Found 39 blog entries tagged as Piedmont.

 

Tomorrow, September 29th, is a big day for Piedmont families and their friends.  It is the date of the annual Harvest Festival, and is held right in the center of town, and an easy walk or bike ride for most of those attending. It is packed with events from morning to afternoon designed to appeal to all ages and interests. 

Starting bright and early are the growing and cooking contests, where residents are encouraged to compete by entering items that were home grown within the boundaries of Piedmont, and another contest to present recipes based around foods that can be grown, or were grown, within Piedmont. For those who are interested in these wonderful foods, there will also be a Farmers Market with all kinds of choices starting at 10:30 a.m.. 

…

2101 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Tomorrow morning, September 28th, many Piedmont families and their friends will be participating in the 2013 PUSD Wellness Center Fall Fest 5k Run.  This "just right" sized run is ideal for children as well as seniors. Additionally, participants can run or walk the route.

 To encourage a wide range of entrants, the top 3 male and female finishers in each age category will be receiving medals, and additionally, there will be prizes for overall first 3 male and first 3 female finishers.  There are a broad range of categories, beginning with age 8 and under, and moving on up to runners 60+years old. 

Starting at 8:30 a.m. from Piedmont Community Center, the route of the race is designed to take runners along streets that feature some of the most…

1760 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

When Piedmont homeowners drive by Piedmont City Hall during their daily family activities, they may not realize the source of this very unique, and handsome building with its lovely fountain, and appealing and gracious Spanish Mission style influence. Designed by famous architect Albert Farr, it's original design was a combined city hall and fire department with a bell tower (which cleverly doubled as a hose drying tower). Built in 1908, it was the beginning of the circle of creativity in the area.  One of the most famous downtown landmarks, the Exedra Arch, was designed by Farr in 1916, and has become an iconic symbol of the city. 

Just across from the Arch, at 400 Highland Avenue, is the Piedmont Community Church.  This was part of the original…

4377 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

While most Piedmont homeowners are used to commuting to San Francisco and Oakland by car or BART, the early 1900's offered an efficient trip as well. Begun in 1903, utilizing 4 car trains, the Key System collected passengers from all over the East Bay and took them to ferry piers in Berkeley, and later Oakland, for their final passage by water to San Francisco.

The term "Key System" came from the concept of the image of a key with three loops at the top, a shaft for the key which was the system's pier, and the teeth of the key was seen as the various ferry berths at the end of these piers. The three loops were the cities of Berkeley, Oakland and Piedmont.

 Below is a picture of the early station at 41st Street and Piedmont Avenue.  Note the two…

1965 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

While it is my job as your Berkeley real estate agent to assist you in selling your Berkeley home, and then find you a new home in a new location, it is also important that we analyze your future plans to make sure that you have a full awareness of all these selling and buying implications, and how they will meet your needs.

Here are some issues we will consider:

1. What Are Your Future Plans For Next 5-10 years?   While no one can predict the sale price of homes in the next few years, some neighborhoods are obviously overpriced, and some are the opposite, and will show a profit if purchased now, rather than later.  If your present or future home will fall into either of these categories, it is important to know that at the outset to make sale or…

1753 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

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…

1854 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

This weekend, Saturday, December 15th promises holiday fun for Piedmont families.  Three events are scheduled that should start the holiday season off with a smile:

a. Highland Partners Breakfast With Santa--I am pleased to say that my real estate firm, Highland Partners, has invited Piedmont families to drop by and meet with Santa, and have a picture to take home showing Santa with each child who wants to speak with him.  There will be good things from our espresso cart, and all ages are welcome.  Drop by 342 Highland Blvd. from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00.p.m. to join this annual holiday event.  There is no fee for all this fun.

a. 4th Annual Santa Breakfast--Piedmont Park and Exedra Plaza--711 Highland Avenue-- from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m..  Lots of…

2017 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

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…

1899 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

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…

2026 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post