The San Francisco Real Estate Blog



San Francisco Real Estate Blog. It's every bit as interesting as Curbed, the New York Real Estate blog.
-- Max Black - Prairie Fire












« January 2006 | | June 2006 »

February 2006




February 02, 2006

Inman Real Estate News - Real estate foreclosure activity rises in California

In Northern California, the number of notices increases from 636 to 849 (31.4 percent) in Sacramento County and from 73 to 106 (45.2 percent) in San Francisco.
Most of the versions of this article I've seen lean hard on that 45 percent increase in defaults in San Francisco. Only Inman bothers to tell you that represents an increase of only 33 homes in San Francisco.




Craigslist To Charge for Real Estate Listings in NYC

NEW YORK After months of speculation, Craigslist confirmed it's going to charge a $10 listing fee for to the brokered apartment category in New York City, effective March 1.
It's only a matter of time until Craigslist starts charging for all real estate ads everywhere. Now, ten bucks isn't going to break anybody's bank, but it will put a slight bit more pressure on the wallets of agents who have been using Craigslists free listings to turn those web sites into the busiest, most effective concentrations of real estate ads in their respective areas.




February 05, 2006

LETTERS TO REAL ESTATE

You want "under the radar" and "gritty," I suggest you come to Richmond. Who, you may wonder, in their right mind would ever house-hunt there? With its high crime reputation, it's the Bay Area's pariah.

But guess what? There are neighborhoods here, specifically North and East, that look for all the world like they were lifted from Albany or Berkeley or even El Cerrito. And almost as safe. Except here you might still find a home for $399,000.

I should know as this is where I finally found my little piece of heaven. No cafes yet, but changes are afoot. Richmond: the last bargain, and definitely under the radar.

Oh, shut up. You just had to go and blab, didn't you?




A Commercialized Park Looks for More Money - Los Angeles Times

The Trust says its efforts to coax foundations, dance companies, artists, lawyers, mortgage bankers and corporate headquarters to take up residence in what once was the nation's longest-operating military base are crucial to the park's financial future. Though the Presidio was propped up initially with a $25-million congressional appropriation, that figure has been whittled down every year. By law, the Presidio must be self-sustaining in six years or Congress can close the park and sell its land and buildings, including the nation's largest concentration of historic structures.
Quite frankly, and speaking as someone who used to bicycle all over the Presidio almost every day, I'd have no problem if this came to pass. Much as a lot of folks in my town might disagree, the hard facts show that the private sector always makes better, more productive use of real estate than the public sector does.