Original tiles from 1918

Pictured below is another fireplace from a 1923 Haddon Hill home on Wesley Ave.  I hope the new owner keeps this beauty.

love this original 1923 fireplace

Many people are tired of waiting for the “bottom” of the market and want to be homeowners now.  They want a place of their own.  They may want to take advantage of low interest rates and they know that renting has no long term return on their investment.  When supply is down and demand is high you will likely not underpay for a home, but there are ways you can make a smart move.  A few of my tips were published in the San Francisco Chronicle last Sunday.  Please contact me for more.  (click on image to enlarge)

Earlier this week, I fell in love with Anthony Riggins now pending listing on Sunnyhills Road. This 1929 Spanish Colonial Revival pictured below was my favorite from Monday’s Broker’s tour and only lasted 7 days on the market.

What this image can't express is how pristine this home is. As I walked through, I caressed one of the windowsills that was sanded to perfection. Rarely do you find properties with original details that are preserved and restored, as if it were a newly constructed property.

The baseboard is comprised of original spanish tiles

I was not sure what the modest exterior held within as I walked up the stairs.

Unbelievable vibrant original bathroom with exquisite wall tile

13 years later I am still in my 1951 Redwood Heights horseshoe shaped rancher and I have no intentions of moving.  I have restored many aspects of the property, I know all of my neighbors and it is comforting and familiar like your favorite down throw.  Over the past 3 years my neighboring houses are selling for less,  making Redwood Heights a great place to invest.  Here you can get a larger home in one of Oakland’s stand out communities.  Check out the newest neighborhood video visioned by and created for Red Oak Realty, Redwood Heights.  (continue on below to view market stats.)

Click on the image to enlarge

Keep in mind the prices above are averages and will vary based up, size, condition, lay-out and upgrades.

Click here to view full details about this property!

Every January, I reflect on how the previous year turned out, what I can do better and how can I provide a higher level of service.  Red Oak Realty is a company unlike many in our industry.  We are hyper-local, green, technically savvy, artist, charitable and always looking to improve our service.  Yesterday, was our annual 2012 Kick-Off Breakfast and I was honored to hear nationally acclaimed real estate expert, Nancy Gardner speak and consult about our economic forecast; I love how Nancy speaks with such clarity and truth. (Call me to discuss her predictions)  As tradition, awards were announced and cheer was raised and in the midst of it all, I was awarded Company-Wide Top Producer, an honor that I will cherish always.  I thank you, my clients for your continued support and trust and for my clients to come, please know I will continue to provide service from my heart.

Happy New Year!

Deidre

I am so proud and honored to work at Red Oak Realty

Do you see the warped plywood that lays between the dirt and the wood framing? This should be concrete. This home is being advertised has having a cleared, (zero) pest report. This image displays that there is still rotten wood in place.

Last month, I showed some clients an attractive house in one of our solid Oakland neighborhoods. The marketing campaign advertising this home as “all new” was an asset to my clients. They have good jobs and credit but, like most new homeowners, they can’t absorb the cost of any major repairs right now. The house had all the sparkle of a fresh remodeling project: fresh paint, granite counters, stainless steel appliances, new landscaping etc. It was the right house, in the right location, in apparently superb condition.  My clients were excited and, after two visits to make sure, wrote an offer that was accepted. Next came the inspection period. Although everything looked perfect on the surface, it was still important to have reputable professionals give their independent opinions. The back story on this house is that it was purchased at a foreclosure sale, all cash, by a group of investors. They prepared it for resale and marketed it as having $80,000 worth of improvements.

Our inspections began with a three hour examination of all systems by my favorite home inspector. He checked the roof, the crawl space, and everywhere in between. What he found was substantial pest damage to the structure, an outdated electrical system with glass fuses, potential drainage problems, and a sewer connection that was inaccessible for video inspection. Based on this we got a drainage consultation from an expert who advised us that the house some of the work done to improve the house was not done to building code standards, that it needed $40,000 to $50,000 worth of structural work, and that we should get an engineering inspection, at an additional cost of $500, to confirm that this work would be enough.

Sadly, I sent my clients’ cancellation notice to the seller today. They spent several hundred dollars on inspections and had their hopes raised and crushed by the entire incident. But that is a much better outcome than they would have had if they had relied on superficial impressions given by the remodeling work. All buyers should have inspections on their properties. Whether it’s old, new, or “flipped” like this one.

Tips On Home Inspections

All home inspection should be done by an ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors) certified inspector. These guys will look at everything from the foundation to the roof. They’ll inspect the electrical, plumbing, roof condition, foundation and everything in between. An inspection can cost anywhere from $585 to $ 650, depending on the size of the home.

Pest inspection of termites or beetles and all water damage. Approximately $235

Sewer – buyers are responsible for sewer lines until they hit the city main. For $75 your inspector can take a video camera into the pipe to check the condition of the pipes.

When to Get a Second Opinion:

Pest/Termite Inspections:

Recently a seller supplied an inspection report that had been done by an out-of-area pest inspection company. The report stated that there was no pest damage to the seller’s property.

I encouraged my buyers to get a second opinion.  My clients employed a highly respected local company to do another inspection. The local company found $6500 worth of pest damage. Ultimately, I was able to negotiate a $6500 credit for this discrepancy.

Sometimes home inspectors will call for a second inspection. It could be for anything from electrical wiring follow up to having a structural engineer come to look at the foundation.

Anytime that this is suggested it is recommended that you have professionals look before removing your inspection contingency. (An inspection contingency is a period of time during an escrow that a buyer is allowed to investigate the condition of a home and neighborhood.)

Jason, who has been with Harry Clark Plumbing for 16 years, takes a look at the sewer line.

Paul, an ASHI certified home inspector, discovers an electrical cord for the dishwasher goes to nowhere.

Paul is searching everywhere for what's inside this partition and if it can be easily removed for my buyers.

This is an example of rot. The screwdriver should not be able to insert into this doorjamb.