After talking with dozens of buyers and agents at my recent open houses, broker tours and private showings, one thing has remains very clear to me: price is still king.
I currently have four homes on the market in the East Bay, with another coming next week, so I'm getting a good snapshot of what buyers are thinking right now. Buyers are out there, and housing inventory remains low, but if the listing price is too high, buyers just assume it will go way out of their price range. Especially as rates where they are (currently low to mid 6%), buyers can easily get priced out.
That's why I think one of the biggest mistakes a seller can make in today's market is pushing the listing price too high.
The home seller sets the listing price. My job is to provide the information, experience and advice to help them make that decision. But I also encourage sellers to think about the listing price differently: it isn't what we think the house is worth. The listing price is a marketing tool designed to get qualified buyers interested in the property.
That's an important distinction.
A home might ultimately be worth $1 million, but that doesn't mean $1 million is the best price at which to list it. East Bay Buyers would likely see that price and assume the home will sell for $1.2M+ so they will see the property priced above their limit. By doing so, we've eliminated a large part of our potential audience before they ever walk through the door. Or saved it on an App.
And if buyers perceive a home as overpriced when it first comes on the market, many won't make an offer. They'll simply move on to the next house. They'll swipe left and move on.
That's particularly important during those first days on the market. A new listing gets one opportunity to be new. You only get one chance to make a first impression. That's when we're likely to have the most eyes on the property and the greatest opportunity to create excitement and, ideally, competition.
I'm also hearing buyers calculate much more than the purchase price. They're looking at what they'll need to spend after they get the keys. Does the house need paint? Flooring? Landscaping? Appliances? Electrical work? What will insurance cost? None of these things necessarily prevents a home from selling, but buyers are factoring them into what they're willing to pay. Buyers don't want projects and will empty their pockets for the right home that is truly move-in ready.
The same is true of presentation. Buyers may love original hardwood floors, vintage tile and architectural details. A home doesn't have to be newly remodeled to sell well. But condition, preparation and presentation all contribute to a buyer's perception of value.
And that brings everything back to price.
Almost every home has a price at which buyers will become excited about it. Our job isn't to squeeze every possible dollar into the listing price. It's to position the home so buyers see value, come through the door and, ideally, compete with one another.
Because ultimately, the listing price doesn't determine what a home is worth.
The buyers do.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
There's plenty happening in Montclair as summer winds down! Picnic on the Plaza continues on Antioch Court with free community events, starting with Health & Wellness on Sunday, August 23 from 12-4PM. Stop by to meet local health and wellness businesses, check out fitness classes and talks, and even enter to win prizes from Montclair businesses. Looking ahead, Salsa & Sangria takes over the Plaza on Sunday, September 20, followed by Halloween Fun on Sunday, October 25, with trick-or-treating, face painting, a scavenger hunt, DJ and more.
And how about a movie under the stars? Red Oak Realty's 2026 Montclair Outdoor Cinema returns to our Montclair office at 6450 Moraga Avenue with free admission. First up is one of my personal favorites, the 1986 classic Stand By Me on Saturday, August 22, followed by Zootopia 2 on Saturday, September 12. Grab the family, bring something comfortable to sit on and enjoy a movie outside while we've still got those late-summer evenings. Read more below. Hope to see some of you there!
Our Fourth Biannual San Leandro Red Oak Realty Blood Drive
Save the date! The next Blood Drive at mt San Leandro office has been set for Wednesday October 7th. I expect to have a sign in link on my next newsletter, or just reach out to me and I'll send it to you once I have it.
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
"Don't believe everything you see on the Internet" Abrham Lincoln.
REGISTER TO VOTE
Daily, we're experiencing the results of not enough people voting. If you are not registered, please do so. If you are, please spread the word to five others to encourage more people to do so. Every single vote matters. You can use the link below.
https://www.nass.org/can-i-vote/register-to-vote
NO BIG RIGS ON 580
For decades, big rigs have been prohibited on I-580 through Oakland, a ban that effectively protects San Leandro as well, helping shield the residential neighborhoods that line this corridor. Now there is renewed discussion about allowing heavy trucks on this stretch of freeway. I believe doing so would mean more noise, pollution and safety concerns for the communities along I-580 and would fundamentally change a freeway that runs directly through our neighborhoods. Big rigs could also naturally spill over onto Highway 13, which has no such protections, and even onto surface streets in our neighborhoods.
If you agree that big rigs should remain off I-580, please make your voice heard. This is an issue that could have a lasting impact on Oakland and San Leandro, and once this long-standing protection is gone, getting it back may not be easy. NO BIG RIGS ON 580!
HOMEOWNERSHIP TIP OF THE MONTH - Reach out
One of the most frustrating parts of owning a home is finding the right person when something needs to be repaired, replaced or improved. Over the years, I've put together a Homeowner Resource Guide with contractors, and other service providers that my clients and I have had positive experience with from plumbers and electricians to painters, landscapers, cleaners and more.
If you have a project around the house and need someone to call, reach out to me. I'm always happy to share my Resource Guide even if you're not planning to buy or sell anytime soon!
LOCAL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT - Dad's favorite: Scoma's Cioppino make it at home
For the sauce base:
- cup rice bran oil or olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh garlic, chopped
- cup vegetable stock or water
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 medium cans high-quality chopped tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- bunch fresh basil
- Optional: chile flakes
For the seafood:
- 1 cups cioppino sauce base
- 5 littleneck clams
- 5 mussels
- 3 oz. ling cod or other white fish
- 1 oz. cooked crabmeat
- 3 large prawns
- 3 dry-packed scallops
For serving:
- Toasted garlic bread
- Italian flat-leaf parsley
For the sauce: olive oil, diced onion, chopped garlic, vegetable stock or water, red-wine vinegar, dried oregano, good-quality chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, kosher salt and fresh basil.
Sauté the onion and garlic gently. Add the stock and vinegar and reduce until nearly dry. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and oregano and simmer for about 30-40 minutes. Finish with salt and fresh basil. Scoma's suggests chili flakes if you like a little heat.
For the seafood: littleneck clams, mussels, white fish such as ling cod, cooked crabmeat, large prawns and dry-packed scallops, calamari.
The seafood cooks very quickly. Start the clams and mussels in olive oil, removing them as they open. Gently cook the fish, prawns and scallops in the sauce, then return the shellfish and add the cooked crab at the end so it just heats through. Scoma's own current cooking instructions say total seafood cooking time is only about 5-6 minutes and recommend serving it with toasted sourdough. - serves 4
TRAVEL
Sometimes it's easy to forget just how much there is to see right here in California.
My cousin, his 13-year old and I recently took a road trip that covered an amazing variety of California scenery and history. Our first stop was Pinnacles National Park with its dramatic rock formations and rugged landscape a part of California that looks completely different from the Bay Area and reminded me a bit of Joshua Tree NP. We may have even spotted a California Condor (my Pickleball nickname)
From there, we made our way to through Paso Robles to Cambria and Hearst Castle, which never disappoints. No matter how many photos you've seen, it's hard to appreciate the scale and extravagance of William Randolph Hearst's hilltop estate until you're actually there. We also spent some time exploring the surrounding area, including San Luis Obispo and hiked on of the nine sisters.
Then it was inland through the hot, hot Central Valley and on to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Standing in front of the General Sherman Tree the largest tree on Earth by volume really puts things into perspective. These trees aren't just enormous; some have been standing for thousands of years.
We also traveled through some of California's smaller agricultural towns along the way. I love getting off the beaten path a little and learning something about places I might otherwise just drive past.
From the rocky Pinnacles to the Pacific Coast, Hearst Castle, the Central Valley and finally the giant sequoias, it was a great reminder that you don't always need to get on an airplane to have an incredible weekend vacation.
Sometimes you just need to point the car in a different direction and explore California.
Still hoping to get Seattle back on the calendar. I think it will be the end of September.
Do you have any trips planned?
RESTAURANT OF THE MONTH: Scoma's San Francisco
As I write this, today would have been my dad's 92nd birthday, and whenever I think about one of his favorite San Francisco restaurants, Scoma's immediately comes to mind.
My dad loved seafood, and at Scoma's his favorite was always the cioppinoloaded with fresh seafood and Dungeness crab in that wonderful tomato broth. It's one of those dishes that's quintessentially San Francisco, and for me it's also one of those foods that will forever be connected to memories of my dad.
Scoma's is tucked away on Pier 47 at Fisherman's Wharf, and it's been there since 1965. Brothers Al and Joe Scoma started with a tiny six-stool coffee shop serving fishermen breakfast and burgers. Over the years, it grew into a San Francisco institution, but thankfully it has never lost that old-school character.
That's a big part of why I still love going there.
Fisherman's Wharf can obviously be touristy, but Scoma's somehow feels different. You leave the crowds on Jefferson Street and head down the pier into a working part of the Wharf. Fishing boats are nearby, and Scoma's actually has its own fish-receiving station where local fishermen can bring their catch directly to the restaurant. It's about as close to "pier to plate" as you can get.
And then there's the cioppino.
Cioppino itself is a San Francisco creation, born out of the city's Italian fishing community. There are plenty of places around the Bay Area to get it, but Scoma's version is the one that always makes me think of my dad. Their "Lazy Man's" Cioppino has Dungeness crabmeat along with scallops, shrimp, clams, mussels, calamari and fish in a rich tomato broth. The "lazy" part means they've done the messy work for you, so you can concentrate on eating it.
It's delicious.
Scoma's also has many of the other things you'd hope to find at an old-school San Francisco seafood restaurant: Dungeness crab, clam chowder, Crab Louie, petrale sole, oysters, fresh fish and plenty of Italian influence. It's the kind of menu that doesn't need to chase the latest culinary trend.
I like that.
There are newer restaurants. There are trendier restaurants. And there are certainly places where you're more likely to see someone's dinner being photographed for Instagram before anyone is allowed to take a bite.
But there's something to be said for a restaurant that knows exactly what it is and has been doing it well for more than 60 years.
For me, though, Scoma's will always be about more than the food.
Restaurants have a wonderful way of becoming markers in our lives. A particular table, a familiar dish or even a smell can suddenly bring someone back to you. I met Maryann's parents for the first time here. I can have cioppino in plenty of places, but when I think about a steaming bowl of it at Scoma's, I think about my dad.
So today, on what would have been his 92nd birthday, I'm metaphorically raising a glass to him and recommending one of his favorite San Francisco traditions.
Happy birthday, Dad.
Where have you been eating out?
PICKLEBALL TIP OF THE MONTH - Are You Having Fun?
Pickleball can be competitive and that's part of what makes it so much fun. But sometimes I see players taking every point, questionable line call and unforced error so seriously that I wonder if they're actually enjoying themselves.
So my tip this month is simple: remember, it's a game!
Play hard. Try to win. Work on your serve, perfect your dink and celebrate that great shot. But laugh at the terrible ones, too. Compliment your opponent when they make a great play, don't obsess over a close call, and remember why most of us started playing in the first place.
We're supposed to be having fun out there!
Let me know if you want to play or learn!
MOVIES/THEATRE/TV
We tried getting into Ted Lasso (again) and made it about two episodes. Started Slow Horses so we'll see how that goes. So many shows are violent and I just want to chill when I watch.
Have a recommendation? I'm always looking for my next great concert, TV series, documentary, or quirky movie. Let me know what Maryann and I should watch next!
MUSIC - Howard Jones and more in Napa
If you're going to spend a summer evening outdoors in Napa Valley, you might as well do it with a soundtrack straight out of the 1980s!
Maryann and I joined our friends Jeff and Linda for a terrific night of music featuring Modern English, The English Beat, Wang Chung and headliner Howard Jones. That's a pretty impressive amount of neon '80s nostalgia packed into one evening.
I'd seen The English Beat several times before, and they were as fun as ever. But this was my first time seeing the other three bands, and the surprise of the night for me was Modern English. Of course everyone knows "I Melt With You," but their set reminded me that there was a lot more to this band than their biggest hit. They sounded great and were probably my favorite performance of the evening.
Wang Chung brought plenty of energy and really, how can you not have fun when you're waiting to hear "Everybody Have Fun Tonight"? Howard Jones closed things out with a set filled with songs that instantly transported us back a few decades.
Great friends, a beautiful Napa evening, live music and four bands from an era I still love. Not a bad way to spend a summer night.
And yes, everybody did Wang Chung that night. Next month I'm going to see Social Distortion.
What are you listening to?
Greg's Top 10 - Bay Area Hikes (Before Summer ends)
- Stream Trail — Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, Oakland
One of my favorite East Bay escapes. Towering redwoods, plenty of shade and the feeling that you've traveled much farther than a few minutes from Oakland. - Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve — Guerneville
Magnificent old-growth coast redwoods make this a special hike and it's easy to turn it into a full Sonoma County day trip with lunch or a little wine tasting afterward. - Bolinas Ridge Trail — Marin County
This one has a little bit of everything: rolling hills, forest and some spectacular Marin scenery. On a clear day, the views alone are worth the trip. - Canyon View Trail — Sunol Regional Wilderness
One of my favorite hikes in the southern East Bay. Canyon views, rugged hills and classic California scenery make Sunol feel surprisingly remote considering how close it is to home. - French Trail — Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, Oakland
A little more challenging than Stream Trail and one of the prettiest wooded hikes in the East Bay. Redwoods, winding trails and enough climbing to make you feel like you've accomplished something. - Shell Ridge Open Space — Walnut Creek
Miles of trails through rolling hills with some terrific views of Mount Diablo. There's very little shade, though, so for a summer hike, go early and bring plenty of water! - Dipsea Trail — Mill Valley/Stinson Beach
A Bay Area classic for good reason. Redwoods, stairs, hills and coastal views all packed into one hike. Just remember that all those downhill sections eventually have to be climbed again. - Tomales Point Trail — Point Reyes National Seashore
Spectacular coastal scenery and one of the best places in the Bay Area to see tule elk. You don't have to do the entire trail to make the drive worthwhile. - Miwok Trail — Anthony Chabot Regional Park, Castro Valley
Practically in our backyard, with rolling East Bay hills and great views. It's especially nice when you want a real hike without spending half the day driving somewhere to start it. - Lands End Coastal Trail — San Francisco
Ocean views, the Golden Gate Bridge, cypress trees, Sutro Baths and San Francisco history all in one relatively short hike. A great reminder that you don't have to leave the city to find a spectacular trail.
And remember: A great hike doesn't have to mean 12 miles, 3,000 feet of climbing and suffering. Sometimes a few miles in the redwoods followed by lunch and a beer is exactly the hike you needed.
REVIEW OF THE MONTH
Greg gave us great advice in crafting a competitive offer in a tight market. And now as we're unpacking and exploring our neighborhood, we are even more confident we got the best house for us and we are grateful for Greg's guidance!
I have more than 50 five-star reviews from previous clients. You can use this link to read or write a review about my real estate services: Zillow
REFERRALS
Always happy to talk with you or your friends about Real Estate goals. I know many great agents who work throughout the country so if you or someone you know is thinking about a move, call me. Let's brainstorm!
