America's Home Grant Program This is the $5,000 grant available for closing costs when borrowers buy in low or moderate income census tracts and earn less than $200K total.    The bay area continues to be a popular place to call home.  If you are ready to search for your next property, or are looking for your home value, visit: www.searchalleastbayhomes.com Click here for the monthly market reports! 02/20/2019

Go Local!  Let us all help the community by supporting our local products. It does not only help boost the economy, but don’t you know it is also good for your health? I love Oakland and I support all the local food/restaurants/products it has to offer.  I love coffee and this is an important part of my day. I make sure to buy my coffee at these local coffee shops:   Royal Coffee“is a family-owned and operated importer of specialty green coffees, serving the international roasting community.” Just order your coffee thru their online store and you’re good to go!Blue Bottle Coffee Shop“has grown to a network of cafes across the U.S. and in Japan. Just enjoy your coffee at peak flavor. We only use the finest, most delicious, and responsibly sourced beans.” Philz Coffee“We brew every cup “O... 02/19/2019

It's almost move-in day in Mexico! - New Story Charity Update Construction in Morelos, Mexico, is well underway and families will soon begin moving into their new homes. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people who have donated and supported this endeavor. Your generosity and partnership have made this possible, and I am very excited to share the incredible impact you've made in three specific communities: Tlayacapan, Tenosique, and Totolapan   This is the link to my previous blog and how it all started: https://activerain.com/blogsview/5119661/new-story-charity-builds-homes-and-creates-a-community Meet the España Family - https://activerain.com/blogsview/5303788/meet-the-espa%C3%B1a-family---new-story-charity-update A few homes are waiting on the final touches from... 02/18/2019

Buying Real Estate is about your future,an investment,and a lifestyle.  Some people think I am selling houses, but in reality, buying real estate is about your future, an investment, and a lifestyle. This client I knew socially for a number of years and he decided to leave San Francisco to buy his first condo, and to relocate to the hip and happening city of Oakland CA.He was a pleasure to work with and really liked the numbers so we dug deep and talked stats, market reports, and he did his homework interviewing lenders until he found one who could not only offer him a good rate, but great service. Together, we made a great team!  “Elisa was my agent for a recent condo purchase in Adams Point near Lake Merritt. She was incredibly helpful along every step of the way. She was very knowled... 02/17/2019

We wear many hats as Realtors  Some people think I am selling houses, but in reality, I wear many hats. Years back, part of my services were Property Management and I never had an unhappy tenant. My clients and I were diligent about keeping up with the properties and of course, that always helps.  “Let's start by saying A+! When it was determined that I should hire a residential property manager in Oakland, I must admit I was rather apprehensive about the prospect of hiring the right person for my needs.I'm fair, honest and loyal and was looking for the same.From the get go Elisa was simply masterful. I had questions, and Elisa had the answers and communicated them to me in such a way that I knew that she would be perfect.I would highly recommend Elisa for property management. I am hope... 02/16/2019

From Oakland to San Francisco and back. Commute on the ferry  We all have our preferred means of transportation. Here in the Bay Area, we can either drive, take the Transbay buses, or BART. Driving may take you about 30-40 mins, same as for the buses, BART may take about 13-15 mins.  Additionally, there's a ferry service that goes between Oakland and SF. Probably less convenient than BART, but more interesting. Here are some of the popular routes when taking the San Francisco Bay Ferry: From Oakland Jack London Square TerminalOakland to AT&T ParkOakland to SF Ferry BuildingOakland to SF Pier 41Oakland to South San Francisco From Alameda Main Street TerminalAlameda Main Street to AT&T ParkAlameda Main Street to SF Ferry BuildingAlameda Main Street to SF Pier 41Alameda Main Street to Sout... 02/15/2019

Olive Oil -- best choice for everything! I have always been a fan of using Olive Oil. From cooking, to using it on my skin, hair, and overall health. It is known to to prevent cancers, promote heart health, lower blood pressure, and decrease risk of diabetes. Imagine the benefits!  I use mostly local Olive Oils like the California Olive Ranch which offers the the highest-quality extra virgin olive oil from California and around the world. Another one on my list is the McEvoy Ranch Olive Oil brand. It is rooted in Italian tradition with a bold Californian approach. You can also try Corto Olive brand -- they take pride in harvesting their olives at the peak of freshness and promptly cold-press them in their state-of-the-art mill. Last but not the least is Kirkland Signature Extra Virgin O... 02/14/2019

Looking back, you can see how far you have come in Business  Some people think I am selling houses, but in reality, I am selling a lifestyle. The longer you are in the business, the more you can look back fondly on how many lives you have touched. It’s not uncommon for me to introduce a lender or another vendor to a client, streamlining the process for them. Buying a home does not have to be a full time job.     “I have known Elisa Uribe for 5 years. We met when she helped us rent our first house when we moved to Oakland from Pacific Grove in 2010. She has always been honest and straightforward in her dealings with us.In April 2015 we contacted her again to determine if we were in a position to buy a home. From the moment we met with her (she also had a Mortgage Officer in the meeting s... 02/12/2019

The number one place for BBQ in the Bay Area  Everyone has their favorites, Everett and Jones came into Oakland As a small mom-and-pop shop and has grown over the years to be one of the best well known bbq restuarants. Whether you're working in Oakland, or just looking to have a good time with family and friends, I highly recommend this restaurant as a go-to place for lunch or dinner! It definitely satisfies your craving for BBQ. It is located in the heart of Jack London Square where there are tons of activities and other places to visit to.    The bay area continues to be a popular place to call home.If you are ready to search for your next property, or are looking for your home value, visit: www.searchalleastbayhomes.comClick here for the monthly market reports! 02/11/2019

Help me make a change I recently signed a petition thru change.org to help enact regulations that require fisheries to mark fishing gear with electronic tags. I think it's now time to help protect our marine life and aquatic resources as all life on earth is connected to the ocean and it's inhabitants.  Through Change.org, you can be aware of many issues like this one and one simple step you can do, is share issues on social media, or taking it a step further and signing petitions. Let's start doing little things for these creatures like using fewer plastic products, taking care of the beach and so on.Don't forget to subscribe to their email so we can be socially responsible to our planet through a company that knows how to make your voice heard.     The bay area continues to be a popul... 02/10/2019

Monthly Market Activity for Single Family Homes in Oakland(includes Piedmont and Emeryville) The Median Sale Price for homes in Oakland during January was  $627,500 with thehighest number of units sold in the $400k-499k price range. The bay area continues to be a popular place to call home. If you are ready to search for your next property, or are looking for your home value, visit: www.searchalleastbayhomes.com You can also call me on my cell at 510-919-5741 for a more personal conversation.I would love the opportunity to earn your business. 02/08/2019

Welcome to Houzz!This is a really great website platform for buyers and sellers -- if you've recently bought a house or plan to remodel an existing home.Houzz.comThe word comes from the combination of House and Buzz. IT is a home remodelling website that caters to current and aspiring home owners with a passion for renovation and design. It is somewhat similar to today's Pinterest, if you love looking at home photos online, this website is another great tool for Real Estate afficionados. Some consider it as the Facebook of the design world. Houzz gives you ideas and it's really helpful for Real Estate Professionals as some use it as a handy tool once theyre with a client at a showing, so they can easily show past aesthetic challenges, such as 1970s decor, showing how a dated house can b... 02/03/2019

Mid-Century Style Homes are IN for 2019!  Just a few years ago, the trend in the East Bay was to see a lot of Craftsman style homes both in and out. Now in 2018, these 1920’s bungalows and the homes built in later years are all starting to pop up with a lot of mid-century furniture and the interior and exterior paint colors have changed from warm colors to cool. For exterior homes I bet you will start seeing more grey houses with yellow doors!  For interior décor, finding mid-century furniture is easy. Online, you can shop at Wayfair, or if you want to feel and touch before you buy, World Market has a nice selection, mid- century and mid-priced. Regardless of what you chose, what makes a house a home, is when you add your personal touch. This Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds” print was fou... 02/02/2019

Client for Life - Realtor Shout out  Some people think I am selling houses, but in reality, I was fortunate enough to help these clients buy and sell homes more than once.  “We met Elisa at an open house in our neighborhood and instantly connected with her. She was easy to talk to and offered us helpful resources and information about the home buying process. When we decided to work with her, she took a lot of care to learn about us and what we wanted in a home. Once we found out we were under contract, Elisa lined up all the inspections, contractors and other resources that we needed to fully check-out the home we were buying. She checked-in with us daily and helped us coordinate between the seller, our bank, the title company and all of the other folks involved in the home buying proc... 02/01/2019

Moving on, accepting changes, and looking forward Some people think I am selling houses, but in reality, moving out of a home that holds so many memories is not always easy. Looking forward to what the move will mean to you in the end is always helpful. This client’s son had graduated from college and it was finally time for her to do something for herself. We just spoke the other day and she couldn’t be happier. I couldn’t be happier for her! She staged her own home to save on the marketing preparation, and since her furniture was so well taken care of, more than one buyer commented during the open houses. She walked away with top dollar for a home she had cared for with love over the years.   “Elisa recently helped me sell my home at a challenging time of year - it was listed just bef... 01/27/2019

Work is done when your client is smiling Some people think I am selling houses, but in reality, in some cases, those houses become a client’s retirement plan.   “I worked with Elisa for the past 6 months on several properties, her local knowledge very impressive, she is always online to respond to emails and text. Elisa took the time to know me and my family very well and understand our needs, more important she has my best interest at heart, when we were going around showing me properties, immediately she let me know the ones will not be of a good fit. I wouldn't ask for a better agent and friend from Elisa.” - Yasser A. Oakland CA  Even though the process of helping them buy a home is over, we have kept in touch, and as a result, our business relationship has continued.  I love my job... 01/26/2019

Create the home of your dreams, right where you are  Some people think I am selling houses, and it’s true, but I also help buyers find their dream home. I think my clients tells the story best.  “Elisa was absolutely wonderful with me. She was incredibly supportive, kind, and patient with my questions. As a VA home buyer, I had a little idea of the process, but Elisa walked me through the process and made it feel easy.She worked well with the lender and escrow to make sure everything went smoothly.She was truly dedicated in representing me, and I always felt she was on my side looking out for my interests.I highly recommend Elisa, and I would have her represent me again in the future.” - Raul Z. It was such a nice feeling of giving back to our veterans. I will continue to provide excell... 01/25/2019

Monthly Market Activity for Single Family Homes in Oakland (includes Piedmont and Emeryville) The Median Sale Price for homes in Oakland during December was $675,000 with thehighest number of units sold in the $1m-1.49m price range. The bay area continues to be a popular place to call home. If you are ready to search for your next property, or are looking for your home value, visit:www.searchalleastbayhomes.com You can also call me on my cell at 510-919-5741 for a more personal conversation.I would love the opportunity to earn your business.  01/24/2019

Small Improvements Make a Big DifferenceHow does your closet look like?  It's 2019 and what better way to start off the New Year than grabbing a cup of coffee, tea, snack and just reading this blog on how to organize  your wardrobe for a more peaceful environment all year long?  This is definitely one of the struggles most people, especially MOMS have to deal with-- Decluttering / Organizing your closet. First and foremost, you have to identify your personal style. I am not an expert when it comes to this, but one thing I know for sure is that I want my closet in perfect, color coordinated, neutral tone.  I start off in determining which items I will be keeping, and those that I won't  be needing anymore. I take boxes and label each one with which will either be donated, sold, given to ... 01/20/2019

5 Helpful tips when buying a couch for your new home  1. Measure the size of your room.  If your room is small pick a neutral color use dark colors as an accent on pillows and lamp bases  2. Book an appointment with a Furniture consultant at any local furniture shop. You may have to pay $100, but it will be well worth your time  3. Take-home swatches of fabric and look at them in your space. If your room is formal, velvet would be a good choice but if your style is more casual, and Belgian linen would be lovely.  4. Consider the arm height of the couch. Will you be laying on the couch watching TV? If so, is the arm too high? Thick couch arms take up valuable real estate in a small space.  5. Not all couches are in stock at the stores. Make certain to check if there will be an 8 to 10 we... 01/18/2019