This article will make you smile, especially if you are one of the lucky ones…lucky enough to live in SF and the immediate Bay Area, that is! Remember the book, “The Rise of the Creative Class” from 2002? Well, the author has a new book out detailing what superstar cities are and who makes the cut. Want an explanation for why our San Francisco real estate remains vibrant and stable, without the plummeting real estate values seen across the country???? Go on, … [Read more...]
May 31, 2007 by Leave a Comment
What Do I Need to Do to Sell My San Francisco Home: Three Rules of Thumb
How do you make sure your home sells for the highest price in this crazy and erratic market? Some homes are selling with multiple offers for many, many, many dollars more than the asking price while others are lingering on the market with no ready-to-buy buyers. What’s up with that and how can you ensure yours will be one that sells quickly and for buckets of money? Follow the Three P’s: Your home sale will depend mostly on the three P’s: Asking Price Presentation Position … [Read more...]
May 10, 2007 by Leave a Comment
San Francisco Home Sales Report
This week, Zephyr company sales continued to show a strong San Francisco real estate market! Of all properties sold, 58% of properties sold with multiple offers. 58% of properties sold for more than the asking price. 19% of properties sold for the asking price. 22% of properties sold for less than the asking price.There are a lot of strategies to get your home in the multiple offer, over the asking price section. These are different from those buyers will use to be in the at or under the asking … [Read more...]
May 7, 2007 by Leave a Comment
Buyer’s Market?
Weekly Zephyr Sales Statistics--- Zephyr is San Francisco's largest, independent real estate company, making it a good indicator of our market's activity level. How did we fare? 24 properties were put into escrow this past week. Of these 24, 12 were for over-asking with multiple offers, 8 were at the asking (listing) price, and 4 were under-asking. So, 50% of homes sold went for over the list price. Certainly, there are values to be had right now but we are far, far, far from a crash, bubble … [Read more...]
May 7, 2007 by Leave a Comment
Gen Y Says Hell No to Bluetooth Headsets!
Insider tip from the pros! According to our local real estate board, Gen Yers find those who wear their headsets as a permanent accessory to be uncool. They write: "What do Gen Yers think of people who walk around wearing Bluetooth headsets? Well, a new study shows that they consider them to be decidedly "uncool" and an indication the wearer is not giving them his or her full attention." The article goes on to recommend that we take off our headsets when dealing with a Gen Y client! As someone … [Read more...]
May 7, 2007 by Leave a Comment
High Demand to Live in San Francisco Means Fewer Places Available
Here's an article I wrote that ran in last weekend's San Francisco's "The Examiner" for the Real Estate Weekend Edition. (January 13-14, 2007) "Buy what you can afford when available" No doubt about it San Francisco is a great place to live. It is a beautiful, diverse, culturally and architecturally significant city with a long history of preservation and restrained development. These very same qualities have also contributed to what has become a challenging housing shortage in San Francisco, … [Read more...]
May 7, 2007 by Leave a Comment
San Francisco Real Estate Sales Report
This week's activity in the local San Francisco real estate market continued to show strong trends. However, the % of properties that received multiple offers was down slightly. Right now, our real estate market remains strong but spotty. Sellers appear to have a realistic sense of their home's value and are looking at the long-term gains. In San Francisco, we are pretty lucky! Appreciation here is often higher (and sometimes staggering higher) than national averages. So, even if you … [Read more...]
May 1, 2007 by Leave a Comment
Sellers, Add Curb Appeal and Reap Profits!
If you are selling your home or just remodeling with an eye towards future market value, take heed of the Rule of KBCA: KITCHENS BATHS CURB APPEAL Kitchens, baths and curb appeal is the mantra every Realtor, Home Stager, and savvy Home Seller should be chanting. These are the upgrades with the most bang for your buck. Of course, you can over do it! For example, if you are renovating a kitchen for sale, keep it simple, neutral and congruent with your home's style and price range. Just because … [Read more...]
April 27, 2007 by Leave a Comment
San Francisco Real Estate Sales Report
Each month, Zephyr's MLS Direct (aka Clean Offer) publishes a San Francisco Real Estate Market Trends report. I like the statistics and graphs but mostly, I like the general summaries. For example, "San Francisco home sales rose 6% in March from the month before, but were down 17.1% compared to March 2006. The median price for single-family homes in San Francisco rose 10.6% from February, and was up 4.8% compared to last March. The average price for single-family gained 26.5% to propel it back … [Read more...]
April 20, 2007 by Leave a Comment
Spring Is Here And It’s Time To CLEAN!
This is not the most novel topic I could write about, but it is timely and important. Clearing clutter and doing a major cleaning can help us be healthier and happier, inside and out. Being clean and clutter-free does not come naturally to me, but each year, I get more organized and feel better about my surroundings. Here are some ideas, helpful articles, etc. to get you (and me) motivated! 1. Suze Orman has a list of the 8 Qualities of a Wealthy Woman. Number 7 is Cleanliness! This is for the … [Read more...]
