Michael's Blog

Be sure that you enter everyday to increase your chances at winning.  This year's contest grand prize is a 2,000,000.00 Dream Home in Sonoma wine growing region.

Go to

 http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv-dream-home-2009-giveaway-enter/package/index.html

and bookmark the page!

Tell all your friends to enter too.

"If your looking for a home in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area, give me a call!  I would love to help you find your Dream Home"

Mike

As New Year's Day Rolls along, it becomes time to start submitting your daily entries int the HGTV Dream Home 2009 Contest.

I will try to remember to add links at the bottom of all my blog postings until contest ends.  I hope that all other Active Rain Bloggers also provide a link to the contest at the end of each of their blogs as well.

I am excited about the Dream Home contest this year.  it's on the outskirts of the San Francisco Bay Area in the wine country in the town of Sonoma.  Many of the past Dream Homes have been located in the State of Florida.  One of the Dream Homes was in Colorado in a Ski in and Ski out location.

Here is a link to the contest page from the HGTV website.  Since this posting is before the New Year's Day launch of the contest, the page with the actual contest entry is not activated yet.   I am sure that after January 1st this page will contain a link for you to fill out your information.

http://www.hgtv.com/dream-home/kitchen-hgtv-dream-home-tour-2009/index.html 

Good Luck to you all.  Remember to bookmark the contest page and enter daily for more chances to win.

If you win and you read about it from my page let me know.

In Oakland if you travel along, let's say Fruitvale Avenue you will come across the cross streets East 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and so on.

When you get to what should be East 14th Street you will notice International Boulevard.  East 14th was renamed to reflect the political correctness movement of the late 1980s and early 1990s.   International Boulevard was thought to better reflect the different neighborhoods the street past through.

So Viola, East 14th Street became International Boulevard.   Did this move increase business along the corridor?  Just by looking at the vacant businesses up and down International Boulevard, my guess is that the name change did absolutely nothing except spend millions of dollars of city and private money to change all the addresses of the businesses and residences along the entire route.

At the San Leandro city limit when you cross over Durant Avenue, the name East 14th remains and stays strong and vibrant until you get the the San Lorenzo - Hayward borders.  East 14th Street then becomes Mission Boulevard through parts of San Lorenzo, Hayward, Union City and into Fremont.

It's quite ironic and I find extremely funny, is that the city that has all the East 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and so on streets does not have the East 14th anymore and the city that never had the East 1-2-3s retains their East 14th Street.

San Leandro does retain some of the numbered Avenue Streets.  138th Avenue near San Leando high school is one of the recognizable streets.  150th Avenue that goes into the Bayfair Mall area is also a better known numbered street.  164th Avenue is an exit off of Interstate 580.  The last of the numbered streets is 173rd Avenue is tucked up against Interstate 238 at the San Lorenzo - San Leandro - unincorporated Ashland district.

San Leandro has a weird naming convention near the Marina District and Mulford Gardens.  The numbered Streets are preceded by a West or W then the Avenue designation comes in, so in that part of town you will have some W Ave 133rd, W Ave 134th, and so on.

So like the song "Istanbul not Constantinople" goes

Every gal in Constantinople
Lives in Istanbul, not Constantinople
So if you've a date in Constantinople
She'll be waiting in Istanbul...

The same can be said for East 14th

Every gal on East 14th Street
Lives on International Boulevard, not East 14th Street
So if you've a date on East 14th Street
She'll be waiting on International Boulevard...

"Why they changed it I can't say
People just liked it better that way"

So If you're looking for East 14th Street just come to San Leandro we still have ours! 

San Leandro is full of fall color everywhere you look.  Who needs trips to Vermont and New Hampshire to see fall foliage?  You can get a blast of color on every street in town.

Bancroft Avenue has some brilliant yellow Ginko trees with Pops of color that cannot be ignored.

The Crepe Myrtle trees also have a wide variety of colors from green, gold, red, yellow and orange.

 Ginko

 Crepe Myrtle Crepe Myrtle Decorative Pear?

If you are interested in moving to the East Bay, give me a call and I will be more than happy show you around.

www.dunsmuir.org is the website to go to.

Located at the Oakland San Leandro Border is the Dunsmuir Hellman Historic Estate.  Each year at this time of year the home and all the out buildings are all decorated for the Christmas holidays.

The mansion and grounds are open for weekends during December for the Holiday Show.  Stop on by and say hello if you see me up there.

The high tea at the Dinkelspeil house located at the north gate is a must for anyone wanting a relaxing break from touring the mansion and gift shopping.

I've been volunteering up there since 1987.

Fa-la-la-la.

Enjoy a spot of tea at the Romantic Storybook Normandy Tudor.....Dinkelspeil House.

The Mansion at the Dunsmuir - Hellman Historic Estate Oakland, California.

Dunsmuir Hellaman Mansion

Long time volunteer and good friend Teresa greets you at the front door.

Here I am volunteering at the mansion.  I've already done two Christmas party evening tours this season.  I will be hosting a children's school tour comming up soon.

When I'm not selling real estate I am volunteering.   I love selling historic homes and architecturally significant homes.  Give me  a call.

***update, just back from volunteering again this morning.  We had two bus groups that came through the property.  The first group as a retired teacher's group from San Jose.  The second group was an early alzheimer's group from Fairfield***

The other day someone from a sub-contractor for Pacific Gas & Electric came by my neighborhood and replaced all the old spinning dial meters with a new one that transmits the data directly to their billing offices.

An example of the old style spinning dial meters where someone would have to go home to home and read and document the readings.

An example of the new SmartMeter.

 The install the new meter is only a matter of removing the metal ring around the meter and unplugging the old meter.

The new meter is then plugged into the socket, the metal ring re-installed and the installer moves on to the next home.

A few weeks later this same installer came back and added a similar SmartMeter for my gas meter.

PG&E is making this change so it can layoff or redirect the meter reading staff.  A future cost cutting measure for the utility company.

It blows my mind that PG&E will spend millions of dollars to lay people off when they are still using Civil War technology.  I am talking about the Telegraph poles up and down the streets that clutter our landscape and have wires dangling over our streets and yards.   I understand that the telephone company, cable company and power companies all use these poles as their common delivery method.

(photo: sxc stock exchange)

But really, how ugly are these things, let's keep the meter readers and get rid of these sources of blight in our cities.  It's time these utility giants do something to give back to the homeowners who have been paying for service for the last many decades (some addresses have been paying over 100 years) it's high time for an upgrade (or below the grade) undergroundnig of utilities.

Once again I transcribed the open house guide from the San Leandro Times and rearranged it for your convenience. 

If you miss seeing any of these, I would be more than happy to represent you as the buyer.  Call me and I can arrange for a viewing.

I have set aside this weekend to showing homes to people just like you.  In fact, it could be you!  Give me a call at 510 334-7800 to schedule. 

San Leandro

2246 Blackpool Place, San Leandro

Offered at $349,000.00 through Rinetti & Co. Realtors

3 bedrooms / 2.5 baths

Sun 2-4

715 Sybil Avenue, San Leandro

Offered at $385,000.00 through Prudential California Realty

2 bedrooms / 1 baths

Sun 1-4

981 Lee Avenue, San Leandro

Offered at $494,950.00 through Re/Max in Motion

2 bedrooms / 2.5 baths

Sun 1-4

1441 Regent Drive, San Leandro

Offered at $639,000.00 through Rinetti & Co. Realtors

3 bedrooms / 2 baths

Sun 2-4

2820 Darius Way, San Leandro

Offered at $785,000.00 through Coldwell Banker

4 bedrooms / 2.5 baths

Sun 1-4:30

2076 Marineview Drive, San Leandro

Offered at $895,000.00 through Rinetti & Co. Realtors

3 bedrooms / 2 baths

Sun 2-4

San Lorenzo

Nothing this week :(

Hayward

627 Rossmore Lane, Hayward

Offered at $425,000.00 through Re/Max in Motion

4 bedrooms / 3 baths

Sun 1-4

Castro Valley

18340 Joseph Drive, Castro Valley

Offered at $519,000.00 through Re/Max in Motion

3 bedrooms / 2 baths

Sun 1-4

18365 Joseph Drive, Castro Valley

Offered at $539,000.00 through Re/Max in Motion

3 bedrooms / 2 baths

Sun 1-4

32075 Palomares Road, Castro Valley

Offered at $736,850.00 through Prudential California Realty

2 bedrooms / 1 bath

Sun 1-4

4988 Kathleen Avenue, Castro Valley

Offered at $489,000 through Coldwell Banker

3 bedrooms / 2 baths

Sun 2-4

17565 Oakshire Place, Castro Valley

Offered at $1,099,000.00 through Prudential California Realty

4 bedrooms / 3 baths

Sun 1-4

32777 Palomares Road, Castro Valley

Offered at $1,157,000.00 through J. Rockcliff Realtors

3 bedrooms / 2 baths

Sun 1:30-4

Oakland

Nothing this week :(

Piedmont

29 Olive Avenue, Piedmont

Offered at $799,000 through Re/Max in Motion

2 bedrooms / 3 baths

Sun 2-4

Fremont

Nothing this week :(

Alameda

Nothing this week :(

San Ramon

Nothing this week :(

 Hello Blog readers,

I though that I would share this with you.  It's a listing of duplexes for sale in Oakland.

Have you ever considered a duplex?  It's a great time to pick up an income property.  If you are not sure you would be able to make all the payment on your property buy yourself and don't want to have a roommate, consider a duplex.

Duplexes are only slightly more expensive than single family detached homes.  A duplex is like having that roommate, but only having a wall between you and them.....cool huh.

 Here is a list of available duplexs in Oakland above $300,000.00 from the MLS, I thought that I would give this a try for the blog.   This list will I am sure expire as the properties go on and off the market.

If you would like an updated list, call.

http://MAXEBRDI.fnismls.com/publink/default.aspx?GUID=b74a3fac-44ba-4c92-a189-765e1d622163&Report=Yes

If you see anything you like, please give me a call and I would be glad to assist you in anyway I can.  If you are looking for something like this in another nearby city, I can create you a similar list of duplexes (or single family homes) in your requested area.

Here is a great article about adjusting your property values in Alameda county. I am reblogging today.  I'll have some original content to some soon.  I am taking a break.

I hope you enjoy this useful article.

Mike

You can find these light fixtures at rejuvenation lighting.   I love showing houses that have all the details correct.

www.rejuvenation.com

Once again I transcribed the open house guide from the San Leandro Times and rearranged it for your convenience. 

If you miss seeing any of these, I would be more than happy to represent you as the buyer.  Call me and I can arrange for a viewing.

I have set aside this weekend to showing homes to people just like you.  In fact, it could be you!  Give me a call at 510 334-7800 to schedule. 

San Leandro

2073 Reynolds Street, San Leandro

Offered at $425,00.00 through SellSMART Bay Properties

3 bedrooms / 1 baths

Sun 2-4

1481 Gilmore Drive, San Leandro

Offered at $450,000.00 through Coldwell Banker

4 bedrooms / 2 baths

Sun 1-4

14416 Outrigger Drive, San Leandro

Offered at $499,000.00 through United Brokers Real Estate

3 bedrooms / 2.5 baths

Sun 1-4

13550 Rose Drive, San Leandro

Offered at $559,990 through Milano Properties

3 bedrooms / 2 baths

Sun 1-4

725 Bridge Road, San Leandro

Offered at $659,000.00 through Robert Jones & Associates

3 bedrooms / 2.5 baths

Sun 1-4

San Lorenzo

Nothing this week :(

Hayward

28839 Bay Heights, Hayward

Offered at $958,888 through Prudential California Realty

4 bedrooms / 3 baths

Sun 1-4

Castro Valley

4291 Omega Avenue, Castro Valley

Offered at $529,999.00 through Hometown GMAC Real Estate

3 bedrooms / 2 baths

Sun 1-4

5811 Shadow Ridge Drive, Castro Valley

Offered at $679,000 through J. Rockcliff Realtors

4 bedrooms / 2.5 baths

Sun 1:30-4

4988 Kathleen Avenue, Castro Valley

Offered at $519,000 through Coldwell Banker

3 bedrooms / 2 baths

Sun 1-4

17466 Ehle Street, Castro Valley

Offered at $325,000 through East Bay Sotherby's Intern.

3 bedrooms / 1 baths

Sun 2-4

Oakland

Nothing this week :(

Piedmont

29 Olive Avenue, Piedmont

Offered at $799,000 through Re/Max in Motion

2 bedrooms / 3 baths

Sun 2-4

Fremont

Nothing this week :(

Alameda

Nothing this week :(

San Ramon

Nothing this week :(

I know it's been a while since I've posted a blog.  I have been focusing my attention to my client.  We have located a home and made an offer.

I have been all over Oakland and Richmond lately looking at some really awesome Victorian, Craftsman and Tudor style homes.  zWe've been looking at fixer-uppers and contractors specials.

On the flip side I have seen so many homes, my general knowledge of the area and the existing inventory shoots way up the scale!

I'll have many more homes to add to my flip files spot-lighted homes blogs.

There are many neighborhoods through the nation where the roads seem overly narrow. 

You know the roads where I am talking about,  these are the roads where you have to pull over to the curb to let another car pass.  You drive another quarter block and you and a car pulls over for you.  A little further down the block you pull over again and let someone else pass.

<insert photo of Trestle Glen, Oakland>

As you drive you are constantly eyeballing the empty parking spots where you can pull over so you can continue your journey through the neighborhood.

The street was never inteded to be like this.  When the streets were laid out in the earlier part of last century, families only had one car.  This car would be taken to work by the husband.  Upon his return in the evening, the car was parked in the garage or at least in the driveway.

The streets were for actual driving with lanes in both direction.   Once in a blue moon you would have a visitor to someone's home parking in the street in front of that person's home.

<insert photo of Lewis Avenue, San Leandro>

Now-a-days, you have families with multiple cars,  cars for him and cars for her, cars for the teens and cars for recreation on the weekends.

Garages are now used as storage lockers and the cars that once stayed in the garages are now in the driveways.

All the other cars are out into the street, parked on what used to be a two lane road.  These cars are clogging up the road ways.

I know of several streets where vehicles are so dense it's very crazy just to travel a few blocks without having to pull over many times.

What does this do for our Police, Fire and Ambulances?   It slows our emgerncy response times down, that's what is does!

Be a good neighbor and park on your own property if possible and leave the roadways in the congested areas back for driving.

Do the neighborhood associations have to start enforcing CC&R restrictions about parking on the streets?

Look around next time you're on one of these streets and try to imagine what it was intended to be like, Imagine Model A Fords freely passing each other on a tree lined street without having to go around each other.

It was rather serene at one time.

The Century / Cinemark Theater opened on the corner of Foothill Boulevard and B Street in downtown Hayward.

I am going to have to take a photo expedition and document a building that is hopefully going to be changing the landscape of downtown Hayward.

It seems that downtown Hayward just cannot get a break.  In the same week the grand new brand new theater opens up downtown that the announcement was made the MERVYN's would be going bankrupt and closing all of their stores.  The corporate headquarters for the MERVYN's stores was located on Foothill Boulevard just over two blocks away from the new theater.

The MERVYN's corporate headquarters is (was) a huge piece of property in downtown.  If anyone has any grand development plans that can use a large parcel of land, now would be a good time to speak up. I could always refer you to a great commercial agent specialist.

The old 1960s high-rise civic center sits empty across the street from the MERVYN's site.

That's progress

Okay,

I just have to stand up onto my soap box and yell out to the crowd. 

 Bail Out!

The banks are not the ones we need to bail out, we need to bail out the homeowners! 

What would happen if the U.S. Government would buy up several streets in each town.  I am talking about streets that are devastated by foreclosures where the for sale signs out number the residents.

Let's take those streets back,  get them into the public domain.  Use them for the public good and service.

This would take homes off the market and increase home prices for the remaining neighborhoods.

This is the ideal time for the government to secure the land for the long delayed highway project.  Are your Schools overcrowded?  Let's secure the land for new schools and libraries.  The cities do not necessarily have to build right away, but the land will be 'banked' for when they are ready

Why do we have to purchase our eminent domain property at the peak of the market?  This is the ideal time for the for our government to take advantage of the lower prices currently available.

What becomes of the homeowners who are displaced in these projects?  They will purchase replacement properties to move to.

The result the glut of homes on the market shrinks and prices go up and the economy stabilizes again.  With the better economy, people get hired to good jobs and homes get purchased.  It's a good cycle to be in.

Send a message to both Presidential candidates and let them know that there is an option.  Let all you local government Representatives know that we have options out there!

Let's get some chatter going on this.  Can you spread the idea around your community

The following is from the microfilm copies of the San Leandro Reporter. Article is dated April 20^th, 1934.

Mayor's history is briefly told; Derry not new to gavel waiving.

     San Leandro has a new mayor, but to many persons the chief executive is an unknown quantity though he is probably one of the more widely known members of his community, as is witnessed by the huge number of votes cast for him in 1932 when he was elected to the city council.

     Prior to his coming to San Leandro in 1928, Derry had served as a councilman and mayor in his hometown of Ashley, Michigan, where he lived for eight years.

      Derry was born and raised in Ithaca, Michigan where he lived until he was 25 at which time he married and moved to Ashley, a small city 14 miles from his birthplace.

       After moving to Ashley he went to farming, which pursuit he followed only a short while.  He then came to California and stayed one winter in Oakland.  Unable to find suitable business to enter, he returned to Ashley where he engaged the farm implement business with his father for a period of eight years.  It was during this time that he was elected to the city council and served 18 months of his term as mayor.

      With the wane of agriculture, Derry disposed of his interests to his father and again turned this interests west this time settling in Elmhurst where he opened a real estate office on E, 14^th Street.

       Shortly thereafter he became engaged in the building business and constructed 15 homes on 87^th Avenue in Oakland.

     Finding the contracting business to his liking, Derry then turned his attention to San Leandro, and opened what is known as the Del Orta Tract through which California Street Runs.  Here he built 15 homes, which he disposed of after he opened up the Cherry City Tract laying between Superior Avenue and Foothill Boulevard and Dutton Avenue, where he built 56 homes. He then turned his attention to Broadmoor Park where he built approximately 50 homes.

       Upon his entrance to business in San Leandro he moved his office  from Elmhurst to the Freidman Building and about a year ago moved into his present offices on the Mason Property where he is engaged in the real estate and insurance business with his brother Tom Derry.

************** My side notes on tracts by Derry Bros. ***********************

"Del Orta Tract" is California Avenue behind San Leandro City Hall.

"Cherry City Tract" is Superior Avenue between Dutton and MacArthur Boulevard

"Broadmoor Park Tract" is Lee Avenue and Arbor Drive in "Estudillo Estates"

"Lealand Heights" is the older portion of Bay-o-vista above Estudillo Avenue

"New Broadmoor Tract" is Glen Drive, Begier Avenue, Oakes Boulevard and Superior Avenue (east of Chetland Road) in "Estudillo Estates"

Other tracts where Derry, Weaver & Derry or Derry Bros. homes can be found are; "LeBrun Tract" and select parts of "Estudillo Estates" (Bridge, Collier, Cary and Rondey).

It was 140 years ago today that the Hayward Fault let loose with the "Great Quake".

San Leandro which was the county seat up until that time was in ruin.   The Alameda County courthouse located at the intersection of Davis Street and Clarke Street was destroyed.

An iconic photograph of the San Leandro courthouse became the symbol for that disaster.

How prepared are you for the next shaker on the Hayward Fault?

• Do you have enough emergency supplies to last you and your family for several days?
• Do you know how to shut off the gas supply to your home?  Do you have a wrench handy to do this task if needed?
• Have you backed up your important family papers?
• Have your retrofitted your home and or bolted the frame to the foundation.
• Do you have supplies for your pets too?
• Do you have your prescriptions and medical supplies readily available?
• Is your water heater strapped properly to the wall?
• Don't forget to look after elderly neighbors after an event!
• Does your family have an emergency plan and place to meet up after and event?

Check the front of your AT&T phone directory for useful disaster prepardness information.  Also check out the Red Cross website.

Check out this Wikipedia article on the 1868 Great Quake

If you have any real estate needs, please give me a call.

• city or town where property is located: hayward, ca
• neighborhood where property is located: cherryland
• price the property is currently listed at: $ 325,000
• homes in the same neighborhood are selling for: $ 270,000 - $ 600,000     $ 375,000 median
• difference in value between this property and the comps: $ 50,000 to median
• Probate / short sale / R.E.O. / 1031 exchange / traditional: this home is an R.E.O.
• days on the market: 66

On visual inspection of this property I have noticed that the following repairs would make a difference.  Here is a list of suggested projects along with the estimated costs involved. Please consider the cost price estimates to be for supplies only.  These postings are for contractor investors or serious do-it-yourself homeowners.

Agents please do not forget to supply estimated costs

1. project: remove all the tile on the floors $ 1,000
2. project: hardwood floors $ 5,000
3. project: kitchen $ 10,000
4. project: bath 1 remodel $ 4,000
5. project: bath 2 remodel $ 4,000
6. project: landscaping $ 5,000
7. project: siding $ 5,000
8. project: victorian gingerbread millwork $ 8,000
9. project: lighting $ 2,000
10. project: decks and patios $ 4,000    Approx TOTAL $ 48,000

For the property address and further information, please contact me at: Michael Greenslade 510 334-7800

I would like to help you take advantage of this opportunity / investment

In the Elmhurst section of Oakland California, near the corner of 98th Avenue and International Boulevard is the Elmhurst Presbyterian Church.

This church according to my father and that what was told to him from his parents and grand parents that his Great Grandfather was the pastor-reverend that built the Elmhurst Presbyterian Church.

William Moor Greenslade was a Civil War Veteran who served in the Army of the Cumberland as a member of the 81st Regiment of the Indiana Volunteer Infantry.   During that time the family lived in Livonia Indiana just east of French Lick.

In 1898 he moved to Elmhurst and lived there until after the death of his son Theodore in 1907.  The family then moved to Morgan Hill California, just South of San Jose.

We were going through some old boxes of my father's belongings (he passed in January 2008) and came across the obituary for his Great Grandfather (my great great grandfather) dated May 11th, 1910.

This spurred me onto go and scan in his obit and photograph the old church.  Does anyone know where Hatzfeld Avenue was or is?  Hatzfeld Avenue has to be in a bay area city, anywhere from San Martin all the way up to Oakland.

I'm going to have to check with Betty and Gail at the Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey to see what they know about this church's history.

Just thought I'd share with you all.

Just showing you that my family has been around the San Francisco Bay Area since 1898!  Give me a call if you would like to buy or sell some real estate in the area. 510 334-7800

As I was typing in my last blog entry, I was keeping an eye on NBC11 (San Jose) and their broadcast of NBC Bay Area Bargain Hunter program.

They covered a bargain for viewers, whereas viewers would get 25% off (when you mention Bay Area Bargain Hunters) of a new lawn installation of Realawn.

Realawn is part of homeworks, a nationally known home services and installation company.  There is a video of this Bay Area Bargain Hunters episode online at their site Click here to view

I was impressed that technology had progressed along so much that these lawns look real.   I would actually consider putting one of these down in my landscaped challenged front yard.   I have a Hollywood driveway where lawn is intended to be planted between the wheel strips of the driveway.