Found 73 blog entries tagged as Oakland Real Estate Agent.

The busiest home buying season of the year is about to arrive, and it has just developed into one of the best times for sellers in years.  A lot is going on, in and around the San Francisco Bay Area, that affects the value of a Piedmont or Oakland home.  Here are some of the elements at work:

1. Lack of Available Homes On the Market--Throughout the Bay Area, the inventory of available homes is extremely low.  This means that motivated buyers are competing against each other for fewer homes. Additionally, it means that home prices are rising dramatically, as buyers compete fiercely against each other to purchase the limited home stock.  An indication is that last year's February's median single family home price in the immediate nine bay area…

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Once you make the commitment to place your Oakland home on the market, you realize that there will changes that you will have to make to its current condition to appeal to potential buyers. Whether your home is located in Redwood Heights, Montclair, or Rockridge, you will need to consider your selling presentation.  Some things will be easy to do, and others may require some financial investment to make your home competitive in the current marketplace. I, as your Oakland real estate agent will be going over many of these things to assist you in making the best presentation possible.  Here are some of the ideas for consideration:

1. Tour Your Home As a Visitor Would--Go through your home as if you were a brand new visitor.  Ideally, take friends or…

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If you, as a potential buyer, have a genuine interest in an Oakland home, perhaps in Redwood Heights or Rockridge, and intend to view it's Open House, then you should have a list of questions to ask that will give you a real sense of the condition of the home.  This is the time to ask questions and get answers.  Here are some suggestions of things to discover:

1. What Is The Condition of the Floors? You will want to know about the floor condition at every level of the home-top to bottom.  When you enter the home, note the condition of any carpeting.  Is it new, recently clean, or just worn out?  If it is worn out, it may indicate deferred maintenance, which could be reflected elsewhere in the home.  Determine what kind of flooring is beneath the…

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When you begin to consider whether or not you might be able to afford your Piedmont home, you tend to concentrate on the initial sales price, and of course, the monthly mortgage payment.  As I will advise you when we begin considering a home in Oakland or Piedmont, money needs to be set aside for other expected, and, often unexpected, costs that will arise as we move through the purchase process.  While all of these costs may not apply because some of these fees are often negotiated between the buyer and the seller, here is a good summary to consider:

a. Professional Home Inspection Fees: It is very important to have the home thoroughly inspected before making your final purchase.  Costs will vary among areas and size of home, but they are usually…

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Recently, in Part 1, we discussed the importance of curb appeal and updating your porch and entrance of your Oakland or Piedmont home. By creating an immediately pleasant first impression, buyers will look forward to the inside of your home.  In Part 2, we will discuss practical and inexpensive ways to reach these goals. 

Here are some suggestions to move ahead:

1. Research Your Neighborhood's Climate To Determine The Best Plants To Purchase And Maintain For Your Area.

a. The Internet is an outstanding source for deciding which plants and grass will grow well around your home.

b. Use all your research resources to do your homework.  Books, neighbors, trips through the neighborhood, etc..

c. Talk with your local nurserymen  They know the…

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Whether you live in an Oakland bungalow, or a large Piedmont mansion, you want your home to have its very best curb appeal to potential buyers.  Your home should stand out among its competitors if you want to be first in the attention of home buyers.  The good news is that you can, with a little planning, make things appealing, and, at the same time do it on a budget.  In Part 1, we will concentrate specifically on first impressions that your home presents. 

Before you begin, you must step away from your home and see it as your neighbors, potential purchasers, and real estate brokers will see it.  This can be a rewarding and informative experience.  What you might see as cozy and cute, might be seen by others as crowded and small.

1. Here Are…

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As a seller of your Alameda or Alameda Bay Farm Island home, you may be surprised how valuable your neighbors can be when it comes to putting your home on the market.  They can be a huge asset, or a big liability, depending on your approach.

Most homeowners who are preparing to sell, are given suggestions and ideas about how to make their home attractive and appealing to potential buyers.  But all the planting of fresh plants, and application of new paint or drapes may be a waste of time if the house next door has piles of trash, or there is a car on blocks right outside your rear window. 

While it's possible that you have gotten used to this, or decided that it was not worth alienating the neighbors by asking them to clean up THEIR home, the…

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While the Colonial Revival style is more common in eastern states, it is still seen quite frequently in Northern California.  Homes with this style are seen in Piedmont and surrounding Oakland neighborhoods.  Often, while not exact copies of the classical definition, they still fall within the basic descriptions of this style, which are:

a. Small porticos with pillars or columns.

2. Double-hung multipaned windows with accompanying shutters.

3. The facade is often symmetrical, and it may have, depending on its substyle,  a gable, gambrel or hipped roof.

4. Two or three stories and dormers.

5. The interior often has a center-hall floor plan, and multiple fireplaces. 

The Colonial Revival style became quite popular in America after the 1876…

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If it is important to you to sell your Oakland home quickly, and you have an interested and qualified buyer who is not quite ready to take the final step to purchase it, there are some steps that can be taken to engage your buyer to buy your home over the others on the market.  Most of these motivating steps involve a financial reward to potential buyers, and, if you can afford to offer one or more of these options, you may be pleased at the response. Here are a few ideas to consider:

1. Offer To Pay The Closing Costs: These are all the fees associated with the purchase of the home.  Fees are assessed by the escrow company, the lender, the county, etc.. So, while is is traditional for you as the seller, to purchase title insurance on behalf of the…

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Before you make plans to buy or refinance a home, you should know some of the things that lenders will consider before offering you a mortgage rate.  While interest rates are quite low right now, compared to many years past, they are still important in determining how much you can afford when considering your Berkeley or Oakland home purchase. 

While the marketplace always plays a strong role on the lending and financing issues of the day, the general considerations are:

a. Your Credit Score: This is certainly a key way for lenders to determine how responsible you are about acquiring debt, and paying it back in a reasonable and efficient manner.  Obviously, you will be offered a much lower, more appealing, mortgage rate if your credit score is…

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