Found 11 blog entries tagged as Homes for Sale.

       

 

The city of Oakland has more than 100 neighborhoods--some are quite big, and some are surprisingly small.  Each is unique in character, history and home design.  In some areas, there will be homes that are entirely single family ranch, while in others, they are super modern, and sit atop a high hill with unfettered views of San Francisco.  Some neighborhoods offer a rich cultural history, and others brag about their very unique shops, stores and restaurants. 

 

   To get you started on your search for a home or condominium, I have created a list of some neighborhoods that may interest you. While there are more, of course, this should give you a strong sense of your many choices.  DISCOVER OAKLAND NEIGHBORHOODS & HOMES FOR…

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If you want to create the maximum interest and attention from Piedmont or Montclair home buyers, you must be prepared to invest some funds into making your property one of the most attractive to potential buyers.  The good news is that it does not have to cost a great deal of money, but can, with some planning, reward you in the long run by increasing the value of your home, thus allowing you to recoup your expenses while meeting these goals. 

1. Clean, Organize, and Simplify Each Room--The goal is to present a fresh, open, and easy to appreciate space in every room of the home.

2. Spend Time Creating A Pleasant Atmosphere in Every Room--Have some style or design for each room, so it is easily viewed, and is immediately appealing.  Take some time…

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On the last blog, I offered some ideas about a few ways to evaluate the neighborhoods surrounding some Berkeley homes for sale that you might be considering.  While it is important to choose a home just for itself, there is no doubt that the choice of a neighborhood plays a crucial role in your family's happiness once the home is purchased.   Yesterday, I mentioned the importance of choosing the right school district, and the quality of the neighborhood location as to amenities and services. 

In this blog, the suggestion for a criteria has to do with a financial consideration of the home's appreciation possibilities.  No one wants to buy a home to find out that within a year or two, it will be worth less than its original purchase price.  This is…

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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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Whether you are considering selling your home, or just want to dress it up a bit for the Fall, there are some easy things that you can do that will change the front of your home, and, with a bit of planning, will not cost you a great deal of money. Whether you live in Piedmont, Berkeley or Alameda, the principals remain the same.

The key is to step away from your home. Drive or walk away from your house, and then come back with the idea of seeing your home from the eyes of a stranger or potential home buyer. Ask yourself what impression are you giving them? Check and repair the following:

a. Remove all debris from the front of the house. Include the gutters, the sidewalks, the garden beds, and the all the yards, both front and back.

b. Weed and…

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When you, as a potential buyer, begin to search for your Piedmont home, you will be given a MLS Property Information Sheet from each of the agents showing each property for sale.  This sheet is a truly valuable source of information for you about the house, and you should take the time to study it at every location before you leave to visit another. 

To really use it properly, you should first have a very good sense of the kind of home that you want. Really take the time to write things down.  How many square feet do you need?  How many bedrooms and baths?  What kind of yard is important?  Next, take this information and compare it to the MLS Sheet.  How close are the two parameters?  If they are good, move to the next step.

The next step is to…

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When buyers are considering purchasing a home, its size, and how it will fit their needs, becomes very important to them.  Even though you tell them that your Piedmont home is 2445 sq. ft., if it does not actually look that size when they enter, will cause you to lose much of the valuable first impressions of spaciousness that you want to convey.

Additionally, many Oakland homes and Berkeley homes are often quite large inside, but need to be presented in the best way possible.

 Many things can cause a home to look smaller than it is. Here are some tips to make it appear to be the size it actually is:

 1. Before you begin showing the home, go through each room and remove as much furniture as practicable. Side tables, end tables, bookcases, chairs and…

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When your Oakland home is on the market, you are going to find that you are showing it a lot to potential buyers and their realtors, whether through private showings, or through having an Open House.  If your schedule is as busy as most, you may not have time to stop everything and clean up the entire house just before they arrive to view your home. Here are some suggestions of things to do on a weekly basis, as needed, so there is no need for last minute scrambling:

a. Wash Your Windows, Mirrors and Shower Doors-Windows are one of the most overlooked items, and as such are often the most in need of attention.  Dirty windows, mirrors and glass doors, besides being unsightly, give the impression that less obvious things are being overlooked, as well,…

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In Part 1, we discussed the history and development of the HAFA program, and talked about short sales.  As of June, 2012, a new version of this program has come online.  It may be of interest to Oakland and Piedmont residents whom I assist.

THE PROPOSED SOLUTION-NEWER VERSION-If the home involved is financed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, the homeowner will benefit from some new guidelines:

a. Under the new rules, servicers (lenders) will have 30 days to review and respond to all short sale offers or requests.  If they find that they will need more than these 30 days, they must provide the borrower with weekly updates, and furnish a final response within 60 days.

b. During the above 60 days, the lender must tell the borrower whether a short sale will…

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THE PROBLEM: Over the last few years, Americans have been made aware of what the words "Housing Crises" means.  All over the United States, due to the sagging economy, coupled with poorly regulated lending policies, homeowners are discovering that what they supposed their home's value to be is no longer correct. 

In the past, the American dream of purchasing a house, staying in it for a while, then selling it and using it's increased equity to move up to the next level of ownership was a realistic and reasonable expectation.  The simple fact is that, for quite a while now, this has been unattainable for a disturbing segment of the Oakland-East Bay homeowners. 

Complicating this issue are the huge amount of regulations and rulings at the Federal level…

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