West End Flea Market at the College of Alameda

College of Alameda, Alameda, California

Gather the family, put on your most comfortable walking shoes, and ready yourself for a day of shopping, live entertainment, food, and more.  The West End Flea Market is arriving at the College of Alameda this Saturday, and you will want to see for yourself what all of the “hype” is about.

 

The West End Flea Market at the College of Alameda is the newest Saturday Bay Area Flea Market, capturing the attention of shoppers from near and far.  The Market is ever-changing, always offering something new and different, at amazingly low prices. Collectors, repurposers, treasure seekers, vintage lovers, and regular everyday shoppers, are all invited to indulge in a day of unique vendor rummaging.

 

Items that can be found, but not limited to, include jewelry, clothing, home décor, accessories, handbags, body products, hats, children’s items, collectibles, vintage finds, and much more.  With too many vendors to count, the West End Flea Market guarantees every member of your family to walk away with arms full of diverse merchandise.

 

Take a break from shopping and visit the food court, which will be supplying the much-needed nourishment to keep you going.  The multiple on-sight food trucks will be offering a wide array of foods that you can sit down to eat, while enjoying live entertainment.

 

So, whether you are a serious treasure seeker, or you are merely seeking to stumble upon a unique find, the West End Flea Market is the Market for you.  Believe it or not, you do need that stunning piece of turquoise jewelry, or the very rare 1962 collector’s baseball card.  Who knows what other gems you are likely to unearth at The West End Flea Market?

 

The Market goes far beyond a rare, and unique shopping extravaganza. It is an opportunity for your family to gather with friends, eating, dancing, and taking in the sights and sounds of the live entertainment. This Saturday, indulge in a day of bargain-hunting, entertainment, food, fun, and more.  You will understand what all of the West End Flea Market “hype”, is about.

Saturday February 15^th

9:00AM-4:00PM

Rain or Shine!

For more information regarding this event, please click here.

Saraya and Simon Motley
Pacific Union and Christie’s International Real Estate
Serving Alameda & Contra Costa Counties
510.459.4338/direct . 925.385.8503/direct
925.403.7802/eFax
saraya@eastbayhouse.com
www.eastbayhouse.com
CalBRE License #01265873   

Photo courtesy of Daniel Proulx/flickr.com.

Bay Area Luxury Home Sales Reach Record Highs

$2 MILLION-PLUS HOME SALES SOAR IN BAY AREA

High-end homes throughout the Bay Area sold at a record pace in 2013, according to a recent article in the San Jose MercuryNews.

Citing figures from research firm DataQuick, the publication reports that 2,604 homes priced above $2 million sold in the Bay Area last year, a 28 percent jump from 2012 and the largest number since the vendor began keeping records.

Some of these luxury homes are bound to induce a bit of sticker shock. Atherton had the largest Bay Area sale of the year, with one home selling for almost $37 million. A $35 million transaction took place in San Francisco, while the costliest in Palo Alto was $15 million.

Million-dollar-plus home sales were also up across the Bay Area as a whole, growing nearly 41 percent since 2012. Alameda and Contra Costa counties saw the largest increases at this price point: 70 and 63 percent respectively.

Article courtesy of PacificUnion.com

Saraya and Simon Motley
Pacific Union and Christie’s International Real Estate
Serving Alameda & Contra Costa Counties
510.459.4338/direct . 925.385.8503/direct
925.403.7802/eFax
saraya@eastbayhouse.com
www.eastbayhouse.com
CalBRE License #01265873   

Photo courtesy of skip.keubel/Flickr.com

2014 February Tasting Party

The Port Workspaces, Oakland, California

Get your taste buds geared up, and prepare yourself for a day of beverage, and food tastings.  If your palette is beckoning for a sampling of the areas’ finest foods and beverages, come out this Saturday for the 2014 Tasting Party event.

Oakland, California, and its surrounding areas are chalked full of fine restaurants, eateries, and bakeries.  In addition, the region offers only the finest of wines, mixed cocktails, and other beverages that are exclusive to California.  This Saturday The Port Workspaces welcomes bakers, personal chefs, catering companies, vintners, and brew masters to showcase their proudest accomplishments.  As a guest, you can travel from vendor table to vendor table, tasting the delicious dishes and beverages.  Be sure to bring a pen and paper to jot down your favorites, as you will have the opportunity to vote on the vendor that delighted your senses the most.  At the end of the event the vendor table that receives the most votes will be awarded a prestigious trophy. 

In addition to your tasting experience, you can attend a variety of live demonstrations.  Guest chefs will be present, preparing their food and beverage concoctions right before your eyes.  Perhaps you can pick up a few tips and techniques during their feature presentations.  Bakers, chefs, brew masters, and wine-makers will all be highlighted in this year’s event. 

Admission prices to attend this very unique event are only $10.00 per person.  To purchase your tickets online, please click here.

This Saturday, join in on the fun in celebrating the 3^rd Annual Tasting Party.  Be sure to come with an empty stomach, and the desire to fill it with some of the area’s finest foods, baked goods, and beverages. 

Saturday February 8^th

12:00PM

For more information regarding the 2014 February Tasting Party, please click here.

Saraya and Simon Motley
Pacific Union and Christie’s International Real Estate
Serving Alameda & Contra Costa Counties
510.459.4338/direct . 925.385.8503/direct
925.403.7802/eFax
saraya@eastbayhouse.com
www.eastbayhouse.com
CalBRE License #01265873

Photo courtesy of Fast Forward Event Productions/Flickr.com

Bay Area Job Growth Keeps on Truckin’

Strong Bay Area job growth continued to fuel California employment gains in December, the latest state figures show. That’s a promising sign that 2014 will be another banner year for Bay Area residential real estate.

California’s unemployment rate dropped to 8.3 percent in the last month of 2013, down from 8.5 percent in November and 9.8 percent in December 2012, the state Employment Development Department said.

Palo Alto-based economist Stephen Levy credited the Bay Area’s sizzling job market with driving the state’s advances.

“The San Francisco peninsula job market remains on fire from San Francisco to San Jose,” Levy, of the Center for Continuing Study of the California Economy, said in a statement. “As a result the Bay Area accounted for 82 percent of the state’s December job gains.”

Marin County continued to boast the lowest jobless rate in California, with just 4.2 percent of its residents unemployed, the state reported. Meanwhile, San Mateo and San Francisco counties followed close behind with rates of 4.6 and 4.8 percent, respectively.

All nine Bay Area counties handily beat the overall California numbers. In Sonoma and Santa Clara counties, the December unemployment rate was 5.7 percent, followed by Napa County’s 5.9 percent, Alameda County’s 6.3 percent, Contra Costa’s 6.4 percent, and Solano’s 7.3 percent.

Nevada County, home to Pacific Union’s Truckee market, boasted an unemployment rate of 6.7 percent.

While tech-heavy urban counties continue to see the most pronounced employment growth, the recovery has begun to spread “to other areas of the state and to non-tech sectors including construction, tourism, and retail trade,” Levy said.

“Perhaps the largest ‘rising tide’ effect on all Californians is the increase in state and local revenues that is providing additional resources for education and other public services,” he added.

And the bustling job market is boosting demand for Bay Area homes for sale, as new workers move to the region and tech companies mature, creating more millionaires. Indeed, this year we expect the residential housing market in our regions to outpace their already-stellar 2013 performance.

Saraya and Simon Motley
Pacific Union and Christie’s International Real Estate
Serving Alameda & Contra Costa Counties
510.459.4338/direct . 925.385.8503/direct
925.403.7802/eFax
saraya@eastbayhouse.com
www.eastbayhouse.com
CalBRE License #01265873   

(Image: Flickr/Metropolitan Library and Archive)