Piedmont Perspective, Vol. 9

What's New?

This week’s listings have fallen to 16 active listings from a Spring high of 29! They range in price and style from a 3bdrm/2bth starter home on Moraga Avenue at $799,000 - all the way up to Mindy Scott’s stunning estate listing at 125 Wildwood Gardens for $5,875,000 (Grand and historic, this truly elegant home is surrounded by lovely and lavish English gardens in a very special setting) .

Worried that you missed the Spring Market? Demand remains high. Hagar Avenue received at least four offers and Sylvan Way seems to be following suit. Since only one lucky buyer will prevail, that leaves several others who still need and want a home! (Maybe yours?) Now is a great time to sell with less competition in the pool. Please feel free to call me if I can help prepare your home for a quick sale or one down the road.

What's Coming?

Memorial Weekend kept new homes off tour but what kind of agent would I be if I didn’t tout my own fabulous new listing at 18 Littlewood Drive? Dana Cohen and I are partnering to bring to market this spectacular contemporary home featuring 3 bdrms/3 bths, bonus family room, extraordinary eat-in chef’s kitchen, Brazilian Ipe wrap around decks, floor to ceiling windows, elevator, and wooded Oak views offering privacy and complete serenity. This property which has just won "Best New Entry and Fence Design," by the City of Piedmont, will be available June 17. List price: $1,495,000.

Prepare to fall in love with Debra Dryden’s pristine Mediterranean Traditional at 132 Palm Drive. Updated kitchen and family room, leading to private rear patio and garden, create elegant indoor/outdoor living. Be the first in line for this 3bdrm/1bth home, listed at $950,000.


A sharp-eyed neighbor on Pacific Avenue tells me that a darling home on her block (near Scenic) will be coming soon. More to come! (Love those "scoops" - keep them coming!)

What's Pending?

What’s not that should be . . . Sandy Vogel’s listing at 210 Hillside represents the stately quintessential Piedmont home so many families desire. Take another look and make an offer. What's the harm in trying? Likewise, Dana Cohen's terrific listing at 533 Blair is very available for a ready, willing and able buyer so step up. Wouldn’t it be nice to be alone at the negotiating table for a change?

What's Fun!

Is it possible that I moved to Piedmont so I could attend movie nights in the park?
I may have. . . (Although great public schools factored in as well.) It doesn’t get more nostalgic than meeting friends down at the park with a picnic basket in hand, a bottle of Chardonnay, a foldout camping chair, and a warm woolen blanket to cozy up in, while catching a family flick. This hometown experience is simple fun and requires nothing more than your participation, your kids, and a sleeping bag or two. Sponsored by the Recreation Department (and me!) as well as other supporters, this year’s movie nights fall on June 8, July 6, and September 7. Please join your neighbors for this family friendly event. Starry nights included. Popcorn, optional. I'll definitely be there.

See you next week! (But feel free to call me before then!)

For more information about any of the properties or events listed above, please call me at (510) 339-0400 x264, or simply respond to this email. I'd love to share my real estate tips and my experience in the Piedmont community with you!Feel free to visit my website at JulieGardner.com for more information as well.

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What's New?
Twenty-one listings are currently active in Piedmont and with the reintroduction of 50 Bellevue Avenue; the average list price comes in at $626 a square foot. (Many of you might have seen this grand property two years ago on the CSL kitchen and home tour.) Offering 5bdrms/4bths and a stunning gourmet kitchen, it’s still every bit as spectacular. Listing price: $4,995,000.
I keep singing the praises of 155 Hagar Avenue and with good reason. This atypical contemporary includes 4bdrms/3bths, cool and breezy open floor plan, panoramic view and decks, and downstairs family/media room, allowing for separation or easy gatherings. List price: $1,595,000

Don’t forget 533 Blair – a storybook traditional, centrally located and amenable to offers as they come!

What's Coming?
No longer coming - it's here! The Piedmont Calendar is up and running at www.thepiedmontcalendar.com. This is your community bulletin board so send in your calendar requests for any events you'd like to share . . .

What's Pending?
The lovely Traditional on Nova Drive went pending with 8 offers last week, as did the charming Turn-of-the-Century Farmhouse at 219 Sunnyside. Rumor has it that it received 7 offers in two days, even with significant foundation and roof issues. That one surprised us all! Both of these properties point out the demand hovering at the $1.2 million mark. Portsmouth is now in contract as is Highland Avenue and my own fabulous French Normandy listing on King has sold to the back up buyers who had patiently waited in the wings. Sometimes, committing to a back-up position works to your advantage.

What's Happening Now?
A few great values have been overlooked and they are ripe for the picking! Kathy Cooper’s two-story Traditional at 1607 Grand Avenue has been reintroduced with significant improvements which include, fresh paint, new roof, refinished floors, remodeled bathrooms and updated kitchen with all new appliances. At $995,000 this 3bdrm/2bth home is turn key and a really good buy.

If mid-century is your heart's desire, 451 Wildwood and 50 Woodland Way await your offer. There’s updating to be done on both, but they could really prove to be spectacular investments and homes, given their potential.

What's Fun!
I took last weekend off to join my son and his fourth grade class at Haven’s for a fun-filled weekend at Camp Augusta. For the uninitiated, Camp Augusta is Piedmont’s own summer camp near Nevada City and more than 200 campers (children and adults alike) joined the fantastic group of counselors for a walk in our children’s shoes. I spent two days maneuvering high ropes courses, zip lines, and climbing walls before coming back to Earth for target practice and mountain boarding. (Look out!) We capped the weekend with a square dance in the playing fields and ate ice cream off the Lazy Dog truck. (If you ever have the good fortune to come upon this truck - run, don’t walk to it!) The weather was perfect, the participating families were wonderful and the entire experience was memorable. Thanks to all of you who made the trip possible. (Camp Augusta also offers family camp weekends, so if you haven’t yet had an opportunity to visit and enjoy the camp, I highly recommend it.)

P.S. Camp Augusta receives no funding from the City of Piedmont and relies solely on our donations to keep it running. Please mark your calendars for the Annual "Ho Down" Fund Raiser on Saturday, September 29 and plan on joining your fellow Piedmonters in their support of this amazing legacy. We’re so lucky to have it!

See you next week and have a safe holiday!

For more information about any of the properties or events listed above, please call me at (510) 339-0400 x264, or simply respond to this email. I'd love to share my real estate tips and my experience in the Piedmont community with you!Feel free to visit my website at JulieGardner.com for more information as well.

The Piedmont Perspective, Vol. 7

What's New?
I hope you all had a memorable Mother's Day. Were you one of the families out shopping for a new home on Sunday? If you were, you were in good company. Dana Cohen reports very lively activity at her listing at 533 Blair. With charm and warmth to spare, this centrally located Storybook Traditional offers 3bdrms/3bths at a list price of $1,495,000 - offers as they come so get in there or someone else will!

Few houses boast the kind of whimsical nature and architectural elements that Nancy Lehrkind’s listing at 1121 Winsor features - an inspired, Berkelyesque cottage, residing in the heart of Piedmont, it has 3 bdrms/2bths and fabulous nooks and crannies that invite comfort and curling up with a good book. It’s truly unique and well worth seeing. List price: $1,695,000.

What's Coming?
I am still eagerly anticipating the cool, contemporary, upgraded mid-century modern with panormaic views at 155 Hagar Avenue - open this Sunday; along with Ed Kou's sparkling new listing at 51 Sylvan - offering easy living and downtown Oakland views in a clean and stylish 3bdrm/2bth package.

If you missed the turn-of-the-century Victorian on Oakland Avenue, here's your chance at another go - 219 Sunnyside, on almost 1/3 of an acre is an "AS IS" listing waiting for an enthusiastic owner. With expansive gardens, hill views and sunny front porch, it only needs a glass of lemonade to complete the picture of a bygone era.

It should be beautiful weather once again, so put on your walking shoes and check out these fabulous listings, as well as others you might have overlooked. (Need ideas ? Give me a call.)

What's Pending?
This week’s pendings include the traditional Tudor at 68 Sharon, the sleek Contemporary at 61 Arroyo, last week’s swift sale of the Cape Cod at 333 Seaview, and this week's even swifter sale of 101 Lexford Avenue, which never hit the open market. Wow!

It might interest you to know that of the 16 homes that have gone pending since the beginning of March 2007, 5 have sold under asking, 4 have sold at asking and 6 have sold above asking (that’s what we call a photo finish).

While listing price averages $615 square foot, average pending price hovers at $599 a square foot and average sold price reports $588 a square foot. (Are you catching the downward trend?) Looking at these statistics, one might surmise that about 1/3 of the time, the listing price starts too high (and they do – even here in idealic Mayberry). Remember that the market defines the true value of your home.

That’s important to keep in mind when setting your price. Buyers have little concern with what you need or what you want. As I’ve mentioned before, if you haven’t captured your market within the first two weeks, chances are your home is overpriced. The market tends to carry properties up, but will take them down in no uncertain terms and almost as swiftly. No one wants to find themselves in a free-fall (least of all, you!). Price according to what the market will bear and listen to your Realtor (we're not perfect, but a good Realtor should have a sense of where the true market lies).

What's Happening Now?
The Piedmont Calendar is what’s happening. So many of you have emailed me back with comments and suggestions for the "What’s Fun" portion of this e-letter that I’ve decided to take your suggestions to heart and create a community calendar.

With your help, I will be launching http://contactbeacon.com/r.php?id=101449-884457 tracking your events, interests, community gatherings and whatever else you’d like to submit. It’s time we all had a central bank that gives us an overview. I don’t know about you, but it’s tough to keep up! Thank you Debbie Kelly for this wonderful idea. . . Look for it soon.
What's Fun!

This weekend marks a fresh face for the Spring Fling! Returning to a local Piedmont venue. (The tennis courts in the center of town – yeah, I wasn’t a huge fan of the food or the acoustics at the Greek.) This year’s annual fundraiser, benefiting Beach, Haven’s and Wildwood Elementary Schools, promises to be more darn fun! Inspired and led by "Chad the Dad," Chad Olcott has revamped and revitalized this increasingly important event. This is your chance to get out there and support our local schools. Can’t attend due to the Camp Augusta weekend (as I can't)? I’m sure our checks are still welcome.

See you next week!