This three-bedroom home at 330 Gravatt Dr. in Berkeley is on the market for $1.15 million.

Blanca Torres
Reporter- San Francisco Business Times

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Homes in East Bay cities are seeing dramatic price gains far greater than homes in San Francisco, according to ZipRealty, an online real estate brokerage.

Oakland’s median home price ballooned 76 percent to $432,000 in August compared with $245,500 in August of 2012. In Hayward, home prices jumped 55 percent to $387,000 in August 2013 compared with $250,000 last year.

Meanwhile, San Francisco’s median went up by 20 percent to $880,000, up from $735,000.

“Oakland and other communities in the East Bay were impacted more severely by the foreclosure crisis, which took a toll on East Bay real estate values while also setting these areas up for the dramatic recovery in prices we are now witnessing,” said Lanny Baker, president and CEO of Emeryville-based ZipRealty.

Prices are up by 36 percent across the nine-country Bay Area with a median of $585,000, so cities like Oakland and Hayward represent a deal in the region.

Nonetheless, prices can vary significantly from ZIP code to ZIP code in the same city. For example, Berkeley, where the median home price jumped by 21 percent during the past year to $737,500, has three ZIP codes where the median is above San Francisco’s median: $955,000 in 94707, $901,000 in 94708 and $1.22 million in 94705, which includes neighborhoods such as Claremont, the Claremont Hills, Elmwood and Panoramic Hill.

In Oakland, the 94610 ZIP code has the highest median home price of $743,000 and encompasses neighborhoods like Grand Lake, Adams Point, Lakeshore, Crocker Highlands and Trestle Glen.

In San Francisco, some of the fastest appreciating neighborhoods include North Beach and Telegraph Hill in the 94133 ZIP code where prices grew by 82 percent during the past year as well as the Marina, Cow Hollow and Pacific Heights in the 94123 ZIP code where prices rose by 68 percent in the past year.

A number of factors influence how much an area’s median home price goes up such as number of homes available. Cities such as Oakland, Berkeley, Hayward and San Francisco had less home inventory in 2013 than the year before.

Blanca Torres covers East Bay real estate for the San Francisco Business Times.

Article source: http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/blog/real-estate/2013/09/east-bay-home-prices-san-francisco.html

North Beach San Francisco

Right now cash is king. Homes are consistently going for over list price with multiple offer scenarios being commonplace.

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) January 31, 2013

The San Francisco market is seeing a great seller’s market. Multiple offer situations, cash in hand, and homes going to market earlier to meet buyer demand.

Business Insider reports, “Going into 2013, home prices are expected to rise 6 percent driven by steady demand, lower bank-owned (REO) sales, and lower inventory of unsold homes. This is according to CoreLogic’s latest report. The CoreLogic Home Price Index (HPI) increased 6.3 percent in 2012, the largest increase and highest level since 2006. And year-over-year home price increases were more widespread. This increase in home prices across a broader geographic spread is expected to continue in 2013.”

“Right now cash is king. Homes are consistently going for over list price with multiple offer scenarios being commonplace. Cash buyers who don’t have to deal with the financing world are winning.” Says Dahle. “A 6% increase for the year is a very promising number and we’re looking forward to a great 2013.”

Only the most informed real estate professionals can guide you through the ups and downs of the San Francisco Bay Area real estate market, and Kirk Dahle has been doing just that for buyers and sellers for several years. A relentless advocate for his clients, Kirk is constantly networking with real estate professionals to find the best listings and to bring a property to market. Contact Kirk directly at sfkirk(at)gmail(dot)com or call 415.203.8638.

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Article source: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/1/prweb10386770.htm

“I had a 28-inch waist,” Mr. Hernandez said, holding a 1960s image of himself in a dramatic pose.

The photos are among his few remaining possessions since he was evicted this past spring from a rent-controlled apartment on Green Street after nearly 30 years. The apartment was a large six-room flat and his new residence is barely 10 by 18 feet.

“I lost everything. I had to leave it back there,” he said. “I just moved here with a few goodies.”

Mr. Hernandez’s eviction represents an unexpected vulnerability in what many believed were San Francisco’s unassailable tenant protection laws — a breach that tenant’s rights advocates fear other landlords could exploit at a time when the city’s rental market is extremely tight. At issue is the legal concept “house rules” — and whether landlords can issue new rules for their properties and then evict tenants who do not obey.

Mr. Hernandez moved into 558 Green Street in 1982 to live with the sculptor Richard Whalen, who had resided there for years. The two men were known for throwing bacchanalian all-night Christmas Eve parties.

In April 2005, Paul Marino purchased the three-story building, home to the Columbus Cafe and two apartments, for $1.7 million. He knew Mr. Whalen and Mr. Hernandez paid only about $650 a month due to rent control.

Their original lease had expired, automatically becoming a month-to-month agreement. Mr. Whalen died three years ago, passing the tenancy to Mr. Hernandez.

Under state law, owners of apartments governed by month-to-month agreements are free to institute new house rules, and tenants must comply within 30 days. A San Francisco ordinance conflicts with this, saying all parties must agree to the rules.

In June 2009, Mr. Marino instituted house rules that banned subletting the apartment to others. But Mr. Hernandez, who lives on Social Security payments of $600 per month, rented out space in the flat, violating those rules.

“Subletting in a rent-control jurisdiction is a huge offense,” said Karen Uchiyama, Mr. Marino’s lawyer.

Mr. Marino tried to evict Mr. Hernandez, who was defended by Legal Assistance to the Elderly, a local nonprofit that aids seniors.

The court sided with state laws over the city ordinance, ruling for the landlord. Mr. Hernandez also lost on appeal.

“It’s the worst abuse of justice I’ve seen in 18 years in this office,” said Thomas Drohan, Mr. Hernandez’s lawyer. The decision, Mr. Drohan said, could allow landlords to create rules to evict.

The case comes at a time when landlords might be tempted to evict rent-control tenants. Driven by a number of factors — including an influx of tech jobs and a chronic housing shortage — rents in San Francisco rose the most in the nation in the third quarter, up 3.3 percent from three months earlier, according to RealFacts, which tracks rents nationwide.

Also, vacancy rates are the lowest in years, 3.7 percent, pushing rents to an average of $2,572, higher than during the dot-com boom 10 years ago, according to Marcus Millichap, a real estate services firm.

It is still hard to judge the effect of the Hernandez case.

Ted Gullicksen, executive director of the San Francisco Tenants Union, said that evictions based on similar lease breaches had immediately tripled, with 65 in May and 59 in June.

However, Janan New, director of the San Francisco Apartment Association, a group representing landlords, doubted those numbers and any link to the Hernandez case. “It costs a minimum of $30,000 to litigate these cases,” Ms. New said, making financial motivations unlikely.

Ms. Uchiyama added that landlords would prevail only if their house rules were reasonable. For example, no jury would allow a landlord to suddenly ban pets in a building of dog owners.

She said the case was significant, however, because it showed that state laws could trump city regulations — a message tenants should note. “They act as if the landlord has no rights, and that’s not the case,” Ms. Uchiyama said.

But Mr. Marino doesn’t feel victorious. He said when the Green Street apartment was vacated it was squalid, with filth including human waste. “Animals live in better conditions,” he said.

When repaired, he said, he will let only his family live there. No more renters.

Scott James is an Emmy-winning television journalist and novelist who lives in San Francisco.

sjames@baycitizen.org

Article source: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/21/us/forced-from-home-at-75-as-tenant-rules-bend.html

Take a virtual walk through well-known tourist favorites such as North Beach and Haight Ashbury, a stroll through residential Noe Valley, Pacific Heights and South of Market, or meander through those enclaves known only by locals like Cole Valley, Golden Gate Heights, Sea Cliff and newly-defined Yerba Buena. There are 36 neighborhoods spanning the City with dozens more underway for release later this year.

“As social media continues to change the way we communicate, Zephyr will stay at the forefront in taking advantage of those opportunities,” stated Melody Foster-Brown, Director of Marketing. “Zephyr will stay ahead of the curve while ensuring its website is robust, client friendly and invaluably informative,” she added.

The website features detailed neighborhood profiles that include market trends, descriptions, maps, demographics, properties for sale, and open homes for each of the 89 neighborhoods that comprise San Francisco. More than half of those neighborhoods include interesting and informative videos, which highlight shopping, dining, cultural, climatic and transportation information.

In addition to videos, detailed maps, statistics, and property searches, visitors can sign up for a freeMyZephyraccount to gain access to additional MLS information. Registered users can search sold and pending properties, save favorites, track a property’s value, receive price change updates and get new listing email alerts.

About Zephyr Real Estate
Founded in 1978, Zephyr Real Estate is San Francisco’s largest independent real estate firm with $1 billion in annual gross sales in 2010 and a current roster of more than 200 full-time agents. In 2010, Zephyr launched its new website, which has earned two web design awards, including the prestigious Interactive Media Award. Zephyr Real Estate is a member of the international relocation network, Leading Real Estate Companies of the World; the luxury real estate network, Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate; and the local luxury marketing association, the Luxury Marketing Council of San Francisco. Zephyr has six strategically located offices in San Francisco, a business center in Marin County, and serves a large customer base throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. For more information, visit www.zephyrsf.com.

Article source: http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/zephyr-real-estate-launches-youtube-channel-and-more-1511890.htm

But after all the grand fanfare, with impressive deals made in anticipation of city funding contributions and millions of dollars raised for design and preliminary development, the harsh reality of the national housing meltdown brought the dream crashing to a halt. Public housing residents who have been repeatedly disappointed are back in limbo, living day-to-day in homes that — in many cases — are vermin-infested, lack heat, have broken walls, ceilings or windows, and are consistently rated as dangerous and life-threatening.

In U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development inspections, a score of at least 60 out of 100 is considered passing. Scores at the eight public housing projects supposed to be upgraded by Hope SF range from 51 to 65 — and HUD found “life-threatening conditions present” at all of them.

For decades, running well into the early ’90s, the rundown condition of San Francisco’s public housing was a disgrace to The City. Executive managers were ousted and angry federal reports blasted the projects’ inadequate upkeep. Then between 1994 and 2006, money from the federal Hope VI program successfully revitalized public housing in the Mission, North Beach, Western Addition, Hayes Valley and Bernal Heights.

But the money from Washington eventually disappeared. Newsom tried to continue the work by assembling one of his bolder programs. Hope SF was a complex package partnering with private or nonprofit developers who would make money by building market-rate condos in the area. However, with the housing market and real estate financing limping along in the Bay Area, four years after Hope SF began, only two of its sites — in Hunters Point and the Bayview — actually have the public funds to move ahead.

Funding has run dry for six other developments, including the 769-unit Sunnydale housing project, sites atop Potrero Hill and in the Western Addition. The dismal news arrived in The City’s March report outlining San Francisco’s next decade of development: City Hall needs $127 million for infrastructure upgrades such as utilities, street paving and drainage before money becomes available to finish the public housing rebuild.

The fact remains that Hope SF made a four-year-old unfulfilled promise to San Franciscans whose needs have been shoved back to the end of the line for a disgracefully long time.

There can be no arguing about how difficult today’s municipal spending constraints are. But simply giving up and leaving Hope SF on the back burner will only worsen the problems plaguing these low-income communities. This is a time to try moving beyond the bureaucratic envelope. Some ways should be found to sweeten the developer deals so they become more attractive to private funding. It would seem that a task force of creative business people ought to be able to find some way to move Hope SF forward.

Article source: http://www.sfexaminer.com/opinion/editorials/2011/04/san-francisco-public-housing-shouldn-t-be-left-hopeless