Kevin+Jonathan In and On the Media
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.
Q: Is it a challenge to stay busy right now? Why or why not?
A: Because our approach to real estate is quite personal and big picture, we’ve been very busy recently as the pandemic has changed personal circumstances for so many. It’s a transition period where it’s important to keep an eye on the bigger perspective, which is still strong in San Francisco: inventory and activity is up.
Buyers fortunate enough to be able to buy now are eager to secure low mortgage rates instead of paying rent. Because COVID has changed commutes, some homeowners are looking to relocate to homes with yards and more space. And there are landlords who want to leave the rental business.
Serving this wide mix of client needs takes more time and effort: property visits require PPE and scheduling; mortgage processing times are up; decisions to buy or sell consider more factors than before. This is why it’s great that there are two of us helping our clients and that we have a go-to support team to ensure nothing is missed.
The online version of this was published on July 27, 2020, while the print version was published on Sunday, July 26, 2020. Find the online version here.
For More Sound-Off Snippets...
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.
While acute market forces are curtailing new construction starts now, development here was already an uphill battle. Development timelines take years, so any non-NIMBY-related delays in adding new homes will keep housing prices high that much longer. But even for people who can afford to buy in the Bay Area, there’s a shortage of accessible destination homes for folks who are downsizing or ones who can no longer do the stairs in their 3-story Victorian.