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.

No related posts.

As the seller of a home in the Oakland Hills CA you now need to disclose work done to the property that may not have been done in compliance with RRP.  I guide my Oakland Montclair Hills home buyers and Oakland Montclair Hills home sellers on how to complete the disclosure documents properly as well as the things to look out for when buying a pre 1978 home.  Especially when children are involved.

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Click here to view the embedded video.

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 Union Real Estate 510.338.1380.  For up to date details of homes on the market and comming soon please become a Fan of my Homes In Upper Rockridg on Facebook.

15  MARGUERITE DR
1 BEDROOM
1 BATH
1056 SQFT
SOLD AT $550,000
16 DAYS ON THE MARKET

115  MANDALAY ROAD
3 BEDROOMS
1 BATH
1310 SQFT
SOLD AT $613,550
58 DAYS ON THE MARKET

228  FLORENCE AVE
2 BEDROOMS
1 BATH
1466 SQFT
SOLD AT $755,000
10 DAYS ON THE MARKET

4401  HARBORD DRIVE
3 BEDROOMS
2 BATHS
2364 SQFT
SOLD AT $900,000
8 DAYS ON THE MARKET

5039  PROCTOR AVENUE
4 BEDROOMS
3 BATHS
2300 SQFT
SOLD AT $995,000
14 DAYS ON THE MARKET

30  WILDING LANE
3 BEDROOMS
2 BATHROOMS
2172 SQFT
SOLD AT $1,130,000
12 DAYS ON THE MARKET

54  STARK KNOLL PLACE
3 BEDROOMS
2 BATHS
2018 SQFT
SOLD AT $1,405,000
10 DAYS ON THE MARKET

59  BOWLING DRIVE
5 BEDROOMS
6 BATHS
6000 SQFT.
SOLD AT $3,200,000
OFF MARKET SALE

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1. Upper Rockridge Q4 2009 Homes that have Sold
2. Multiple Offers in this Market?
3. A great home buying experiance in Oakland’s Upper Rockridge

There is a required form that you need to fill out.  You can download from the website link below or they will give you a copy when you arrive at the recycling facility. 

For more information visit the StopWaste.org  site directly.

Brian Santilena has been representing home buyers and home sellers in the Oakland Hills, Berkeley Hills and Piedmont California marketplace since 1998.  He is a Realtor, CRS Certified Residential Specialist, licensed contractor and Sr. Sales Associate with Pacific Union Real Estate.  He is highly knowledgeable in the Oakland Hills premier neighborhoods such as Haddon Hill, 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.  City of Piedmont, City of Kensington, City of Albany.  Please feel free to CONTACT BRIAN if you have any real estate needs in Oakland, Berkeley or Piedmont CA.

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Click here to view the embedded video.

I am a resident of Upper Rockridge and a long time real estate agent that specializes in the area.  You are welcome to contact me via email or call me directly at my Pacific Union Real Estate office 510.338.1380.  Thank you.  Brian Santilena.

5523  Estates Drive
4 bedrooms
3 bathrooms
2382 sqft
$601,400 sale price
$252.00 price per sqft
31 days on the market

5925  BROADWAY
3 bedrooms
2 bathrooms
2230 sqft
$610,000 sale price
$274.00 price per sqft
58 days on the market

39  HARBORD CT
2 bedrooms
2 bathrooms
1270 sqft
$670,000 sale price
$528.00 price per sqft
58 days on the market

5615  MASONIC AVE
4 bedrooms
3 bathrooms
2800 sqft
$805,000 sale price
$288.00 price per sqft
108 days on the market

5766  HARBORD DR
4 bedrooms
3 bathrooms
3131 sqft
$834,000 sale price
$266.00 price per sqft
45 days on the market

5862  VIRMAR
2 bedrooms
2 bathrooms
1401 sqft
$856,000 sale price
$611.00 price per sqft
13 days on the market

4878  HARBORD DR
4 bedrooms
3 bathrooms
2199 sqft
$860,000 sale price
$391.00 price per sqft
6 days on the market

5132  COCHRANE AVE
4 bedrooms
2 bathrooms
3562 sqft
$936,000 sale price
$263.00 price per sqft
134 days on the market

5062  COCHRANE AVE
3 bedrooms
2 bathrooms
2347 sqft
$987,000 sale price
$421.00 price per sqft
15 days on the market

40  SONIA ST
4 bedrooms
3 bathrooms
2937 sqft
$1,062,000 sale price
$362.00 price per sqft
120 days on the market

35  CONTRA COSTA PLACE
4 bedrooms
2 bathrooms
3620 sqft
$1,150,000 sale price
$318.00 price per sqft
57 days on the market

6173  Ocean View Drive
4 bedrooms
3 bathrooms
3573 sqft
$1,186,000 sale price
332 price per sqft
86 days on the market

6126  OCEAN VIEW DR
4 bedrooms
4 bathrooms
3478 sqft
$1,254,000 sale price
$361.00 price per sqft
7 days on the market

5747  BUENA VISTA AVE
5 bedrooms
3 bathrooms
4223 sqft
$1,600,000 sale price
$379 price per sqft
7 days on the market

5420  GOLDEN GATE AVE
4 bedrooms
4 bathrooms
5168 sqft
$1,950,000 sale price
$377 price per sqft
96 days on the market

6076  MANCHESTER DR
5 bedrooms
4 bathrooms
6122 sqft
$4,800,000 sale price
$784 price per sqft
14 days on the market

 Brian Santilena, Sr. Sales Associate with Pacific Union Real Estate, has been representing home buyers and home sellers in the Oakland Hills, Berkeley Hills and Piedmont California marketplace since 1998.  He is a Realtor, Certified Residential Specialist(CRS) and he’s highly knowledgeable in the Oakland Hills premier neighborhoods such as Haddon Hill, 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.  City of Piedmont, City of Kensington, City of Albany.  Please feel free to CONTACT BRIAN if you have any real estate needs in Oakland, Berkeley or Piedmont CA.

Related posts:

1. Homes Sold in Upper Rockridge Q1 2010
2. Multiple Offers in this Market?

It is now much easier!

It isn’t overly apparent to most people about who owns their mortgage.  The company that originated your loan will often continue to collect the monthly payments and send out statements after they sell the loan to Fannie, Freddie or other investors.

The refinance plan, part of the new Making Home Affordable program, serves people whose Fannie or Freddie loans are for 80 to 105 percent of their homes’ value.

At first, officials said the only way to find out if Fannie or Freddie owned their mortgage was to call their loan servicer. Now, both Fannie and Freddie online look up pages to make your inquiry that much easier

Related posts:

1. What does an increase in interest rates do to my mortgage payment?
2. How does a late mortgage payment affect my FICO score?
3. Conforming loan limits and their affects in Oakland and Berkeley Hills real estate

There is a required form that you need to fill out.  You can download it from the StopWaste.org webside or they will give you a copy at the facility. 

For more information on hazardous waste disposal in Oakland and other cites, visit  StopWaste.org  .

Brian Santilena has been representing home buyers and home sellers in the Oakland Hills, Berkeley Hills and Piedmont California marketplace since 1998.  He is a Realtor, CRS Certified Residential Specialist, licensed contractor and Sr. Sales Associate with Pacific Union Real Estate.  He is highly knowledgeable in the Oakland Hills premier neighborhoods such as Haddon Hill, 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.  City of Piedmont, City of Kensington, City of Albany.  Please feel free to CONTACT BRIAN if you have any real estate needs in Oakland, Berkeley or Piedmont CA.

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As an international client, I can say that Brian made the sale of my Northern California property seem easy. He was able to create and implement a successful marketing plan in these tough economic times that drove clients to the property. Brian also managed the necessary renovations in my absence to create a property that showed really well. Brian is an expert in the Rockridge/Oakland Hills neighborhoods and he knows all the right people to get the job done. He was able to successfully manage and close my deal while I was in Europe. I can recommend Brian whether you live next door to him or if you live in another country. He understood what I wanted and helped me get there.

Wendy Patrick Parkwoods Condo Seller

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1. 240 Caldecott Ln. #207 Parkwoods Condo in Oakland Montclair Hills
2. If a full price offer comes in, is a Seller obligated to accept it?

The Oakland Police Department (OPD) program requires 2 meetings attended by a the police department representative and at least 8 neighborhood residents. Press here to view the City of Oakland Crime Prevention & Neighborhood Watch webpage http://www.oaklandpolice.com/crimprev/homalrt.html

A great way to keep everyone in contact with one another is to create an email group list. While there are many choices, I used Google groups for my Upper Rockridge Neighborhood Watch email list. You can take a look and establish your own email list at http://www.google.com/groups. Once you establish an email group it becomes very easy for all residents to communicate and keep informed.

After you have the two meetings, the city will install signage in the neighborhood indicating that there is a Neighborhood Watch in affect. The signs combined with aware and communicating residents will go a long way in keeping or creating a comfortable secure neighborhood environment.

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1. Neighborhood and district names for homes in Oakland, Berkeley and Piedmont Hills California
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3. Background of Piedmont CA

When you list your home for sale, the listing agreement details all of the terms of the listing. The listing price, items included in the sale, the expiration date and of course the commissions. If a Buyers agent brings in an offer from a ready, able and qualified Buyer, and the Seller will not accept it, the Buyers broker (having done their job) may sue for their, commission.

What’s the bottom line here? Don’t list your property below a price you’re willing to accept. There is no guarantee that a Seller in the Oakland hills, Berkeley or Piedmont is going to get an over asking offer.

“Pricing to entice” is still used as a marketing strategy. Sometimes a Seller will list their property at a price that is LESS than they are willing to accept. It’s an attempt make the property appeal to a greater amount of Buyers. If competition develops, the price can get bid up and the property sells over the asking price. Happy Seller, right? But, if only one offer comes in at asking or lower, a Seller unwilling to accept it could be in for some financial consequences.

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1. You cant stop water… So divert it!
2. What is a shortsale in oakland hills and berkeley CA
3. Multiple Offers in this Market?