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
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 [...]
Street Names: SHATTUCK AVENUE
Street Names: SHATTUCK AVENUE Do you ever wonder where the names of Berkeley streets come from? Shattuck Avenue and Kittredge Street were both named after Francis Kittredge Shattuck. Shattuck was an early resident and a prominent force in the growth of what became the City of Berkeley. He was born in New York in 1824 and moved to California with his friend and brother-in-law George Blake when they heard that gold was discovered here. Shattuck and Blake each acquired 160-acre parcels in what is now central Berkeley. Francis Shattuck had various political roles, and was mayor of Oakland from 1859-1860. [...]
Movies in the Park
Movies in the Park Looking for something to do on a Friday night coming up? How about seeing a movie in a Berkeley park? The City of Berkeley’s free evening movie series runs through mid-September. If you’re going, the City suggests arriving at least 30 minutes before showtime, and recommends not driving there if possible, as street parking will be limited. Plan to bring something to sit on (low beach chairs only—so the people behind you can see—or a blanket, sleeping bag, etc.), a flashlight or headlamp, and weather-appropriate layers in case it gets chilly. I would definitely bring some [...]
PARKING PERMITS
Parking Permits If you live in a Berkeley neighborhood with two-hour street parking limits and have a residential parking permit that exempts you from the time limit near your home, it’s time to start thinking about renewal. You’ll need to have your new permit in place by July 1st, and if you renew online, remember that the City of Berkeley says processing may take five to seven days. You also won’t be able to renew if you have any unpaid parking tickets, so make sure to clear those first. Permits these days are digital and tied to your license plate [...]
THE BERKELEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FUND
The Berkeley Public Schools Fund There are many great reasons to support public schools. Public schools ensure all children, regardless of background, have access to quality education and future opportunities. They teach critical thinking and help the next generation of voters analyze information, identify misinformation, and make informed decisions, supporting the functioning of our society. Public schools also foster community vibrancy. They bring together students from diverse backgrounds, promoting inclusion and understanding. Schools serve as gathering places where people connect, hosting cultural events, art programs, and performances. They provide essential services, like meal programs, counseling, and extracurricular activities, contributing to [...]
VOTER INFORMATION, BERKELEY AND ALAMEDA COUNTY
VOTER INFORMATION, BERKELEY AND ALAMEDA COUNTY Election Day, Tuesday, November 5th, is rapidly approaching! Voting is so important, and Alameda County has made the process incredibly convenient. You need to register to vote, but if you registered in the past, you are all set unless your address, name, or political party has changed. You can check your registration status at voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/. You can vote by returning the ballot you should receive in the mail (be sure to sign the envelope!), or you can vote in person. To return the mailed ballot, drop it in a mailbox (no postage needed); it [...]
RANDOM REFUSE & RECYCLING BITS
My husband and I were recently trying to figure out if a white takeout food container could go into our green Berkeley compost collection bin. (I think the answer is no, because even though it is mostly paper, it has a plastic coating inside to make it hold liquid.) In trying to find the answer to our question, I came across a couple bits of potentially useful information I thought I would share. Did you know that you can ask the City to come out and clean your trash and/or compost bin? You just call the service center at 510-981-7270 [...]
Berkeley is the (among the) best! / Going Green
Best Cities Niche.com recently released its 2024 ranking for the “Best Cities to Live in America,” and Berkeley was #11! Berkeley was rated highly in the categories Public Schools, Good for Families, Nightlife, Diversity, Weather, Health & Fitness, Commute, and Outdoor Activities. Berkeley was bested in this ranking only by Irvine (ranked #6 overall) among California cities. For full details, see niche.com/places-to-live/search/best-cities/. Going Green I am always looking to expand my knowledge of anything related to real estate, and I recently finished the coursework to be a designated “Green” Realtor®. The coursework covered a broad range of topics, from ways [...]
Color of the Year
Color of the Year Design is an important aspect of my job, so I am always interested in color trends. These days, various companies, especially paint companies, annually announce one or more color(s) of the year. You can see a selection of these for 2024 here. (There are lots of interesting blues among them.) The most impactful color of the year is chosen by the Pantone Color Institute, which forecasts global color trends. They have been designating a “color of the year” since 1999, and they were the first to do it. Pantone’s color of 2024 is Peach Fuzz, which [...]
Mobile Driver’s License
Mobile Driver’s License Did you know that the California DMV has a mobile Driver’s License (mDL) pilot program running now, open to up to 1.5 million users? If you’re interested in giving it a try, start by downloading the free app called “CA DMV Wallet” from the Apple App Store, or from Google Play if you have an Android device, and then follow the straightforward instructions there. You create (or log into) your DMV account, enter some basic information, scan your driver’s license, and then “scan” your face (like you’re taking a selfie). Next you submit your request, and wait [...]
N11 Refresher
N11 Refresher Here’s a brief refresher on N11 quick-access phone numbers (where N is a number between 2 and 9) . 911 of course connects to a dispatcher for emergency services. Did you know, though, that if you call 911 on a cell phone, the call often ends up in a regional center, and then needs to be forwarded to more local help? If the call needs to be re-routed, this adds time to the process. This is not ideal in an emergency, so it’s a good idea to have your local, direct-access emergency number stored in your cell phone, [...]
More Recycling
More Recycling I started using a new paid recycling service called Ridwell in January, and I have to say, I have been loving it. Ridwell charges $14 to $18 per month (depending on the number of months you commit to), and comes to your house every two weeks to pick up items that our regular City recycling pickups don’t collect. They pick up plastic film (including most bubble wrap, grocery and newspaper bags, and the outer packaging on many items), batteries, light bulbs, and threads (clothing and other fabrics) every time, plus they have one additional special category on each [...]
Changes Afoot!
Changes Afoot! My 20-year anniversary in real estate has inspired me to look over my work systems and find ways to improve going forward. One area that I have re-vamped is the way I collect and analyze local market data. My goal has been to reformat my ongoing database to make it easier to create charts and graphs. I’m also going to start saving data for Berkeley as a whole, in addition to data for North Berkeley and the Berkeley hills. Another change: In the past, I have looked at real estate “seasons” that correspond with the level of activity [...]
It’s been 20 years!
It does not feel like it has been this long, but this October marks twenty years that I have been a full-time realtor in Berkeley. I started in real estate with my salesperson’s license in October 2002, and then completed the additional certifications to get my broker’s license in 2006. It was a hard decision to change careers from academia to real estate (I was previously an economics professor at the University of San Francisco), but real estate is my passion, and I haven’t regretted it. I get to apply my economics background in things like analyzing market conditions, thinking [...]
Bulky Waste and an E-Waste Resource
Did you know that, as a Berkeley homeowner, you can schedule one free bulky waste pick-up per calendar year? Just call (510) 981-7270 to schedule for an upcoming Wednesday. They’ll pick up a maximum of 3 cubic yards, which they say is the equivalent of about 20 large trash bags. Everything they pick up goes to the landfill, so be sure to separate out recyclables, green waste, and consider Urban Ore for items that can be re-used. Some things are not eligible for the bulky waste pick up. Included on the “not OK” list are things like hazardous waste items, [...]
Variations in Sold Price per Square Foot
If you are a regular reader of this newsletter, you have many times encountered the notion that, everything else being equal, the amount a property sells for per square foot of living space tends to be lower for large homes, and higher for small homes. To illustrate this point, I grouped the detached homes sold in North Berkeley and the Berkeley hills* over the course of 2021 by size category, and found the average sold price per square foot for each category. The results are above. As you can see, the pattern holds as a general rule: the larger the [...]
SEWER LATERALS AND DRAINAGE
Sewer Laterals and Drainage We’ve had a number of office discussions about water-related issues since the first “atmospheric river” passed our way, and I heard something about sewer laterals that I wanted to pass along. A sewer lateral is the underground pipe that takes wastewater from your home to the city sewer line. You probably know that when you sell a home in Berkeley, the sewer lateral needs to be brought up to current standards, either before or soon after a sale, unless there is a compliance certificate already on file. The reason this is a requirement is not to [...]
RESOURCEFUL
RESOURCEFUL I try to recycle as much as possible, but I pretty frequently find myself staring at something trying to figure out what to do with it. I recently downloaded the “Resourceful” app to my phone, and I really like it! [If a phone app is not your thing, you can get the same information online at ResourcefulApp.com.] On Resourceful, you can look at various products, and see recycling information that is specific to Berkeley, and also ideas for more sustainable alternatives. Resourceful also has a useful general guide to recycling in Berkeley. Here are a few tidbits about [...]
A GREAT CAUSE
A GREAT CAUSE Since as far back as I can remember, I have always loved libraries. When I was growing up, I loved the independence of wandering the aisles and choosing my own reading adventures. As a teen, the library was a safe and welcoming place to study and to meet up with friends. In college and graduate school, libraries were places to find answers, and spots of quiet serenity where I could get serious work done. As an adult, I borrow books all the time (although now I do it electronically, which I know is a controversial choice for [...]
HOW TO CHOOSE LED BULBS
HOW TO CHOOSE LED BULBS I spend a lot of time looking at light fixtures and choosing bulbs, because replacing light fixtures is one of the most cost-effective ways to create an updated look in a home for sale. Choosing LED bulbs is surprisingly complicated, but here’s the step-by-step process that I use: 1: Figure out what shape bulb you need (including the size of the bulb and the type of socket). 2: Make sure to get bulbs for enclosed fixtures if your fixture is enclosed. 3: Choose the color temperature. (I always go for 2700K, which is like an [...]