East Bay Real Estate Guide Volume 16 Issue 11

TONI

ROB O’MALLEY

COYNDA LOZANO

MARK FLETCHER

PEGGY ANN VALLEY

ASHLEY MORGAN

STEPHANIE

CLAYTON

MCDOUGALL

opportunity to live in town and have direct access to miles of Mt. Diablo

across the street. Beautiful single story home nestled in the foothills.

updated 4 bedroom 2.5 bath home with vaulted ceilings, remodeled baths, updated kitchen and more. Peaceful backyard backs to open space,

for entertaining. Sparkling pool and beautiful, low maintenance

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY

ALAMEDA COUNTY

SIERRA FOOTHILLS/

PROFESSIONAL

SERVICES

EDITORIALS

4-bedroom, 3-bath, 1-story home with secluded lush back yard and sparkling pool. Custom remodeling, 2nd master suite addition with permits, elegant bathrooms, sunny breakfast room, quartz counters, fabulous floor tiles and hardwood flooring, custom fireplace mantle, crown molding, central air & heat, solar-heated pool, dual-pane windows, fully finished garage, top-of-the-line roof, and oh-sohandy separate storage building. Final Bonus: Secret Garden/ RV parking/dog run options.

Knock-your-socks-off views from most windows! 2270+ sq. ft. single family home (NO HOA!) on Northern California coast, attached 470+ sq. ft. garage, FULLY FURNISHED (if buyer wants), LOTS of upgrades. This is a super incredible deal because owner is retiring and wants to travel. Perfect for anyone wanting a second home, retirees, golfers, writers, artists, beach lovers, surfers, fishermen, and investors (fully furnished, remember?). .65 miles to coastal golf course & library. To see it is to want it. Killer price (only 399K)! Don’t be the last in line.

Located in desirable Diablo West Subdivision, this 1720 sq ft 3 bed 2 bath flowing single story home features vaulted ceilings and a living dining combo with a spacious kitchen that faces the family room, complete with a cozy wood burning fireplace. Occupying a large corner lot with low maintenance yards. This home is perfect for entreating or just enjoying by yourself. Located near parks, schools k-12 and community Water Park. Close to shopping and restaurants. Easy freeway access and BART.

OAKLEY SINGLE STORY, NEW FLOORING AND PAINT. Located in sought after Oak Grove Neighborhood, Just the right size with 2012 sq ft 4 bed 2 baths. This bright flowing single story home features vaulted ceilings and a living dining combo with a spacious kitchen that faces the family room, complete with a converted gas burning fireplace. Enjoy your mornings with a patio door off the Main Bedroom. Delightful backyard with covered patio with working fountain/pond and just enough lawn. This home is perfect for or just enjoying by yourself. Walk to Creekside Park. Close to shopping and restaurants. Easy freeway access, just opened Park NRride, and BART.

SINGLE STORY HOME with a OASIS of a backyard. Well manicured front yard and a retreat back yard with mature redwood trees, a large deck, and a spa with a waterfall makes it perfect to relax with family and friends. Inside you will be welcomed with hardwood floors, a large kitchen, and an amazing flow. A beautifully maintained home with a great location. Minutes to golfing, schools, hiking, biking, restaurants, BART and shopping. Must see!!

OPPORTUNITY IS KNOCKING It may need some TLS, but this bright and sunny ranch style home can be terrific. Complete with 3 bedrooms 2 baths and 1428 sq ft. Featuring a large living room with wood burning fireplace, and hardwood floors throughout. Roomy bedrooms with ample closet space! Separate dining area with a built in retro BBQ and picture window into back yard. Large quarter acre backyard with covered patio and plenty of room for a pool , garden, and entertaining. Close to freeway access, Lake Alhambra, schools and parks.

THIS BEAUTIFUL CASCADE FLOOR PLAN features the Living Room on the right and just across the entry on the left is your formal Dining Room. The Kitchen/Family

the end of the hallway enter thru the double doors to a Large Office/Den. The Laundry Room has a sink and ample cabinet space and the home has a built in vacuum system. Enjoy your backyard with a covered patio for rest and relaxation with family and friends. The 3 car garage allows for all your toys and hobbies! Summerset is a 55+ community with plenty of amenities: pool, clubhouse, gym, ballroom, library, billiards, tennis, bocce, pavilion with game rooms, craft area and more!

GREAT LOCATION SINGLE STORY, NEW CARPET AND PAINT.

Cecily

PITTSBURG: Own the last Piece of the beautiful historic Buchanan Ranch in Pittsburg. 1.67 acres of bare land nestled between the park and the Buchanan family homes Phenomenal opportunity for development or a family compound.

by appointment only

605 BLUEROCK DRIVE, ANTIOCH

Spacious 4 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom home in “EagleRidge”. Fantastic open concept layout. Gorgeous kitchen with granite countertops and stainless appliances. Large master suite with expansive bathroom. Enjoy the summer in your backyard with a large in-ground pool and spa. Close to commute, schools, nearby Safeway shopping center. Enjoy the close proximity to Lone Tree golf course and Contra Loma Regional Park.

LISTED AT $689,000

LISTING AGENT: BOB BYERS 925-216-9904

607 LAIRD LANE, LAFAYETTE

Nestled on a Peaceful cul-de-sac in Lafayette. 4 Bedrooms 3 Full Baths. Approx 2263 Sq Feet. Main Level Features 3 Bedrooms 2 Full Baths. Cozy Wood Burn ing Fireplace & Laminate Flooring. Downstairs Features Spacious Family Room with Wood Beam Ceilings, Cozy Fireplace, 1 Bedroom, Full Bath, Laundry Room & Large Wet Bar, perfect for In Law. Newer Roof & HVAC. Conveniently Located to Lafayette Bart, Shopping, Schools, Parks, Hiking Trails, Briones Regional Park & Minutes away from 24/680/4.

LISTED AT$1,225,000

LISTING AGENT: LUPE KEMPER 925-997-1290

27 MATISSE CT, PLEASANT HILL

Impeccably maintained End Unit Townhome in the Gallery Walk Community. Open Light & Bright with tons of Natural Light & High Ceilings throughout. Gas burning fireplace in Family Room. Spacious Kitchen with plenty of storage. Gas Stove, Tiled Countertops & Recessed Lighting. Full size Laundry closet.

Master Suites upstairs. 1st Master Bedroom with Large Walk in

Master Bedroom has a tub/ shower

& bathroom with double sinks.

& single sink. Spacious deck on the main level. 2 Car attached Garage & lots of storage on first floor with entry to interior. Walking distance to Downtown Pleasant Hill Dining, Movie Theatre, & Shopping. Easy access to Freeway, BART, Bus & Parks/ Trails! The community has a pool, spa, Tot lot & clubhouse.

LISTED AT $765,000

AGENT: BRITTANY MARINO 925-788-7554

6116 RUTHLAND ROAD, OAKLAND

Fabulous opportunity for Mediterranean style 3 Bedroom + detached office/bonus room, 3 bath home in the highly desired Montclair neighborhood. 2 Living areas, Dining area, Gourmet kitchen, 2 fireplaces, hardwood floors, high ceilings & lots of windows & natural light. Lower level includes a 1 bedroom/1 bath, an additional living room & kitchenette which is ideal for au pair/in-law setup, or rental potential. Elevator provides easy access to all levels. The beautiful backyard has lush landscaping & a private & serene setting with a large level patio for entertaining, play area & personal retreat. Attached 2 car garage plus additional off street parking area. Desired location with easy access to Highway 13, Montclair Village, minutes to Bart, school & upper Rockridge restaurants & shopping.

LISTED AT $1,349,000

LISTING AGENT: SANDY GROSS 925-595-1970

Welcome Home!

Summer Lake home is ready for your holiday get togethers that are just around the corner. Plenty of room for the whole family. This 3 bedroom home also features a spacious den that can be used as an office, guest room, home gym, playroom, craft room... the list continues. The large kitchen is open to the living area with a spacious island and close to the dining area which will make serving dinner during gathering so much easier. The dining room has a large sliding glass door leading to the stamped concrete patio area in the backyard. The backyard also has mature fruit trees and has a drip system already set up for your garden. This house is ready to become your home.

3 BEDROOMS, 2 BATHS,

SQ FT HOME

Maggie

ONLY 20 MINUTES TO BODEGA BAY 1288 Sq Ft. 2 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms, a living room, a family room, a formal dinning room and the kitchen with a breakfast bar. You have your own laundry room with a new washer and dryer too! In fact this home is fully furnished, including 3 TVs, washer dryer and refrigerator. The front and rear decks that make lovely porches. Let’s not forget the rear yard, with over 1/2 acre to enjoy! It has steps that lead to your Hot tub that sits on a concrete patio in it’s own private cabana! You are walking distance to Raymond’s Bakery, the outdoor Catholic Church, minutes from the band camp and 1 mile from Downtown Cazadero. You have Access to the creek without being in flood plain.

Parcel #106-040-044, 106-040-048 and 106-040-047 are all included.

TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, YOU BETTER HURRY!

Judy

Shannon

Veronica

Emily Moore

Allie

Why Envoy?

As an Envoy Mortgage customer, we want to provide you with the high standard service that you expect from a modern mortgage lender, and we do this with one goal in mind—making sure you love your mortgage experience. By listening to you and your financial goals, we provide you with a partnership you can count on for years to come.

Digital Mortgage Application Extensive Loan Programs Expert Loan Advice Customer Satisfaction

Our intuitive digital mortgage application and user-friendly technology is combined with automatic asset verification and an alternative that shaves up experience.

Mortgage loan programs are constantly evolving to reflect market conditions and we have some of the most competitive rates available. It is a great time to take advantage of these historically low rates.

Your local Envoy loan originator specializes in mortgage lending and can provide you with a loan that fits your financial goals. They will be ready to meet with you to determine which loan program is the best for you.

We are very proud of our strong customer satisfaction rating of 4.9 out of 5 and we maintain this score by sending real-time updates on your loan status through secure email communication and text alerts.

4.9/5 customer satisfaction score

MELISSA GALBRAITH

9.5/10 customers state they would refer Envoy to family and friends

MAURICE MARTINEZ

Envoy has served over 200,000 homeowners to date

ELIZABETH MORENO

MICHAEL IDAROLA

SCOTT TREFF

SAM NASSAR

AAmir

Aliloupour is a Bay Area resident since 1992, and his reputation is built

customer care, and results. Amir is a member of the prestigious RE/MAX Hall of Fame and the President Club member since year 2015. He was also recognized as Mark Philips Realtor of the Year by Contra Costa Realtor in Motion in 2021 and the RE/MAX Platinum Club member. The Children's Miracle Network that benefits UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital named him the Miracle Agent in 2021. He is a member of Realtor President Club and received Master and Grand Master Award from Bay East Association of Realtors. Whether you are relocating to the Bay Area or moving around the corner, Amir welcomes the opportunity to make the process of buying or selling a home an exciting and seamless experience for you. As a Member of Bay East Association of Realtors, he attends the weekly Walnut Creek Contra Costa Realtors in Motion and Danville Realtor Marketing Association in order to give maximum exposure to his listings and find coming soon listings for his active buyers. He has continued to grow his knowledge as an agent by pursing his Graduate Realtor Institute (GRI) designation and taking other continuing education classes to help him assist clients. The GRI symbol is recognized nationwide, showing buyers, sellers and other real estate industry members that you are a true professional and have a solid grasp of real estate fundamentals. Fluent in English, Farsi, and German, Amir's clients are confident that they will be treated in a special manner as they are not just forgotten amidst a sea of paperwork. Amir and his team have knowledge of the marketplace and a counseling ability that is second to none. His negotiating and problem solving skills find solutions that work, whether it's selling your home quickly for maximum profit, or finding your dream home in record time. Along with his real estate partners at RE/MAX Accord, Amir is driven by a sincere desire to help people make smart real estate decisions

TRACY

OAKLAND

ANTIOCH

COUNTRY

room,

rooms, laundry

workshop

ground

porch/grand entry,

with

trees

court

covered back

landscaping

with

mature

lawn and custom

well on property

driveway

Pedro

National

National Park,

SoldSoldActive

OAKLEY

Single Story Beauty! Here's your future home! Light, bright open floor plan with nice high ceilings providing a more spacious feeling. Luxury vinyl plank flooring is as pretty as it is durable. Two living spaces with a formal living room and separate family room featuring a cozy fireplace. Chef's kitchen with lots of cabinets, slab granite counters and large center island - perfect for gathering! Play and entertain in the back yard with a covered deck for extra comfort. $635,000

BRENTWOOD

5/3 2652 sq ft BEAUTIFUL COURT LOCATION Don't miss out on this Beauty, 2 story, 5 bedroom, 3 bath, 3 car garage, court location located in Shadow Lakes!! Great open floor plan for entertaining while feasting in this large kitchen, family and Living room, 1 full bath and bed downstairs for your guest, 4 nice size bedrooms upstairs with 2 full baths and laundry room, no more hauling your laundry up and down the stairs, closet organizers in all upstairs closets!! ...... you'll love entertaining in this beautiful backyard, new fences with no rear neighbors, backyard is plenty big to build your gorgeous swimming pool $890,000

OAKLEY

4/3 3578 sq ft. You'll love this beautiful two-story home in the desirable Silverado Crest area of Oakley. This 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom home with a loft and a large bonus room upstairs. Large master suite with a fireplace. Open kitchen with large island, stainless steel appliances and double oven. Large front and backyard with room for a pool and in-law unit. Create your own Backyard Oasis!! Minutes to Shopping and Freeway access.

SOLD

What are some of the perks of doing a Virtual Real Estate Open House?

doubt, virtual open houses

of

to greater opportunities

main

expands your reach: Virtual open houses no longer just serve the needs of locals who come to see the home in-person. Hosting open houses online means that your videos can be viewed without limitations of time or space. All it takes is a link to be shared out for another opportunity to be created.

can offer the convenience of anytime, anywhere: You can save you and your buyers time from having to travel and coordinate schedules to meet. Virtual tours are viewable until the day the property closes escrow.

Buyers will want the option: Not everyone is interested in commuting to see a house in person for the first time. Occasionally, buyers will be more interested to vet a potential investment by first scanning it online. Whether or not social distancing enforcements are making it mandatory for you to only conduct virtual tours or not, having these be a part of your practice can help you filter out non-serious leads as it encourages only serious buyers to approach for further information.

SOLD

5 Tyler Ct. Danville, CA

PRESENTED BY:

This absolutely GORGEOUS HOME is located in the heart of Danville. Minutes from downtown, 680 HWY access & Mount Diablo. It features 4 bedrooms, 3½ bathrooms, den, formal living and dining rooms., open family room and kitchen. Beautiful upgrades include: Stainless steel KitchenAid Appliances w/built-in fridge & beverage center, flooring, countertops & backsplash. White cabinets w/Restoration Hardware knobs and handles, as well as RH light fixtures. Fireplace in formal living and family room. Epoxied garage flooring. Hunter Douglas window treatments. Built-in entertainment center. One of the bedrooms was turned into gym w/commercial grade rubber flooring and mirrored wall. Solar panels. The backyard is float lot and blank canvas. Build the backyard of your DREAMS.

10 TIPS FOR FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS

By Patrick McCarran ~ Real Estate Broker

The market is hot but slowing a little for the summer. Interest

rates are still close to historical lows. The major economist and real estate prognosticators are all projecting a strong market and no imminent crash. This makes it all a great time to jump in if you have been on the fence or unsure.

There are some tips that will help you form an action plan to move forward and capture a piece of the American Dream.

1. Get your finances in order. You can use online estimators but remember they are just estimates. The same goes with free consumer credit scores, a lender will have a different score that is specific to the risk of a home loan. Meet with a lender to get an accurate pictures of your qualification or a plan to get your ready.

2. Set a plan to be sure you have enough money to cover your down payment and your closing costs. Talk to your lender and agent about your options, there are multiple programs to help or a seller credit.

3. Do your homework before you start looking. Decide specifically what features you want in a home and decide which are most important to you. Drive

throughout the areas and neighborhoods you are interested in.

4. Be selective, but don’t be unrealistic. There is no perfect home and many items can be adjusted to fit your style or needs. There are solutions to every problem, some easy fixes other may not be.

5. Don’t ask to many people for opinions. It will drive you crazy. Select one or two people to turn to if you feel you need a second opinion. Remember that is’s ready for others to be an “armchair quarterback”.

6. Decide when you could move. When is your lease up? How tight is the rental market in your area! Remember the home finding process can take months to find a home, get an accepted offer and close.

7. Think long-term. Are you looking for a starter home with the idea of moving up in a few years or do you hope to stay in this home longer? This decision will dictate what type of home you’ll buy as well as type of mortgage terms that suit your and your goals best.

8. Don’t let yourself be “house poor”. If you max yourself out to buy the biggest home you can

Patrick

afford, you’ll have no money left for maintenance or decoration or to save money for other financial goals.

9. Don’t’ be naïve. Insist on any inspections you feel necessary. I recommend at minium a home inspection and a termite inspection. Get a home warranty that will help cover repairs in the first year. The seller may pay for this or if need be you should buy it for yourself.

10. Get help. Find a agent of your own or a buyer’s agent. Unlike a listing agent, whose first duty is often to the seller, a buyer’s agent is working only for you, and gets paid out of the seller’s side of the commission fee.

BONUS TIP: DO NOT get discourage, you may not get the first offer accepted or the firth one for that matter, but it will happen when the time is right. The only way to lose is to not play!

Patrick McCarran is a local Realtor and Broker DRE# 01325072.

He can be contact by phone or text at (925) 899-5536, pmccarran@yahoo.com or www.CallPatrick.com.

An independently owned and operated office. In association with Realty One Group Elite DRE# 0193160.

Equal Housing Opportunity.

INFLATION AND RENT - A SHORT DISCUSSION

I am telling your something that you probably already know. Rents are high; incredibly high! While the answer is a little obvious, there are 3 reasons, all of which are subsets of the real reason.

1) There really is too much money in the economy for the available goods that it is chasing. It may not feel like it if you haven’t had a raise in a while (most people have but not enough), rents have been increasing faster than many household incomes have.

2) There are not enough places to rent. This has become more and more true over the past 5 years. The demand for properties to lease, has exceeded the number of them available. This creates a condition of demand outpacing supply which results in this demand pushing up lease rates simply because the demand had families bidding up what they are willing to pay. In this way many families have insufficient income for the home they need or want and must search for a home that may be smaller, in a neighborhood that is further from work, schools, or other amenities that make it comfortable.

3) Prices in general are going up. Energy, food, maintenance, repairs, and a hundred other items that creep into the personal economy.

The answer is not easy. Finding an acceptable property to lease is becoming increasingly if not impossible to do. A family in this position has limited options. Moving to another and less expensive area is one if you can move. Job, school, family requirements all enter into this decision, and many cannot do it. Some do, although with difficulty which is temporary. Many people bite the bullet, take on extra employment, cut back on expenses or other actions.

Some people may have the means to purchase a home. Before you automatically reject this as an option that is impossible, please read to the end of this article.

Here are a few facts. When people can take a mortgage, if nothing else changes, over time it is rationale to think that over time your income will increase while your mortgage expense remains the same. Over time, your mortgage

becomes a smaller portion of your income and after 30 years, you will have paid it off. There is no such thing as a 30 lease; after 30 years you will still be paying the landlord’s mortgage. To add to that it is likely that the rent will increase yearly. To add to that you will note captured any equity in the home, you will not been able to use any of your rent as a tax deduction, or be able to make any improvements to the property to accommodate your basic needs for the family.

To top this off, over time, you may be able to reduce the monthly payment. Like I said, the mortgage is fixed but you may be able to refinance it with a lower mortgage interest when rates reduce. Of course if rate, go up, you will not have an increase in your payment, with the exception of taxes and insurance, which no one can avoid.

If you think that you cannot take out a mortgage now because rates are too high, ask yourself how long you are willing to wait? Acting now, locks in your cost. Waiting in this environment may add to the cost of owning a home. Give us a call at 925-382-9771 or email johnacase@stanberry. com

Let’s take of our family now while inflation works itself out. Looking forward to speaking with you.

John Case is a Broker Associate with Corcoran Global Living

He has dealt with all aspects of Real Estate during his career and can answer any question that you may have regarding your home. CalDRE Lic:00622378

He is also the editor of the East Contra County Real Estate Economic Report. He works with his wife Diana in Brentwood. They can be reached at 925-308-7045 or by email at johnacase@stanberry.com

Home Search By Your Criteria

TWO Ways To Search For A Home

Home Search Magazine Style

ATTENTION REAL ESTATE AGENTS:

The East Bay Real Estate Guide

Proudly Serving

Contra Costa & Solano Counties

OAKLEY

OAKLAND - $399,000

LUSH LANDSCAPING

single story home w/spacious

of

Jill bedroom & bathroom

Fenced backyard features a covered patio, lush lawn area, landscaping & shed

Enjoy having an attached 3 car garage & plenty of room for RV/boat parking MLS:222117464 $969,500

TONS OF UPDATES!

• Custom front door welcomes you into the spacious floor plan

• High ceilings, upscale lighting & new luxury vinyl flooring

• Upgrades include crown molding, new high efficient gas insert & more

• Fenced backyard has a deck overlooking the impeccable local views! MLS:222121596 $795,000

SET UPON 5 ACRES

• Long private driveway leads you to

4bd home on 5 acres

Take advantage of having spacious

& lot of closet space

Property features a large pasture

for

& farm animals, storage shed and pergola covered patio

$525,000

CONVENIENTLY LOCATED

bedroom home located in a charming neighborhood

Spacious floor plan has wood flooring & tons of natural light

Fenced backyard has a Trex deck shaded by a retractable awning

Extra perks include newer roof, dual pane windows, water heater & more

55+ COMMUNITY

$428,000

Charming 2 bedroom home located near the clubhouse

floor plan w/picture windows, separate family and living rooms, cozy pellet stove & built in cabinetry

Beaut iful landscaping, covered front porch, shed & spacious driveway

$199,000

COMMERCIAL LOT WITH HWY 50 FRONTAGE

Hill & Tahoe

PLENTY OF ROOM FOR HORSES

time to buy land and

PRIVACY AND TRANQUILITY

acre

trees and soaring

make the

new custom

being close to recreation

as boating, ohv trails & more