Successful Buyer’s Agent
We worked with Kevin as buying agent and he was superb. He invested considerable time and energy to help us understand how the market and process here works and is super-responsive, even late at night….
Importantly, he had great suggestions and advice on making our offer compelling.
—Ross & Sarah M.
Googler & EBayer, Buyers (Noe Valley)
Comprehensive Seller’s Agent
If you want a realtor who lives and breathes your deal, keeps you constantly abreast of your property’s progress and does nice little things for you, you have to call Kevin Ho. We have ushered in the era of smart, technology literate, well educated, vibrant deal closers like Kevin Ho.
—Peter G.
Media & Advertising Director
Seller (SOMA)
Real Estate Agent with a Lawyer’s Eye
Kevin reads contracts in detail and really protects your interests — he knows his stuff on this. He had a stronger understanding of the market than other realtors I spoke with. I felt a lot of confidence throughout the process knowing I was working with someone who knew their stuff inside out.
—Joanna S.
Manager, Clinton Global Health Initiative
Buyer (Noe Valley)
Techie Advocate Who Streamlines
If you have Kevin on your side, I think you will end up with a real advocate for your needs who can streamline the entire home-buying process for you. He’s also up-to-date with the latest tools to conduct the transaction….
—Hass L.
SF-based Start-Up
Buyer & Seller (Mid-Market/SOMA & Uptown Oakland)
Great Guide
Kevin was super responsive, incredibly helpful and full of knowledge. He was the perfect guide in navigating what can be a complicated and confusing process. Thanks Kevin!
— Christel L.
Web-developer/Landscape Architect
Buyer, Fixer (Berkeley)
Passionate Brainstormer
I have worked with many agents. Kevin always makes himself available and is willing to go the extra mile for his clients. He is helpful with ideas and brainstorming. He definitely has a passion for real estate.
— Edward G.
Successful San Francisco Real Estate Developer
Buyer, Multi-Unit Fixer (Mission Dolores)
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HIRE US.
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WINNING SAN FRANCISCO REAL ESTATE TODAY
IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU…
Grow your success, wealth and happiness with Kevin & Jonathan.
My name is Kevin Ho and I am Broker Associate and Top Producer at Vanguard Properties, one of the top San Francisco brokerages that is also locally owned and operated. Together with my partner Jonathan McNarry, we specialize in residential real estate in and around our fair city of San Francisco representing buyers, sellers, investors and builders. My client base and business continues to grow — success begets success. I am from Iowa City, Iowa originally, I am also an active attorney in California and have lived in San Francisco for 10 years. I do real estate differently than most: I genuinely love what I do, I’m hand’s on and I work hard, wisely and empathetically. I’ve recently been joined by Jonathan McNarry, realtor and licensed nurse and respiratory therapist who hails from the U.K. via Atlanta where his background is in health care and development.
I’ve been an invited commentator/expert on Curbed SF, have been quoted and featured in the New York Times for innovative real estate marketing, and interviewed a number of times on local television news talking about real estate.
My clients benefit from having a lawyer, realtor, mediator and reporter — and now another experienced professional — working for them. Please learn about my client successes and about Jonathan and me by exploring this site.
Let’s get started today!
We received a lot of good offers…, but based on our past relationship and how smoothly it went, I pushed for your offer.
— Listing Agent, San Francisco, Castro
(Client closed on property beating out 2 other offers)
Kevin's Clients' Successes.
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In the Know with Kevin Ho…
Sign up for my exclusive Stories of the Week featuring inside information about how properties did (how many offers, what terms won); Advances of the Week (information about pre-MLS and off-MLS listings and developments); and, my Open House Picks of the Week where I cull through the hundreds of listings for those that may match my clients’ needs or that at least catch my eye. Combined with all of that is closing data and various news clips relevant to San Francisco real estate. Your email remains private with me and you can unsubscribe anytime you like. So, join the at least 100+ folks who read it each week and get your subscription on!
I love the style of your newsletter! It is so informative and fun! I love to see what is happening in my neighborhood too.
We couldn’t be happier with the service we received from Kevin.
He’s personable, helpful, tech-savvy, and extremely dedicated!
Kevin is a very opinionated realtor, but I say this in a good way. There were many homes that we were willing to bid on in what was a very challenging market, but thankfully Kevin kept our best interests in mind. Rather than going for a quick close, he actually talked us out of a few homes to make sure we stayed true to our criteria.
—Aaron & Ashley L., Buyers, Charming Victorian (Noe Valley)
THE WEEK IN REVIEW
In the Know with Kevin Ho: The Mother of All Real Estate Markets Edition, May 10-11, 2014 Ed., No. 19
San Francisco’s real estate continues its blossoming with a push of new listings this weekend that continues the trend we started to see a couple weeks ago of increasing inventory — yet this new inventory is still being met by unsatisfied demand but each new listing helps.
While our final closing prices continue to be strong what we’ve seen on the agent side is that properties with teaser prices and/or or those at where you would expect them with offer dates are coming and going without any offers. Perhaps this is related to stock market news and/or people are feeling a bit unsure of continued growth, which is why some folks aren’t going for the bait of a teaser price.
What does this mean for you? Well, if inventory continues to increase and the past couple of weeks’ patterns become the norm rather than the exception, then we may finally be seeing a normalizing of the market, which has been growing and growing. Overall, national trends where a lot of the rest of country seems to be seeing somewhat of a slowdown in some areas to weaker growth in others will mean that lenders will continue to keep our mortgage rates down. This could explain why we’re seeing a decrease of recent mortgage interest rates. From Vanguard’s lending partner Citibank, here are the most recent rates:
- 30-yr fixed 4.00%
- 10/1 ARM 3.50%
- 7/1 ARM 3.125%
- 5/1 ARM 2.625% all with 0 points and no prepayment penalty
Additional discounts are available if a Buyer is willing to save some money at Citibank starting at 1/8th point up to 3/8ths of point off the RATE with a 1-Million dollar relationship (does not need to be liquid funds – 401Ks and retirement plans qualify for the offer!), with the rate holding constant even if money is moved away from Citibank post-close. (Rates are for primary residence loans and assume a credit score of 740 or higher and a 20% down payment).
Rip’ Roarin’ Romain Street
We had three successful open houses for 243 Romain starting May 1 with folks responding to the property positively and enthusiastically. By Monday, May 5 we had three offers in hand: one was all-cash, one with a substantial non-contingent loan and yet another with a substantial down payment. The Seller ultimately decided to pick an offer one of my clients submitted with the best price, terms and down payment. The way things are going, we may see an early close of escrow to boot. While the successful offer price will only be released after we close escrow we are in the +25% range with a solid back-up offer.
Kevin Interviewed About Goodwill’s Good Fortune on the 6:00 News
For those of you who missed it, I was interviewed on KTVU-FOX2 about two large Mid-Market transactions: Both the Honda and the Goodwill parcels near Market and Van Ness Streets purportedly went into contract this past week. With central locations and the capacity to build 600+ units the prospects look promising. That better be the case as the Goodwill parcel was listed at $60M! Plenty of Goodwill for the charity. Read the story here and watch the broadcast version of the story here.
Coming Soon: Hayes Valley Single-Family Home
I’m pleased to announce that Jonathan and I will be listing a fantastic Hayes Valley single-family home in just a matter of weeks on Hickory Street – one of the quiet streets that runs parallel and in between Oak Street and Fell Street. This home has an incredible three-car garage, a foundation that looks like it was built like a tank, a lovely courtyard in an L-shaped floor plan with two bedrooms, one bath, living area and kitchen that is as charming as it is chic with light and breezy feel. Perfect home for now and one with obvious potential to expand. Stay tuned for more.
San Francisco is Worth the Price
You’ve heard it before — San Francisco is a truly international city that will command a premium that attracts international buyers the world over. And while you may hear of growth in Houston, for example, would you really want to live there? Would the rest of the world’s people want to visit? Instead, San Francisco stands out from most of the country (bar NYC) as being tops in real estate and the place to be for tourist and techie alike —18 of the top 25 tech companies are here for example. Our universities, proximity to emerging markets, financial base and diversity attracts the best and the brightest (although Berkeley and Stanford may have something to do with it). Plus our climate, while foggy sometimes, still beats cold vortexes and heat waves. And because land is scarce here … well, you get the picture. Did I mention there’s wine here too?
Why You’re Hiring Vanguard Properties
2014’s 1st quarter numbers are in for Vanguard Properties and there are some compelling facts and data that are telling as to why so many people succeed with us.
- We are number 1 in overall sales volume in District 9 with 14% of the market and top for number of listings (SoMa, South Beach, Dogpatch, Potrero, Inner Mission).
- We are the number 1 listing company in District 5 and number 2 in overall volume (Mission Dolores, Cole/Eureka/Noe Valley, Upper Market, Duboce Triangle, Upper Market).
- And we’ve moved up from being the number 5 company in all of San Francisco at the end of 2013 to being the third busiest company in sales volume!
And with good reason as there’s been a noticeable shift in the City towards our sunnier, south-of-California-Street climes. Vanguard’s accomplishment are all the more for a local brokerage considering we just have 175 agents in San Francisco compared to others like Coldwell Banker with more than 400 and 300 agents at Zephyr (the other leading brokerages for the area).
At Vanguard Properties we are committed to understanding your individual needs. We promise to provide you with the kind of quality service that will exceed your expectations. Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of sincere effort, intelligent direction and skilled execution. And all of this is thanks to you and yours. Keep up the support and help us succeed in helping you succeed. Learn more HERE.
HAPPENING NOW…
What’s trending, what’s coming and what just passed.
JUST Sold: 735 Clementina, SOMA
just sold!
735 Clementina Street, SOMA
Rebuilt Urban Trophy Home with Stunning Roof Deck
Contemporary, reclaimed, reimagined and repurposed urban warehouse in one of the hottest growth areas in SF
List Price: $2.395M
SOLD: $2.605M (7-Day, All-Cash Close, Seller Rent-Back)(May 2014)
IN CONTRACT: 25 San Pablo, St Francis Wood
in contract…
25 San Pablo Avenue, St. Francis Wood
Charming Single-Family Home with Forest Feel, Views
Excellent location, fantastic 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom, expansion potential, character and more.
List Price: $1.349M (PENDING)
IN CONTRACT: 243 Romain, Twin Peaks
listed by & in contract…
243 Romain Street, Twin Peaks
Reinvigorated Mid-Century View Home with Location
Centrally located urban oasis with 180-degree views from Peak to Bay, recently remoedled
List Price: $995K (PENDING AFTER 3 DAYS ON MARKET)
REAL ESTATE RSS NEWS
Kevin was a superb real estate agent, and did a great job helping us buy our first home! Kevin is funny and personable, and knows how to get the job done.
—Dana & Drew
Med Student & Chip Engineer
First Time Buyers (Miraloma Park)
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Let Raffi Guide You Home
A Little More About Kevin & Jonathan.
Team Kevin and Jonathan’s background and personality lend themselves to real estate naturally. Kevin loves what he does and doesn’t think of it as work at all. It beats being a full-time lawyer hands down, but Kevin values being a lawyer at the same time as it gives him an edge in that he can interpret documents for clients as well as to bring an additional layer of confidence, knowledge and authority. Meanwhile, Jonathan bring a background of large-scale real estate development and health care to the table. He worked with his family in the Southeast as they developed large tracts of land into communities and has been selling real estate since he was 18. Jonathan works as a RN at UCSF where he has provided healthcare to patients of all ages, shapes and sizes. He is part of the hospital’s elite Rapid Response Team, works with ICU patients that requires absolute focus and the ability to handle all kinds of situations adeptly, calmly and professionally. He has also worked as a paramedic/EMT, Respiratory Therapist, banker, insurance agent and Notary Public. He brings experience as well as a perspective that is cool, steady and nimble — just what the real estate doctor ordered!
Here’s what Kevin has done in bullet-point form:
Education.
- Lawyer, ’04 to present (Cal. SBN 233408)
- Law degree, (JD) U.C. Berkeley (Boalt Hall) ’04
- Master’s in Diplomacy & Int’l Studies (MA), University of London (SOAS) ’01
- BA, East Asian Studies,WashU ’00 (Junior Year Abroad,New College, Oxford University)
- Worked as a reporter, lawyer, mediator and legal clerk
- Bay Area resident, 13 years, born & raised, Iowa City, Iowa
- English, Cantonese, Mandarin, German, HTML
- Cook, bike and play with Raffi (a former Guide Dogs for the Blind trainee) in my free time
Business.
- In 2012, I tripled my real estate business here in San Francisco — going from $2.8M worth of transactions to about $10M.
- In 2013, I closed about $20M in business and 2014 is already starting off strongly. I’ve gotten to the point in my career where clients are firing their agents to work with me and I am starting to develop a more robust team to support.
- On average, I have an active pool of 15-20 clients looking to buy or sell property from the $500,000 range to $4M price points with a ratio of 70% buyers and 30% sellers.
- I have an average of 3-4 escrows open at a time which means my days are busy but only just so; my schedule also allows me to focus on my clients, handle last-minute issues, and to meet new clients.
- I am backed by one the City’s most experienced and cooperative brokerages that expanded from 2 offices to more than 5 in 2013 alone.
Because we are curious and enterprising we are always listening and learning — plus we like people! This is how we can deliver our clients exclusive opportunities that others cannot.
We incorporate technology effectively in our practice using iPhones, iPads, laptops, laser measurers and mobile technology to streamline the entire process for our clients freeing us to spend more time assisting clients on what’s important. We work creatively and think broadly but also approach real estate under the premise this is important business — home buying is the most important decision people make and it’s something we love doing and we hope you love what we do.
Take the next step and contact us today to get started.
Multimedia with and from Kevin Ho
Sold in Noe Valley!
Importantly, [Kevin] had great suggestions and advice on making our offer compelling, helping us secure the property we really wanted despite not being all-cash nor the highest offer.
— Ross & Sarah
Successful Buyers, Noe Valley Single-Family Home
Surveys Say Up, Up & Up
Starting in February 2012, the market changed in SF.
Instead of a shortage of serious buyers, the tables turned toward a shortage of good homes that lasted long enough for people to see without other buyers making preemptive offers. So, prices have gone up —and up but are expected to hold steady for 2014 as interest rates scoot up and as the number of REO and short sales continue to shrink. And while the strength in prices remains, agents are now generally pricing homes more accurately.
But many are still using an offer-date system whereby the listing price may have little to do with the ultimate selling price because competitive bidding is encouraged. They can do this is because there is so very little inventory in the City. Balanced against that is that home borrowing, while still strenuous, is affordable because interest rates remain at historic lows but for how much longer? In terms of pricing and how properties are presented, 2012 and 2013 has shown there’s no one right way to do things. Instead ascertaining pricing philosophy (some agents grossly under- or mis-price) comes down to a per agent, per property basis, which is leading too a lot of “wait and watch.”
Remember good things may not come to those who wait but do to the early birds. There is a lot of cash on the market with people having to spend tax-deferred 1031 exchange monies from sales that would otherwise be subject to the 37% capital gains combined tax rate. And if you think prices will go down, think about all the other folks who lost out in competitive bidding — they’re not going anywhere too. And with interest rates going up (at some point), buyers will rush to lock rates in, even if it means making concessions like giving sellers longer rent-back periods. Prices have increased dramatically — so much so that $1000/sqft is the new norm as is the new normal in Noe Valley where 3 is the new 2 — as in $3M is the new $2M.
Another trend to watch is the city’s housing crunch, which started in 2013 and intensifying in 2014 has included more drama, more emotions, and now, promised tinkering with rent control and eviction control laws — which we have recently seen. The targets of popular discontent are the familiar landlords and now throw-in Airbnb types and/or the tech industry as a whole.
Remember, we are here to help you, your family and friends succeed.
