Two vintage Oakland homes under $800K come to market: one untouched, one revamped

Posted on February 26, 2019 by



  • bc6ba 920x920 Two vintage Oakland homes under $800K come to market: one untouched, one revamped

    This untouched time warp is vintage Oakland with potential, asking $750K

    This untouched time warp is vintage Oakland with potential, asking $750K


    Photo: Amelia Plumb, AMELIA PLUMB PHOTOGRAPHY

  • Two vintage Oakland homes under $800K come to market: one untouched, one revamped

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This untouched time warp is vintage Oakland with potential, asking $750K

This untouched time warp is vintage Oakland with potential, asking $750K



Photo: Amelia Plumb, AMELIA PLUMB PHOTOGRAPHY


Well-loved vintage Oakland homes are always popular, but when they list under $800,000, even more so. And in this case, two homes of similar characteristics are on the market. One is a total time-warp, untouched across decades; the other has been modernized. Which would you choose?

First, 2678 Grande Vista Ave (see gallery above).

First is a 1928 at 2678 Grande Vista Ave., with four bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms. It is virtually untouched since the last time it was on the market in 1979 (when it sold for $88,500), so many of the period details original to the home are preserved, such as moldings, French doors, tiled fireplace, and built-ins.


The home’s 2,209 square feet offer mostly hardwood floors, a large laundry room, and “a non-conforming studio in-law.” So, there’s perhaps some rental income possible, or at least some good options for families.


There’s also a one-car garage.

The home, though frozen in time, has been cared for. Conceivably, one could move right in, though even the official listing acknowledges the kitchen and baths will likely need an overhaul.

The lot is 4,500 square feet and has patio, deck and garden space– all of which would benefit from some re-envisioning and elbow grease, but certainly have potential.

The neighborhood is Meadowbrook, close to the Reservoir and Central Reservoir Recreation Area.

In 1979, this home cost $88,500. Today, that asking price is $750,000.

Next, 6450 Buena Ventura Ave.



  • bc6ba 920x920 Two vintage Oakland homes under $800K come to market: one untouched, one revamped

    This Oakland home, also vintage, has been updated, and asks $799K.

    This Oakland home, also vintage, has been updated, and asks $799K.


    Photo: Open Homes Photography

  • Two vintage Oakland homes under $800K come to market: one untouched, one revamped

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This Oakland home, also vintage, has been updated, and asks $799K.

This Oakland home, also vintage, has been updated, and asks $799K.



Photo: Open Homes Photography


This contender is a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home of 2,696 square feet, so comparable in size to the Grande Vista property.

Though it is vintage (it was built in 1948), it has been updated through the years, and these updates make the home actually more unique than less so.

Unlike the white-washed, almost sterile conformity that sometimes results from modernization in older Bay Area homes, these upgrades both enhance original character as well as create something new.

Inside 6450 Buena Ventura Ave. are original features such as the large windows, wood floors, brick hearth, and arched doorways.

New features– particularly the kitchen and baths– show how light and space can transform both rooms, and give us a hint of what we might be able to do with the first property in this comparison– only in this case, the kitchen and baths are both already remodeled.


The kitchen, with its walls mostly of glass, looks out over the well-landscaped yard, another feature that is ready to enjoy at this home, but only ready to imagine at Grande Vista.

This home also has a bonus space. The garage has been converted to a studio, says the official listing.  

The property consists of a 5,002 square foot lot with gardens, stone patio, outdoor dining area, and views.

The location, basically the Millsmont area, is close to Concordia Park and not far from MacArthur Blvd.

The price on this home is $799,000. It last sold in 2013 for $565,000.


Which one would you choose?

Both homes are under $800,000, though Grande Vista asks $50,000 less than Buena Ventura. For the price, and considering what you’ll spend to get each home just right for your own tastes, which is the better deal?

Anna Marie Erwert writes from both the renter and new buyer perspective, having (finally) achieved both statuses. She focuses on national real estate trends, specializing in the San Francisco Bay Area and Pacific Northwest. Follow Anna on Twitter: @AnnaMarieErwert.

Article source: https://www.sfgate.com/realestate/article/Two-vintage-Oakland-homes-under-800K-come-to-13634323.php

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Preliminary Autopsy Indicates SF Public Defender Jeff Adachi Suffered Extensive Heart Disease: Sources

Posted on February 26, 2019 by

Sources tell NBC Bay Area’s Investigative Unit that preliminary autopsy findings indicate Public Defender Jeff Adachi suffered extensive heart disease. It’s the latest information as the probe continues into the suspicious circumstances surrounding his sudden death.

Any final determination on the cause of Adachi’s death on Friday will have to wait until blood toxicology tests come back. Meanwhile, new details continue to emerge about the confusing and suspicious events of that night.

NBC Bay Area has learned that the woman who used Adachi’s phone to call 911 has been identified.

The woman, identified as Caterina in both the police report and in the 911 call log, is a Colombian national whose true first name, sources say, is Catalina.

Remembering San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi

f5b25 778 Preliminary Autopsy Indicates SF Public Defender Jeff Adachi Suffered Extensive Heart Disease: Sources

Authorities are currently looking for Catalina, who called at 5:41 p.m. using the name Caterina. She told the dispatcher that Adachi had a stomach ache while at dinner, and later stopped breathing at 46 Telegraph Place.

According to the police report, by the time police arrived, the caller who had been with Adachi was gone. Instead, police met another woman at the scene, a friend of Adachi’s, a real estate agent named Susie Kurtz.

According to the police report, Kurtz said that she spoke to Caterina at the scene. She says Caterina told her that Adachi had two glasses of wine before she went out and got him a pill he requested to treat stomach pains. Records show that medics took him to California Pacific Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 6:54 p.m.

Police reports indicate that officers were summoned to the location by the Medical Examiner. But the officer who wrote the report noted that while en route to the Telegraph address at 8:37 p.m., the dispatcher cancelled the police response.

In the report, the officers write that they decided, because of the “suspicious nature of the call,” to respond to the scene anyway.

The officer who wrote the report, Adrian Payne, said that he asked the director of operations for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Chris Wirowek, about the decision to call off the response.


Questions Surround Jeff Adachi’s Death

f5b25 Questions Surround Jeff Adachi s Death Preliminary Autopsy Indicates SF Public Defender Jeff Adachi Suffered Extensive Heart Disease: Sources

The death of Jeff Adachi, one of San Francisco’s most visible public figures, remains littered with questions as several members of the city’s legal circles are questioning why police categorized it as a “suspicious death” investigation.

(Published Monday, Feb. 25, 2019)

Wirowek — who apparently was at the hospital — told Payne that he had no reason to believe there was a crime scene at the address, but added that the death was still under investigation.

Finally, sources tell NBC Bay Area that in addition to the missing witness, the police have also been unable to find Adachi’s cell phone or wallet.

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Article source: https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Preliminary-Autopsy-Indicate-SF-Public-Defender-Jeff-Adachi-Suffered-Extensive-Heart-Disease-Sources-506358611.html

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Zephyr Real Estate Announces 2018 Fourth Quarter Awards for Marin Region

Posted on February 25, 2019 by

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fourth Quarter Awards for Zephyr Real Estate’s Marin region have just been released.

Chris DeNike is again awarded Highest Sales Volume (Individual Agent) with an impressive $9,530,000. As a long-term resident of Marin County, he has tremendous insights into the real estate market as well as its schools, microclimates, amenities and the many benefits of the area. Chris also achieved Largest Sale Representing Sellers at $3,850,000.

Highest Sales Volume (Agent Team) again goes to SF North, (Stephen Pringle, George Crowe, Julie Segura and Greg Ulin) with $5,900,001. The collective talent of this powerhouse team ensures the best possible service from a group that knows the market inside and out. Team SF North may be reached at 415.496.2606.

Largest Sale Representing Buyers is presented to Anastasia Sheldon at $5,175,000. She is a native of Marin County. She has a background in the health care field and was very instrumental in the establishment of the Waldorf-inspired educational program in the Lagunitas School District. She transmuted that experience into a very successful real estate career.

Highest Number of Transactions (Individual Agent) is awarded to Erinn Millar with a total of five. Another long-term local, Erinn is dedicated to her community, her profession and her family. She is an avid world traveler with a strong work ethic, sharp skills and the best technology platform available.

Highest Number of Transactions (Agent Team) is again awarded to Spiro Marin with six. Consistently in the winner’s circle, Spiro Marin (Spiro Stratigos and Dorothy MacDougald) has a passion for the business and a broad base of experience, skill, understanding and knowledge. The team’s community involvement serves to build and strengthen lasting relationships.

“Kudos to these fine agents for their excellent achievements,” commented Jenn Pfeiffer, Sales Manager at Zephyr-Marin. “They exemplify the qualities necessary for consistent and continued success.”

About Zephyr Real Estate
Founded in 1978, Zephyr Real Estate is San Francisco’s No. 1 independent real estate firm with nearly $2.3 billion in gross sales and a current roster of more than 350 full-time agents. Zephyr’s highly-visited website has earned two web design awards, including the prestigious Interactive Media Award. Zephyr Real Estate is a member of the international relocation network, Leading Real Estate Companies of the World; the luxury real estate network, Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate; global luxury affiliate, Mayfair International; the local luxury marketing association, the Luxury Marketing Council of San Francisco; and the regional luxury real estate affiliation, the Artisan Group. Zephyr has nine locations across San Francisco, Marin, Alameda and San Mateo Counties and two brokerage affiliates in Sonoma County, all strategically positioned to serve a large customer base throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. For more information, visit www.ZephyrRE.com.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c345ba87-d74b-4fcc-a73c-2d993c031188



Article source: https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/02/25/1741786/0/en/Zephyr-Real-Estate-Announces-2018-Fourth-Quarter-Awards-for-Marin-Region.html
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Bay Area high-earners choice made for them — rent, not own

Posted on February 24, 2019 by

Making a good salary in the Bay Area used to mean buying a home.

But over the last decade, high-income Bay Area residents have become far more likely to rent an apartment, condo or single-family home.

The number of renters making over $150,000 a year in San Jose and San Francisco has more than tripled since 2007, according to a new survey by Rent Cafe. The two cities now have the highest percentage of wealthy renters in the country.

It’s part of a national trend. The fastest-growing segment of renters in the U.S. has six-figure incomes, including in the Bay Area, according to a separate study by Apartment List. “The rental market has become more diverse,” Apartment List chief economist Igor Popov said.

High-income renters in the Bay Area are pulled by the lure of a city lifestyle and pushed into renting by high housing prices, he said.

Some prefer renting in a city with a fast-paced environment with growing amenities, such as ride-sharing and food-delivery services. “Renting offers more flexibility,” said Florentina Sarac, researcher for Rent Cafe. “You’re not tied down to a location.”

The studies reveal another symptom of the perfect Bay Area housing storm: high-paying tech and professional jobs grew over the last decade, but the region didn’t build a corresponding amount of homes and condos. Real estate agents say lots of high earners are choosing to wait out the super-heated housing market in comfortable rentals.

The number of homes for sale has scraped record lows, and median sales prices have climbed, year-over-year, since April 2012. The median re-sale price for a Bay Area home hit a record $935,000 in May, according to real estate data firm CoreLogic. Meanwhile, construction of new apartment complexes has outpaced single-family homes, with new urban units focusing on upscale renters.

“It’s harder than hell to find a place to buy,” said real estate agent Myron Von Raesfeld, president of Windermere Silicon Valley. “For a lot of people it’s become difficult and frustrating.”

Apartment List researchers estimate that 2 million high-income renters nationwide joined the market between 2008 and 2017, an increase of nearly 50 percent. The most expensive cities in the country — San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles — started with more high-wealth renters and had a slower growth rate than smaller markets.

San Francisco’s share of high-income renters grew by 65 percent and San Jose’s increased by 34 percent. By comparison, Denver, Austin, Texas and Oklahoma City saw wealthy renter populations more than double, according to Apartment List.

Rent Cafe researchers found about 1 in 5 San Jose renters top $150,000 in annual income, while San Francisco has more high-income renters than high-income home owners.

The population of wealthy renters grew in each of the Bay Area’s 16 largest cities, the study found. Between 2007 and 2017, Berkeley, Fairfield and Richmond saw four times as many wealthy renters join their cities. Oakland, San Jose, Santa Clara and Vallejo more than tripled their high-income renter populations.

Bay Area agents say many would-be homeowners sit on the sidelines and wait for the market to cool. Younger buyers also can be burdened by student debt, making it harder to amass a down payment.

Von Raesfeld, based in Santa Clara, said having a high salary and stock bonuses doesn’t ensure that someone can buy in Silicon Valley. Although the housing market has slowed, multiple offers and quick sales are still common in hot neighborhoods.

He’s seen young couples tire of the home search and settle for an apartment in a good neighborhood with ample amenities. “They’re getting very frustrated of competing in the marketplace,” he said.

Agent Nancie Allen, of Masterkey Real Estate in Fremont, said many renters still aspire to own a home, including millennials at their start of their careers. But high costs in the Bay Area have many deferring their dream.

“We’ve always had high-income renters,” Allen said. “There’s still a lack of housing near job centers.”

Article source: https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/02/23/bay-area-high-earners-choice-made-for-them-rent-not-own/

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It’s official: California’s housing market experiencing shift

Posted on February 23, 2019 by

The California housing market posted its largest annual sales decline since March 2014 in September, as home sales fell below the 400,000-level benchmark for the second consecutive month. This indicates that the market is slowing as potential buyers appear to be putting their homeownership plans on hold, according to the California Association of Realtors.

Closed escrow sales of single-family homes in California totaled 382,550 units in September, down 4.3 percent from the revised 399,600 level in August and down 12.4 percent from 436,920 home sales in September 2017. Meanwhile, the statewide median home price dropped to $578,850, down 2.9 percent from $596,410 in August, but up 4.2 percent from a revised $555,400 in September 2017.

Realtor officials point to high home prices, rising interest rates, and the new tax reform law as reasons keeping buyers on the sidelines. “The housing market continued to deteriorate and the decline in sales worsened as interest rates remained on an upward trend,” explained C.A.R. president Steve White. “Tax reform, which increases the cost of homeownership, also is contributing to the decline, especially in high-cost areas such as the San Francisco Bay Area and Orange County.”

Price appreciations have slowed in the last few months and inventory has risen considerably since June when the statewide median price hit a new peak, according to Leslie Appleton-Young, C.A.R. senior vice president and chief economist. Appleton-Young noted, “Buyers are becoming increasingly concerned about market developments and are reluctant to purchase at the prevailing market price. As such, the deceleration in price growth will likely continue in coming months.”

Sales in the San Francisco Bay Area declined 16.4 percent from September 2017, the largest decline since October 2010. Santa Clara County posted the largest drop at 22.6 percent. Home sales there were down 22.2 percent from August.

Other counties experiencing year-over-year double-digit sales declines were Sonoma (-19.4 percent), Solano (-19.3 percent), Contra Costa (-17.3 percent), San Mateo (-14.6 percent), Napa (-14.2 percent), San Francisco (-11.5 percent), and Alameda (-10.4 percent). Marin County experienced the lowest decline at 1.1 percent.

While home prices continue to grow in the Bay Area, C.A.R. reports the rate of appreciation has slowed since the first half of the year. In September, the median price in the Bay Area increased 9.8 percent from last year, lower than the average year-over-year growth rate of 14.9 percent. Three counties showed double-digit median price growth from the previous year: San Mateo (14.2 percent), San Francisco (11.7 percent) and Marin (11.6 percent). In Santa Clara County, the median home price of $1,250,000 in September was up 5.9 percent from $1,180,000 in September 2017 and down 3.5 percent from $1,295,000 in August.

Statewide active listings rose for the sixth consecutive month, increasing 20.4 percent from the previous year. September’s listings increase was the biggest in nearly four years. The Bay Area had the largest increase in active listings, with a surge of 44 percent year over year. In Santa Clara County, active listings more than doubled (+113 percent) from September last year.

“We’ve always said real estate is a cycle and while we’re not concerned about a downturn, this shift in the market indicates buyers may have more negotiating power now than a year ago,” said Bill Moody, president of the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors.

At the same time, Moody cautions about timing the market. “The time to buy or sell is the right time for you, what’s best for your situation and for you family,” said Moody.

Article source: https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/10/26/its-official-californias-housing-market-experiencing-shift/

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