Today, Ron Kriss, our broker here at Lawton Associates, announced a comprehensive and historical comparative analysis of the Rockridge real estate market. And, he has concluded that "Rockridge is Just Different." I have worked with Ron Since the mid-90s and we have seen the market in all of its many ups and downs.Rockridge has long been one of the most desirable neighborhoods in the entire Bay Area, and the real estate market here is atypical. Lawton Associates, an expert in the Rockridge district, has been the top-selling real estate brokerage in the neighborhood for over 10 years. This chart, compiled by Ron, demonstrates the fact that there were more homes sold in Rockridge in 2007 than in the two previous years. The average list price and the average sold price have gone up every ye... 02/15/2008

What - Bay Area Housing Market Update and Home Buying WorkshopWhen - Saturday, March 15th from 10:30am - NOON  Where - 4341 Piedmont Ave. Oakland, CA 94611Cost - FREE!   Just show up!    Refreshments will be served What to expect:A brief state of the market segment.  Current news and conditions of the bay area housing market The loan process.  How to get qualified for a loan.   What programs are out there that can help you substantially with down payment and mortgage assistanceThe escrow and title process.  What's that?  You'll find out!  Tax and financial benefits of home ownershipThe role of a Realtor.  What I do to assist you in the home buying processInformation regarding Free credit counselingHow to repair credit, and How to get prepared to purchase a home in the future if you don'... 02/14/2008

Automatic and Programmable ThermostatsIn our modern, high tech society, we don't think much about some of the electronic gadgets in our homes. Take, for example, the ever present thermostat--a staple of North American households for decades. It usually takes the shape of an unassuming box on the wall, but that modest device controls the comfort of your family on the coldest day in January and the hottest day in July.What Is a Thermostat?It is a temperature sensitive switch that controls a space conditioning unit or system, such as a furnace, air conditioner, or both. When the indoor temperature drops below or rises above the thermostat setting, the switch moves to the "on" position, and your furnace or air conditioner runs to warm or cool the house air to the setting you selected for yo... 02/07/2008

11 Things You Need to Know to Pass Your Home Inspection  "According to industry experts, there are at least 33 physical problems that will come under scrutiny during a home inspection when your home is for sale. Here are 11 you should know about if you're planning to put your home up for sale." Homebuyers Want to Know Your Home Inside and OutWhile homebuyers are as individual as the homes they plan on purchasing, one thing they share is a desire to ensure that the home they will call their own is as good beneath the surface as it appears to be. Will the roof end up leaking? Is the wiring safe? What about the plumbing?  These, and others, are the questions that the buyers looking at your home will seek professional help to answer.According to industry experts, there are at least 33 physi... 02/07/2008

Should You Have the Air Ducts in Your Home Cleaned?Most people are now aware that indoor air pollution is an issue of growing concern and increased visibility. Many companies are marketing products and services intended to improve the quality of your indoor air. You have probably seen an advertisement, received a coupon in the mail, or been approached directly by a company offering to clean your air ducts as a means of improving your home's indoor air quality. These services typically -- but not always -- range in cost from $450 to $1,000 per heating and cooling system, depending on the services offered, the size of the system to be cleaned, system accessibility, climatic region, and level of contamination.Duct cleaning generally refers to the cleaning of various heating and cooling sys... 02/07/2008

The Home Inspector - Water Damage Lookout Before buying a home, hire a professional to come and inspect the following major house systems to insure that they do not have any problems or deficiencies: the heating and central air conditioning, plumbing, the roof, electrical systems, attic, visible insulation, walls, windows, ceilings, floors, foundations, and the basement. Even if expenses are tight, set aside money to hire the inspector, for he or she may catch the slightest evidence of water damage that you would otherwise have had to later pay thousands of dollars to repair the damaged walls, structural beams, ceilings, and/or foundation. Water damage may occur for multiple reasons. For one, if the temperature drops below negative ten, your water pipes can freeze or even burst, resulti... 02/07/2008

Short. But True, Story.After the lady, her elderly mother and her daughter left, something tells me to turn and look in the mirror... I mean, it's like any other time that you or I would just turn and look in the mirror.  Why, because we want to see how we're looking;  Make sure we're still looking 'fresh'... In this particular moment of concieted bliss, i was shocked at what I saw... I saw a person staring back at me that did not live up to my expectations.. I had let myself down..  In my mind, I remember wanting to scream... So i proceeded to do just that.. but only silently.  "Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!""Lord, why have you forsaken me!!!" *sniff sniff*At this point, I am, how do you say... "Embarrased"... Ok, let me rewind...A couple of Sundays ago, I held an Open House in Easy Oak... 02/07/2008

Living in the East Bay for the last 15+ years, it seems like the powers that be are always talking about a revival of Jack London Square. And, it looks like it might actually be on the verge of happening!First, there is the highly anticipated California Harvest Hall, which is planned to be largest public market on the west coast, rivaling even Seattle. That should be opening in 2009 and promises to bring in a lot of local visitors and tourists alike.Today, Eater SF has a run down on other great developments in the neighborhood. Among the news is that Cocina Poblano has just opened and offers the largest tequila selection in the east bay. Plus, the upscale hotelier Joie de Vivre has taken over the Waterfront Hotel and will be opening up a new restaurant from local celebrity chef Joey Alt... 01/31/2008

Last night, I was watching the Democratic Presidential Debate, and they discussed the topic of the subprime mortgage meltdown and the housing market. If my memory is correct, this was the first time I had seen the topic discussed in depth at any of the presidential primary debates. So, it made me curious what the official stance was from all of the candidates both on the left and on the right.I thought it would be helpful to present statements and links for all of the candidates' viewpoints, but I could only find statements on this issue from the three major Democratic candidates. The Republican candidates do not address the housing market or the subprime situation on the issue statement sections on their websites. So, here are the statements from Clinton, Edwards, and Obama (alphabetic... 01/16/2008

Tips On Energy Efficient WindowsWindows bring light, warmth, and beauty into buildings and give a feeling of openness and space to living areas. They can also be major sources of heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer. However, when properly selected and installed, windows can help minimize a home's heating, cooling, and lighting costs. This information describes one option-- energy-efficient windows--available for reducing a home's heating and cooling energy requirements.Controlling Air LeaksWhen air leaks around windows, energy is wasted. Energy is also transferred through the centers, edges, and frames of windows.Eliminating or reducing these paths of heat flow can greatly improve the energy efficiency of windows and, ultimately, of homes. Several options are available t... 01/11/2008

Window Treatments for Glass Sliding Doors Offer Many OptionsWindow treatments for glass sliding doors allow you to view the beauty of nature while protecting you from the elements. These window treatments let you control light, but should also be easy to operate. Sliding glass doors may be an attractive and efficient way of letting light and air into your home, but they're also a big source of heat loss. Additionally, if you don't have the right window treatment for glass sliding doors, they can be an eyesore and lead to an unattractive décor.The two main considerations when choosing window treatments for glass sliding doors are how much traffic the door causes and how much light you want to receive through the glass. Additionally, working with sliding glass doors requires a good sense ... 01/11/2008

Tips for Single HomebuyersThere are probably few things in life that are as exciting--or as nerve- racking--as the search for a house. With an organized home buying plan, you can minimize a great deal of the emotional impact. By determining your buying power, your wants and needs, and having an organized search plan, your chances of a stress-free experience are much better.Certain types of homes may appeal a bit more to some single homebuyers. For example, since most of the maintenance will be done by one person rather than two, many single buyers prefer homes such as townhouses and condominiums where some or all of the exterior maintenance, landscaping, snow removal, etc. is handled by the homeowner's association. In addition, some single buyers prefer the community aspect of these typ... 01/11/2008

Which is the Best Season to Sell Your Home?Realizing the time has come to sell your home can create mass confusion. Timing is everything in real estate; however, some also believe one season is better than another to sell your home.If you ask a real estate professional when you should sell your home, most will say, "Now is the best time to sell your home".Real estate today is a year-round business, and most agents will agree that they do nearly as much business in December as in June.If that is the case, then how do you decide which is the best time of year to list your home? Each season has its own characteristic. Let's review each one.According to most real estate professionals, spring is the busiest time of the year for buyers and sellers -- spring offers the opportunity to showcase ... 01/11/2008

  By Farrah Wilder: For several years, thanks in large part to the efforts of former Oakland mayor Jerry Brown, once decaying blocks of Jack London square, downtown and uptown Oakland have been abuzz with the construction of mid-rise condo developments. Last summer, the City of Oakland’s Planning Commission began considering and holding public meetings to discuss a proposal to build Emerald Views, a One Rincon Hill-style, 42-story glass residential tower that would be the tallest condo developments and the tallest building in the Bay Area outside of San Francisco. Although Emerald Views stands to be a significant change to Oakland’s skyline and the surrounding communities, more significant than the building itself right now are the scandals surrounding it. On the main stage of the Emer... 01/02/2008

Dave and Carla aren't Bragging - They're Applying for a Job Carla and I were preparing for a listing presentation with a seller in the Lake Merritt area of Oakland who has a large two bedroom, two bathroom condo with Lake Views. In preparation for the meeting we pulled all activity for the area back to April 1st to get an up to date history of the local activity. We were shocked to see that there were 16 properties of roughly the same size that had been on the market during that time period but only three had sold or were pending out of all 16. The rest of the units were either cancelled, withdrawn or will still active without a sale. What was even more surprising to us was that all of the sold or pending units were our listings! That's right, every one of them! When we started to see t... 12/17/2007

Tips on Saving Energy and Money at HomeDid you know that the average family spends close to $1300 a year on their home's utility bills? Unfortunately, a large portion of that energy is wasted. By using a few inexpensive energy efficient measures, you can reduce your energy bills by 10% to 50% and, at the same time, help reduce air pollution. The key to achieving these savings is a whole-house energy efficiency plan. To take a whole-house approach, view your home as an energy system with interdependent parts. For example, your heating system is not just a furnace, it's a heat delivery system that starts at the furnace and delivers heat throughout your home using a network of ducts. You may have a top-of-the-line, energy efficient furnace, but if the ducts leak and are uninsulated, and yo... 12/17/2007

First of all, I do know how to spell Sequoia.  It's the only word that uses all of the vowels AEIOU.  The region around Oakland California was named after a local indian chief Sequoyah.I joined the Mid-Century Modern group here at Activerain.  I said I would take some photos of the Eichlers around here.  It was a cold brisk December mid morning when I took these photos, some of the houses are in shadow.Sequoyah Highlands sits high in the East Oakland Hills above the now closed Oak Knoll Naval Hospital.  The land that Sequoyah Highlands was built on was part of that military complex.The Streets in this neighborhood all have horse and buggy names such as coach, Phaeton, Shay Surrey and Hansom.  These names were chosen because the streets rotate off of Hansom like a wagon wheel.  12/15/2007

What's with my Activerain/localism username: Historytours?  Well, I am going to be putting my architectural history knowledge to good use by offering monthly guided tours.  I have lots of experience giving tours. I have been a docent at Oakland's Dunsmuir Historic Estate for over 21 years now.Storybook Homes Tour:  This tour is the one that I am offering currently. I have studied this style of home for over 5 years now and I most comfortable given this tour.  We will see homes by W.w. Dixon, Carr Jones, Derry, Weaver & Derry and W.R. Yelland. (lunch stop at Beckett's Irish Pub, a building by Yelland)Art Deco Tour: Downtown Oakland's Art Deco District and Art Deco Homes, businesses and Monuments around the Bay Area.  A stop by the Alameda Point area, the former Naval Air Station yeilds a... 12/10/2007

Federal Realty BuildingYear Built 1914Oakland, CaliforniaTelegraph Avenue and BroadwayA local landmark.  Like the Flatiron Building in New York City, the Federal Realty Building is a triangular shaped building located at a Gore point of two of the major roads in Downtown Oakland Broadway and Telegraph Avenue. Along the left side of the building is Telegraph Avenue which runs from this spot in Downtown Oakland and ends at the Famous Souther Gate at the U.C. Berkeley Campus.   Along the right side of the building is Broadway which starts at Oakland's Jack London Square and ends in the Oakland hills near the Caldecott Tunnel 12/06/2007

okay....so where did I leave off?  Clarksburg California in the Sacramento Delta.  Great little town.  So there I am in this little town and I am surrounded by homes that look like they would fit onto my street back in San Leandro. Some of the homes even appear to share some "architectural DNA" to my parent's home, the Derry House.So I am thinking that there must be something to this entire Yelland connection. This starts me on going out on weekends Yellanding, looking for home archived in the collections of U.C. Berkeley.  This journey takes me all over Northern California from as far North as Chico, Ca. and as far South as Monterey, Ca. In Chico he did the Chico Trinity Church at the corner of Fifth and Flume Streets.  A very nice building.  I Marysville he did the Sui Sing Benevolent... 12/03/2007