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, Winter 2019-2020 wrap-up
Let’s start with a look back over the previous year in North Berkeley real estate, and then take a quick look forward. Over the course of 2019, there were 89 active listings in North Berkeley, and 81 properties sold. Both of these numbers are down from the previous year, when we had 101 active listings, and 92 sales. Low inventory meant that there were multiple buyers interested in most properties, and 81% of the sales were for more than list price. Sale price averaged 26% above list price for those properties that went over. The median sale price for 2019 [...]
THE OUTLOOK: Berkeley Hills, Winter 2019-20 wrap-up
In Berkeley hills, there were 195 active listings over the course of 2019, and 161 properties sold. 81% of the sales were for more than list price, with multiple buyers interested in most properties, and sale price averaged 20% above list price for those properties that went over. The median sale price for 2019 was $1,425,000, which is up 3% from the previous year. The average sold price per square foot was also up, by 3% from the previous year at $747. Most properties sold quickly, in an average of 20 days on the market. Fourteen properties (8% of the [...]
REAL ESTATE ANSWERS: Why should you pull a permit for work done on your home?
Why should you consider pulling a permit for work done on your home? The #1 reason you should get a permit if you’re having work done on your home that requires it is the obvious one: it’s required by law, and you can have problems with the City if they discover you don’t have a permit, either as the work is being done, or after the fact. That said, it’s definitely the case that many homes in our area have work that was done without permits. Homeowners choose to skip permits for a variety of reasons, including the cost of [...]
Home Loans, Interest rates, and Real Estate Newsletters
HOME LOANS AND INTEREST RATES x Interest rates on home loans have been very low lately! If your interest rate is close to, or above, 4%, it could be worth your while to contact your favorite loan person and see if you could benefit from refinancing your loan. x (See the update below.) Also, the limit on conforming loans (which can be sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) in our area was increased for 2020 to $765,600, up from $726,525 last year. Loans below that limit often have lower interest rates than those above. UPDATE, March 20, 2020 While [...]