Homes

REAL ESTATE GALLERY REAL ESTATE GALLERY

Opendoor Fined $62 Million for Allegedly Cheating Sellers

Go to any fi reworks display and you will see a similar pattern: a steady stream of beautiful mortars, an occasional spectacular blast to keep you entertained and, at the end, a grand fi nale with lotas of amazing projectiles and noise. Once the last shot is fi red, all that remains is an eerie silence and lots of smoke. The real estate market in Alameda County, beginning in February, 2011, looked pretty much the same. Recovering from the foreclosure crisis, the market, starting at an average sales price of $419,000, thundered upward, accompanied by occasional lulls and spectacular volleys until it ended in a dramatic and boisterous grand fi nale at the end of April, 2022 at $1,449,000, an increase of 346%. It is not likely we will see a similar volley any time soon. As suggested before in this column, 2022 saw the emergence of desperate buyers who, tired of losing out in multiple offers, shot the moon in a dramatic fashion from February through April by throwing everything they had at the few homes on the market

Now is a Great Time to Buy! Renting “vs” Owning

Build some equity instead of some rent receipts. ere is a lot of opportunity now to get started into home ownership. ere are many rst time buyer programs and anybody who quali es can buy with 3.5% cash down payment and maybe the seller will help pay for the closing costs. Call today to get your home search started. You won’t be sorry!! Call Trish 510 367-7999

Coldwell Banker Real Estate

Call Trish Radovich: 510-367-7999 / calltrish@comcast.net 21060 Redwood Rd. Ste. 100 • Castro Valley

Thinking of Buying or Selling a Home?

Put 35+ Years of Experience to work for you! Call Today for your No - cost Consultation

Kremer & Company

REALTORS® Ken Kremer, CRS, GRI, e-Pro, ABR, SRES 510-301-1957 Ken@KremerCompany.com

BRE# 00550782 with the result of prices exploding into the stratosphere. As the volley concluded, we saw average prices jump from an average of $1,227,000 in January to $1,512,000 in May, an unbelievable jump of 23%. While some sellers knew the fi nale had to be coming, others did not, leaving many frustrated and even angry that they are not seeing the same results for their listings that identical homes in their neighborhoods encountered just a few short months ago. In reality, to effectively price a home in this new emerging market, the prices obtained during the fi nal fantastic fi nale have to be discarded. One listing agent describes it in the following fashion: “Think of those previous sales as lottery winners,” she explains. “In every lottery, only a handful of people end up winners. Since there was almost no inventory,” she continues, “Only a handful of sellers actually cashed in at the peak of the market. Like all lotteries, once the draw has been made, it is over no matter how many tickets you are left holding.” It is a great analogy and apropos heading into the emerging market. As the smoke clears and it seems prices are dropping, they are merely returning to reality. Even with steadily increasing listings, we only have 1.8 months of inventory. Bottom line: we are still deep in a seller’s market.

Carl Medford is a licensed Realtor with Keller Williams Realty and a licensed general contractor. This article is sponsored by the Central County Marketing Association.

Open Sunday 1:00 to 4:00

Perfect for Large or Multi families!

This Amazing one of a Kind custom built in 2005, 2,879 sq ft, 6 bedroom & 5.5 bath home is situated on a .25 acre level lot w/o street parking & side access for boats & RV’s, tucked back of the main road. Pride of ownership shows throughout! Main Level boasts a large foyer that opens to a formal living & dining room w/ replace, eat-in kitchen family room combo w/top of the line appliances, granite counters, breakfast bar & slider to covered patio, bedroom w/own bath, additional bedroom & 1.5 19508 Redwood Rd. • Castro Valley • $1,750,000baths. Once up the beautiful open staircase you will nd the primary bedroom suite w/bathroom w/jacuzzi tub, stall shower & solid surface counter, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths & laundry room w/sink. Entertainers dream backyard w/built in barbeque, sink, covered patio, lawn area, 120 sq ft nished room w/electricity, great for outside o ce, planting beds & storage shed. Immaculate nished garage w/2nd laundry area. Don’t miss this one!

Cathy Brent Team

510-381-1065 Cathy@CathyBrent.com

DRE #01088138 www.cathybrent.com

24694 Fairview Ave., Hayward • $1,899,000

Unique Luxury Farmhouse on 2.98 Acres Nearly 3 acres of lovely land with fruit trees, grape vines, a greenhouse, a chicken coop and amazing possibilities with this useable land. Pasture area, serene natural landscaping, redwoods, and mature Oak trees. Lots of space beyond the automatic gate for 5+ vehicles and room for other toys. The Bay’s best open spaces including Garin Reg. Park & Five Canyons trail systems are nearby. Don’t miss this unique gem of a property.

Rid Garden of Soil Grubs with Non-Toxic Nematodes

BUZZ BERTOLERO

THE DIRT GARDENER

By Buzz Bertolero

The Dirt Gardener

QI’m fi nding a lot of grubs about eight to twelve inches deep in my raised beds. Last year, I used nematodes to get rid of them, but it didn’t seem to do the job. Is there another non-toxic chemical to use?

ABenefi cial Nematodes are your best non-toxic control for grubs. These tiny, worm-like organisms are a natural means of biological control of soil insect pests. The fi rst golden rule when applying Benefi cial Nematodes is moisture. The nematodes will seek and hunt out soil grubs, with water being the carrier. So, I would water the beds thoroughly the day before or four hours before making your application. A watering or sprinkler can is your best distribution method for raised beds. The packaging should give you the coverage rate. Generally, grubs are near the soil surface, but that’s not the case here, so I’d add a soil penetrant. When added to water, EZ Wet from Gro More or a similar product breaks down the surface tension around the soil particles, increasing the percolation rate. The nematodes are transported down quicker to where the grubs are active, and they’ll do a better job of solving the problem. Next is when to apply Benefi cial Nematodes. They’re sensitive to light, so the sun mustn’t be shining on the soil surface. So, early morning or evening would be the best time. I’d give them an other try. Q I purchased a bag of pure Mesquite charcoal for barbecuing. Can you tell me the origin of Mesquite? I’m just curious. A Mesquite is an exciting large shrub or small tree indigenous to the southwest and the desert areas. There are three common species of the Mesquite: Honey

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Mesquite (Proposes gladiolas), Screwbean Mesquite (Proposes pubescens ), and Velvet Mesquite (Proposes velutina). Mesquite grows to forty feet high and is deciduous. It’s a pea family member and has the characteristic bean pods, which humans, wildlife, and livestock have long used as a food source. It is estimated that over seventy-fi ve percent of a Coyote’s diet in late summer is from the mesquite beans. Native Americans relied on the Mesquite pod as a dietary staple from which they made tea, syrup, and a ground meal called Pinole. They also used the bark for basketry, fabrics, and medicine. A favorite of bees and other insects, the Mesquite fl owers have a honey fragrance. Mesquite has a true tap root that can go down in the soil forty feet deep looking for moisture. The tap root can be more prominent in diameter than its truck. The tap root is used for fi rewood, while the aboveground parts are used for furniture or tool handles. The density of its wood fi bers makes Mesquite an extremely hard wood. It’s a favorite with those who like to grill because the density causes Mesquite to burn at temperatures higher than most other charcoals. It also burns slowly and is smokeless, sealing in the natural juices as the meat cooks.

Buzz Bertolero is an Ad-

vanced California Certifi ed

Nursery Professional. The Dirt Gardener’s website is www. dirtgardener.com and questions can be sent by email to buzz@dirtgardener.com.

RECENT HOME SALES

Home sales information is compiled and provided by CalREsource and includes Bedrooms, Square Feet and Year Built when available

CASTRO VALLEY

Total:13– Average Price: $1,322,923 High: $2,200,000 – Low: $790,000

2573 Miramar Avenue 94546: $790,000 [2 BD - 1,084 SF - 1950 19514 Yuma Street 94546: $845,000 [3 BD - 2,106 SF - 1957 2320 Somerset Avenue 94546: $850,000 [2 BD - 915 SF - 1950 21235 Hobert Street 94546: $865,000 [2 BD - 927 SF - 1947 2751 Jeffrey Court 94546: $1,150,000 [3 BD - 1,486 SF - 1963 4644 Emily Court 94546: $1,168,000 [3 BD - 1,209 SF - 1958 3864 Modesto Street 94546: $1,350,000 [3 BD - 1,179 SF - 1950 18561 Greenridge Court 94552: $1,400,000 [1,891 SF - 1976 16982 Grovenor Drive 94546: $1,450,000 [3 BD - 1,890 SF - 1963 22234 East Lyndon Loop 94552: $1,450,000 [3 BD - 2,328 SF - 1998 7295 Longmont Loop 94552: $1,480,000 [4 BD - 2,251 SF - 2001 17360 Cardinal Court 94546: $2,200,000 [3 BD - 2,835 SF - 2006 25519 Crestfield Drive 94552: $2,200,000 [3,526 SF - 1998

2573 Miramar Avenue 94546: $790,000 [2 BD - 1,084 SF - 1950 19514 Yuma Street 94546: $845,000 [3 BD - 2,106 SF - 1957 2320 Somerset Avenue 94546: $850,000 [2 BD - 915 SF - 1950 21235 Hobert Street 94546: $865,000 [2 BD - 927 SF - 1947 2751 Jeffrey Court 94546: $1,150,000 [3 BD - 1,486 SF - 1963 4644 Emily Court 94546: $1,168,000 [3 BD - 1,209 SF - 1958 3864 Modesto Street 94546: $1,350,000 [3 BD - 1,179 SF - 1950 18561 Greenridge Court 94552: $1,400,000 [1,891 SF - 1976 16982 Grovenor Drive 94546: $1,450,000 [3 BD - 1,890 SF - 1963 22234 East Lyndon Loop 94552: $1,450,000 [3 BD - 2,328 SF - 1998 7295 Longmont Loop 94552: $1,480,000 [4 BD - 2,251 SF - 2001 17360 Cardinal Court 94546: $2,200,000 [3 BD - 2,835 SF - 2006 25519 Crestfield Drive 94552: $2,200,000 [3,526 SF - 1998

14101 East 14th Street #211 94578: $417,000 [1 BD - 642 SF - 1986 225 Castro Street 94577: $450,000 [2 BD - 1,283 SF - 1967 499 Estudillo Avenue #305 94577: $590,000 [2 BD - 1,125 SF - 1981 16812 Carriage Lane 94578: $630,000 [2 BD - 778 SF - 1953 796 Arthur Avenue 94577: $650,000 [2 BD - 912 SF - 1942 16804 Carriage Lane 94578: $700,000 [2 BD - 778 SF - 1953 2470 Belvedere Avenue 94577: $776,000 [3 BD - 1,296 SF - 1972 14911 Western Avenue 94578: $820,000 [2 BD - 1,343 SF - 1952 1445 Dayton Avenue 94579: $850,000 [2 BD - 1,114 SF - 1951 1810 136th Avenue 94578: $850,000 [3 BD - 1,731 SF - 1958 808 Floresta Boulevard 94578: $850,000 [3 BD - 1,210 SF - 1954 16098 Selborne Drive 94578: $850,500 [2 BD - 992 SF - 1949 14963 Crosby Street 94579: $910,000 [3 BD - 1,793 SF - 1949 1463 146th Avenue 94578: $978,000 [5 BD - 2,212 SF - 1946 380 Haas Avenue 94577: $1,260,000 [3 BD - 2,382 SF - 1974 611 Oakes Boulevard 94577: $1,300,000 [3 BD - 1,913 SF - 1938 790 Rodney Drive 94577: $1,350,000 [4 BD - 2,191 SF - 1937

HAYWARD

Total: 21 – Average Price: $922,928 High: $1,725,000 – Low: $590,000 SAN LEANDRO

Total: 17 – Average Price: $837,147 High: $1,350,000 – Low: $417,000 SAN LORENZO

Total: 4 – Average Price: $835,000 High: $1,080,000 – Low: $550,000

15709 Dermody Avenue 94580: $550,000 [3 BD - 1,326 SF - 1950 862 Hacienda Avenue 94580: $850,000 [3 BD - 1,051 SF - 1947 17023 Via Pasatiempo 94580: $860,000 [3 BD - 1,296 SF - 1947 1726 Via Redondo 94580: $1,080,000 [3 BD - 1,582 SF - 1954

SAT. & SUN. AUG 20 & 21

CITY SAT SUN ADDRESS PRICE BDR./BA. REALTOR AGENT PHONE

C 1-4 19508 Redwood Rd $1,750,000 6/5.5 Berkshire Hathaway Cathy Brent Team 510-381-1065 H 1-4 2232 Beckham Way $949,000 3/2 Re/ Max Accord Lovewell Team 925-989-1669

CITY GUIDE

A = SAN LEANDRO • B = BERKELEY • C = CASTRO VALLEY • D = DUBLIN • F = FREMONT • H = HAYWARD L = LIVERMORE • M = MODESTO • S = SHEFFIELD VILLAGE • SLZ = SAN LORENZO • W = WALNUT CREEK • Z=ALAMEDA

All real estate advertised in the Castro Valley Forum is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, marital status, national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. The Castro Valley Forum will not knowingly accept any advertisement for real estate that is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.