Blog

Notes on the local market

256 posts

One of Tanja Odzak's past East Bay listings, beside the question this post answers

2026-11-13 · 8 min read

What Happens on Offer Day When You Sell a Home in Berkeley?

Offer day is the moment a Berkeley sale comes together, and the highest price is only part of it. Here is what happens before, during, and after, so you know what you're reading when the offers arrive.

2026-11-13 · 8 min read

What Should Move-Up Buyers Know About Trading Up in Oakland?

Trading up means two transactions on one timeline. Here is how to decide whether to buy or sell first, what to check in a bigger Oakland home, and what to know before you shop.

2026-11-13 · 8 min read

How Do You Sell an Inherited Home in Berkeley?

An inherited Berkeley house is often a century old, full of belongings, and tied to a legal timeline. Here is the order to handle it in, from the attorney call to closing.

2026-11-13 · 10 min read

How Do You Relocate to the East Bay From Out of State?

You may be choosing a home in a city you have never seen. Here is how to compare five East Bay cities, tour from a distance, read hills versus flats, and plan a 60-day move.

2026-11-13 · 9 min read

What Do Piedmont Sellers Need Before Listing?

Piedmont asks more of a seller than Oakland or Berkeley do on their own. Here is the before-you-list checklist, in order: three city reports, the sewer lateral, the transfer tax, and the prep that pays.

2026-11-13 · 7 min read

Is Pleasant Hill a Good Place to Move for More Space in the East Bay?

Mid-century ranch homes on established lots, a park district older than the city, and BART just outside town. Here is what "more space" really looks like in Pleasant Hill, and what to check before you move.

2026-11-13 · 8 min read

What Is a Home Valuation, and How Is It Different From Zillow's Estimate?

An online estimate has never walked your Oakland home. Here is what it can't see, what a real valuation checks instead, and how that number differs from an appraisal and your tax assessment.

2026-11-13 · 8 min read

How Do You Downsize in Oakland Without Leaving the Neighborhood You Know?

Downsizing from a home you have owned for decades is a next chapter, not just a sale. Here is how to plan it so you can stay close to the Oakland streets you know.

2026-11-13 · 8 min read

How Do You Downsize From a Longtime Home in Lafayette?

A big lot, a long driveway, and slopes to keep up. Here is how downsizing from a longtime Lafayette home works, step by step, on your own timeline and with no pressure to list.

2026-11-13 · 7 min read

What Should You Know Before Buying a Home in the Oakland Hills?

Views, trees, and custom hillside homes, plus a fire zone, the Hayward Fault, and insurance questions to answer early. Here is what to check before you write an offer in the Oakland hills.

2026-11-10 · 6 min read

What Should You Expect When You Buy a Home in the East Bay, Step by Step?

Buying a home is likely one of the largest purchases you will ever make. Here is the road in order, from your first conversation to closing day, and where the deadlines that protect your deposit come in.

2026-11-10 · 6 min read

Pre-Approval vs Pre-Qualification vs Pre-Underwritten: What Do East Bay Buyers Need to Know?

Pre-qualified, pre-approved, and pre-underwritten sound alike, but they are three different steps. Here is what each one means, what the lender checks, and why skipping steps can cost you.

2026-11-10 · 5 min read

Does Your East Bay Home Need Sewer Lateral Compliance Before You Sell?

Your sewer lateral is the private pipe from your house to the street, and in much of the East Bay a rule about it applies when you sell. Here is how it works and who takes care of it.

2026-11-10 · 5 min read

Selling in Oakland? Check Your Sidewalk Before You List

The sidewalk in front of your Oakland home is public, but the city can hold the homeowner responsible for it when you sell. Here is how it works and what to do first.

2026-11-10 · 5 min read

Who Is Tanja Odzak, and What Happens When You Call?

You have watched the seller videos. Here is who is behind them, what I care about most, and what happens next if you want to talk about your own home.

2026-11-05 · 2 min read

Oakland & Berkeley Real Estate Market Update: November 2026

Oakland and Berkeley home prices, active listings, and days on market for November 2026.

2026-11-05 · 3 min read

Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek & Lafayette Real Estate Market Update: November 2026

Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek, and Lafayette home prices and inventory for November 2026.

2026-11-03 · 10 min read

Why Does Ad Money Behind Your Listing Video Matter When You Sell a Home?

Lots of agents make a video of your home. The difference is who sees it. Here is what ad money behind a listing video does, what my ads have reached, and the questions to ask any agent before you list.

2026-11-03 · 8 min read

What Does It Mean to Buy a Home "As-Is" in California?

You see "sold as-is" on a listing and wonder if it is a bargain or a trap. It is neither on its own. Here is what as-is changes, what it does not, and how to decide with your inspection and contingency period.

2026-11-03 · 9 min read

What Do Buyers Notice First When They Walk Into Your Home?

Buyers decide how they feel about your house in the first minute. Here are the three things I tell sellers to look at first, what you can skip, and how to get ready without a remodel.

2026-11-03 · 9 min read

Should You Start Preparing to Sell Your Home in November If You Want to List in January?

If you want to sell in the new year, the work starts now. Here are the three things to do first, which city steps can slow you down, and why choosing to wait can be a good plan too.

2026-11-03 · 8 min read

Buying in the East Bay? Sewer Lateral, BESO and Sidewalk Rules to Know Before You Offer

Some East Bay cities have rules that kick in when a home sells, and they can change what you agree to in your offer. Here is how the sewer lateral, Berkeley's BESO, Oakland's sidewalk certificate and Piedmont's reports work from the buyer's side.

2026-11-03 · 8 min read

Is Your Loan the Right Fit for the Home You Want to Buy in the East Bay?

Your lender may hand you a great loan on paper, and it can still be the wrong loan for the home you want. Here is how the loan, the home, the appraisal, and the competition fit together, and what your Realtor does before you apply.

2026-11-03 · 8 min read

How Do You Make an Offer a Seller Wants to Accept (Beyond the Price)?

A seller reads your whole offer, not just the price. Here is what the closing date, the terms, and a rent-back tell them, and how to write an offer that is easy to accept without giving up what protects you.