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Oakland Ranked #5 by New York Times
Tuesday, January 17th, 2012
It was a very pleasant suprise when NYTimes ranked Oakland as number 5 out of 45 destinations to visit in the world for 2012. Wow. We are #5. This was based on number of amazing restaurants in Oakland including Plum, Haven, Commis, and Hawker Fare. Having eaten at Plum, Plum Bar, Commis, and Hawker Fare, I can say without a bias that we have amazing restaurants. 
In all seriousness, I enjoy eating out and Oakland has a lot to offer. For truly authentic Vietnamese and Mexican food, go to International Blvd. Korean food? Check out Telegraph Avenue between 27th to 50th Street. Restaurant rows? Check out Uptown, Oldtown, Rockridge, Piedmont Avenue, Grand Lake, Temescal,and on and on. But why just stop at restaurants? Oakland has little bit of everything for everyone ranging from redwood regional park for hiking, skylines for cycling, star gazing at Chabot Space and Science Center, etc. For more information, go to 100 Things to do in Oakland. If you’re curious about Oakland food scene, neighborhoods, or whatever, send me an email, and I will tell you all about it.
Tags: Oakland restaurants
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What’s up with Home Insurance?
Tuesday, November 29th, 2011
When purchasing a property, one of mandatory closing costs is hazard insurance. Mortgage lenders require insurance as a protection in case of damage or destruction of property and/or personal possessions. Hazard insurance is also liability insurance in case of accidents that can occur within the property. This is typically the reason that sellers do not allow buyers to move into the house before close of escrow. Sellers do not want to take on the liability.
Typical question I get from homeowner is how much they should insure their home. I defer to the lender. Because the lender is also on title, they have a mandatory requirement of what homeowners should insure for since they want to protect their asset. However lenders cannot force homeowner to over-insure the property.
Depending on location of property, i.e., earthquake, fire, flood zone, homeowners may want to consider these additional coverage. My advice is to speak to a insurance consultant regarding costs. You probably want to speak to several. It might be worth bundling auto insurance with home insurance for cost savings. You may also see who your friends insure with. Realtor can also provide you with referrals.
After you decide on the insurance carrier, inform the insurance broker with escrow number, escrow office, and contact number, as well as, inform the escrow officer with the insurance broker’s information. Because you do not technically own the property, hazard insurance is paid through escrow as part of your closing costs (which includes property tax, county transfer tax, escrow fees, title insurance for you and the lender, loan fees).
Enjoy your house. Maintain the property on regular basis. Check in once in a while and make sure you have adequate insurance, especially if you remodeled or modified the house.
One last word. Make sure you pay your insurance on time, otherwise you will get letter from your lender, “gently” informing you that they purchased a temporary insurance protection.
Tags: home insurance
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2632 Warring St #8, Berkeley – 2/1 condo in Elmwood – sold for $350,000
Wednesday, July 13th, 2011
Located on the second floor, unit 8 is a chic mid-century modern-style condo with a large picture window, clean lines, and prime location. It’s 3 short blocks to Elmwood shopping district and 6 blocks to UC Berkeley campus. There is a partial view of San Francisco from the living room. It comes with 1 car parking and balcony. Laundry facility is on ground level. Open Sun 7/17 & 7/24, 2-4:30 pm.
Posted in Real Estate News | 1 Comment »
Four Oakland Neighborhoods in an Hour
Tuesday, March 29th, 2011
On Sunday, March 27, 2011, I participated in a relay race as part of the Oakland marathon. I have to say, what a great way to see Oakland! My leg covered Uptown followed by Piedmont Avenue then Temescal and finally Rockridge. I couldn’t believe I covered 4 great neighborhoods in an hour.
Oakland Marathon by lawrencegerald
If you’re not familiar with Oakland, few of the fabulous “walk to coffee” neighborhoods are Uptown, Piedmont Avenue, Temescal, and Rockridge. Uptown has that downtown vibe and is primarily made up of apartments and condo complexes with great restaurants like Flora, Pican, Ozumo, and Luka’s Taproom. 19th Street BART is close by. Piedmont Avenue feels like a small town with cute bungalows. Some of my favorite restaurants are Commis, Adesso, and Dopo. A bus will take you to MacArthur BART. Temescal may not look like much to the uninitated, but it’s another sought after neighborhood because of its close proximity to restaurants and shops. Heart of Temescal is 51st Street and Telegraph with restaurants like Pizzaiolo, Dona Tomas, Bakesale Betty, Scream Sorbert.
Bakesale Betty by stevendamron
Temescal also has a tool lending library, public pool, MacArthur BART, and Studio One Arts Center. Restaurants are continuously popping up and now stretch down to 40th Street including Aunt Mary’s Cafe, Remedy Coffee, and Homeroom Cafe. If you venture onto side streets, you’ll find tree-lined streets with mixture of bungalows, condos, and apartment complexes. Lastly when most people think of a nice Oakland neighborhood, Rockridge comes to the forefront with its arts & crafts homes, Rockridge BART, shops and restaurants like Oliveto, Wood Tavern, Market Hall, and library.
Wood Tavern by Kevin P.
Next year, I’m doing the half-marathon so that I can cover more Oakland neighborhoods on foot. I look forward to running through West Oakland, Montclair, Dimond District, and Laurel District. Let me know if you want to join me in the training. 
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Perils of Purchasing a Bank Owned Property at Courthouse Auction
Saturday, December 25th, 2010
SFGate had an article about perils of purchasing a bank owned property at a courthouse auction. I agree that this is risky. Without understanding how to conduct title searches, the average joe can easily end up purchasing a property with all sorts of liens against it. Or in this case, purchased the second lien which allowed the first lien holder to foreclose on the property. It’s safer to purchase a bank owned property (REO) through a regular transaction because when the first lender takes the property from the homeowner, it wipes out the secondary loans. The new owner (now the bank) is also responsible for the previous owner’s liens.
Investing in bank-owned properties and foreclosures is not for the faint-of-heart. You need to really understand the process and be ready for any complications that arise.
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3879 Shafter Ave, Temescal – $430,000 Sold
Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010
This is a sweet farmhouse in Temescal, close to MacArthur BART, Piedmont Avenue, Rockridge. Right around the corner from the house is Subrosa Coffee shop, so yes, you can “walk to coffee.”
On first level is the living room, formal dining room, kitchen, 1/2 bathroom, and a bedroom that would make an ideal office. Both the kitchen and the bedroom lead out to a large backyard with mature fruit trees including apple, orange, fig, plum, and more. Upstairs are two bedroom plus a sleeping porch and a full bathroom with clawfoot tub.
The house retained many of its original charming like douglas fir flooring, wood trims and moldings, picturesque windows, and detailed doors.
I ran into the next door neighbor who said she grew up in this house and helped to plant the fruit trees when she was a little girl.
The house will look refreshed with a coat of paint both inside and out.
It is a short sale, therefore requires a patient buyer. For more details about short sale process, disclosures, or to see the property, please contact me at ukang@grubbco.com.
Tags: farmhouse, Oakland homes, short sale, Temescal house for sale, walk to coffee
Posted in Past Sales, Real Estate News | 1 Comment »
A Decade of Price Comparison for Kensington and North Berkeley/Berkeley Hills
Wednesday, September 8th, 2010
One of my clients wanted a snapshot of the summer real estate market against previous years. I thought it would be even more fascinating to take it back a decade. Highlighted in yellow is the peak.
If you would like me to take a snapshot of your neighborhood, send me an email.
Nationwide, 2005 was considered peak of real estate market with 2006 continuing to hold. Kensington followed this pattern as did North Berkeley 94707 whereas Berkeley Hills 94708 didn’t reach its peak until 2007.
It will be interesting to see what next year will hold. Will it continue a soft descent or will it level off? If you’re considering whether it’s a good time to start investing in real estate, I recommend you check out real estate investing for beginners. It’s a good start on how to get started.
Posted in Real Estate News, Real Estate Price Trends | No Comments »
Lead Prevention Programs for Alameda County Homeowners
Wednesday, July 7th, 2010
Did you know that Alameda County offers various lead poisoning prevention services for homeowners of pre-1978 homes?
My father is an avid gardener. He’s always had a flower garden in front of the house and a vegetable garden at the back. When my parents moved in with us three years ago, he converted the front lawn into a flower garden. Unfortunately, we didn’t have much of a backyard for him to grow vegetables. A year ago, my parents decided the real estate market had hit bottom and it was time to buy. They purchased an investor flipped property few blocks from our home. Immediately, he started working on the front and back yard. In the process of digging up the backyard, he found buried fence with peeling paint. I suggested he contact the Lead Poisoning Prevention Program of Alameda County .
I filled out an on-line application. Within couple of few weeks, a very nice lady came out to do a visual survey and provided a consultation.
The In-Home Consultation is a free service to Alameda County residents of pre-1978 homes in Alameda, Berkeley, Emeryville and Oakland. In addition to on-site consultations, their services include lead safe work practice trainings and financial assistance for lead hazard repair work for rental properties with low-income tenants. I’m glad programs like these are still available.
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New Paint Rule for Pre-1978 Properties
Tuesday, June 15th, 2010
Effective April 22, 2010, for all pre-1978 properties, painter must be EPA trained and certified. Painter must also provide the homeowner or occupant (tenant) with an EPA pamphlet entitled “Renovate Right: Important Lead Hazard Information for Families, Child Care Providers, and Schools.”
Exceptions are :
- If the property is painted by the homeowner
- Repairs disturb less than 6 sq ft of painted surface per intioer room
- Repairs disturb less than 20 sq ft of painted surface on the exterior.
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677 Woodmont, North Berkeley Sunday Open 5/16 2-4:30 pm
Saturday, May 15th, 2010
I will be at 677 Woodmont on Sunday, May 16 from 2-4:30 pm.
3 bedroom/2 bathroom house in Berkeley Ridge (drive north on Marin, left on Grizzly Peak).
This is a perfect house for someone looking for peace, tranquility, and country-living. However, you only have to drive down the hill and turn left to Solano Avenue or right to Hopkins to be in the midst of shopping and restaurants. House is close proximity to the Tilden Regional Park.
The kitchen opens out to a multi-tiered deck and backyard with myriad of possibilities. Imagine yourself having a cup of coffee sitting out on the deck, grilling barbecues with friends, or planting vegetables and flowers.
Price $749,000.
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