Nob Hill is one of the iconic landmarks of San Francisco. With the California Street cable car running up the hill from the Financial District to Van Ness Avenue, you can arrive at one of the famed hotels in the city, The Fairmont, Huntington, or Mark Hopkins. Grace Cathedral also commands the hilltop, as does the Masonic Auditorium, a private club, some residences and an urban city park. This is visitor mecca.However, if you head down the hill just a few blocks west, you'll find a very different vibe, one with more of a neighborhood feel, and close to numerous restaurants, clubs, grocery stores, hardware stores, nail salons, hair salons and coffee shops.This is where you'll meet and greet your neighbors as you meet them walking about shopping. You can join the lines at the renown Swan ... 02/12/2020

Current showing schedule for1561 Sacramento Street, Nob Hill, San FranciscoSaturday, 2/8/2020 - 1:00-3:00PMSunday, 2/9/2020 - 2:00-4:00PMBroker tour (public welcome) Tuesday, 2/11/2020, 9:30-11:00Other showings by appointment1561 Sacramento Street is spacious, airy and light. From the bay window in the living room, to the back bedrooms overlooking the garden, this condo brings in light. A garden greenhouse window on one side of the kitchen, and a small terrace on the other side, bring even more light and open up the kitchen area.I invite you to join us this weekend, or call to schedule an individual appointment. 02/05/2020

As reported on Hoodline yesterday, beginning today, January 29, 2020, big changes have come to the most congested part of Market Street, from the Embarcadero to Van Ness Avenue.Private cars and ride-hailing vehicles (think Uber, Lyft) are no longer allowed on this stretch of Market Street. The changes affect the portions of Market from 10th Street to Main Street eastbound, and Steuart Street to Van Ness Avenue westbound. (The north-south yellow line is Van Ness Avenue; Steuart Street is next to the Embarcadero. You see Twitter headquarters near Van Ness, and the Ferry Building at the end of Market Street)The changes are intended to make the street faster and safer for pedestrians, cyclists and transit riders. Some 500,000 people walk here daily;750 cyclists per hour at peak times, and m... 01/29/2020

Vegas Bob gearing up for his next job in the Bay Area Robert Swetz aka Vegas Bob is getting ready to start a new construction project in the Bay Area in Northern California. VB is not sure if he's going on a project in Silicon Valley Santa Clara County or in Downtown San Francisco.Most of the huge projects are coming up in Downtown SF with plenty of overtime working 6-7 days per week. VB is getting closer to retirement age so he's thinking 6-7 days per week would create a larger nest egg when the time comes to hang up the hard hat.VB is living in a new place in Fremont CA with a 1 year lease due December 1st, in which VB may head back to Las Vegas Nevada to finish out hire construction career. 01/28/2020

I "met" Philip Raices on ActiveRain today when I read his post about the plight of homeless veterans.The magnitude of the homeless and hungry in our country is stunning. Groups here in San Francisco, and elsewhere, are working to find solutions, but it's slow going.Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the magnitude of the problem, we can each find our own small ways to help. A few little things I focus on include: serving breakfast to the homeless and hungry twice a month. Glide is one of the big groups;  3 meals a day are served 364 days a year. Breakfast is served to over 600 people daily. (Photo: breakfast crew at Glide, ready to serve diners.) being a sponsor and participating in Miracle Messages, distributing care packages and trying to connect folks on the street with loved ones. Wor... 01/27/2020

Several months ago I wrote a post to introduce you to Tulip Salon at 2455 Polk Street, San Francisco. You can read that post here.Today, I'd like you to meet Hedieh in a more personal way. The video clip will give you a glimpse into the breadth of her knowledge, and her written words will give you an even better picture of who Hedieh is, as a person as well as a hair stylist supreme. "Hello everyone before I introduce myself and talk about Tulip Salon I would like to take a moment and thank one of my sweet customers, Lottie Kendall, who likes to help small businesses to grow. I am Hedieh Poustinchian owner/stylist here at Tulip salon on Russian Hill,  San Francisco. Although my bachelor was in biology but my passion drew me into beauty Industry and because of that I appreciate it, even ... 01/24/2020

In 2019 the median price for a San Francisco home grew by 2.1%, the smallest growth we've seen in years. Single family home prices grew by just 1.3%. Condo and loft prices grew by 3.9%. (If you want to see all of my market statistics for 2019 you can find them here). But not all areas grew or contracted equally. Below are the 2019 statistics for median sales price for homes broken out by district. San Francisco is broken into 10 districts, with multiple sub-districts and neighborhoods comprising each larger district. You can see a map of San Francisco's districts here. If you are interested in learning more information about any district, subdistrict or neighborhood please reach out to me. District 1: Northwest. Includes the Richmond (Inner, Central, and Outer), Jordan Park/ Laurel Heig... 01/23/2020

Welcome to 1561 Sacramento Street, San FranciscoTwilight Open: Thursday, 1/23/2020, 4:30PM-6:00PMOpen House:     Saturday, 1/25/2020, 10:00AM-NoonOpen House:     Sunday,    1/26/2020, 2:00PM-4:00PMClick on the link, 1561 Sacramento Street to see the web site.   Updated Edwardian home built in 1910, with rich period details High ceilings; wood floors; gorgeoups wainscoting 3-bedrooms, 2.5 baths in a prime location between Hyde and Larkin Lower floor of a 3-unit building; only 8 steps up from street; no stairs in unit WalkScore 99, TransitScore 100, BikeScore 77 Living room with bay window and window seat; gas fireplace insert; recessed lights Adjacent dining room with box ceiling and built-in buffet Updated kitchen with 2 ovens, microwave, dishwasher, refrigerator, greenhouse window and ... 01/22/2020

Happy New Year!!As we dive full-force into 2020 here's a quick look back at how the San Francisco real estate market fared in 2019. Prices grew, though not as dramatically as in previous years. Inventory continued to be an impediment with fewer new listings than the previous year. That, combined with buyer demand, contributed to homes still selling quickly with many selling for over their listing price.The past several years has seen a crazy real estate market with eye-popping price increases, but it is possible that trajectory is now slowing. Still, expect next year to be another healthy year for San Francisco real estate as buyer demand remains high and interest rates remain low and perhaps, go even lower.BONUS: If you really want an illustration of the long-term health and vitality o... 01/15/2020

San Francisco has a large and diverse housing market. Patrick Carlisle, Compass Chief Market Analyst, does a masterful job of breaking down data in the entire bay area in a way that is easy to understand by both buyers and sellers, and help us Realtors® bring more value than ever to our clients.This data has been available only two day, and already I have used it to show the seller of a listing that will hit the market in two weeks that the intended price is in line, or even slightly on the low side, a comfortable place to be. I have also shared these charts I with a potential buyer, a party looking to buy a 3- or 4-bedroom home (or possibly a condo) in a preferred area of town but doesn't want to "overpay." She can clearly see reality and make adjustments in area or price.Since Distric... 01/08/2020

Today is the first Friday of 2020, the second day of the abbreviated work week. So just how does a San Francisco Realtor® spend this day to kick start a great year? Often the answer is "a little of this, a little of that." Some of my highlights today: The morning started early, with my husband driving me pre-dawn to Glide where I served breakfast to roughly 600 hungry and many homeless neighbors. The morning drive down Mason Street to Ellis was beautiful, as you can see in the first photo. We finished serving and cleaning up by 9:15 today, earlier than usual since there was a large contingent of volunteers from the International High School helping. After my 1.5 mile walk home, it was computer time, answering and sending emails, texts, and telephone calls. At Noon a scheduled telephone ... 01/03/2020

 Happy Holidays! November begins the slower time of the San Francisco real estate market.  Fewer homes come on, particularly on the higher end, and often buyers move their attention toward end of year festivities. We can expect even fewer homes will come on the market in December. Many homes that haven't yet found their buyer will come off the market until after the holidays (which is not to say that they all aren't open to a buyer's interest, so if you see something you might like let me know).Still, the San Francisco market remained solid given the limited inventory, which was even lower than last year. On average homes sold quickly, and many are still seeing multiple offers over asking price. See all of the stats below. Median Sales Price:Single family home median sales price jumped ... 12/18/2019

Teaming up in business with another generation broadens ones perspective. When that team member is my granddaughter, just imagine how much fun we have and the excitement that results from our teamwork!Today's post about what Millennial buyers are looking for  in San Francisco condos comes from Rachael. Read on for a fresh view point.I've always found it interesting in what "does it" for buyers. Everyone has specific wants and needs, and every home has its pros and cons. With the market where it is, and current interest rates, I though I'd take a look.In one of the "case studies" I asked my friend, a male in his mid-late 30s, single, working in financing on Market Street what his top 3 non-negotiables were (aside from his price range, which is obviously a large factor." He responded with... 12/18/2019

The Yin and Yang of Mortgages for Business Owners It is no secret that the self-employed have their share of challenges when it comes to getting a home loan. And why wouldn't they? On one hand, their tax professionals spend hours maximizing their deductions and helping them "write off" every allowable expense and on the other hand, their mortgage loan advisor tells them they have to show more income in order to qualify. But can these seemingly opposite or contrary objectives actually be complementary, interconnected and interdependent and come together to allow a business owner to get a great mortgage?  Is there a yin and yang relationship somewhere in this puzzle? Indeed, there may be a solution for some of these borrowers. On both the purchase and refinance side, we have a jumbo mortg... 12/03/2019

October began with a slight "chill" in the air. Not the temperature, but a feeling like perhaps the real estate market was slipping a bit. September brought it's usual influx of new listings (though not as many as the previous year) and while the market was moving it started to feel that things were stalling a bit. Many properties sold quickly with multiple offers but others were taking a bit longer. And yet, the market continued to chug along. Sellers are selling and buyers are buying. And as the statistics for the month show, the San Francisco real estate market continues to be swift and vibrant. In October median sales prices inched up compared to the same month last year. I say "inched"  because increases were small and not as dramatic as years past, though condos and loft prices di... 12/02/2019

Many of you know about the San Francisco fog. It is such a presence in the city that someone (a deep, dark secret) gave it a name, "Karl the Fog." Karl has been visiting us a lot more than usual this November, more of a summer pattern than one of fall.He doesn't stay all day, and doesn't visit every neighborhood equally, but he's had fun lately playing games with us - will he appear or won't he? Will he swoop down close to the ground, causing us to pull up our collars and plunge our hands deep in our pockets? Will he stay aloft and let us peek underneath him? Will he retreat back beyond the ocean breakers? Will he allow the sun to say 'hello?'After a week or more of foggy, foggy nights and mornings, today dawned beautifully clear. I enjoyed views across San Francisco Bay to Marin County... 11/17/2019

A few days ago the California Association of Realtors released its Q3 housing affordability index. It shows a generally stabilizing or slightly declining median home price in San Francisco County, plus increasing median household incomes. Those factors, combined with falling interest rates equals a jump in year-over-year Bay Area housing affordability.The California Association of Realtors Housing Affordability index estimates the percentage of households who can afford to buy a median priced HOUSE with a 20% down payment at prevailing fixed 30-year interest rates, with associated housing expenses such as taxes and insurance. Some charts of this data follow.Remember, counties contain cities, and cities contain neighborhoods of widely varying values, market conditions and affluence. Vary... 11/13/2019

Happy Halloween Everyone As I walked around the city today on various appointments, I enjoyed seeing many Halloween costumes adorning happy, excited youngsters. Tonight in the city the scene will be quite different as costumed adults head out for the evening.For fun, I'm posting a few favorite pictures of Halloween decorations I've enjoyed in various neighborhoods, like Noe Valley, Pacific Heights, Presidio Heights, and these skeletons at Davies Symphony Hall.  10/31/2019

Thinking of buying a duplex in San Francisco? One happy buyer's purchase closed yesterday and he'll be making a few changes and moving in soon.Yesterday was the day the sale recorded at City Hall; title transferred then, and shortly thereafter I delivered the keys to the buyer, tied to the orange ribbon in the basket. Tucked carefully in tissue paper were two champagne flutes and a bottle of prosecco, along with a few snacks, a plant and a card.This buyer's quest is over for now.He was able to buy a duplex with the upstairs unit vacant, ready for his personal use. An existing tenant is in the downstairs unit; that rent will help make the mortgage payment. The building, described accurately as a "2 unit Victorian Fixer" originally went on the market asking $988,000, a probate sale with c... 10/30/2019

Mark your calendars. Once again the San Francisco City Chorus has been hard at work preparing an evening of beautiful choral music for our enjoyment.George Frideric Handel's "Judas Maccabaeus" will be performed on Saturday, November 9, 2019, 7:30PM, Old First Presbyterian Church, Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco.Held at the convenient venue of Old First Presbyterian Church on Van Ness Avenue at Sacramento Street, parking is available in the Old First garage on Sacramento Street, street parking can often be found, or major bus lines run nearby. With a 7:30PM start, one can enjoy an early dinner at one of the many nearby Polk Street restaurants, or perhaps the famous House of Prime Rib, since 1949, calls to you. A nice cocktail can finish up the evening at Harper & Rye, just a block away, o... 10/23/2019