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Photo Credit: Compass

Dino Zuzic is a second-generation real estate professional who focuses on residential and multi-unit real estate sales in San Francisco. Zuzic tailors his efforts to each buyer, seller, and investor in helping them optimize their respective real estate goals; and has been involved in more than 200 real estate transactions, totaling over $400,000,000. Zuzic and his team are well-versed in tenant/landlord matters, building codes, creative financing, and various nuances present with buying and selling a property. Rest assured, you will receive unparalleled experience, managed solutions to challenges that may arise, and guidance aligned to your best interests. Haute Residence caught up with Zuzic to discuss San Francisco and how their real estate landscape is changing

How long have you been in the San Francisco area?

I have been in San Francisco proper for over 11 years now, and have loved every minute of the journey; both the ups and the downs. I always tell people that living and working in San Francisco in like ‘playing varsity’ — it’s a competitive landscape that requires consistent focus and improvement, but it’s also rewarding when you compete at such a high level and are able to achieve success.

Photo Credit: Compass

What do you love most about selling real estate in San Francisco?

What I love most about selling real estate in San Francisco is the PEOPLE; specifically helping people turn their dreams into a reality. The marketplace of Buyers and Sellers in San Francisco is very sophisticated and ‘dialed’ into the market here. So as an agent, I truly have to think outside the box and deliver incredible value to earn and keep my client’s business. This continuous challenge pushes me outside my comfort zone and takes me to a greater level of self-awareness and service, which ultimately benefits my clients and helps them achieve their long-term goals.

How has the real estate market in San Francisco changed over the last 5 years?

The real estate market is exponentially changing every day. The reason being, it’s tied directly to the technology sector, which is incredibly robust and dynamic. An overarching root to the dynamism of the market is the rigorous research-based institutions of Stanford University and UC Berkeley nearby. An amazing amount of innovation and ‘thought’ come from these two renowned universities, which spills into the economy via new engineering, design, and ways of doing business. Specific to housing, prices continue to trend upward, driven mainly by the lack of supply and continual build-up of demand (via historically low-interest rates and strong wages).

Photo Credit: Compass

Are there any amenities you’re noticing buyers are looking for lately?

Walkability today is huge. The main allure for the majority of Buyers in the market is the ability to walk to local cafes, restaurants, and public transportation. Historically, views of the Golden Gate Bridge or Bay were highly sought-after; however, one’s ability to walk (and not depend on a car) has increasingly been the main attraction of late. I think people are realizing ‘time’ is our most precious asset, and one’s ability to save time for the daily comforts or necessities is paramount.

Is there an area that you’re noticing is changing and buyers are moving to?

Naturally, the more affordable neighborhoods, such as the Excelsior, Portola and Bayview Districts in San Francisco have gotten exponentially more attractive given their proximity to Silicon Valley, weather, and amenities. Further, the safety of these areas has drastically improved. On a more macro Bay Area level, Oakland has truly stepped-up in demand from Buyers looking for value and an easier commute to work. The weather in Oakland is also a solid 10-15 degrees warmer than SF, which is very attractive as well.

Article source: https://www.hauteresidence.com/dino-zuzic-on-what-makes-san-franciscos-real-estate-special/

In Oakland, a collective group dubbed Moms For Housing demand that fallow and deserted homes be turned over to shelter homeless and housing-insecure people. And they mean business—the group’s founders moved into a vacant three-bedroom Oakland house this week.

Moms For Housing organizers call the group “a collective of homeless and marginally housed mothers [...] with the ultimate goal of reclaiming housing for the community from speculators and profiteers.”

The principals, Dominique Walker, 34, and Sameerah Karim, 41, are Oakland locals who both say they work more than full time but still cannot find an affordable place to live.

“Why should anyone—especially children—sleep on the street while perfectly good homes sit empty?” Karim said at a press conference this week.

Walker told Bay Area News Group, “This home was stolen from the black community in the subprime mortgage crisis, and it’s been sitting vacant for nearly two years.”

This Saturday, community organizers will stage a march and rally in Oakland in support of the families, demanding that more empty homes be repurposed to house people.

Emmy Award-winning comedian W. Kamau Bell tweeted his support for the group and this weekend’s rally, saying, “We’ve been led to believe that there’s a housing crisis in Oakland. But there are 4 vacant units for every homeless person. This isn’t a housing crisis. It’s a crisis of greed.”

Moms For Housing alleges that investment and real estate interests have driven up housing prices in the East Bay to enrich a few.

“We tried following the rules,” they say, “but this system doesn’t work for people, it only works for banks and corporations.”

According to the U.S. Census, the median rent in Oakland in 2018 was $1,498, up from $1,255 just a year prior.

However, the market-rate rent for Oakland is considerably higher. On Zumper, a one-bedroom Oakland apartment averaged $2,500 per month in October, the fourth-highest rate in the nation.

The California Association of Realtors reports that in October, a single-family home in Alameda County cost an average of $925,000—up from $900,000 one year prior.

Meanwhile, Oakland’s median household income sits at $63,251 per year.

Although Oakland is building housing, the San Francisco Chronicle reports that Oakland has more units in the pipeline than SF—demand for affordable housing is so great that earlier this year 4,000 people applied for just 28 new units.

Wedgewood, the Southern California real estate investment company that owns the house where the Moms For Housing women currently call home, has not returned requests for comment.

According to a 2016 article in Huffington Post, Wedgewood CEO Greg Geiser said that his firm is the biggest “fix and flip” company in the country. Wedgewood reportedly buys about a couple hundred foreclosed or soon-to-be homes each month.

Speaking at a real estate conference last September, Geiser told the audience that the “distressed market” is “hot and sexy” and “new and trendy.”

Article source: https://sf.curbed.com/2019/11/21/20976301/moms-four-housing-oakland-homeless-vacant-houses-homes

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  The former Marin County home of the late actor Robin Williams sits right on San Francisco Bay and offers views galore.

  The former Marin County home of the late actor Robin Williams sits right on San Francisco Bay and offers views galore.

  
  Photo: Jacob Elliott
  

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The former Marin County home of the late actor Robin Williams sits right on San Francisco Bay and offers views galore.

The former Marin County home of the late actor Robin Williams sits right on San Francisco Bay and offers views galore.

Photo: Jacob Elliott

The former Marin County home of late actor and comedian Robin Williams was listed Thursday with an asking price of $7.25 million.

The single-level home built in 1987 sits on a double lot in Paradise Cay, a small finger of land jutting from the Tiburon peninsula into the San Francisco Bay. The property at 95 St. Thomas Way is one of about 250 homes making up the unincorporated enclave.

A magical location, the home fronts the bay with large picture windows, framing views that stretch across the water toward the North Bay.

There are six bedrooms and 6.5 bathrooms, creating a comfortable family home. The master suite features a walk-in closet and en-suite bathroom with a bathtub framed by windows overlooking the water.

The main living space features an open floor plan with the kitchen, dining room and living room stretching across the back of the home that runs along the bay. The kitchen is equipped with an island, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. A cozy study is paneled in natural wood with a fireplace as its focal point. The media room features a 65-inch flat-screen television with surround sound.

The outdoor patio with a pool feels as if it’s floating on the bay. You can launch a kayak or canoe right from the backyard.

The property sits on a wide, flat street behind an iron gate. The exterior has the feel of a contemporary Mediterranean ranch house with red Spanish tiles on the roof.

Williams was a beloved Bay Area resident who launched his career performing stand-up comedy in San Francisco clubs and went on to become an A-list Hollywood actor, starring in the TV series “Mork Mindy” and films such as “Good Morning, Vietnam” (1987), “Dead Poets Society” (1989), “Mrs. Doubtfire” (1993) and “Good Will Hunting” (1997). Williams died in August 2014.

The home is currently under the ownership of a trust and Williams’ widow, Susan Williams, according to public record.

The Wright Mulligan team with Compass is listing the property.

Amy Graff is a digital editor for SFGATE. Email her at agraff@sfgate.com.

Article source: https://www.sfgate.com/realestate/article/Tiburon-home-Paradise-Cay-real-estate-14852796.php

SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) — A Hayward man caught on camera spying for a Chinese intelligence agency has been linked to a Bay Area real estate scheme, federal prosecutors said.

Edward Peng is charged with giving classified information to Chinese officials through so-called “dead drops” at locations in Northern California and Georgia.

ALSO READ:

• Alleged Bay Area Chinese Spy Denied Bail
• FBI Arrests Hayward Man Accused Of Spying For Chinese Intelligence Agency

Federal officials say he is linked to a real estate scheme through his sister, who bought millions of dollars worth of Bay Area property with money wired from China.

WATCH: CBSN BAY AREA – KPIX 5 24/7 Digital News Channel

The suspicious purchases include four hotels: the Shree Ganeshai in San Francisco, the Red Lion in Oakland, the Country 17 Inn in Dixon and a bed and breakfast spot in Napa. The properties were bought for a total of nearly $20 million.

Authorities say Peng’s sister misrepresented the transactions to lenders and tax authorities. In most instances, the people who sent money from China did not receive ownership interests.

Article source: https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2019/11/18/accused-chinese-spy-from-hayward-linked-to-real-estate-scheme/

The two cities with the highest percentage of million-dollar homes in the U.S. are in the Bay Area.

According to finance company Lending Tree, San Jose is at the top with 54% of homes in the seven-figure-or-higher range. No. 2 is San Francisco at 42%.

With tech jobs and tech salaries rising, the average home price has been rising in Silicon Valley, to the point where, as of now, the majority of houses in the Capital of Silicon Valley are being valued at a $1 million or more.

Britainy Carriles pretty much sums up what young people feel when they find out they’re living in the city with so many expensive homes.

“Like, the chance of someone my age right now, being married and having their own place is not feasible,” Carriles said.

To put the statistic in perspective, only 6% of homes nationwide eclipse the million-dollar mark.

“People want to live in a nice area, they want to be close to their job, they want to have a nice downtown, and they can afford it, working at Facebook or Google or Apple,” said Holly Barr, real estate agent with Sereno Group.

But for those who don’t work in tech, such a high percentage of seven-figure houses can be daunting.

“It’s a very difficult time for average people to find houses,” said Robert Chapman Wood, professor of strategic management at San Jose State. ”Lots of really decent people living in cars and campers.”

As for the remainder of million-dollar list, suffice it to say Los Angeles came in a distant third at 19%.

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