Buy vs Rent in the San Francisco East Bay

Should you Buy or Rent in the San Francisco East Bay?

That’s a very good question.  Not just when considering buying a home in Oakland, Berkeley or Piedmont CA but anywhere.  While everybody’s situation is slightly different there are several items to consider along the way.  How long do you plan to hold a property?  What are the current interest rates?  What is the current rental climate?  On and on and on….

Now for some answers!  I have found the best Rent vs Buy Calculator ever!  Answer a few questions and it will give you some “brass tacks advice” on whether it makes sense for you to purchase or continue to rent.  If you decide that you’d like to peruse home ownership in Oakland, Piedmont or Berkeley I’m available to assist you in anyway that I can.  Brian Santilena

Some Home Buying Resources & Links

• Property Search
• Describe your Dream Home
• Weekly ”Sunday Open Home List” (all homes open by all brokers)
• Local Neighborhoods of Oakland & Berkeley (my map)
• Video about Understanding Pest Control Reports
• Zip Codes by Neighborhood Name
• About the Neighborhoods of Oakland, Piedmont or Berkeley
• The Home Buying Flow Chart
• Educational BLOG articles for Buyers
• Homes for sale in Oakland, Peidmont & Berkeley
• Public School information for Oakland, Piedmont & Berkeley
• Private Schools in Oakland, Piedmont & Berkeley
• Check out local Schools and School ratings (GreatSchools.com)
• Demographic information by zip code (ZipSkinny.com)
• Oakland schools by property address (Oakland Unified)
• Oakland weather and temp averages (Weather.com)
• Walkscore (walking proximity to attractions) (WalkScore.com)
• Home Owners Guide to Earthquake Safety & Retrofitting

Brian Santilena is a Senior Sales Associate with Pacific Union International Real Estate.  He serves the San Francisco East Bay communities of Oakland, Piedmont and Berkeley California.   Brian is licensed as a California Contractor and has sold over 300 local homes.  See his many reviews on Yelp.