Come look at houses with me!
Today I took an early look at some neighborhoods I'll be considering in about 3 months time. Today was Oakland day... yes, Oakland. Surprisingly there are many nice parts of Oakland (along with many crappy parts) and that's where I went today. I'm thinking that this may be where I'll end up because you get a lot more house for your money than in SF. Back in February I looked at a house in SF that cost $759,000 that needed work -- plus the neighborhood wasn't so hot. In these parts of Oakland you just get a lot more for your hard-earned dollar.
For those unfamiliar with Bay Area housing prices, get ready for a shock when you follow the link. Based on the money I will have made off the sale of my current house plus additional savings I think I should be able to swing something in this price range. We'll find out soon enough.
Like I did with my new home construction I'll be documenting everything here on my site!
For now though, click the link and see what I checked out today. Photos were taken with the great Fuji FinePix F10.
Bryant Avenue, Rockridge
2 bedrooms
$689,000
I love Rockridge. Lots of places to eat, shop, and hang out. I spend a lot of time in that area with my laptop and would love to live there. The bad news is that #1 it's pretty expensive and #2 it's right on the Hayward fault.
The house I looked at was a Craftsman-style bungalow like 1/2 block off of College Ave. The place would've been great if I was in a position to buy!
Sorry this one sucks, it's a video grab and it's hard to photograph this place.
Everett Avenue, Glenview
Too many rooms to count
$698,000
Glenview is neighborhood I've heard of before but I've never been until today. It's nice in some parts and not so nice in others. As with many places, the further up the hill you go, the better it gets. I skipped the first house on my list because there was too much "chain link" in the neighborhood. House number two was this one and it was really nice. There were also about 20 people there, not a good sign. Nearly all of them were my age or slightly older... mostly couples.
The micro yard!
One of two crazy attic rooms. Great view though!
Greenwood Avenue, Glenview
2+ bedrooms
$659,000
While not the best looking house from the outside, this one was pretty nice once you got inside. I believe the inspection report for this place was around $10k.
Nice little office off the master bedroom!
Sweet kitchen
Only a portion of the nicely landscaped yard.
Indian Way, Montclair
2+ bedrooms
$639,000
I love Montclair! It's like living in the forest but with all the amenities of the big city. Drive 2 minutes off the freeway and it's like you're in another world. It's close to just about everything and Montclair Village has lots of shops, cafes, and restaurants.
This first house was up the hill a bit, but many I could handle this! The one thing that was disappointing was the microscopic kitchen.
Check out this backyard! And it keeps going too! There's also a deck above this.
Another view.
Johnston Drive, Montclair
2 bedrooms
$695,000
Like the house in Rockridge and the one I just showed you, this one would've also been something I would've seriously considered. It's on the Piedmont side of Hwy 13 and it was quite a house for the price. I think the inspection report was around $11k here. The realtor is apparently a Montclair specialist so I got her card.
View from the front door
This is a brand new office space in the basement. I like it!
Yes, it needs a new retaining wall.
More backyard. I liked the foresty one in the previous house better.
That's all folks!
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Nice house tour. Did you notice how many have no window coverings? Are these close to the area of the big fire 8-10 years ago? You might want to check on insurance rates.
Yea! I'm excited for you. I'm sorry your experience in Brentwood hasn't been what you hoped, but I hope you find something you like in an area you prefer (and can afford!).
I love looking at houses - I look at real estate sites in the area you're considering every week (in fact, I just moved out of Rockridge into another area of Oakland). But, since I'm not currently in a position to purchase a home, I'm looking forward to looking with you and living vicariously!
Good luck and happy hunting! :)
That's a lot of money. Out here, houses that size would cost around $150K...maybe.
Nice landscaping though.
Denise: Actually Brentwood was about as expected. I knew it would be difficult and that it was only temporary.
Patrick: Yeah but do your houses sit on a major earthquake fault? Didn't think so! :)
That I don't get. On an Earthquake fault *and* expensive? I don't get it... maybe waiting, experiencing and risking death plus severe property loss by an Earthquake is in high demand....
Raist3d: *snicker* That was good.
Jeff: I liked the second and the third that you showed; I think they were peach and blue respectively? Anyway. The blue one had an awesome kitchen, something to be considered, and I loved the attic room in the peach one. Happy hunting!
No, but we're smack in the middle of tornado alley.
Thanks Sarah :-)