homesmillbrae.com » Ups http://homesmillbrae.com Thu, 20 Oct 2022 03:48:43 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 Families flee SF for East Bay with cheaper homes http://homesmillbrae.com/2400/families-flee-sf-for-east-bay-with-cheaper-homes-2/ http://homesmillbrae.com/2400/families-flee-sf-for-east-bay-with-cheaper-homes-2/#comments Sat, 21 Sep 2013 19:53:41 +0000 http://homesmillbrae.com/2400/families-flee-sf-for-east-bay-with-cheaper-homes-2/ Continue reading →]]> “Family flight” out of San Francisco is nothing new. But now, real estate prices in the city have risen so steeply – much more so than in the East Bay – that there’s an extra incentive for longtime San Francisco homeowners to cash out their equity and head across the bay seeking more house for less money.

After 20 years in San Francisco, John Perry and Rob Picciotto, along with their children, Ben and Louisa, and three dogs, transplanted themselves to Oakland. “I didn’t think we would ever leave San Francisco, but a convergence of things made us consider moving,” said Perry.

In 1998, Perry and Picciotto had stretched to buy their Bernal Heights house and make it work as their family grew. In June it sold for more than triple what they’d paid, a windfall that allowed them to pay cash for a less expensive house in Oakland’s Leona Heights neighborhood in the hills above Mills College.

“We don’t have a mortgage anymore, which is awesome,” Perry said. “We doubled our square footage on more than an acre of land, and have phenomenal neighbors. Oakland is so diverse; it’s a whole new world to learn and explore. There’s more space, more mix.”

For a growing number of San Francisco residents, the math is compelling. Their houses now are worth more than ever. Meanwhile, although homes in the East Bay have had big price run-ups over the past year, they had fallen further during the downturn – meaning they’re still shy of their peaks.

“San Francisco is on the leading edge of the appreciation curve and other places are a step behind,” said Patrick Carlisle, chief market analyst with Paragon Real Estate Group in San Francisco. “The majority of our San Francisco neighborhoods now have met or exceeded their previous peak values reached in 2007 or 2008.”

Huge price differential

The result is that the price differential between San Francisco and other Bay Area counties, especially the East Bay, is greater now than ever, he said. Silicon Valley’s price appreciation has been strong enough that moving there from the city is more of a lateral move.

For David and Tamra Biener, the rising real estate market meant they could finally trade their cramped Dolores Street condo for a bigger place in the East Bay. With children soon to turn 6 and 8, their family outgrew the two-bedroom condo a couple of years ago – they’d converted the dining room to a third bedroom to make do – but were stuck because they were underwater.

“Our kids running up and down the hallway sounded like a herd of elephants to the people above and below,” he said. “We wanted to move in 2011, but at that time the condo was worth maybe $50,000 less than I’d bought it for. I was thinking, it’s another $50,000 in (real estate) commissions, so it will cost us $100,000 to get out of the condo. We can’t do that because we have to come up with 20 percent down on the new house. It’s supposed to work the other way.”

Way over asking price

But now the tide has turned.

“The crazy thing is that two years go by, we list our house for $50,000 more than I paid and get another $125,000 over listing,” he said.

Listed at $875,000, the house went for just a tad over $1 million. As soon as they were in contract, the Bieners made an offer on a five-bedroom Walnut Creek house with lots of room for the kids. It was listed at $1.285 million; their offer was just $15,000 over asking.

“There are two things going on that favor moving from the city to outside the city,” he said. “The prices have gone up way faster in San Francisco than they have outside of it. And the demand is so much higher in the city that you get that extra 10 or 20 percent over listing.”

Agents around the region said they’re seeing a definite increase in San Francisco out-migration.

“There was a time when you could be a move-up buyer in San Francisco, taking the equity out of your home or condo and buying a bigger one in the city, but that’s not the story anymore,” said Steve Dells, an agent for 25 years with Zephyr Real Estate in San Francisco. “The values in San Francisco have escalated so quickly and so much that whatever a move-up buyer can afford likely won’t be enough space to accommodate their reason for moving.”

Ashley Langworthy and Peter Gleason would have liked to be move-up San Francisco buyers, but the financials didn’t pencil out. With twins on the way, the couple needed more space than their one-bedroom Hayes Valley tenancy in common.

‘Cold foggy areas’

“The places in San Francisco where we could afford more space were in cold foggy areas near the edge of Daly City,” said Langworthy, a landscape designer. “We would have stayed in San Francisco if we could have been in neighborhoods we liked.”

Instead, they looked in the East Bay. However, the competition over there meant they got outbid 10 times and ended up paying above asking for a two-bedroom Berkeley house.

Their Hayes Valley TIC went for almost $100,000 more than the $450,000 they paid for it in 2008, not a windfall but enough to help them get a foothold in a stand-alone house in the East Bay. “I think the East Bay is a little more affordable than San Francisco, but it’s still very competitive,” Langworthy said.

Christine Englund and Dean Charlton migrated from the city to the East Bay because she got a dream job in San Ramon.

“Our house in West Portal is in one of the foggiest neighborhoods in town; 2 miles up from the ocean, you’re totally socked in for the summer,” Englund said. “It’s a two-bedroom one-bathroom, with a little yard, just 1,500 square feet.”

Listed at $799,000, the house got 12 offers and sold in late May for $1.025 million. “We hit just the right time,” Englund said. “Interest rates were still a bit lower than now and inventory was so tight in San Francisco.”

Their East Bay house, located in upscale Piedmont, was cheaper at $905,000 but at least 50 percent larger, with a third bedroom, second bathroom, bigger yard, deck and even a wine cellar.

“We got so much more space for the money, and then the weather, the people, the restaurants, everything we value were also great,” she said.

Fewer school-age kids in S.F.

While the current exodus is too new to have official statistics, longer-range census data underscore San Francisco’s ongoing family drain. San Francisco has about 8,000 fewer school-age youngsters in 2010 than in 2000. Of the city’s 805,235 residents, just 13.4 percent are younger than 18 – a smaller percentage than any other major U.S. city, including the Manhattan section of New York City, where 15 percent of the population is under 18. In San Jose, 24.8 percent of the residents are children; in Oakland, it’s 21.3 percent.

What will it mean to San Francisco if families continue to flee?

Perry, the 20-year resident who recently moved out with his partner and their children, has some sanguine thoughts.

“San Francisco renews itself on a regular basis,” he said. “A lot of cities don’t sustain the same populations through all the stages of (the residents’) lives. There may be different cities for different times in our life.”

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

Article source: http://www.sfgate.com/realestate/article/Families-flee-S-F-for-East-Bay-with-cheaper-homes-4796027.php

]]> http://homesmillbrae.com/2400/families-flee-sf-for-east-bay-with-cheaper-homes-2/feed/ 0 Families flee SF for East Bay with cheaper homes http://homesmillbrae.com/2383/families-flee-sf-for-east-bay-with-cheaper-homes/ http://homesmillbrae.com/2383/families-flee-sf-for-east-bay-with-cheaper-homes/#comments Sun, 08 Sep 2013 06:53:06 +0000 http://homesmillbrae.com/2383/families-flee-sf-for-east-bay-with-cheaper-homes/ Continue reading →]]> “Family flight” out of San Francisco is nothing new. But now, real estate prices in the city have risen so steeply – much more so than in the East Bay – that there’s an extra incentive for longtime San Francisco homeowners to cash out their equity and head across the bay seeking more house for less money.

After 20 years in San Francisco, John Perry and Rob Picciotto, along with their children, Ben and Louisa, and three dogs, transplanted themselves to Oakland. “I didn’t think we would ever leave San Francisco, but a convergence of things made us consider moving,” said Perry.

In 1998, Perry and Picciotto had stretched to buy their Bernal Heights house and make it work as their family grew. In June it sold for more than triple what they’d paid, a windfall that allowed them to pay cash for a less expensive house in Oakland’s Leona Heights neighborhood in the hills above Mills College.

“We don’t have a mortgage anymore, which is awesome,” Perry said. “We doubled our square footage on more than an acre of land, and have phenomenal neighbors. Oakland is so diverse; it’s a whole new world to learn and explore. There’s more space, more mix.”

For a growing number of San Francisco residents, the math is compelling. Their houses now are worth more than ever. Meanwhile, although homes in the East Bay have had big price run-ups over the past year, they had fallen further during the downturn – meaning they’re still shy of their peaks.

“San Francisco is on the leading edge of the appreciation curve and other places are a step behind,” said Patrick Carlisle, chief market analyst with Paragon Real Estate Group in San Francisco. “The majority of our San Francisco neighborhoods now have met or exceeded their previous peak values reached in 2007 or 2008.”

Huge price differential

The result is that the price differential between San Francisco and other Bay Area counties, especially the East Bay, is greater now than ever, he said. Silicon Valley’s price appreciation has been strong enough that moving there from the city is more of a lateral move.

For David and Tamra Biener, the rising real estate market meant they could finally trade their cramped Dolores Street condo for a bigger place in the East Bay. With children soon to turn 6 and 8, their family outgrew the two-bedroom condo a couple of years ago – they’d converted the dining room to a third bedroom to make do – but were stuck because they were underwater.

“Our kids running up and down the hallway sounded like a herd of elephants to the people above and below,” he said. “We wanted to move in 2011, but at that time the condo was worth maybe $50,000 less than I’d bought it for. I was thinking, it’s another $50,000 in (real estate) commissions, so it will cost us $100,000 to get out of the condo. We can’t do that because we have to come up with 20 percent down on the new house. It’s supposed to work the other way.”

Way over asking price

But now the tide has turned.

“The crazy thing is that two years go by, we list our house for $50,000 more than I paid and get another $125,000 over listing,” he said.

Listed at $875,000, the house went for just a tad over $1 million. As soon as they were in contract, the Bieners made an offer on a five-bedroom Walnut Creek house with lots of room for the kids. It was listed at $1.285 million; their offer was just $15,000 over asking.

“There are two things going on that favor moving from the city to outside the city,” he said. “The prices have gone up way faster in San Francisco than they have outside of it. And the demand is so much higher in the city that you get that extra 10 or 20 percent over listing.”

Agents around the region said they’re seeing a definite increase in San Francisco out-migration.

“There was a time when you could be a move-up buyer in San Francisco, taking the equity out of your home or condo and buying a bigger one in the city, but that’s not the story anymore,” said Steve Dells, an agent for 25 years with Zephyr Real Estate in San Francisco. “The values in San Francisco have escalated so quickly and so much that whatever a move-up buyer can afford likely won’t be enough space to accommodate their reason for moving.”

Ashley Langworthy and Peter Gleason would have liked to be move-up San Francisco buyers, but the financials didn’t pencil out. With twins on the way, the couple needed more space than their one-bedroom Hayes Valley tenancy in common.

‘Cold foggy areas’

“The places in San Francisco where we could afford more space were in cold foggy areas near the edge of Daly City,” said Langworthy, a landscape designer. “We would have stayed in San Francisco if we could have been in neighborhoods we liked.”

Instead, they looked in the East Bay. However, the competition over there meant they got outbid 10 times and ended up paying above asking for a two-bedroom Berkeley house.

Their Hayes Valley TIC went for almost $100,000 more than the $450,000 they paid for it in 2008, not a windfall but enough to help them get a foothold in a stand-alone house in the East Bay. “I think the East Bay is a little more affordable than San Francisco, but it’s still very competitive,” Langworthy said.

Christine Englund and Dean Charlton migrated from the city to the East Bay because she got a dream job in San Ramon.

“Our house in West Portal is in one of the foggiest neighborhoods in town; 2 miles up from the ocean, you’re totally socked in for the summer,” Englund said. “It’s a two-bedroom one-bathroom, with a little yard, just 1,500 square feet.”

Listed at $799,000, the house got 12 offers and sold in late May for $1.025 million. “We hit just the right time,” Englund said. “Interest rates were still a bit lower than now and inventory was so tight in San Francisco.”

Their East Bay house, located in upscale Piedmont, was cheaper at $905,000 but at least 50 percent larger, with a third bedroom, second bathroom, bigger yard, deck and even a wine cellar.

“We got so much more space for the money, and then the weather, the people, the restaurants, everything we value were also great,” she said.

Fewer school-age kids in S.F.

While the current exodus is too new to have official statistics, longer-range census data underscore San Francisco’s ongoing family drain. San Francisco has about 8,000 fewer school-age youngsters in 2010 than in 2000. Of the city’s 805,235 residents, just 13.4 percent are younger than 18 – a smaller percentage than any other major U.S. city, including the Manhattan section of New York City, where 15 percent of the population is under 18. In San Jose, 24.8 percent of the residents are children; in Oakland, it’s 21.3 percent.

What will it mean to San Francisco if families continue to flee?

Perry, the 20-year resident who recently moved out with his partner and their children, has some sanguine thoughts.

“San Francisco renews itself on a regular basis,” he said. “A lot of cities don’t sustain the same populations through all the stages of (the residents’) lives. There may be different cities for different times in our life.”

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

Article source: http://www.sfgate.com/realestate/article/Families-flee-S-F-for-East-Bay-with-cheaper-homes-4796027.php

]]> http://homesmillbrae.com/2383/families-flee-sf-for-east-bay-with-cheaper-homes/feed/ 0 Housing Recovery Shows Up In Job Gains http://homesmillbrae.com/2185/housing-recovery-shows-up-in-job-gains/ http://homesmillbrae.com/2185/housing-recovery-shows-up-in-job-gains/#comments Sat, 04 May 2013 02:08:15 +0000 http://homesmillbrae.com/2185/housing-recovery-shows-up-in-job-gains/ Continue reading →]]> Residential construction jobs increased by just over 6,000 in April from the previous month, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and residential specialty trade contracting jobs (plumbers, electricians, roofers, etc.) grew by over 7,000.

Those workers need more trucks, which has been a boon to companies like Ford and General Motors, which saw sales of pick-ups jump 24 percent and 23 percent respectively.

(Read More: Here’s Why Pick-up Truck Sales are Surging)

Retailers are also seeing the effects of housing growth. Homeowners spend an average $7,400 furnishing a newly built home, according to the National Association of Home Builders.

“Spending at furniture and appliance stores is finally coming back, which has meant more hires there since the start of the year,” added Swonk.

Home prices were up just over 10 percent nationally in February, according to CoreLogic, which continues to bring thousands of homeowners out from underwater on their mortgages. That has allowed more borrowers to refinance to lower monthly payments, which in turn gives them more spending money. It also gives them more confidence that they will be able to afford more in the coming year.

(Read More: Back in Business: Jobs Picture Brightens in April)

“Consumers’ views regarding the housing market have been increasingly more positive,” noted Fannie Mae’s chief economist Doug Duncan. “Our April National Housing Survey, to be released next Tuesday, is expected to show that the housing market is gradually approaching its sweet spot, as the share of consumers who believe that it is a good time to buy remains high while the share of those who think it is a good time to sell continues its upward trend witnessed over the past year.”

Article source: http://www.cnbc.com/id/100705522

]]> http://homesmillbrae.com/2185/housing-recovery-shows-up-in-job-gains/feed/ 0 Bay Area competes for business http://homesmillbrae.com/2181/bay-area-competes-for-business/ http://homesmillbrae.com/2181/bay-area-competes-for-business/#comments Wed, 01 May 2013 19:30:49 +0000 http://homesmillbrae.com/2181/bay-area-competes-for-business/ Continue reading →]]> <!–enpproperty 2013-05-01 11:30:37.0Chen Jia in San FranciscoBay Area competes for businessBay Area competes for business1811048365Across Americas2@usa/enpproperty–>

When it comes to attracting Chinese tech companies to the Bay Area, San Francisco is giving Silicon Valley a run for its money.

“So far, we have seen about eight Chinese tech companies choose to set up a presence in San Francisco or are here already, with more in the pipeline,” said Zhang Xintong, a program manager for economic development with China SF, the go-to support organization created by the San Francisco mayor’s office dedicated to encouraging Chinese companies to take root in San Francisco.

“When talking about high-tech jobs, San Jose, with its more affordable cost of living, might be still considered as the Silicon Valley capital,” Zhang said. “But in recent years, San Francisco has been gaining on them.”

China’s Deputy Consul General Song Ru’an said: “The relative low cost of office space has always been an important factor for Chinese companies choosing Silicon Valley over San Francisco.”

This year, real estate in the Bay Area has seen price increases from an overall recovery in leasing and purchasing.

“My apartment in Silicon Valley’s Burlingame will cost me an increase of $300 a month this year,” said Liu Qiang, a Chinese IT engineer. “An equivalent apartment in San Francisco’s SoMa District has gone up only $150 a month.”

“Neither location has great deals,” Liu added. “But in SoMa, more things are within walking distance. I stumble upon lots of hidden treasures and funky urban charm exploring San Francisco on foot.”

As the hub of Google, Twitter and Zynga, SoMa (shorthand for South of Market) is a patchwork of warehouses, parks, shopping malls, upscale superarkets, loft apartments, and tenacious start-ups that survived the tech market meltdown.

Though San Francisco’s technology sector is much smaller than Silicon Valley’s, its tech employment market has come roaring back since the region’s economic recovery that began in late 2009.

Silicon Valley’s innovation engine may be driving a recovery that leads the nation, but, according to the 2012 Silicon Valley Index, the persistent public sector fiscal crisis and other factors continue to drag on widespread economic gains.

“San Francisco is catching up and may overtake San Jose,” Janice Shriver, a labor-market consultant at the Employment Development Department, told the Wall Street Journal in 2012. “San Jose had been in the lead for information jobs and software publishing and all that kind of activity for so long.”

“San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee has been pushing for business friendly policies to lure and keep new tech companies, including Chinese companies,” Zhang Xintong said.

“And these companies, in turn, are a magnet to increasing numbers of young tech workers who enjoy the San Francisco lifestyle.”

UCWeb, a leading China-based developer of mobile Internet browsers with 400 million active users, set up its first US office in Silicon Valley’s Sunnyvale last year.

But Rick Chen, a director with UCWeb’s team in Sunnyvale, told China Daily he is already shopping for new office space in San Francisco. Why? He’s doing for the pool of young tech talent.

“The cost of office space is much higher in San Francisco,” Chen said. “But it’s an urban, thriving, dynamic city with a younger population, and young tech talent wants to live and play in the city.”

chenjia@chinadailyusa.com

Article source: http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/epaper/2013-05/01/content_16465517.htm

]]> http://homesmillbrae.com/2181/bay-area-competes-for-business/feed/ 0 San Francisco Real Estate Market Shows Home Price Increase That’s … http://homesmillbrae.com/2015/san-francisco-real-estate-market-shows-home-price-increase-thats-2/ http://homesmillbrae.com/2015/san-francisco-real-estate-market-shows-home-price-increase-thats-2/#comments Mon, 18 Feb 2013 06:00:38 +0000 http://homesmillbrae.com/2015/san-francisco-real-estate-market-shows-home-price-increase-thats-2/ Continue reading →]]>
  • San Francisco Real Estate Market Shows Home Price Increase Thats ...

    • cd540 gI 60920 sfstreet San Francisco Real Estate Market Shows Home Price Increase Thats ...

    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.

    San Francisco Real Estate Market Shows Home Price Increase Thats ...


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

    ]]>     http://homesmillbrae.com/2015/san-francisco-real-estate-market-shows-home-price-increase-thats-2/feed/ 0     The Best Bay Area Neighborhoods for Singles http://homesmillbrae.com/2008/the-best-bay-area-neighborhoods-for-singles/ http://homesmillbrae.com/2008/the-best-bay-area-neighborhoods-for-singles/#comments Thu, 14 Feb 2013 11:27:03 +0000 http://homesmillbrae.com/2008/the-best-bay-area-neighborhoods-for-singles/ Continue reading →]]> e0f37 singles sf The Best Bay Area Neighborhoods for SinglesTrulia

    Are you without a “ring on it” this Valentine’s Day? If so, it might not be because this city is notoriously difficult to date in or because of your 4chan habits. It might be that you’re in the wrong neighborhood.

    Real estate company Trulia recently crunched some numbers on the best places to find love in major metropolitan areas, including the Bay Area, and the results may surprise you.

    See Also: In Defense of San Francisco Craigslist Ads: We’re No More Annoying than You Are

    If you’re a single lady searching for a single fella, the highest ratio of men to women is in the Tenderloin (94102), and if you’re a single fella looking for a lady, you should head to the Marina (94123).

    Trulia came to this conclusion by filtering out gays, people over 65, and people with roommates, which leaves about seven people, by our estimations. If straight ladies aren’t wild about trolling for tang in the ‘loin, (and really, we think that men there probably don’t have roommates because of the proliferation of SROs and such, and not because they’re making hella scrilla) then they should head on over to SOMA, which also has a high concentration of single dudes, busily churning out start-ups and sighing into their lattes, we imagine. Unsurprisingly for both the Marina and SOMA, the neighborhoods with the highest concentration of straight, single people with no roommates is in more upscale areas.

    Also, would you look at the blinding pink mecca that is Marin? Yeesh. It’s time to make a trip up north for some artisinal cheese, if you know what we mean (and we think you do: Cheese is delicious). Likewise, women should head way south on the peninsula to get the bluest of blue ball action (nice baby color-coding, Trulia). We suppose it’s called “Man Jose” for a reason.

    Also notable is that nine of the 10 U.S. metros with the highest ratio of women to men are on the east coast, except for one: Oakland. (East Bay represent!)

    Now that you’ve got your V-Day pub crawl route planned, why don’t you check out our other Valentine’s Day coverage?

    Follow @annapulley on Twitter. She’ll tweet you right.

    Article source: http://blogs.sfweekly.com/exhibitionist/2013/02/the_best_sf_neighborhoods_for.php

    ]]> http://homesmillbrae.com/2008/the-best-bay-area-neighborhoods-for-singles/feed/ 0 San Francisco Real Estate Market Shows Home Price Increase That’s … http://homesmillbrae.com/1990/san-francisco-real-estate-market-shows-home-price-increase-thats/ http://homesmillbrae.com/1990/san-francisco-real-estate-market-shows-home-price-increase-thats/#comments Sun, 03 Feb 2013 03:49:25 +0000 http://homesmillbrae.com/1990/san-francisco-real-estate-market-shows-home-price-increase-thats/ Continue reading →]]> The real estate market increased 6.3% in 2012 and is expected to maintain growth for 2013. The San Francisco market is already seeing an influx of buyers and higher selling prices.

    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.

    For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2013/1/prweb10386770.htm

    Article source: http://www.sfgate.com/business/prweb/article/San-Francisco-Real-Estate-Market-Shows-Home-Price-4241718.php

    ]]>     http://homesmillbrae.com/1990/san-francisco-real-estate-market-shows-home-price-increase-thats/feed/ 0     Mitch Kapor and Freada Kapor Klein talk tech and other topics http://homesmillbrae.com/1764/mitch-kapor-and-freada-kapor-klein-talk-tech-and-other-topics/ http://homesmillbrae.com/1764/mitch-kapor-and-freada-kapor-klein-talk-tech-and-other-topics/#comments Mon, 15 Oct 2012 13:03:39 +0000 http://homesmillbrae.com/1764/mitch-kapor-and-freada-kapor-klein-talk-tech-and-other-topics/ Continue reading →]]>

    14fcd Mitchell Kapor Freada Kapor Klein%2A280 Mitch Kapor and Freada Kapor Klein talk tech and other topics

    Mitch Kapor and his wife, Freada Kapor Klein, are bringing their mission and technology-driven investing and philanthropy operations to Oakland.


    Mitch Kapor and Freada Kapor Klein talk tech and other topics





    14fcd blanca torres1633mug Mitch Kapor and Freada Kapor Klein talk tech and other topics
    Blanca Torres
    Reporter- San Francisco Business Times

    Email
     | Twitter

    One might describe Mitch Kapor and Freada Kapor Klein as a power couple. He made a fortune from his software firm, Lotus Development Corp., during the early days of the personal technology boom in the 1980s. She has channeled her activist roots into launching philanthropic programs that integrate technology, education and empowerment.

    The pair recently decided to move the operations of their for profit and non-profit organizations from San Francisco to Oakland — a city they see at the frontlines of fostering a new wave of technological and social justice and innovation. For more on that, check out the full story in the Oct. 12 edition of the San Francisco Business Times.

    Kapor and Kapor Klein sat down for an interview with me and ended up discussing more than just their move to Oakland. We also talked about their views on the evolution of South of Market in San Francisco, start ups, how to address America’s shortage of tech talent, growing up Jewish in the Mid-West, H1-B Visas, and why technology often concentrates in hubs.

    Here are some excerpts from our interview:

    San Francisco Business Times: You’re often associated with Silicon Valley. How did Oakland get on your radar?

    Freada Kapor Klein: Oakland’s been on our radar for more than a decade since we started Level Playing Field Institute and the Ideal Scholars Program which was based at Berkeley and a lot of the students in the scholars program came from Oakland high schools, so that was our first introduction. … We’ve always had ties to Oakland through our philanthropy.

    Mitch Kapor: You said Silicon Valley. Silicon Valley has come to mean the Bay Area, not just down the Peninsula. When we moved to the Bay Area in 1999. We wound up locating the office in South of Market because we correctly anticipated that it was going to be the center of a big boom in tech, which it had not been until that point. Until that point, if you were doing a startup you would be down somewhere between Palo Alto and San Jose. But, the conditions were ripe for South of Market. There was a lot of inexpensive space.

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

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    Article source: http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/blog/real-estate/2012/10/mitch-kapor-freada-kapor-klein-talk-tech.html

    ]]>     http://homesmillbrae.com/1764/mitch-kapor-and-freada-kapor-klein-talk-tech-and-other-topics/feed/ 0     What San Francisco Real Estate Tells Us About This Technology Boom http://homesmillbrae.com/1233/what-san-francisco-real-estate-tells-us-about-this-technology-boom/ http://homesmillbrae.com/1233/what-san-francisco-real-estate-tells-us-about-this-technology-boom/#comments Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:39:38 +0000 http://homesmillbrae.com/1233/what-san-francisco-real-estate-tells-us-about-this-technology-boom/ Continue reading →]]>



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    Dropbox: The Inside Story Of Tech’s Hottest Startup



    24327 vbarret 40 What San Francisco Real Estate Tells Us About This Technology BoomVictoria Barret
    Forbes Staff



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    Will Facebook’s IPO Mark The Beginning Of The End?



    What San Francisco Real Estate Tells Us About This Technology BoomEric Savitz
    Forbes Staff



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    Y Combinator Start-Ups: Guess Which Will Be Worth A Billion



    40ada nperlroth 40 What San Francisco Real Estate Tells Us About This Technology BoomNicole Perlroth
    Forbes Staff

    Real estate can tell you a lot about people and markets.

    Hundreds of Web-savvy startups have sprung up in San Francisco’s oldest buildings in the South of Market district (called “SOMA” for shorthand). So behind that sleek new Apple iPhone whatever-it-does application are a bunch of software developers crowded into a brick building that 100 years ago housed a meat warehouse, a button factory, or maybe a flophouse. Best of all (for those who enjoy irony), that same startup labored, even spent a few grand, to make sure their former warehouse looks nothing like: an office.

    Original bricks are a must, according to Hugh Scott and Travis James who help run the technology practice at real estate firm Jones Lang LaSalle. “The funkier the better,” says Scott. This duo have spent the past decade landing homes for startups in the Bay area.

    Exposed pipes are another top request. These used to be out of cheap necessity, in buildings where landlords were too stingy to shell out for even ceilings. But now tenants are willing to pay for what used to be done out of thrift. Scott and James have seen several tenants add $15 to $20 a square foot to their costs of moving in by asking that the ceilings be ripped out and the pipes cleaned to get that cheap chic look. For landlords, ceiling-free space is commanding a 10-20% premium.

    One highly sought-after space was previously the storage closet for the nightclub below. What’s hipper than having your startup next to a night club? (Hint: the answer rhymes with “hip club”.)

    Dogs are another a must-have accessory for today’s startups. This request tends to rule out any buildings owned by real estate investment trusts, which typically put “no pets” clauses in contracts.

    Commercial rents in most cities are below 2007 levels. Meanwhile SOMA is commanding a hefty premium. Rents have jumped 35% just in the last two years, with some deals hovering around $50 per square foot — matching rates in Palo Alto’s most desired corridors, including the famous Sand Hill Road.

    “Most spaces are seeing upwards of four offers,” says James, before smiling suddenly as a text message comes in and he adds: “We submitted an offer sheet for a place last Wednesday. Heard back yesterday, and now I’m hearing we’ve got just 24 hours to make a decision.” James sprints back and forth between downtown San Francisco and Palo Alto, alternatively finessing newly-picky landlords and networking with venture capitalists in the hopes meeting up and coming startups.

    While rents here are soaring, they’re still not near the last bubble’s levels. That could mean this is less of a bubble, or simply reflect new buildings that have sprung up in SOMA. Scott and James aren’t sure. Another intriguing difference this time around: rents might be a leading indicator instead of lagging when it comes to the performance of tech’s all-encompassing NASDAQ stock index. Take a look (rent rates provided by Jones Lang LaSalle):

    40ada Graph Barret11 1024x589 What San Francisco Real Estate Tells Us About This Technology Boom

    In the 1999 technology craze, rents trailed gains in the technology index. It’s as if the initial public offerings were happening before startups could even secure space. Then it seems once-optimistic companies got stuck in longer-term leases for a while. The rise and fall of both was swift.

    Now it seems the opposite is at work. Rents have been creeping upward as technology stocks have stumbled.

    Surely the slow, faltering IPO market is in part to blame. The NASDAQ isn’t yet seeing much action from what’s bubbling in SOMA (Zynga’s lackluster offering is one exception). Last time around the ultimate prize was the IPO. Ten years and Sarbanes Oxley later, IPOs aren’t as desirable or necessary.

    Some companies, notably Facebook, Dropbox, and Airbnb, have so far managed to avoid the headaches of going public while still raising IPO-size amounts, from venture capitalists. Social networking tool company Jive landed $120 million in its December IPO. Dropbox meanwhile scored twice that, $250 million, in its private funding round months earlier. If there is froth this time, it isn’t showing up in the NASDAQ.

    Article source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/victoriabarret/2012/01/17/what-san-francisco-real-estate-tells-us-about-this-technology-boom/

    ]]>     http://homesmillbrae.com/1233/what-san-francisco-real-estate-tells-us-about-this-technology-boom/feed/ 0     McGuire Real Estate Proudly Welcomes Dierk Herbermann as the VP, Sales Manager … http://homesmillbrae.com/997/mcguire-real-estate-proudly-welcomes-dierk-herbermann-as-the-vp-sales-manager/ http://homesmillbrae.com/997/mcguire-real-estate-proudly-welcomes-dierk-herbermann-as-the-vp-sales-manager/#comments Thu, 13 Oct 2011 23:39:13 +0000 http://homesmillbrae.com/997/mcguire-real-estate-proudly-welcomes-dierk-herbermann-as-the-vp-sales-manager/ Continue reading →]]> aae19 PR Logo Marketwire McGuire Real Estate Proudly Welcomes Dierk Herbermann as the VP, Sales Manager ...

    SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Oct 12, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) –
    Dierk Herbermann, a licensed real estate broker, attorney, and
    consistent top producer, joins the McGuire Real Estate team in Marin
    as its Vice President, Sales Manager of the Mill Valley and Tiburon
    offices.

    “I’m honored to have the opportunity to work alongside some of the
    best agents in Marin,” said Dierk. “McGuire is not only a
    forward-thinking brokerage within the Bay Area marketplace, but also
    a highly-coveted luxury brand and I’m proud to be affiliated with
    it.”

    As a manager, Dierk is committed to growing McGuire’s presence north
    of the Golden Gate, and brings with him the knowledge, power, and
    experience to do so. He comes to McGuire as the former Assistant
    Manager of the Coldwell Banker Greenbrae office, where he was also a
    top producer. Dierk has successfully coached, advised, and recruited
    Marin’s top agents over the years, and in 2010, was recognized as the
    top agent within his office.

    “We’re very fortunate and pleased that Dierk, with his depth of
    experience and knowledge as both an attorney and real estate
    professional has come to lead our team in Marin,” said Charles E.
    Moore, President/CEO of McGuire Real Estate. “His integrity,
    background, and passion for the business coincides with our
    commitment to provide superior service to each McGuire agent and
    client.”

    Dierk began his career as the sales, licensing, and real estate
    counsel for Autodesk, Inc. in San Rafael. He worked as general
    counsel and business development director for two software start-ups
    prior to starting his own practice focused on emerging companies.
    Dierk’s strength in contracts, sales and negotiation complements his
    knowledge of the real estate market. He also personally invests in
    real estate and has remodeled several properties. The knowledge of
    how to maximize a home’s value in any market has proven to be a great
    asset in advising clients and agents.

    Dierk graduated magna cum laude from Boston College with a B.A. in
    History. He then earned his J.D. from Golden Gate University School
    of Law. He is a member of the California State Bar and several real
    estate networking groups. Dierk is a long-time volunteer and former
    President of the Glenwood Elementary School Foundation. He also
    volunteers for Habitat for Humanity and Rebuilding Together San
    Francisco. He stays in shape training for triathlons, playing soccer,
    skiing and trying to keep up with his three daughters.

    ABOUT MCGUIRE REAL ESTATE
    McGuire Real Estate has been an integral
    part of the San Francisco Bay Area real estate scene for more than 90
    years. A mid-sized, regional boutique, McGuire specializes in luxury
    real estate but upholds the highest standards of service to
    properties in every price range, area, and to every client. Its
    customer first philosophy and local focus continues to be the proven
    winning formula as a Bay Area real estate leader. McGuire’s
    affiliation with Luxury Portfolio — an exclusive network of luxury
    properties worldwide, and its parent organization Leading Real Estate
    Companies of the World, the largest global real estate network in the
    industry — successfully connects its clients and agents to a
    worldwide marketplace. McGuire operates three offices in San
    Francisco, one in Burlingame serving the Peninsula, two in the East
    Bay, and one in Marin County.

    To learn more about McGuire Real Estate, contact us at
    clientcare@mcguire.com, 1-800-4-RESULT, or visit
    www.mcguire.com .
    “Like” our Facebook Page and follow @mcguire_re for all things Bay
    Area real estate related.

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    SOURCE: McGuire Real Estate

    Copyright 2011 Marketwire, Inc., All rights reserved.

    Article source: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/mcguire-real-estate-proudly-welcomes-dierk-herbermann-as-the-vp-sales-manager-of-its-marin-offices-2011-10-12

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