No. 5: J. Rockcliff
Realtors

Gross sales by Bay Area office(s) in 2012: $2,070,049,206

Gross sales by Bay Area office(s) in 2011: $1,905,265,505

Top Bay Area executive: Jeff Sposito, President

Elizabeth Matsushita
Editorial researcher- San Francisco Business Times

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The top five Bay Area residential real estate firms held strong to their positions this year, though there were a few small surprises. What San Ramon-based real estate firm dominated our Bay Area list, but came in third on our East Bay list? Which of the top five was the only one to see a decrease in Bay Area sales compared to 2011?

Click on the image to start a slideshow of the Largest Residential Real Estate Firms in the Bay Area.

The San Francisco Business Times publishes industry rankings in each issue of the paper and reprints them at the end of the year for our annual Book of Lists. These lists are unique and authoritative sources of Bay Area business news.

To see the full Top 25 list, check out this week’s issue. The other list in this week’s issue is the Largest Residential Real Estate Firms in the East Bay.

To see our full Lists, subscribe to the San Francisco Business Times in print.

Elizabeth Matsushita is an editorial researcher at the San Francisco Business Times.

Article source: http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/blog/2013/03/top-5-residential-real-estate-firms-in.html

The increased activity mirrors what’s happening nationally, as builders ramp up after a long hibernation that saw home starts plunge to record lows.

A Chronicle analysis of Census Bureau data on housing permits – a strong indicator of future construction as 86 percent become housing starts within one month – shows that this year the core Bay Area counties are on track for more-robust home building.

The home construction market is returning to normal as it recovers from the “boom and bust carnage,” said Robert Denk, senior economist at the National Association of Home Builders.

“We definitely see that we’re on our way up off the bottom,” said Gary Mayo, group president for Northern California and Nevada at Toll Brothers, one of the nation’s largest home builders. “The market is improving across the country, with Northern California among the stronger areas. In the Bay Area, sales started to dramatically improve in January. Our sales in the Bay Area on the same (housing developments) as last year are up 100 percent this year.”

Models not even done

Toll has luxury developments in Brisbane and Sunnyvale – each of which has sold more than a dozen homes without even completing a model house.

“We have a sales trailer out in the middle of the raw land where we’re putting in the site improvements. It shows the strength of the market: People are buying off of the blueprints and our reputation,” he said. Another new site in Pleasanton opened a week ago and has taken six deposits. Existing developments around the bay in Hayward, San Ramon, Dublin and elsewhere are suddenly finding a ready coterie of buyers, he said.

Kenny and Rena Tan will pay about $1 million for a five-bedroom home in Toll’s Brisbane development called the Ridge, which will be ready in about a year. For now, they put down a nonrefundable $9,000 deposit, accounting for about half of the structural options they requested, such as converting the downstairs library to a bedroom, putting in a kitchen island and a adding a sink to the laundry room.

They like the location, near San Francisco and the airport, and picked a site with hill views, he said.

At 52, Tan said they were looking ahead to their senior years.

“We wanted a home we can retire in, with a downstairs bedroom so we don’t have to climb stairs as we get older,” he said.

As a real estate lawyer, he’s very familiar with the market, Tan said.

“I know that the worst is over; especially in San Francisco and the Peninsula there is such a strong demand for homes that it is a very resilient market,” he said. “I waited until now; no way would I have jumped in two years ago.”

What caused the turnaround?

Richard Green, director of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate, said that a growing population’s demand had caught up with the existing supply, making it time for new homes to be built.

“We went a long time, basically five years, with almost no new construction to speak of,” he said. “In the post-World War II era we’ve never seen anything like this before, so it had to turn around.”

Biggest of all, Denk said: stabilization of the overall housing market. “Nobody will buy a house if they expect it to lose value,” he said. “The bottoming out of house prices is a critical factor enabling the turnaround.”

Low interest rates

Overall economic conditions, with growing consumer confidence and record-low interest rates, is another factor.

“I think people are tired of waiting,” Mayo said. “They’ve been sitting on the sidelines for five years wanting a new home but didn’t feel the dynamics were right. Employment didn’t feel solid. Now (they see) low interest rates, a strengthening economy and (more) equity in their existing homes, so they can sell them.”

Consider this: In both 2005 and 2006, builders pulled permits for about 15,000 new homes a year in the San Francisco metropolitan area (the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo), a little more than half of them being single-family houses and the rest apartments or condos. In 2009, just 3,550 permits were issued. By 2011 it was up to about 5,800.

Soaring past last year

As of August, builders have already taken out about 5,800 permits this year – as many as in all of last year – putting them on track to exceed last year’s total by 50 percent.

The San Jose metro area (the counties of Santa Clara and San Benito) had an even deeper plunge, going from roughly 6,000 new permits a year to only 1,100 in 2009. This year, it is on track for about 5,800 permits – almost back to its boom-time levels.

Home construction is an economic indicator that packs a hefty wallop. Building a house creates the equivalent of three full-time yearlong jobs, according to the National Association of Home Builders. About half of them are construction – the folks who swing the hammers and install the plumbing and electricity – while the other half are everything from real estate agents, mortgage brokers and lawyers to sellers of concrete, brick, masonry, steel, furniture and other goods.

The United States “was hovering at 1.4 million single-family houses being built a year, and that dropped to 400,000,” Denk said. “With 1 million fewer housing starts, that meant 3 million jobs that weren’t there because we weren’t building at a normal pace.”

From 2007 to 2011, more than 2.1 million construction workers lost their jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Since then, only about a quarter of a million have gone back to work in the industry.

“In a normal year, housing construction is 5 percent of GDP,” Green said. The downturn “shaved 3 percent off the GDP. When we get back to normal – and we’re still not there yet – that’s another 3 percent back of GDP, which I think everyone will welcome.”

Exurbia building

Some people predicted that post-downturn new homes would be leaner than the boom-time McMansions, but that doesn’t seem to be holding true.

“There is more building in exurbia, where land is relatively cheap,” Green said. “Developers make bigger margins on bigger houses, so that’s probably what we’re going to see.”

Patrick Duffy, principal at home-building consultant Metro Intelligence Real Estate Advisors, said he predicts that next year will see builders break ground on 800,000 to 1 million new homes nationwide, following this year’s projected 600,000.

“House building has a big multiplier effect” on the economy, he said. “That’s why we’ve been dragging along. Now housing is starting to pick up; that’s a nice annual bump. It’s really hopeful, but there’s still some economic uncertainty out there. “

Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: csaid@sfchronicle.com

Article source: http://www.sfgate.com/realestate/article/Bay-Area-new-home-construction-rebounds-3986773.php

San Ramon, Calif.-based brokerage Prudential California Realty Pearson Properties has acquired Brentwood, Calif.-based Coldwell Banker Amaral Associates.

The deal brings 25 agents and three offices to Prudential California Realty and represents the 12th acquisition the brokerage has made in the past two years. The brokerage — which has doubled in size since affiliating with Prudential Real Estate in September, 2010 — has more than 500 agents in 18 offices in the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento.

“We’ve been strategically expanding for the past two years, and the addition of these productive offices strengthens our existing and thriving presence in East [Contra Costa] County,” said Gretchen Pearson, president of Prudential California Realty Pearson Properties, in a statement. 

Amaral Associates will now do business as Prudential California Realty under the continued leadership of broker-owner Aaron Meadows, who became president of the 25-year-old brokerage in 2001.

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Article source: http://www.inman.com/news/2012/06/22/prudential-california-realty-continues-growth

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Stokley Properties Inc., a Bay Area property management group that serves the Concord, San Ramon, Oakland, Brentwood, Martinez and Bay areas, is offering important tips for real estate owners who are searching to rent or sell properties.

This has always been the case for as long as Stokley Properties Inc. has been in business but is perhaps more important today than ever before. The reason is because the market is so competitive in the current economic state, and people and business are looking at how to make the most for the least amount of expense. In this vein, Stokley Properties property management is currently offering the following tips for real estate owners:

For more information about Stokley Properties Inc., call 925-658-1415, view the company on the web at http://www.stokleypropertieseastbay.net or visit 1630 North Main St., Suite 54, in Walnut Creek.

About Stokley Properties Inc.

The Walnut Creek company, Stokley Properties, provides complete property management services throughout the greater San Francisco East Bay Area, including Concord, San Ramon, the Bay Area, Brentwood, Martinez and Oakland. They provide professional real estate investment advice to enable clients to make well-informed decisions. Services include advertising and marketing, residential screening, leasing and retention management, property inspections and more.

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Article source: http://www.prweb.com/releases/property-management/bay-area/prweb9348757.htm

Walnut Creek, CA (PRWEB) February 24, 2012

Stokley Properties Inc., a Bay Area property management company that handles properties in Concord, San Ramon, Brentwood, Martinez and Oakland, offers advice for landlords and property owners. The rental market is still hot; however, some landlords are still making the mistake of pricing their properties too high and at a price that is not warranted.

Many owners are not experienced property managers. They believe that because the market is hot, they can get the price they want for their property, regardless of its condition. This is absolutely not true. Clients who are well off will pay top dollar but only when the property deserves the price. Many property owners may only own one rental property and have not had the opportunity to truly understand the dynamics of the property management industry.

Prospective renters must be aware that rental is a highly competitive market. They need to be prepared.

Stokley Properties has been offering expertise and valuable advice to tenants and property managers throughout the East Bay since 1989. It is more than just a property management firm. It also specializes in investment properties throughout the East Bay and Northern California. Stokley will offer sound investment advice to assist investors in achieving real estate goals. Whether the client is looking to buy or sell an investment, Stokley Properties will lend its expertise to maximize a client’s investment value.

“It’s not easy to find the right property management company. Most companies lack the true dedication and attention to detail it takes to achieve success with the properties, the tenants and the landlords. But, Stokley Properties is different. From the first phone call to the follow-up, property prep and ultimate securing of an appropriate tenant, Joe Stokley and team take care of business from A to Z,” Debbie Rossetto of Legacy Real Estate Associates said.

For more information about Stokley Properties Inc., call 925-658-1415, or visit the company on the web at www.stokleypropertieseastbay.net and www.stokleyproperties.net. Stokley Properties Inc. is located at 1630 North Main St., Suite 54, in Walnut Creek.

About Stokley Properties Inc.

Stokley Properties Inc. is a licensed property management company and California real estate brokerage firm. It provides property management services in Contra Costa and Alameda counties in the San Francisco East Bay Area.

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For the original version on PRWeb visit: www.prweb.com/releases/prwebproperty-management/bay-area/prweb9224566.htm

Article source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2012/02/24/prweb9224566.DTL

To vote.

Shea, 51, is one of an estimated 800 Bay Area residents who have plunked down the cash and taken the time to fly back to their native Taiwan and vote in today’s presidential election.

At issue, Shea and others say, is a question that strikes at the identity of the Taiwanese people: Should they continue to court mainland China and its booming economy or maintain ties with the West and its democratic values?

The two main presidential candidates offer competing answers. President Ma Ying-jeou says a close relationship with China offers the allure of a booming economy that can carry Taiwan into the next century. His main rival, Tsai Ing-wen, wants Taiwan to continue to pursue formal independence, a position that has long angered the Chinese government. Polls show the raise is too close to call.

Shea, who is one of estimated 200,000 Taiwanese expatriates who have returned to vote, said she has a duty to help define the future of their county.

“We always want to give the next generation a better future, so we feel like we should be here, we should give them this,” Shea by phone from a relative’s apartment in Taipei. “We want to have democracy, and we want to keep it.”

Unlike in the United States, Taiwanese expatriates can’t simply vote at a consulate’s office or mail a ballot. They have to return to Taiwan to vote at the polls.

Shea, a real estate agent, left her husband and younger son in the Bay Area last week while she, her daughter and 80-year-old mother headed for Taiwan.

Of the estimated 400,000 Taiwanese expatriates in the Bay Area, roughly 800 were expected to fly back for the election, said Manfred Peng, press director with San Francisco’s Taipei Economic and Cultural Office.

“These two political parties have a different perspective on the future of the country, and the members of the parties see a different future for the country,” Peng said. “They probably think the results of the election will affect them so much they want to go back and vote.”

Michael McCarron, a spokesman for San Francisco International Airport, said the flights to Taiwan have been slightly more crowded than normal, in part because of the upcoming Lunar New Year celebration.

Shea, who was up before dawn on Saturday, said the younger generations who support Ma looked only at the money to be made, not the story of Taiwan.

“We feel that we want to tell young people, ‘When you saw the fight two generations ago, you forgot what it was about, maybe your parents didn’t tell you,’ ” Shea said. “They can’t see the big picture, they can’t tell you why.”

E-mail Will Kane at wkane@sfchronicle.com.

This article appeared on page A – 4 of the San Francisco Chronicle

Article source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/01/13/MNMN1MP9QA.DTL&type=politics

Walnut Creek, CA (PRWEB) December 23, 2011

Bay Area property management company, Stokley Properties Inc. works closely with the real estate community to help their clients make the decision of whether to turn a home into a rental income-producing property. Currently, Stokely Properties is noticing a boost in the Bay Area Rental Homes Market due to lackluster home sales.

“It is important for a property owner to be aware of what the real estate market is going through now so that they can make informed and sound decisions,” Joseph Stokley Jr. of Stokley Properties Inc. said

Homeowners who chose not to sell their properties at depressed prices are deciding to wait it out and turn their homes into rental properties.

“We are seeing this happening more every month. The property owners are taking advantage of a very strong rental market as well,” reported The Contra Costa Times in Oct. 20.

Rents are also climbing sharply in the East Bay as people who were once homeowners look for places to rent after losing their homes to foreclosure or not making their mortgage payments.

Contra Costa County has seen a 7 percent increase since last year and Alameda County has seen an 8.7 percent increase in rents.

For more information on the Bay Area property management company, Stokley Properties Inc., call 925-658-1415, view it on the web at www.stokleypropertieseastbay.net or visit 1630 North Main St., Suite 54, Walnut Creek, CA 94596.

About Stokley Properties Inc.

The Walnut Creek company, Stokley Properties, provides complete property management services throughout the greater San Francisco East Bay Area, including Concord, San Ramon, the Bay Area, Brentwood, Martinez and Oakland. They provide professional real estate investment advice to enable clients to make well-informed decisions. Services include advertising and marketing, residential screening, leasing and retention management, property inspections and more.

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For the original version on PRWeb visit: www.prweb.com/releases/prwebproperty-management/bay-area/prweb9062284.htm

Article source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/12/23/prweb9062284.DTL

“Sales are subpar, prices mainly flat and I don’t anticipate much change,” said Andrew LePage, an analyst with San Diego’s DataQuick, which produced the report. “Lots of people are stacked up on the sidelines, waiting for a better time to buy or sell when things are more certain.”

The median price for all homes – resale, new and condos – sold across the nine Bay Area counties in November was $363,500, down 4.3 percent from a year ago.

The total number of properties changing hands edged up 3.4 percent to 6,317, compared with last year.

Not much inventory

Low inventory remains an issue as many people are reluctant to sell, said Rick Turley, president of Coldwell Banker’s Bay Area region.

“The home seller who becomes a move-up buyer is almost like a missing generation,” he said. “We have some people out there with an appetite (to buy) who have a down payment and can qualify, but because of the ho-hum market, there isn’t inventory for them.”

Turley said he sees about 4 1/2 months’ worth of inventory for high-end homes and just a few weeks’ worth on the low end.

Cindi Hagley, managing broker at Prudential California Realty in San Ramon, observed similar dynamics.

“We have multiple offers on almost everything we sell for under $400,000,” she said.

But at the other end, “People who could theoretically afford to buy bigger homes are hunkering down a bit,” Hagley said. “People are downsizing” rather than moving up.

High-end sales are also taking a hit from a change in the conforming loan limit, which eliminates most government-backed mortgages between $625,501 and $729,750. Lawmakers restored FHA loans in that bracket, but Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgages are no longer available.

“We don’t know yet to what extent FHA and the private mortgage market can fill that void,” LePage said.

The tighter financing for high-end homes is reflected in declining sales volume.

Low-price purchases

For instance, in Santa Clara County, November sales of homes over $800,000 were down 18.2 percent from a year earlier, while sales of homes under $300,000 rose 22.3 percent compared with November 2010, LePage said.

Throughout the real estate downturn, sales of higher-end homes have declined dramatically. Mortgages above $417,000 accounted for about 29.7 percent of November’s purchase lending, DataQuick said. Before 2007, such “jumbo” mortgages represented almost 60 percent of local purchase loans.

Distressed sales – foreclosures and short sales sold for less than is owed on the mortgage – remain a potent force, accounting for almost half of all resales in the Bay Area in November.

Investor activity remains high, with absentee buyers snapping up 22.6 of all homes sold last month compared with a regular monthly average of 13.9 percent since 2000. All-cash buyers represented 27.9 percent of November sales.

Other national reports out this week underscored the market’s continued malaise:

– Real estate service Zillow.com said values nationwide were down 5.1 percent in October compared with a year earlier. In the San Francisco metropolitan area, it said, values fell 6.3 percent and are now 33.8 percent off their peak.

– Foreclosure service RealtyTrac said November foreclosure filings nationwide were down 14 percent compared with a year ago. But the company said that despite that seasonal slowdown, numbers suggest a new surge of foreclosures in coming months.

California foreclosure auctions hit a 10-month high in November and the state had the nation’s second-highest foreclosure rate (after Nevada) with 1 in every 211 properties receiving a foreclosure filing in the month. Bucking the national trend, California foreclosure filings rose 11 percent in November compared with 2010.

– Move.com, the nation’s largest online collection of for-sale listings, with data from all of the country’s 900-plus multiple listing services, showed national inventory down 21.3 percent in November compared with a year ago and median list prices up 4.05 percent.

In the counties of San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin, Move.com showed median list prices basically flat compared with a year ago and inventory down significantly. Homes in those counties sold much faster than those elsewhere in the country, with an average inventory age of 76 days versus 114 days nationwide.

E-mail Carolyn Said at csaid@sfchronicle.com.

This article appeared on page D – 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle

Article source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/12/15/BU6K1MCHQJ.DTL