Real Estate in Oakland, Berkeley and Piedmont, California » Opinion

Oakland Police Department Email and Text Message Alert Service

Brian Santilena — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:40:40 +0000

Oakland Police Department Email and Text Message Alert Service.

I live in the Rockridge neighborhood of Oakland and while it is relatively safe and quiet it would be great to know about crimes and or emergency issues in real time. Captain Steve Tull with the Oakland Police Department has established a new Text and Email ALERT system that is being offered for free to those interested in signing up. You can specify and add as many locations, addresses or neighborhoods as you’d like and you will be notified when there is a crime or safety ALERT in those areas.

It is said that during an earthquake one of the most reliable communication methods is via text. If there were a major earthquake wouldn’t it be nice to know in real time where help is needed and/or where emergency services are being offered?

Check it out and sign up at http://www.nixle.com/

Brian Santilena

About Brian Santilena, Realtor, Oakland – Piedmont – Berkeley, CA – Department of real estate 01244612. Brian Santilena is one of the top real estate agents in the Oakland – Piedmont – Berkeley markets. He is a member of the Oakland Board of Realtors, the California Association of Realtors and the National Board of Realtors. Brian practices real estate in Oakland – Piedmont and Berkeley CA since 1998. He aggressively helps home buyers and home sellers who are looking to buy or sell real estate and Oakland homes, Piedmont homes and Berkley homes. See what some of his home selling and home buying clients have to say about working with Brian. He is with Pacific Union Real Estate at 1900 Mountain Blvd. Oakland CA 94611. He works in many neighborhoods in addition to Piedmont, Montclair, Rockridge, Upper Rockridge, Glenview, Trestle Glen, Crocker Highlands and many more areas and homes for sale. Brian is a licensed contractor and is listed on Real-Estate-Agents.com . If you are specifically interested in homes for sale in Rockridge and homes in Upper Rockridge, please take a look at Brian’s Homes In Upper Rockridge website.

Interest rates are going up when buying a home in Oakland and Piedmont CA

Brian Santilena — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 21:10:21 +0000

If you’re thinking of buying a home in Oakland or Piedmont, LOAN RATES ARE GOING UP!

I’ve been speaking with Brian Moggan (Branch Manager with Mason McDuffie Mortgage) and after quite a bit of technical mortgage discussion I think the bottom line is that mortgage rates are going to be going up.

Some facts to be aware of:

A conforming loan (in the SF East Bay) is any loan at or below $625,500.
Every conforming loan is underwritten to standards and costs set out by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, regardless of who’s making the loan (Wells, CHASE, BofA, MMCD etc.)
Fannie and Freddie were taken over by the government in late 2008 and the US congress became their conservator. So in other words, Congress now sets the rules.
Fannie and Freddie charges a fee to lenders (called a “guarantee fee”) when they take delivery of a loan from a lender.

So here is what has happened. Congress recently ran up against a payroll tax cut deadline. In order to extend the payroll tax cut deadline for 2 more months Congress needed to find the funds to pay for it. They decided to fund it by increasing the Fannie and Freddie “guarantee fees”. Since the cost of “making” a mortgage has just gone up and the increased cost will inevitably be passed onto borrowers, borrowers can now expect to pay about a quarter point more in interest rates on their loans.

To steel from the words of Brian Moggan, “If the cost of cow feed increases, it will cost more to buy a steak.”

Best Trick or Treating in Oakland CA

agentevo — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 21:06:58 +0000

Selling real estate in the Oakland East Bay area puts me in contact with many families looking to enjoy all of the community spirit the area has to offer. One of the most enjoyable holidays (in my humble opinion) remains Halloween. Sure it has become largely commercialized like many of the other holidays but it still remains one of the most memorable holidays in many kids lives. I still have photos of me in the third grade running around in my Batman outfit during the school parade. I don’t dress up that much anymore but I sure enjoy giving out candy and seeing all of the adorable costumed kids.

The San Francisco Chronicle wrote a story on the best places in the area to trick or treat. One of the Oakland areas called out is the neighborhood of Haddon Hill. Haddon Hill lies just east of Lake Merritt and below the neighborhoods of Grand Ave and Trestle Glen. Before highway 580 was built Haddon Hill was part of Crocker Highlands. Much of the architecture and street character resembles its neighbor to the north. If you are interested in real estate for sale in Crocker Highlands or homes for sale in Grand Ave areas please take a look here.

Have a Spooky Halloween… Brian.

Brian Santilena sells real estate in Oakland – Piedmont – Berkeley, CA – Department of real estate 01244612. Brian Santilena is one of the top real estate agents in the Oakland – Piedmont – Berkeley markets. He is a member of the Oakland Board of Realtors, the California Association of Realtors and the National Board of Realtors. Brian practices real estate in Oakland – Piedmont and Berkeley CA since 1998. He aggressively helps home buyers and home sellers who are looking to buy or sell real estate and Oakland homes, Piedmont homes and Berkley homes. See what some of his home selling and home buying clients have to say about working with Brian. He is with Pacific Union Real Estate at 1900 Mountain Blvd. Oakland CA 94611. He works in many neighborhoods in addition to Piedmont, Montclair, Rockridge, Upper Rockridge, Glenview, Trestle Glen, Crocker Highlands and many more areas and homes for sale. Brian is a licensed contractor and is listed on Real-Estate-Agents.com . If you are specifically interested in homes for sale in Rockridge and homes in Upper Rockridge, please take a look at Brian’s Homes In Upper Rockridge website.

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Oakland hills firestorm

agentevo — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 16:35:10 +0000

The Oakland Hills firestorm of 1991 is credited with burning over 3300 homes and over 1520 acres. 25 people lost their lives and the financial impact exceeded $1.5 billion.

We have just passed the 20 year anniversary from that disaster and many ongoing efforts have been and are being made to ensure that a disaster like the Oakland Hills firestorm never happens again. While municipal efforts help decrease risks, there is no better way to protect your home and family than taking the personal initiative to fire-safe your home and property. Here is a simple fire safety checklist supplied by the Firesafe Council that will help you do just that.

While many people lost everything they owned the area has bounced back incredibly well. The newer construction is an architectural smorgasbord and the area now offers some of the best views of San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge and the entire SF Bay. I actually live in Upper Rockridge and my home escaped the worst of the fire. While my fence and a few areas of my roof/eve burned the large oak tree that covers a large portion of my property acted as an umbrella for the falling embers. Fortunately we had a comp shingle roof. Many of my neighbors were not so lucky.

How to get the best deal when buying a home Oakland and Piedmont CA

BrianS — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 19:14:26 +0000

How to get the best deal when buying a home in Oakland and Piedmont CA.

View homes for sale in Oakland and homes for sale in Peidmont here.

Prices are down. Interest rates are dropping. Short sales are increasing. Foreclosures, a volatile economy, YIKES! With all this market turbulence it takes a lot of courage to purchase real estate in Oakland and Piedmont CA right now. It’s not enough just to get a good deal. You want the best deal!

So how do you get the best deal when buying a home? Here is what I think. In order to get the absolute best deal on your new home you will need to do one or more of the following things:

#1 Buy a home that is not attractive to other prospective buyers.
#2 Be willing to put up with a difficult transaction.
#3 Be in a financial position to buy a home that will not qualify for a loan.
#4 Negotiate, negotiate, negotiate.

First off I think you need to decide if you are buying a “home” or purchasing an “investment.” They are not the same thing. In addition to providing you shelter from the elements, a “home” is something you buy because it adds to your quality of life. There is always an investment aspect to any purchase but when you buy a “home” you need to factor in use and enjoyment. When buying a property purely as an investment, pride of ownership should take a second seat to cash flow, cost of ownership and gross rent multiplier GRM.

#1 Buying a home that has some flaws translates into fewer prospective buyers wanting it. Is the property it a fixer? Perhaps. Does it have a weird floor plan? Possibly. Are the finishes dated? Most likely. All of these things will lessen demand. But if you have the skills or resources to fix those flaws you can save a ton of money. I don’t however advocate buying a home with “fatal flaws.” Examples of “fatal flaws” are things such as buying next to the highway, buying into a bad neighborhood or buying a home with tons of stairs.

#2 Deals where there is a tenant or a short sale require lots of patience and flexibility. Two things that are in short supply for many of today’s home buyers. Tenant occupied properties typically don’t show very well and just getting a showing appointments can be difficult. Short sales require a two step process. First get the Seller/Occupant to accept your offer, then get their lender to accept your offer. In order for that to happen the Seller will need to qualify for a short sale and the bank will need to agree to take less money than the sellers mortgage balance. Some 60% of short sale transactions never close escrow. Buyers know this and many choose not to participate in transactions with such success rates.

#3 Being able to pay cash for a property that doesn’t qualify for a mortgage is one of the best ways to get a killer deal. All cash offers or family financing are just a couple of ways to go. I’ve seen homes for sale in Piedmont CA that sell for 25% below the market because no loans are available for them. These homes will always need lots of work but if you have the stomach for it you can squeeze every bit of purchasing value out of today’s real estate market.

#4 Good negotiations are very important. Sellers are losing money and will push the sale price hard. Negotiations are taking longer and requiring more counter offers. Buyers are justifiably concerned about buying into a declining market so getting a fair price today may not be a good price tomorrow. Be patient and be willing to counter offer. Start low but be realistic. Fight the problem and not the people. It is not personal. Keep focused on the hurdle (the price) and with all eyes focused on clearing that hurdle you will be successful in getting the price you want.

Is the 30 year fixed mortgage going away?

agentevo — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:30:32 +0000

Does it really matter? I’m not so sure. The 30 year fixed mortgage is more of a psychological comfort than a financial necessity. If the 30 year fixed option goes away that doesn’t mean that a 30 year mortgage is not longer available. 5, 10 and 15 year fixed mortgages that roll into adjustable loans will still be an option. Since the lender isn’t stuck with a set rate for 30 years the interest rates are typically lower too. Add the fact that home buyers in the Oakland, Piedmont and Berkeley real estate markets do not typically stay in their homes for more than 7 years, the 30 year fixed mortgage is a costly loan product that doesn’t usually doesn’t return on the investment.

There is no doubt that the lending environment went completely out of control and many people got loans that shouldn’t have, but the doomsday theorists out there predicting that the industry is going to turn upside down because of the elimination of the 30 year fixed loan are mistaken. They seem to forget about the ingenuity and profit hungry creativity present in the banking industry. Current loan options and the new products being conceived in banking think-tanks will fill any void left by the 30 year mortgage disappearance.

If I were to worry, I’d worry about disappearance of the independent mortgage broker. Mortgage Bankers have lobbied lawmakers hard under the illusion of consumer protection and with the objective of regulating independent mortgage brokers out of existence. I totally agree that some mortgage brokers are schmucks and should be out of the business, imagine a lending atmosphere where there are only 5 large banks offering loan products. Who do you think will be served, the consumer or the banks share holders? Less competition in the mortgage and loan industry is most likely going to result in less choice for the consumer higher prices for loan products. But I’m sure we can count on self regulation and self policing by the banking industry, right? Hmm, déjà vu all over again…

Brian Santilena, Sr. Sales Associate and top real estate agent with Pacific Union Real Estate, works with home buyers and home sellers in the Oakland CA, Berkeley CA and Piedmont CA. He is a Realtor, Certified Residential Specialist(CRS) and is highly knowledgeable in area condos, single family residences and income properties up to 4 units. Some of the neighborhoods he serves are; Haddon Hill, Rockridge, Upper Rockridge, Montclair, Glenview, Trestle Glen, Crocker Highlands, Oakmore, Laurel District and Redwood Heights. Berkeley Hills neighborhoods such as Northbrea, Westbrea, North Berkeley Hills, Berkeley Flats, Thousand Oaks, South Berkeley, Gourmet Ghetto, Elmwood, Uplands, Claremont, LeConte. Please feel free to CONTACT BRIAN if you have any real estate needs in Oakland, Berkeley or Piedmont CA. If you’re interested in Brian’s Rockridge site check out http://www.HomesInUpperRockridge.com

A sense of humor in this crazy real estate business

BrianS — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 17:13:30 +0000

This video was made by someone else. I did not creat it. I did however find it very funny. Some of the language in the ”Rated R” version is a bit edgy so if you are sensative to that sort of thing there is also a “Rated G” version. I hope you will find it as funny as I did. Sometimes in this crazy real estate business you just need to laugh a little. Have a great day. Brian S.

Rated G version:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Rated R version:

Click here to view the embedded video.

5 best home preparations for sale

BrianS — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 20:36:10 +0000

The 5 best home preparations for selling your home also turn out to be some of the lease expensive things to do. I found the list below (from Forbs Magazine Article) to be confirming of the items that I suggest to my home selling clients and also informative. Brian Santilena Pacific Union Real Estate Oakland-Piedmont CA.

1. Clean up the place

Agreed. Cleaning house is something you can do yourself relatively easily and cheaply, using products you (hopefully!) already have around the house. Do not underestimate the damage a grimy shower or mystery-stained toilet can have on the perceived value of your home.

2. Minor repairs of highly visible items

Fix the outlet that is hanging out of the wall, the door latch that’s askew, the ceiling fan that won’t rotate. Indeed, this is good advice as logically, buyers see your neglect of small things as endemic of neglect in general.

3. Curb your clutter

A cluttered house whose junk falls on prospective buyers as they open closets is much less appealing that one that seems organized. Also, empty space makes a home feel more spacious in general, a home buyers can more easily imagine their own items within.

How many of us have walked through an open house in our socks (or worse, borrowed “booties”) to protect the hardwoods inside? Yet once inside, we’re forced pick our ways through stacks of files and books, pin our arms to our sides so as not to knock over a tremendous collection of Hummel figurines and ceramic cats. We can’t get out fast enough.

4. Paint

Both exteriors and interiors benefit greatly from a fresh coat of paint. Keep in mind though that if you are selling, it may not be a great time to go Van Gogh. Simple, undemanding colors (okay, yes: boring) are the best bet.

To save money on paint, try mis-tints. These you can get at any paint store; they are paint cans filled with custom colors that the original customer didn’t want. Since they are custom, they cannot be re-sold at regular paint prices and you can get a full size cans for just a few dollars. True, most of the custom colors are things like purple-green or mustard-pink, but there are always plenty of whites, beiges, and off-whites. Though these mis-tints weren’t right for some very picky someone, they may be just right for you.

5. Clean up your yard

We don’t need a corn maze or topiary animals, but a few plants that aren’t dead, a swath of grass, and no weeds taller than we are go far in our estimation of your home.

Background of Piedmont CA

BrianS — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 18:05:33 +0000

The Background of Piedmont CA.

Piedmont is a small, primarily residential community with fine architecture, tree-lined streets, and outstanding public schools. Because of its school system, low crime rate, good weather, and high property values, it is regarded as one of the most desirable residential communities in the San Francisco Bay Area. Piedmont was named one of the “25 Top-Earning Towns” in CNN Money Magazine’s list of ‘The Best Places to Live.’

Piedmont is almost entirely zoned for residential use. Piedmont has minimal commerce compared with statistically similar cities. Shopping, however, is plentiful in adjacent Oakland neighborhoods such as Piedmont Avenue, Montclair, Grand Lake, and Rockridge. Piedmont has a small commercial district in the center of town located on Highland Avenue, which includes a gas station, three banks and some professional offices.

Located in the East Bay hills, Piedmont is surrounded on all sides by the city of Oakland. Piedmont provides its own fire and police services but does not have its own public library or federal post office; these services are shared with Oakland. Piedmont’s three ZIP codes are all shared with Oakland. The relationship between Oakland and Piedmont is remarkable among American cities; although property in Piedmont is surrounded by Oakland and residents depend on neighboring communities for supermarkets and other commerce, property taxes on Piedmont real estate are not shared with Oakland. Some residents have remarked that, in a sense, Oakland’s most valuable real estate and most wealthy residents are actually in the city of Piedmont.

The city is served by two local weekly newspapers: the citizen-run Piedmont Post and the Piedmonter, a neighborhood newspaper organized under the Contra Costa Times news organization.
Piedmont has several parks and a community center.

Information courtesy of Wikipedia

Piedmont CA Schools

BrianS — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 17:58:46 +0000

Piedmont CA Schools

Piedmont Public Schools fall within the Piedmont Unified School District. The district, coinciding with the municipal boundaries, includes three elementary schools (Havens*, Beach, and Wildwood), a middle school (Piedmont Middle School), a high school (Piedmont High School), and an alternative high school, Millennium. Piedmont High School matriculates a high percentage of students bound for college. Many graduates continue their education at both public and private colleges and universities.
The Piedmont Unified School District is one of a few California public school systems to achieve such success. This can be largely attributed to the dedicated population of parents who choose to pay higher prices for housing so that their children can attend Piedmont schools instead of private schools. In particular, cost-benefit analyses will reveal that, for many households, Piedmont schools make more economic sense than private schooling. Such analyses, for example, may take into consideration real estate prices, mortgage interest rates, projected real estate value appreciation, local taxes, federal tax deductions, quality of schools, private tuition costs per student, and number of children.

Piedmont voters regularly approve bond measures earmarked for maintaining and/or improving educational facilities. For example, Witter Field, home of the Piedmont Highlanders, was rebuilt over a period of years (1996–1999), transforming it from the older facility to a newer and markedly improved one. Similar improvements have been made to the fields adjacent to the Beach Elementary School.

In 2005, Piedmont citizens voted in favor of Measures B and C with an overwhelming majority. Measure B renews the school district parcel tax, which pays for 21 percent of the district’s budget, and Measure C adds an additional amount that compensates for reduced funding from state and federal sources.

In 2006, voters authorized the Piedmont City Unified School District to issue up to $56 million in bonds to improve Piedmont public school buildings so as to reduce dangers from earthquakes, to meet state and federal seismic safety standards.

The Piedmont Educational Foundation awards a number of grants for academic innovation in Piedmont schools each year, and provides a sustained source of funding for the PUSD through its Endowment Fund.

Information courtesy of Wikipedia