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?

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

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

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: How Piedmont Brings Out the Worst in Me


By Home Girl, aka real-estate blogger Tracey Taylor). Go to Piedmont and you feel you have entered another world. That’s if you live in Berkeley or Oakland or anywhere else where you are a mere mortal. I suppose Piedmont is the East Bay’s equivalent to Pacific Heights. Rarefied, privileged, cocooned. The median list price here … Continue reading East Bay: How Piedmont Brings Out the Worst in Me

East Bay: Mid-Mod Classic with Eyes on SF Buyers


By Home Girl (aka real-estate blogger Tracey Taylor, former Redfin Sweet Digs maven, making her first guest appearance on The Front Steps. Thank you Alex!): It doesn’t surprise me that this 3bed/3bath, 1946 house (pictured above), which comes with the distinguished Bay Area architect Walter Ratcliff‘s moniker attached, should be listed on the San Francisco … Continue reading East Bay: Mid-Mod Classic with Eyes on SF Buyers