December 28, 2009

A Single Family Home in Fremont’s Historic Niles District: Before and After...

Posted to

Take a look at what a lot of patience, six months of hard work and $50K in improvements can do to a 2 bedroom 1 bathroom single family home in Fremont’s Historic Niles district. The house was built in 1910 and not habitable. Talk about a phoenix rising from the ashes! I listed this ‘Contractor Special’ in the summer of 2009. A local contractor bought and restored the property.

 

Contact me at KayKorbel@comcast.net for a referral to the valued contractor that did the work on this now beautiful property.


Posted by:Kay Korbel



December 21, 2009

Blogging from Paris! Day 2!

Posted to Pam Dakan

The time difference really got me and it is hard to wake up from a dead sleep at a reasonable morning hour when it is the middle of the night in California. It was very cold so we wrapped up real warm to get out and take the Paris Metro for the first time over to Place de Madeleine for a walk around the famous Paris shops.

The Metro is a network of underground train lines that take you anywhere in Paris, some connecting to other major train stations that will take you all over the French suburbs and countryside, others that will take you clear to other countries. It’s not unlike the London Underground or the New York subway. This is definitely something that the West Coast leaves to be desired. It’s very difficult to get around without a car, and you feel very stuck sometimes if you want to get around by public transport. It’s one of the things I love about Europe, it’s so easy to get around, and cheap…for about 11 Euro you can get 10 train rides anywhere.

We got off the Metro at Place de Madeleine. The streets were crowded with bundled up Christmas shoppers. We stopped into Printemps, it’s like Nordstrom on steroids, with every single luxury brand you can think of under one roof; Gucci, Prada, Dolce and Gabbana, Tiffany & Co, Chopard, and my favourite shoe designer, Manolo Blahnik.

There was a Russian dance show, giant Russian dolls with the Chanel or Dior logo on them. Very interesting.

Read the complete article >


December 19, 2009

Paris in December

Posted to Pam Dakan

After an exhausting, very long flight from San Francisco to Chicago, then Chicago to Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris, the plane landed onto ground covered in snow. I was surprised; it hardly ever snows in Paris! It was a pleasant surprise nonetheless. I was certainly glad I had overpacked with warm clothes.

I had been practicing my French and brushing up since I booked my flight. I took 4 years of French in high school in the U.K., but if you don’t get to practice a language it’s easy to forget. I managed to let the taxi driver know where I wanted to go, and he didn’t speak any English, but we did have a conversation about the snow being “tres jolie” and where I was from and how long I was staying in Paris.

I am staying with a friend who has moved to Paris for a year from Pleasanton, CA. After instructing the taxi driver to take me to Rue Petion, in the 11th Arrondissement, and his surprise at my over-tipping him, I arrived at a 6 story concrete building. I let myself in with the door code my friend had given me and walked through to a little courtyard with cobbled bricks. My friend came to meet me and warned me about the 5 flights of spiraled stairs we would have to carry my bags up! We managed to get there. My friend has a cute little place she has rented. When I say little, I mean “little”. It’s probably no more than 500 square feet, with one bedroom, a tiny living room, a tiny kitchen and tiny bathroom. For this, my friend pays about 1200 Euro per month, approximately $1500.

I unpacked and she went to get us a typical French lunch, consisting of baguette, cheese, pate, little tiny pickles and olives, accompanied by some really good red wine.

In the evening we went out to dinner at Le Rey, a neighborhood restaurant located near Voltaire metro station in the square. Again, the wine was delicious and I had a steak with potatoes and mushrooms. Delicious French comfort food. My French friend Jacques told me how regulated the beef is here and that there are no artificial hormones or anything else allowed in the meat, like they allow in the States. After a mediocre Creme Brulee, we walked back to the tiny apartment as snowflakes fell on our faces.

I think I’m going to have a great time!

Posted by:Pam Dakan



December 17, 2009

Tips for Routine Maintenance

Posted to

Home, just like cars, require routine maintenance to operate smoothly. Take care of your home systems and appliances, and they will take care of you.

Furnace Tips:

  • Inspect and replace furnace filter as needed
  • Clean the blower compartment using a vacuum w/ upholstery brush attachment
  • Clean the burner compartment using a wire brush, then vacuum loose rust and lint
  • For belt driven fans; check the blower fan for frayed and worn spots
  • Check ducts for air leaks, seal w/ metal tape

Washer/Dryer Tips:

  • Use citric acid to clean tub interior to eliminate minerals and soap build up
  • Clean the screen filers a the end of the hose or on the back of the washing machine
  • Clean the dryers’ lint screen after every use
  • Clean the dryer duct w/ dryer duct brush and vacuum
  • Remove/clean the exhaust hose/vent w/ a vacuum
  • Replace the plastic flexible accordion type exhaust hose w/ sheet metal ducting

Water Heater Tips:

  • Drain and flush the tank twice each year
  • Check pressure relief valve once a year to make sure this is not clogged

Refrigerator/Freezer Tips:

  • Keep the condenser coils clean, using a vacuum and a brush
  • Periodically remove the drip pan and wash it

Oven/Range Tips:

  • Use baking soda and hot water to clean removable gas burners
  • Clean non removal sealed gas burners w/ a small brush and baking soda and water

Garbage Disposal Tips:

  • Clean by filling w/ ice cubes and ¼ cup of white vinegar and operate with NO running water. When cubes are gone, start running cold water slowly. Add baking soda for a deeper cleaning for heavy odors.


Posted by:Kay Korbel



December 08, 2009

Snow in the Bay Area

Posted to

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. It is not often that those of us living in the San Francisco Bay Area experience snow but last night the snow level dropped to about 500 feet and today the hills are white with snow. I went to take a photo but the clouds obscured the hills so hopefully will get a photo to post later on today.

Some of the local newspapers have readers submitting their snow photos, check out www.contracostatimes.com and www.abclocal.go.com .

Today the sun has been shining a bit but temperatures are expected to be low again over night so more snow is forecast. On my lunch hour I went in to the local Ace Hardware store and there were signs posted that snow shovels and ice scrapers were available! Imagine in the San Francisco Bay Area – SNOW!!

Posted by:Kathy Mardiros



December 03, 2009

Coming Soon in Fremont, CA

Posted to

Check out this new simply adorable 2 bedroom 2 bathroom condo for sale! It’s priced right under $300K and is located in Fremont, California right across from Central Park.

You can visit www.AlbanyCommon.com for more details.


Posted by:Kay Korbel



December 02, 2009

Great Ways to Economize... Using Coffee Filters

Posted to

Looking for ways to economize? My friend, Marge in Rockford, IL. Suggested this handy list for using coffee filters. Marge says you can buy the coffee filters at the Dollar Stores and save money and time! Thanks Marge!

Coffee filters are…

  • Great as a cover for microwave reheating
  • Great for small clean up jobs
  • Great for storing china plates, cups and saucers
  • Great for applying shoe polish
  • Great for lining a houseplant pot to keep potting soil inside the pot
  • Great for toddlers with snacks
  • Great for blotting/draining fried foods
  • Great as a strainer liner for liquids IE: home made stock, heavy sediment in red wine, broken cork etc.
  • Great as a spoon rest
  • Great for measuring the weight of dry ingredients
  • Great for packing individual holiday ornaments

Post a hint of how you economize at your house by commenting below. Share it with the many other readers of my blog.

Happy Holidays! It’s a good life!


Posted by:Kay Korbel



December 02, 2009

San Leandro, CA - A town with a Marina

Posted to Kathy Mardiros

Located just south of Oakland, San Leandro can be seen rising from the Bay to the hills. A town of stable neighborhoods with many amenities that attract home buyers, San Leandro is a popular housing choice. San Leandro has recently undergone a revitalization of the downtown area and shoppers are finding a variety of shops and restaurants to meet their needs.

One of the highlights of the San Leandro area is Marina Park – a 30 acre regional park with picnic areas complete with BBQs, a par course for the fitness enthusiast and a marina. The marina has 455 berths, a boat launch ramp and 2 yacht clubs. In the marina area there are restaurants, golf courses, and a driving range making the marina a destination sought after by strollers, golfers, ball players and boaters.

Housing choices often reflect a limited inventory of available homes. At the present time there are only 125 properties listed as active on the Multiple Listing Service ranging in price from condominiums priced under $100,000 to single family homes priced closed to $1,000,000 with many homes priced in the middle ranges. With the limited inventory, well priced properties are often selling with multiple offers and over asking price.

If you are interested in the San Leandro area, visit our web site at www.legacyrealestateassociates.com and sign up for Listing Alert so you will be notified when a new listing meeting your search parameters comes on the market. Or give me a call at 925-287-0550 and I will put you in touch with one of our sales associates.


Posted by:Kathy Mardiros