Luba Muzichenko

San Francisco Realtor

San Francisco Home Blog

Get Spayed and Neutered for Free! (Your PET, That is!)

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As the folks over at SF Appeal so kindly informed us, February is Spay & Neuter month!  And that means that the San Francisco SPCA is so kind as to provide free spay/neuter services for the month of February!
Personally, I don’t need to keep up with the current freebies since my 12 year old Pit Bull mix, Ohm, was spayed ages ago.  (In the photo, she’s the one on the left.  Powder, in the middle, and Lace on the right, passed away and left big gaping holes in my heart in 2008. I still miss them desperately every day.)
But if you, or someone you know has a pet that is not yet spayed or neutered, and you’re a SF resident, contact the SF SPCA to get yourself on the appointment list.
Aside from controlling overpopulation of pets in shelters that leads to increased euthanasia rates, spaying or neutering your beloved 4 legged friend brings a variety of benefits to you AND your pet.  According to PawsperousPets.com these are just a few of the benefits of taking care of your pets needs.  (And as as aside, if you live in San Francisco and have a Pit Bull or a Pit Bull Mix, spaying or neutering your dog is mandatory!)

Benefits of Spaying
• Prevents pregnancy and the complications arising from pregnancy and delivery
• Eliminates the heat cycle – you won’t have to listen to the sounds of your female in heat, trying to get out and find a mate
• Prevents unwelcome males from trying to seek out your female pet in heat
• Reduces the urge to roam. This makes it less likely that you will lose your pet, which in turn makes your pet less likely to contract a disease, get in a fight, get injured, or become a victim to cruelty, poison, or traffic.
• Eliminates sexual discomfort, distress, or distraction … making your pet happier and more content.
• Reduces or eliminates the possibility of disease in the reproductive system.
Benefits of Neutering
• Reduces the distracting and destructive behavior associated with the male’s efforts to get out and find a mate
• Reduces the urge to roam. This makes it less likely that you will lose your pet, which in turn makes your pet less likely to contract a disease, get in a fight, get injured, or become a victim to cruelty, poison, or traffic.
• Eliminates sexual discomfort, distress, or distraction … making your pet happier and more content.
• Eliminates testicular tumors and reduces prostate gland problems.
• In cats, neutering stops or reduces marking behavior (territorial spraying of urine).
• Reduces the urge to fight.

And while the SPCA is offering these services for free, remember, they also DO need money to keep taking care of the animals in their shelter, so if you CAN afford to pay to have your pet spayed or neutered, please dig deep into your pockets and donate to the SPCA or a number of other great local pet rescues, including Muttville, Bad Rap and the Give a Dog a Bone project, just to name a few!
AND while I’m at it, I may as well take a moment to tell you about this pair of adorable (spayed and neutered) dogs that recently lost their owner and are desperately looking for their new forever home!!!  Read about them here!

San Francisco Real Estate Sales Data – December 2009

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As I do every month, I ran the latest San Francisco real estate sales figures from the month of December for you.  Obviously, I’m a little late, since it’s almost February, but as they say, better late than never, right? 😉 
This month, single family sales volume increased.  Median price dipped and days on market increased (not a surprise with lenders dragging their feet at every corner.)  Condos increased in volume by a smidge and median price increased by a smidge too.  and days on market increased (same as single family homes.)  And TIC sales almost doubled from the month before -a BIG surprise since TIC interest rates aren’t usually very desirable and these days, rates on condos and single family homes ARE awesome.  Without some sort of incentive from a seller, TIC’s just aren’t on everyone’s “to buy” list these days. 
So here’s this month’s summary of home sales pulled directly from the MLS. Remember, these are all closed sales and not pending sales.
Check back monthly to get the latest facts and figures – and if you have any questions about these statistics, or the market in general, feel free to give me a holler! I’m always happy to talk “real estate!” ;-)
Here’s a quick snapshot of the market from Deccember 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009:
Single Family Homes

  • 200 Homes Sold
  • Median Sale Price was $757,609
  • Minimum Sale Price was $169,000
  • Maximum Sale Price was $14,000,000
  • Median Selling Price was 99% of asking price
  • Median Days on Market was 53
  • Median Selling Price for homes that sold within 30 days was 104% of asking price

Condominiums, Lofts & Co-ops

  • 181 Homes Sold
  • Median Sale Price was $680,000
  • Minimum Sale Price was $212,900
  • Maximum Sale Price was $3,375,000
  • Median Selling Price was 97% of asking price
  • Median Days on Market was 70
  • Median Selling Price for homes that sold within 30 days was 98.4% of asking price

TIC’s

  • 55 Homes Sold
  • Median Sale Price was $587,000
  • Minimum Sale Price was $340,000
  • Maximum Sale Price was $1,635,000
  • Median Selling Price was 98% of asking price
  • Median Days on Market was 72
  • Median Selling Price for homes that sold within 30 days was 101.5% of asking price

One Sick Realtor

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I’m sick.
And I don’t mean “I have a little cold” kind of sick.

I mean “I wish I could go to sleep and wake up when this is over” kind of sick.
I’m like a walking Nyquil commercial – Sniffling, Sneezing, Coughing, Aching, Stuffyhead, Fever. You name it, I have it. The collection of used tissue at my side is rather disturbing, as are the random grunts and moans that are filling the room I’m in.
The worst part – I can’t think straight. And writing a blog post requires at least a minimum amount of thinking.
So – I decided to to not leave you hanging on the edge of your seats and to give you a little shot of San Francisco. No, it isn’t about real estate, though if you made this bird an offer of a hot dog, I’m sure he’d gladly sell his seat to you.
Anyhow – you might see more of these San Francisco snapshots on the blog from time to time.
Todays’s snapshot? Seagull, originally uploaded by amoraleda.
Have a good week, and stay germ free.

SF Real Estate Blog Reader Asks: What's The Latest on Chris Daly vs. TIC's?

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Occasionally I get a question from a reader of the blog that’s worthy of sharing with the world – I thought this one was worth sharing. Hope you think so too…
Oh – and if you have questions you’d like answered, email me – I know stuff.
A reader recently wrote in to ask:
Q.  Hi Luba.  I just read your June 18 blog regarding Daly’s proposed ordinance that would place two-unit TICs in the condo lottery and was wondering if you’ve heard any additional news about this.  Thank you.
C.M.
A.  I’ve heard mixed answers and am not sure about the truth of any of them.
I recently heard that Daly is trying to put this legislation on the November 2008 ballot – but he needs the votes of three other supervisors to succeed.
But I also read a post from “anon8mizer” on The Front Steps Comments (and lots of Zephyr Realtor emails that confirmed the scoop) that the legislation is not moving forward, period.  At least not now.
I’d like to believe the latter, but am prepared to deal with the former until I can get my hands on something more official.

New Fast Facts Format Coming to a San Francisco Real Estate Blog Near You

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I can’t say I always like the way the San Francisco Association of REATORS functions.  I definitely can’t stand the exorbitant fees they charge us to use the MLS and to be members (and if you’re not a member, you may as well not try to sell real estate in SF.)  And the MLS doesn’t always work as it should. And, well – I’m not here to diss them, so I’ll just stop.
The SFAR actually just did a pretty cool thing and revamped the fast facts they provide to us, REALTORS.
The SFAR hooked up with Terradatum, the award-winning real estate technology solutions company, to imprive the format of market data appearing in the Fast Facts section of REALTOR® Advantage Online each week, which I, then, share with you all.  But it’s not JUST the format that’s improving, the data itself is getting better too.  Now there will Days on Market (DOM) data as well months supply of inventory.  WOO HOO!  Seriously.  WOO HOO!
According to the email I received today from the SFAR:

Beginning with the August 12, 2008, issue of the publication, and continuing weekly thereafter, the Fast Facts section will provide a snapshot of market statistics for San Francisco and Daly City.  A different property type will be featured each week (i.e., Single Family Homes, Condo, 2-4 Units) and statistics will be given for each district 1 through 11, for the city overall (Districts 1-10) and for Daly City (District 11). 

The data Teradatum and the Association are intending to provide appears below…..

Also appearing below is a set of terms and definitions that will be used in the presentation of market data. Although it was published earlier, it is being published again so that readers can more readily understand the data fields presented.

Teradatum 07/22/08

NUMBER SOLD reflects the number of properties in the market segment that closed escrow during the month.

NUMBER FOR SALE is the number of active properties on the market for one day or more that month.

MEDIAN PRICE (SOLD) reflects the “middle” price point of a group of properties that have successfully closed escrow on a monthly basis, i.e. half sold for more and half sold for less than the median price.  Tracking the movement of median prices over time provides a good indicator of the direction market forces are moving. 

If the percentage change is positive between the two periods then there is upward pressure on prices in that market segment. If the percentage change is negative between the two periods then there is downward pressure on prices in that market segment. 

AVERAGE DAYS ON MARKET (DOM) reflects how long it has been taking (on average) to draw an offer on a reasonably priced property exposed to the market.  The AVERAGE DAYS ON MARKET is defined as:

The average number of days it took all of the properties that went under contract during the period to accept a first position offer.

MONTHS SUPPLY OF INVENTORY (MSI) is a measure of how long it would take, in months, to sell the existing inventory at the current sales rate for the specific neighborhood and property type.  The MONTHS SUPPLY OF INVENTORY is defined as:

The number of active properties on the market for one day or more that month, less the number of properties that have been withdrawn or expired, divided by the number of properties that have gone under contract for the month being measured.

San Francisco Home Sales Data – June 2008

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As I do every month, I ran the latest San Francisco real estate sales figures from the month of June for you.  And yes, I know we’re almost in August.  And yes, I know I usually run these at the beginning of the month.  But I was on vacation (and on dial-up) at the beginning of the month.  And then I got busy right when I got back, so here we are – late as hell.  But better late than never, right? 
Single Family homes sales volume is up, median price is down, days on market is up.  Condo/Loft and Co-op sales volume is slightly up, median price is down, days on market is up.  TIC sales volume is down, median price is down, days on market is up.
What’s this all mean?  It ain’t a pretty picture folks.  But, it also ain’t ugly.  San Francisco real estate is still faring much better than the country in general, and one month of lower prices doesn’t a crappy market make.  I’ll be the first to admit (adamantly) that the picture ain’t rosy – but, things could be much worse.  If this trend continues for a few months – then I’ll switch my song from “ain’t rosy” to “it’s ugly.”  But for now – I think we’re still moving along at a pace that’s great for buyers, not so great for sellers and is still, overall, ok for the City.
So here’s this month’s summary of home sales pulled directly from the MLS. Remember, these are all closed sales and not pending sales.
Check back monthly to get the latest facts and figures – and if you have any questions about these statistics, or the market in general, feel free to give me a holler! I’m always happy to talk “real estate!” 😉
Here’s a quick snapshot of the market from June 1, 2008 through June 30, 2008:
Single Family Homes

  • 294 Homes Sold
  • Median Sale Price was $752,500
  • Minimum Sale Price was $130,000
  • Maximum Sale Price was $18,000,000
  • Median Selling Price was 99% of asking price
  • Median Days on Market was 34
  • Median Selling Price for homes that sold within 30 days was 103.5% of asking price

Condominiums, Lofts & Co-ops

  • 198 Homes Sold
  • Median Sale Price was $772,500
  • Minimum Sale Price was $150,000
  • Maximum Sale Price was $5,000,000
  • Median Selling Price was 99% of asking price
  • Median Days on Market was 48
  • Median Selling Price for homes that sold within 30 days was 103.5% of asking price

TIC’s

  • 41 Homes Sold
  • Median Sale Price was $609,000
  • Minimum Sale Price was $240,000
  • Maximum Sale Price was $1,608,000
  • Median Selling Price was 100% of asking price
  • Median Days on Market was 70
  • Median Selling Price for homes that sold within 30 days was 99% of asking price

Today's Mortgage Rates

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Here’s an update on today’s mortgage rates from San Francisco mortgage broker Monica Di Perna.
 

30 Yr Fixed Conforming to $417K 6.375%
“0.00” POINTS
      APR = 6.481%    
             
30 YEAR FIXED AGENCY JUMBO 6.500%
“0.000” POINTS
      APR = 6.611%    
             
5 YEAR FIXED JUMBO 5.625%
“1.250” POINTS
      APR = 5.991%    
             
7 YR FIXED JUMBO TO 1 MILLION 6.000%
“1.25” POINTS
      APR = 6.062%    

What's the MLS Got to Hide?

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Many of you know I have a San Francisco real estate newsletter.  In fact, it’s the best San Francisco real estate newsletter ever!  One of the features people love most about this newsletter is the New Listings and Recently Sold reports. 
 
But, while I was relaxing on vacation in Lake County, I got an email from my sales manager telling me the MLS board had contacted him about The City Update™.  I was told that I needed to take down the New Listings and Recently Sold reports or face fines or even worse, suspension! 
 
Someone filed a complaint with the MLS.  grrr.
 
Apparently, sharing this information with the public is against the MLS rules.  Even though you can get information about sold properties all over the internet AND sales prices are public record (anyone can get them by visiting City Hall) – the MLS rules state that REALTORS aren’t allowed to post this information on a public web site. 
This leave me with the question – why the hell is the MLS so afraid of sharing information with the public?
 
I think that the various REALTOR boards across the country have this erroneous belief that if consumers are armed with information, they won’t need REALTORS.  But I think that’s absolute BS.  One thing I really believe we need more of in this industry is transparency.  In fact, I believe that arming people with knowledge will only help our industry.  The public has a bad enough image of slimy REALTORS (and ok – maybe I’ve even met a few stereotypes in my day) and I believe that hiding information only exacerbates the problem. 
 
And frankly, just because Joe Public knows what things are selling for doesn’t give Joe the education, experience, negotiating power and expertise that can make the difference between a successful transaction and a nightmare experience.
 
So, unfortunately, in last week’s newsletter- the links to the reports will get you nowhere.  They’ve been temporarily disabled.  I’ve been working with my tech crew to create a secure way for  readers to view the data on The City Updateâ„¢ while making sure that strangers can’t get it.  We’ve also been working on a way to make sure the information is less “scrapable.”  By this week’s edition, the reports will be back, and will be 100% in compliance with the MLS rules.
And if you’re not getting The City Updateâ„¢, you should be.  Your can get your own free subscribtion here. 

San Francisco Property Spotlight – 282 St Charles Avenue (and a little catching up to boot)

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SF Realtor Property Spotlight

Welcome back to the “San Francisco Property Spotlight” brought to you by yours truly.
Today, I’ve got a shameless plug for a great property, as well as some catching up.
Here we go…
My Shameless Plug…

282 St Charles Avenue – This is an ADORABLE single family home built in 1939.  It has one “real bedroom” and one “real bath” plus a bonus room and bath downstairs (think home office or guest room).  There’s a formal dining room and eat-in kitchen to boot.  This charming home has great character and wonderful details such as period molding, hardwood floors and built-in nooks and crannies. There’s a quaint garden perfect for morning coffee or a Sunday afternoon BBQ.  And commuters will think this place is a dream since it’s is just steps to BART and just a few blocks from 280 (yes doesn’t have freeway noise.)  And priced at just $499K it beats the competition hands down.  I can’t see this being on the market for long, so if this sounds like something you’re interested in – HUSTLE!

And a Little Catching Up…
151 Alice B. Toklas Place #708 – Holy Moly!  Someone got a DEAL!  This 1BR 1BA unit with 1229 sq ft was listed at $620,000 got it’s buyer after 30 days on the market. This place was a bank owned fixer without a kitchen and in need of some TLC. Final selling price?  $580K!  Congrats to the lucky buyer.  A similar unit with kitchen sold at $780K earlier this year.  
334 28th Street proved yet again, that at times, I’m just too conservative about price. This top floor 2BR 2BR 1150 sq ft condominium was listed at $1,145,000. At $995.65 a square foot, it seemed like it might have been priced a smidge on the high side, but that’s where it sold – at  $1,145,000.  And I can’t argue with the fact that I’m not the one that determines the price, the market does! 
And as usual, if you have questions about any of these properties, or about the real estate market in general, don’t hesitate to contact me. I love to talk real estate! 🙂

Open Shutter to the Past: San Francisco in Pictures – Barbary Coast (1913)

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Welcome back to Photo Friday – my little way of taking a break from San Francisco Real Estate and instead blogging about our great City’s past instead. All photos are published with permission from the San Francisco History Center and San Francisco Public Library.

It’s been a busy busy week!  And it’s going to be a busy busy weekend!  I’ve been hustling to get several listings ready for market and helping several buyers on deadlines to buy homes in San Francisco.  So being that I need a little break, this week’s Photo Friday post is all about trying to break out of the daily grind have a good time.

Back in 1913, the Barbary Coast had calmed down a bit from it’s earlier days of gambling, prostitution and crime.  But it hadn’t calmed down THAT much:

NEWSCOPY:  “Such goings on! Deah, Deah! Good folks talked about the old Barbary Coast in the same way they do today, and with better reason. This is a busy street scene east of Kearny st., on Pacific, with the sin and gin mills going full blast to make the ‘hot spot of the world’ a bit hotter and more worldly.”

Even if you can’t get your hands on a Schlitz for a nickel, you can get out there and have a good time this weekend.  You can always find something to do in the City!  Be safe and have fun and have a happy Friday!