Anthony is now a twenty-five year resident of Crocker Highlands and proud to serve his neighborhood well and that means giving back to his community. Over the last seven years, Anthony has given over $125,000 to Crocker Highlands Elementary School and recently added Edna Brewer Middle School to his neighborhood endowments. Anthony is not only the number one agent in Crocker Highlands, but Anthony and his team are the number one team in the East Bay markets of Oakland, Piedmont and Berkeley with 2014 sales of $65,000,000! Anthony’s real estate career began in Crocker Highlands eleven years ago and Anthony takes pride in all of his Crocker listings whether it’s a $650,000 home or a $1,500,000 home.

ANTHONY RIGGINS THE EAST BAY TEAM

2015 CROCKER HIGHLANDS YEAR END UPDATE

We have certainly outdone ourselves for the third consecutive year in all categories. Most startling is the large increase from 2014 to 2015 in our average sales price, median sales price and sold price per square foot. Many times this year, our homes final sales price and sold price per square foot has mirrored comparable sold properties in Piedmont. This is an accomplishment that we have not seen historically. The majority of our homes sold in 2015 had no loan and appraisal contingency and many of those homes had no physical inspection contingencies.

Year

Avg. Sales Price

Median Sales Price

Sold Price per sq.ft.

Sold Price % over List Price

Avg, Days on Market

Number of Homes Sold

2014

$1,125,000

$1,026,500

$541.00

111%

19

62

2015

$1,375,000

$1,400,000

$593.00

115%

16

59

CROCKER HIGHLANDS2015 Year End Analysis*

*Per the MLS

Another Record Breaking Year For Our Neighborhood!

ANTHONY RIGGINS, 510.693.7931 anthony.riggins@sothebyshomes.com

Anthony Riggins and Dr. Lee Hambrick’s residence, Crocker Highlands The Finest Properties • The Best Marketing • True Global Exposure

ANTHONY RIGGINS THE EAST BAY TEAM

2015 CROCKER HIGHLANDS YEAR END UPDATE

Why No Loan And Appraisal Contingency When The Buyer Is Getting A Loan?Since many of our 2013 and 2014 higher end home sales had all cash offers, that set the stage for having very high comps on the books. As the all cash offers started to dry up in 2015, buyers with loans were able to compete again. However, with 5-10 offers on so many of our listings, one or more of those buyers had 40-60% down payments and felt confident that should a property not appraise when they are in contract, they could (a) move to another loan program or (b) the buyer had the funds to make up the difference in any potential shortfall from their purchase price and an appraised price. Did this ever happen in Crocker Highlands? I am not aware of a home not appraising for the purchase price since so many comparable sold homes were already closed and used as comps.

When A Buyer With A Loan Waives Their Financing Contingency, Do They Still Get A Loan?Although this sounds confusing for a buyer to waive their financing contingency when they are getting a loan, the buyer feels that other buyers bidding will do the same thing or could be all cash. Competition in an up market leads to the waiver of a financing contingency yet many sellers do not understand why the buyer is still getting a loan and their lender is still sending out an appraiser. If this makes my sellers uncomfortable, I issue a counter offer from the seller back to the buyer’s agent stating: “Should there be any shortfall between the purchase price and the appraised value, the buyer will cover that difference”. Once the buyer signs this, it can make you, as the seller, feel comfortable in accepting an offer with no loan or appraisal contingency.

Anthony in front of his home on Grosvenor Place

View from 525 Mandana Boulevard, Penthouse 402

987 Longridge Road, Crocker Highlands

1052 Hubert Road, Crocker Highlands

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Why Would A Buyer Waive Their Physical Inspection Contingency?Again, with so much competition, buyers realize that in order to compete with the other offers they must remove all physical inspection contingencies. Is this good for the seller? It should be if your listing agent used very well-respected and thorough pre-sale inspections on your property. Coming out of the recession and into a seller’s market, 95% of my listings sold with no physical inspection contingency. The three inspections in all of my disclosure packages for buyers and buyers’ agents to review have (a) a thorough written general inspection, (b) a written pest report that has dollar amounts attached to any Section I findings, and (c) a sewer lateral video to see if the sewer will pass the EBMUD law that went into effect on January 16, 2013. The sewer lateral ordinance has three choices for a seller to disclose to the Buyer. Number 1, if you are in compliance then you do not need to do a sewer video. Number 2, if there is a problem with your sewer not passing, the sewer company will give you a written report with a dollar amount as to how much it will cost you or the buyer to fix it. Number 3, a seller does not necessarily have to fix the sewer prior to the close of escrow. In a seller’s market, this cost has been passed on to the buyer, after escrow closes, the new owner has 180 days to complete all repairs needed to pass the EBMUD requirements and receive a compliance certificate.

What Else Does Anthony Ask Of His Sellers In Order To Hopefully Not Have An Inspection Contingency?If the general home inspection and pest inspection call out for a drainage issue, foundation problems or roof issues (three most common further inspections and reports), Anthony will call out qualified specialist inspectors to give a written report, opinion and cost for any issues found from their inspections. Most likely, Anthony will ask you to just submit these findings for the buyers’ knowledge and not pay for any issues that might have arisen from these inspections. If you did not have these inspections done up front, a buyer’s agent will have them done and come back to you for tens of thousands of dollars for a credit or price reduction. It is best for the seller to spend an additional $500.00 - $700.00 for these specialist inspectors versus being asked by a buyer for so much money back. In this market, we disclose, disclose and disclose up front.

When Should You Call Anthony To Discuss Preparing Your House For Its Sale?One year in advance, two years, three years, two months? The sooner the better particularly if you know that you need to spend some money on your foundation, considering improving your kitchen or bathroom, painting the interior or exterior of your home. I can help you prioritize your money so you get the best bang for your buck. I’ve had several neighbors call me after they have spent $75,000 to landscape an upslope backyard and are out of money. Wow, I would have had you update your kitchen, a bath, paint your interior and have money for staging. So, please if you need any advice today or in a year or two, call me for a consultation on prioritizing your home preparation for its sale and generating top dollar!

In this market, we disclose, disclose and disclose up front.

1060 Sunnyhills Road, Crocker Highlands

32 Mandana Circle, Crocker Highlands

ANTHONY RIGGINS THE EAST BAY TEAM

2015 CROCKER HIGHLANDS YEAR END UPDATE

We Owe A Huge Thank You For Our Rising Home Values To One Group Of People.Our local restaurant scene has put us on the map with our San Francisco buyers. Who would have thought that restaurateurs, whom have the highest failure rate of any business, would choose the recession years to open up on Lakeshore, Grand and Park Blvd? Many of them are by San Francisco chefs as well. Something tells me they were very smart to do so. During the recession years, we quit driving to San Francisco to spend money at expensive restaurants as we stayed close to home. As a twenty-five year resident of Crocker Highlands, I too have been screaming for great restaurants down the street from us. It finally happened and as a result, our new Crocker Highlands residents from San Francisco were proud to show off their new homes and our beautiful neighborhood. Inviting their city friends over, they chose to walk them to our local restaurant scene and their city friends savor our sidewalks, old-fashioned street lamps and great dining.

Now That The Secret Is Out About Our Neighborhood, Guess What Else Happened?Uh oh Lower Rockridge! After decades of playing second fiddle to lower Rockridge and their BART station plus the vibrant dining on College Avenue, we are finally in first place in home values! Beginning in 2014 and continuing through 2015, our Crocker Highlands homes are now more expensive than lower Rockridge in average sales price and median home price. So please, patronize our local restaurants on Lakeshore, Grand and Park Blvd. They have been very, very good to us for our meals AND rising home values. We are both very busy here at my house with a successful realtor and OB/GYN so our work hours run late like many of you. So, if you are the last one coming home, please call ahead and stop by for take-out from one of our great new neighborhood eateries.

If you missed all of the amazing press in 2015 with the NY Times calling Oakland, “the Brooklyn of the West”, and the January 2, 2016 edition placing Oakland #39 in its 52 places

Downsizing And Staying In The East Bay?I bet you are! Out of 50 listings over the last 30 months, only two of those sellers moved away from the area. This includes Piedmont sellers as well. Outside of financial reasons (it’s expensive to live here), I always wondered why retirees would move to such remote areas when (a) you need your health care the most, (b) starting over and trying to meet new friends is more difficult the older you get (and wouldn’t you miss your long-term friendships?), (c) can you really go to the local grocery store and have such poor vegetables, frozen fish and bad meat, and (d) our weather is nearly perfect!

So, guess what? You are staying put but moving to a smaller place. Last year I sold lofts, yes lofts to our long-term residents in Crocker Highlands and Piedmont. Everyone wants to stay here but realize they don’t need all of that space, furniture, two or three stories (you have to think about this as you get older). Second place last year were mid-rise condominiums around Lake Merritt or Jack London Square. Elevators when you might need it, security with a doorman and of course what all generations want—walkability, whether it’s for meals, coffee or just to hang out and people watch.

We Are Your Experts For Downsizing?I have two full time buyers’ agents who work with me on my team. We have honed our skills over the last three years by selling many smaller places for you to consider if downsizing. We understand from many people that they have never taken the time to explore these options. You don’t have to do this alone. Call me. We can get this process going so you are as comfortable in your new home as you are in the one you live in now. When I am busy marketing and preparing your home for sale, my buyers’ agents can show you your options. You need to take the first step if you have not explored these options on your own by calling us. We can handle both of your transactions.

to go in 2016 (among destinations such as Barcelona and Bordeaux). This article also states that Oakland has 300 new restaurants that opened in the last few years.

What A Great Move To Work At The Number One Office In The World For Sotheby’s!This is our one year anniversary to be associated as The East Bay Team in the San Francisco office. I think the word is finally out there that we did not leave the East Bay. We will NEVER sell in San Francisco. We are also proud to be the number one sales team in the East Bay for our San Francisco office. Number One East Bay Team at the Number One Sotheby’s International office in the world. There are 825 Sotheby’s offices in the world! That’s a Big WOW!

What Are The Benefits For You To WorkWith The Number One East Bay Team In The SF Office?A lot. Where are the majority of our buyers coming from? San Francisco! Can you guess the price range that SF buyers cannot afford when they want a three bedroom, two bath home, a backyard and the ability to walk to shops and dining in SF? It’s $1.2 - $1.7M. In order to live with these requirements, San Franciscans are pushed all the way out to the edge of the city! Crocker Highlands is tops on their list. How do we reach not only our San Francisco colleagues in marketing your home to San Francisco buyers, but we target agents at all of the other brokerages? (1) postcards, (2) touring on Tuesday with our SF colleagues

Anthony’s Marketing Has Been Kicked Up A Notch Or Two.Known for having the best marketing in the East Bay, I took it upon myself to hire an industry best for design and marketing who knows how to work not only with the Sotheby’s International Realty Brand, but understands my style. With my marketing manager’s talent, she is creating professional, yet cutting edge print work, social media and is close to completing my new web site. My sellers get to benefit from her work. I could be the only Oakland, Berkeley and Piedmont real estate agent who has a full time marketing and design manager that works right beside me.

and meeting all of the agents in the city to get them to send their buyers to our listings and (3) send all agents on Fridays our listings via an email system that allows us to monitor who looks at our professionally designed internet brochures. We have a 40% click through rate due to agents who now know me after meeting me in person on Tuesday tours in San Francisco. A 40% click through rate is unheard of and unmatched by any other East Bay agent to the entire San Francisco brokerage community. We are bringing the San Francisco buyers to your open homes in addition to selling your home.

60 King Avenue, Piedmont

ANTHONY RIGGINS, 510.693.7931 anthony.riggins@sothebyshomes.comThe Finest Properties • The Best Marketing • True Global Exposure

Operated by Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. Sotheby’s International Realty does not guarantee the accuracy of square footage or other information. 117 Greenwich Street San Francisco 94111

ANTHONY RIGGINS & THE EAST BAY TEAMJANUARY-DECEMBER 2015 SIGNIFICANT SALES

60 King Avenue, Piedmont | Sold for $4,235,000

1048 Sunnyhills Road, Oakland | Sold for $1,710,000

987 Longridge Road, Oakland | Sold for $1,825,000

1052 Hubert Road, Oakland | Sold for $1,470,000

915 Mandana Blvd., Oakland | Sold for $1,275,000*

2906 Hillegass, Unit B, Berkeley | Sold for $1,251,000

709 Caldwell Road, Oakland | Sold for $1,400,000*

14 Chancellor Place, Berkeley | Sold for $1,660,000

1228 Grand View Dr., Berkeley | Sold for $1,550,000

1630 Reliez Valley, Lafayette | Sold for $2,362,000*

1025 Hubert Road, Oakland | Sold for $1,680,000

9334 Skyline Blvd., Oakland | Sold for $1,386,000

1851 Magellan Drive, Oakland | Sold for $1,290,000

40 Halkin Lane, Berkeley | Sold for $1,775,000*

697 Calmar Ave., Oakland | Sold for $1,595,000*