Home staging presents a house for sale in its ideal state — decluttered, clean, and expertly furnished. So YES. Staging and the reality of living in a house have very little in common…unless you’re a modern minimalist. For most of us, especially if we’ve been in the same house for years with many family members,…
Have you lived in the Bay Area forever and are wondering why you never heard of (or went to) Marina Bay in Richmond, near Point Richmond? More importantly, are you thinking how can you get into Marina Bay and figure out which is the best community for you? Me too! Marina Bay is a collection…
You know you’re a Bay Area home buyer when the idea of a “rentback” to a home seller gives you chills. What if the home owner doesn’t leave? What if you become a landlord? What if you have to end up evicting them? Enter the California Association of REALTORS® (CAR) form: “Seller in Possession.” Basically…
Home sellers in Oakland, Alameda and some other East Bay cities need to decide whether to repair their sewer lateral, if necessary, or let the buyer pay for repairing the sewer lateral. It’s part of a program called East Bay Private Sewer Lateral (PSL) In Oakland, home sellers or home buyers where there is a…
Buying a new house before selling your own house or condo in cities like Oakland, Berkeley, and Alameda can be a challenging process. Yet, who doesn’t want to avoid moving twice? To buy a house before selling there are many factors to consider, including: financial planning to know what you can afford deciding if it’s…
Lists of the best places to live in the United States hit my inbox daily. Best places for coffee lovers, doughnut lovers, chocolate lovers, families…the themes have no end. Most of these lists are “cute” and fun. Yet most of the lists do not take into account the many things that make a place home and liveable….
Building ADUs on a property with a single-family home or multi-family building has become the most popular way to think about multi-generational living or generating income during retirement. (The New York Times reports on the popularity of ADUs — although ignore the very low prices per square foot quoted!) But what if it turns out…
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…
Did your friend / cousin / in-law’s agent 500 miles away offer to give you a commission discount for helping you buy a house in Berkeley? When purchasing or selling a property in Berkeley or Oakland, it is always a good idea to work with a local, active real estate professional. Better yet, choose an…
When getting ready to sell your home, it can be hard to know what renovations will get your property sold the fastest and for the most amount of money. Should you replace your furnace or redo your kitchen? Gut your bathroom or add another one? Have the roof done or buy new appliances? Or you…
