Looking for a turnkey house with panoramic views—in a convenient location near BART and the freeway? My new listing at 130 Shakespeare Street fits the bill. This home was completely renovated in 2015 with updates of all major systems including new foundation and framing, new roof, copper repiping, tankless water heater, electrical upgrades, recessed lighting and much more. The airy main level has vaulted ceilings and an open floor plan that’s great for entertaining. There’s abundant natural light on this level and you’ll love the well-appointed kitchen featuring white cabinetry with soft close ..read more

We kicked off 2024 with much hope for multiple interest rate cuts. But last Friday’s inflation measure didn’t do us any favors. The Personal Consumption Expenditures index rose 2.7%, up from 2.5% in February, not exactly laying the groundwork for interest rate cuts. This was much higher than The Fed’s 2% goal. So we’ll be sitting with these rates for probably most of the year. 30-year fixed loan rates are above 7% at the moment. Though that may fluctuate a bit throughout the year, I don’t believe we’ll be seeing rates that are substantially lower in 2024. What that means for San Francisco real ..read more

Many buyers who start out looking for a condo in San Francisco often end up deciding that they’ll join forces with their friends or family members to purchase a two-unit building. This can be a good decision, but it’s important to be aware of the key factors to consider when deciding whether such a group purchase is possible—or a good idea. Here’s what you should discuss before you take the plunge into the two-unit building market: You’ll need to have shared goals. The biggest advantage of a two-unit building is the process by which you can condo convert. (It typically takes 1.5-two years.) Ma ..read more

The climate is ripe for adding housing in San Francisco, and that extends to the city’s efforts to make adding an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) to a property easier. But whether you should move ahead with “legalizing” an existing in-law apartment—or creating one—depends upon what type of property you own. If you own a building with three or more units, adding another one won’t really introduce new use restrictions on the building or resale complications. However, that’s not the case with a two-unit building/duplex or a single-family house. Adding an ADU to either of those property types will r ..read more

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is planning or has completed a trio of projects on tap in different parts of the city in a bid to deal with issues that are worsening as the climate changes in The Bay Area. These projects will give a boost to neighborhoods where residents have been grappling with erosion and flooding. Here’s what’s going on: Ocean Beach erosion: Rising sea levels and more intense storms continue to erode the southern part of Ocean Beach, messing with water and wastewater infrastructure. In response, The Ocean Beach Climate Change Adaptation Project will crea ..read more

You may have noticed an uptick in new San Francisco listings over the past couple weeks. Spring has officially arrived, bringing with it a crop of buyers and sellers who are ready to do business. I’ve been selling real estate in the city for more than 22 years, and the same thing happens every year: Homeowners rush to put their homes on the market to capitalize on the April-May-June sales sweet spot, and new buyers wade into the market. Why does this happen annually? For one thing, home buyers finish their taxes and get on solid financial ground. It’s also a lot more fun to look at houses in n ..read more

The first quarter of 2024 kicked off a mixed bag of activity across the San Francisco house market. Though volume was lackluster, median price was up and overbidding was still a popular activity. Here’s a closer look at what happened over the past three months: Volume took a dive. 376 single-family homes sold in Q1 2024, down 25% from the 500 that closed in Q4 2023. (It’s worth mentioning that the last quarter of the year typically reflects sales in the more robust fall selling season.) But we saw an uptick in the median price. With a $1,620,000 median price, the last quarter bested Q4 2023’s ..read more

Condos are a popular option for many home buyers in San Francisco. Prices for condos are more affordable than those of single-family homes, and there’s less upkeep involved. For busy professionals, condos are generally a better fit for busy professionals who also travel frequently. The residents within a condo building are part of a homeowners association (HOA). In larger buildings, there’s usually an HOA board, too. These entities make decisions about the property with respect to expenditures, special assessments and other issues that arise. There’s a lot to evaluate when you’re considering a ..read more

The tenancy-in-common (TIC) market continues to represent a small slice of properties sold in San Francisco. But TICs are an important property category in the city because they can put first-time home buyers on a path to get more space in a better location than a condo will allow. Both Covid and higher interest rates have softened the condo market, and in turn, the market for TICs in buildings with three or more units. (I view TICs in two-unit buildings as a different animal, as condo conversion is typically more straightforward and possible under certain owner occupancy conditions. They’re c ..read more

You’ve heard that you can transfer your property tax base under California’s Prop 19 when selling your primary residence at age 55 or older. But how do you actually do this after you’ve purchased that perfect wine country retirement home? First, get claim form BOE-19-B (Claim for Transfer of Base Year Value to Replacement Primary Residence for Persons At Least Age 55 Years), as per the California Board of Equalization) from the County Assessor’s office where the replacement property is located. Complete that form and submit it to the same office. To qualify for this transfer, you need to file ..read more