Weekend Guide and Open House List | March 2 - 3

. ~ Your Satisfaction is My Success ~ #Izabella #luxuryrealestate #bayarea #luxury #realestate #milliondollarlisting

If you're looking for fun things to do, let our Weekend Guide help you find the best things happening this weekend in the East Bay Area!

Disney on Ice: Dare to Dream

until March 3, 2019

Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA

Celebrate what’s possible as five daring Disney Princesses spark the courage inside us all in Disney On Ice presents Dare To Dream, skating into the Bay Area this Spring!   Featuring Disney’s Moana for the first time in a live production, hosts Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse bring the Disney magic to life and take audiences on an expedition across raging seas and snow-covered mountains in this action-packed extravaganza with the beloved characters from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Frozen, Tangled and Cinderella.

Glenview Classical Series

until March 30, 2019

St. Paul's Lutheran Church of Oakland, 1658 Excelsior Ave, Oakland, CA

The Glenview Classical Series starts 2019 with another beginning, that of the Bach Project. Cellist Lewis Patzner and pianist Derek Sup present an all-J.S. Bach concert featuring:

Well Tempered Klavier Book 1 Preludes and Fugues 1-6, Suite for Solo Cello in G Major

Gamba Sonata in G Minor, A selection of chorale preludes, arranged for cello and piano, paired with their corresponding chorales.

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss! 

March 2, 2019

Danville Community Center, 20 Front Street, Danville, CA

The Town of Danville and the Danville Library invite you to join the fun and festivities at the 11th Annual Dr. Seuss Birthday Party! Don't miss your favorite Dr. Seuss stories, fun and zany crafts, and many more surprises! Space is limited and pre-registration is required.

Free Sahaja Yoga Meditation Classes

March 2, 2019

Nirmitee Arts, 4460 Black Avenue, Suite C, Pleasanton, CA

Join us for a free class of Introduction to Sahaja Yoga meditation for peace of mind, emotional well-being, stress reduction, and better concentration. Just 5 minutes of daily meditation can bring tremendous positive changes in life including stress relief, peace of mind, an overall sense of well-being and better health in general.

Mindful Dating in The Digital Age Workshop

March 2, 2019

5463 College Avenue, Oakland, CA 94618\

Dr. Edmunds will lead experiential exercises to look at the dating fears and negative self-talk that get in the way of being your best self. He'll help explore what truly matters for you in relationships so that you can enjoy the journey of dating, rather than worrying about a particular outcome at this workshop. Open to singles and those who are looking for "the one".

Welcome to Wildlife – Nature Science Camp for Kids

March 2, 2019

Peralta Hacienda Historical Park, 2465 34th Avenue, Oakland, CA

Calling All Eco-Explorers! Youth ages 5-15 will be up to their elbows in FREE, hands-on activities. Learning through fun interactive, nature science experiences and regional field trips, your kids will find out all about the Bay Area ecosystem and become the next generation of Citizen Scientists!

Conscious: Community Clothing Swap

March 2, 2019

East Bay Community Space, 507 55th Street, Oakland, CA

Do you have a closet that needs to be cleaned out? New Marie Kondo hype got you keeping only what brings you joy? Don't donate unwanted stuff to corporate giant, Goodwill. Give back to the local community instead!

Latte Art: An Exclusive Master Class

March 2 - 3, 2019

Blue Bottle Coffee, 480 9th Street, Oakland, CA 94607

Join Blue Bottle Coffee at our Old Oakland Training Lab to learn the rarefied skill of latte art from our expert Training Team. To keep your mind sharp, we'll be serving delicious coffee and pastries, as well as a bundle of parting gifts.

5 Reasons Why Spring Is The Best Time For Selling Your Home

. ~ Your Satisfaction is My Success ~ #Izabella #luxuryrealestate #bayarea #luxury #realestate #milliondollarlisting

California has always been blessed with good weather but Spring in California is especially a great time, with the weather generally warm and sunny minus the blistering heat of the summer season. And with the good weather, flowers are on full display, and all things are green and beautiful, California comes alive. And aside from nature being at its finest, the real estate market is also in full bloom during Spring. The hottest season to sell is here. If you’re thinking of selling, there is no best time but NOW.

Here are the Top 5 Reasons Why Spring is the best time to sell your home

1. Timing

After the hustle and bustle of the holiday season and the cold winter weather, people welcome Spring with excitement and is the time serious buyers start looking for a home. As most buyers want to get settled into a new home before the school year starts. If you put your home on the market early enough in the spring, you will enjoy the benefits of a huge pool of buyers without the panic or urgency of buyers looking for a quick sale.

2. Better Curb Appeal

Your home looks best in the Spring, especially if you have a yard with flowers and green grass which your buyers can't help fall in love with. Preparing your home for selling in Spring is definitely easier than selling in Winter or under the blistering Summer heat.

3. Higher Prices

More Buyers means more chances for bidding wars! And more chances for more closed sales! With more people in the market, there are more chances to get close to the asking price of your home. With numerous offers coming in, springtime sellers can be a bit more choosy about who they sell their home to, which enables them to stay firm with their listing price. Waiting a couple months for spring could help you secure thousands more on the offer.

4. Longer Days

Just the simple fact that Spring has longer hours and more hours of daylight means more potential buyers can view your home during the day - another great reason for selling this Spring! That definitely boosts your target market for your property and increases your odds of landing a desirable offer.

5. Lesser Days on Market

Not only do houses sell at a higher price during Spring, they also sell much quicker. It's a case of supply and demand, as desired houses get snapped up, the supply goes down while the demand (and rush to close a deal before Summer starts) rises.

Thinking of buying or selling this Spring? Let me help you! From Single Family Homes, Condominiums, Luxury Houses and more, we are positive we can find the right home for you. Call or just text me at 510-506-2072 and let's get started!

Weekend Open House Guide | February 23 - 24

. ~ Your Satisfaction is My Success ~ #Izabella #luxuryrealestate #bayarea #luxury #realestate #milliondollarlisting

If you're out and about and searching for your new home sweet home, here's your Open House Guide for this weekend!

Saturday Open House Guide, February 23

Sunday Open House Guide, February 24


If you would rather schedule a private showing at your convenience on another date/time, just click HERE. As your home search heats up, I can also simplify the process by setting up a custom home search that matches your exact house-hunting criteria. This will allow you to get an automatic email update any time new listings come to the market that meets your parameters. Reach out if you'd like me to set that up for you.

Weekend Guide | February 23 - 24

. ~ Your Satisfaction is My Success ~ #Izabella #luxuryrealestate #bayarea #luxury #realestate #milliondollarlisting

If you're looking for fun things to do, let our Weekend Guide help you find the best things happening this weekend in the East Bay Area!

Weekend Guide | February 16 - 17

. ~ Your Satisfaction is My Success ~ #Izabella #luxuryrealestate #bayarea #luxury #realestate #milliondollarlisting

If you're looking for fun things to do, let our Weekend Guide help you find the best things happening this weekend in the East Bay Area!

Alameda County Spring Home Show

February 16 - 17, 2019 at 10AM

Alameda County Fairgrounds, Gate 8 or Gate 12 Corner of Bernal and, Valley Ave, Pleasanton, CA 94566

If you're looking to redecorate or renovate your home and in need of new ideas, or inspirations, then don't miss the Alameda County Spring Home Show happening this weekend and get tons of ideas from the hundreds of exhibits featuring custom kitchens and baths, windows and doors, heating and air, sunrooms and floors, pools and spas, landscaping displays and more! Admission is $7 for adults and kids are free. Parking is $10.

The Art & Science of Love: A Couples Workshop

ebruary 16, 2019 at 8AM

710 Highland Dr, Danville, CA 94526

Valentine's Day may be over but if you've been wanting to rekindle the flame, reconnect or just want to spend the weekend together, this workshop will not only get you away from your everyday routine but will help you and your partner build a stronger relationship! The workshop is hosted at San Damiano Retreat Center with overnight options including meals and a lovely view overlooking Mt Diablo and the Danville Valley.

Hiking with a Naturalist

February 16, 2019 at 10AM

Castleridge Trailhead, 3464 Old Foothill Road, Pleasanton, CA 94588

If you wanted to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and just wanted to be part of nature, don't miss our weekend hike as Our Alviso Adobe Community Park Naturalist will guide you to find Signs of Spring along Castleridge Trail.

Whitney: One Moment in Time at Firehouse
February 16, 2019 at 8PM
Firehouse Arts Center, Pleasanton

Critically-acclaimed live concert honoring the talent, music, and memory of Whitney Houston featuring the breathtaking vocals of Northern California’s current Entertainer of the Year Award Winner Dee Dee Simon, and her 6-piece band. The production takes a musical journey through Houston’s greatest hits including One Moment in Time and classics such as I Will Always Love You, I Wanna Dance with Somebody and many more. Tickets are priced between $25 - $35.

Trash to Treasure: Furniture Transformation
February 17, 2019 at 11AM
Artistic Home Studio and Boutique, 1910a Encinal Avenue, Alameda, CA 94501

Learn how to transform old furniture into a beautiful treasure using paint! This 4-hour class will help you learn techniques to create an artistic new piece you will be proud to display in your home! Cost is $95. All materials & instruction are included.



Thinking of buying or selling this year? When visiting isn't enough and you decide to make our beautiful area home, let me help you! From Single Family Homes, Condominiums, Luxury Houses and more, we are positive we can find the right home for you. Call or just text me at 510-506-2072 and let's get started!

Buying Versus Building a Home

. ~ Your Satisfaction is My Success ~ #Izabella #luxuryrealestate #bayarea #luxury #realestate #milliondollarlisting

Now that you've decided to set down roots, the big question is, should you build, or should you buy? Everyone dreams of being a homeowner and the American dream always entails a white picket fence house, and there's this little slice of that dream that involves building your home from the ground up. And for most people, serious considerations need to be made if you wanted your home sweet home. Is it cheaper to buy a house or to build a new one?

Here we lay out everything you need to know about buying an existing home compared with building one from scratch.

Cost

If you buy an existing home: Home prices vary greatly from where you live. Median prices are different from state to state and even from town to town. According to Realtor.com, the median listing price for a home in Pleasanton, CA is $975K and the price per square foot is around $528/sq. ft. Currently, there are about 369 homes for sale ranging from $225K to $13.9M

If you build a new home: Like with buying a new home, prices will vary greatly for where you want to live in. A lot of things needs to be considered in regards to the costs of building a new home. The land primarily is a big factor one should consider as well as the materials needed and labor costs. For a custom home, prices could range between $350K to $1.5M. And for custom built homes, prices can really go way up depending on your design and your specifications.

Maintenance

If you buy an existing home: When buying a home, it is important to know when the house was built and the updates that were done to maintain the house. Naturally, older homes needed more TLC and regular upkeep. And maintenance and updates don't come cheap. For example, the average furnace is expected to last 20 years and will cost $4,000 to replace. The typical HVAC system lasts 15 years and costs $5,000 and more to replace.

If you build a new home: Definitely one of the benefits of building your home is the lesser cost of maintenance because almost everything from your appliances down to your HVAC is brand new and under warranty. Some construction companies even offer a construction warranty for new homes for up to 10 years.

Energy Efficiency

If you buy an existing home: Older homes would mean dated windows and appliances unless previous owners were able to do recent updates, existing homes means lesser efficiency in conserving energy and higher consumption on electricity.

If you build a new home: Homes built after 2000 consume on average 21% less energy for heating than older homes, mainly because of their increased efficiency of heating equipment and building materials. This translates into lower energy bills.

There are many pros and cons in buying an existing home or building a new one. The waiting time is comparably lesser when you opt to buy an existing home as compared to building a house wherein it really takes time before you could move in. Building a home is no easy feat. It requires a lot of planning, research and, of course, the right building professionals to guide you from the pre-construction stage to design & build and project completion. While building a house from scratch can be expensive, more homeowners are choosing to build their home sweet home. Owning a home that is unique is something to be proud of as a homeowner. Whatever your choice will be, building or buying a new one, what's important is it will give you the feeling of security, contentment and happiness a new home should give you.


Thinking of buying or selling this year? When visiting isn't enough and you decide to make our beautiful area home, let me help you! From Single Family Homes, Condominiums, Luxury Houses and more, we are positive we can find the right home for you. Call or just text me at 510-506-2072 and let's get started!

 

January 2019 Market Report

. ~ Your Satisfaction is My Success ~ #Izabella #luxuryrealestate #bayarea #luxury #realestate #milliondollarlisting

🏡 Buying or Selling Your Home? It's always a good idea to know more about what's going on in the market. 📊📈📉

Here's how the Real Estate Market performed last January 2019 for Pleasanton, Danville, Alameda and San Ramon.