TECHmunch SF: Food is a Common Thread

Sweet Basil Thai, located two doors from Berkeley Hills Realty

Coming back from this month's TECHmunch, Janesta Downey (blogger for BixChicks and a Realtor at Berkeley Hills Realty) said, "I love wine and I like to write about it. But admittedly, wine isn't for everyone. Everyone eats - and in the Bay Area, lots of us love our food!"  Janesta's love of wine has always included food pairings. She has a passion for the East Bay's culinary riches and, having been inspired at TECHmunch, she is enthusiastic about including more food articles in her blog. As a Realtor, Janesta sees herself as an ambassador for the chomping grounds where she works. The East Bay's diverse cuisine weaves through our neighborhoods bringing our communities together. Enjoying our restaurants and specialty shops is a fun way to increase her local area knowledge, which she in turn shares with her clients and followers.

TECHmunch is a food bloggers conference, bringing writers and culinary influencers together.  Last week's TECHmunh in San Francisco was an exhilarating day of fresh new ideas. The conference was held in a building in San Francisco that is the oldest woman owned community center in SF.  The women's Center is located in the mission district and is covered in murals painted by many women.  Approaching the multi-colored building makes you happy! Friday's conference was the first one held in San Francisco.  It will be held in New York and Los Angeles later this year. 

Here are five need to knows from Janesta about the event:

1. The Woman's Center: This is a historical point of interest chosen specifically by Techmunch as a way to honor the oldest women-owned community center in San Francisco. TECHmunch chose this venue in order to give back to the community.
2. TECHmunch: TECHmunch is the traveling food media/ blogger conference that combines networking, panels, tastings and demos to inspire even the most seasoned culinary influencer. Launched in 2010, the conference has traveled to more than 25 cities across North America. TECHmunch SF features the most accomplished culinary and digital media experts in the Bay Area. 
3. Hot Take Aways:  
• Lean in to your topic, write your blog like you are talking over the table with a best friend over a glass of wine.  
• Find your authentic voice. Sentences should show grammatical fluency, but also sound like you said them. 
• Most blogs are read on phone so write 1-2 sentence paragraphs to make it easy to read.
4. Use of Imagery for Food Bloggers: 
1. Printerest is a networking group can use Vertical images, stacked images, re-pins and Video pins.
2. Tools that can boost pin or boards are Tail One and Board Boaster.
3. Photographs are a part of successful  blogs:
• Think about the color and texture ( use a basic color wheel)
• Natural light is best - less grainy and truer colors
• Overhead angles or 45 degree angles are good when snapping your food pic.
• When photographing food make 40% of plate unfilled.  Height makes food makes food more attractive.  Stack six or more pancakes or mound pasta up in the middle4
5. Culinary Discoveries: 
1. The Myriad - Much More Than Mom's Market, 2177 Market St. The Myriad is a beautiful high tech space with 9 food stands and a full bar, Mrs Jones Bar.  Janesta liked the Moscow Mule!
2. Le Bread Express -  see the picture on Janesta's Instagram
3. Poke Delish serves fresh delicious poke.  Friday they had two types of Tuna and - Octopus poke.  I could eat this every day. 
4. Raw -  A juice company
5. NoNaMe Sushi was visually colorful and oh so good!
6.  SF Brewing Company
7. Antonik's BBQ offered delicious chicken and pork barbecued perfectly in a state of the art convection oven with a new smokeless fan apparatus.  It was fun to meet the proprieters Jay and Claudine Dava who were enthusiastic to describe there new method of preparing barbecue without the smoke.  Last week they received the first ever approval from the City of San Francisco for this new method to prepare BBQ. 
8. The Cro Cafe
9. Homestead Cookies
10. Crepes S'll Vous Plait.  Yummy crepes made from flour flown in from France (gluten-free) and prepared and served by French Brothers who are passionate about the Crepe. 

What an experience. Janesta also noticed how this event brought the community together.  She saw families feeding the kids their favorites while meeting up with neighbors and friends.  Look for more food blogging in the future, both  from BrixChicks and Berkeley Hills Realty!

TECHmunch SF: Food is a Common Thread

Sweet Basil Thai, located two doors from Berkeley Hills Realty

Coming back from this month's TECHmunch, Janesta Downey (blogger for BixChicks and a Realtor at Berkeley Hills Realty) said, "I love wine and I like to write about it. But admittedly, wine isn't for everyone. Everyone eats - and in the Bay Area, lots of us love our food!"  Janesta's love of wine has always included food pairings. She has a passion for the East Bay's culinary riches and, having been inspired at TECHmunch, she is enthusiastic about including more food articles in her blog. As a Realtor, Janesta sees herself as an ambassador for the chomping grounds where she works. The East Bay's diverse cuisine weaves through our neighborhoods bringing our communities together. Enjoying our restaurants and specialty shops is a fun way to increase her local area knowledge, which she in turn shares with her clients and followers.

TECHmunch is a food bloggers conference, bringing writers and culinary influencers together.  Last week's TECHmunh in San Francisco was an exhilarating day of fresh new ideas. The conference was held in a building in San Francisco that is the oldest woman owned community center in SF.  The women's Center is located in the mission district and is covered in murals painted by many women.  Approaching the multi-colored building makes you happy!  TECHmunch chose this venue in order to give back to the community. Friday's conference was the first one held in San Francisco.  It will be held in New York and Los Angeles later this year. 

Here are five need to knows from Janesta about the event:

1. The Woman's Center: This is a historical point of interest chosen specifically by Techmunch as a way to honor the oldest women-owned community center in San Francisco and to give to a venue that supports the community.
2. TECHmunch: TECHmunch is the traveling food media/ blogger conference that combines networking, panels, tastings and demos to inspire even the most seasoned culinary influencer. Launched in 2010, the conference has traveled to more than 25 cities across North America. TECHmunch SF features the most accomplished culinary and digital media experts in the Bay Area. 
3. Hot Take Aways:  
• Lean in to your topic, write your blog like you are talking over the table with a best friend over a glass of wine.  
• Find your authentic voice. Sentences should show grammatical fluency, but also sound like you said them. 
• Most blogs are read on phone so write 1-2 sentence paragraphs to make it easy to read.
4. Use of Imagery for Food Bloggers: 
1. Printerest is a networking group can use Vertical images, stacked images, re-pins and Video pins.
2. Tools that can boost pin or boards is Tail One and Board Boaster.
3. Photographs are a part of successful  blogs:
• Think about the color and texture ( use a basic color wheel)
• Natural light is best - less grainy and truer colors
• Overhead angles or 45 degree angles are good when snapping your food pic.
• When photographing food make 40% of plate unfilled.  Height makes food makes food more attractive.  Stack six or more pancakes or mound pasta up in the middle4
5. Culinary Discoveries: 
1. The Myriad - Much More Than Mom's Market, 2177 Market St. The Myriad is a beautiful high tech space with 9 food stands and a full bar, Mrs Jones Bar.  Janesta liked the Moscow Mule!
2. Le Bread Express -  see the picture on Janesta's Instagram
3. Poke Delish serves fresh delicious poke.  Friday they had two types of Tuna and - Octopus poke.  I could eat this every day. 
4. Raw -  A juice company
5. NoNaMe Sushi was visually colorful and oh so good!
6.  SF Brewing Company
7. Antonik's BBQ offered delicious chicken and pork barbecued perfectly in a state of the art convection oven with a new smokeless fan apparatus.  It was fun to meet the proprieters Jay and Claudine Dava who were enthusiastic to describe there new method of preparing barbecue without the smoke.  Last week they received the first ever approval from the City of San Francisco for this new method to prepare BBQ. 
8. The Cro Cafe
9. Homestead Cookies
10. Crepes S'll Vous Plait.  Yummy crepes made from flour flown in from France (gluten-free) and prepared and served by French Brothers who are passionate about the Crepe. 

What an experience... Janesta also noticed how this event brought the community together.  She saw families feeding the kids their favorites while meeting up with neighbors and friends.  Look for more food blogging in the future, both  from BrixChicks and Berkeley Hills Realty!

Plant Swap This Weekend 4/2/2016 at Berkeley Hills Realty!

Welcom Spring by coming to Berkeley Hills Realty's Plant Exchange!  This Saturday April 2, 2016. 1714 Solano Avenue, Berkeley. We will be digging up treasures from our collective gardens.  Come get your hands dirty! BrushStrokes painting studio is hosting a hands-on workshop at the event.

10 New Year’s Resolutions for Home Owners

Regardless of where you stand on 2016 Resolutions— it’s okay, we like you just the way you are.  It’s your home we should talk about.  Home ownership is a stewardship requiring the regular planning and management of your resources.  This is the investment that is most visible in your everyday life. Putting your home on your resolution horizon can help keep that investment and the very walls around you shipshape.  Here are some suggestions to starting the year off right: 

1. Replace smoke detector batteries.

2. Have your furnace inspected. Replace the filter if needed. 

3. Have your chimney cleaned and consider installing a clean-air gas insert.

4. Make sure rain gutters and storm drains are clear and working properly to divert water. Extend gutters away from the foundation (but not at your neighbor.)

5. Have your home inspected for wood destroying pests and organisms.  

6. Consider a home energy audit and plan for future energy upgrades. Replace 5 light bulbs in your house with energy saving fluorescents. 

7. Get graph paper and start planning a drought resistant garden. 

8. Start a home improvement savings account. 

9. Refinance as rates are expected to rise. 

10. Call us Berkeley Hills Realty for a home assessment. We can tell you what your home is worth now and what future improvements are most likely to add value. 

The Best Bay Area City You Never Heard Of

We are fortunate to live in a geographical area with lots of interest and equal hype.  Oakland has been touted as the “New Brooklyn”. Piedmont was recently voted one of the best suburbs for raising a family.  And Berkeley also has its own throngs of admirers. 

We live here and tend to agree.  We live here, so we also tend to notice what is missing from the national press.  We think the best bay area city that you never heard of is Albany, California.  With a population around 19,000 occupying 5.5 square miles, Albany is a friendly place to live for all ages.  Albany has great public schools; averaging a score of 9. It has low crime and great walkability.  There are great parks (Memorial Park and Terrace Point) and green spaces (Albany Hill and The Albany Bulb).  The main shopping strip along Solano Avenue extends without interruption into Berkeley and offers fantastic restaurants and many boutiques.  It also offers unusual curiosities such as the Bone Room (displaying real bones of all types) and Casa Oaxaca (crafts from Mexico).

On the northern border of Berkeley, Albany offers proximity and many of the joys associated with Berkeley-- with a more affordable price tag.  The median price for a home in Albany according to Zillow is $822,100 versus Berkeley’s median of $971,100.  Krista Miller and Rosie Papazian of Berkeley Hills Realty currently have a three-bedroom home in Albany offered at $779,000.  It is well-located 730 Stannage Avenue, and open this Sunday, November 22 from 2-4. Open house canceled - Seller accepted an offer.

Three Tips for Finding Unicorns in the Berkeley Residential Real Estate Market.

174 homes have sold in all of Berkeley since the beginning of 2015. In the year's first four-and-a-half months we have seen some intense competition in our housing market. One house on Cherry Street listed for $970,000 closed escrow at $1,600,000-- a whopping 167% of its asking price. Fifty of the properties sold at least 25% over their original price. Finding your way out of the intense competition can seem like searching for unicorns.

It is an undeniably competitive market, but not every house sells substantially over its asking. The average sold over asking price for all 174 sold properties is 115%. April saw a 34% increase in new inventory over January’s dismal offerings. An upswing in inventory has piqued our optimism. We are hopeful that our clients will find new opportunities in the summer market.

Still we are realistic.  Many buyers will brave the stampedes and continue to bid aggressively. If you are looking for the picture perfect bungalow within steps of Peet’s Coffee and the Cheese Board, it is likely you will still be cliff diving into the most competitive waters. For the more conservative buyer, here are our secrets to finding the unicorns:

1. Explore New Territory: Unicorns don't travel "tree-lined streets" in "coveted neighborhoods." A home on Grant quoted as “prime location” achieved 155% of its asking price, while another on Acton advertised as “fantastic location” got 150% of its original price. Although it’s hard not to covet Berkeley's most popular zip codes, consider up-and-coming neighborhoods as an alternative. Look for neighborhoods with strong commercial anchors like the developing Gilman District. In addition there are opportunities just north of Berkeley's borders in towns such as Kensington.
2. Embrace the Akward! Unicorns have horns. Hornless homes in great shape command premiums. A home in the Berkeley Hills on Alamo referred to as “pristine” sold for 60% over, and $450,000 over the listed price. Another “beautifully updated” home on Shattuck sold for 46% over. Conversely, a home on Dwight with “potential” sold at 90% of its asking, and one on Spaulding needing TLC sold at only 92% of its asking price. However, don’t assume you’ve lassoed your fantasy creature just because you’ve found an easy fixer. On Spruce Street, one “contractor’s special” in really poor shape listed for $599,000 and cleared $850,000. If it’s got that great zip code (see #1 above) or fabulous architecture, you might not be in unicorn habitat. In fact, pristine is uncommon. Most of our housing stock was built prior to WWII, so it is safe to assume most homes need some TLC. Even the houses with the new paint and cute staging can have skeletons in their closets. Yet, the paint and staging is often enough to draw competitive offers. True unicorn seekers should instead get excited about unusual layouts. Awkward floor plans can confuse the competition. Also remodels done in poor taste might be hidden opportunities. Sellers tend to price these on the high side, because they value their own improvements. Then, the unappealing design fails to entice area buyers. If your choice is either to pick the cute popular home (that includes reports which you will be expected to accept in “as is” condition), or head over to the house with the lousy floor plan or home depot upgrades, keep your eye on the latter. Chances are, what you save in competition may pay for a designer or architect’s time to help you reimagine the aesthetic.
3. Look for the Overpriced and Overlooked: Look for the unicorns that haven’t been snapped up by week two. Focus on properties that have been on the market for longer than thirty days. They do exist! Of the 174 properties that have closed so far this year, 30 were on the market for longer than 30 days. Not all were overpriced. Four properties actually raised their price as a strategy and closed escrow at an average 110% of their original asking. 13 of the 30 did take a price reduction, but even so the reductions were slight averaging 7%.

Happy hunting.  Regardless of where you invest, a Berkeley Hills Agent can help you find what your seeking and help you succeed at your goals.

How To Thrive When Your Bay Area Home Sells Out From Under You

Where do you go if you sell? Even though Sellers have regained positive equity in their homes and repaired past credit woes, it is still hard to sell when you don't know where you’ll land. Entering the competitive market as a buyer after you sell your departing residence is daunting. With a market moving this quickly, Sellers can risk losing their real estate foothold. Here are five strategies to help you thrive as you make your move:

1. Climb the real estate ladder. Buying up increases your chances for success as you bracket away from your competition. Typically, starter homes are the most competitive as they represent the first tier of affordability. Selling a starter home may bring two advantages. First, as you move up in price range, you leave behind some of the competition who can't afford to advance with you. Second, you may benefit from a large down-payment from liquidating your equity. (This is also true for those downsizing.) Your agent may be able to give you insight into how much equity your current home holds, how many offers are typical in each price range, and the relative heft of the over-bids.

2. Write your own ticket. Who invented the idea that you have to sell before you can buy your next home? Test the waters with creative contingencies. If you are afraid you will end up without a replacement home, make the sale of your current home contingent on identifying a replacement property. This is tricky and buyers will need some reassurance in the form of time frames. Ask your agent to talk it through with you.

3. Move to your dream location. If your dream is outside of the bay area, chances are you will be able to bring along a good financial cushion. We hate to lose our long-time locals, yet for some sellers, an out-of-area move may present a viable option. Your Berkeley Hills Realty agent can help refer you to a reputable agent outside the bay area boundaries.

4. Buy first, then sell. Bridge loans are back. Erick Berthaldan of MPR Financial said, "The ideal client for one of these loans is an individual who has a large amount of equity in their property and they are preparing to sell their departing residence. Most clients who obtain bridge loans hold them short-term and then refinance out of this loan once their departing residence is sold and they receive proceeds from the sale."

5. Beg, borrow, (but don't steal.) Hitting up your relatives can help in two ways. First, if you are fortunatley able to borrow the entire purchase price for a short term, you may be able to show proof of funds at the time your present your offer and compete alongside all-cash offers. Second, gift funds may help fortify your down-payment and help you qualify for the second mortgage needed to stay in place until you can sell your departing home. Aran Nafisi of RPM Mortgage said, "A common mistake we see buyers make is receiving gift funds from family and depositing them into their bank accounts. By doing this, it creates "large deposits" that appear in the buyers' bank statements. Banks will scrutinize these deposits and require the funds to be paper trailed to prove it is not a private loan. One strategy to lessen the paperwork is to ask the family member to wire the gift funds directly to the escrow company once the offer is accepted." 

Note of caution: If you plan to repay personal loans upon the sale of your departing property, act conservatively. This market is hot, but it can be spotty and it doesn't come with a guarantee. Similarly, if you plan to pay off debt by getting a loan after escrow closes using the collateral of your new home, be careful to talk to your accountant and lender. Your timing for getting the loan in place is important and may help ensure that the loan can still qualify as non-recourse purchase money.

Erick Berthaldan of MPR said it best, "It simply comes down to partnering up with the right real estate company and lender in order to be successful."

Erick Berthaldan of MPR Financial can be reached at 510-527-6146.
Aran Nafisi of RPM Mortgage can be reached at 925-743-3508.
You can find your Berkeley Hills Agent by clicking here.

Top Five Secret Luxuries of the Bay Area Housing Market

Sshhh… We've got it and it’s a secret worth keeping to ourselves.  A quick trip to LA taught me that the lifestyle coveted by the rapidly growing pool of billionaires is not only ours--but relatively affordable. Last week, this Berkeley girl swapped her old Birkenstocks for new Jimmy Choo’s and teetered into a private event auspiciously titled, “Luxury Connect.” It was hosted at the $135 million dollar Beverly House in Beverly Hills.  The one-day affair was limited to 100 attendees and boasted a panel of the who’s who in the Los Angeles luxury real estate market. 

While I sat furtively listening to the guys from Million Dollar Listing, I started to notice an interesting pattern.  Luxury is becoming less about conspicuous possessions (bad call on the new shoes) and turning more subtly towards an idealized daily life. Today’s high-net-worth elite covet luxurious creature comforts in and around their not so humble abodes.  Surprisingly (or not), the new list of must-haves matches nearly perfectly with what we know and love about our East Bay neighborhoods in Oakland, Berkeley and Kensington.

Here’s what the East Bay’s got that's hot in multi-million dollar LA estates:

1. Views: When asked what tops the list of “must haves” for the financial elite, broker Sally Forster Jones quickly declared, “views.” You know you have reached the pinnacle of your career when you can claim outstanding views. Areas in the East Bay such as Berkeley, Oakland, and Kensington, boast bountiful views of the San Francisco skyline and the Golden Gate Bridge, and deliver spectacular California sunsets night after night.

2. Eco-friendly: During a session on design and construction Innovation, architect Leo Marmol noted that opulence is often tempered by guilt.  If you can afford to fly by private jet, chances are you’d like to offset your emissions by shrinking your carbon footprint while at home. Billionaire’s homes are shrinking in square footage while emphasizing their energy efficiency and use of sustainable resources. The East Bay got the global warming memo and acted appropriately. Berkeley is number seven on Mother Nature Network’s Top Ten Green US Cities, posting Berkeley as “a great place to find an abundance of organic and vegetarian restaurants also on the cutting edge of sustainability. Berkeley is recognized as a leader in the incubation of clean technology for wind power, solar power, biofuels and hydropower.”  Oakland is ranked even higher, claiming the number four spot, having, “access to an abundance of fresh, organic food, much of which is locally sourced. It's also home to the nation's cleanest tap water, hydrogen-powered public transit and the country's oldest wildlife refuge. Oakland also plans to have zero waste and be oil-independent by 2020, and already gets 17 percent of its energy from renewable sources.”

3. Recreation:  Health-conscious billionaires are retiring the treadmill, preferring trail running with a personal trainer over the tedium of the home gym.  The East Bay Regional Park District is something of which the East Bay can be proud. The system comprises 114,000+ acres encompassing 65 parks in Alameda and Contra Costa County, including over 1,200 miles of trails.  But this isn’t just about staying in shape; people seem to be looking for a greater connection to the outdoors. Busy entrepreneurs like to know that recreation is easily accessible and luxury real estate investors want their safe harbors to do double duty as vacation retreats.  Aside from our local splendor, it is a great Bay Area boon that fabulous weekend destinations like Napa Valley and Lake Tahoe are within easy driving distance.

4. Mild Climate: High-end smart houses are now equipped to adjust the air temperature, lighting and music to daily preferences. While our historic homes may currently lack high-tech habitat controls, our weather more than makes up for it. Where climate is concerned, it’s no exaggeration to say we are the best.  According to Wikipedia, “based on data gathered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Oakland is ranked No. 1 in climate among U.S. cities.”  Many out-of-state visitors are surprised to learn that few of our homes feature air-conditioning.  Instead, the Bay provides natural climate control for the area.  And, if ever it starts to feel too warm, the fog drops in to kindly reset our thermostat.

5. Car-free Commute: During the “Under 40 Luxury Buyer” panel, agent Kat Carrol expressed that her buyers are looking for locations with good public transportation.  The wallets of the young and wealthy now sport a passport and a transit card in lieu of a driver’s license.  Let’s face it; there is nothing cute about sitting in traffic--no matter how fab your Ferrari. On my trip home from LA, I left the hotel about forty-five minutes early in case my driver hit traffic on my way to the airport.   Not a problem here, as our extensive Bay Area Transit System (BART) is a commuter’s dream and can get you to work no matter how far you travel.  Not impacted by street traffic, BART can deliver you all the way to San Francisco Airport (SFO), an international hub for worldwide travel. Alternatively, if you want a more personal mode of stress-free transportation, try a bicycle.  With Berkeley’s impressive network of Bicycles, and Oakland’s innovative Super Sharrows, safe cycling options and exceptional weather encourage happy, healthy commutes.

Life is rough here in Berkeley, and I’m finding it hard to limit myself to just five reasons to gloat.  The East Bay has always been a world class destination ripe with cultural riches that include art, opera, theater and music. Then there’s the food. Berkeley’s own Alice Waters pioneered California cuisine, and Michelin star restaurants abound around the Bay. But, maybe one of the best kept secret luxuries is our ability to celebrate uniqueness in all its forms. When everyone is special, it gives the gift of low key anonymity to our local celebrities.