Archive for Local Area

Oakland’s Piedmont Ave. Neighborhood

May 28th, 2013

While Oakland’s Rockridge seems to get most of the press, Oakland’s Piedmont Ave. Neighborhood has lots of the same desirable features.  Great restaurants, plenty of coffee shops, local independent stores and homes that offer loads of character.  Known for its tight “neighborhood feel” and highly walkable, Oakland’s Piedmont Ave. has a little something for everyone.  […]

Oakland CA Ranks Among Nation’s Top Ten “Green” Cities for Real Estate and more

May 7th, 2013

Did you know that Oakland, CA has been ranked as one of the nation’s top ten “greenest cities”?  Oakland has the country’s cleanest, freshest tap water; access to an abundance of fresh, locally-grown, organic food; and a hydrogen-powered public transit system. Growing food locally reduces waste and carbon emissions.  Oakland already gets 17% of its […]

City of Oakland real estate transfer tax?

May 5th, 2013

Does the city of Oakland have a real estate transfer tax?  The answer is YES.  It is equal to 1.5% of the sale price. ($15/ thousand of sale price)  In a typical real estate transaction it is customary for the Seller to pay 50% and the Buyer to pay 50%.  The county of Alameda imposes […]

Zip code to Neigborhood name converter for Oakland & Piedmont CA

February 10th, 2012

The city of Oakland has many different neighborhood names that are used in the real estate community. Some of the names date back to the original subdivision while others seem to be somewhat random. When looking at homes for sale in the Oakland and Piedmont area newspapers or the Sunday Open Home List, ads will […]

Oakland Police Department Email and Text Message Alert Service

January 19th, 2012

Oakland Police Department Email and Text Message Alert Service. I live in the Rockridge neighborhood of Oakland and while it is relatively safe and quiet it would be great to know about crimes and or emergency issues in real time.  Captain Steve Tull with the Oakland Police Department has established a new Text and Email […]

Best Trick or Treat in Oakland, Berkeley, Piedmont CA

October 28th, 2011

Best Trick or Treat in Oakland Piedmont areas!!!  It’s that time of the year again.  Every year Halloween is a special day and 2016 is no exception!  Get out there with your little ghouls and goblins and have a wonderful and safe holiday.   If you like any of the neighborhoods that you visit and […]

Oakland hills firestorm

October 27th, 2011

The Oakland Hills firestorm of 1991 is credited with burning over 3300 homes and over 1520 acres. 25 people lost their lives and the financial impact exceeded $1.5 billion. We have just passed the 20 year anniversary from that disaster and many ongoing efforts have been and are being made to ensure that a disaster […]

Homes for sale in Temescal Oakland CA 360 degree view

August 4th, 2011

Homes for sale, Real Estate & Info about Temescal in Oakland CA DRAG on photo to see Panorama View Temescal in Oakland CA has been in a rebuilding phase since about 2000 and it has really come into its own.  It is in close proximity to lower Rockridge and the residential section of Temescal.  Some terrific restaurants such […]

Background of Piedmont CA

September 4th, 2010

The Background of Piedmont CA. Piedmont is a small, primarily residential community with fine architecture, tree-lined streets, and outstanding public schools. Because of its school system, low crime rate, good weather, and high property values, it is regarded as one of the most desirable residential communities in the San Francisco Bay Area. Piedmont was named […]

Piedmont CA Schools

September 4th, 2010

Piedmont CA Schools Piedmont Public Schools fall within the Piedmont Unified School District.  The district, coinciding with the municipal boundaries, includes three elementary schools (Havens*, Beach, and Wildwood), a middle school (Piedmont Middle School), a high school (Piedmont High School), and an alternative high school, Millennium. Piedmont High School matriculates a high percentage of students […]