1234 Addison Street - Berkeley Bungalow Living Room

Cute 2 bedroom home – hardwood floors, formal dining room with built ins, garden, detached garage; easy highway access.


Near Strawberry Creek Park, West Campus Swim Center, The Berkeley School (inspired by Maria Montessori), the Break Workshop Cafe, La Mission Mexican Food – the best mole this side of Oaxaca, the diverse restaurants and cafes on San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley Way Mini Park, the West Street bike trail and path (once as the Santa Fe railroad!), University Avenue commute bus to San Francisco.

Open Sunday 5 + 12 May 2013

Visit 1234addison.com for complete photo portfolio

1234 Addison Berkeley - Dining Room

 

Kitchen

 

1234 Addison - Exterior

 

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Yes .. the Bay Bridge Lights ARE spectacular! Glad Barry & Judi Chapnick were with us in the car when we first saw a sneak preview … they heard our WOW!

Carol said it’s the best thing she’s seen since The Gates in Central Park … I agree!  Thank you Leo Villareal!

It’s planned to be up for two years … I think it will be going on for a long long time. Here’s The Bay Lights web site … and the video I took on opening night!

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Paris might have Rue Cler … but Berkeley has Hopkins Street in Northbrae!

I remembered walking down Rue Cler with Carol many years ago … a magical place.

And then I thought about Art Kinsey opening Northbrae Bottle Shop where Monterey Liquors had been for many years.

Northbrae Bottle Shop neon sign on Hopkins Street

 Coffee, Fish, Produce, Meet, Wine, Pizza, Flowers, Cheese, Pastries and more on two short blocks. Heaven!

Here’s where to find out what makes Northbrae one of Berkeley’s most wonderful neighborhoods

 

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View the entire 2012 Berkeley 2012 Real Estate Market Report at http://www.berkeleyhomes.com/homes/research/research.html

Berkeley Median Home Price - 2007 through 2012

The Berkeley real estate market is robust and home prices are rising again.

This graphs the median home price (half sold for more, half for less) over the past 6 years.  About a year ago the data indicated that prices would stabilize and perhaps rise in 2012 … And that’s what happened.

With strong buyer demand, low interest rates and very low inventory, 2013 is off a robust start – many homes receiving multiple offers and selling for significantly above asking price.

2012 Berkeley Real Estate - Sales Price/Original Price ratio vs Days On The Market

This shows the sales price/original list price ratio for Berkeley homes. The ratio is plotted against days on the market … the day that seller and buyer came to agreement.

The cluster of sales shows that properly priced homes sell quickly and most for for more than the asking price.

In 2012, 64% of Berkeley purchase agreements were ratified within 16 days of coming on the market, and 88% of those houses sold for asking price or more.

Why 16 days?

Homes typically come on the market early in the week and have a Thursday real estate broker tour and one or two Sunday Open Houses.  The seller reviews offers the following week and comes to agreement with a buyer within a day after offers … And that’s within 16 days from coming on the market.

The cluster of sales above the 100% line indicates multiple offers – Buyers bid up the price of a home when they’re competing against other buyers for the house.

We have a 30 day “price tipping point”

Once a house has been listed for 30 days or more, and hasn’t yet sold, buyers know that the list price is probably too high.  88% of those homes sold for less than the original asking price. They likely sold for lower prices than they would have if the seller had priced them correctly in the first place.  Sellers are in a stronger position when they have several buyers vying for their home; after 30 days they usually only have one buyer to negotiate with.

 

Berkeley Single Family Home - Price Distribution by Bedrooms 2012 MLS Sales

Here’s how the the sales were distributed for 2 to 5 bedroom homes in $100K price increments.  95% of the homes sold for $1.5M or less; I’ll do another report to discuss Berkeley’s fine and luxury homes.

Much of Berkeley was built up by the 1930s, so the homes tend to be smaller –  73% of the single family homes which sold in 2012 were 2 or 3 bedrooms; only 8% of the homes has 5 or more bedrooms.

Berkeley 2012 Real Estate Sales - Map of homes and sales details

 

I’ve created a series of maps to show where the 2012 Berkeley homes sales were located.

The maps let you zoom out for an overview (pie chart view) or zoom in to neighborhood or street level.  Filter the results by clicking on a colored marker in the dark gray band at the bottom, click on a map marker for details of the sale.

View the interactive maps grouped by Sales Price, Bedrooms, Square Footage, Year Built and Sales/Original Price Ratio at

http://www.berkeleyhomes.com/homes/research/research.html

Ira Serkes 

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Bought – Escrow closed on 2 Jan 2013

1951 Thousand Oaks Blvd in Upper Thousand Oaks

3 Bedrooms 2 Baths

1926 3 bedroom 2 bath traditional home with grand proportions … and gracious living and dining rooms.

Photo Portfolio + Neighborhood Information at 1951ThousandOaks.com

It’s been in the same family for over 60 years, and memories abound.  Greg’s mom used the little studio for to create major works of art, including one which was exhibited at the 1964-1965 New York Worlds Fair!  The house was a museum of her artwork – her paintings on all the walls.  She lived in the house until she was 99, and lived with Greg’s sister until she was almost 103!  Greg fondly remembers setting up his Lionel Train Set which included a Raymond Loewy designed GG-1 electric locomotive.

Here’s what awaits you now:

Lovely banks of windows in the the living room and main bedroom

A spacious roof deck with westerly (bay) and southerly (Berkeley + Oakland) views.

Updated kitchen with granite counters and newer cabinetry.

Roof deck of the master bedroom has San Francisco and Bay Views through the trees to the west; Oakland and Emeryville to the south.

Upper Level
Two bedrooms, bath, roof deck with views

Main Level
Spacious living room with fireplace insert, dining room with french doors to the outside, updated kitchen, pantry, bedroom and bath

And even more!
Basement (would you put in O, HO, or pehaps an N-Scale layout?
Artist’s Studio – Bonus space!

Large yard.

The AC Transit Bus Stop (7 to Downtown Berkeley BART; H to San Francisco) is on the corner of Thousand Oaks and Arlington, Great Stone Face Park with the restored Thousand Oaks Urns is down the street, and Kensington Village and Thousand Oaks Neighborhood/Solano Avenue shops and restaurants are little over a half mile away!

 Sunrise and sunset on 21 Dec 2012.  Yellow Line – Sunrise, Red Line – Noon, Blue Line – Sunset

 A short distance to Inn Kensington in Kensington Village for breakfast

And Ice Cream at iScream on Solano for dessert!

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Go Bears!  Looking forward to UC Berkeley trouncing Stanford at the 2012 Big Game updated Memorial Stadium.

The Big Game is today – 20 Oct 2012

Here’s the wikipedia page about The Big Game … and the photo I took of the Super Moon over UC Berkeley.

That’s the updated stadium on the bottom left of the photo.
UC Berkeley Memorial Stadium – Relief is on the horizon!

 

 

 

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San Francisco celebrates Fleet Week with the Blue Angels in October

No matter how many times I see the Blue Angels perform, it’s always thrilling!  We often go to The Embarcadero in San Francisco, but you have the widest view from Treaasure Island.

Photos I took during the Fri 5 Oct 2012  practice show.  Canon 7D, 100-400L Lens with 2.0x Tel-Extender.  View the entire photo portfolio.

Prevent an attack on Big Bird – VOTE!

 

 

 

 

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It’s an incredible event…. attracting 100,000 people or more every year.Wonderful Ambience, great food, pleasant neighborhood and amazing music.

Did I mention food? Music?

It’s a delightful, mile long block party! It’s on Solano Avenue between The Alameda and San Pablo Avenue

This year’s Solano Stroll theme is “Step into the Future” – Parade starts at 10 am … see you there!

Lots more photos at the Berkeleyhomes September event page

 

 

 

 

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Berkeley 2012 Single Family Home Sales Prices … how does the Zillow® Zestimate® compare?

What have home prices done in the first half of 2012? What’s the market like? How does the Zillow® Zestimate® compare to actual sales prices? Click on any of the graphs to view my Jan – Jun 2012 Berkeley Real Estate Market Update    

Read the full article → MLS Statistics

Bastille Day 2012 – A Tale Of Two Berkeley Institutions – Chez Panisse and Looking Glass Photo

Be sure to visit Chez Panisse at 1517 Shattuck in Berkeley’s Gourmet Ghetto  - they put out the red, white & blue banners … and the garland of garlic I buy my camera gear at Looking Glass Photo … what’s how I was able to create this photo one evening.   And also today at [...]

Read the full article → Celebration