East Bay Realty Pro Blog

A client called a few days ago and asked my thoughts on buying a small home and expanding it in three to five years. She and her husband have just had their first baby and are starting to think about space and schools. Her thought is to “get in” to one of the expensive areas known for good schools while the market is down.

I have heard this question many times. My advice: unless she is able to purchase the property at substantially under market value, I do not recommend this scenario. The home in this particular case, in my opinion, was overpriced and would not be a good financial decision.

Specifically, I gave her some things to consider:

What about buying a “distressed” property in a top location? Good idea, but if it is well priced, multiple offers will ensue and diminish its appeal. For more information, see
“On Foreclosures, Short Sales and REOs” and the multi-part “Journal of a Remodelee.”

My client decided to take my advice and take a more long term approach. I will be watching for more appropriate listings from this point on.

Image from Oakmore Homes Association

The city of Oakland has wonderful neighborhoods. One that is not widely known, but should be, is the Oakmore district, which includes lovely homes, many with San Francisco Bay views. While visiting one of them today, I was reminded of an article I wrote about the area some time ago.

Read the story HERE

California Vole (photo from voles.com)

It has been over a month since I saw it – a small, round, short-tailed, small-eared, furry creature. It looked like a mouse, but wasn’t.

I was pruning the jasmine on the back fence when this cute-nik, looking neither left nor right, scurried past me. In the second or two I had to ponder this development, I just smiled, rather than attempting to end its short life. That is a decision I do not regret, although a number of holes in our garden occasionally cause me to reconsider.

(The story continues HERE)

Owning a home has numerous responsibilities. One is to ensure that trees on your property are not dangerous to your neighbors. A large, dead or dying tree can cause massive damage if the entire tree or any of its limbs fall. This is why many municipalities, including the City of Oakland, have hazardous tree ordinances. The Oakland law (read it HERE), set up procedures for filing claims regarding city owned and privately owned trees.

Not long ago, an Oakland homeowner approached his neighbor and pointed out how an old, huge Monterey pine was severely leaning toward his house, with about a third of the canopy actually hanging over his roof. After consultations with various licensed arborists, it was agreed that the tree, about seventy feet tall, would need to be removed. Due to its size and proximity to high-tension electric wires, it cost the neighbor over $10,000 to have the tree cut down and taken away.

As it turned out, the pine was not only leaning, but was also seriously diseased. Within a year or two, it could have caused major property damage and, possibly, injury or death to the complaining neighbors. The tree ordinance helped avoid these issues and the likely legal action that would have followed.

For more information, see my article, “Eucalyptus and Monterey Pines Present Problems.”

What could be more “green” than identifying and preserving old, big trees? That is just what is happening in the City of Oakland.

The city has instituted a big tree registry “where Oakland residents may nominate trees that they believe are the largest specimen of their type.” The concept of a registry grew out of the loss of “what was believed to be Oakland’s oldest oak tree, the Champagne Oak, in Dimond Park in November 2005.”

Go to http://www.oaklandnet.com/big_tree_registry/home.asp to find out how to nominate a large tree, how to measure it and which are on the list. In addition, you will find Oakland’s tree regulations, photos and other information.

As time goes on in a buyer’s market with prices continuing to soften, those who purchased in recent years are asking whether their county property tax bill might be too high. If you bought in the past four to five years, this is a distinct possibility.

According to Oakland Council Member Jean Quan’s Web site, the Alameda County Assessor’s Office has completed the process of updating property values. It makes sense for you to look over the property tax notice that was recently sent out.

At no cost, property owners are entitled to request a review of their 2008-2009 assessed value. Go to http://www.acgov.org/assessor/reassessments.htm for the procedure on questioning your assessment. Your appeal application must be filed by September 15, 2008.

Be aware that a private company is soliciting a $95 fee from homeowners to apply for reassessment. Apparently, they are using the identical paperwork you can get free of charge.

For safety reasons, each city or local jurisdiction has specific rules and codes to help identify what is a bedroom. You should always consult with local officials for a definitive determination.

I was on broker’s tour today and reminded of how the “average” agent has little idea of what is and is not a bedroom. Home buyers and sellers have even less knowledge about this. The house I saw has two bedrooms and what the listing agent calls an “au pair,” nicely staged with a bed. This is a room with outside entry only. He considers this additional room to be bedroom number three.

Actually, the city where this home is located considers it a “plus” room, not a bedroom because 1) the only access to the hot water heater is through this room; and 2) it has a door opening into the garage. The former is a violation of the city’s Uniform Building Code and the latter does not comply with the Plumbing and Mechanical Codes.

These are significant because people sleep in bedrooms and there are numerous regulations to ensure they do not die in a room that is unsafe for sleeping. In the situation I cited above, the danger of noxious fumes and fire eliminates this room from being used for sleeping; therefore, it is not a bedroom. Secondarily, the value of a property is somewhat related to the number of bedrooms and it is important for the count to be correct.

Note: County records are often inaccurate and indicate an incorrect number of bedrooms and square feet. Do not rely on them.

For more information on this topic, see my article with the same title HERE.

On any given day, there are more than 6000 homeless people in Alameda County; half are in Oakland. Earlier this year, after a 10-year effort by its Executive Director, Wendy Jackson, the East Oakland Community Project (EOCP), the largest shelter in Alameda County, moved into its new home. It is believed to be the first facility in the county built specifically as a homeless shelter. Additionally, “Crossroads,” as it is called, is likely the only new, “green” building of its type in the country.

In 2004, as president of the Oakland Association of Realtors, I started “The Sharing Closet” to support EOCP. The concept is simple: buyers and sellers, prior to closing a sale, throw or give away numerous items in good condition that can be valuable to those who have nothing. Although not all donations can be accepted (see their “Wish List”), certain articles are truly needed. High on the list are men’s and women’s clothing suitable for job interviews, children’s clothing, shoes and toys and various types of toiletries and toothpaste.

Our Realtors encourage their clients to set aside these, and anything else they think may be helpful, and drop them off at one of several, convenient, Oakland locations. Happily, as the word has spread, I get calls from local homeowners, not involved in a sale, who have a crib or rocking chair or other things that EOCP’s clients can use.

If you know someone who can contribute, have them contact me through my Web site.

Today was the day our country’s foreclosure crisis became personal. Friends of ours have moved from the home they lived in for almost 20 years. They vacated right before the sheriff was allowed to forcibly evict them. For the past nine months, I have been trying to help them in any way I could, but time ran out.

Read full story HERE

The City of Oakland just reached the first anniversary of its program to encourage homeowners to seismically strengthen their property in anticipation of “the big one.” What follows is from council member Jean Quan’s web site.

“Now there are two ways the City can assist homeowners seismically strengthen their older homes:

1. New Homeowners–may apply for the New Homeowners Seismic Strengthening Incentive Program, but must sign up within the first 60 days of taking ownership. If you meet all the requirements, you can be eligible for up to $5,000 reimbursement.

2. Low Income/Fixed Income Homeowners–starting July 1, eligible homeowners may apply for up to $10,000 matching grant to seismically strengthen their older home. Homeowners must meet the City’s low income threshold (family of 2 not exceeding $53,000 a year, for example) and live in one of the City’s Redevelopment Project Areas.

3. All homeowners who retrofit according to the City’s standards are eligible for a flat $250 retrofit permit fee–saving hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.

In both cases, interested homeowners should first contact the City of Oakland’s Building Department at 238-3891 for information about the City’s Seismic Retrofit Program. Eligible low-income homeowners will then be referred to the City’s Residential Lending and Housing Rehabilitation Services Program, which also offers no-interest loans for other home construction improvement projects (including foundation work). ”