Your Real Estate Expert for Berkeley and Beyond
“Marilyn is exceptional. Her knowledge base, enthusiasm for her job, professional ethics, organization, sensitivity to our aesthetic requirements, loyalty and gentle perseverance set her apart.”
-- Bill and Carol Seidel
Marilyn Garcia, PhD
Broker Associate, Realtor®
DRE# 02014153
District Homes
1758 Solano Ave.
Berkeley, CA 94707
Direct:
(510) 390-5406
THE OUTLOOK: North Berkeley & the Berkeley Hills, Q4 and 2025 (annual) results
THE OUTLOOK: Berkeley Real Estate Market Update, Q4 and full-year 2025 results The real estate market in Berkeley held up well in 2025, mostly because Berkeley continues to be in great demand, but also thanks to a slight downward trend in interest rates. Rates started 2025 at around 7%, and ended the year in the low 6% range. This shift helped bring some renewed energy into the market, particularly in the second half of the year. --- North Berkeley For 2025, the median sold price in North Berkeley was $1,600,000, down 9% from 2024. However, that drop reflects a change [...]
REAL ESTATE ANSWERS: When does it make sense to refinance your mortgage?
When does it make sense to refinance your mortgage? With forecasters saying that interest rates may trend downward in 2026 and 2027, you might be wondering if it’s time to consider refinancing your home loan. So when does it actually make sense to refinance? If you have a home loan with an interest rate around 3 percent, you will likely want to hold on to it unless you are planning to move, going through a divorce, or facing another life event that requires refinancing. Short of a major economic disruption, it is unlikely that rates will return to that level [...]
NEW LOAN LIMITS
NEW LOAN LIMITS Good news for homebuyers and sellers in 2026: the limit for conforming loans in high-cost areas (including much of the Bay Area) has increased once again, to $1,149,825. Why does this matter? Conforming loans, which meet the guidelines for purchase by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, typically come with lower interest rates and require smaller down payments than jumbo loans. With the new, higher limit, more Berkeley buyers can now qualify for conforming loans, even for homes priced well above the loan limit once you factor in the down payment. This expands financing options and helps reduce [...]
COMPLETED SALES, North Berkeley, 4th Quarter 2025
Click HERE to see details and photos of properties SOLD in North Berkeley, 10/1/2025-12/31/2025. Note that, after you follow the link, you can click on each individual property to see photos and more details. Click "Close" near the top to return to the list. * For the purposes of this newsletter, “North Berkeley” is defined as the area bounded by University Avenue in the south, the line of Sacramento Street to the west, the Berkeley border to the north, and below Arlington Avenue, Los Angeles Avenue, and Spruce Street (south of Los Angeles) to the west.
COMPLETED SALES, Berkeley Hills, 4th Quarter 2025
Click HERE to see details and photos of properties SOLD in the Berkeley Hills, 10/1/2025 - 12/31/2025. Note that, after you follow the link, you can click on each individual property to see photos and more details. Click "Close" near the top to return to the list. * For the purposes of this newsletter, “Berkeley Hills” refers to the area bounded as follows: north of campus, east of a line heading north on Spruce from campus, cutting over on Los Angeles to Arlington, and then north along Arlington to the Kensington border.