Murals on walls inside houses has been a time-honored tradition through the ages. In Berkeley, the murals adorning the walls of Pauline Kael’s house in Berkeley became legend. More rare is seeing murals, or little “spot” paintings, on the exterior of houses. There’s nothing I love more than seeing houses that reflect the passions and…
Who doesn’t love a trend report? It’s so much fun seeing what materials, colors, textures, and decorating styles the experts and purveyors are calling “it.” So what to do when Pantone names “Viva Magenta” their 2023 Color of the Year? Paint the town pink?! The thing to remember as a home owner is: It’s up…
True confessions: I never had extermination done after buying my house years ago. After all, no termites were crawling or flying around. How did we know if the termites were old school or a current infestation? Then there was a live termite incident. Three different pest inspection companies did estimates, with three wildly different recommendations….
Beyond home insurance, there are a few things to ponder before embarking on home ownership. Here are 3 super important things that might save you and your loved ones a lot of headaches and money in the future: 1) People talk about having a will, but a trust might be even more important. Having a…
Holiday lights and cheer are ablaze this holiday season in Oakland, Piedmont, and nearby towns. Here are just a few holiday season events to get us out of the house and enjoying our fresh, rain-cleansed air: Temescal Artisan Craft Fair – Neither rain nor rain stopped Head West holiday gift fair vendors from showing up…
There is no shortage of explanations for why houses are sitting on the market and not selling in late 2002. High interest rates Uncertainty about the future The chance of layoffs The prospect of house prices going down Unrealistically high price expectations from sellers Multiple choice! Is bad Feng Shui driving home buyers away? Real…
I grew up in Southern California, where Trader Joe’s got its start. That’s how a 1982 Trader Joe’s flyer ended up in the glove box of one of our family cars. Finding this treasure inspired me to write a Trader Joe’s history book analyzing how what used to be “health foods” and “ethnic foods” you…
Temporary interest rate buydowns are actually a quite simple and interesting concept. Interest rate buydowns help home buyers afford a higher-priced home in the face of high interest rates. Buydowns temporarily lower mortage payments — even on fixed, 30 year mortgages. Basically, the home seller “buys down” the interest rate as an incentive. Meaning, they…
Add “trick or treat near Stephen King’s house” to your bucket list. Then add “go to Bangor, Maine” to the list. That’s where Stephen King’s sprawling haunted-like estate sits, surrounded by a wrought iron fence just made for a Stephen King movie. Or Harry Potter. Russell Street in Berkeley, California is my usual Halloween go-to…
Getting my real estate license and joining Keller Williams in Oakland are some of the best decisions I have ever made. I only wish the Keller Williams School of Real Estate had existed when I got my license! Why? Because training, mentorship and coaching are key to the Keller Williams mission and culture. Keller Williams…