Michael's Blog

• city or town where property is located: Oakland California
• neighborhood where property is located: Trestle Glen
• price the property is currently listed at: $ 425,000
• homes in the same neighborhood are selling for: $ 460,000.00 to $563,000.00
• difference in value between this property and the comps: $ 35,000.00 to $138,000.00
• probate / short sale / R.E.O. / 1031 exchange / traditional:
• days on market 30

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.

What is most amazing about this property is it's size.....67,082 square foot lot in Trestle Glen.  Just imagine the possibilites here.  Subdivide?  Build new and sell other units?   Check with the city of course on what can be done but.....WOW  The last time a home sold with a large lot in the area (6/13/2005) was a 7,650 square foot lot and it went for $875,000.00....And it was really close to this property.  Imagine almost 9X the property.  Sure prices have changed in the last several years but, the economy of scale has not.  There is great potential here.   Give me a call and let's take a look at it together

 

1. project: Total rehab of house $125,000.00 min
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For the property address and further information, please contact me at: 510 334-7800

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

On Saturday March 21st 2009, the City of Oakland California suffered a terrible loss.  Four Oakland Police officers were shot 3 of whom were killed and one still gravely wounded.

Officer Mark Dunakin was one of the officers that responded to my assistance when I was held up at gun point on February 16th 2009.

Here is my account of the robbery from an earlier blog posting.   http://activerain.com/blogsview/960447/Bringing-you-up-to-date-with-current-events

I am deeply saddend by the loss of this nice man who put himself on the line each day to make Oakland safer.

My heart goes out to his widow and his 3 children.  Out of my next commission check I will donate some money to the family.

Such a horrible thing.

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The Oakland Police Officers Association is in the process of setting up trust accounts for the families. Until those are set up anyone can mail checks to the Oakland Police Officers Association, 555 Fifth st., Oakland, CA 94607.

Be sure to note on check that it is for the families of the officers

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Here is a breakdown of homes available in our local towns. The data reflects today March 15th, 2009.  The data is broken down to the number of homes broken down into pricing catagories and the number of homes in each catagory. 

This number reflects condos, townhouses and detached single family homes.  This does not include the listing for duplexes and multiple family residences.

San Leandro MLS AREA: 3100

• under 199k =  37
• 200k - 299k = 60
• 300k - 399k = 57
• 400k - 499k = 30
• 500k - 599k = 15
• 600k - 699k = 7
• 700k - 799k = 0
• 800k - 899k = 2
• 900k - 999k = 0
• over 1M = 2

Oakland MLS AREA: 2600

• under 199k = 536
• 200k - 299k = 203
• 300k - 399k = 113
• 400k - 499k = 62
• 500k - 599k = 41
• 600k - 699k = 41
• 700k - 799k = 41
• 800k - 899k = 21
• 900k - 999k = 19 
• over 1M = 51

Hayward MLS AREA: 3400

• under 199k = 167 
• 200k - 299k = 226
• 300k - 399k = 90
• 400k - 499k = 54
• 500k - 599k = 21
• 600k - 699k = 31
• 700k - 799k = 10
• 800k - 899k = 11
• 900k - 999k = 4
• over 1M = 9

Alameda MLS AREA: 2900

• under 199k = 2 
• 200k - 299k = 16
• 300k - 399k = 8
• 400k - 499k = 23
• 500k - 599k = 23
• 600k - 699k = 17
• 700k - 799k = 14
• 800k - 899k = 8
• 900k - 999k = 4
• over 1M = 14

Berkeley MLS AREA: 2300

• under 199k = 1
• 200k - 299k = 6
• 300k - 399k = 14 
• 400k - 499k = 13
• 500k - 599k = 14
• 600k - 699k = 10
• 700k - 799k = 7
• 800k - 899k = 3
• 900k - 999k = 4
• over 1M = 20

Castro Valley MLS AREA: 3300

• under 199k = 0
• 200k - 299k = 13
• 300k - 399k = 25
• 400k - 499k = 31
• 500k - 599k = 25
• 600k - 699k = 23
• 700k - 799k = 18
• 800k - 899k = 16
• 900k - 999k = 10
• over 1M = 13

I love San Leandro

I am deeply saddened however by the destruction of the 1950s mid century modern "googie" style EBMUD office on Washington Boulevard in the Downtown area.

What a cool building this "was".  It had a precast concrete roof in a really interesting rolling wave pattern.

The water utility EBMUD gave up on selling the property and let the city tear down the building for a parking lot.  This parking lot would serve the shoppers for the downtown farmer's market on Wednesday evenings.

Why didn't someone on the city council or the library's historical committee speak up and save this crazy googie mid century modern building.

To me San Leandro is only content on knocking down everything that is not Mission Revival stucco and with a red tile roof.  I am not in favor of a fake hacienda look for Downtown San Leandro.

I would like to see a variety of styles downtown.  Let's see some modern contemporary.  Let's see some Art Deco.  Let's see some Victorian.  Let's see some craftsman.  Let's even have some funky roadside vernacular.

I should run for city council and help preserve some of what makes this city such a nice place to live.

 

Hello again blog readers,

I've seen some great opportunities come up in the coveted North area of San Leandro come on to the market in the last few weeks.

The economy has finally hit our area hard and we are seeing some real affordability here now.  If you are looking to shorten your commute or to get into Roosevelt Elementary School, now is the time to buy. 

If you see anything that catches your attention, please give me a call and we can talk about it.  Give me your email address and I will gladly forward you the complete listing.   Let's set a date for a tour of these homes.

The Broadmoor has some interesting opportunites.  Fortuna Avenue has a property listed for $299,900.00  Superior Avenue has a property at $349,950.00  Broadmoor Boulevard has two properties listed at $300,000 and $550,000.00  West Broadmoor Boulevard has two properties also listed at $229,000.00 and $349,988.00  Diehl Avenue has one listed at $254,900.00  Dowling Boulevard has one listed at $299,000.00   Herma Court has one for $349,000.00  East Merle Court has a home listed at $299,450.00

Some newer construction at Greenbrier Court and Cherry Park Square offer 3 bedroom and 2 baths and attached two car garages are being offered at $449,000.00 and $549,000.00

Bay-O-Vista has several homes available.  Two properties are availble on Astor Drive with the asking prices of $535,000.00 and $599,976.00   One property on Benedict Drive with the asking price of $405,000.00, It could use some work but, at $405,000.00 it gets you into the Bay-O-Vista neighborhood.  Graff Court has a listing for $839,000.00.  Lakeview Drive has a listing for $999,500.00   Marineview Drive has a property listed at $895,000.00   Montrose Drive has a property listed for $699,976.00  Vista Grand Drive has a property listed at $1,275,000.00

In the older part of Bay-O-Vista you have the Lealand Heights area, which has two listings.  One home on Parker Street is listed for $525,000.00.  One home on Sandelin Avenue is listed for $499,976.00

In Estudillo Estates we have the following opportunities. Begier Avenue has one home listed for $518,000.00  Bridge Road has two properties listed at $625,000.00 and $649,950.00  Oakes Boulevard has one listed at $430,000.00  Arbor Drive has one listed at $1,195,000.00

Let me know if there is anything I can do for you.  Give me a call.   My phone nunber will appear somewhere on this blog page

     I am sorry that I haven't been supplying you with my regular blog content. I have been a little busy. and for several reasons. 

     The first reason is that I was robbed at gun-point while with a client.  We were looking at a property near Oakland's Castlemont High School.  We had just seen the small two bedroom ranch house and were in the backyard looking at the detached garage when five armed punks came down the driveway and ambushed us.  They stole from us our money, cell phones, wallets, my brand new GPS (worked so hard to get that).  The leader of this gang was next to me and he specifically asked the car keys.  With the keys, they then stole my mother's minivan and had keys to our homes.

     The criminals then ran back down the driveway and departed in the aforementioned minivan.  My client and I are very lucky to be alive.  Just three days after our robbery three men were shot on the same street and same block where we were robbed.

     I am just now limping back to real estate full speed.  I have decided to no longer do properties under a certain price range for your safety and mine.  Just between you and me, I am considering changing offices and working out of a Castro Valley based office.

     Secondly, I have been busy with clients.  I have teamed up with agent Michelle Lang and we have a nice ranch style home in Ashland in escrow.  I am excited about this as our clients are very nice first time home-buyers.  It's fun to share in their excitement. 

     We had been in escrow before but we were up against a big REO-mill agent who was really hard to work with.  We even had to consult our Prudential legal department over some of the things she and her bank client had done.  We finally canceled our side of the contract and asked to get the client's deposit returned. 

      That same bad agent would try to lecture us on "this is how REOs are done" in reference to her stalling tactics.  Well, that maybe how she does business, but it is not how real estate is done as a whole.  In the purchase agreement and joint escrow instructions "TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE" is one of the big clauses that state that we need to do everything in a very timely manner.  RPA-CA section 24

     We found a the replacement property that is in a better neighborhood, and in much better condition. So we are kind of glad that the other deal fell out of escrow.  It opened up a much better opportunity for our clients.

     I am here at the office today doing floor time.  The phone hasn't rang once, it's raining outside and the foot traffic past our "storefront" is way down.  So, I decided that I would catch you all up on the recent events and let you all know that I haven't forgotten you.