Citywide: For Sale by District/Neighborhood according to the San Francisco MLS.  This list includes all Condos, Coop's, TIC's and Single Family Homes. Click on the links to view property photos. DOM = Days on Market. All info as of December 7th, 1:45 PM.  If you have questions or would like more info please call me, Michael Novia, South Beach Real Estate at 415-637-2409 (24 hours a day). Links take about 15 seconds to open and are good for 30 days.District 1Central RichmondInner RichmondJordan Park/Laurel HeightsLakeOuter RichmondSea CliffLone MountainDistrict 2Outer SunsetInner SunsetCentral SunsetGolden Gate HeightsOuter ParksideParksideInner ParksideDistrict 3 LakesideMerced HeightsIngleside HeightsPine Lake ParkStonestownMerced ManorInglesideOcean ViewDistrict 4Diamond HeightsWest ... 12/07/2007

 2006 vs. 2007Mission BayMedian Sold Price: $629,000 vs. $937,450Number of units sold: 3 vs. 6Days on Market: 93 vs. 43The maximum sold price for November 2007 was $1,947,900 vs. $1,050,000 in 2006. The minimum sold price was $575,000 vs. $870,196 this November.South BeachMedian Sold Price: $795,000 vs. $815,000Number of units sold: 14 vs. 15Days on Market: 40 vs. 44The maximum sales price was $1,670,000 during the month of November 2007 vs. $1,600,000 in 2006. The minimum sold price was $386,000 vs. $500,000 in 2006.South Of MarketMedian Sold Price: $676,000 vs. $695,000Number of units sold: 26 vs. 17Days on Market: 45 vs. 47SoMa CombinedMedian Sold Price: $699,000 vs. $815,000Number of units sold: 43 vs. 38Days on Market: 47 vs. 45The maximum sales price in South of Market was $5,005,... 12/06/2007

Are you thinking of selling your home and wondering what it's worth these days? First off the good news is that the real estate market is alive and well in San Francisco. But the fact does remain that buyers are choosier these days and tend to take more time with their decision making. In order for you to receive the best price for your home and to sell it quickly you must be prepared from day one. That includes everything from cleaning and clearing the clutter to professional property photos along with an aggressive open house schedule and a strong web presence. The more people who see your home the more interest it will generate! However, determining that perfect listing price is the most important factor, no matter how nice your home is. Ask to much and it will just sit there. "Inter... 12/05/2007

2007 has been an active year for new developments in San Francisco. I will be writing a series of posts about the different neighborhoods where development is most active. I wanted to start with Rincon Hill since The Infinity and One Rincon Hill projects are both actively selling. Rincon Hill in San Francisco is a twelve-block area close to downtown. Rincon Hill is south of the Financial District and Transbay District, and north of the South Beach neighborhood. It is bounded generally by Folsom Street, the Embarcadero, Bryant Street, Beale Street, the Bay Bridge approach and Essex Street. The area is defi ned by Rincon hill itself, which crests near First and Harrison Streets; the Bay Bridge, near the southern edge of the district between Harrison and Bryant Streets; and the waterfront,... 12/04/2007

Dual agency is a relationship in which the brokerage represents both the buyer and the seller in the same real estate transaction. Dual agents typically owe limited duties to each of the parties. Because of the potential for conflicts of interest in a dual-agency relationship, it's vital that all parties give their informed consent. In California, this consent must be in writing. Disclosed dual agency, in which both the buyer and the seller consent to the agent representing both of them is legal in most states. Michael NoviaSouth Beach Real Estate415-637-2409 12/04/2007

Sellers generally use the term "as is" to mean they will not be responsible to buyers for the condition of the real property being sold. Although it is not illegal to insert an "as is" clause into a purchase agreement, the term is ambiguous and can cause confusion. One common misconception is that selling "as is" means that a seller is not responsible for any repairs, including required government retrofits (such as smoke detector and water heater bracing)  or other things. Another common misconception is that selling "as is" relieves a seller of the duty to disclose any known material facts that may affect the value or desirability of the property. Seller should be aware! Always disclose "everything" you know about your property. Even the smallest detail, that does not seem important a... 12/04/2007

Are you interested in buying a home in San Francisco? Are you unsure of the process and costs involved? Attend a South Beach Real Estate Home Buyer's Seminar with REALTOR® Michael Novia and you will learn about these details and more:The real costs involved including mortgage, title, and inspections.Buying in a new development - what you can ask for to save money and who is currently offering the best deals.How to make an offer and at what price.What's important for the resale value of your home.Covenants Conditions and Restrictions.The Purchase Contract.What a contingency is and why it's very important to you.Your 3% deposit and liquidated damages.Mediation and Arbitration.Views and outlooks, are they guaranteed?Square Footage estimates and their accuracy.Neighborhood characteristics.L... 12/04/2007

Jackson Hewitt Tax Service, which provides tax preparation services, offers the following guidance on what you can deduct: Timing Is Important. If you moved in 2007, you can probably claim moving costs that were incurred within a one-year period from the date of your first day of work at the new location. If you moved to a new city and then found a new job, you may also be able to claim deductions, provided that you began working within a one-year time frame following the move. Distance Requirements. The new location must be at least 50 miles farther from your former home than your old job location was from your former home. Moving Expenses. Deductible costs include packing, crating, and transporting household goods and personal effects. Also deductible: storing and insuring items withi... 12/04/2007

Those $649,000 1 bed lofts at Homes on Esprit Park are all in contract. According to one of their sales agents the least expensive 1 bed loft is now at $799,000. However they do currently have a selection of 1 bed, 1 level condos in the low to mid 600's (plus). Here is everything they have listed in the San Francisco MLS.Hard hat tours are now available: Tuesday thru Friday 3:30 to 4:30 and all day Saturday and Sunday.Michael NoviaSouth Beach Real Estate415-637-2409 (24 hours) 12/04/2007

 Thinking of buying a home? Be sure you have great credit to get the best interest rates. Here's a chart showing why points are subtracted from your credit score. Credit scores range from 350 to 850. 350 your friends won't loan you money for coffee. 850 you can get a loan for just about anything (except that island in Hawaii you want so badly).Amount owed on accounts is to high: -1Delinquency on accounts: -2To few bank revolving accounts: -3To many bank or national revolving accounts: -4To many accounts w/balances: -5Consumer finance accounts: -6Account payment history to new to rate: -7To many credit inquiries; Last 12 months: -8To many accounts opened in last 12 months: -9Proportion of balances to credit limit to high: -10Amount owed on revolving accounts is to high: -11Length of revo... 12/04/2007

The real estate journal The Registry named Arterra among San Francisco’s most cutting-edge green projects. Click here to download the article from the December issue. Many of Arterra’s “green” attributes are evident in the construction process, including the use of Trespa, an exterior cladding made with end-of-lifecycle material that not only covers the building’s surface and lends it color and texture, but also serves as part of a rain screen system that protects the building and improves interior air quality. The Arterra is scheduled for completion and homeowner move-ins in mid 2008. Arterra [webiste] The Registry [newsletter PDF]First LEED Certified Residential High-Rise [SanFranciscoSchtuff.com]   12/04/2007

We don’t have much to say about this living room, we just wanted to share this picture (which was provided courtesy of the MLS)! A wax figure of Lucille Ball is stored in the garage… Deets: Single family home in Monterey Heights 4 beds/ 3 baths/ 2810 Square feet 29 Days on Market $1.474mm 287 Brentwood Ave [Home San Francisco]Trapped in Time with Sinatra and Friends [SanFranciscoSchtuff.com]  12/04/2007

A beautifully restored Victorian home on the corner of Dolores and 24th has gone solar.  The picture is pretty damn crappy, so some filters were thrown over it to mask the crappiness, but you get the gist–40 panels on the southern facing portion of the roof = everybody’s favorite color: greeeeeen.  It’s not only homes that are sportin’ the panels these days, PG&E just unvailed their power generating billboard. PG&E Solar Billboard Revealed [Curbed SF]Going Solar in Dolores [SanFranciscoSchtuff.com]   12/04/2007

Fillmore Heritage condos are over 70% sold. As of early December, 2007 there there are still 1, 2, and 3 bedroom units available in this high rise in San Franciso's historic Fillmore district. The Devrouax & Purnell designed Fillmore Heritage Center includes not just the residential condos, but Yoshi's Jazz Club, and Japanese restaurant as two of the anchor tenants.Jazz is going to be back at full swing in the Fillmore with Yoshi's bringing in acts like Chick Corea, Pharoah Sanders, and others. Yoshi's just had their grand opening a few days ago and it looks great as you can see in the picture below.The amenities in this project include:24 hour lobby attendantprivate parking for each unit10,000 square foot courtyardState of the art building securityExterior Artand more. Of the Available... 12/03/2007

They spoke about this at our morning business meeting today and one of our local title companies had sent this to us as well. Karen Ruero, Keller Williams San Francisco Properties, gave me permission to use this. I find it very interesting that prominent people and publications are always giving people bad advice. Can you imagine where we would be today if we had listened to the pseudo-pundits?This is why I am strongly encouraging all buyer to buy now--before interest rates and prices go up.This reminds me of my best friend's father-in-law. He was in real estate decades ago and wanted to wait until prices came down before he bought a home. He turned 91 this year and never bought a home! Sadly, a few years ago, he and his wife were evicted from their home of several decades as the owners... 11/28/2007

Condominiums         District 1 Oct-06 Oct-07 Number of Sales 15 7 Median Selling Price 701,000 779,000 Average DOM 33 25       District 2 Oct-06 Oct-07 Number of Sales 0 2 Median Selling Price   752,500 Average DOM   27       District 3 Oct-06 Oct-07 Number of Sales 3 0 Median Selling Price 595,000   Average DOM 22         District 4 Oct-06 Oct-07 Number of Sales 2 5 Median Selling Price 466,500 600,000 Average DOM 47 30       District 5 Oct-06 Oct-07 Number of Sales 28 31 Median Selling Price 785,000 891,000 Average DOM 34 37       District 6 Oct-06 Oct-07 Number of Sales 15 28 Median Selling Price 692,000 742,500 Average DOM 40 36       District 7 Oct-06 Oct-07 Number of Sales 20 28 Median Selling Price 950,000 1,400,000 Average DOM 46 35       District 8 Oct-06 Oct-07 Number of Sale... 11/28/2007

I had "coffee" (for 2 1/2 hours!) with a great new lender, Zachary Hoffman, today. We talked about everything and then talked about it all again. He thinks--and much of what I hear and read concurs--that rates will go down again. What are the buyers waiting for??? Interest rates are low, low, low! These are not the early 80's when rates were mid-double digits and a half or point (or two) increase during escrow could cause a deal to fall apart.Prices--at least in San Francisco--are NOT coming down. In many places, despite the number of sales being down, the median price is still going up. In fact, according to our latest MLS stats, in some SF neighborhoods, the number of sales has increased since one year ago!!!! (This is comparing October '07 with '06.) I overheard some moron at NAR adv... 11/27/2007

It’s been a ride that everybody has enjoyed watching. The ups and downs and all the drama associated with the sale of the independent real estate brokerage to a larger firm then the subsequent sale of the home and office of team Droubi. There has been talk around town, both in real estate circles and beyond surrounding this house, the sale and the sale of the company. The transaction closed escrow on November 9, 2007. The Deets: Listing Price: $3,495,000 Lowered 26 day later to $2,995,000 Lowered 51 days later to $2,595,00 Sold 33 days later for $2,350,000 4 beds / 2 baths 2960 sq. ft. constant smell of burgers from Barney’s *image courtesy of the MLS 4128 24th Street [MLS]Droubi House--Sold [SanFranciscoSchtuff]   11/27/2007

 Back in the day when Gtwice was a blogging force, we adopted Brewster Million’s rules and had to spend a set amount. We’re bringing it back with a twist. I’m providing the Sctuff crew several choices – of course I’m going to give my two cents! Without further ado: Spend: $975,000 - $1,025,000 Choice # 1: 18 Lansing St # 402 Choice # 2: 55 Uranus Choice # 3: 141 Westwood Choice # 4: 591 29th Ave For details including size, price, comparables, pictures and opinion, click through… Choice # 1 18 Lansing St # 402 A brief history of this 1542 sqft loft located on Rincon Hill * Sold in June of 2000 for $800,000 * Sold in June of 2005 for $975,000 * Listed in August 2007 for $1,395,000 * Withdrawn from the MLS on November 13th, 2007 * Re-listed with a new brokerage for $999,000 Sounds like yo... 11/27/2007

It’s obvious that the real estate landscape has changed in the United States, California and even, dare I say, San Francisco… What is beyond fascinating however are examples like 1851 26th Ave. Despite its horrifically pink exterior, this home doesn’t look so bad from the outside. It has unobstructed ocean views, views of the Golden Gate Bridge, large back yard and a ton of space both upstairs and downstairs to add value. The Deets: Built in 1939 (on the early side for the Sunset subdivisions) 3 beds/ 2 baths 1175 square feet List Price: $629K Days on Market: offers accepted after 2 weeks Wet as a sponge (see below) The inside of the house was a different story. I’ve walked into a lot of homes in my day–some of which required hard-hats and safety waivers, but I have yet to see a home as... 11/27/2007