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 “free spirits” areas in the city by the bay.

Noe Valley, The Mission and The Castro

During the dot-com boom, Noe Valley was like the overlooked teenager suddenly discovered by the cool crowd.  Wannbe high-tech millionaires came for the easy access onto Highway 101 heading directly in to the Silicon Valley and stayed for the pretty Victorians and charming shops and cafes along the 24^th Street.  Competition for homes in the neighborhood became fierce and dipped only slightly after the economy went bust.  On sunny weekend mornings crowds of residents pushing strollers or leading dogs on leashes down 24^th still wait for brunch tables at Miss Millie’s or Savor for over an hour.  Browsing through the unique gift, home decor and clothing boutiques that line the street helps pass the time.  The original location of Martha Bros. Coffee attracts a crowd of locals reading the paper or chatting on the benches outside every morning, but if it’s full you can always get your cup filled a little further down the street at Tully’s or Starbuck’s.

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Zephyr Real Estate and SFHotlist.com are hosting a free seminar for anyone interested in learning how to navigate San Francisco’s Public School System.

SFUSD is no simple system so please join us for this helpful class!

Presented by SFUSD spokes woman, Gentle Blythe and Hydra Mendoza, founding member and former ED of SF Parents for Public Schools and Education Advisor to Mayor Gavin Newsom.

Saturday, May 3rd

10am-noon

Contract Design Center 600 Townsend Street San Francisco

RSVP by emailing us HERE!

Check out these informative videos about San Francisco consumer real estate issues! Topics include:

Watch the Videos HERE.

Get to know the Trees on Your Street!

This Saturday, Zephyr Real Estate is hosting a free seminar with the fun and very interesting folks at the Friends of the Urban Forest (FUF). We did a tree-planting session with them in my neighborhood recently. It was awesome!

Check out the attached TREESeminarFlyer.pdf (1062 KB) and let me know if you’d like to attend!

How cool is this? The casting director of A&E’s Flip this House found MY blog and asked me to help get the word out for a new crew!! Obviously, I was both excited and flattered. Steve Grant wrote, “I think your blog is great, and could possibly be a great way to spread the word about the search for the new cast….”

But enough about me, what do you think of me? (Remember that timeless Bette Midler quote from Beaches?)

Anywho, do you want to be on television? Do you flip houses or want to? Check this out and MAKE SURE TO TELL STEVE YOU SAW THIS ON SFHOTLIST, THE BLOG! PLEASE AND THANK YOU.

Flip This House, A&E’s #1 rated lifestyle show, has been to Charleston, Atlanta, San Antonio, and New Haven. Which city will be next?!!

813 Casting and Departure Films are conducting a nationwide search for the new cast of characters who will be featured on the upcoming season of Flip This House! Will it be your team?

We’re looking for confident, charismatic, motivated and opinionated people who “flip” residential properties for a living. We want real-estate adrenaline junkies who love the high risk, high reward nature of their jobs and who are devoted to doing a great job!

If you would like your team to be featured on the upcoming season of Flip This House, send an email to fth@813casting.com. Include your contact info, bios on you and your team, and some reasons why your team should be the next to be featured on Flip This House! Teams should consist of four or more people.

Schedule an interview with Casting Director Steve Grant. Email fth@813casting.com

Once a quarter, my company, Zephyr Real Estate, and I produce a client newsletter with a variety of items for our friends in the community.

This month’s issue includes information on:

• San Francisco Housing Market Update
• How to Research Local School Information and how it affects your home’s value.
• Department of Building Inspection offers consumer class on remodeling, green building and other home pursuits.
• How to Make a Pet Diaster Kit.
• When to remodel…How long to keep your appliances and fixtures.

Check out the entire newsletter here File Attachment: 2ndQ2007 Newsletter.pdf (1148 KB) Happy reading!

Phil Says Spring is Right Around the Corner!

From the official Groundhog day website, “Yes! Punxsutawney Phil is the only true weather forecasting groundhog. The others are just impostors.” And this year, Phil says spring is coming soon! As a San Francisco Realtor, I’d say he’s right. The market winds are blowing quickly from a tepid buyer’s market back to a seller’s market. Even when we were remarkably slower last quarter, I cautioned that we were far from a true buyer’s market, at least according to real estate standards. However, for our local market, we were experiencing slowdown signs and buyers could negotiate and take their time. Therein lies the rub. If you take too much time, you will miss the moment. Many properties that could not sell last Fall have now sold with multiple offers and for more than the asking price. At least, 5 of my Zephyr Real Estate colleagues told of such events at yesterday’s sales meeting. The bottom line in San Francisco is that we live in one of the most desirable cities in the world. A city that is only 7 by 7 miles and much of that is park! Over the long-term (and in many cases, the short and medium-term), real estate values continue to rise. Unless you are an experienced, expert investor, it is more important to focus on your own situation, affordability, plans, needs, and wants than the perceived market, according to the news and your nay saying friends. Sellers, this means if you were nervous to sell last fall, it’s time to step up. There is not enough inventory for all of the buyers. Buyers, this means if you have been sitting on the fence because you see the bottom falling-out, try to look at the big picture and get a good value for yourself rather than chasing the dream of some outlandish bargain that for some reason, no one else knows about. While you’re chasing that dream, others are getting rich by owning their homes and saving serious money on taxes!