Sell My House but the Pipe Organ Stays! Real estate deals come together when the buyer and seller can come to agreement not just in price, but in terms. In this case, it involved a massive pipe organ, to be sold with the house. When you see the photo, it is hard to believe this is inside the living space of a single family residence.  Now that the new owners have taken title, they  are looking for someone to purchase the organ. Do you know of a church, theatre, music studio, music school, or anyone who would be interested in such a treasure? Is something holding you back from putting your place on the market?  I love problem solving and would be happy to help. Just give me a call. 05/25/2015

Got a new listing, yay!The property is 1 bed, 1 bath, 955 sq. ft. No backyard. It has a balcony, hardwood floors, gated, no HOAs, 1.5 blocks from BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit). It's nice, modern, and it good condition.It's one of those vertical townhouses. It has three rooms and all three are stacked on top of each other. The builder built 12 units in a 6,000 sq. ft. lot (maybe more).HOAs around here start at $275/mo so no HOAs is very attractive.Newer construction, built in 2007. It's not subject to rent control.It's perfect for someone who works in San Francisco but can't pay SF prices. One train stop away is Embarcader station, SF.Because of all the stairs...climbing up and down...it's going to be for someone who has good knees.Listing price is $390,000.   The seller was a referral f... 05/12/2015

See what homes are for sale now in BerkeleySee what homes are for sale now in OaklandGertrude Stein is said to have said about Oakland:  “There is no there there.”  Well, Gertrude wouldn’t believe what’s happening in Oakland these days.This weekend, I was in Jack London Square, a former ghost town of a place.  Yet, Saturday night, you couldn’t find a place to park.  Or get into Forge or Bocanova, hip restaurants both on the water where the wind used to rustle through.  Prices for Jack London condos have gone through the roof … relatively speaking.   Now a 1 –bedroom condo in a newer building is close to $500,000.In Temescal, which has become the “urban cool” neighborhood to be in , prices for a 2-bedroom fixed up house are now over $900,000.  And Crocker Highlands, the well- manicured n... 04/14/2015

My client asked me to take a look at a property he wanted to sell. The location sounded great --- in a historic district near downtown Oakland. I told him I wanted to first see and take pictures of his property which at that time was tenant-occupied.    TRASHED! I made an appointment with the tenants, and followed up to confirm the appointment. At the appointed hour, the tenant was not there. Her son was in the yard with his pit bull, and I asked him to please call his mother and remind her of our appointment. After more than an hour, they finally let me in. I was dismayed at how trashed the place was, inside an out. Garbage inside the yard. Rubbish outside on the curb.  These folks were tenants from hell! I told my client that it would be impossible to attract good buyers, and that if ... 04/05/2015

It's the American Dream to own a home My client is a single woman, a social worker serving several cities in Alameda County, CA.  She's not a wealthy woman....she is someone who scrimped and saved for her future. Years ago, she reached for the American dream and bought her first home --- a duplex in Oakland CA. She planned to live in one unit and rent out the other. Sounded like a good plan at the time. She poured her savings into making the fixer a home for herself. For the owner's unit, she renovated the bath, the kitchen, and put in new hardwood floors. She made a herself a beautiful home. While she lived there, her place was clean, well cared for. And her tenant did the same. However, when she had to vacate to live with her Mom and sister, she had no choice but to rent out her unit.... 02/19/2015

IS YOUR HOUSE EARTHQUAKE READY? CA Earthquake Authority's Brace and Bolt Retrofit Program   Grants are available and will be offered by a random drawing to 100 Oakland property owners who apply before February 15, 2015. The grant recipients will be single family/duplex, wood-framed homes located in these zip codes of Oakland: 94602, 90609, 94607, 94610, and 94618.   San Leandro Zip Codes:  94577 94578 94579   Seismic safety is important. Find out more about the California Earthquake Authority's Brace & Bolt Retrofit Program  A typical retrofit costs $2000-$10,000. The grant is for up to $3000. (photo courteous of their website) 02/02/2015

White House Chief of Staff discussed a few issues on Face the Nation with Bob Schieffer The Situation: John Boehner, the speaker, invited Benjamin Netanyahu, Isreali Prime Minister, to speak to a joint session of Congress. Some people said this jeopardized the relationship between our two countries, and was like a Israeli spit on our faces. SCHIEFFER: Isn't that (invitation) something you wished he (the speaker) hadn't done? MCDONOUGH: I don't spend a lot of time wishing or hoping. What I do is I confront situations that I'm dealt with. Whaaaat!! LoL. What an elegant response from the WHCOS. We, as real estate agents, should take heed... I wished the buyer wouldn't ________. I hope the seller sees that __________. I hope the escrow company doesn't ___________, I wished the lender weren'... 01/31/2015

    It was a nice 55 degrees out in Oakland CA. I sat outside to meet Activerainers and friends. La Estrellita is a nice Mexican Restaurant and Bar in East Oakland. 50 minutes went by and no one had showed up! Oh well, I thought. The beer and enchilada were delicious so if no one showed up I had had a good time. I was feeling a bit disappointed, however. Just as I was leaving a colleague showed up, Michelle Lang from 4 Seasons Realty, r. And a few minutes later, Michelle Renowitzky, Better Homes and Gardens Piedmont Partners, strolled in. Cool!    OK, neither one is an Activerainer, but I told them about Activerain; about learning from other real estate professionals and that it was good camaraderie. The chat was around: 5-5-10 Rule. Doorknocking around listings: 5 to the left, 5 to the... 01/28/2015

I just got an email about the potential end of Zillow. HUH?? What?? Basically is said that Listhub is at odds with Zillow, and it will cut off the listing feed as of April 7th; thus destroying or at the very least diminishing the worth of the largest real estate portal. Zillow, however, is punching back by introducing their own listing gathering program. Zillow said it will get the data directly from multiple listing services and brokers. (I figure there's a scramble over at Zillow HQ.) Can Zillow survive without Listhub? It remains to be seen.  Wow. How would life without Zillow be? Can real estate agents sell houses without Zillow? 01/19/2015

The other day, Katie Lance, the owner of Katie Lance Consulting asked a few people she knew if they had a top tech or social tool to share for 2015. Katie used to work for Inman News and after hearing her speak at a local event and falling in love with that she had to say,  I flew to New York to attend a Real Estate Conference sponsored by Inman News. Fast forward a few years, and now Katie has a consulting business for Realtors, wineries, and basically any business who wants to sharpen up their skills. Of course, I was happy to share my tip and even happier to say she used it in her most recent article. Please make sure to comment and tell us what tip you want to try, what tip you use now, or a tip that you want to share. 01/13/2015

 There is nothing better than having all the data you need at your fingertips so if safety is your concern, please review the helpful links below:   Oakland Safety: http://www2.oaklandnet.com/oakca1/groups...   Safety & Security Tips…for Home and on the Road: https://app.box.com/s/qwo5p4tvodirsf5h57...    Are You Smart with Your Phone? http://www2.oaklandnet.com/oakca1/groups...   • OPD Contracted Citizen Property Inventory System: https://reportit.leadsonline.com/   EVEN MORE TIPS http://www2.oaklandnet.com/Government/o/...     01/06/2015

VA Mortgage Loans in Oakland CA and 100% financing on VA Loans - the best loan program and loan payment in the country! VA Mortgage Loans are one of the best mortgage loan programs available today for active duty and honorably discharged Veterans. Here are some of the main features of this great program: - 100% financing, no down payment required. - Monthly mortgage insurance is not tacked on to your payment. - More lenient credit qualifying standards than other types of mortgage loans. - Low rates compared to other loan programs. Here's how to qualify for a VA Mortgage Loan in Oakland CA: You must first verify your eligibility. Eligibility is verified by ordering your Certificate of Eligibility or COE. An approved Oakland CA VA loan lender can order your COE for you, or you can contact... 12/12/2014

  Feeling Batty? This one found a cozy spot for Thanksgiving in the Ledger board above this door. One of my services is Property Management. Boy was I surprised when I looked up to see this bat was the cause of the droppings on the exterior door mat. What would you rather find,  a rat or a bat hibernating at your house?   I am happy to report, the pest company put up a net up and once the bat flew out, they put a mesh screen to eliminate this in the future.   I still feel batty every time I see these photo! 11/25/2014

Alameda County Community Food Bank Donations Barrel is Here!   The OAR is a drop off spot for you un-perishable food items. If you find yourself downtown and want to drop off food for those in need, help fill up the barrel in the Oakland Association of Realtors office  1528 Webster St, Oakland, CA 94612   most needed foods:  canned fruits and vegetables canned meats and fish Low-salt soups, stews, and chili Pasta and sauce beans and rice peanut butter Low-sugar cereal and oatmeal Powdered milk   Please, no glass containers   Keep the Food Bank's Shelves stocked with nutritious, un-perishable foods.   visit www.accfb.org to donate online.  For every $1 you donate the Food Bank distributes $4 worth of food. 11/24/2014

  Catch the wave of people! With support from a recent New York Times Article, Oakland is now considered a great place to eat and weather that can't be beat. I love this great press! What does that mean? Well, the word is out and people are no longer so concerned about crossing a bridge. We are seeing a wave of people coming to live in Oakland  (510 area code) from San Francisco (415 are code). Last week I went to a meeting sponsored by a local lender at the Oakland Association of Realtors and the discussion was focused on the number of people from San Francisco who were searching online for properties to buy or rent in Oakland. The data provided was from recent Trulia searches. The data showed searches were generated from San Francisco peopple looking to move to Oakland. The most growt... 11/11/2014

    Are you aware Oakland and Berkeley California have Rent Control Laws? Some homeowners decide to manage a rental property because they do not want to pay a fee to a Property Manger to market a home, meet and review all prospective tenants, nor pay a monthly fee to have them manage the property. When interviewing a property manager, find out more about how they work and what type  of properties they manage. I like to work with clients who have a single family home to rent and want to build a relationship with a full time Realtor. Click to view the Oakalnd Homes for Rent to see the properties I currently manage.  Over the years, many of my clients have sold the home when the time is right and I am so happy to have been able to be there for them. I have also had great reviews on Zillow ... 11/11/2014

Duplex For Sale               This is one of the cheapest multi-unit buildings in the 94607 zip code. It's one of the few. There are only eight listings in that area. It's perfect for an owner occupied buyer. The building is 1,532 sq. ft. Both units are 2 bed, 1 bath. It's fully rented. West Oakland is the area bound by freeways 580, 880, and 980. Listed at $399,000, this duplex for sale is located at 941 26th St. Features Linoleum Carpet Front yard Back yard Level Regular Lot Off street parking This property is close to businesses, shops, and restaurants in downtown Oakland, Berkeley, and Emeryville. It's perfect for someone who works in San Francisco. The duplex needs some work to really make it shine.   An Oakland Agent You Can Trust If this West Oakland duplex is a good fit for you ... 10/26/2014

The duplex is tenant occupied. Tenants need 24 hours notice. You know how it goes. So I put in the MLS: "showing only to people with money." A realtor called me. "Hey, what does it mean you're only showing it to people with money? You say you're taking cash, conventional, and FHA. Do you mean only to people who are qualified?" Yeah, that's right. It's a hassle to schedule appointments with the tenants. I don't want to show it to someone who hasn't bee pre-approved or shown his proof of funds. There are many "lookers" masquerading as buyers. I've told these people to go to open houses if they want to see houses or whatever. A guy called me to see a condo. I said OK. I called the listing agent and he told me it was a pain in the butt to show. He asked me if this guy was good. I said I had... 10/26/2014

Stately 1914 traditional style home!!! OverviewMapsPhotosOpen HouseMarket Stats $1,249,000 Single Family Home Main Features 4 Bedrooms3 Bathrooms1 Partial BathroomInterior: 3,527 sqftLot: 6,050 sqft Location 805 Calmar AveOakland, CA 94610USA Sean A Beattie RE REALTY EXPERTS(800) 517-7326seanabeattie@gmail.comhttp://www.GetHomesHere.com        Listed by: RE REALTY EXPERTS Our recent listings Stately 1914 traditional style home!!!4108 Weymouth Lanewww.325WoodsonWay.comSpacious Townhouse In Gated Community!Silver Terrace Subscribe to our listing feed Nearby properties for sale 10/17/2014

VA Mortgage Loans in Oakland CA and 100% financing on VA Loans - the best loan program and loan payment in the country! VA Mortgage Loans are one of the best mortgage loan programs available today for active duty and honorably discharged Veterans. Here are some of the main features of this great program: - 100% financing, no down payment required. - Monthly mortgage insurance is not tacked on to your payment. - More lenient credit qualifying standards than other types of mortgage loans. - Low rates compared to other loan programs. Here's how to qualify for a VA Mortgage Loan in Oakland CA: You must first verify your eligibility. Eligibility is verified by ordering your Certificate of Eligibility or COE. An approved Oakland CA VA loan lender can order your COE for you, or you can contact... 09/17/2014