Yes There Are Multiple Offers Now and Then

Thank you to all of you who noticed this blog and commented it on facebook. I appreciate you.

And yes there are multiple offers in our community when the property is really special and in demand.
I cannot say much yet but we did have three offers from three gracious agents whose clients all were passionate about their offers and reasons for wanting to buy this unusual and truly special unit at 1519 Oxford Street in one only five elevator buildings in North Berkeley. Please correct me if you know of a sixth.
 
It is always exciting to hear offers especially when there is competition and you know that there is going to be a gold coin buried somewhere in one of the offers.When I put a listing package together I always ask my sellers to write a letter telling prospective buyers about their home and why they liked living there to give the buyer a personal feeling for the home beyond the views and the staging, ( you can read this seller's exceptional one on my website-- there is a link to it there). And I always have my buyers write letters when they are making offers to tell the seller about themselves so that they seller will at least have a notion of who they might be passing their home on to, and at best will fall madly in love with with my buyers and feel that they must sell to them above all others.
 
Over the years I have found that while many buyers do not bother or care to tell the sellers about themselves  others write wonderful, thoughtful  letters. I believe that I could write a book, ( if time permitted and I had a muse, but then I would probably be painting) adding my own details based upon what I have learned about all of the interesting people who have submitted offers.
 
My sellers and I have always enjoyed knowing about the people who have sent letters with their offers in pursuit of one home or another. It is a truly fastening business learning about all of these people. And sometimes it really does help the sellers to make a decision. Sellers cannot decide on the basis on race, race, religion or gender or other prejudicial factors and no photos are allowed with the letter but sometimes when a seller feels a kinship with a potential buyer and there are two offers that are very similar, the one with the letter that "speaks to the seller" gets the nod, or at least the counter.

Today's Question Begs for An Answer

When things go well with a property I have listed, it's rewarding to enjoy the experience with the sellers. Even when we don't get offers when we had hoped, as long as there are showings, it is only a matter of time until someone shows up and wants to buy it. 

But what happens when for some unfathomable reason, a beautiful home in great condition with terrific amenities  in an awesome neighborhood, isn't being shown frequently enough to offer that optimism? What do we do then? Traditionally, we declare that the price is too high, that the market has spoken and and we reduce the price? What if that strategy won't work for the sellers in this situation? What do we do next?

1317 Sruce Street Story

Did I say that we trimmed the trees at 1317 Spruce Street and now there is a fine Bay view from the front bedroom and lots more light in the whole house? It is funny how when one lives in a house and likes the feeling of trees, they can grow over the years without the owners noticing that they are slowly cutting off the views at least in the eyes of the objective Realtor,who is supposed to be the getting the best price for the house.

This house has many of the qualities a country home: privacy and an intimate relationship to the outdoors while being close to everything one needs for a busy urban life. It is just blocks from Berkeley's Gourmet Ghetto and The University of California.

The property has three parts. A main house with three bedrooms, one with the Bay View,  and another with its own entrance, and one and half baths. The inside has been beautifully remodeled over the past dozen or so years. The light fixtures are especially nice. There is even a closet remodel that most people would kill for although those in search of a second bath upstairs might like to know that it would fit nicely in that space. The laundry is also upstairs between the finely remodeled bathroom and that closet.

The main floor has an  Living Room, Family Room with fireplace and Dining Area plus that flow into one another making a vary good pace for entertaining with smaller more intimate places to sit and read or talk within the larger spaces. There is also a delightful and colorful eat-in kitchen and a separate pantry and half bath.

For extra income, there is a legal studio apartment which could be combined with the main house at some point. The owners rented it for $1000.00 before it was enlarged and remodeled. It is quite sweet and they believe, after living in it themselves for a couple of years, that the rent would be much higher now.

There is a yard with new sod and a patio for long lunches and evening barbeque's.

The property is accessed from a secret alley called the Rose Glen Alley that is right off of Rose Street between Spruce and Arch Street. There are two parking places off of the alley.

Unfortunately the photos that Scott Hargis, Red Oak Realty's  awesome architectural photographer could not to take a Bay view shot because the view was hiding under the fog  o we don't have one but if you come to view the house on a sunny afternoon you will see it.

being a painter myself, what I love best about this property is Loren's 400 square foot ( according to the sellers)  art studio with its high ceilings and skylights.You can be anything you want to be in that studio. Artist, musician, yogi, professor, business person-- the uses are yet to be determined by the new owner. This is creativity central with a future unknown.


The price is $1,149,000
It will be open tomorrow Sunday August 22nd from 2-4 PM
Come see it and enjoy and of course I hope that you will want to buy it. One thing it isn't is a museum although Loren will be happy to sell you some of his wonderful paintings.

Better Late Than Never

A week after offers were due to be presented on my Fabulous Craftsman Fixer at 406 61st Street 4 offers showed up within 24 hours. The week before I had had the sad task of telling my clients that even after all of my marketing, plus two Broker's opens, two Sunday Open Houses, many individual showings and 10 disclosure packages emailed to eager agents that I had no offers in hand to present. 

They were disappointed, as was I, but they quickly said they knew I was working hard ,doing a great job and they we should all be patient and see what would happen next. I cannot tell you how good it was to hear that. They have been encouraging all along. Every time I speak with them they say something supportive and appreciative. They make me want to work harder and harder.. 

Their attitude and behavior is a lesson for all of us in our dealings with each other.

Coming Soon

Scott Hargis is taking photos tomorrow at 1317 Spruce Street. I can't wait for you to see them .
I can't decide exactly what to call the house so I am calling it a "1910 Classic". I know that means it could be a Craftsman or a Bungalow and it isn't either. It looks sort of like an Edwardian but I think the architect borrowed a bit from the Victorians as well. It will be open on Sunday from 2-4 PM for the first showing so you will have to wait until then to see it for yourself.

I will post the photos as soon as Scott has them ready. The property is so close to Berkeley's wonderful Gourmet Ghetto and The University of California -- (and a block from the big house on Arch Street where Dennis and I lived for 17 years and raised our sons) that one can pop down to Chez Panisse for dinner, something we did for every occasion that we could think of, or to Peet's coffee, The Cheese Board or Saul's and I suppose to shop at a regular supermarket  although these days I am  Trader Joe's fan myself - and there is one not far from 1317 Spruce Street at university Avenue and Martin Luther King.

Ah what about the house? The house is awesome. But will have to wait until tomorrow morning for more details about the house. It is worth waiting for, I promise.