It's not that Oaklandish to want to live in Oakland!

FINALLY, Oakland is starting to become the city it was always intended to be....simply AWESOME! With the revamp of Fox Theater and the plethora of unique restaurants starting to pop up, the vibrant art scene, the variety of people & unique neighborhoods puts Oakland back on the map! New York Times travel section puts Oakland at #5 for the top places to travel in 2012. Check it out:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/travel/45-places-to-go-in-2012.html?pagewanted=all

by Gina Odom

Home Apps You Must Have!

Looking to download some new home apps for your smart phone or tablet? Here are some of my favorites:

TRULIA: (free)
this fun little map will show what's open on Sundays and give you price points and details. Super nifty.

HOMESMARTS: (free)
answer a few questions and this app from contractor-review site Service Magic will send you friendly reminders about maintenance

myHome: (free)
this app was developed by insurance companies that allows you to keep a detail list of your possessions. photograph your stuff and enter information like what you paid and have a record of it "just in case"

by Gina Odom

Berkeley home made of recycled Styrofoam!

On Zillow's blog (reposted by Inman) they listed 10 quirky anti-establishment homes and of course, Berkeley makes the cut! This 2,000-square-foot home in West Berkeley on Mathew Street gets its name from the massive eye-like window on its south side. Finished in 1995 for only $250,000, this house is built to last: Its walls are made of recycled Styrofoam and cement, which coupled with its rounded design make it all but impervious to water, fire, termites and even earthquakes.  

written by Gina Odom