RocketSpace currently provides plug-and-play office space for 130 startups and their 600 employees at a per-person, per-month rate. It lets founders concentrate on their businesses while RocketSpace handles leases, security, bandwidth, firewalls and other office hassles. Its relationships with venture capitalists and corporate accelerators have kept at least one of its residents securing funding every week, and it runs inspiring events featuring speakers like Peter Thiel and Vinod Khosla.

CEO Duncan Logan told me in a meeting today that one of RocketSpace’s biggest problems is that due to space contraints, “we kick out companies when they get to 3o employees.” Fast-rising startups like Uber, Spotify, Kabam, and Leap Motion have all gotten the boot. It’s also receiving far more qualified applicants than it has room for. RocketSpace needed more, well, space. Meanwhile, its current real estate is literally about to get steamrolled. Tomorrow, the city of San Francisco will announce RocketSpace’s current 181 Fremont location will be demolished to make way for a new Transbay Tower transportation hub.

So after a year of searching, tomorrow RocketSpace will announce the lease of a 50,000 sq. ft. space just north of Market Street at 180 Sansome. Eventually it hopes to take over that whole tower. But RocketSpace Suites is just the start of its expansion. It’s currently looking at a 90,000 sq. ft. Bay Area space to replace the Fremont home it will have to vacate. Logan says it will be able to host 2,000 people in its combined 140,000 sq. ft. space. By the end of 2013 RocketSpace plans to have added a London space. And even though it’s completely bootstrapped, after that it’s eying Tel Aviv, Berlin, and Vancouver for additional locations.

Logan says RocketSpace aspires to become an “innovation campus” that he calls a “Stanford for startups.” He explains that “young companies are like young people. They’re a product of their environment. We can build the best possible environment for startups.” By surrounding themselves with similarly ambitious makers, Logan believes startups can be more creative and productive.

Just watch out for your neighbors poaching your engineers.

• ROCKETSPACE

Startup. Blast off.

RocketSpace is an accelerator for high-growth, seed-funded tech startups. We provide the fuel that every startup needs to accelerate: access to top talent, tier 1 venture capital, and blue-chip brands representing millions of potential customers.

Our programs are focused on creating the perfect tech startup ecosystem: speakers classes in our dedicated event space, services from the best startup service providers, and research analysis covering over 10,000 startups worldwide representing the “what’s next next” in technology.

Located in…

? Learn more

Article source: http://techcrunch.com/2013/03/28/rocketspace-suites/

A real estate agent tours a home for sale during an open house in San Francisco. According to real esate agents, in the current market environment, not having inside knowledge will prevent people from getting the house they desire. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Century 21 Realty Alliance president and broker Orhan Tolu shares what he knows to help buyers and sellers navigate the Bay Area’s strong and growing real estate market. The company had the biggest market share growth last year—357 percent—in the entire state of California when Century 21 Realty Alliance made its move into San Francisco, completing 850 transactions in their first year, with roughly 11 agents.

The Commercial Window

“This is the year to buy,” says Tolu.

If you have the capital, commercial properties are what you want to invest in, especially in San Francisco, Tolu says. In the current economy, it costs twice as much if you want to build a new building than what you can buy one for, and commercial property values are still comparatively low compared to housing. You might be able to buy a building for $200 per square foot, but it would cost about $400 per square foot to build that building today—and land is getting increasingly scarce.

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“Commercial is always the last sector in the real estate market to fall, and is the last one to pick up,” says Tolu, who has 15 years of experience in selling commercial real estate. “So it always happens in that cycle.”

“Right now there’s still a lot of vacancy in office space, there’s a lot of vacancy in retail,” Tolu said. “Commercial went up, rent went up, and there is a shortage of listings in apartments, too. But it’s not as bad as houses.”

“On the office or retail sector, I think it’s going to take another two years for the market to fully heal and become as good as residential in the state,” Tolu said.

In the next four to five years, Silicon Valley’s expansion will continue, and the real estate market is just growing. Analysts say the market has still not returned to normal levels, making this a good time to jump on a property if one is looking to invest.

“Real estate is maybe going to appreciate 30 to 40 percent in the next two years,” Tolu said, compared to banks or investment in stocks. “So if you add the appreciation plus net income return, it’s going to be more than 20 percent increase in a five-year time period, so there’s nothing better than a commercial real estate investment in the world, nothing better.”

Compared to other real estate sectors, “maybe you pay a little bit too much compared to the other areas, your net cap is less, but your appreciation is always much, much higher,” Tolu said.

Overseas investors may not be familiar with the market or the nuances of the way sales are made in each city. With the purchases of commercial property, there’s a big difference from housing, Tolu says. With residential real estate, buyers can look in newspapers, magazines, or search online, but commercial listings are less frequent.

Tolu says that in Silicon Valley, there are about 15 realtors who specialize in commercial real estate, and 50 to 60 in the Bay Area. In most transactions, the realtors can just make a few calls among themselves and sell the property without listing it on the market. If you want to invest in commercial real estate, be sure to find a local professional commercial real estate agent, he suggests.

International Buyers

Foreign buyers will be at a disadvantage if they search overseas. It’s necessary to be in the United States in order to even start the search, go to showings, and buy a house with the limited time buyers have to bid on properties. For international buyers, working with a company that has a large global network can greatly help facilitate the process and improve your chances of getting that house.

Just recently, Tolu said, a Century 21 real estate broker from London gave him a call—two people from London wanted to purchase a property in San Jose.

“She already did the search for me, she already did everything for me,” Tolu said. “All I have to do is send one agent to go show [the property], to take care of them.”

Many buyers in the Bay Area may be looking for something that requires specialized knowledge—condominiums, for example, are different from houses, and it’s best to choose an agent with that specialization. Properties are often sold within a week of listing, and some buyers get hasty after not being able to get a property after a certain amount of time, leading to bad decisions.

Use a Better Network

It’s crucial to have the most updated information while doing your search—lest you start to prepare to bid for a property that’s already sold. There are many popular online listing sites, like Trulia, but how up to date are they?

Listing information is released within 24 hours on Century 21’s website, Tolu says, but many other real estate sites take their listings from Century 21’s listing generator, and often aren’t updated until 72 hours after it’s available. There are even houses that are sold the next day, which the agents would know, but websites might not show.

Experience Is Key

In the current market environment, not having inside knowledge will prevent you from getting that house. Many buyers lose three or four properties before they start looking for help.

“[There’s] a huge shortage of listings. I’ve never seen a shortage like this in the last 50 years,” Tolu said. “And if you look at the data, the listing comes in today, and tomorrow it’s gone already.”

Sellers barely need to advertise, Tolu says. “You just put it in the Internet and somebody will buy it with a high price anyway. Why spend money for advertisement?”

A good broker will know the ins and outs of the neighborhoods you’re interested in, and be able to help you navigate the market, where prices are rising daily. “Rely on your broker, because your broker and your agent have much more updated information than the Internet.”

Pricing isn’t a sure thing in this market, and buyers who caution to bid 10 percent above asking price might end up with a house only months later, when asking prices too have gone up 20 percent, according to Tolu.

“If a house comes along and you don’t get the right advice, you’re going to lose that house anyway,” Tolu said. “Each time you lose, the price is going to keep going up and up. Rather than waiting six months and having the price go up, work with an experienced agent and you’ll buy it at your first look.”

Expand Your Options

Most buyers make the mistake of starting with an area they like and then look at what houses are there, Tolu said. It’s a common mistake.

If you only consider buying a house in a particular neighborhood or city, your choices are very limited, and if there are no listings, you’re stuck. Broaden your search to nearby areas, Tolu suggests, and look at their school districts as well. Then work with an experienced agent and bid right the first time.

School Districts

If you delay or don’t get the right information and haven’t gotten the house in the school district you want come September, it might affect your children’s education.

“If you do it at the right time, then your kids will go to the better schools—good schools,” Tolu said. “Otherwise in September when the schools open, if you still don’t have a property, you don’t have a good location or a good school for your kids.”

If you buy a house in a better school district, you won’t have to spend money on private schools, which can be at least $20,000 to $30,000, and very time-consuming to drive to and from, Tolu said.

Additional reporting by David Zhang

The Epoch Times publishes in 35 countries and in 21 languages. Subscribe to our e-newsletter.

Article source: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/business/navigating-the-bay-area-real-estate-market-370116.html

“We outgrew the last space as soon as we had moved in,” said Edelheit as he weaves through a maze of desks, followed by his panting dog Frankie, to get to his office. There he shows off his stand-up computer work station that he fabricated out of a small shelf from Ikea. Many of his mostly-young employees stand as well, as they search for homes to buy, rent, market, and manage. The energy is palpable.

“In terms of risk and reward, I feel that this is a generational opportunity,” Edelheit noted.

Two similar REITs, Silver Bay Realty Trust and Altisource Residential just went public in December 2012.

Analysts at KBW estimate cash returns on investments in REOs are in the 5-7 percent range, while total returns could reach 15-20 percent. (Read More: Bank of America in $10 Billion Foreclosure Settlement With Fannie Mae)

Article source: http://www.cnbc.com/id/100366417

Alameda, CA (PRWEB) December 29, 2011

Broadway Management Co., the leading purveyor of commercial real estate in Alameda and Oakland, announces that it has recently opened a new space for lease in the newly renovated Kofman Building.

“We realize that finding the right office space that connects San Francisco and its neighborhoods can be challenging,” Edward Hirshberg of Broadway Management Co. said. “We have the experience, the relationships, and the network, and we utilize those to provide the best interest to our customers at all times.”

Companies seeking a convenient office location will find that the space is located on the ground floor of Kofman Building, Broadway Management’s property at 1516 Oakland St. in Alameda. It features 900 square feet of area within proximity of the Abe Kofman conference room, which offers complete audio-visual facilities for comfortable and well-organized meetings. The space is currently available to rent for $1,800 per month, which includes utilities and common-area maintenance.

Broadway Management Co. provides businesses with the best sites for Alameda conference rooms and office rooms, and boasts strategic commercial locations in Alameda and Oakland. It has the closest building to the Oakland International Airport, while its other properties feature beautiful panoramic views of Oakland Hills. Broadway Management acknowledges that selecting a new office is a serious undertaking for any business, which is why the company provides only premium locations to clients. Its staff of career professionals is committed to guiding entrepreneurs in choosing and designing their office space.

For more information about the Broadway Management Co. or any of its properties, call 510-682-3481 or 510-250-3734, view the company on the web at www.broadwaymanagement.net, or visit 1151 Harbor Bay Parkway, Suite 204, Alameda, CA 94502.

About Broadway Management Co.

Oakland commercial real estate company, Broadway Management Co. has been in business since 1960 and continues to practice its family tradition of helping business owners achieve progress with the utmost professionalism. Broadway Management also has home and apartment properties in Oakland Hills and a vacation house in North Lake Tahoe. The company features interior studio design and room remodeling based on clients’ needs and desires.

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For the original version on PRWeb visit: www.prweb.com/releases/prwebcommercial-real-estate/oakland-alameda/prweb9067883.htm

Article source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/12/29/prweb9067883.DTL

One example of this surge in tech positions in the Bay Area comes from Lookout Mobile Security, which relocated near San Francisco’s South Park in order to acquire more space.

Six months after relocating, the smartphone security firm is looking to add even more office space, with the goal of doubling its staff by the end of 2011, according to the news provider.

“Every person who is buying a smart phone today has a computer in their pocket and they realize they need to keep it safe,” John Hering, chief executive officer (CEO) and co-founder of the firm, told the news source. “That has created a major opportunity for Lookout.”

The Lookout expansion is indicative of tech jobs throughout the area, has San Francisco had an estimated 30,700 such positions by the end of last year, according to the news source. That number is just below the 32,800 peak of early 2001, according to analysis conducted by real estate firm Jones Lang LaSalle.

In the Silicon Valley, there were 106,300 tech jobs in the fourth quarter, just shy of the 112,700 peak, according to the analysis.

“Silicon Valley really caught fire,” Colin Yasukochi, director of research at Jones Lang LaSalle, told the Chronicle. “The economic recovery here is being led by technology.”

Some of the major companies that have contributed to the surging tech industry throughout the region include Facebook, Motorola, Google and Hewlett-Packard, the news source said.

The San Francisco Business Times reports that the increasing number of tech jobs has also caused the price of office space rental to increase by between 10 and 25 percent over the past year in the area.
 

Article source: http://www.job.com/career-advice/local-job-news/tech-jobs-surging-in-san-francisco-$438031524-1230.html