Berkeley, CA

Everything is spinning in the Bay Area! Suddenly buyers are back after taking a nice festive break. This week has been very busy with rates dropping and then rising and then dropping again. Refis are on the way up and more houses are coming onto the market.

Today I wrote an offer on a house that was previously on the market for $2,800,000! Beautiful 4500sqft home with gorgeous views of the bay on 1/2 acre!!! The seller unfortunately lost the home to the bank and the agent put it back on the market for under $1,000,000. Well, talk about chaos. Everyone wanted that property.

Then another client called me about writing an offer on a property in Richmond! Wow it is nice to be busy again and get back in the groove after a slower period in 2008.

Looking at prices in the depressed areas it is easy to understand why this frenzy from investors. Most homes are listed under $250,000 and even $200,000 so with some money down these houses are positive cash cows from the get go.

We'll see if that trend continues. Last year 20% of sellers sold because they were in trouble. The California Association of Realtors is predicting a drop in median price of 10% for California. We will see what Berkeley and surrounding communities hold up.

Yesterday afternoon I went to an open house in Berkeley, CA where they were doing a seminar on cohousing.

The Architect/Builderspoke first and you could really see his passion for the project, which is a two home/condo structure in West Berkeley with communal entrance and courtyard. Most of you who know about cohousing might say - only two? But that is all he could get zoning for and so did what he could within the parameters he was given. But what a job he did on the greening of the project, the project has been Green Point Rated at 200 points. By comparison the current average for single family projects is 109 points and for multifamily 87 points. I give you both as I am unsure which category this falls into. He made good choices throughout without compromising style. From the 24 inch overhang to the radiant heat in the floors powered by solar to the studs from the original structure used as railings, he took a systemic approach to building green.

The second talk was given by a couple who are very prominent in the move for cohousing, even calling themselves "Co-housing Evangelists". They had an interesting style - she'd make a point, he'd finish it or make a point of his own that followed hers logically, and vice versa. In most marriages or business partnerships, that would be a recipe for disaster. But their style was seamless and easy to listen to, as a trainer myself, I was impressed. Especially because part of what they do as advocates for cohousing is to facilitate members of a cohousing group to learn to cohabitate successfully - negotiation, getting along, rules and methods to make it work and be all it can be. I could really see that they would be great at this because they obviously have incorporated the principles into their own relationship and business partnership. They were a walking advertisement for their business, their cause.

Some of the ideas that came out of this were to partner with neighbors in adjoining multifamily structures to create a larger cohousing association, perhaps tear down fences, put in an adjoining door or two. The sense of community was palpable; I can't wait to see what develops.

Chic Home Interiors does Home Staging, EcoStaging, Interior Redesign and Training in Staging, Color and Green Build Science. Our training arena is all of North America, while our design and staging is in the San Francisco Bay Area only.

Joanne O'Donnell

Chic Home Interiors

joanne@chichomeinteriors.com

www.chichomeinteriors.com

510-STAGING

510-(782-4464)

Inventory in the Berkeley area, CA is so low!! Clients are waiting for a decent house to come up. I checked yesterday and in one week only 18 new homes in the East Bay!!! Some of them are overpriced and others are your typical REO or short sale listings... How can you sell those?? We need more homes to sell. Market is holding steady in the East Bay. I have seen a slight increase in sales prices in the last month as well.

I love before and afters. The reason is that after working on a project, sometimes for months, we tend to forget really what it looked like before we got our hands on it.

After the staging we take our photos, list them on or site, send them to our clients and file them away for another day.

Once in a while I run across a few that really make me sit back and smile.

This one just sold over asking with multiple offers.

Hippie decor at it's best...

BEFORE STAGED TO SELL - Master Bedroom

AFTER STAGED TO SELL- Master Bedroom

BEFORE STAGED TO SELL - Living room

AFTER STAGED TO SELL - Living Room

Kym Hough's Staged to Sell serving Berkeley, Piedmont, Oakland and the entire Contra Costa and Alameda Counties. More information www.Staged-to-sell.com. Visit our virtual consigment shop at www.StagersLIST.com.

Gorgeous 3 bedroom/3 bath, sitting room, spacious home on corner lot with private garden and back patio. Upgrades throughout the property. Hardwood floors, beautiful tile bathroom floors, Large living room with fireplace, formal dining room, eat-in kitchen in desirable area of Berkeley in the Claremont neighborhood. Detached garage. List price $950,000. Staged Professionally by Kym Hough's Staged to Sell serving Berkeley, Oakland, Alameda and Contra Costa and Alameda Counties. For more information go to www.Staged-to-Sell.com