When we planned to feature East Bay on August 25, 2020, we knew we’d be sharing a joyful story about our team leader’s newly bicoastal life (!); we knew we’d be spotlighting an agent who has impressed us to no end; and we knew we’d be singing the praise of the sunshine state. We didn’t know California would be burning. East Bay is still beautiful and the story is still good. We’re jazzed to share it. But we’re also going to link to the CFSCC Fire Relief Fund, below, and we’re going to keep shoring up our hope in the safer world we can all help to build.
Meet Aaron Brown Perspective Real Estate
The East Bay is known for its mild climate, diverse culture, and beautiful natural vistas. It’s also known to us for being Danielle Lurie’s summer base when visiting her in-laws in California.
In these COVID-times, those roots have gotten a little deeper. Danielle and her partner have recently purchased a (dreamy!) pied-à-terre in the East Bay (while still maintaining NYC as their home city).
In the process of going bicoastal, they have also introduced our whole team to the amazing Aaron Brown, founder of Perspective Real Estate and our hands-down top recommendation for anyone looking to purchase in Berkeley, Oakland, and beyond.
We’re excited to share the story of Danielle’s home purchase (what a table-turning!), which so beautifully shows how an amazing agent like Aaron can make all the difference:
A few weeks into their annual summer trip to California, Erez and Danielle fell in love with a house. They needed an agent ASAP to manage East Bay’s competitive market, and with the advice of a friend and former agent, they made one call: to Aaron Brown, the CEO and Founder of Perspective Real Estate.
Aaron brought with him 13 years of the diligence he had done on each and every house he had ever seen, having taken meticulous mental notes at every inspection he’d ever been on in hundreds of homes - offering the eyes of a seasoned agent, inspector and contractor in one. He said, "This house is in excellent shape, and it's going to go fast."
Danielle and Erez took his guidance, and offered that day. Their offer was accepted and contracts were signed -- just before another offer was made at almost the same price. Aaron’s speedy and decisive analysis won them the home (and will make it a dream pied-à-terre -- he’s even drafted his own punchlist to help them renovate!)
“Homes are containers for life’s most intimate moments,” Aaron told us, “and many sellers are looking for a differentiator beyond price. In our market, the true value an agent brings is making sure you get the accepted offer (without overpaying) when it’s truly the home of your dreams.”
Three Reasons We’re Thrilled to Feature Aaron Brown:
1. After Danielle fell in love with a house online, Aaron met her and Erez there having already read over 400 pages of disclosures and inspection reports (!!), came ready to crawl through the crawlspace (which he did!), and used his 13 years of experience to tell them what they needed to do to do a competitive “pre-emptive offer” and take this house off the table for other buyers. (After they won the bid they learned a competitive offer came in the next day)!
2. Aaron’s boutique brokerage specializes in overseeing renovations and staging for its sellers - it even often loans them funds upfront to get their homes list-ready (a lot like Compass Concierge). This meant that Danielle could rely on Aaron’s estimation of renovation costs and assurance that the house she loved was in great shape. (Since closing, Aaron also has connected Danielle with his favorite house workers - contractors, plumbers, electricians - and even wrote her punch-list for her)!.
3. Most importantly, Aaron shares The Jane Advisory’s heart-led approach, and has seen it work wonders in the competitive East Bay environment. In his words: “Homes are containers for life’s most intimate moments, and many sellers are looking for a differentiator beyond price. In our market, the true value an agent brings is making sure you get the accepted offer (without overpaying) when it’s truly the home of your dreams.”
Aaron’s Perfect Day in the East Bay
A perfect day starts with getting up before the city comes to life. I start with a pour over from Philz Coffee and then head for a walk or bike ride along The Bay Trail and soak in the crisp morning air and beautiful views of the Golden Gate, San Francisco and Mount Tamalpais (Mount Tam.) I love grabbing a pastry or a loaf of walnut bread from Fournée in Berkeley - it rivals many of the bakeries in France. We often make fresh juice at home, usually with ingredients from Monterey Market which has the most incredible produce selection from across California’s world class farms. Afternoons are spent in the parks — one of our favorites is Tilden, which spans the East Bay. We often picnic or meet friends there and enjoy the endless activities: hiking through trails along the shaded creeks, a visit to the Little Farm to feed the cows, a spin on the Merry-Go-Round, or a cool dip in Lake Anza. It is a magical place almost like a miniature Yosemite, just 20 minutes from almost anywhere in the East Bay.
As dinner time rolls around we usually cook at home. Quality ingredients are always available from the many independently owned grocery stores such as Berkeley Bowl, Tokyo Fish Market, and Market Hall - we truly have a cornucopia at our fingertips. For special occasions, Commis (a Michelin 2-star restaurant in Oakland) is one of our favorites. Pro tip - make sure to reserve the chef’s table. These eight seats are in front of the methodical, calculated, and passionate cooking team, and it’s amazing to watch their dedication to the craft.
I also love taking a stroll down College Avenue or around Lake Merritt or just through our neighborhood after a meal. Just make sure to bring a jacket as no matter the season, the evenings get cool as the breeze from the Bay rolls in.
Interested in learning more about real estate in the east bay? We would love to introduce you to Aaron
