A brief overview of San Francisco condominium prices - peak to trough and rebound.
Here are some insights into what makes up HOA dues and why they vary so widely.
The San Francisco condominium building boom over the last 10 years has many similarities to what took place in the 1920s.
The Transbay Transcit Center development is poised to move forward. Here's an update.
Here's a brief, sometimes whimsical, recap of 2009.
The seven high-end condominiums in the City are hereby christened the Seven Sisters. But how did they earn that name? It has to do with amenities, location and PulseFactors’ proprietary analytics.
While the majority on the sidelines think they are watching the real estate story play out, waiting for the game to change, thousands of others are writing their own stories.
There's no need to be in a state of paralysis when it comes to buying and selling decisions these days. It's more a matter of asking the right questions, evaluating the right information and thinking long term.
Looking for a condominium in and around SF's SOMA neighborhoods? You're in luck - PulseFactors.com is here to help you sort through the mounds of data out there.
If buyers adhere to certain criteria for a good deal, then they don't need to worry about whether we are at the market bottom or need to be concerned about the latest news out of Washington and Wall Street.
Though it will take time for the aftershocks to abate, demand/supply economics continue to prevail in San Francisco. Residential real estate here has been and will likely continue to be a profitable investment, but it is a long-term game.
Counteracting inertia in today's market requires more than just offering a low price; the buyer has to feel that he or she is involved in making the deal. It's human nature to want business to be personal and to want to feel acknowledged and in control.
Only the most attractive and well-priced homes are selling these days. What does a buyer need to do to stand out in the market?
You can rely on the news or real estate pundits to decide when to buy or sell, but if you pay close attention, you may find optimistic signs in the market to help you make a decision that works with your situation.
Waiting for the market to hit bottom before buying is a lot like waiting for the mythical Godot of No Exit to make an appearance. How will we know it when we see it if we don't know what we're looking for? And is this a smart way to approach it?
Right now, the marketplace is full of fear and confusion, but in fact, Mr. Opportunity is knocking. Most sellers are in distress, so attractive deals are possible and probable if the buyer is educated about the market, property and location.
Despite the doom and gloom about the current financial crisis, there are a number of bright spots in the San Francisco market, and attractive deals are available for savvy buyers.
While most good mortgage brokers will do their best to service their borrowers, they are not as tightly in the loop as a trusted banker, who has a better chance of knowing what is about to happen because he or she is personally connected to the decision-making chain within the institution.
While San Francisco is not insulated from the rest of the US economy, its built-in economic shock absorbers are the envy of the rest of the US. But beware of market reports, as they can be misleading.
Because single-family homes will continue to appreciate faster than condominiums, the percent spread between these two categories will widen over time.
Trying to time the market for possible short-term advantages is inconsistent with a focused strategy designed for the long haul. In the long-term, as with the stock market, quality will win out in SOMA.
Sovereign-wealth funds (foreign national governments) are buying big chunks of American financial institutions and real estate. Where does a foreign buyer go to get an overview and help in making sense of San Francisco’s real estate market? Nowhere, until now.
The Millennium is making a bold statement: this is where you want to be – for those who can afford it. The Millennium is the new girl in town, and for now, the most elegant.
The new Transbay Center will have a major positive impact on real estate on the greater South of Market Street area and probably the entire City.
Though we have all read news stories about price declines in many cities throughout the country, average prices in San Francisco are up across the city. However, for us in San Francisco the subprime crisis means that well-qualified buyers will be required to provide more extensive documentation to support their financial capabilities, and they will be able to employ less leverage than in the past.
The Above/Below the Line exercise (What amenities must I have in a property? What can I live without?) evolves over time for each buyer as he/she reviews the possibilities and becomes more educated about the opportunities and the competitive landscape. What is important is the awareness this creates which helps clarify the critical issues and the importance of each issue.
There are a total of only 296 hotel-brand condominiums out of 100,000+ units in the City, and these units are naturally more expensive than a straight condominium. Highly trained concierges, constant pampering, discounts at partner hotels and luxurious appointments come at a price, and because of the limited supply, they are hard to get.
It seems that there is a different lifestyle being offered by the Radiance and other housing opportunities in the southern portion of Mission Bay. While the area is unfolding as less urban than the developments of South Beach, Rincon Hill and Transbay, it is still quite close to the financial district and boasts great weather.
The sellers who won the game in 2006 were those who picked a professional agent who orchestrated a first rate marketing program, staged the property and made sure that the property was priced just below competitive product.
Some individuals and companies are not waiting to see what happens in the future. They are taking action, influencing the future, creating it and thus changing the world. Buying wisely, e.g. a property that has unique features, can mitigate concerns about future possible competition.
Agents can’t control what their suitors falls in love with, but they can influence the decision. With few exceptions, people buy their homes on emotion, so sellers need to merchandise and price their properties effectively to help buyers feel positive about the decision.
The bigger the building, the bigger the potential issues standing in the way of a profit when selling down the road. The competition is both within the building and within the neighborhood. Would-be buyers need to be aware of all the potential issues for a future sale when they are thinking about buying in a large building in SOMA.
It is absolutely imperative, whether it be New York, San Francisco or some other city, to gain more than a passing understanding of what the local landscape will be 5 to 7 years out – a time when today’s buyer just might be thinking of selling.
We are not likely to see aggressive sales incentives bestowed by San Francisco developers across the board, but we will see such tactics employed on a select basis by developers with secondary product, i.e. product that is location-challenged, amenity-limited and/or priced too high.
In real estate it is often said that “buyers are liars,” meaning they tell agents what they want only to end up buying something very different. Understanding and benefiting from the competitive landscape requires looking beyond the obvious and keying into the buyer’s emotional cues.
Buying a fraction in a condominium may be a wise choice for those who only plan to spend a few weeks in the city each year and need a pied a terre. Hotel-like amenities and special incentives sweeten the deal.
