Found 24 blog entries tagged as Home Buyers and Sellers.

Let's assume that you have found a home in Berkeley that you are considering buying.  It really has a great deal of appeal, and the price seems reasonable.  There is a tendency, when you first see the home, to concentrate on it specifically.  However, each home is a part of a neighborhood, and since you will be potentially living in that neighborhood, you should expand your area of consideration about the home. Things can get overlooked that may become quite important down the road.  Here are some suggestions:

a. Drive by your potential new home from every direction.: Bring a notebook and record things that you did not observe about the house from the inside, but which are visible from the outside.  Check the neighboring homes more closely.  How…

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After you have lived in your Oakland or Piedmont home for a while, and invested money its repair and restoration, you are convinced that you have the very best home in the neighborhood.  While this may or may not be true, when it comes time to put it on the market, you need to take a truly realistic look at your competition before you decide on a final price.  As your Oakland/Piedmont agent, it is my job to assist you in coming to a price that will move your home in a reasonable amount of time, and allow you to realize a realistic profit at the same time.

Why is it important to price correctly?  Here are the reasons:

1. Brokers and Agents Will Not Show Your Home to Their Clients:  With the large amount of real estate web sites on the…

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You have just purchased your new Oakland home.  You are more than satisfied with its condition, and are looking forward to many years in your new neighborhood.  You also know that in order to keep your home in its present condition, you are going to have to invest in maintaining it.  That is one of the expected costs of home ownership. 

The good news is that while there are many things you can do to maintain your home, there are three inexpensive, yet valuable steps that you can take that will give you the biggest return for your dollar:

1. Keep Your Carpets Clean--This seems a simple step, yet keeping by keeping your carpets clean, you can save thousands in replacement and repair costs of your current, and possibly brand new current…

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At the end of every quarter of the year, the research division of Better Homes and Gardens Mason-McDuffie Real Estate analyzes the area Multiple Listing Service data to try to determine the direction of home buying and selling in Alameda County.  They develop a valuable review for current homeowners, and for future homebuyers, and give a clear cut picture of where the residential real estate market has been, and where it is going.

The key to the present statistics this quarter is the lack of inventory of home for buyers to purchase. This lack of inventory has pushed the prices of the available homes higher than expected, and created multiple offer situations. To illustrate, in the last quarter of 2012, the median price of a single family detached…

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In Part 1, we talked about general questions that a home buyer of Alameda homes, or Alameda Bay Farm Island homes might ask themselves as they begin their search for their new house.  In Part 2, I am going to give you a suggested checklist of items that you might want to use to narrow your search more effectively.  As mentioned yesterday, the sooner you locate your ideal property, the sooner we can move ahead as a team to fine your special place.

Here are some suggested questions for a working checklist. Take this with you as you begin to view potential homes.

A. What Kind Of Home Do You Want?  Here are some items to consider:

1. Is there a special style of home that appeals to you?

2. How many bedrooms and bathrooms will you need?

3. Do…

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It is an exciting time as you begin to look for your new Alameda or Alameda Bay Farm Island Home.  There are so many issues to be considered.  My job, as your real estate agent is to place you in the very best home that meets both your financial and personal priorities. 

If you are like most future home owners, you have created a rather extensive list of ideal things that you would like to see in your new house. The key to getting what you want in the most practical and affordable manner is to isolate your highest priorities, and work with them first.  If you can tell me, as your agent, your most important issues, we can focus on them first, and move you ahead quickly.  With fewer homes on the market right now in many areas, a prompt and…

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When we put your Alameda home on the market, there will be many potential buyers and brokers wanting to view it to see if it will meet their needs.  Together, we will create a plan to present your home in the most attractive way possible, but there is one step that makes a huge difference in the overall look--getting rid of clutter.

While this seems obvious, it is often a very difficult thing to do, because of the emotional attachment that family members have towards the items in their various rooms.  However, it becomes necessary because it is important that buyers can envision themselves in your home.  It needs to be as open and inviting as possible to achieve this goal.

Here are some simple, and inexpensive ways to get the job done:

1. Remove…

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To get the full value for your Oakland home, you will need to present it to potential buyers at its very best.  While this seems obvious, there is often, in some homes, a feature that will often deter many future buyers from seriously considering the purchase.  That feature is the presence of damage or odor due to problematic pets in the home--whether dogs, cats, birds, etc.. 

All of us have had puppies and kittens, and know that it takes time for them to settle into their new homes.  There is often a lot of damage that can be caused during this short period of time, however, and the issues need to be dealt with before the home is placed on the market.

Additionally, the day to day issues surrounding pets need to be prepared for as well.  Here are…

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When it comes time to consider selling your Piedmont, CA home, you will want to have a realistic expectation as to its value, especially if you need to sell it to purchase another home.  You do not want it to sit on the market for weeks, or even months, because it has not attracted buyers.

Here are a few things that you should do before settling on any firm pricing:

1. Compare and Contrast--With the amazing availability of real estate web sites showing  homes for sale in your area, coupled with a detailed description and picture of each, you should have an excellent overview of what the price range should be for homes in Piedmont, or even nearby Oakland homes. 

2. Take a Hard Look At The Facts--While it might be nice to imagine your home bringing…

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If you have been reading any information about preparing your Piedmont home for sale, you will have learned that the most important elements that impress potential buyers are new hardwood floors, upgraded kitchens, and fresh new bathrooms.  While these are certainly ideal projects to develop, there are some unexpected projects that impress buyers as well:

1. A Simple, Well Thought Out Entryway--Since this is one of the very first things that guests see in your home, take the time to research and develop an attractive home entrance.  Have it be light and airy, simple yet tasteful, and one that fits the design of the home.  It will make a wonderful first impression to assist in your sale.

2. Upgraded Lighting--Most home improvement centers have a…

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