Announcing the launch of Realty Advocates’ new and improved website!

We are proud to unveil the new look and functionality of www.realtyadvocates.com. We wanted our users to have access to the most timely market information and “state of the art” search tools, as well as content that would be of most interest to today’s buyers and sellers. Specifically, check out the new section all about “Green Resources” throughout the Bay Area (http://www.realtyadvocates.com/green_resources.html)

We hope you like it!

Several people have asked me how I can claim that my listing at 99 Roble Road is the only straw bale house in Oakland. Here’s how: it started with my seller telling me so. He heard this from his Berkeley-based architect Dan Smith. He, along with another local professional and straw bale expert John Swearingen, seem to know about every straw bale house built in the greater Bay Area. These two are really the go-to guys for info about straw bale and anyone thinking about building in straw bale will likely come across either Dan or John’s name as a local resource.

Lastly, I made inquiries with the City of Oakland building and planning departments. It turns out to be pretty easy to track because a special dispensation/exemption in the building code is required to build with straw bale. John Ewigleben in the building department checked the records for any other instance of this dispensation being granted and the search came up negative except for 99 Roble.

Once I was satisfied that the information was reliable, I of course started using it in my promotional material—“the first and only straw bale house in Oakland.” But during the broker’s tour, two different agents challenged me on this, stating they were absolutely sure that an Oakland property on 37^th St sold a couple of years ago with a legal, built-with-permits straw bale rental cottage in the rear. They couldn’t remember the exact date or address, but I was determined to see if this bore out. However, with a few more inquires, I was able to find the property in question. But guess what? The cottage was not made of straw bale, but of rammed earth.  While I consider a rammed earth house good company as regards utilizing a sustainable natural resource as a building material, it ain’t straw bale.

So the claim still stands: 99 Roble Road is the 1^st and currently only straw bale house in Oakland.

During the course of spending 4 hours hosting the brokers tour today, I really came to appreciate the deep rooted appeal of this house. So many of the visiting agents commented on how earthly peaceful they felt inside, despite the freeway noise that you hear outside. Several agents went as far as to say this wasn’t just a house, but a one-of-a-kind piece of art. They are right: the walls are downright sculptural. Primal even.  Maybe it awakens some ancestral memory of when people lived in caves, or stone houses which also have very thick walls.

Brett Weinstein,May 1, 2009

I recently posted a “coming soon” ad on craigslist for a house that I have listed in Berkeley’s Elmwood neighborhood – 2617 Woolsey Street.  Within 24 hours, there was a blog post about it which contains some mischaracterizations that I want to clear up.

The writer (Tracy at www.BayAreaHomeGirl.com) has the basic facts right: my clients bought it just over a year ago, 3/3/08 and they paid $1,075,000. The asking price was $925,000. Our asking price now is $950,000.

Then comes the mischaracterizations: She is “surprised” that the asking price today is $25k more than last time. Why is that surprising? Last time, the $925k asking price generated multiple offers (5), all over $1m. In fact, my client’s offer wasn’t even the highest…it just had the best terms. Given these facts, the $1,075,000 sales price was a very good indicator of the then “fair market value,” not the $925k asking price.

Somehow to Tracy, a $125,000 loss ($1,075,000 paid minus $950,000 now asking) “speaks at an attempt to flip, or a remarkable confidence in today’s floundering market.”

Huh? Taking a $125k loss is an indicator of a flip? The refinished floors and updated bathroom she references were in the listing last time. Furthermore, she asks “Even if the house sold for comfortably over its asking price a year ago, is it realistic to expect it to do the same today?

Who said we expect it to sell over its asking price now? We are well aware of the comps—that’s why we are asking 14% less than last year’s sales price, even though the median sales price in the immediate area went down “only” 11.2% during the same interval.

Now matter how you look at it, the seller is taking a huge financial hit, although our reduced commission will lesson the blow some. The economics of our times means some lucky buyer will get the benefit.  So it goes.

Brett Weinstein, Broker
Realty Advocates

Early Green: First in the Nation (circa 1979) Passive Solar Double Envelope Multifamily Development

A townhouse unit is now available for sale in Miles Gardens, a 6 unit condominium project that utilizes a unique “double” or “thermal” envelope type of construction. This is where an “envelope” of air circulates between an inner and outer wall, distributing warm or cool air, depending on the season, throughout the building. The drivers of this air circulation are the natural forces of solar energy, gravity, convection, equilibrium, heat radiation and transfer. No fans or other mechanical means are necessary to drive the system.

For more detailed and technical explanation of the “thermal envelope” concept, visit 5321 Miles Avenue website.

On the outside, the stucco-surfaced building looks fairly ordinary, except for the curious triangular outline. But step inside the front door (salvaged from a 1910 Craftsman style home) and you’ll find your self in a tropical jungle paradise.

Several species of fern, ficus and palm stretch as high as 20-30′ to bathe in the light from the southwest facing truss-supported skylights.

(more…)