Laurel District Bungalow for sale on Maybelle Ave Oakland

September 2nd, 2010

This adorable 1 bedroom California Bungalow has got to be one of the cutest (and least expensive) homes for sale in the Laurel District of Oakland.  It was purchased by a contractor and extensively brought back to life.  He paid attention to retaining the original character that is present in many of the Laurel District [...]

Home Remodeling in Piedmont CA

August 5th, 2010

Buying a home in Piedmont CA is an achievement on its own.  Now add a home addition or remodel to it and the task may seem impossible.  Architectural limitations, the design review process, obtaining permits, city inspections and hiring a good contractor are all important considerations.
This coming Tuesday August 10, 2010 at 7:30 PM, two individuals [...]

SF and Bay views from this big Oakland Hills CA home

August 3rd, 2010

4 bedroom home in the Oakland Hills with big Bay and Golden Gate views.  There is a saying in the real estate business that we all love our own listings and to a certain degree I suppose that is true.  As Realtors we spend quite a bit of time sitting inside the homes we market [...]

Montclair, Oakland Homes for sale

July 23rd, 2010

The Montclair neighborhood of Oakland and the Montclair Village  is a quaint semi hilly community in the Oakland Hills.  The area offers many of the best Oakland Public Schools and the Montclair shopping area has everything you need in a convenient proximity to the living neighborhoods.  The Montclair park offers a children’s playground, a baseball [...]

Lead paint and renovating homes in oakland hills and Montclair CA

July 16th, 2010

As of April 2010 all contractors, property managers and others who disturb painted surfaces are obligated to comply with the Federal Lead-Based Paint Renovations, Repair and Painting Program or RRP.  I’ve been working and selling homes for years in the Oakland Hills CA, Montclair, Glenview, Crocker Highlands and Terstle Glen.  Let’s face it, they were [...]

Tech in real estate

July 12th, 2010

Well I’m here at Agent Reboot in San Francisco. Technology in real estate. Interesting concept. I’ve been selling homes in Oakland Piedmont and Berkeley for close to 13 years and the single most important aspect of my business has been relationship development. It’s all about the facetime!  Without it no agents business will survive or [...]

Mortgage Broker info for home buyers

June 6th, 2010

Home buyers that are considering purchasing a home in Oakland, Piedmont or Berkeley California will inevitably find themselves communicating with a mortgage broker or a retail bank about obtaining a mortgage.  This short video answers some basic questions about the differences between banks and brokers, what are loan points, reasons to use a local institution [...]

10 tips when hiring a Contractor

June 2nd, 2010

When preparing a home for sale or making improvements to your new home it is very important to protect yourself from unscrupulous contractors.  There is nothing worse than getting shotty work or getting ripped off all together.
Here are 10 tips to help ensure that you don’t get ripped off when hiring a contractor.
1. Make sure that [...]

How does a late mortgage payment affect my FICO score?

May 3rd, 2010

Even in the better parts of the Oakland Hills such as Piedmont, Montclair and Rockridge homeowners occasionally get into a financial pinch that can lead to a late mortgage payment.  If you’re delinquent on your mortgage, your credit score will suffer. Everyone knows that. The question is, by how much?  Until recently, those answers were [...]

Homes Sold in Upper Rockridge Q1 2010

April 17th, 2010

 This Upper Rockridge real estate sales report covers single family homes that have sold in Oakland’s Upper Rockridge district during the fourth quarter of 2009.

Brian Santilena is a resident  and has been selling Upper Rockridge 1998.  If you would like more details about buying or selling in Upper Rockridge please call Brian directly at Pacific [...]

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  • Brian Santilena

    Brian Santilena

    • Senior Sales Associate
    • DRE #01244612
    • (510) 338-1380 direct
    • (510) 501-3534 mobile
    • (510) 339-6519 fax
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