North America’s oldest wildlife refuge is in Oakland, established at Lake Merritt in 1869. The Pacific flyway has remained a sanctuary and stop-over for thousands of migratory birds.

Oakland is also a great place to own a dog.  Imagine living in Piedmont Pines (Montclair) and being just steps from some of the best wooded trails in the East Bay.  The city is sunny and walkable, with affordable veterinary care and several off-leash dog parks.  The East Bay has plenty of woods as well, so you can take your dog hiking in a redwood forest.

The answer is YES. 

It is equal to 1.5% of the sale price. ($15/ thousand of sale price)  In a typical real estate transaction it is customary for the Seller to pay 50% and the Buyer to pay 50%.  The county of Alameda imposes a transfer tax of $1.10 per thousand and is customarily paid by the Seller.  For more information about the Oakland, Piedmont or Berkeley real estate market please contact Brian directly.

Brian Santilena is a Realtor and CRS (Certified Residential Specialist) with Pacific Union International Real Estate.  He has been selling homes in Oakland, Piedmont and Berkeley California since 1998.  He is a licensed California contractor and local real estate expert.

If it is a Buyer’s market, a good letter can help a Seller get over the fact that an offer is under their asking price.  In a Seller’s market, a good offer letter can put a face to an otherwise faceless purchase contract.  Now I don’t mean to imply that a good offer letter guarantees that you’ll be the winning bid but, I can tell you from personal experience that it can sometimes be the one additional factor that tilts a Seller in your direction and gets you a counter offer or better yet, a contract!

Here are some do’s and don’ts on how to craft the pitch perfect letter.

DO

• Describe specific features you like about the house and its neighborhood
• Include cute photos of your kids and pets along with their names
• If there is an offer term that may be unattractive to the Seller, summarize why it needs to be there for you.
• Cite professional or personal experiences that you have in common with seller
• Keep the letter concise, no more than 1 page of text.
• Mention the length of your house hunt and the hard work that went into saving up a down payment
• Ask your real-estate agent to review your final draft

DON’T

• Use an identical template for every offer
• Use the letter as a form or tool for negotiations
• Tell your entire life story
• Divulge your post-purchase plans for drastic renovations
• Try to justify your offer price
• Sound desperate about your need to wrap up a home purchase fast

Brian Santilena is a Realtor and CRS (Certified Residential Specialist) with Pacific Union International Real Estate.  He has been selling home in Oakland, Piedmont and Berkeley California since 1998.  He is a licensed California contractor and former Real Estate Office Manager with Prudential California Realty.

COMING SOON!  4519 Shafter Ave.  is a charming home for sale in Oakland’s Temescal District.  The home offers 2 spacious bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms.  A portion of the 2 car garage has also been tastefully converted into home office.  There is a dining area off of the kitchen that opens to a large living room area with a fireplace.  The master bedroom has a large walk-in closet and its own bathroom.  Sliding doors open to a private rear patio/garden area.  In the coming days full photos and video walkthrough will be available.

Temescal offers a range of activities, shopping options and many great restaurants to choose from.  Temescal Alley is a charming place to stroll, shop and have a great cup of coffee.  Many top level restaurants have now established themselves in Oakland’s Temescal neighborhood. In addition to several decades-old neighborhood favorites, you’ll now find local foodies celebrating the presence of Doña Tomas, Pizzaolo, Barlatta, Ginova Deli, Bakesale Betty’s and Lanesplitters Pizza.  I think you’ll find that Living in Temescal is somewhat like living in San Francisco: you can easily walk to shops or be taken to any other urban center by the nearby Macarthur BART.

Features Include:

• 2 full bedrooms
• 2 full bathrooms
• Updated kitchen
• *1040 square feet of interior space
• *4009 lot area
• Eating area open to living room
• Wood burning fireplace
• Plus room in garage
• Enclosed garage with interior access

*square footages are as per public record and are not guaranteed.

Click here to view the embedded video.

1411 Lincoln is a charming Berkeley Bungalow built in 1938.  Lovingly updated over the years it has retained much of its original charm but has been enhanced with some sophisticated updates.  The first thing that you’ll notice when visiting this home is the warm and cheery colors set behind the blooming Magnolia tree.  That same fun and quirky personality remains with you as you enter the front door but is warmed up by the wide-plank hardwood floors. The home features 2 full bedrooms and 2 baths plus a bonus room in the impressively converted garage.  The kitchen is spacious and features stainless appliances with plenty of cabinetry.  There is a dining room that opens to a large living room, complete with a wood burning fireplace.  Upstairs there are 2 bedrooms and an updated bath while downstairs there is a large laundry/utility room that leads to a spacious bonus room complete with a second bath.  The private rear yard and garden has a large level patio that is perfect for those springtime BBQ’s.  And, with all of the additional planting areas you’ll be tempted to grow your own organic veggies.  Lincoln is a charming little street with great neighbors and the location is top notch.  It is just 1 block to N. Berkeley BART and the Ohlone pathway, .5 miles to Northbrae’s Monterey Market, 1.4 miles to Cal Berkeley and only 10.7 miles to San Francisco.  Whether you have a commute option to contend with or you’d like to ditch the car for the weekend and just ride your bicycle, this wonderful home in a central location may be just the one for you.  Please feel free to Contact Brian if you have any additional questions.

A little about Berkeley’s Northbrae

The Northbrae neighborhood lies in the northern part of Berkeley, along the Albany border. This lush and friendly neighborhood centers around the Hopkins/Monterey shopping district. Many consider this 2-block stretch of local markets to be one of the best kept secrets of the East Bay. Here, locals buy fresh flowers, meat and produce at the renowned Monterey Market as well as a variety of specialty shops.  For extended shopping, head north on Monterey to Solano Avenue. With Albany so close nearby, you have easy access to a variety of restaurants as well as grocery and boutique shops.  Press here for more information on Berkeley Northbrae as well as additional Berkeley homes for sale.

Located just around the corner from North Berkeley Bart and set on a quiet part of the block is 1411 Lincoln St. in North Berkeley – Westbrae.  This lovely home for sale was built in 1938 and currently shows as a 2+ bedroom, 2 bath Berkeley Bungalow.  Originally built with approximately 1083 square feet of living space a prior owner lovingly converted the drafty garage into a bright office space and added a second full guest bathroom.  The front and rear gardens are spacious and offer ample space to grow your veggies along with plenty of flat areas that are perfect for outdoor entertaining.

Homes for sale in this part of Berkeley CA rarely become available, especially in this charming neighborhood.  And when they do, they go fast!  This Berkeley Bungalow is attractive on the outside, inside and is in just the right location.  The home boasts a Walkscore.com rating of 71 (very walkable) and for those needing to commute it offers terrific proximity to Bart, freeways and public transportation.

If you are looking for great homes for sale in North Berkeley-Westbrae, this one may be it.  If you would like to arrange a private showing or if you’d like information on other great homes for sale in other great Berkeley CA neighborhoods please contact me anytime.  Brian Santilena

320 Florence Ave is a beautiful home in Oakland’s Upper Rockridge Neighborhood.  Much of its ornate charm has been preserved for its new benefactor.  Orriented in a south-west direction the sun exposure is excellent and many of the picture windows frame outstanding views of the San Francisco Bay, the city and the Golden Gate Bridge.  The OUSD assigned school is Hillcrest K-8 which is considered the best in the city of Oakland.  Upper Rockridge is nestled between two of Oakland’s premier shopping areas, Lower Rockridge and the Montclair Village.  Upper Rockridge is pleasant and serene yet conveniently close to the things you want near your home.  For days where you need a quick something from the market, you are only blocks away from the local favorite Village Market.  If you would like more information about this home, other great places to live in Oakland CA or simply to contact Brian Santilena, you are always welcome to call or email.

The Bay Area real estate market and especially homes for sale in Oakland, Piedmont and Berkeley.  They are HOT, HOT, HOT!  And it’s heating up even more as we enter the spring market.  SF Gate just did a story on this exact topic.  Low rates and low inventory are combining for one competitive market.  Multiple offers are once again the norm.  I have 3 homes coming on the market and while prices are not where they were in 2007, the temperature of the market sure is. 

As a listing agent I position my listings for multiple offers.  Pre-inspections are the norm.  Getting bids for every property deficiency is the norm.  I advise my home sellers to remove as many “unknowns” from a property as possible.  Buyers are willing to buy homes in need of work, they are not willing to buy into unknowns.  If you’re a Buyer entering this market, you best come prepared.  Consider doing your own pre-inspections.  Keep your expectations realistic.  And if you’re not 100% pre-approved…  Forget about it.  You’re going to get beat in competition.  I’m happy to help you find success, even in the nuttiest of markets.

Brian Santilena Realtor & CRS 

Brian Santilena is a Senior Sales Associate, Realtor and CRS with Pacific Union International Real Estate.  He’s sold over 300 homes in the Oakland, Piedmont and Berkeley CA market places and continues keep the market updated here and on his HomesInTheEastBayHills Facebook page.

Four bedroom homes in Oakland do not come on the market very often.  Especially four bedroom homes in Upper Rockridge.  This is a really special property overlooking the rolling hills, the San Francisco bay and the city beyond.  It has 4 spacious bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms.  The assigned school is Hillcrest which holds the distinction as the best public school in the city of Oakland.  Please take a look at the full photo tour and property details.

keywords: four bedroom homes in oakland ca

This outstanding home with views in upper rockridge is located at 320 Florence Ave and will be coming on the market very soon.  This grand Upper Rockridge home for sale was constructed in 1929 and still holds many of its origonal charm and details.  With roughly 2012 square feet of interior space and 4 spacious bedrooms you’ll the home to be very spacious. 

keywords: Home with views in Upper Rockridge