As Realtors, many of us are working with buyers who want a deal. For the buyer who wants to take advantage of the good interest rates and low prices, now is definitely the time to buy. There are a few areas in the East Bay that have seen values drop even more substantially than most.

Take the East Claremont Hills for example. With its newer construction, larger homes (over 2,000 sq ft) and mostly hills views, prices at the height were easily selling in the $1,200,000 range. Now houses are sitting on the market and typically selling under $1,000,000.

Montclair and Piedmont Pines in general have only declined slightly. If you are willing to overlook some less desirable qualities like a vertical floor plan, hillside construction and outdated interiors, the opportunities abound. Foreclosures in these good neighborhoods aren’t plentiful, but when they do pop up, the prices right now just can’t be beat.

Even in coveted Piedmont prices have come down slightly. If it is the perfect family home in a great location and is priced well, it will still sell with multiple offers. However, if a house has a few flaws or is smaller in size, prices can be very reasonable: in 2009 a fair number of homes actually sold under $900,000!