Category Archives: Market Insights

Be A Strategic Buyer in a Tight Inventory Market

It’s easy to put your home search on auto pilot, looking constantly at online search sites for the latest new listing. But if you’re seeking a single-family home in San Francisco, it will become quickly obvious that there’s a low inventory of houses—and you have to do more than just wait for new listings.

Home buyer tip: Don’t bypass existing listings that may be spending more time on the market than their owners would like. These homes could be opportunities for buyers to avoid overbidding and competitive offer situations. If a house has been on the market for 30 days or more, it means that seller will likely not be seeing crazy overbidding and multiple offers. And there may also be room to negotiate a lower price. Continue Reading

Prop. 19 Changes Inheritance Tax Rules

Prop. 19–which won voter approval in the November election–changes the game for children inheriting property from their parents. Effective this February 16th, Prop. 19 will disqualify transfers of business property, rental buildings and other property that’s not the “family home” from reassessment protection.

Additionally, for transfers of their principal residence from parents to their children, the property tax base will be reassessed unless the children meet residency requirements and the market value isn’t more than $1 million higher than the tax base value just before the transfer. Continue Reading

Median Condo Price Down, Houses Up in December 2020

The latest numbers are in: Single-family homes were the overall winner during the holidays in San Francisco.

The median condo price was $1.1M last month, down from $1.2M in December 2019. There were 672 active listings last month compared to 1209 in November. This signals that properties either went into contract with an end-of-the-year urgency, or agents temporarily withdrew listings. Interestingly, the condo days on market (DOM) didn’t dramatically fluctuate; the DOM last month was 44, up from December 2019’s 39. Continue Reading

Happy Holidays, See You in 2021!

Happy Holidays, See You in 2021!

The year is winding down, and I am ready to leave 2020 behind like everyone else.

Thank you for making Inside San Francisco Real Estate one of your regularly reads. And much gratitude to those who found me online, got in touch and gave me the privilege of working with you to achieve your real estate goals this year.

I wish you all a safe, happy & healthy holiday season. See you in early January!

No Change To SF Real Estate Restrictions With Latest Lockdown

The San Francisco Realtor Association (SFAR) has confirmed with the Mayor’s Office that agents can continue to physically show property during the stay-at-home order that’s now in effect through at least January 4, 2021.

Here are the specifics for real estate as per San Francisco’s order:
“Service providers that enable real estate transactions (including rentals, leases, and home sales), including, but not limited to, real estate agents, escrow agents, notaries, and title companies, provided that appointments and other residential real estate viewings must only occur virtually or, if a virtual viewing is not feasible, by appointment with no more than two visitors at a time residing within the same Household and one individual showing the unit (except that in person visits are not allowed when the occupant is present in the Residence).”

SFAR put its own showing orders into place after the shelter-in–place (SIP) earlier this year. This was a must, as most buyers will not purchase a home without seeing it in person. And we never lifted those restrictions, meaning we haven’t had open houses, broker tours or large-scale showings since the SIP began. We’ve also had strict safety showing protocols in place since April.

Holiday Home Stretch Condo Inventory at Peak

I started blogging several years ago about what I call “the holiday home stretch”—the time right after Thanksgiving through Dec 31st.

2020’s holiday home stretch is finding condo inventory at possibly the highest level ever, with 930 condos currently available. Compare that number to what was on the market in the same timeframe in 2014 (81), 2015 (241), 2016 (411), 2018 (417) and 2019 (388). We are literally swimming in condos in the city. Continue Reading

Welcome To The 2020 Holiday Home Stretch

2020 has been a year like no other, but I’m willing to bet that motivated buyers and sellers will follow their usual holiday season activity pattern. Buyers will aggressively write offers and try to negotiate, and sellers will be more willing to negotiate so they can wrap up their sale before year end.

There’s a healthy amount of houses, condos and TICs on the market that all stand a chance of having to return in 2021. Here’s a quick look at each category:
Single-Family Homes
Number available: 345
Median list price: $1,890,000
Avge days on market (DOM): 59
Where the inventory is: Parkside/Sunset, Ingleside, Sunnyside, Noe/Eureka Valleys, Pacific Heights, Cow Hollow, Bernal Heights, Mission, Bayview, Visitacion Valley.
Worth noting: There are far fewer houses than condos sitting on the market, with about 40% listed for up to $1.5M. That means buyers can expect to pay $2M+ for most of the homes on the market. Continue Reading

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Best wishes to all my readers for a wonderful Thanksgiving!

It’s been a challenging year on so many fronts, but I’m grateful that one bright spot was the strength of our San Francisco real estate market. I’m fortunate to have had the opportunity to help many new and existing clients buy and sell homes this year, and thank them all for their business and faith in my services.

Last but certainly not least, I want to thank all of you who regularly read my blog. It is always very gratifying to meet new people through this blog, and I look forward to meeting more of you in 2021.

Stay safe and healthy this Thanksgiving, and count even the smallest of blessings.

Prop 19 Offers New Opportunities for Tax Base Transfer

Homeowners age 55 and over have a lot more options when it comes to transferring the tax base of their principal residence to a new home.

Prop 19 prevailed in our recent election, and will let these homeowners move anywhere within California and still retain their original tax base. This benefit was previously limited to a few California “reciprocal” counties, as well as the county in which you were selling. Continue Reading

SF House Market Meets Corona Challenge

SF House Market Meets Corona Challenge

Corona may be surging again, but the virus certainly hasn’t obliterated the San Francisco single-family home market. Despite limitations on showing property (no open houses or broker tours!) and many people reportedly fleeing San Francisco for more far-flung locations, our house market remained strong and steady over the past six weeks.

The average price for the 382 houses sold was $2,022,151 (October 1-November 13), with a median price of $1,650,000. The average overbid citywide was five percent. However, 50 homes changed hands for 20% or more over the list price, proving that even a pandemic can’t seem to break our eternal list-low, sell-for-more pattern in San Francisco. Continue Reading

SF Board of Supervisors Bans Natural Gas in Future New Construction

The future isn’t bright for natural gas in future San Francisco new construction. If you’re dead set on having a gas range in your condo, now is the time to snap up a unit in a building powered by natural gas.

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted on Tuesday to ban natural gas in new construction buildings, in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The legislation that will affect more than 50,000 homes currently in the development pipeline, reports J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle. Continue Reading

Just Sold: 517 8th Avenue

Just Sold: 517 8th Avenue

We just closed the sale of my listing at 517 8th Avenue in the Inner Richmond. Featuring three bedrooms and two baths on the upper level, along with multiple spaces for office, fitness and recreation, the home was an immediate hit with buyers.

We had 20 showings scheduled in the first four days, which was more than I might have expected at the $2,595,000 price point. We took offers shortly thereafter and received multiple bids. The sale closed yesterday for $2,810,517.

Congratulations to my lovely sellers—Melanie, Levi and Mary—whom I represented when they purchased the house way back in 2004. I deeply appreciate loyal clients and am thrilled everything worked out well! And here’s what they had to say about their experience working with me for the second time (click to enlarge):

How Real Estate Agents Get Paid in San Francisco

I’m often contacted by prospective buyers and sellers who eventually ask how payment and commissions work. So I thought I’d give you the bottom line as to how real estate agents get paid.

Homeowners who list their properties are typically responsible for paying the commission to the brokers (e.g., the companies affiliated with each agent) who represent the seller and the buyer. The listing agent negotiates a commission up front, and this is included in the seller paperwork. Total commissions for both brokers range from five- to six percent, and are typically divided equally. For example, a five percent commission on a $1,000,000 condo would find the seller paying $50,000 in commissions, with the brokers each receiving $25,000. Continue Reading

SF High Rises Dig Deeper These Days

San Francisco buyers looking for condo in a newer-construction high rise in downtown San Francisco have a better chance of purchasing a property that has a foundation which reaches down into bedrock, thanks to city requirements and guidelines adopted a decade ago.

The San Francisco Business Times reports (paywall) that the city pursued what’s called the Tall Buildings Study after it was revealed that the 2009-built Millennium Tower was leaning and tilting. The study explored strategies to address the seismic issues of tall downtown buildings, writes SF Business Times’ Neil Gonzales. (The Millennium does not reach bedrock.) Continue Reading

Kickstart Your Next Phase of Corona Living in a Floating Home

Kickstart Your Next Phase of Corona Living in a Floating Home

One of only 20 live-aboard floating homes in Mission Creek is available now, and it could be an excellent option to get out of the corona rut.

If you’re tired of being a landlubber working from your flat and you have the cash, 300 Channel Berth 14 may be the ticket to coping with corona times. The boat has three bedrooms and three bathrooms across three levels for a total of 1,780 square feet. The entry level has a loft setup and contiguous outdoor space. There’s an ensuite bedroom on the middle level, and the “penthouse” level features another ensuite bedroom, living spaces and deck. Continue Reading

Contact Eileen for Real Estate Help

Eileen Bermingham

Corcoran Global Living

415.823.4656

eileen@insidesfre.com

DRE# 01352627

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