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For most of the internet era, searching for a home meant the same ritual: set your budget, pick a number of bedrooms, check a few boxes, and scroll. Then the real work started — sifting through pages of results, opening listing after listing, digging for the details...
The California homeowners insurance market has begun to stabilize, but this is not the same as being fixed, and the Berkeley hills remain one of the harder places in the state to insure. On August 19 I sat in on From Crisis to Stabilization, a statewide market update...
Berkeley sits directly above the Hayward Fault, one of the most seismically active urban faults in the country. The United States Geological Survey rates the probability of a magnitude 6.7 or greater earthquake on the Hayward Fault at roughly 33 percent within the...
If you're buying or selling a home, The City of Berkeley transfer tax is one of the largest line items in your closing statement that has nothing to do with your agent, your lender, or your home inspector. It's a tax the City collects every time real estate changes...
For years, accessory dwelling units—ADUs—have been one of the few ways Berkeley homeowners could expand their homes without dramatically altering the character of a neighborhood. Backyard cottages, garage conversions, and lower-level units have allowed families to...
Timing isn’t everything in real estate, but it can mean the difference between saving $20,000 or paying a premium, selling in 15 days or waiting three months, and negotiating from a position of strength or uncertainty. As we look toward the year ahead, understanding...
When I help clients buy, sell, or renovate a home, one of the steps I often recommend is reviewing the property’s Berkeley permit history. Knowing what work has been legally permitted and inspected for safety compliance can make a huge difference in understanding...
Real estate scams are targeting more victims than ever before, and they're becoming increasingly sophisticated. Nearly 10,000 Americans fell victim to real estate fraud in 2024, losing over $173 million according to FBI reports. Even more concerning, about one in four...