Why start with a home inspection?

I was fortunate enough to tag along on a home inspection this past Monday with Matt Cantor a local home inspector who owns Cantor Inspections. For this inspection, I was strictly there to ask a ton of questions and get a true understanding of the inspection process and to learn the new code changes. And truly, to just geek out on home construction. I get that part of me from my dad.

For my clients, I will always attend and often times get dirty by crawling under the house with an Inspector so I can get a clear picture of what needs to be addressed. Typically, it's important to start with a home inspection to understand what you are buying and what needs to be addressed first and what can wait. It's a great starting to point to put together a 5 year budget of home maintenance projects.

I can't reiterate enough how important it is to get a home inspection completed by a reputable and knowledgeable inspector. A good home inspector should be able to tell you what parts of the house like electrical, roof, foundation needs to be addressed. They should also be able to tell you what is time sensitive and what can wait. Your Realtor should be able to give you a few recommendations. It's important that your home inspector is certified and has the background to back it up like being an experienced General Contractor.

For buyers, you must know what you are buying so you can budget for costs or negotiate a credit before removing your contingency. For Sellers, you do not want any surprises during escrow so it's best disclose everything and base your list price on these disclosures and the findings from the inspection. This also gives you an opportunity to fix any items you want. 

When buying, there will often times already be inspections completed by the owner. You will want to make sure they are done by a reputable company and if not, pay the extra money and get new inspections. Recently, a pest report was provided for a house for sale and when my clients obtained another pest report by a different company it came back $30K higher. It's important to work a reputable Realtor who can guide you this process to make educated decisions.

Here are some new, fun things I learned during this home inspection and yes, this is the geeky part of me:

• Sheer walls need to have ventilation holes. I am sure there is some type of controversy around this but it's better to be safe than sorry. No ventilation could equal mildew or mold down the road.
• Retrofitting that you may have gotten 10-15 years ago may be somewhat obsolete or there may be better practices in place. Information is changing all the time and it might be worth getting someone out there to check it out.
• Smoke alarms should be placed on ceilings not walls.
• Everyone should have a water shut-off valve (I knew this) but a good brand is the Little Firefighter and you can find them at gasvalvesource.com

Those are just a few of the new things I learned on Monday. Should you want to discuss further home inspections and/or see a sample of a home inspection, shoot me an email at ginaodom@gmail.com.

written by, Gina Odom

Berkeley Schools - Q & A

Hey Parents, I copied this right from the Berkekey Unified School District website. I've been getting a ton of questions lately about Berkeley schools, so here are some of the answers. Also, Berkeley Hills Realty's website has a ton of links and resources to check out regarding schools. More to follow.....

Enrollment FAQ:


Can my child attend a Berkeley Public School?

Children who reside in Berkeley may attend Berkeley Public Schools. In order to ensure placement for all Berkeley children, we need three proofs of residence to start the admission process (see Required Enrollment Documentation). If your child does not reside in Berkeley you may request an inter-district transfer from your school district. Inter-district transfers are considered after Berkeley residents are placed.

What elementary school is my student going to attend?

Elementary schools are divided into three attendance zones:

Northwest Zone: Berkeley Arts Magnet, Jefferson, Rosa Parks and Thousand Oaks

Central Zone: Berkeley Arts Magnet, Cragmont, Malcolm X, Oxford and Washington

Southeast Zone: Emerson, John Muir, LeConte and Malcolm X

**Your child will be assigned to an elementary school in his/her attendance zone.**

Where do I start with the admissions process?
Review our Steps to Enrollment webpage for detailed enrollment information or come to the Admissions Office to collect your enrollment packet and speak with one of our knowledgeable staff. School admissions is not handled at our individual schools.

What percentage of families gets their first choice of placement?
About 72 percent of our families get their first choice of school.

What if I am unhappy with my student’s placement school? Is there an appeal process?
You may request to place your student on a wait list for one or more schools. Student assignment appeals are limited to whether the student assignment was followed.

Is there sibling priority for school placement?
Yes. Assigning siblings to the same school is a priority for the District and all attempts are made to assign siblings to the same school. We want our families to be fully engaged in their school community.

Is there sibling priority for Two Way Immersion Spanish-English Programs?
No. Because of the high demand of English speaking families for the dual Two Way immersion (TWI) program, all English speaking student are given the same opportunity to participate in the dual immersion TWI lottery. However, siblings can attend the same elementary school.

What proof of Berkeley residency is required for admission?
Three approved proofs of Berkeley residency must be shown at the time of enrollment. Please see the Required Enrollment Documentation webpage for full details.

What if I have moved to a new address?
Once you move, you must provide the Admissions Office with three proofs of Berkeley residency.

What if I do not live in Berkeley and want my children to attend a BUSD school?
Non-Berkeley residents will be considered after all Berkeley residents are placed and if there is space available in the requested grade. Permission for an inter-district transfer must first be granted from the school district in the city where the child resides before being considered for placement in a Berkeley Public School.

If I don’t speak English, who can help me in admissions?
Spanish speaking staff are available in our office. In addition, a multi-lingual phone line is available to provide immediate interpretation in other languages.

by Gina Odom

I'm Green Certified!

I am so happy to say that I am a Certified Green Building Professional (CGBP) through Build It Green, a non-profit located in Oakland and Los Angelas.  This course gives me greater insight and knowledge on green building construction and resource conservation.

Build It Green is a membership supported non-profit organization whose mission is to promote healthy, energy- and resource-efficient homes in California.


Established in 2003, they offer a comprehensive package of local government support, professional training, collaboration forums, consumer education, and green product marketing to a range of stakeholders.  Three objectvies drive this non-profit: policy develoment, increase supply of green homes and stimulate consumer demand.

I am happy to be a part of such a wonderful program!

If you want additional information about "greening" your home or county rebates, shoot me an email!

by Gina Odom, Realtor