include these elements into your purchasing plans. 

1. Professional Home Inspection Fees: It is extremely important to have your future home thoroughly inspected before making your purchase, especially if you have concerns…

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This stunning 5911 sf custom home features spacious rooms, and graceful architecture in each.  With its dramatic central staircase featured above, you can access any one of the 6 bedrooms and 7 baths throughout the house.  The beautiful tropical hardwood floors add color and warmth to the home.  The very modern kitchen, with it's circular workspace, is a central place for friends to gather.  

There are plentiful uses of windows to take advantage of the views of San Francisco Bay, the spacious grounds with wooded trees, and the partial Mt. Diablo views.  This home is on a well maintained one acre of trees and gardens.  It also offers residents a home elevator, and has garage parking for 8 cars.  

 

What makes this house especially unique is…

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 Whether you are looking for a new home, or a well established custom site with a view, these choices represent some outstanding opportunities for your future luxury living.  


               Price, Low to High                Price, High to Low             

Brand New Construction In The Oakland Hills App...

Price:   $2,097,012 City:   Oakland Beds:   4 Baths:   5 Type:   Single Family MLS® #:   40684374

Brand New Construction In The Oakland Hills Approx 5,197 Sq Ft, 4 Beds, Casita = 5th Bed, 5.5 Bat...

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Brand New Construction In The Oakland Hills. H...

Price:   $2,097,012 City:   Oakland Beds:   5 Baths:   5 Type:   Single Family MLS®…

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Whether you are interested in buying a home in the Piedmont hills, or among tree lined streets in Oakland, it is important that you know exactly where you are financially, so that you won't be disappointed when you begin to search for your perfect home.  Nothing can be more disturbing than to find that the homes that you want are out of your reach because of a credit history problem. Luckily, gathering proper credit information is just a matter of investing just a bit of research time.  

Even if you have been paying all your bills on time, and staying within the ideal credit limits, there may be issues in your credit reports that you may not be aware of.  Some may be due to clerical error, incorrect reporting by creditors, or incorrect attritution…

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The announcement of the 5th year of Oakland's Restaurant Week has brought a great deal of excitement to those who enjoy the many opportunities for delightful cuisine that this event offers. As in the past, this year, restaurants in the area will be offering special prix-fixe lunches and dinners to diners.  There will be $20, $30, and $40 price ranges offered, and these meals represent a special treat from each of the almost 75 participating restaurants this year.  

Running from January 15th through January 25th, you will be able to search for menus especially created for this event, and additionally, you can search by type of cuisine, lunches or dinners to help you decide where you would like to go.  Reservations are strongly encouraged.  

So if…

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 If you have wanted to live in Montclair with it's great Bay area views, or to settle in among the quiet trees, these special homes offer you an opportunity to do just that.  Some of these can offer you both of these benefits, so take a moment to discover these charming homes.  


               Price, Low to High                Price, High to Low             

Charming Montclair Contemporary Offering Multi ...

Price:   $799,000 City:   Oakland Beds:   3 Baths:   2 Type:   Single Family MLS® #:   40681080

Charming Montclair Contemporary Offering Multi Levels Of Open Spaces. Features Include, 2 Firepl...

Photo of Listing #40681080 View DetailsSave to FavoritesMap

Move Right In And Update At Your Pace And To Yo...

…

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If you and your family have a serious intent to purchase a new Oakland or Piedmont home this year, it is especially important to have an efficient plan in place, since you will be competing, in some neighborhoods, in a marketplace with very limited housing stock to work with, so your competition may be challenging.  

Here are some steps to take to place yourself in the best possible position to be considered immediately by sellers:

1. Before You Begin Your Search--Be very clear about your needs from the outset. Be specific as to what you must have, and what you can waive when viewing a potential home.  What things are the most important to your family, and thus nonstarters, and what would be nice, but not mandatory?   

2. Know Your Financial…

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Even though there are many single family homes available in Oakland, the supply in the last few years has been significantly lower than the demand, thus creating a great deal of interest, and in many cases, serious competition among buyers, ultimately raising prices for the existing stock.  

However, as this trend has developed, Oakland has also been the source of an evergrowing selection of condominiums, townhouses and lofts, especially in the new and vital downtown area, that is proving to be quite attractive to potential buyers and homeowners. With the Booklyn Basin project in development, there is, and will be, an amazing range of housing opportunities to choose from.   

 There are many reasons to consider this housing choice:

1.…

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Search for Oakland Real Estate By Neighborhood

Use this list to search the diverse Oakland neighborhoods for homes and condos. Oakland is a great city, and offers unique experiences and architecture in each and every community. Here are just a few of the 100+ neighborhoods in the city. 

Oakland Neighborhoods

 Upper Rockridge  Montclair  Lakeshore Maxwell Park 
 		 Glenview  Millsmont
Lower Rockridge 
 		 Grand Lake  Oakmore Hiller Highlands Crestmont Claremont
Redwood Heights  Oakmore Laurel 
 		 Trestle Glen  Temescal Crocker Highlands

 

E-mail or call me on my direct line (510) 517-6280. I can arrange immediate viewings or provide additional information any Oakland…

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When it comes time to sell your Oakland or Piedmont home, there are four guaranteed problems that future buyers will be concerned about.  These are not surprising, but are often overlooked while you looking for a new home, and preparing to move forward elsewhere.

1. Clutter-As I have indicated in the past, paring down your home to its most basic design, and showing off it's original floor plan it highly desirable.  Potential buyers want as little of your influence in the rooms as possible.  They want to see lots of space, and also want to imagine their things in the home to see if it will fit their needs.  Keep the rooms handsome, but simple.  

2. Outdated Fixtures-Many times, especially if you have been in your home for years, you have…

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