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SF Bay Area Housing Reality: Loooong Commute or Smaaallll Home....Unless You is Rich! 

2/11/2014

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Regular folk ain't gotta prayer to stay near San Jose/SF. SF Chronicle reports:
Squeezed by astronomical home prices and rents that are almost as unaffordable, a growing number of Bay Area residents are pulling up stakes and trading long commutes for cheaper housing.

They're heading to places like Tracy, Mountain House, Patterson, Hollister and Los Banos. Some are buying bigger homes and others are renting for much less, hoping to put money aside for a down payment of their own one day, in a replay of the eastward migration during the dot-com boom.

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Berkeley Albany Pacifica Cupertino Santa Clara Most Exciting Suburbs in ALL of America! 

2/3/2014

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Berkeley is ranked #3, which is no surprise. (But Pacifica?! Wow, I never woulda guessed). Business Insider via Movato explains:
This East Bay gem has plenty to offer excitement seekers of all hair lengths.

Of course, with UC Berkeley in town, the 18 to 34 group is going to be plenty large; it sits at 43 percent, to be exact. Plus, with it being part of the notoriously health conscious Bay Area, a sixth place finish for active life options isn’t unexpected (there are parks and yoga places everywhere). What you might not be expecting, though, is that this seemingly laid back suburb has a lot of nightlife.

From bars such as Jupiter and the Albatross, to world-renowned venues like the Greek Theatre, it’s a fantastic town to hang out with friends after dark or take in an A-list act

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SF Bay Area Luxury Homes Skyrocketing! 

1/31/2014

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Mercury News has the latest stats for lux properties in SF/Silicon Valley, and it's getting mind boggling. $1M dollars don't get you much round these parts. 
The big-ticket sales were concentrated in the South Bay, Peninsula and San Francisco, where companies such as Google and Facebook were sending waves of newly minted millionaires out searching for their dream homes, which were in short supply. Bidding wars pushed high prices even higher.
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Courtesy Bernard Andre -- This home on Park Lane in Atherton sold for $30,300,000
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Herman Chan: The Tech Savvy Real Estate Broker uses DocuSign

1/30/2014

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You might remember I posted this fantastical image on my Instagram (@hermanity) of the Docusign office in San Francisco earlier this month. I can now reveal Docusign invited me to their swank new San Francisco HQ to chat about how I use Docusign , especially with Google Drive. The feature just went live on their site! Check it out! 

Seriously folks, if your Realtor doesn't offer Docusign to you, they are doing you wrong! It'll change your life. When they need your signature ASAP (which is like always!), no more scrambling around for a printer, finding a scanner, or  god forbid using a fax! It's all electronic, paperless & mobile!
Herman Chan Real Estate broker agent docusign google drive san francisco tech savvy
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Herman Chan of LuxSFHomes.com is a technology savvy pioneer and personality in the real estate industry. He does business faster, better, and more efficiently with the use of technology and has no plans to stop. He arms himself with the tools and software to most effectively do his job while on the move. Considering the multiple documents needed for the modern real estate transaction, Herman knows it's a no-brainer to go green and mobile.  DocuSigning helps him do just that.

Often found with his iPad or Mac, Herman is capable of selling any property at any moment. Interested buyers? Herman uses DocuSign for Google Drive to easily and quickly send disclosure packets without having to ever print a single page. Sellers want to list their mansion on the spot? No problem. Herman uses DocuSign Ink on his tablet to capture the sellers' signatures right there in order to close the deal in-person without leaving the property. 

Herman encourages current and future real estate agents to embrace DocuSign. Not only does it save time but also it saves deals. Last year, on a road trip to Los Angeles, he received an urgent call (Hands-free of course) from his Berkeley buyer. She saw a hot property at an open house, but offers were due in an hour!  Any delay would have cost his client her dream home. Without skipping a beat, Herman quickly pulled over, whipped out his iPad and sent his client the paperwork to DocuSign. Within minutes she DocuSigned the offer and shortly after, the sellers accepted the offer. SOLD! Thanks to DocuSign. 

Follow Herman and get great tips on his real estate Info-tainment site at http://www.habitatforhermanity.com/

DocuSign for Google Drive: The easiest and quickest way to get your documents signed

New customers and existing free and trial users of DocuSign are eligible to Save $50/user on our annual plans* when purchasing for up to 10 users on DocuSign.com with promo code DIGITAL50. Offer Code good until Jan 31st. *Discount not available for the DocuSign individual plan

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Walkscore.com Ranks San Francisco As 2nd Best City to Live Car-Free After NYC (But Just By 1 Point! We Catching Up!) 

1/28/2014

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I've increasingly seen my clients pay a premium to be close to things to do, eateries, amenities and just life! (especially my Millenial and baby boomers clients). No one wants to drive 20 minutes just to get a latte!  Now there's proof from Walkscore.com
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From WALKSCORE.COM: 
Living Near Public Transit

There’s growing evidence that buying a house or renting an apartment near public transit is a smart idea.

  • First, it’s likely a better investment.  The National Association of Realtors found that home values performed 42% better when they were located near public transit1.  In Boston, a recent study showed that home prices near public transit outperformed the region by 129%2.
  • Living near public transit saves you money. The average American spends $9,859 per year on their car3. Did you know this is the equivalent of a $135,000 mortgage?!  Transportation is the second largest expense for American households4.
  • And living near good public transit might just make you happier5 — after all, nobody likes being stuck in traffic.
Are WalkScores important to you when buying a place?
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Whopping 42% of Real Estate Deals Are Now All Cash! 

12/22/2013

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Source: RealtyTrac
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American Home Buyers Stats Now Include LGBTQ, BFF's & DINK (Dual Income No Kids)! Times, They Are A-Changing!

10/23/2013

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herman chan realtor break down of real estate buyers infographic
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San Francisco Lost Its Appeal! Palo Alto & Berkeley Ranked Top 3 Most Livable Places! (SF Didn't Even Crack Top 100. Wonk Wonk) 

10/18/2013

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Livability.com scores the top 100 cities across America as the best places to live and visit. Their criteria is based on housing, education, amenities, transportation/infrastructure, social/civic capital, health care & economics. Over 2 dozen cities in California made the list! Did your city make it? 
palo alto real estate herman chan
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Tenderloin / Mid-Market to be #1 Neighborhood for Housing Development! Is It Gettin' Bou-Ghetto!?

9/3/2013

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Top 10 SF  neighborhoods for new housing ...Herman Chan says
SocketSite:
 The top ten areas being targeted for the near-term development of new housing in San Francisco are:

10. The Mission (930 new units)
9. South Central (1,210 units)
8. Western Addition (1,240 units)
7. Transbay (1,340 units)
6. East SoMa (1,480 units)
5. Mission Bay* (2,088 units)
4. Rincon Hill (2,370 units)
3. Market/Octavia (2,410 units)
2. Showplace Square/Potrero Hill (2,950 units)

And with nearly 4,000 units either under construction, approved, or proposed to be built, the number one area for new housing development in San Francisco is "Downtown" which includes Mid-Market and the Tenderloin.

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20 Most Expensive Markets in USA...10 are in SF Bay Area!  What the Freak?!

8/2/2013

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Source: ANNUAL COLDWELL BANKER REAL ESTATE HOME LISTING REPORT
JustLuxe.com reports:
California dominates the first six slots in the report, with Los Altos ranking as the most expensive housing market in America, carrying an average listing price of $1.7M. Considering Los Altos is less than 20 minutes away from such tech giants like Google and Facebook, the high prices aren't a big shock. Following directly after is Newport Beach ($1.6M), Saratoga ($1.5M), Menlo Park ($1.5M), Palo Alto ($1.4), and Los Gatos ($1.4). 
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Median SF Bay Area Prices Still $174k Under 2007 Peak!

6/15/2013

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Mercury News:
"The current buyer frenzy has several ingredients: interest rates kept low by the Federal Reserve; a low inventory of homes for sale; high rents relative to home prices; rising incomes and job security; and investors and others paying cash for low-end houses and condominiums."

"At $564,250, the median sales price of an existing single-family Bay Area home in May was 23 percent below its 2007 peak of $738,500 just before the crash, according to DataQuick."

"The Peninsula & South Bay have regained most of their post-bubble losses, while Contra Costa & Alameda counties have a long way to go."

Innerestin' times! 
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OHH EMM GEE! Median 2 Bedroom Rent in San Francisco Hits $4000/mo! 

6/10/2013

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Median rents for one-bedroom apartments by neighborhood in San Francisco (Zumper).
The apartment rental startup Zumper has updated its maps of the median rents for one and two bedroom apartments in San Francisco by neighborhood. It found that the median price for a one-bedroom in the city is now $2,764. The median price for a two-bedroom is $4,000.
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The median is the numerical value separating the higher half of a data set from the lower half.

In San Francisco, these rates vary substantially depending on which part of town you're looking in. Much like its notorious micro-climates, the city features micro-pockets of relatively affordable rental units.

For example, here are the three most expensive neighborhoods to rent a one-bedroom:

South Beach - $3500
Russian Hill - $3410
Financial District - $3350

And here are the three least expensive neighborhoods to rent a one-bedroom:

Outer Richmond - $1850
Outer Sunset - $1975
Inner Richmond - $2015

As for the three most expensive neighborhoods to rent a two-bedroom:

Financial District - $5800
Marina - $5450
Cow Hollow - $5400

And the three least expensive neighborhoods to rent a two-bedroom:

Outer Mission/Excelsior - $2460
Outer Sunset - $2525
Lakeshore - $2640

Zumper Co-Founder & CEO Anthemos Georgiades explained the methodology the company uses to construct these maps:

  • "We use medians for the average prices to discount outlier listings and so as to not over/understate the real prices."
  • "These May 2013 asking rents are perhaps different to what some readers may currently be paying if they rented a few years ago or if they are still paying rent- controlled prices. However, these are the current prevailing prices for available apartments on the market today."
  • "Most units on the market tend to be newer (read: non-rent controlled) developments built post-1979, since they experience more turnover. These units are often renovated with many more amenities than their rent-controlled counterparts, making them more expensive."
As for the "least expensive" neighborhoods on the list, this too is a relative matter, especially for low-income families. Earlier this year, the National Low Income Housing Coalition reported that San Francisco is thesecond least affordable rental market among all U.S.cities, after Honolulu.

The rental situation is driving some of those seeking apartments to take extreme measures to enhance their chances.

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San Francisco Real Estate Home Prices Soared 22% in 1 Year But NY Only Bumped 2%! 

5/29/2013

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SF Real Estate Prices jump 22%: Herman Chan
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Owning A House Ain't For Everyone, But Buying Is Better Than Renting at least in San Francisco

5/23/2013

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Real Estate Is Back With a Vengeance! San Francisco Ranked #3 For Best Value Appreciation for 2013!

5/8/2013

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There is no stopping California! Per RealEstate.com, 5 of out 10 cities for Best Value Appreciation for 2013 are in the Sunshine State.  The Bay Area is sitting pretty at 3rd place (San Francisco, Oakland & San Jose). I can personally attest the market is completely bonkers. Multiple offers, overbids, all cash, it's like it's 2007 all over again. The difference this time is that it's not based on "Liar Loans", subprime mortgages and zero downpayments! When people are putting down 20% to call cash, they ain't gonna just walk away! They got skin in the game. They stay to play! What do you think? 
The future of the U.S. real estate market in 2013 is bright
Real Estate Is Back – 2013 ActiveRain Survey
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Hot Trend: Hybrid Homes "Modern Interior Traditional Exterior"

4/18/2013

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Wall St Journal:
The concept of installing a modern interior inside a traditional home, long seen in Europe, is becoming particularly popular in older U.S. cities. In San Francisco, architect Stephen Verner of Aleck Wilson Architects says most of his clients want contemporary interiors even in the oldest homes.
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One-Third of California Home Sales Are Now All Cash! 

2/6/2013

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Nene models a gown made of real moola!
About quarter to a 1/3 of my deals were all cash last year. Apparently,  that's the norm...at least in California. Housing Wire reports that over 30% of the homes sold in 2012 were purchased with cold hard cash! 145,797 to be exact. Compare that to the peak of the market in 2007, when only 39,731 were all cash. 

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Should You Rent to Own? Herman Chan Weighs In on CNBC

1/24/2013

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I've blogged a bit about 'Rent To Own' (especially about Bravo TV Housewives Kim Zolciak & Adrienne Maloof). Glad CNBC asked me to weigh in on this phenomenon for their article Rent to Own Homes: an Option to Consider? Generally speaking, I dont' think it a great option  but sometimes it can be a last resort for certain people desperate to get into a certain area. What do you think, guys? Pros/cons?


"Renting to own is also a way to get into a desired neighborhood in a timely matter, as with parents who need to be in school district for their kids, or people who are uncertain of their timeline, according to San Francisco real estate professional Herman Chan. "It's a way to get into a house without committing to a 30 year mortgage," he said."
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SF Ladies, If You Value Your Marriage, Avoid These Adulterous Neighborhoods!

1/7/2013

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Ashley Madison, the infamous hook up site for married people seeking affairs, posted the top 10 cheating neighborhoods in San Francisco. SF Weekly reports: "San Francisco is a great place to have an extramarital affair, especially in the wealthy enclaves of the city, where you are most likely to find a cheating spouse". Hoity Toity Pac Heights, Fidi, & Marina Districts lead the pack. But you can't just blame the men. I know a whole lotta females who vulture these 'hoods hoping to marry up too! Just sayin'

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What Cute Li'l Dollhouses! Oh Wait, These Are Single Family Homes! 

11/29/2012

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Not much of a foundation eh?
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how adorable! The house ain't bad either. LOL!
Check out these Tiny Homes, part of the growing Small Living Movement
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When it is on a bigger lot, it don't look 1/2 bad!
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San Francisco's 1st Mobile Real Estate Office Debuts! So Cool!

11/14/2012

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Let's face it, people are on the move 24/7 now. Working is not about being at a desk, for either clients or real estate agents. How awesome would it be to meet up in an uber cool Airstream to sign docs, or review comps! People may be on the go, but it doesn't mean you can't do it with flair. (That's why I frequent Off The Grid, instead of Mickey D's. I want a cool social experience!) 
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ClimbSF.com's Co-Founder Tiffany Combs
As a huge fan of food trucks & the mobile movement, I was so excited when my friend Tiffany Combs of  Climb Real Estate Group invited me to the launch party for the Airstream Mobile Office. Honestly folks, this is a stroke of genius. I bring you the exclusive scoop from the party! 
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What a memorable, mobile & modern marketing tool! (yup, alliteration) No one else is doing this in SF. The branding possibilities are endless: festivals, parks, developments, parades, host mani-pedis, 5 min massages, etc.  Way to stand out from the sea of brokerages out there Tiff! 
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Dual Income Couples Fueling Market...Leavin' Us Single Gals in the Dust!! 

11/10/2012

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New National Association of Realtors survey says single people are screwed. "The continued growth in married couples as single buyers shrink demonstrates that households with dual incomes are more successful in obtaining a mortgage." What are us lonely single gals supposed to do? We can't compete. Unless we marry up, is there any hope?!  
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"Wendy, that lucky wench!" LOL!
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If You're Middle Class, Forget About a House in America's Top Cities! 

10/21/2012

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Business Insider reports "that in 11 of the 25 largest metropolitan areas in the country, a median-income household is unable to afford a median-priced home.The least affordable cities included New York (duh), San Diego, San Francisco (double duh), LA & Miami – the combined populations of which add up to approximately 14.5 million people."  


Damn, there ain't no hope for us average Jo(ana)'s! 



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San Francisco Rents Skyrocket: SoMa & PacHeights Lead the Way! (New Money v. Old Money?)

9/30/2012

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San Francisco Chronicle breaks down how insane the rental market has become in top metro areas! South of Market & Pacific Heights (new money vs old money) lead the pack!
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Most searched neighbors per Trulia.com
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Ciao Summer, Hello Autumn!...Will Housing Cool Down Like the Weather? 

9/23/2012

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Historically, this is the last chance for sellers to bring their house on the market before things wind down in Q4. But with so little inventory, rates low, housing data improving, and media reporting positively on the industry, I predict the winter real estate market will continue to uptick. 
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