san francisco real estate blog: San Francisco Home Sales Data - April 2008
- 05/05/08 05:56 PM
Do you realize that it's MAY??? I mean, a third of 2008 is now but a memory. Winter is over (though I couldn't really tell by today's weather) and Spring isn't far from being over too. Other things that typically happen this time of year is that San Francisco Real Estate Sales pick up - and this year is no less typical (in this regard at least) that others. With that being said - I went ahead and ran the sales from the MLS as I do every month and found some interesting stuff. Notables from April 2008 sales figures: Median sales price rose across the … (0 comments)
san francisco real estate blog: San Francisco Real Estate - Is it a Buyer's Market or a Seller's Market?
- 04/22/08 10:34 AM
So I was just surfing the San Francisco real estate blog-o-sphere after a long hard day of looking at properties that are currently on the market - and I noticed an interesting trend. I noticed that there are properties on the market right now that have had offer dates come and go - and they haven't received offers. Now - you've heard me say that I think now is a great time to buy San Francisco real estate. If you check out my last few posts about mortgage rates or the rising cost of SF Rents, you'll get my drift. And … (0 comments)
san francisco real estate blog: Where Are Mortgage Rates Headed in 2008? (And How Do They Affect San Francisco Real Estate?)
- 04/21/08 08:49 AM
The beginning of the year brought us some declines on the mortgage scene - along with the addition of the strange new agency jumbo loan which covers the area between the traditional conforming loan of up to $417K but below a "real" jumbo loan which starts at $729K. Interest rates are historically low and while they're expected to stay that way through 2008, they are expected to creep upward as the year progresses. From The Real Esate Daily News: Mortgage Rates Hit Low Point The 30-year fixed rate mortgage currently sits at 5.88 percent, and analysts say they are unlikely to … (0 comments)
san francisco real estate blog: Renting in San Francisco Becomes an (Even More) Expensive Affair
- 04/17/08 07:19 PM
According to this article in SF Gate, San Francisco rents shot up 14.4 percent from a year ago! So here's my hypothetical question to the renters that can afford to buy - (and I'd love to hear from some of you readers if you feel like answering): If you can afford to buy and aren't planning on moving outside of SF in the next five years, why are you still renting? Now - don't get me wrong - I get it. Buying a home is expensive. Lenders aren't exactly giving money away. In fact, there's all sorts of stuff they want … (0 comments)
san francisco real estate blog: Got SF Real Estate Questions?
- 04/17/08 04:49 PM
I forget sometimes that people actually read this blog. In fact, I'm often surprised when I run into people that actually know who I am after reading my thoughts about San Francisco real estate. Usually, the people that recognize me are other agents that read this blog, but sometimes, I run into strangers at open houses or other place that actually recognize my name - and they say that it's from here! It's nice to be reminded that people actually read what I write, and even nicer when someone takes the time to write in and ask a question to get … (6 comments)
san francisco real estate blog: San Francisco Realtor Seeing Goats!
- 09/22/07 06:55 PM
OK... so maybe it isn't an invasion, maybe they were invited. And maybe they're not all over San Francisco, but confined to a hillside that's part of the Laguna Honda Hospital Campus in San Francisco's Forest Hill neighborhood. But when I drove down Laguna Honda Boulevard today, I nearly broke my neck when I caught a glimpse of the goats grazing on the hillside! The goats didn't run away from home to party in the City, but were brought in from Sycamore Farms of Monterey County to gobble up some the hazardous grass on the hillside that might, under the … (0 comments)
san francisco real estate blog: San Francisco Realtor Visits Dwell on Design
- 09/17/07 06:14 PM
I missed the Mayor, but I had a great time anyway! As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I got the opportunity to go to the Dwell on Design conference and exhibition today. I hear that our green Mayor Newsom swung by today... but even though I didn't get a chance to meet Gavin and see his perfect hair in person, I still had a great time at the exhibition and couldn't believe how much fun stuff I saw (not to mention the cool environmentally friendly bag I got that I'll be using to carry my groceries in until it falls … (0 comments)
san francisco real estate blog: Buy a Home with Other People's Money
- 09/16/07 12:54 PM
SFGate.com ran an article back in July that talked about a concept that we're seeing again called equity sharing. I had a few clients ask me about it, so I approached Monica Di Perna to get some more information on the topic. Here's what she had to say: Equity shariing was very popular when I first started in the business 12 years ago. In 1994, when I was going to business school during the evening, my old boss, Rob McNab taught me how to underwrite, process, and originate loan files. He was a REALTOR®, Asset Manager, CFP/Financial Planner and Tax Preparer. … (4 comments)
san francisco real estate blog: When Good Email Goes Bad
- 09/15/07 08:41 PM
As a REALTOR®, my email is my life line. On an average day, I get anywhere from 40 emails and on a busy day, 100 (or many more) emails are not uncommon. I'm connected to my email just about everywhere I go. My Palm Treo gives me access to my email on the go. I opted for the Windows based model when I bought my smart phone because it works better with my email, even though sometimes it's worse as a phone (imagine having to reboot your cell phone a few times a day.) Even with all of my phone's quirks, … (2 comments)
san francisco real estate blog: Free Passes to West Coast Green Conference in San Francisco
- 09/14/07 07:52 PM
Yours truly scored a handful of free passes to the West Coast Green Conference! (I had mentioned the conference in a recent post.) Most days of the conference are open to the trade only, but Saturday, September 22nd is Homeowner's Day. You can get FREE passes while they last by emailing me with your request. Only requests made by San Francisco residents that do not work in the trade will be honored. < br> … (0 comments)
san francisco real estate blog: Mini-Golf Meets Hayes Valley History
- 09/14/07 07:48 PM
News & Politics: The Snitch - Putts From the Past For all of you miniature golf fans... especially FREE miniature golf fans, swing by the vacant lot at Hayes & Octavia this Saturday. (Don't wait till Sunday, it will be too late). Each hole represents a different era of the Hayes Valley neighborhood. Even cooler... there may be plans for another mini-golf course in the near future that will depict ALL of San Francisco history, and not just Hayes Valley. If you can make it, have fun put-putting out there! … (0 comments)
san francisco real estate blog: Mortgage Rates Drop Swiftly This Week
- 09/14/07 07:46 PM
Not all mortgage news is bad news this week. Interest rates for conforming loans (those $417,000 and under) are dropping... and this is great news for homeowners whose ARM's (Adjustable Rate Mortgages) were just about to reset. This means that they have a damn good chance of not facing the "F" word (foreclosure). While San Francisco homeowners seem to be better off than most, even here, some people got into some hot water. Even better news... the Fed looks like it will cut mortgage rates even further at their meeting next week. For more details, check out these two great … (6 comments)
san francisco real estate blog: Who Loves SF Architecture?
- 09/12/07 07:35 PM
One of the many reasons that I love real estate so much is the amazing variety of architecture we have in the City. September in San Francisco is an entire month dedicated to the City's architecture and design. You'll find films, home tours, studio tours and much more. I know where almost half-way through the month, but I swear, there is still plenty left to enjoy! Celebrating San Francisco's unique built environment and design community, Architecture and the City is the first series of its kind in the Bay Area to feature architectural tours, film screenings, exhibitions, design lectures … (5 comments)
san francisco real estate blog: Get a House in Marin for $150!
- 09/12/07 07:33 PM
Totally unrelated to this post... but before I start, I ran into someone today, a fellow agent, that recognized me from my blog! How cool is that? I'm getting famous! :-D OK... on to somewhat serious matters... I received a link today to this Dream House Raffle in Marin. First, I'd like to point out that I'm not advocating moving to Marin. If you like Marin, go for it. It's a great place to live, it's pretty sunny, it's close to all sorts of hiking trails, and I'm sure it's got all sorts of other stuff going for it. But I'm … (1 comments)
san francisco real estate blog: Buying Probate Property - 7 Things You Should Know
- 09/05/07 10:40 PM
This coming Sunday, I will be hosting an Open House out in the Richmond District. It's an extremely well priced single family home, and I know that it will likely draw hundreds of potential buyers. The biggest draw to the place? It's a probate sale.
A property ends up in probate if a property owner dies without a will. (Just a little side note... Everyone should have a will... if you don't already have one, get one! If you need help getting one, let me know and I can put you in touch with an estate planner or an … (30 comments)
Luba’s San Francisco Real Estate Blog is meant to inform you about a variety of good things and happenings around SF and its unique neighborhoods, about buying and selling homes in the City and about the real estate market in general.
Do you realize that it's MAY??? I mean, a third of 2008 is now but a memory. Winter is over (though I couldn't really tell by today's weather) and Spring isn't far from being over too. 
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