Thursday Night Out 2008 in Old Oakland

Last year the wonderful restaurants of Old Oakland celebrated their neighborhood by hosting, Thursday Night Out. I am please to announce that Thursday Night Out is back! Thursday Night Out is a fun excuse to ditch your kitchen and grab a mouth watering meal in Oakland's ultra chic gourmet ghetto. The celebration includes later store hours for shops like Drift Denim and live music.

Read Below for more info on this community event/concert series:Levende East, B Restaurant, Air Lounge, and Tamarindo present...

Thursday Night Live - Free Outdoor Summer Concert Series every 1st and 3rd Thursday from 5p-9p starting June 5th - TONIGHT w/ Julio Bravo's Salsa Band & Special Guest DJs Outdoor Beverage Tent sponsored by Sarticious Spirits + Happy Hour Specials inside Levende East from 4p-6p (at the bar): $2 Sierra Nevada, $2 off glass wines, $5 well & featured cocktails.  9th & Washington | Downtown Oakland

Cliff May, Mid Century Architect built homes in Oakland!

Photo from the Multiple Listings of the Cliff May home in Oakland

Photo of Sunset Magazines Headquarters, found online @www.terragalleria.com/pictures

Cliff May was known as the father of the California Ranch Home. In the 1930's he began building furniture and homes without any formal training. May wanted his homes to be about informal living with a great deal sunshine. His homes were typically U or L shaped had to be accessible to private outdoors spaces. May modernized the California ranch house by using low-cost materials that would appeal to the masses. Building over 1000 residential and commerical properties, May was known for designing celebrity homes. He created Sunset Magazine's headquarters in Menlo Park and the Robert Mondavi Winery in Napa Valley. Last year one of Cliff May's home sold in Oakland, on Jordan Road! (The Redwood Heights District of Oakland.) May's plans were used in construction of more than 18,000 houses world-wide, including Switzerland, Australia and Ireland. Cliff May said, "If you can't walk out of the living room or bedroom or kitchen onto the ground, if you have to go down steps, you're not living like a real Californian lives."

Tips for buying a home in Oakland or Berkeley

Photos from my evening open house/ art gala at 3318 Jordan Road

Here are a few easy tips for buying a home regardless of the market. Visit a perspective home several times in the day and in the night. Remember you are not just buying a home, you are buying a piece of the neighborhood, you should be comfortable with the package. Definitely keep in mind price and comparable homes and what they sold for, but most importantly listen to your voice. After you view a home, are you thinking about it when you go to bed? How about when you wake up? Can you imagine yourself sitting on your coach relaxing? Remember, you will have to make adjustments to your wish list and you most likely won't get everything on your list, so be realistic. When you feel like the house is right and you decide to write an offer, I will do everything that I can to negotiate strongly on your behalf, so be prepared, when I call you and say, "we got it!'.

Yesterday I hosted an evening open house/ art gala with refreshments at my listing on Jordan Road in Oakland. My goal was to connect with the community, give home buyers an additional evening open house to view the property, as well as give them an opportunity to meet the neighbors and better learn the community. I was thrilled to have a steady flow of neighbors, friends and perspective home buyers. Thanks for your interest and support!

Art Gala in Redwood Heights

Art Gala Party

I am celebrating my new listing in the Redwood Heights community of Oakland. Come view this magical home and enjoy the beautiful art of Hope Meredith!

Enjoy a glass of wine and mingle tomorrow evening, Monday June 2nd from 6-8.

3318 Jordan Road - www.3318Jordan.com

Warmly,

Deidre

P.S. Feel free to call me with your questions, 510.693.4253

Eco Chic in Oakland

This home is on 66th Street in the North Oakland/Temescal area of Oakland, listed by Marvin Gardens. Here sits two 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom town homes with all of that one could hope for in regards to eco-friendly, high-style living. These homes have solar electricity, tankless hot water heaters, skylights, as well as walnut kitchen cabinets, hand-made steel stair railings, and more!

This was my favorite find from last weeks Broker's tour. I would be happy to give you a private showing!

Bold Colors on Oakland Homes

Give me something refreshing and new; give me color! Here are some Oakland Homes with bold colors that work.

What does your Oakland or Berkeley Garden Need?

Stop the procrastination and get in your yard! Even if you only have an hour or two, now is the time to pull thoses weeds and fill in gaps. Some of you have very tailored gardens and there isn't room for more, while others, (like myself have a free for all.) April and May are great months to tune up your irrigation system and plant your summer vegetables, lavender and citrus plants.

According to Sunset Magazine What's In for your garden is: Single plant containers, solar lighting and meditation spaces.

What's Out: Tiki torches and overstuffed containers

Coming Soon in Redwood Heights!

For the last few months I have been working on this beautiful 1940's home in Redwood Heights. Every improvement that has been made over the past few weeks have been meticulously chosen to satisfy this home's new owner. I call this home Javier's House. Here Javier lived and played, and together with his mom, made many memories. This house is on an over sized lot with two backyards! In the second backyard Javier's uncle built a handsome fort which served as a catalyst for many an adventure as well as sheltered Javier and his mom from a summer's hot night. It is my job to market all of my listings in the best manor to entice as many home buyers as possible. Sure I have seen listings that fall short of their advertisement, but I do believe you will be refreshed when you visit this home. SAVE THE DATE! Sunday June 1st I will be hosting the first open house/garden party. Come, say hello and join me for a lemonade out in the garden.

Music, Dancing, Food and Fun and Oakland's Greek Festival

View from the Greek Catherdal

The Greek Cathedral in Oakland is expanding, here is the new rotunda dome

After a long day of work I was exhausted and not in the mood to cook dinner. What was my solution? Taking my son to the Greek Festival at the Ascension Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Oakland, where we were able to hear great music, eat Gyro's, see familiar faces, all while being about a mile away from home.

Get Ideas from the S.F. Decorator's Showcase House

The view from the balcony at the S.F. Decorator's Showcase 2008

Every year I visit the San Francisco Decorator's Showcase with my dear friend, Diana. We like to see the new trends and the magnfiscient historic home that has been transformed by the country's best designer's work. This year I was taken by a room that had ombre walls. (Definition: use ombre shadow, shade; darkness, obscurity.) The walls of this particular room were dark blue at the top where the wall meets the ceiling and it shaded down gradually until the bottom of the walls were white. I've seen ombre dresses and shoes, but I have never seen ombre walls. There was a "women's suite" that had a color palette of camel, sky blue and fuchsia, the combination was fantastic. Here at the Showcase House you see side tables, art and light fixtures up close that you see in magazines such as Metropolitan Home, Elle Decor and more.

For most of us, we do not have the budget to hire a designer for our Oakland or Berkeley homes, but go to the Showcase House to get ideas and implement one or two into your house. The showcase house runs through 5/26/08.

For more information about the San Francisco Decorator's Showcase House, click here.

Photo Sketch of the Showcase House is courtesy of their website.

Ohmega Salvage, Berkeley Lighting and Cafe Fanny...

Where can I put this fantastic counter top? Ohmega Salvage located at 2407 San Pablo Avenue www.OhmegaSalvage.com

Cafe Fanny 1603 San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley.www.CafeFanny.com

One of the many tasks that I take on as your Oakland and Berkeley Realtor is shopping! Maybe it is picking up paint at Kelly Moore or selecting light fixtures at Berkeley Lighting, or looking for vintage towel racks at Ohmega Salvage, this is all part of my full service. (By the way several businesses give me a discount, which I pass on to my clients!) My job is to help my clients spend the least amount of money possible, while giving their house the WOW factor. (...and aesthetically keeping with the period of the house.) Last week I was helping two of my clients select various finishes for their homes. As I was driving up to Berkeley Lighting on San Pablo, I decided to make a pit stop at Cafe Fanny. Cafe Fanny is an Alice Waters of Chez Pannise creation, a place to sit and have a latte and poached eggs, or grab a cookie and go. As soon as I popped in, I saw a Salty Chocolate cookie! No need to read the menu, that was what I needed to get me through the afternoon. I am crazy about salt and sweet combinations, especially in chocolate. If I would have had the time, I would have enjoyed a freshly brewed latte served in a latte bowl, but I settled for artisan water.

Whether you are looking for inspiration for your home, or have a project, San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley is a great resource. Don't miss Baldwin Brass at 2119 San Pablo Ave., Ohmega Too at 2204 San Pablo Ave and East Bay Nursery at 2332 San Pablo Ave.

Photo of Countertop from OhmegaSalvage.com, photo of Berkeley Lighting store front from ShopinBerkeley.com, and photo of Cafe Fanny window from CafeFanny.com.

Home Buyer Comments From Open House in Leona Heights

Today I held open 5200 Mountain Blvd. for the first time. It is always interesting meeting and talking with homebuyers and hearing their thoughts about the market. As I welcome people into the house, I strike up conversation by offering to answer their questions about this home or the real estate market in general. I also ask them what homes stood out for them as they went house hunting. (I love to hear feedback from active buyers.)

Today, I heard a comment about the Laurel and Maxwell Park districts being over priced for where it is. (The gentleman also, said he could be bitter since he had a chance to buy a home in the Laurel 10 years ago for $100,000!) For people who are buying homes in the high $400,000 to the low $500,000 range, you differently have to make concessions. Buy a bigger house in a "less desirable" neighborhood or a smaller house in a "more desirable" neighborhood.

My suggestion is this: a house should fit your needs for 7-10 years in this real estate market and you should buy the best neighborhood you can. Remember you can't move the house. (Well technically you could...) If you are not sure about a neighborhood investigate it! Visit a home of interest 3 different times, in the day, in the night and if possible on the weekend, walk the neighborhood and talk to the neighbors. If the next door neighbor is nasty to you, then do you really want them as your neighbor?

You can visit 5200 Mountain online at www.5200Mountain.com, now available for $529,000. Pictured above is a map of the walking trails near this home and a shot of the diningroom.

Coming Soon in Leona Heights, Oakland!

Putting a home on the market is a great deal of work! The sellers have to pack and clean and do the many recommendations that are given, (by me) to make a house more appealing to buyers. Being that I work with many homebuyers in Oakland and Berkeley, I can tell home sellers exactly what buyers say and like. Many homeowners including myself ignore the little projects that buyers notice right away. What you ask? Clean light switch plates, freshly painted walls and baseboards, refinished floors, and more... Realtors need to take pictures, obtain termite reports, create postcards, brochures and personal websites, oversee all of the disclosure paperwork, and more. Currently my Leona Heights clients and I are wrapping up all of the final details to bring you a new listing this Sunday.

Open this Sunday 5200 Mountain Boulevard offered at $529,000.

Today is Dinng Out For Life in Oakland and Berkeley!

Leave that chicken in your meat drawer or freezer and go out to dinner tonight. Today many of Oakland and Berkeley's best restaurants are participating in Dining Out For Life. Choose a restaurant, make a reservation, and enjoy a fabulous meal! That's all you have to do to help us continue to provide life-sustaining services to people in our community living with HIV/AIDS and other critical illnesses.

For a list of participating restaurants and more information click here.

Eichler For Sale in Oakland Hills!

Ultra Chic Atrium

My broker's tour find of the day is 8100 Phaeton listed by Red Oak Realty. With only 49 Eichler's in Oakland, this home is a rare treasure. For those of you who adore indoor-outdoor all level living, this mid-century modern home is worth a look. Some of the best attributes about Eichler homes are the floor to ceiling windows, the angles of the ceilings and roof and the easy to maintain yards.

Stunning Walls of Glass on the Piedmont Side of Montclair

I love the wall of glass in this home!

Bakesale Betty, One of Oakland's Treasures

The other week my father finally went to Bakesale Betty on the corner of Telegraph and 51st Street in the Temescal area of Oakland. I have been raving about their fried chicken sandwiches, just like half of Oakland. My dad called me up told me what a great experience he had, which I thought I would share with you. My dad said that he told the people behind the counter that it was his first time in their shop and that I had recommended he try their addicting fried chicken sandwich with jalepeno and cabbage slaw. The person who was helping him was super friendly and gave my dad several sweets to sample while he waited for his sandwich. My dad went on to say that they sure do things the right way. Simple, friendly service!

I told my dad they are smart, by giving him a free cookie, they know that he will be back. Their bake goods are addicting, once you try it, you will be craving them.

Here's to all of the great Oakland businesses, the people who support them and all of the great aspects of our city! With all of the negativity there are MANY, MANY more positive things happening.

Equity Line Changes in Oakland and Berkeley

Recently it has come to my attention that due to a declining real estate market, banks are cutting the limits of customers equity lines of credit. I know many of you have equity lines with funds available for a rainy day or an upcoming remodel. You may not want to pull money from your home equity line and make the monthly payments, but if there is a possibility that you are counting on this money, think about it. I have heard several Oakland homeowners express their frustration when the money they have counted on was suddenly gone.

As always, when it comes to your finances, please consult your tax advisor or financial planner. I just want to give you the heads-up.

Okay this picture says nothing about Equity Lines of Credit, but I like to bring you beautiful pictures of the Oakland and Berkeley area. This photo is from the California Online Archives. Pictured here are children playing on the corner of Lee and Vernon Street.

Chic Mid Century in North Berkeley

Last Thursday I fell in love for this mid-century home in North Berkeley on LeRoy Street. This home is currently listed with Grubb Co. and I thought I would give you a glimpse. This house is in one of Berkeley's Best Neighborhoods and has great mid-century features such as a beautiful courtyard and spacious rooms. I personally like the nostalgic laminate red kitchen counters with aluminum edging.