Real Estate Blog & Updates
Blogging about Real Estate in Oakland, Albany, Berkeley, Kensington & El Cerrito, CA
Choosing a Real Estate Agent
December 7th, 2012
When it comes time to buy or sell a home, a real estate agent can make or break the process. A trained, professional real estate agent will exude experience and help to guide the process to success. Unfortunately, finding a qualified agent might not be so easy.
Experience
Real estate agents can be licensed but not necessarily experienced. Due to this, it’s always best to find an agent who has a proven track record. Look up the agents’ recent sales and see if there are homes which are comparable to the home you’re searching for or selling. These recent sales often will show the listing dates and the sold dates, indicating how quickly the agent has sold homes which they have advertised. These experienced agents often understand the intricacies of the legal proceedings better and have a great grasp on what moves to make in the decision. These negotiable steps can help save you or earn you money and they will certainly make the process run more smoothly.
Geographic Knowledge
Having a real estate agent who knows the area you’re shopping in or selling in is absolutely critical. An agent who is very familiar with the neighborhoods that you’re interested in will help to point you in the right direction to find a fit that is great for your needs. These same agents often have great connections and an understanding of the business which can help you home sell much more quickly. This becomes even more important to find a trustworthy agent when moving to a completely new location which you might not know much about. A trustworthy agent will tell you why a deal might look too good, while a more devious agent or one with less experience might push that home on you regardless to see their commission.
Structural Understanding
A real estate agent who is very experienced or very well versed in your neighborhood of choice is excellent, but these agents should be able to provide you with knowledge about what you are purchasing as well. A great home inspector may be able to show you many of these things prior to your purchase, but a knowledgeable real estate agent may save on costly inspections or time wasted on a house which might have serious issues. Real estate agents are not required to be a qualified inspector or to have extensive knowledge of a home’s workings, but it is imperative that you find someone who has a solid grasp of these concepts. These real estate agents can help steer you away from homes which might have serious physical ailments and could ultimately save you a significant amount of money in the future.
With Favorable Market Conditions, Oakland, CA Real Estate Market is Poised for an Upsurge
With the national housing market showing the best signs of life since 2008’s collapse and local companies pulling in a huge population of qualified professionals, the Oakland, CA real estate market is on the brink of a boom. Marvin Gardens Real Estate wants their customers to be prepared and get in at the ground floor of this exciting time in the Bay Area.
October 31st, 2012
With the housing market aimed towards a new revival, Marvin Gardens Real Estate, with locations in Berkeley, Kensington and El Cerrito is proud to serve new homeowners with quality real estate properties in various markets of Bay Area California; including the booming Oakland area. After years of stagnation, real estate markets are beginning to move upwards in terms of value and demand; indicating now is the time to buy. Marvin Gardens wants to support new homeowners in this burgeoning market by offering beautiful, affordable homes in the most desirable areas of Oakland and Berkeley, CA.
With market conditions touchy and unsure since the housing collapse in 2008, buyers have awkwardly waded through the market, afraid to invest heavily and content to rent with minimal liability. However, for the past year the market has slowly lurched forward. This is especially true in Oakland, CA, where in the past year houses have been spending almost half the amount of time on the market as the previous year, all while home values have increased. Now is the time to take advantage of the market and pick up beautiful real estate properties at the lowest price possible, before price tags catch up to value.
Why is Bay Area, California such a desirable location? Timing. After the stark drop in the price of real estate, many established homeowners sought to “trade up” leaving a full market of moderately priced homes throughout the Bay Area. Also, a recent boom in Silicon Valley has led to national leading job growth statistics. The Bay Area has a large population of incoming young professionals who will be snatching up property and building affluent neighborhoods in cities like Berkeley, El Cerrito, and Oakland, CA.
Finally, how can a prospective buyer take advantage of these ideal market conditions? Marvin Garden Real Estate Agents suggest acting now. Purchase property in desirable and affordable communities like Oakland, so that the property will grow in value for the next few years; as the city is all but assured to do the same. The real estate market is all about location, this is a long beaten dead horse. But few realize how much timing plays into location. Marvin Garden Real Estate understands that THIS is the time to buy before prices in desirable areas begin to rise again.