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REAL ESTATE GALLERY REAL ESTATE GALLERY

REAL ESTATE REALITY

By Carl Medford, CRS

Special to the Times GUEST COMMENTARY

Four Key Issues Facing California Real Estate

There is no question we are living in unprecedented times. The continuous flow of negative headlines feels like the incessant hammering of a pile driver relentlessly pounding morale lower and lower. As it relates to real estate, here are four current issues producing tension and anxiety. 1 Covid-19 Still in first place, the pandemic’s off-again, on-again restrictions are forcing fluctuating changes in how residential real estate is viewed. While we enjoyed unfettered access for a short period, recent flareups mean mask restrictions are back for all in-home visits, including open houses. 2 Wildfires As untold numbers of acres and structures are being consumed by the current wildfires across the state, count on significant changes in the near future. Insurance companies, grappling to cope with the unparalleled disasters, will be looking to recoup costs by raising rates or limiting availability in high-risk zones. As someone who just purchased an insurance policy for a home in a mountain region, I was shocked at the number of companies who refused to write a policy and the high rates from the few who would. Secondly, as efforts get underway to rebuild, counties will be mandating more fire-resistant structures, thereby increasing building costs. Additionally, with supply chains already stretched to the limit by COVID-related shortages, you can guarantee we will be seeing another round of cost increases in building materials, especially wood and concrete. 3 Evictions By disrupting so many jobs across the state, especially in the service industries, Covid-19 has been responsible for a waive of unpaid rents. Coupled with the eviction moratorium, making it impossible to evict non-paying tenants, small mom and pop landlords have been struggling to make ends meet and are voicing their concerns that the burden of sustaining non-paying tenants has been placed unfairly on them. Many landlords, no longer able to sustain the losses, are selling their properties and thereby removing them from the state’s rental inventory. For a state already struggling to find adequate housing, this is not good news.

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4 Homelessness Not only are homeless populations growing all the more visible, they are also impacting real estate. We are seeing pushback from buyers who do not want to purchase properties near homeless encampments. We have also seen an increase in homes on the market being broken into to be used for shelter. With a gubernatorial recall underway, it is hoped we can find meaningful solutions going forward. 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.general contractor. This article is sponsored by the Central County Marketing Association.

RECENT HOME SALES

SAN LORENZO

Total: 6 – Average Price: $827,125 High: $928,000 – Low: $662,000

14052 Reed Avenue 94578: $583,000 [2 BD - 1,084 SF - 1973 1455 San Jose Street 94577: $1,157,500 [3 BD - 1,164 SF - 1953 15183 Shining Star Lane 94579: $1,255,000 [4 BD - 2,255 SF - 1994 573 Superior Avenue 94577: $1,201,000 [3 BD - 1,727 SF - 1924 2260 Transom Way 94577: $580,000 [3 BD - 1,125 SF - 1978 1490 Vining Drive 94579: $825,000 [3 BD - 1,190 SF - 1957

* SALE PENDING *

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By Buzz Bertolero

SPECIAL TO THE FORUM Q: What can I plant for color in a north-facing planter box? It receives lots of shade, although it’s not dark. The planter is ten feet long, faced with native rock. A. Colorizing shady areas can be done with flowers and or foliage. I prefer using attractive foliage, and Coleus can be beaten. The vibrant, maroon, yellow, or red leaf colors will more than make from the lack of flowers. You’ll also find varieties with deep lobes that give them an exciting look. My second choice is Lamium, Dead Nettle, the mint green leaves splashed with white along with the white, pink, or purple flowers makes a low growing, cascading solution. Another option is New Guinea Impatiens. Their flower is about three times the size of a regular Impatiens, and the foliage is dark green with deep red stems and midribs. Midribs are those leaf veins that separate or segment a leaf into the section. New Guinea Impatiens, they’re very bold. White, Pink, Red, Orange, and Bicolor are the typical colors. These varieties should continue to bloom into early November; however, it is improbable that any of these varieties will survive the winter cold. They’ll collapse with the first cold spell or frosty night. When this occurs, I’d then replace them with Cyclamen until next spring. Earwigs, snails, and slugs can be controlled with Sluggo Plus. How do I know when my Sugar Baby Watermelons are ready to pick? I don’t want to pick them too soon. Unlike other fruits such as tomatoes, watermelons do not ripen after harvesting. So, yes, you don’t want to pick them early, and there has been a debate about when to pick them. Harvesting Sugar Baby Watermelons generally begins eighty days after planting. This is not an exact date but instead a benchmark to work around. It is more precise if you grew your melons from seed and less actuate from transplants. The other signif-

A: Q: A:

icant variable is temperature. Watermelons like warm days and nights to mature on time; however, our temperatures vary; thus, we need to use a little educated guesswork to determine when to pick them. As the maturity day approaches, you check your plants daily. Every watermelon has a curly tendril immediately below where it is attached to the vine. When this tendril is green, the melon is not ready for harvesting. When it is brown and shriveled, you have a ninety percent probability the melon is ready to be picked. In addition, Sugar Baby should be about ten inches in diameter with a dark green rind. Another test you can use to tell when a watermelon is ripe is if your fingernail can not indent the skin. The outer skin of the watermelon tends to feel a little rough when ripe. The old-school method of thumping the melon is not very precise or accurate. If your melon(s) passes the Sugar Baby Watermelon maturity test(s), they can be pick by snipping them off at the stem with a pair of shears or scissors. Like so many homegrown fruits and vegetables, the flavor and sweetness of a chilled homegrown watermelon is fabulous.

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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: 14 – Average Price: $1,175,035 High: $1,770,000 – Low: $630,000

21061 Baker Road #14 94546: $630,000 2 BD - 1,056 SF - 1976

21470 Orange Ave 94546: $835,000 3 BD - 1,200 SF - 1948

4238 Nando Court 94546: $875,000 3 BD - 1,545 SF - 1957

5610 Cold Water Drive 94552: $1,261,000 [3 BD - 1,470 SF - 1965

22011 Orange Ave 94546: $950,000 3 BD - 1,767 SF - 1947

3705 Cottage Court 94546: $980,000 3 BD - 1,152 SF - 1959

19950 John Drive 94546: $1,025,000 4 BD - 1,837 SF - 1998

18585 Stanton Ave 94546: $1,091,000 3 BD - 1,598 SF - 1951

4504 Edwards Lane 94546: $1,126,000 3 BD - 1,275 SF - 1963

20194 Sheldon Court 94546: $1,188,000 3 BD - 1,474 SF - 1958 5113 James Ave 94546: $1,205,500 3 BD - 1,966 SF - 1976

19073 Masterson Place 94552: $1,305,000 4 BD - 1,840 SF - 1985

17772 Sweetbriar Place 94546: $1,700,000 3 BD - 3,178 SF - 1999

5566 Greenridge Road 94552: $1,770,000 4 BD - 1,834 SF - 1960

5954 Greenridge Road 94552: $1,770,000 5 BD - 1,979 SF - 1963

HAYWARD

Total: 35 – Average Price: $742,739 High: $2,625,000 – Low: $180,000 27505 Tampa Ave #51 94544: $180,000 2 BD - 910 SF - 1981

26353 Flamingo Ave 94544: $381,500 3 BD - 1,048 SF - 1952

1256 Stanhope Lane #148 94545: $385,000 1 BD - 748 SF - 1989

24625 Thomas Ave 94544: $497,000 2 BD - 1,299 SF - 1968

675 Newbury Lane #141 94544: $548,000 2 BD - 894 SF - 1988

27551 Ponderosa Court 94545: $550,000 3 BD - 1,254 SF - 1970

18663 Standish Ave 94541: $565,000 2 BD - 778 SF - 1937

19906 Times Ave 94541: $600,000 3 BD - 1,182 SF - 1951

927 Saint James Court 94541: $712,000 2 BD - 1,197 SF - 1926

27622 Miami Ave 94545: $750,000 4 BD - 1,594 SF - 1972

27648 Seminole Way 94544: $755,000 3 BD - 1,000 SF - 1954

3214 D Street 94541: $800,000 4 BD - 1,388 SF - 1951

3203 Madsen Street 94541: $830,000 4 BD - 2,110 SF - 2010

29072 Caravan Lane #17 94545: $849,000 2 BD - 1,526 SF - 2011

3536 La Mesa Drive 94542: $850,000 3 BD - 2,228 SF - 1973

27449 Capri Ave 94545: $885,000 3 BD - 1,000 SF - 1957

1530 Glenn Street 94545: $905,000 3 BD - 1,546 SF - 2016

29474 Sal Court 94544: $915,000 3 BD - 1,591 SF - 1992

75 Quist Ave 94544: $930,000 4 BD - 1,866 SF - 1999 1642 Southgate Street 94545: $982,000 3 BD - 1,497 SF - 1956

986 Pope Way 94545: $988,000 3 BD - 1,384 SF - 1951 24979 Pleasant Way 94544: $1,000,000

24275 Machado Court 94541: $1,080,000 4 BD - 1,800 SF - 1984

23057 Palazzo Del Kayla 94541: $1,150,000 4 BD - 2,066 SF - 2007

2476 Reyna Drive 94541: $1,165,000 4 BD - 2,222 SF - 2000

176 Montevina Way 94545: $1,198,000 5 BD - 2,047 SF - 2017

3495 Skyline Drive 94542: $1,204,000 1,808 SF - 1979

24888 2nd Street 94541: $1,300,000 5 BD - 3,388 SF - 1946

3572 Skyline Drive 94542: $1,350,000 4 BD - 2,228 SF - 1973

28050 Fox Hollow Drive 94542: $1,550,000 4 BD - 2,962 SF - 1996

28790 Fox Hollow Drive 94542: $1,620,000 4 BD - 3,045 SF - 1995

155 Arundel Drive 94542: $2,350,000 5,050 SF - 2011 3615 Sonia View Court 94542: $2,625,000 5,883 SF - 2007 SAN LEANDRO

Total: 23– Average Price: $742,739 High: $980,000 – Low: $400,000 16665 Los Banos Street 94578: $400,000 2 BD - 1,148 SF - 1926

1570 165th Ave #103 94578: $425,000 2 BD - 871 SF - 1987

433 Harlan Street #207 94577: $430,000 2 BD - 803 SF - 1964

3862 Yorkshire Street #22 94578: $455,000 2 BD - 918 SF - 1987

15956 East 14th Street #413 94578: $500,000 2 BD - 918 SF - 2008

690 Fargo Ave #3 94579: $543,000 2 BD - 1,020 SF - 1965

1266 Purdue Street 94579: $650,000 3 BD - 1,081 SF - 1951

15451 Farnsworth Street 94579: $660,000 4 BD - 1,377 SF - 1956

14234 Outrigger Drive 94577: $800,000 3 BD - 1,595 SF - 1988

850 Kenyon Ave 94577: $800,000 2 BD - 1,127 SF - 1948

220 Bancroft Ave 94577: $800,000 2 BD - 1,162 SF - 1924

362 West Broadmoor Boulevard 94577: $820,000 2 BD - 1,162 SF - 1937 1754 141st Ave 94578: $840,000 2 BD - 1,117 SF - 1941

14350 Cypress Street 94579: $850,000 3 BD - 1,096 SF - 1952

491 West Juana Ave 94577: $860,000 2 BD - 1,116 SF - 1902

15273 Inverness Street 94579: $860,000 3 BD - 1,241 SF - 1952

258 West Broadmoor Boulevard 94577: $860,000 2 BD - 1,419 SF - 1927

14961 Endicott Street 94579: $870,000 4 BD - 1,731 SF - 1949

3584 Figueroa Drive 94578: $880,000 3 BD - 1,108 SF - 1954

1521 Castro Street 94577: $900,000 3 BD - 1,092 SF - 1953

15666 Cranbrook Street 94579: $935,000 3 BD - 1,414 SF - 1958

162 California Ave 94577: $965,000 3 BD - 1,282 SF - 1925

1531 Beechwood Ave 94579: $980,000 4 BD - 1,356 SF -

1953$838,000 [3 BD - 1,186 SF - 1951

247 Oakes Boulevard 94577: $1,125,000 [2 BD - 1,080 SF - 1918