Walnut Creek Lifestyle

Chicken and the Farm on Boulevard

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There is a food truck called Chicken and the Farm on Boulevard Way in Saranap that will also have a brick-and-mortar shop next to it. They are known for their sauces and have been making the rounds at festivals and racing events. They typically dress up their food truck area with plants and a faux grass to make it cozy.

I gave it a try recently and thought it was quite good (though very rich!). Menu items include their famous bone-in wings, chicken sandwiches (and other meat sandwiches), salads, loaded fries, and small sides like cauliflower bites. It looks like the brick and mortar store (The Farmstand) will open this year, with the food truck parked in front of it. They are not always open, so check the website for Days & Times. It is worth a try!

Their concept is simple: bring the best of the farm directly to your plate, with a menu inspired by the variety and abundance found on a farm and celebrating those flavors. Aesthetically, they definitely hit the mark. There are a lot of fresh and colorful vegetables incorporated into many dishes, and you can tell there is no mass production of ingredients going on.

I tried the the chicken tenders and he worked his magic with the sauce – it was his recommendation and I just let it flow.

Next time you’re in that part of Walnut Creek, give Chicken and the Farm a try. Or find them at their next event, wherever and whenever that may be – usually at the Lafayette Art & Wine, but there will be a line, so just mosey on over to 1322 Boulevard Way!

Daylight Saving Time: Fun Facts

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Did you know it is “Daylight Saving” Time, not “Savings?” I’m sure I’ve been saying that wrong for years! I hope you remembered to turn your clocks forward this past weekend and that those of you with young kids didn’t have to deal with too much chaos on Sunday. That was always the worst part of Daylight Saving Time when my boys were young!

Shelly Sutter at Chicago Title shared some fun facts about Daylight Saving Time I wanted to re-post below:

It’s Daylight SAVING Time; you’re not savings daylight, right?
Daylight Saving Time was not, in fact, invented to benefit farmers; Benjamin Franklin actually first suggested the idea in 1784.
During World War I, Germany was the first country to officially adopt the light-extending system in 1915.
Up until 2006, Daylight Saving Time in the United States began in April and ended in October; in 2007, it was extended to March through November.
About 70 countries around the world observe Daylight Saving Time, but the following states and territories do not observe it in America: Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Hawaii, and most of Arizona.

According to a list by Mental Floss, the average person loses 40 minutes of sleep the night we have our Daylight Saving Time switch. I don’t know about you, but it feels like a lot more than that! Some other fun facts from Mental Floss:

Daylight Saving Time cost airlines and other transportation companies millions of dollars when it was extended, due to the price of rearranging flight, train, etc. schedules.
Pets can notice changes in humans’ behavior during Daylight Saving Time; they thrive on our predicable schedules, so they know when something is different!
Most farmers actually oppose Daylight Saving Time; think about it, cows get milked the same time of the day every day, no matter what the clock says!
Daylight Saving Time can deter crime, but can pose health hazards and waste energy, too.
Finally, Ben Franklin was mostly joking when he suggested Daylight Saving Time; credit for the idea formally goes to an entomologist who did his insect hunting at night and became frustrated by how early the sun set during summer months. When his idea to spring clocks forward for the summer to allow more daylight for bug collecting was proposed to a scientific society in 1895, it was panned. Two decades later, Daylight Saving Time would begin its spread across the industrialized world.

Modern Luxury at 3373 Moretti Dr. (Concord)

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Chris is the son of my past clients and a first-time home buyer. He is 37 years old, which I mention because the average age for first-time home buyers now is 38. Anyway, Chris had some help from his parents and wanted a detached home because the HOAs would have decreased his purchasing power. Ideally, he wanted to live in Concord or Martinez, but Pittsburg also has many homes priced under $600,000.

Chris was qualified up to $625,000. This home was listed at $600,000 and we offered $615,000 with a $2,500 credit. There were four other offers and they’d already countered one when we made ours. They never responded to the counter-offer, so we got into contract. I recommended we do a few more inspections because the repairs were done by a handyman an the owner. We did another roof inspection because the skylight was leaking on a rainy day and we also found the sewer lateral needed to be replaced.

It turns out the original roof inspect did not note the skylights were not the right type for the slope of the roof and that the roof itself was at the end of its useful life. So, much more work needed to be done (about $30,000). We asked for that in a credit/price reduction and the seller said no, so we wrote a new counter asking for a total credit of $12,881 and they agreed.

Luckily, Chris has some handy people that can help do some or part of the work and he will do the clearance. This home is a smaller one, but others in the area are going in the low $700,000 range. So, Chris can do some of the work now and slowly make improvements as rates start to fall. In six months, he might be able to get a lower rate, too. Speaking of the area, this home is in a wonderful spot in Concord and I’m so glad he landed here.

Now, Chris has a 3-bed, 1-bath, 929-square foot home with a garage on a small lot. Nestled in Concord’s Holbrook Heights neighborhood, it contains modern luxury amenities like vinyl plank flooring and recessed lighting for a contemporary ambiance. Vaulted ceilings, sliding doors, and a spacious backyard are nice touches. A gas range, a convenient laundry room, and wood-beam ceilings offer attractive qualities to the home. Where this home really shines is the expansive backyard with a patio, pergola, mature trees, and plenty of space for entertaining, gardening, or relaxation. Congrats, Chris!

Views, Views Views! Just Sold: 979 Via Montanas

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You may remember a recent blog about a property I had listed with incredible views. Well, it didn’t take long for that lovely little gem to be snapped right up! Just a few days ago, my client and I closed with a buyer on the property at 979 Via Montanas in Concord.

We ended up with four offers and sold it for almost $100,000 over asking. Originally listed at $1.25 million, the 4-bedroom, 2.5-bath, 2,310-square-foot home was officially sold for $1.335 million after just six days on the market. Frankly, I was not surprised given it was on .90 acre lot, single story and had the view. See below:

Via Montanas is a desirable place to live for many reasons, but you really can’t beat those views from the backyard. It shows off everything we love about living in the Bay Area, doesn’t it? The house was in original condition from 1985, however my client did a great job doing the things needed to get it looking good for the market, such as painting, deep clean, carpets cleaned and staging the home to show its full potential.

Next time you need help buying or selling a home in the East Bay, who you going to call?

Closing on Holland Drive in Walnut Creek!

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I was lucky to link up with a past client I have worked with on a couple of homes before. He was looking for a smaller home closer to San Francisco and wanted to focus specifically on Walnut Creek – my specialty! We began by looking at 2-bed, 2-bath condos, but most did not have a garage, which he preferred.

We looked at one in Sky West, but it needed a lot of work and the patio was open to the community space and was a little crowded with so many personal belongings it was hard to see the house and the list price and final closing price reflected how it showed. It started at $699,000, was listed at $630,000 and closed for $600,000. Thus, I decided to create a buyer letter and started knocking on doors in Sky West.

By doing this, I discovered that an agent had two listings not yet on the market and my client really liked one of them. They were priced at $749,000, but we had just seen the one that closed at $600,000, so we wanted to negotiate before it got on market. They decided to put up a Coming Soon sign and got a full-priced offer before my client was ready to go higher.

However, that agent tipped us off about another agent with a home coming soon in the same complex. We went to see it and my client hemmed and hawed a bit before the seller considered a lower offer. We came up a bit, they came down, and we had a deal at $738,888.

And, just like that, my client closed on a 1,339 square-foot 2-bed, 2.5-bath townhome with an attached 2-car garage! He really likes the peaceful setting at this location in Walnut Creek (though he still thinks about the one he missed out on!). Luckily, he can do some of his own improvements to bring that up to the the one he purchased, i.e. new doors and wood flooring upstairs and on the stairs. The one he bought had an attached garage and that was really important to him. I think he will be really happy once he makes it own!

This is what a savvy and knowlegeable realtor can do for you. I saw my client had a demand but we had no viable options, so I got creative with the buyer letter and door-knocking. That overturned three new opportunities, including the home he ended up buying. Think about giving me a call if you want a similar level of dedication when you buy or sell a home!

All The Restaurants Want To Come To Walnut Creek

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“When you look at the East Bay, Walnut Creek is the center point of that entire region. And Broadway Plaza is the bub of the whole retail and shopping experience.” – John Duggan, owner of Original Joe’s, as quoted by SFGate

According to SFGate, Broadway Plaza is the newest hotspot for San Francisco and Oakland restaurants that want to move or expand into the suburbs. As locals, we understand the allure of our hometown outdoor mall, but did you know about 6 million people visit it per year? No wonder everyone wants in!

Original Joe’s plans to open its East Bay location across from Macy’s in Broadway Plaza in April, becoming the next transplant to a town that now boasts more than 150 restaurants, according to the Walnut Creek Downtown Association. That’s both a good and bad thing.

Local business owners, according to the SFGate article, are concerned about oversaturation and being priced out of town. There’s also always the risk of the restaurant boom going bust. I’m no expert in this area, but I have lived here for 25 years and have never once thought there would be a “bust” of any kind downtown. As long as I can remember, it has been growing, growing, growing! Covid was the exception, however we do often see one come and then go – it has to have good food and service or it won’t survive.

*Food and drinks at Sipeos in Broadway Plaza (Credit: Hardy Wilson/Sipeos Cafe and Bar, via SFGate)*

As the article lays out, there are dozens of options for every type of cuisine, plus new and innovative concepts coming to our little town every month. And Broadway Plaza may be the engine that makes it all run, but our downtown is super walkable and there are great restaurants all over the downtown map. It is a restauranteur’s paradise! Some of the newer ones that have recently popped up, not in and around Broadway Plaza are Daryoush on Locust, a Persian restaurant – has anyone been? Dads BBQ in the Rossmoor Shopping Center – heard some good things and the food truck Chicken & Biscuits on Boulevard – hear rave reviews, drove by last night at 7 pm, was going to try it, but it was all dark and the truck was on the street.

What are some of your favorite go-to spots? How about the best new places you’ve tried recently? Let me know in the comments!

136-138 Pontiac St., San Leandro

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This is a wonderful story about a smart woman. My client is in her mid-20’s and an ICU nurse at Stanford. At her mother’s urging, they were looking for a duplex where she could live in one and rent the other. We had looked early last year and there wasn’t anything she liked. I got a call when I was coming back from Thanksgiving in Reno and she wanted to see this one in San Leandro.

I called and they had offers, but we could still write. It had been sitting for 44 days and was listed for $699,000 moving into the holidays when business tends to be slower and people are looking for deals. So, I dropped off my bags and dog and met her to see the duplex. One unit had had a fire and the other had tenants. The back unit was completely remodeled. Everything was brand new. They didn’t even put a mirror in the bathroom.

We wrote a bit above $700,000, but I was told the other offer was higher and we would have to go $750,000. Was the other agent not telling the complete truth? Maybe, but the comps supported it so my client wrote for $760,000 and $10,000 back for some closing costs. He like my communication and wasn’t sure about the other agent involved. So, my client got the home!

The renters in the first unit have been there many years and that one is much more of an original build (we got extra home warranty coverage on it). There were a couple of caveats to getting this closed. We were to close on January 6, but the seller wanted to close a month later because he would have owned it one year and his tax account gave him the savings in taxes, so we agreed to that. My clients lease was up by the 20th, so my client was allowed to move in early, subject to a few conditions (including the seller paying the lock extension, which was in the $4,000 range).

The day my client moved in, I got a call that the hot water and gas stove were not working. I thought it must have been turned off at the main, but it was fully permitted and signed off on, thus the gas was working. The listing agent said it was our responsibility because we removed all contingencies. But, technically, my client didn’t own it yet (these are the pitfalls of allowing someone to move in before closing, which I typically do not recommend). We called PG&E to come check it out. Ironically, there had been an earthquake near San Leandro a week or so before my client moved in and it auto-shut off the valve (usually it takes a 5.0 earthquake or higher, which this one wasn’t, so PG&E was a little surprised it shut off).

At the end of the day, agents do a lot more than just show you homes and write offers. It takes some time to figure out who will fight for you in odd situations, who communicates well, and who has the experience to know to make the seller pay for the rate lock, for example, when it was what they needed.

If you want to work with an experienced agent, then give me a call.

Year of the Snake!

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The Year of the Snake in 2025 is believed to bring wisdom, transformation, and strategic growth. It is a time for patience, planning, and making thoughtful decisions to achieve long-term success! All you folks who were born in previous years of the Snake … did those things prove true for you?

NBC News says the Year of the Snake is all about “shedding” that bad energy (see what they did there?). The Lunar New Year kicked off on Jan. 29 for two weeks of parties, customs, and feasts. It celebrates the arrival of Spring and the start of a fresh year (according to the Chinese lunisolar calendar).

The snake gets a bad rap in some cultures, but it is highly celebrated in the East and represents letting go of the ego and letting go of the past to boost one’s personal growth. It is also most commonly associated with intelligence, resilience, and love. People born in snake years (1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, and 2025) are thought to do whatever it takes to accomplish a goal.

Of the 12 zodiac animals the snake is said to be the most tenacious and some people born in those years are even considered sinister or intimidating. Wow! To all those celebrating Lunar New Year, I hope it is enjoyable!

Views, and more Views! in Concord!

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979 Via Montanas

I can’t get enough of this new home on Lime Ridge in Concord. My new listing is officially live and I hope you like it as much as I do! It is a single-story home on nearly an acre of land with views from the house and the yards to die for. A 4-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom, 2,310-square-foot gem going for $1.25 million. Take a look:

The home has vaulted ceilings, wood-burning fireplaces, hardwood floors, and gardens, giving it a comfortable and welcoming air, perfect for hosting guests or relaxing alone. You can’t beat 180-degree vistas from your patio, with plenty of space to expand creatively with a deck, pool, or other landscaping dreams.

There are additional exterior living areas and room to add an ADU. You’re just steps from the Lime Ridge Open Space and the Contra Costa Canal Trail for miles of walking, running, biking, and hiking. You’re also just five minutes in the car from shopping and a BART station, meaning you’re all set on both tranquility and accessibility.

Don’t miss the opportunity to make this extraordinary home your own. Built in 1985, it is a sturdy and well-constructed house; move-in ready, or a blank canvas to be expanded on! Give me a call today if you are interested in touring 979 Via Montanas.

Art Town: Untitled and Unsure

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On the Crate and Barrel building downtown, across the street from Pinstripes on S. Main Street, there is a new mural painted on a large, indented, white brick canvas. It caught my eye when I was heading to my holiday party for work recently and I’ve been trying to find more information on it ever since!

I think, after much digging, I at least know the artist’s name. It is signed with the username or tag @caseyoconnell_. According to this brief Beyond the Creek write-up (they love it too!), the artist has an Instagram account. From there, I was able to find Casey O’Connell’s artist website. Based on the looks of her other work, this is definitely her mural!

It does not feature as a mural on her website, but it may just not have been updated since this mural was created in Walnut Creek. Also, on her Instagram page, there was a photo of a piece called “The Red Panda Moon Is Honoring Me” that bears a striking resemblance to the mural. There are subtle differences between the two, but it’s clearly the same theme.

I really just love how it looks when viewed in full, but then you get closer and there is so much little detail in the shadowy trees and the reflection of the moon in multiple places at the bottom (I presume, in water?). This is one thing I really love about where we live: we take our public art seriously!