With Facebook Not Looking So Good, Is the Bloom Off the Rose in San Francisco’s Residential Home Market

Posted on August 4, 2012 by Misha

My wife likes to remind me that I always seem to think that the stock market is heading down.  Though I don’t generally think of myself as a half empty kind of guy, there may be some truth to the rap.

So, what to make of a recent article in the New York Times that sees echoes of the 2000 dot-com bust in the disappointing performance of Facebook and other new-tech companies like Zynga and Groupon? Continue reading “With Facebook Not Looking So Good, Is the Bloom Off the Rose in San Francisco’s Residential Home Market” »

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Social Media Boom Fuels San Francisco’s Rental and Home Sales Market

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Misha

Hard on the heels of my last post that covered sky-rocketing home prices and rents comes yesterday’s front-page New York Times article on how San Francisco is at the epicenter of the new social networking/media boom. Continue reading “Social Media Boom Fuels San Francisco’s Rental and Home Sales Market” »

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San Francisco Housing and Rental Markets: Choose a Rock or a Hard Place

Posted on June 3, 2012 by Misha

The San Francisco Association of Realtors, of which I am a member, just came out with its Market_Focus_Report for May_2012 (click to open).  If you’re a seller or landlord, the news is great:  home prices and rents are up, up, up.  Not so good if you’re on the other side of the deal. Continue reading “San Francisco Housing and Rental Markets: Choose a Rock or a Hard Place” »

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Listed to Luxe in Under 30 Days

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Misha

2601 Broadway Terrace -- $11 million, going gone

Actually, in the case of 2601 Broadway Terrace, the 9,700 sf, 7 BR 6 BA beauty shown above, $11 million was enough to take the property from “Just Listed” to “Sold” in — zero days.  For moving that fast, the buyer get a cool $950,000 off the asking price.   — Proving once again that time is money, at least for those who have the latter in buckets.

The full story is more complicated.  It was originally listed back in February 2009 for $13.5 million.  It’s been on and off the market ever since — with a fresh   start date for that “Days on Market” statistic each time it was put back on.  Last time’s the charm…. Continue reading “Listed to Luxe in Under 30 Days” »

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Giving Credit Where It’s Due

Posted on February 11, 2012 by Misha

In my opinion, most real estate brokerage companies’ and their agents’ websites/blogs don’t provide a lot of useful market information.  And that’s being polite.  There are some exceptions, however, and one is Paragon Real Estate Group. Continue reading “Giving Credit Where It’s Due” »

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The 2011 San Francisco Residential Wrap-Up: Things Are (Are Not) Looking Up

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Misha

 

 

Where do you think the market went in 2011?  Come on.  Take a guess.  If you believe my own SF Association of Realtors “stronger affordability conditions, a lower cost of owning versus renting, and declining foreclosures, continue to steer the San Francisco housing market in a positive direction.” [January 2012 Market Focus Report].

“Continue.” Now that’s reassuring.  Continue reading “The 2011 San Francisco Residential Wrap-Up: Things Are (Are Not) Looking Up” »

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Noe Valley Comes Roaring Back

Posted on July 6, 2011 by Misha

While single family home prices for San Francisco as a whole can’t seem to recover beyond being around 18% down from their all-time highs, Noe Valley home prices have come roaring back since the start of the year. The three month moving average for April was down just 1% from its all-time high of March 2008.  In May, the moving average slipped back to 6.5% off the all-time high.  Take a look (click to enlarge): Continue reading “Noe Valley Comes Roaring Back” »

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Commonwealth: Anything But Common

Posted on July 1, 2011 by Misha

In  Ratatouille, Anton Ego, the long-nosed and terminally jaded restaurant critic, sits down to his meal at Gusteau’s and, rather than ordering anything off the menu, says to his waiter:  “Surprise me.”  When Ego takes his first bite of the film’s title dish, he’s instantly transported back to boyhood and his mother’s kitchen, all his cynicism upended by Remy’s fresh take on a Provencale classic. Continue reading “Commonwealth: Anything But Common” »

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That Rare Thing: A San Francisco Demolition

Posted on June 7, 2011 by Misha

Listed at $885,000 in November 2008,  this little Noe Valley fixer at 4209 24th Street sold for $896,000 in 31 days.

Two and half years later, the owners finally got their demolition permit.  It only took a few hours for the little box of ticky-tacky to come a-tumblin’ down.  Here’s what it looked like. Continue reading “That Rare Thing: A San Francisco Demolition” »

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San Francisco’s Best Schools

Posted on May 26, 2011 by Misha

Before curb appeal; before “walk-score” and commute; and way before closet space and water pressure, there’s the school.  For people with kids in tow or on the way, the primary determinant of where they want to live, right after what they can afford, is the quality of the schools in the neighborhood.

Where to turn for information? Continue reading “San Francisco’s Best Schools” »

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