Cole Valley Part 3: Village Vibes and Modern Day Magic
Cole Valley blends San Francisco’s past and present in perfect balance. The N-Judah still hums through the fog, locals gather at Zazie and The Ice Cream Bar, and corners like Finnegans Wake and Cole Valley Tavern carry stories that span decades. It’s a neighborhood that feels like a village—timeless, layered, and distinctly San Francisco.
Cole Valley Part 2: A Quiet Counterculture
In the 1960s, while Haight-Ashbury burned bright with counterculture, Cole Valley caught a gentler wave of creativity. Artists, students, and musicians settled among its tree-lined streets, shaping a quieter bohemian spirit that still hums through its cafés, murals, and easygoing charm today.
Cole Valley Part 1: From Sand Dunes to Streetcars
Before its pastel Victorians and café culture, Cole Valley was part of San Francisco’s wild “Outside Lands.” The arrival of Golden Gate Park and the N-Judah streetcar transformed sand dunes into a hillside retreat, where Edwardians rose, families settled after 1906, and a true village community took root.
North Beach Part 3: Beats, Booze & Vesuvio Nights
The sailors and shanghai tunnels gave way to espresso bars and poets. In the 1950s, North Beach became the heartbeat of the Beat Generation — where Vesuvio Café and City Lights Bookstore turned rebellion into art. Jazz, poetry, and late-night philosophy defined this new era, and the echoes of that creative fire still linger in The City’s most literary neighborhood.
AI Companies Are Paying the Rent: How Tech Perks Are Shaping San Francisco’s Housing Market
AI companies footing the bill for San Francisco rent? Sounds about right. Several firms are now offering housing stipends or free apartments to lure top talent—and it’s already rippling through the housing market. When a company covers your rent, it changes your buying power and shifts entire neighborhoods. San Francisco’s housing story keeps evolving, and this chapter might be one of its most fascinating yet.
North Beach Part 2: Plague, Panic, and a Ripper in the Fog
In 1900, North Beach faced a threat far darker than its wild Barbary Coast past — the bubonic plague. Fear spread through the narrow streets as quarantines, rumors, and even whispers of a West Coast “Jack the Ripper” gripped the neighborhood. Out of fear and loss, a new North Beach emerged—resilient, redefined, and ready for its next reinvention
Bridging the Gap: Real Stories of Smart Moves
In San Francisco, timing is everything. Bridge loans let homeowners unlock the equity in their current home to buy the next one—without juggling two closings or missing the perfect opportunity. Here’s how they work, when to use them, and why they’re a game-changer for The City’s market.
The Look of Now: Architectural Trends Across San Francisco
San Francisco architecture is shifting toward warmth, texture, and intention. Gold and black finishes are replacing stainless steel, natural materials are softening modern design, and sustainability has quietly become standard. These aren’t passing trends but signs of where great design is headed — thoughtful, enduring, and rooted in how we truly live.
North Beach Part 1: The Barbary Coast & Shanghai Nights
Before cappuccinos and gelato, North Beach was San Francisco’s Barbary Coast—muddy streets, gas lamps, saloons, and shanghai gangs. The Saloon on Grant Avenue, open since 1861, still echoes that wild past with live blues and a hint of rebellion. Step inside, and you’re standing where The City’s original nightlife was born.
SoMa Part 3: Art, Nightlife, and Local Favorites
SoMa is where San Francisco’s creativity, culture, and community collide. From world-class art at SFMOMA to iconic nightlife spots like 1015 Folsom and DNA Lounge, this neighborhood hums with energy day and night. Add in eclectic food, green parks, and a thriving tech scene, and you’ve got one of The City’s most dynamic places to live, work, and play.
Buying a Co-op in San Francisco: What to Know Before You Fall in Love
Buying a co-op in San Francisco isn’t harder than buying a condo — it’s just different. From share loans to board approvals, co-ops come with their own rules and rewards. Here’s what to know before you buy into one of The City’s most timeless forms of homeownership.
SoMa Part 2: The Condo Comeback
SoMa’s story keeps evolving. After the pandemic pause, the neighborhood’s condo market is bouncing back—fueled by returning workers, AI companies, and buyers rediscovering the value of San Francisco’s most versatile homes. From industrial-chic lofts to modern glass towers, SoMa is once again proving that reinvention is part of its DNA.
Rebuilding The City: Inside San Francisco’s Real Estate Shift from Recovery to Reinvention
San Francisco’s real estate market is rewriting its own story. Inventory is down, demand is up, and AI wealth and tech liquidity are transforming how buyers and sellers move. Entry-level buyers are exploring TICs and co-ops while the luxury market is catching fire. Even Mid-Market and Union Square are buzzing again with renovations, retail reboots, and renewed confidence. The City isn’t just recovering — it’s reinventing itself.
TICs in San Francisco: What They Are, Why They Exist, and How to Buy One Without Losing Your Mind
TIC ownership in San Francisco sounds simple until you try to explain it. From fractional financing to condo conversion myths, here’s what you need to know about Tenancy in Common ownership in The City—what works, what doesn’t, and when it makes sense.
SoMa Part 1: From Warehouses to Loft Living
Once a gritty industrial zone, SoMa has reinvented itself time and again—from shipyards and printing presses to punk shows, loft living, and tech startups. Today, its blend of history, art, and innovation makes South of Market one of San Francisco’s most fascinating neighborhoods.
San Francisco’s Comeback: It’s Complicated (and That’s Very Us)
San Francisco never moves in straight lines. Crime is down, rents are up, and optimism is creeping back into The City’s streets. From Union Square’s retail revival to luxury buyers returning and investors circling once-empty office spaces, San Francisco is reinventing itself again. The comeback is real, it’s complicated, and it feels exactly like us.
Rates Just Dropped! What does that mean for San Francisco?
Rates just dropped, and even a small cut can mean big shifts in San Francisco real estate. Buyers get breathing room, sellers see more activity, and timing suddenly matters more. From monthly payments to offer strategies, here’s what this latest Fed move really means in The City.
When Your Home’s Value Drops but Your Tax Bill Doesn’t (How to Appeal Your San Francisco Property Taxes)
Thinking about appealing your San Francisco property tax bill? You’re not alone—over 10,000 owners filed last year, and backlogs mean it can take 12–18 months just to get a hearing. In the meantime, you still pay the bill. The good news: if values have dropped since you bought, you can fight back. Between January 2–March 31 you can request a free informal review, and July 2–September 15 is the window for a formal appeal. Both are deadline-driven, paperwork heavy, but potentially worth thousands in savings.
Flashback Friday: The Pyramid, the Punch, and a Peek into the Past
Welcome back to Flashback Friday—a series where I share some of my favorite weird, wonderful, and occasionally hidden stories from San Francisco’s past. If you’re a history nerd like me, this is your kind of news: the Transamerica Pyramid just cracked open a time capsule buried at its base since 1974. Yes, really. While the rest of us were busy with housing market headlines and AI everything, someone unearthed a literal treasure chest from San Francisco’s groovy past.
Back in the day…
Real Estate, Taxes, and a Bill That Actually Makes Sense
Some good news — and I don’t say that lightly.
The House just passed a major tax bill packed with real estate wins. It still has to get through the Senate, but even as-is, it’s worth a closer look. If you own property, work in real estate, invest, or just hope to buy one day, this one matters.
The (somewhat ridiculously named) One Big Beautiful Bill Act …