City of Dublin Developments - Part 2
January 21, 2008
This is the second installment of my report to you on the City of Dublin’s Developments. It looks like residents across the Tri-Valley will benefit from these and other exciting projects in the works.
I’ll start with intersection improvements. How many of you find yourself waiting to get to work or the BART station at the intersection of Dublin and Dougherty roads? Don’t worry, help is on the way. New turn lanes and through lanes will be added to the intersection to accommodate the traffic that has been created by the residents descending upon BART. Expected completion date is mid-2008.
In regards to commercial developments, there is a lot happening 
in Dublin. The largest shopping center with tenants such as Target, Expo and Pets Mart is getting some new neighbors. The former El Torito property has been leased to Elephant Bar. Construction has been fairly slow and completion is set for mid to late 2008. Work is also proceeding on the site of the former theater. The project’s tenants include Panera Bread, Chipotle, Competition Bicycles and others. Many of the tenants are already open and the total project completion is set for early 2008.
Dublin is working with Blake Hunt Ventures to develop a new shopping experience for the Tri-Valley on the former IKEA site. The 27 acre site will be transformed into a 305,000 sq.ft. lifestyle center with new shopping and dining. The feel of the center is intended to be open and airy.
In terms of civic projects, planning has also begun on the approximately 68 acre Fallon Sports Park. The park will have a variety of competition ball fields. In addition, the park plans to accommodate a children’s play area, group picnic facilities, basketball, volleyball and tennis courts, a BMX track, dog park, and bocce ball courts.
Many people still don’t know that a West Dublin BART station is being built. 
Construction has started and this development will include an apartment complex, hotel and retail space on the adjacent 7.5 acres of land. Expectations are that a nearly 6000 passengers will be using this station weekly and expectations are that numbers should grow to about 8500 passengers by 2013.
Click here to read more about Part 1 of Dublin Developments
Will This Happen in a Real Estate Market Near You?
January 18, 2008
Desperate times call for desperate measures. Sellers and Realtors are coming up with new and creative techniques to get their homes sold. It’s been customary during a tough Buyer’s market to offer incentives on top of already well-priced listings. Traditional incentives have included interest rate buydowns, paying a buyer’s closing costs, or covering a year’s worth of Home Owner’s Association fees.
However, these seem like nothing compared to the myriad of wild techniques that some people are employing down in Arizona where nearly 60,000 homes are currently for sale on the market (compare that to approx 1,500 in the Tri-Valley today).
Restaurant Review: Simply Fondue
January 14, 2008
Amid the newest stretch of architecture, shops and restaurants in downtown Livermore, Simply Fondue offers diners a truly unique experience. Recently, I went to Simply Fondue to celebrate my friend’s birthday. She wanted something different for her birthday, so she thought “fondue-ing” would fit the bill. The restaurant’s websit
e states, “It’s hip! It’s chic!” and that our dining party would be in for a “unique dipping experience.” So, we were prepared for a fun, interesting eating adventure, on par with a night out at a teppanyaki restaurant. If you aren’t familiar, when you go to a fondue restaurant, you are able to choose a variety of dipping cheeses/sauces and then dunk an assortment of foods into a pot called a “caquelon” right at your table.We were not disappointed in our expectations. The restaurant is more modern than you would expect. The atmosphere immediately hits all your senses. The furniture, lighting, and vibe are upscale and a bit swanky. The lights are slightly turned down, the smell of cheese and exotic spices circulate through the building, and the sound of the bar resonates through the restaurant. We got there a few minutes early for our 7:30 reservation, so we had a drink at the bar. This is a good spot to mention…
Wine Review: Concannon Cabernet
January 9, 2008
I was always that beer guy. Never really was interested in sipping wine from a glass. That all changed about five years ago. At an annual awards ceremony for my real estate company, I was able to get a behind the scenes look at how one of the wineries in the Livermore Valley operated. I was shown the wine making process and sampled at the tasting room. The whole experience really shifted my attitude and thoughts about wine.
Since then…, Read more
Does Age Matter?
January 6, 2008
Recently, I was interviewed for an article on Building Relationships in the Internet Age. The interviewer called me in advance to discuss the topic and prepped me with her intended direction for the article. We set up a time to have the interview the following day, which left me a few hours to gather my thoughts. The interviewer’s plan for he
r story was to show how Realtors differ on what marketing and technology they use to communicate with their clients depending on their client’s age and generation. For instance, the article’s intended direction was to express that a real estate agent’s form of communication differed between Generation Y, Generation X, Baby Boomers and the Civics Generation. As I really thought about her questions, though, I quickly came to realize that her emphasis for the story (at no fault of her own) was not in line with how I communicated with my clients. I have never assumed that just because someone falls into a certain generation, I would communicate with them in one way or another. Needless to say, the interview the following day took a drastic 180 from its original storyline.
I believe that the heart of how Realtors communicate with their clients begins with… Read more
