How does a late mortgage payment affect my FICO score?

May 3rd, 2010

Even in the better parts of the Oakland Hills such as Piedmont, Montclair and Rockridge homeowners occasionally get into a financial pinch that can lead to a late mortgage payment.  If you’re delinquent on your mortgage, your credit score will suffer. Everyone knows that. The question is, by how much?  Until recently, those answers were […]

Homes Sold in Upper Rockridge Q1 2010

April 17th, 2010

 This Upper Rockridge real estate sales report covers single family homes that have sold in Oakland’s Upper Rockridge district during the fourth quarter of 2009. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlLXsY-JR10 Brian Santilena is a resident  and has been selling Upper Rockridge 1998.  If you would like more details about buying or selling in Upper Rockridge please call Brian directly […]

Lakeshore and Grand Lake neighborhoods in Oakland CA

March 19th, 2010

The Lakeshore Ave and Grand Lake neighborhoods in Oakland CA offers many of the semi-urban amenities that today’s homebuyers are looking for.  This video will give you a brief glimpse of some of the areas terrific features.  If you’d like more information please don’t hesitate to contact me directly. LOCATION: Lakeshore Avenue runs along the […]

youtube-socialmedia

March 4th, 2010

Buying a home in Oakland’s Oakmore district with Brian Santilena

February 26th, 2010

I met Pete after he contacted me via my website.  He was interested in the prospect of purchasing a home.  He didn’t know the details or the process so we sat down together for a “Buyers 101” together.  We went over every aspect of the Home Buying Process.  Pete left the meeting fully informed with […]

A great home buying experiance in Oakland’s Upper Rockridge

February 26th, 2010

My wife and I hold to a very high standard people with whom we come into contact ~ especially professionals. So it was our expectation that Brian be more interested in being our advocate than selling us a house. His performance and demeanor met and exceeded our expectations. Brian provided us with great guidance at […]

Real estate in Trestle Glen & Crocker Highlands Oakland CA

February 11th, 2010

Location: Trestle Glen and Crocker Highlands lie adjacent to one another and are located in central Oakland directly above Lake Merritt and Hwy. 580. The zip code is 94610. The neighborhoods are bordered by Lakeshore Ave. to the West and Park Boulevard on the East.  Back in the late 1800’s Trestle Glen Road had a railroad […]

Free Hazardous Waste Disposal for Oakland and Piedmont CA

February 8th, 2010

When preparing an Oakland Hills or Piedmont home for sale it is likely that you have a shelf or cabinet full of old paints, solvents, strippers, oil etc.  Disposal of hazardous waste materials in Oakland is quite easy.  The Oakland Hazardous Waste Disposal Facility is open every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 9 AM to […]

Crime and Demographic Statistics for Oakland, California

March 11th, 2008

I often get questions from prospective Buyers in the Oakland California real estate area about crime reports and demographic data. Crime reports are a touchy subject. I often get, “is this neighborhood safe?” Safe is subjective. The best source for that information is of course the city of Oakland Police department. That will give you […]

What Does “AS-IS” Really Mean?

February 25th, 2008

In the Oakland Berkeley real estate marketplace it is not uncommon to see “As-Is” referenced in the advertising remarks. In my opinion the As-Is term is used a little to often. The meaning of As-Is really depends on where you are in the sales transaction. Before an offer is accepted (the Marketing period) As-Is means […]