For a snapshot of the local San Francisco real estate market, I like to report the weekly sales data from my company, Zephyr Real Estate. Zephyr is San Francisco's largest, independent Brokerage. We have offices in Noe Valley, West Portal, Pacific Heights, Potrero Hill, and the Castro or Upper Market. This week of all the reported home sales, I compiled the following statistics: 41% of homes sold for the list price 45% of home sold for more than the list price 14% of homes sold for less … [Read more...]
July 30, 2008 by Leave a Comment
Thinking about selling your San Francisco home? How to make sure it sells easily and for its highest market potential.
How do you make sure your home sells (and sells for the highest price possible)? As you know, the real estate market has changed. In San Francisco, we have reached a more balanced state of being which unfortunately can seem random to many would-be home sellers. Why are some houses selling in less than 2 weeks on the market with multiple offers, and for significantly more than the asking price while linger on the market with no ready-to-act buyers? What is up with this and what can you do to … [Read more...]
July 29, 2008 by Leave a Comment
Please stop the insanity! I am TIRED of touring overpriced listings.
Tuesday is Broker Tour day for San Francisco Realtors. This means that each Tuesday there is a City-wide tour of many available listings. The tour starts at 9am in the northern parts of the City, think Pacific Heights, Cow Hollow, Russian Hill, etc and weaves its way around until it ends in the Mission, Bernal Heights, Excelsior etc at 4:30pm. Okay, so now that you have the framework, I need to vent. As a local San Francisco Realtor who works REALLY hard to help my clients whether they are … [Read more...]
July 29, 2008 by Leave a Comment
How to price your home to get the highest sales price
There are really 5 main factors affecting a real estate sale and only 2 (or 3 if you include your choice in Realtor) that you, as the home seller control. What are the 5 main factors affecting a home sale? Location (This is out of your control unless hire house movers. I just saw this on Flip this House!) Financing (Again, out of your control unless your name is Paulson or Bernanke.) Condition, aka Presentation/Staging (You guessed it! This is one within your control!) Price (Wow, you are … [Read more...]
July 28, 2008 by Leave a Comment
Is the real estate meltdown overblown by the pundits?
I know times are tough and I know there is a lot of truth to today's real estate gloom and doom. Yet, could it be that the mass media is overstating the problem and it some ways, causing more through the psychological warfare of the evening news?? Sure home sales and prices are down in many areas, although not in most parts of San Francisco. Sure, foreclosures are up and the blowback from the subprime mortgage crisis may be threatening banks and secondary mortgage lenders, but, according to … [Read more...]
July 25, 2008 by Leave a Comment
Free Love and Hippies! New to the Neighborhood: Haight-Asbury, Buena Vista, Cole Valley
First American Title is helping us in defining each neighborhood in the city. As a first time homebuyer where do you want to live? Here is a brief overview into the “Legendary” areas in the city by the bay. Haight Ashbury, Buena Vista, Cole Valley Think Haight-Ashbury is the home of Hippies and free love? If so, you’re almost 40 years too late. Buena Vista Park and the neighborhood surrounding the famous intersection of Haight and Ashbury Streets may have been the epicenter of … [Read more...]
July 18, 2008 by Leave a Comment
Neighborhood Spotlight; Hayes Valley, Western Addition, Deco Ghetto
First American Title is helping us in defining each neighborhood in the city. As a first time homebuyer where do you want to live? Here is a brief overview into the “Emerging” areas in the city by the bay. As amazing as it is to long-time opera and symphony patrons who used to carefully avoid its crack houses and prostitutes on their way to the theatre, Hayes Valley has emerged as one of the most stylish neighborhoods in San Francisco. … [Read more...]
July 16, 2008 by Leave a Comment
Round like a Record
Housing Market Is Showing Signs of a Turnaround Pending sales of previously owned U.S. homes unexpectedly rose in April to the highest level in six months as foreclosed properties flooded the market and drove prices sharply lower, a real estate trade group report showed. The National Association of Realtors Pending Home Sales Index, based on contracts signed in April and seen as a key barometer of future housing activity, increased 6.3 percent to 88.2 from an unrevised 83.0 in March. … [Read more...]
