Mobile, Online Listings Are Increasingly Important for Marketing Your Home
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...
San Francisco Condo Watch: Prices Still Climbing, As New Developments Open in Q3
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 –...
Along with New Condos, Specialty Grocers and New Restaurants Go Up
Specialty Grocers and New Restaurants This year, is going to be a banner year for new restaurants and specialty grocers in San Francisco. Many set are set to open in 2014 and they complement San Francisco booming residential developments in Mid-Market, Mission Bay and the areas around Upper Market/Castro. In Mission Bay, for instance, residents are welcoming a new 10,000-square-foot specialty food marketplace called Market Hall. It’s one of the first such grocers to open in the rapidly developing neighborhood, and it won’t be your average grocery store. Instead, Market Hall, which may be open as early as Labor Day, will be much more like San Francisco’s Ferry Building, with local and craft food vendors selling fresh produce, seafood and meat. The “specialty foods emporium” will also feature wine and beer for sale, as well as other local wares. Though the neighborhood is still developing, there are already many sources of great food in Mission Bay. For instance, the Mission Bay Farmer’s Market at UCSF, which is held every Wednesday year-round, has been a smashing success in the neighborhood, with regional food vendors selling fresh, locally-sourced produce, meat, cheese and seafood. Market Place Concept Coming to Twitter HQ It seems the Ferry Building-style concept, like that at Market Hall, is catching on around The City, as well. Market Square, which will be located on the ground floor of Twitter’s Mid-Market headquarters, is opening this fall as well, and many SF foodies are eying the development. The owners of Small Foods, a SoMa-based food outlet, have planned a 22,000-square-foot food emporium called The Market, and the concept will be very...San Francisco Condo Watch: Developments Buyers Should Watch in 2014
In San Francisco, new condos are popping up all over the city. That’s good news for buyers. But it can also be difficult to tell what’s going to hit the market soon or within the year, and what developments are coming online in the long-term. Here are a few real-estate projects buyers and investors should keep a close eye on in 2014:
May 2014 Newsletter- NOBE – North Oakland, Emeryville, Berkeley
There’s a new up-and-coming neighborhood in the East Bay with serious investment potential. NOBE – which sits just west of Oakland’s trendy Temescal neighborhood, extending into Emeryville in Berkeley – is rapidly transforming into a desirable area for everyone from investors to first-time buyers.