"We found someone who will sell our house for less," the message said, "so we're going with him." (No doubt.)A week later, the property showed up on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) as a "Coming Soon," with an out-of-area Agent (that no one seems to know) who had not only misspelled Piedmont but had improperly placed the house near Joaquin Miller Park.You get what you pay for. Will this property still sell?Absolutely. It's on a great street, is a diamond in the rough, offers level-living ..read more

"I'm feeling a bit blue," my friend said. The girls are going to be with their dad in Piedmont, and my son is headed to London, so Christmas is going to be lonely here on the East Coast" (Fa-la-la-la.) "Well . . . here's a thought," I said, "Cliff and I celebrate Chanukkah so Christmas doesn't mean a whole lot to me. Why don't you and I meet in New York City on the 26th?" And so we did . . . . With the holidays already in full swing, we both immediately booked tickets to meet in the Big App ..read more

"Julie, are you free tomorrow night to join me for an ugly sweater party?" the email inquired."Sure," I quickly replied, before realizing that now I'd need an ugly sweater. (I've spent my adult life fighting "ugly.")Not to worry, I did one better and found a truly ugly onesie at a local charity store for $20. (And yes, I actually wore it to the party.)​And while Sarah, Jill, Kate, and I have essentially built our careers on eliminating "ugly" - ugly paint, ugly wallpaper, ugly carpets, ugl ..read more

It's no surprise to my close friends that I've been on a weight-loss journey for the past year, and happily, I've had great success reclaiming my old body (not EXACTLY my old body but you get my drift).The transformation didn't happen overnight, nor did it happen alone. After reaching an emotional low on what should have been an active, fun-filled vacation with my husband's tennis group in Mallorca, Spain (NOT), I finally had to admit defeat (it wasn't pretty). After ignoring the creeping p ..read more

On Tuesday, I spent the morning with members of the Piedmont Garden Club assisting city workers for "Lights Up Piedmont," a wintery, annual holiday event that brings families and community together to watch the tree light up in the center of town. Founded in 1969 and sponsored by the Piedmont Beautification Foundation, as well as many other local organizations, this lovely tradition includes not only the "Ahh" moment when the Christmas lights come on, but hot chocolate and cider to warm the soul ..read more

The holidays are upon us and the timing couldn't be more apropos. After the election, I'm feeling more than a little disappointed by the results and more disturbingly, what they say about our nation as a whole. Thus, the opportunity to take a break, gather with family and friends, and give thanks for ALL I've earned and been granted seems more important and necessary than ever (and I have a TON to be thankful for). Even so, as a woman who strongly believes in female agency and autonomy, it ..read more

Last week, I joined a group of ladies for a Kokedama workshop at the Oconomowak Gardens in Alameda. (I didn't know what Kokedama was either.)Turns out, Kokedama is the Japanese art of growing plants (also known as poor man's bonsai) in a ball constructed of soil and peat moss. Once the excess water has been squeezed out and the ball is relatively compact and round, you insert a plant of your choosing in the middle, tightly wrap the creation with moss, and then encircle it with twine to form a ne ..read more

"I hear you're bringing a level-living home to market next year," my colleague inquired, "would your Sellers consider an off-market sale now?""Hmmm . . . if it was EXTREMELY compelling, they probably would," I said.However, in these instances, I'm generally a skeptic. The problem is that when prospective Buyers view a property in its "before" state (meaning with the Sellers "stuff" in place), they can rarely see past the antique furniture, the dated paint colors, or the worn carpet, and this is ..read more

It's already November, which means we're heading into Thanksgiving and our Winter Season. In Realtor terms, this is when inventory begins to dry up, and properties that haven't gone pending are likely to come off the market and reemerge next Spring, with hopefully, better results.Of course, no one has a crystal ball, and things could be decidedly different in 2025 depending on the outcome of the presidential election, the interest rates, supply & demand, and consumer confidence. (We hope not ..read more

It's nearly Halloween which means the pumpkins have arrived, ghoulish spiders and skeletons are decorating homes up and down the block, and my neighbors' kids have begun to walk by my house on the way to school dressed as Spiderman, Mario Brothers, and Harry Potter. (The little girls seem to live in princess dresses year round from what I can tell). I'm reminded of my sons' Halloween costumes, which try as I might to dissuade them, always seemed to begin and end with the gnarliest weapons ..read more