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What You Get For: $1M

September 9, 2009 By 3 Comments

It’s always a crap shoot when it comes to surveying what’s available across a certain price point, given the individual nature of San Francisco’s many neighborhoods. This time around, we take a look at three single-family homes listed between $995-$999,000.

First off, we have 1383 8th Avenue, between Irving and Judah in the Inner Sunset:

1383_8th Last sold in April 2004 for $999,000, this 3BR/1.5BA home offers 1800 square feet and two-car parking. There’s also a remodeled kitchen and lovely garden.

Now over to Noe Valley, where 1514 Diamond has just come on the market:

1514diamondThis mid-century baby at Duncan Street features 2BR/1BA across 1,050 square feet. The kitchen is also remodeled, and the garage is huge, accommodating three cars. (This is because no one created an unwarranted room down, which knocks out parking.) You get city views from the living/dining areas, and the rear patio.

We complete our trio with 933 Wisconsin in Potrero Hill:

wisconsin

This home was last sold in June 2005 for $985,000 and was built in 1923. There are 3BRs/2BAs all on the same level, a remodeled kitchen, and a bonus room with a full bath down. One-car parking and a killer garden round out the mix. Biggest drawback to this property is that it’s just down the road from the housing projects.

Which would you take? Let me know–click on Leave a Comment below and share your thoughts. No signing in necessary!

Filed Under: Noe/Eureka Valley, Potrero/Dogpatch, Sunset/Parkside, What You Get For... Tagged With: , ,

“Celebrity-Quality” Unit at SoBe Warehouse Opens Up

September 8, 2009 By 2 Comments

townsendNot yet officially on the market, 164 Townsend is a 4,000-square foot luxury live/work loft between 2nd and 3rd Streets.

The property represents the union of two units, and features everything high end you can imagine—along with roof rights. Architects Sheehan and Quandt guided the renovations, which took place in 2005.

List price is a celebrity-worthy $3.8M. And by all means, give me a shout if you’d like a private showing. That means you, Madonna.

Filed Under: SoMa/South Beach Tagged With: ,

Diggin' the Deck at One South Park

September 7, 2009 By 4 Comments

onesouthpkYes, the deck is dreamy over at One South Park—or, at the very least, the outdoor bed is.

The 3BR/2BA, top-floor unit that’s available now has never been occupied, and measures 1500 square feet. Finishes are high end, and two of the three bedrooms have en suite baths. There’s one-car parking, but keep in mind it’s on a lift. HOA dues are $611 per month. List price: $1,195,000. (Last year, if I recall correctly, this unit was on the market for above $1.3M.) That’s just under $800 per square foot, which is trumping recent sales in Rincon and Infinity. You might not have the crazy, high-rise views, but you have a boutique building with lower HOA dues and what I’d consider to be a more prestigious address.

What do you think? Please click on “Comment” below and let ‘er rip. I would very much like to build a community on my blog.

Filed Under: SoMa/South Beach Tagged With:

Empty Nesters Get Tax Benefits

September 4, 2009 By 1 Comment

Empty nesters and retirees take note: There could be some very nice tax advantages in your next home purchase.

If you’re ready to downsize and move into a smaller, more centrally located property like San Francisco’s Mission Bay or South Beach, for example, don’t forget about Prop 90.

This proposition allows counties to elect to accept transfers of property tax bases for moves from other counties when a primary residence is replaced with a home that is equal to or less expensive than one’s current home.

The key is knowing which counties participate in Prop 90. Here’s a rundown: Alameda, Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Ventura. (Contra Costa, Inyo, Kern, Riverside, Modoc, Monterey, and Marin have dropped out of the Prop 90 program.)

Filed Under: Home Buyer Tips, Mission Bay Tagged With: , , , , ,

Home Buyer Tax Credit Counts Down

September 3, 2009 By 1 Comment

If you’re wondering whether to buy sooner rather than later, the First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit should give you an incentive to take action this Fall.

If you’re purchasing a principal residence for the first time, you’re entitled to up to $8,000 in tax credits if you buy before December 21, 2009.

This is a great way to offset your closing costs.

Filed Under: Home Buyer Tips Tagged With: ,

Deals Abound in SoMa

September 2, 2009 By Leave a Comment

The South of Market neighborhood remains the go-to place for young professionals and empty nesters looking for affordable condos or lofts with reasonable homeowners association (HOA) dues.

With 63 units currently listed as available in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), there’s plenty to choose from. And that doesn’t include some of the new developments which don’t typically begin marketing through the MLS.

The selection of condos and lofts includes two below-market units listed at around $300,000 at The Metropolitan, as well as a $2.7M two-bedroom unit in South Park.

There are 27 one-bedroom units on the market, at an average list price of $625,240. In the two-bedroom category, the average list price is $1,245,838 for the 27 units available. This average is boosted by five units priced at $1.5M+.

Filed Under: Good Deals, SoMa/South Beach Tagged With: , ,

Building Permit Histories Key in SF

September 1, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Was that room downstairs added with permits? Was the roof redone ten years ago with permits? Is the two-unit building you’re buying actually zoned as such?

These are the types of questions my clients are often faced with when considering purchasing a home in San Francisco. Properties here often have varied histories, and it’s important to know as much as you can.

One of the best tools for doing so is the city’s online permit site. For my purposes, the site lets me look up the permit history on a property on which I’m either representing a buyer or seller—in some cases, I use the site prior to making an offer.

The online history is also useful when you see work going on in a particular house near you. Type in that property address, and you can see what they’re doing–or realize what they shouldn’t be doing.

Filed Under: Home Buyer Tips, Home Owner Tips Tagged With: , ,