SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE Q+A
The San Francisco Chronicle asks expert area realtors questions every week for their Sound-Off segment found in its Sunday Real Estate Section. The online counter part appears on SF Gate. We've been asked to contribute and do so fairly often, which is what you're seeing here.
The online version of this was published on September 4, 2022 while the print version was published on the same time too.
BAD NEWS | GOOD NEWS
Looking Past the Headlines
Home sales and prices are dropping around the nation, is this cause for concern?
Conflicting news reports about the real estate ‘market’ are concerning because they gloss over the fact that the housing market is very nuanced as each property is unique. Folks can lose sight that buying a home not only serves the very basic purpose of shelter but is also the main way folks can build wealth.
Some may sit on the sidelines thinking prices may decline more (which isn’t a given, especially in the Bay Area) only to miss out on a perfectly great home that won’t be back on the market for 10 years, unaware that monthly mortgage payments are the same now as they would have when rates were lower because prices have equalized somewhat to meet changed mortgage affordability.
We will often remind our buyers that there are mortgages that allow you to buy a property now and, when rates moderate again, the option of refinancing later. But you won’t ever have that option (and the deductions you can take) if you don’t own the property in the first place.
For More Sound-Off Snippets...
Explore 234 Eureka Street, San Francisco – A meticulously renovated Queen Anne Victorian home listed by top real estate agents Kevin Ho and Jonathan McNarry of Vanguard Properties. This exquisite property features four bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms, and one-car garage parking spread over three spacious levels. Situated on an extra-deep parcel in a prime San Francisco location, the home boasts a coveted three-bedroom, two-bathroom upper sleeping level, two living areas, and a chef’s kitchen equipped with a large island and luxurious finishes. Modern amenities include solar panels, radiant floor heating, and a beautifully landscaped garden with slides and two decks, making it an urban oasis. Built in 1904 and extensively updated in 2017 and 2024 with permits, 234 Eureka Street represents the finest in San Francisco living. Discover more about this stunning property at www.234-Eureka.com. MLS 424030585.
1264 Church Street, San Francisco, a sunny, top-floor, 2-bed, 1-bath, 1-car parking garage space with ±1,284 sqft (per LiDar) as listed by Kevin Ho and Jonathan McNarry of Vanguard Properties. SF MLS 423910006. www.1264-church.com At the heart of this stand-out property is the newly renovated chef’s kitchen (designed for cooking classes and entertaining), the new bathroom, new, in-unit laundry, new stainless appliances, dual pane windows, wood floors and designer lighting. Combined with its 1935 Spanish-revival heritage in a sought-after Noe Valley location, 1264 Church is exceptional.