How to Hack the Current 7%+ Interest Rate
Time travel back to sub 3% interest rates with an Assumable Mortgage
Category: East Bay
Why Everyone Loves Eichlers
Joseph Eichler built some 11,000 homes in the course of his career, and now nearly 50 years after his death his Eichler homes still exert a powerful effect on the popular imagination. In short, people love Eichler homes, noted for their open floorplans, large atriums, and mingling of indoor and outdoor space, to name a … Continue reading Why Everyone Loves Eichlers
When Did the Oakland Hills Fire Actually Happen?
Yesterday, October 19, outlets like SFGate and ABC7 ran coverage marking 30 years since the devastating Oakland Hills fire that swept through the East Bay highlands and destroyed thousands of homes. But wait a minute: Those who lived through that fire and its aftermath may be scratching their heads, because didn’t the anniversary come a … Continue reading When Did the Oakland Hills Fire Actually Happen?
Home Prices Soar Across Bay Area Since 2020
What does it cost to buy a house in San Francisco? It’s not an exaggeration to say that the world wants to know–SF real estate prices make headlines internationally all the time. In a raft of data just released by the California Association of Realtors, the median sales price of a house (not condo) in … Continue reading Home Prices Soar Across Bay Area Since 2020
Walnut Creek House Burns Down, Sells For $1 Million
Even burning down will not stop a Bay Area home for selling for $1 million, at least in the case of 254 Tamarisk Drive in Walnut Creek, which has now redefined the term “fire sale.” It’s been less than a year since fire destroyed this formerly handsome four bed, two bath, 2,400 square foot home … Continue reading Walnut Creek House Burns Down, Sells For $1 Million
Making Concord a “Hot” Real Estate Destination
The real estate listing site Realtor.com this week released its annual survey of what it calls the ten “hottest” ZIP codes in America–those neighborhoods where buyer interest seems to be the most intense, at least among Realtor users. The top spot goes to a ZIP in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where home sell on average after … Continue reading Making Concord a “Hot” Real Estate Destination
No, You Don’t Have To “Preemptively Evacuate” Over Fire Danger
Thus far, California’s nightmarish recent fire seasons have spared the southern Bay Area–but that could change, as the still-visible scars of the Oakland hills fire of the early 90s remind us. With that in mind, the city of Berkeley last week issued an advisory warning residents of certain neighborhoods to be prepared for wildfire risks … Continue reading No, You Don’t Have To “Preemptively Evacuate” Over Fire Danger
Why East Bay Homeowners Hate This Solar Power Plan
An enormous solar farm planned in the East Bay is making headlines and court dates once again–and it’s no surprise. Because although this appears to be an argument about such heady matters are climate change, democracy, preservationism, and even the very future of human civilization, the lynchpin to the controversy is really housing–and you can … Continue reading Why East Bay Homeowners Hate This Solar Power Plan
Berkeley Tops US In Housing Overbids
San Franciscans are peaceful people, but quick to launch a bidding war when a choice piece of property are the spoils. And yet there’s one Bay Area destination where overeager overbidding happens even more often, at least according to one source. Earlier this week, the listing aggregate site Realtor.com tallied which US cities lead the … Continue reading Berkeley Tops US In Housing Overbids
This Oakland House Is Free
Great news for bargain hunters: There’s a 130-plus year old West Oakland Victorian that’s yours to own for the low, low price of zero dollars. The only catch is: You’ve got to come pick it up–literally. Riaz Capitol, the current owners of a three bed, 1.5 bath, nearly 1,150-square-foot Vic at 2420 Chestnut, are telling … Continue reading This Oakland House Is Free
They’ll Pay You $140K To Live In This Victorian On a Remote Island
How much would they have to pay you to live on a deserted island in the middle of the bay? If your answer is somewhere in the neighborhood of $140K per year then you might be in luck, as SFGate has it that Richmond’s East Brother Light Station is once again looking for brave and … Continue reading They’ll Pay You $140K To Live In This Victorian On a Remote Island
Battle Royale: San Francisco Or East Bay, If You Had To Choose
Coming off the heels of my post about a modern, Swedish home currently for sale by some clients contemplating their move here to San Francisco or the East Bay, it inspired a long overdue Battle Royale (perhaps on par with SF v. NYC): San Francisco versus East Bay (I leave the “what exactly is East … Continue reading Battle Royale: San Francisco Or East Bay, If You Had To Choose
East Bay: Old Style Meets New Tech in New Oakland Listing
By Home Girl: Fresh on the block is a substantial contemporary home at 5881 Snake Avenue Road in Montclair, which stands out for being a mix of old school and state-of the-art techie. It’s worth making a detour to see this one, because it’s certainly not run of the mill. It doesn’t fit into any … Continue reading East Bay: Old Style Meets New Tech in New Oakland Listing
East Bay: Your Own Vineyard in Oakland (Yes Oakland)
By Home Girl If you have ever flirted with the idea of having your own vineyard and harvesting a few decent cases of mellow wine every year, but a move to rural Napa or Sonoma seems too much of a leap, then have a look at this 4/3.4 updated ranch home at 5651 Colbourn Place … Continue reading East Bay: Your Own Vineyard in Oakland (Yes Oakland)
East Bay: Berkeley Named Top Spot For Selling Your Home
By Home Girl, aka real-estate blogger Tracey Taylor If you are selling your home, Berkeley is the place to be doing it, according to a piece in Forbes which ranks the ten best suburbs to sell a home. (Suburb? Ouch that hurts.) This is how they put it: Berkeley known sometimes as a hippie haven, … Continue reading East Bay: Berkeley Named Top Spot For Selling Your Home
East Bay: Doing Your Bit For Gas Prices in the Berkeley Hills
By Home Girl (aka real-estate blogger Tracey Taylor, former Redfin Sweet Digs maven). James and Gillian Servais build “stealth homes”. Over the years the couple have designed more than twenty houses, mostly in the Berkeley and Oakland hills, and the one characteristic they all share is how well they blend into their surroundings. With their … Continue reading East Bay: Doing Your Bit For Gas Prices in the Berkeley Hills