Real Estate

Your Kottinger Ranch Neighbors website is brought to you by Dorothy Broderson, your 20-year + neighbor and local full time award winning Realtor.

“Follow the Yellow Brick Road….because…There’s No Place Like Home”

Call DOROTHY at (925) 963-8800

www.yellowbrickroadhomes.com
Email: dorothy@dorothyhome.info
Click here for Dorothy’s latest testimonials!

If you are thinking of selling or just curious about your home’s value, feel free to give me a call, and I would be happy to give you a FREE MARKET ANALYSIS.

Testimonial

“To Whom it May Concern:

We are Senior Citizens who have been in the process of downsizing from a two-story home of 19 years to one story for the future. We have been living in Pleasanton and moved to Livermore. We found Dorothy to be an extremely helpful and resourceful agent. She listened patiently to our needs and did a tremendous amount of research to find our new home. When we looked at it, we realized that it perfectly matched what we were looking for. We made an offer and she convinced the seller that we would take great care of their home as they moved on. This was especially important to the selling lady as she had been instrumental in remodeling several parts of the house and was rightly proud of her accomplishment.

In selling our home, Dorothy proved to be a super marketing agent. She arranged for the house to be staged by a very professional group and the photographer was an artist in every respect. The pictures he took, with the lighting, and the elevated photos from the drone, allowed Dorothy to compile a super brochure to emphasize our home’s appeal. It was beautiful. When some obstacles appeared, she moved right through them without missing a step. It was wonderful to watch a real pro in action.

We can say form our practical experience, that Dorothy is an extremely detailed person to work with and with all the paperwork involved with a purchase or sale, it is extremely reassuring to have her guide you through all that is involved.

We would highly recommend Dorothy and her team to anyone who is either selling a home or purchasing a new one.”

Linda and Jim Loomis, June 2018

Testimonial

“Dorothy just sold our house for us in Pleasanton. She was excellent, she handled the process for us soup to nuts. As we are out of state we needed someone who knew the area, the market, and the client.

She walked us through all the steps and made a very stressful time easy to deal with.

I would recommend Dorothy to anyone who needs a true professional to work for them”

-Brian Mould, January 19, 2018

Testimonial

“Dorothy was amazing, and she really understood my needs to make selling my place on my timeline. She was always on top of what needed to be done, her follow thru and attention to detail was excellent.

Dorothy was also my agent when I bought this place 8yrs ago, so I have experienced both her expertise buying and selling.”

Holly H., January 15, 2018

Testimonial

“Hello Dorothy,
Thank you so very much for your help. We were really impressed by your knowledge, professionalism and client first attitude! You are a great realtor! Again, we sincerely appreciate the advice and support you have provided to us. It has been a great pleasure working with you.

We wish you the best.”

-Steve and Amy, January 2018

Testimonial

“Dorothy is the best…she’s at the top of her game, knows the tri-valley market inside out…as if that’s not enough, she helped me land an investment pocket-listing (off-market) for a very attractive price point. She didn’t stop there – her help was invaluable in screening tenants & all the associated paperwork. Her network of contractors, handymen etc. is very helpful. She’s always responsive, courteous & has an unbelievable work-ethic. I look forward to working with Dorothy again on my next project.”

– Amit Saini, August 14, 2017

Testimonial

“I would like to state that Dorothy Broderson is by far one of the best real estate agents that I have dealt with in a long time.  I’ve dealt with five other agents in the past and I can assure you she is by far the best.  She is a very serious and punctual person when it comes to doing business.  She also makes things happen fast and easy.  However, what I personally believe makes her the best and standout among other agents is her ability to always keep you up to date on whatever the process you are going through may be.  If by any chance you are considering doing business with Dorothy, I strongly recommend doing so because she works fast and you can tell she is really dedicated to her profession. She delivers a great service. Thank you for helping me find my home Dorothy!”

-Victor Lara, June 19, 2017

Testimonial

“As a first time home buyer who has not lived in northern California in nearly a decade, finding a new home should have been a stressful process. However, Dorothy made the whole process stress free! She helped me find the perfect home and guided me through each step of the purchase. Dorothy made sure all of the inspections were done on time by competent professionals – no easy task around the holidays – and that the sellers promptly addressed any deficiencies. I am very happy with my new home and grateful to Dorothy for all of her help and hard work. Thank you, Dorothy!”

– Charlie, February 20, 2017

Testimonial

“Dorothy , thank you so much! I appreciate all your hard work, especially all the stuff you did that was behind the scenes!”

Testimonial

“Dear Dorothy, thanks for all you did to make this happen. We were certainly guided to the right agent. Couldn’t have done it without your talent and expertise. We will stay in touch.”

– Frank, November 14, 2016

Paint Colors and Value of Your Home
RE-Insider article, November 2016

Choose the wrong shade and you could wind up regretting it later. Paint your home with a weird color either inside or out and buyers might turn up their noses.

But did you know that there are 4 colors that can be the kiss of death when selling your house?

Fears of hurting a home’s selling price are likely one reason why many homeowners play it safe when it comes to paint colors. Favorite exterior color combinations include white and gray, beige and taupe, and slate and black, according to the 2013 National Home Color Survey.

Neutrals also win inside the home. Hot interior paint colors for 2016 include grays and shades of white, along with natural-looking greens. The love for neutral or natural shades extends to buyers.

Light grays and yellows may have been popular with buyers, but they had a much cooler reaction to other colors. Some of the interior paint colors they disliked might surprise you.

Before you grab the paintbrush, check out this list of the four worst colors to paint your home.

Off-White or Eggshell

Shades of white might seem like a safe bet when you’re at the home improvement store, but they aren’t guaranteed to be a big hit with buyers. Homes with off-white or eggshell kitchens sold for $82 less than Zillow estimated they would. Instead, people loved kitchens with a coat of wheat yellow paint on the walls, which boosted a home’s selling price by $1,360.

You don’t have to give up gallery-white walls entirely, though. Painting a room white isn’t always a bad choice, especially if the space has great natural light, according to designer Emily Henderson. But if a space is small or dark (like some kitchens), white walls can make a room look “dead” and “flat.”

Dark Brown

Bedrooms painted dark brown sold for $236 less than expected, while using the same shade in a bathroom lowered the selling price by $469. The color is so disliked by some people that the Australian government considered using it on cigarette packaging to make smoking less appealing, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Terracotta

It’s not quite as jarring as traffic cone orange, but even a more muted terracotta shade could depress your home’s selling price. Homes with living rooms painted the same shade as an inexpensive flower pot sold for $793 less than Zillow’s estimated price. Light gray was the preferred color in that room.

The negative reaction to orange walls isn’t too surprising, considering surveys have found it’s one of the least-liked colors in the world.

Slate Gray

Gray is trendy color right now, but all grays aren’t created equal. While dove or light gray was a hit in living rooms, helping to boost a home’s selling price by $1,104, dark gray was a dud. Paint your home’s dining room a slate color and you could lose $1,112 when it comes time to sell. Instead, buyers favored shades of mauve, eggplant, and lavender in the dining room.

Testimonial

“Hi Dorothy!  You’re so awesome!  Thank you. You have helped us so much, thank you for always being so willing.  You will always hold a special place in our hearts. You’re such a good, honest person and the absolute BEST realtor ever!!!!!! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

– Kristi and Marc, September 11, 2016

Testimonial

“Hi Dorothy, thank you. I would look forward to working with you again and wish all home sales sold as quickly as you were able to with the Whipple’s. Thank you.”

– Kelly House, Senior Home Sale Counselor, Plus Relocation  

Testimonial

“My wife has known Dorothy for some time having worked and volunteered together in a philanthropy. We had worked with two other agents and I was not that impressed with realtors in general. I must tell you that I was not too excited about working with another one, but Dorothy was my wife’s friend so what could I say. ‘Ok Diane, let’s try your friend.’ Well, the rest is history. Dorothy was fabulous. She is on top of everything and everybody. If there is a total realtor package, Dorothy is that total package. She did much more than just list and sell our home. Thanks for an easy experience and helping us get the most value on our home.”

– Steve Wagner, VP, Global Channels and Alliances at Geminare

Testimonial – Best Realtor to Choose

“Thank you again Dorothy for all your amazing work.  Our home sold in one weekend with 17 offers! Dorothy was very down to earth and knowledgeable on how to get us the best price for our home. She helped us through the whole process and got us a home that we love, even in a competitive market. We were first time home sellers and were very nervous to sell without having a home to buy lined up. Dorothy made us feel comfortable and showed us many homes. She also showed us how to market our home, and it sold for way more than we thought it would. I enjoyed working with her and felt she put in the extra effort. Her practice is thorough and she follows the rules. Thank you so much for making our amazing future possible and so quickly!”

– Kimberly Gee

Five Star Real Estate Award for fourth year in a row.
I thank my past clients for this tremendous prestigious honor. Award candidates were evaluated against five objective criteria such as a qualifying client satisfaction rating and a favorable regulatory and complaint history. The resulting list of 2013 Five Star Real Estate Agents is a select group, representing less than 7% of the real estate agents in the San Francisco East Bay area.

How Was I Selected?
Five Star Professional relied on nominations received by consumers to identify award candidates. Our research team contacted consumers in the San Francisco East Bay area and asked if they had experience working with a real estate agent. Consumers who agreed to participate in the survey provided the name of the real estate agent and rated that individual according to key criteria such as integrity, negotiation and closing preparation.

Surveys were sent to San Francisco East Bay area residents who recently purchased a home over $150,000 (more than 19,500 households) within an 8-month period (July 2012 to March 2013).

Please contact Dorothy Broderson lic# 01779623
925-963-8800 cell
www.yellowBrickRoadHomes.com
All conversations are help private & confidential.

About the City of Pleasanton

The City of Pleasanton is a vibrant Northern California community of 70,000 residents situated at the crossroads of Interstates 580 and 680, in close proximity to the San Francisco and San Jose metropolitan areas. The city’s location has historical significance as a major trading route of early Native Americans and later along the route of the First Transcontinental Railroad. Pleasanton is a major suburb identified by the U.S. Census as one of the wealthiest middle-sized cities in the nation and, in 2010, was included in Money Magazine’s list of the ‘100 Best Small Cities to Live in America.’ Among Pleasanton’s many attractions are an excellent school system, a highly educated workforce, 1,200 acres of parkland and recreational open space, a nationally recognized business park, a regional retail shopping mall, and a historic downtown district. For more information, please visit: www.cityofpleasantonca.gov.

Pleasanton – Kottinger Ranch -$650,000 to $2,500,000
Built by Westbrook Homes from 1992 to 2000, this luxurious community is set in the rolling hills East of downtown Pleasanton. The main development has one and 2 story homes ranging from 2700 sq feet to over 4000 sq ft, with large lots in the 1/3 to 1/2 acre range or more. All have 3 car garages, and several have sweeping views of the hills and the city.

There are several custom lots that were developed in addition to the homes by Westbrook. These homes are typically 3500 sq ft up to 5000 or more sq ft, with premium lots.

There are also smaller single story patio homes ranging in size from 1500 to 2000 sq ft on smaller 5000 to 7000 sq ft lots.

Kottinger Ranch boasts excellent community amenities, including a community pool, tennis courts, and private hiking trails. It has sidewalks and is within walking distance of Vintage Hills Elementary School.

School Information:

Here are the schools for the Kottinger Ranch neighborhood. Click on the school name to go to the school’s web site.

Elementary School: Vintage Hills Elementary
Middle School: Pleasanton Middle School
High School: Foothill High School

Ask your Assessor – if your home is worth less than you paid, chances are you can get a temporary reduction in your property taxes. It’s free and easy to do yourself.

Assessors in some Bay Area counties hit hard by the housing downturn – Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara and Solano – are automatically reviewing homes purchased in the past few years to see if the homeowner qualifies for a cut in assessed value for 2008-09. Even in these counties, homeowners who think their home’s market value on Jan. 1 was lower than the assessed value on their last property tax bill can ask for a review.

You can call or write your assessor’s office or download a form from their Web site and mail it to the assessor. To provide tax relief the assessor will be looking at recent sales in your area that are comparable to your home. If the homeowner and the assessor cannot agree on a value through this information process, the homeowner can file a formal appeal with the county’s assessment appeals board, which will have the final say on the property’s value.