I don’t know about you but the start of each year always fills me with a lot of intense emotions. It’s always a blend of excitement, optimism, curiosity but lurking alongside is often a sense of doubt, misgivings and hesitation. As part of my business planning every fall, I re-evaluate where I have been and lay out benchmarks for the future. I set new goals for myself, pushing against my comfort zone and purposefully setting the bar higher than can easily be managed, to make sure I’m stretching beyond what I may have thought was possible for myself. I write these goals in the fall and then lay them in front of me to see every day in the new year. And each New Year, I stare at those goals and the doubt creeps in. 2020 will mark my 9th year in real estate, and while I have helped scores of families buy and sell their homes, and surpassed the production goals I have set myself again and again, I still have a niggling voice in the back of my mind that says that I just cannot do this. This may be the year that I cannot reach the goalposts I’ve set before me. Who am I to dream so big? And then I think back on the following quote I came across almost 20 years ago: Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? ... There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do... and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. -Marianne Williamson I have big goals for 2020 and I’m going to stick with them. Not just for me, but for you. I want you to dream big. I want you to boldly go after your goals this year, and to know that if I can push my boundaries, so can you! Not just in your professional life, but every facet of the life you want to live. This is the year that you re-invigorate that long lost passion project you set aside, that you unplug with your family in the mountains for a whole week, that you mend the relationship you’ve ignored for so long. Those goals that have scared you for so long are ready to be conquered and I’m here to empower you and support you 100%.
How can I help you reach for your stars in 2020? |
Neighborhood Spotlight: Montclair |
| Once you start to hit the Montclair area of the Oakland Hills, you may feel as if you’re far away from the rest of Oakland - but you’re not. Part of the illusion is the general look of this area - pine trees, wilderness out your windows, and some incredible looking real estate. The laid-back vibe of Montclair will be easily appreciated if you stop off for breakfast at this month's featured favorite, Montclair Egg Shop.
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Greater Oakland-Berkeley, Inner East Bay Real Estate |
Generally speaking, after years of high appreciation rates, annual 2019 Bay Area median home prices went down a little bit, went up a little bit or basically remained unchanged as compared to 2018. The Inner East Bay house market went up the most, outperforming all other major Bay Area markets. For 2020, economist Ken Rosen at UC Berkeley has said he expects the Bay Area median price to remain basically flat, within a general range of up or down 2% - in other words, similar to what happened last year. We can’t predict the future, but that doesn’t sound unreasonable, and happily avoids the sensationalism of many other media-grabbing forecasts. Of course, it is certainly possible that the greater Oakland-Berkeley area will continue to exceed the general-region appreciation rate. |
Median sales prices are generalities and not exact measurements of changes in fair market value. They can be affected by a number of factors and are sometimes subject to anomalous fluctuations. How they apply to any particular home is unknown without a specific comparative market analysis.
The Inner East Bay tracked the general Alameda County trend line (below) until this past year or so, when it continued to see median home price increases while the county as a whole saw year-over-year declines. |
Oakland is now seeing a boom in new housing construction, exceeding that in San Francisco. The increase in new apartments and condos being built may affect the supply and demand dynamic in those segments, ameliorating future price increases. |
Economic Factors Affecting |
While many local counties are experiencing increasing out-migration of residents and businesses due to a number of issues (including housing costs), the Inner East Bay remains a big destination for people relocating from San Francisco (where the median house price is $1.6 million). The relative affordability of its housing is a major factor in this dynamic. |
We love eating out, and a few years ago, slow and lazy brunches with bottomless mimosas were a part of most weekends. Now, with a toddler and an infant in tow, just getting out of the house can be a big production. Showing up to a restaurant and trying to squeeze a stroller between tables, apologizing for the inevitable spilled food on the floor, and trying to keep your child entertained so they don’t disturb other patrons can be downright exhausting. We’ll just eat at home, thank you very much. Luckily there are a few spots in the East Bay that make families feel invited and comfortable, and of those, the Egg Shop in Montclair Village is by far our family’s favorite. My two year old daughter loves it so much, she regularly walks around the house with a brown grocery bag draped over her shoulder, proudly announcing “I go Egg Shop now”. The Egg Shop first opened in 1974 with multiple locations throughout Oakland. The Montclair Village location is the only remaining restaurant. The casual sit down spot is open for breakfast and lunch daily. It’s not unusual to find a line of patrons waiting outside for a table, but I’ve found that if you arrive before 9:30 you’re usually seated quickly on Saturdays. With the Montclair Village Farmer’s Market taking place every Sunday just a block away, arriving before 9am can help you avoid a wait then. The food is delicious and the staff are always welcoming and inviting to families. Booster chairs, high-seats, a kids menu, and crayons are on hand to make your meal that much easier. They strive for quick service and are always happy to bring out fruit or bread for the little ones to munch on while we wait for the rest of the order. Eggs do feature heavily here, with an estimated 300-400 eggs cooked up daily. My personal favorite dishes are a toss up between the Salsa de Montclair omelette and the Eggs Florentine. I’m a huge fan of poached eggs and hollandaise and usually judge a new brunch spot by how they pull of this classic breakfast staple. Egg Shop definitely tops my list on their execution. If you haven’t already given it a try, I definitely recommend stopping by. Bring the kids! To learn more about the Montclair District, click here. |
| Exclusive to Compass, our Concierge program will prepare your home for the market. From deep-cleaning to cosmetic improvements, we'll work with you to assess every opportunity to elevate your home's value. |
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© Compass 2020 ¦ All Rights Reserved by Compass ¦ Made in NYC Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California operating under multiple entities. License Numbers 01991628, 1527235, 1527365, 1356742, 1443761, 1997075, 1935359, 1961027, 1842987, 1869607, 1866771, 1527205, 1079009, 1272467. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footage are approximate. Equal Housing Opportunity. |
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