by Gary Belk | Nov 10, 2015 | Blog, Business, Real Estate, San Francisco Real Estate |
Leave the driving to us • Avoid parking hassles • See twice as many homes The Smarter Way to See More Homes At no cost to you, one of our professional drivers (not an agent or taxi) drives you to and from open houses in style, saving you time and money. They’ll pick you up from your home or office. You’ll be driven directly to the door of each open house. And you’ll be driven back to your location. No parking. Minimal walking. No cost. Result? You can see twice as many homes in the same afternoon. FREE Open House Chauffeur Service Exclusive to Urban Focus Clients Visiting open houses in the Bay Area can be frustrating and inefficient…. You search for parking. You walk to an open house. You walk back to your car. You do it again. Meanwhile, you’re losing valuable house-hunting time…. Arrange for our FREE 5-star quality chauffeur service today. Call our office phone 415-813-5083 ext 3 or email us below Your Name (required) Your Email (required) Your Message [honeypot...
by Gary Belk | Nov 9, 2015 | Business, Real Estate, San Francisco Real Estate |
Making an Offer on a Property Verbal contracts or offers are not legally enforceable when it comes to the sale of real estate. Therefore, you need to enter into a written contract, which starts with your written proposal. This proposal not only specifies price, but all the terms and conditions of the purchase. REALTORS® in California use forms that are approved by the California Department of Real Estate. These are the only forms that real estate agents are allowed to use. We have a variety of standard forms (including Residential Purchase Agreements) that are kept up to date with the changing laws. In addition, REALTORS® cover the questions that need to be answered during the process. There are certain disclosure laws that must be complied with by the seller, and the REALTOR® will ensure that this takes place. After the offer is drawn up and signed, it will be presented to the seller of the property. What the Offer Contains The purchase offer you submit, if accepted as it stands, will become a binding sales contract (also known as a purchase agreement, earnest money agreement or deposit receipt). It’s important, therefore, that it contains all the items that will serve as a “blueprint for the final sale.” These purchase offer items include such things as: Address of the property Sale price Terms — for example, all cash or subject to your obtaining a mortgage for a given amount Seller’s promise to provide clear title (ownership) Target date for closing (the actual date title is transferred to you) Amount of earnest money deposit accompanying the offer, and whether it’s a...
by Gary Belk | Jun 6, 2015 | Business, Neighborhood, Neighborhoods, Potrero Hill/Dogpatch, San Francisco Real Estate |
San Francisco’s Dogpatch neighborhood wasn’t always a trendy, happening neighborhood. Chances are, until recently, most San Francisco residents wouldn’t have been able to point it out on the map. But beginning in the 1990s, developers began in earnest, transforming the neighborhood’s former industrial space into housing and commercial space. In fact, according to a recent report from the San Francisco Planning Department, more industrial space is being converted to housing in the Dogpatch than in any other neighborhood in the city. This rapid evolution has put Dogpatch squarely on the map. It’s now a favorite up-and-coming neighborhood, or as Huffington Post called it in 2013, “San Francisco’s newest indie neighborhood.” That rising popularity makes sense. Not only has the Dogpatch added loads of housing since the Dot Com boom, now trendy cafes, off-beat shops, and pop-up farmers markets are sprouting up on every corner. The rate of develop doesn’t seem likely to slow any time soon either. At least five condo buildings are set to rise in the next 18 months, the mega development at Pier 70 is hoping to break ground in 2017, and many of the neighborhood’s historic properties are being slated for conversion to lofts and upscale condos. Simply put, the up-and-coming Dogpatch is coming into its own. A Changing Landscape Dogpatch wasn’t much of a neighborhood prior to the 1990s. There were few residents, and the neighborhood was mostly home to warehouses and industrial facilities. Until recently, that gritty, industrial past was still visible, but with the recent spate of development, Dogpatch has mostly shed its working-class roots. This rapid change is causing property values...
by Gary Belk | Jan 12, 2015 | Blog, Business, Hayes Valley, Neighborhood, News and Reviews, Uncategorized |
San Francisco real estate has been pulling in the records in 2014. Earlier this year, we saw the highest price per square foot in Hayes Valley at 8 Octavia. And condos have been selling at the speed of light. The 267-unit Mission Bay development Arden by Bosa, for instance, sold out in a few months this summer. Recently, though, there has been some evidence the market is starting to plateau. For instance, the median home price in San Francisco hit a record $1.072 million in November, but sales volume dipped by 20 percent. But that shouldn’t be a cause for alarm. The San Francisco housing market traditionally slows down late in the year. In fact, it’s not likely prices will come down in 2015. Why? The laws of supply and demand are alive and well in the city, and the huge demand and short supply are contributing to surging home prices. Plus, interest rates remain low, although they’re projected to climb, so there are more buyers looking. Here are a few market factors to consider in 2015: 1. Demand for Housing Is Off the Charts: Since 2010, San Francisco has added about 10,000 residents per year, and new housing construction hasn’t come close to keeping pace. According to The Chronicle,San Francisco added roughly 10,000 residents in 2013, while just 2,300 new housing units were built. The math doesn’t add up. Unfortunately, San Francisco’s population is estimated balloon to 1 million by 2032; it’s roughly 840,000 residents now. Plus, many new residents are employed in the booming tech industry, i.e. they’re earning high wages are ready to buy. In fact,...
by Gary Belk | Dec 7, 2014 | Business, News and Reviews, Newsletters, Real Estate, San Francisco Real Estate |
Today, we use mobile devices to do everything. We use them to buy movie tickets, find nearby restaurants – and increasingly – we’re using them to shop for homes. According to a recent National Association of Realtors survey, 50 percent of buyers said they used a mobile device to shop for their home in the last year. Traditional marketing methods like yard signs and open houses are attracting a smaller pool of buyers. Just 9 percent of respondents said they found their home this way. Instead, the survey highlighted the importance the Internet and mobile devices play in selling a home. For instance, 43 percent of buyers browse online listings as their first-step in buying a home, and that’s even more accurate for younger buyers. Sixty-five percent of buyers aged 25-44 years old use a mobile device in their home search, compared to just 45 percent who attended open houses. What Does Mobile Mean for Sellers? There are dozens of real estate listings apps from sites like Redfin, Trulia, and Zillow, and the list continues to grow. They’ve made it easier than ever to search for homes by price, location, lot size, etc. Today, your listing is at the fingertips of millions – if it’s marketed correctly. Effective mobile and Internet listings are much like “digital yard signs.” Buyers want to see photos, detailed property information, neighborhood data and virtual/interactive tours. Today, a thorough mobile listing is as effective as a well-attended open house. Equally as important, your listing needs to appear in the right online channels. At Urban Focus Real Estate, we understand the importance of digital marketing...
by Gary Belk | Sep 13, 2014 | Business, Newsletters, San Francisco Real Estate, Uncategorized |
The price of new construction condos in San Francisco continues to grow. According to The Mark Company’s August Condo Pricing Index, the average price per square foot of a new condo in San Francisco was $1,119, a 10 percent jump year-over-year. So it’s no surprise we’re seeing some record listing prices in the city. Just last month, a luxury two-bedroom at 8 Octavia in Hayes Valley listed for $1,384 per square foot – a record price per square foot for the neighborhood. This summer has been a sales bonanza for many developments in the city. By the end of August, Arden by Bosa in Mission Bay had sold nearly all of its 267 units, with just 17 available. That equates to an impressive rate of 62 units per month since opening in May. Other smaller boutique buildings, including 1515 15th (45 units) in the Inner Mission and 1645 Pacific (34 units) in Lower Pacific Heights took just three months to sell out. And similarly, only 2 of the 39 units at Millwheel North in Dogpatch have sold since the development’s sales office opened in May. SF New Condo Inventory Update: New Developments Opening This Fall In August, new construction inventory dropped 10 percent month-over-month compared to July, with 386 units available during the month. Two new developments – the SF Shipyard and Summit 800 – both of which haven’t yet released sales data – helped improve new construction availability in San Francisco. Both developments accounted for 260 new units coming online this summer. Here’s a broader snapshot of the city’s 386 available units: 8 Octavia – Hayes Valley –...
