Bay Area California Real Estate Blog and News

3295 Hannah, Oakland - SOLD

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I am pleased to announce the sale of 3295 Hannah in Oakland for $360,000.

This exceptionally remodeled home was once a commercial storefront and features over 1,000 square feet with 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, radiant heating, soaring ceiling height, and a sunny private garden retreat.  Lucky buyers!

If you are looking to buy or sell in the Oakland area, or any other locations in the East Bay, please feel free to contact me.

Ken Fox, (510) 999-0923, Ken@EastBayModern.com

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428 Alice #440, Oakland - SOLD

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I am pleased to announce the sale of 428 Alice Street #440 in Oakland for $340,000.

This 2 bedroom, 2 bath, 1,150 square foot condo in the 428 Alice Loft building is located in the heart of the Jack London/Waterfront Warehouse District has everything one could ask for.  Granite counters and stainless steel appliances, bamboo hardwood flooring throughout, a private balcony, and in-unit HVAC and laundry are only some of the features of units in this fairly new (2006) development.

Congrats to the buyers for sticking through the lengthy short sale process and signing closing docs at their wedding!

If you are looking to buy or sell a loft/condo in the Jack London Square District,...

The College of Marin Presents, "The Mouse That Roared"

Directed by Marin Modern client and Drama Professor, Lisa Morse, "The Mouse that Roared" promises a good time for all and a fun holiday outing. It's a story about a tiny Alpine Duchy whose world famous wine and only source of income is being undersold by none other than a winery in San Rafael, California.  The Grand Duchess comes up with a solution....a rag tag army of medieval archers that goes to war against the U.S. and surprises everyone by winning!  The play is based on a book by Leonard Wibberley and adapted by Christopher Sergel.

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Reserve your tickets today!  Call the Box Office at 415-485-9385.  $20 General Admission; $15 for Seniors; $10 for Students.  ...

3015 Hagen Road, Napa - Just Sold!

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I am pleased to announce that I assisted my buyers in closing escrow on 3015 Hagen Road in Napa today.

This beautifully updated, three bedroom, two and half bath contemporary home with its lush lawns, seasonal creek and walnut grove is seconds from the Napa Valley Country Club in the highly coveted Coombsville Appellation area of Napa County. It has a state of the art security/audio/video system with a large three car garage and exercise room.

This exceptional Napa property sold for $1,350,000.

If you are interested in country property or real estate in Marin, Napa or Sonoma Counties please feel free to contact me.

Lea...

Housing Inventory in Marin County and Nationwide leads to prices rising

Before I comment on Marin County's housing market, I want to share some nationwide facts. These facts caught my interest while reading a report released last week by the Chief International Economist of Deutsche Bank in the US.

  • We have close to record-high levels of affordability right now. The housing affordability index has not been as high since 1971.
  • US home prices are rising steadily. Single-family home prices rose in September for an eighth straight month in a further sign that the housing market is on the mend.
  • The index's eighth month of gains is the longest since prices bounced in 2009 after the government unleashed stimulus measures following the market's collapse the previous year.
  • Housing inventory is coming down rapidly across the country. San Francisco and Sacramento are the extremes with annual inventory changes under 40%.
  • The flow of foreclosures are trending down. CA and FL still in...

118 Sandpiper Ct., Novato-----Just Sold!

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 118 Sandpiper Ct. Just Sold for $330,000!

I just helped my client with the purchase of this 2 bedroom, 2 bath unit with an enclosed garage. He had been looking for several months, and made offers on a number of other units---all with multiple offers. He was able to get this one for below asking price! Persistence pays off!

The market for affordably-priced units is extremely hot right now. With inventory low, and many investors out there with all-cash offers, it can be hard to compete. The secret to success, as with many things in life, is to stay in the game, and to get...

Bargain bookstores in Marin, where are they?

So I think it's time to talk about the elephant in the room.   I know, I know, denial is so much easier, not to mention way more fun, but it's time to get real: fall is pretty much over.  I suppose there's really no good way to cope with: the rain, getting up in and coming home in the dark and the cold weather; where you can see your breath in the morning.  While we can't bring back the days of sun, I think it might ease the transition if we made peace with, and embraced, the rapidly approaching winter. 

One of my favorite things about winter is how it's all of a sudden totally acceptable to spend your afternoons lazily curled up on the couch with a good book, rather than doing anything on your to-do list, using the weather as a convenient and wonderful excuse.  And, in my ongoing search for good books, I have stumbled across a truly amazing Marin secret.  I have recently discovered the Friends of the Library bookstores scattered all about...

Free LED Holiday light swap for Marin residents!

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Free LED Holiday light swap for Marin residents! Mark your calendar and go a little greener this December.

Rising Sun Energy Center, a green workforce development and retrofit service organization, is offering a holiday light exchange program. So bring in your old incandescent light strands and get new LED ones for FREE! The old lights will be recycled by ACE and funds will go toward cancer research. The LED light supply is limited, so come early.

To participate, you must be a Marin County resident and bring your PG&E bill.  The holiday light swap is offered on...

850 Idylberry Road, Lucas Valley-Marinwood-San Rafael, CA 94903: SOLD!

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850 Idylberry Road Lucas Valley-Marinwood-San Rafael CA 94903: SOLD has new owners! I had the pleasure of assisting my buyer client in the purchase of an Eichler in lower Lucas Valley.  The magic of the home starts when you walk through the front gate into a Zen like garden complete with waterfall and pond. The interior is open and spacious taking in natural light everywhere while still being private and serene. The property backs to open space with miles of trails, yet is close to shopping and transportation. This was a multiple offer situation closing at $740,500.

Lucas Valley...

77 Cypress Drive, Fairfax CA 94930 - Has a New Owner!

77 Cypress Drive, Fairfax CA 94930 - Has a New Owner!

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As an active Realtor in Marin County I see over 100 homes a month in person. There are a handful of exceptional homes, for various reasons, that when I step over the threshold I fall in love and think, "I must sell this home". It might be a super clean well maintained home, or the landscaping and grounds are magical or sometimes it's the architectural style that grabs me.

77 Cypress Drive in Fairfax was one of those special properties! Luckily, I had a specific and very special family in mind when I walked into the Cypress property.

I first met this family in person on the 4th of July! They were visiting from the East Coast and staying at a friend's house in Mill Valley. They only...