Carol Brown - Berkeley Real Estate

1001 Mountain Boulevard, Montclair

Carol Brown — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 23:05:51 +0000

CHARMING 1990′S TRADITIONAL On a level street surrounded by larger, upscale homes, this three-bedroom, two bath traditional features clapboard siding, a white picket fence, charming interior details and a generous, wrap around garden. Highlights include, nearly level entry for easy access to the main living spaces, sunny outlooks from every room, a downstairs family room that opens to a level back lawn and garden structure and hardwood floors in most rooms.

6505 Harwood Avenue, Rockridge

Carol Brown — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 18:53:57 +0000

SUNNY CONTEMPORARY On a tree-lined cul de sac in the heart of Rockridge, this smart three bedroom, three bath contemporary offers easy access to BART and College Avenue shops and restaurants. In the midst of older, vintage homes, this airy open home offers bright, light-filled rooms, split-levels and flexible living spaces. The entry opens to a living room with soaring ceilings and French doors that lead to a lattice-covered deck. A recently renovated kitchen features Zodiaq stone countertops, a Bosch dishwasher, a GE Profile cooktop and a Kitchen Aid convention oven. A tiled, center island separates the kitchen from a generous dining area and sunroom. Each bedroom has its own bath. downstairs is a generous family room with a built-in sink, refrigerator and microwave. Double doors lead to another deck with steps down to a lush, terraced garden with tomatoes, herbs and fruit trees. The house is warmed by hot water radiant heat. For additional photos go to 6505Harwood.com

68 Entrada Avenue, Oakland

Carol Brown — Tue, 17 May 2011 18:53:09 +0000

ARTS AND CRAFTS RETREAT Just a block from Fenton’s Creamery, this two bedroom, one bath home offers a charming retreat close to Piedmont Avenue’s shops, cafes and restaurants. Wander up the street for a scoop of ice cream. Explore further and catch a first-run movie or stop for a latte or a meal. Come home and you find yourself in a magical brown shingle. A deep, covered veranda with stone-covered pillars invites you to sit and linger. A generous living room with boxed beams and a stone fireplace creates a generous space for everyday living or entertaining. Behind the living room sits a kitchen that opens to the dining room. A 6-burner Viking range and Bosch dishwasher outfit the kitchen. Off a hallway toward the back of the house are two bedrooms and a bath. Down a pathway in the back garden is a detached space with exposed rafters, multi-pane windows and French doors surrounded by redwoods, ferns and fuschia. For additional photos go to 68Entrada.com

1119 Miller Avenue, Berkeley

Carol Brown — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 23:30:00 +0000

OPEN MID-CENTURY This charming, one-level, mid-century home offers bright, open rooms, easy access to large outdoor spaces and views of the Golden Gate. A generous front deck with a wrap-around bench greets as you walk up the front stairs. Double glass doors from the living room open to the deck for easy indoor-outdoor entertaining. The L-shaped living/dining room also opens to a large, private back garden with a brick terrace, flowering fruit trees, raised beds for vegetables and plenty of room for play. A fireplace warms up the room for days inside. A galley kitchen with slate floors, Corian countertops and new stainless steel appliances also opens to the back garden. A central hallway opens to three generous bedrooms and a bath. The front bedroom looks out to views of the Bay; the back bedroom into the garden. For additional photos go to www.1119Miller.com

7401 Woodrow Drive, Oakland

Carol Brown — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 01:56:17 +0000

2003 CUSTOM CONTEMPORARY On a mostly level street just a few blocks from the trail to Montclair Village, this contemporary four bedroom, three and a half bathroom home offers upscale fixtures and finishes, charming spaces and pristine condition. An eat-in kitchen with circular breakfast nook opens to a family room with a fireplace. Cherry cabinets and bookcases warm up rooms, accented by dark granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances. Two bedrooms, a bath and a laundry room opoen out to the family room. On a level below, formal dining and living rooms are warmed by another fireplace and open to a large front deck. Upstairs a master suite with a jacuzzi soaking tub awaits, a perfect retreat after a long day. French doors open to a slate sunning terrace. A second bedroom with its own bathroom finish off the the bedroom and bath count. At street level a large, two-story garage with provides plenty of space for parking, working and storage. For additional photos go to www.7401Woodrow.com

47 RIO VISTA AVENUE, OAKLAND

Carol Brown — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 01:25:39 +0000

UPSCALE COUNTRY COTTAGE This lovingly renovated home offers a peacful retreat just a half block from Piedmont Avenue. Wander up the street to Commis, the only restaurant in the East Bay with a Michelin star. Enjoy cafes, a local grocery store and a movie theater. Come home to a rose-covered archway and a charming, one-level home. Enter into a light-filled living room. Next to it is a generous dining room, perfect for entertaining guests. Enjoy breakfast in the newly renovated, eat-in kitchen with Caesarstone quartz countetops, high-end appliances and a farmhouse sink. Watch movies or games in the adjacent family room looking out onto the lush back garden. The bedrooms each have adjacent bathrooms. The hall bath features a Kohler soaking tub; the master bath a glass shower. Both the baths and the family room were designed by Clocker and Schultz architects. A detached, pre-fab office in the back garden is surrounded by espaliered fruit trees, native plants and raised vegetable beds watered by automatic drip irrigation. For additional information visit 47RioVista.com

148 Wildwood Avenue, Piedmont

Carol Brown — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 23:59:39 +0000

CONVENIENCE AND SPACE Enter this three bedroom, two bath traditional into a light-filled living room with views of the hills of Piedmont. Schools and adjacent playgrounds are just a short distance away and the shops and transportation of Grand Avenue, too, making it exceptionally convenient.

A tiled living room fireplace creates a cozy setting for enjoying the view from floor-length windows. And the room opens to a formal dining room nearby. Behind that you find a renovated kitchen with cherry cabinets and granite countertops. Two bedrooms and a bath are off a separate hallway and a third room behind the kitchen opens to the back deck and patio, a perfect place for an office.

Downstairs are two large rooms, one perfect for a rumpus or family room, the other a bedroom with its own bath en suite. A garage in the back of the house offers nearly level access to the house, making it convenient for bringing in groceries and supplies.

For additional photos go to www.148wildwood.com

1132 Oakland Avenue, Piedmont

Carol Brown — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 00:07:18 +0000

SOLD IN 14 DAYS

PRIVATE, GARDEN SETTING Enter this lovely Monterey Colonial and you know you are home. Brick walkways, clapboard siding, large shutters and a lush garden of red maples and camelias greet you as you move up the step to the front door. While the location is close transportation, schools, shops and other urban amenities, inside you feel like you are miles away. And its layout couldn’t be more convenient. Designed for her own family by the head of production for Paula LeDuc Fine Catering, this home is a perfect venue for today’s lifestyles.

A large, eat-in chef’s kitchen offers ample room for entertaining or just daily living. Granite countertops, a large center island, a six-burner Wolfe stove, a custom-made stainless steel farmhouse sink and a built-in wet bar make life easy. The kitchen opens to a generous family room with windows that look out on the lush, sunny garden on three walls. Doors from the family room, as well as the kitchen and formal living room, open directly to the level garden for easy access. Once in the garden you feel wrapped in privacy. Roses climb the fences. An apple tree espaliers up the side of the garden shed. Thyme covers the ground between the stepping stones of the patio, releasing its fragrance when you walk over it. And a level lawn provides plenty of space for play.

The living room and dining room offer ample spaces for more formal occasions with lovely multipane windows, vintage wood trim and glass doors to the garden. Upstairs three charming bedrooms and two baths offer a comfortable retreat at the end of the day. Both baths have been updated with stone tiles and the master bath/dressing room is en suite.

For additonal photos and information go to www.1132OaklandAve.com

JULY, 2011 STILL GOING STRONG

Carol Brown — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 00:14:20 +0000

It’s been a busy spring with volume of sold homes up considerably in most of our local markets. Inventory is much better than last year with a nice range of options for buyers. And the buyers are out shopping and buying. We are seeing lots of them at our open houses, week after week. Lower interest rates and pent up demand from last year’s shortage of inventory are motivating the demand. About half of our sales at The Grubb Company receive more than one offer.

Still, prices have softened and buyers are very picky, wanting good condition and good value in a home. They are very risk averse and want houses with few or no potential market flaws in case they need to sell in a few years. So sellers can’t take them for granted and do much better if they fully disclose their home’s condition, clean inside and out, paint and stage it and price very, very carefully.

How long will this robust market last? It is anybody’s guess. The messages about the future are mixed. With government debt soaring there is pressure for interest rates to rise and the jumbo conforming loan ceiling to drop, which will definitely have a cooling effect on the market. On the other hand, the economy does seem to be stablizing and in places even making upward strides. And private lenders assure us that they can take up the slack as the government backs off their home mortgage supports. In fact, private mortgage insurance is just coming back into the market after a long hiatus, which will allow buyers to put less than 20% down and not have to pay 5 years of mortgage insurance. And jumbo loan rate are coming down. So even though it’s summer the market is still going strong!!

6001 Chabolyn Terrace, Rockridge

Carol Brown — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:53:35 +0000

ROCKRIDGE CHARMER Extensively rennovated 2+bedroom, 2 bath with charming gardens near BART and College Avenue.

Represented the buyers.