1.) 2500 Divisadero Street | Pacific Heights – $10,000,000

Please contact: Neal Ward

2.) 1170 Sacramento Street 3C | Nob Hill – $2,650,000

Contact: Leslie de Bretteville & Joseph Gartland Moore

3.) 107 4th Street | Sausalito – $675,000

Please contact: Mike Monsef

4.) 2955 24th Avenue | Merced Manor – $985,000

Please contact: Barbara Callan & Robert Callan Jr.

5.) 3030 Octavia Street | Cow Hollow – $1,099,000

Please contact: Marla Moresi-Valdes

6.) 1133 Cabrillo Avenue | Burlingame – $3,025,000

Please contact: Alisa Ruiz-Johnson

7.) 616 Maple Street | San Mateo – $1,148,000

Please contact: Charles Griffith

8.) 650 Delancey Street #101 | South of Market - $1,545,000

Please contact: Eric Turner

9.) 1642-1644 Funston Avenue | Inner Sunset – $1,650,000

Please contact: Cynthia Cummins

10.) 1815 10th Avenue | Oakland – $359,000

Please contact: Parisa Samimi & Barbara Reynolds

The first one I found was Zumper.com and it allows you to visually see on a map how many listings are available in each neighborhood; you then click on a certain area and all of the listings in that area will be generated.

Pros: It is a visual way to quickly find the area you would like to live in the city and pull up listings. It also allows you to search for pet friendly listings.
Cons: Anyone can post a listing so there is no certainty that the rental really exists.  There is too much room for people to promote scams. I would use with caution and take all preventative measures to verify the person and unit. Also, what is with the name? Why can’t people come up something easy to remember? What does Zumper have to do with searching for apartments? They are finding better ways to find apartments but they need to find a name that has something to do with apartments so people can find them. Time to put the name Zumper in the Dumper.

The next start up company I stumbled on was Lovely™.

Pros: At least the name was easier to remember. They tackle the same idea of making a visual map of where listings are located.  They also allow you to set up alerts on properties, take notes while you are searching, and send your renter information directly to the landlord.
Cons: Again, anyone can post a listing on this site and I have seen first hand people who think they are renting a unit and there is no such unit in the building—so use with caution.

Last month the National Association of REALTORS® added leases on the MLS. So agents can post their rental properties, which would be a more verified source of information.  Unfortunately most leasing agents do not put their properties in there and try to find the renter themselves so they get more commission.

Additional websites include Homes.com, Trulia.com, Zillow.com and rentsfnow.com. If all of those resources fail then I recommend going to a leasing agency and working with them. McGuire has a leasing department that I refer all clients to for rentals.

SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY
The city’s strengthening market for single-family homes carried on throughout May, as the average sales price rose 15 percent from the previous month and jumped 37 percent from May 2012. A shortage of inventory remains a significant factor in the San Francisco market: The number of units sold remained relatively flat, while days on market fell 30 percent from the prior year with homes spending an average of 31 days on market. Buyers are bidding up inventory where it’s available and doing so quickly. Homes that sold without a price change went for an average of 13 percent above asking price in May.

The San Francisco condominium market also remained strong as the average sales price rose 21 percent to $1.02 million in May, versus $841,186 in May 2012. The number of days on market dropped nearly 30 percent falling to 36 days. However, the number of units sold was up 31 percent from the previous year for a total of 284.

ALAMEDA COUNTY
Prices rose sharply in Alameda County surging 33 percent to $679,521 in May compared with May 2012. Alameda and other parts of the East Bay are seeing an influx of buyers competing for a limited amount of inventory as high prices in San Francisco are sending buyers across the bay. The average number of days on market fell 48 percent to just 19, the lowest in the seven counties we track. Home prices increased significantly in Albany as well as in Hayward, where the average sales price rose more than 50 percent to $675,389 and $433,471 respectively from May 2012.

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Contra Costa saw some of the greatest gains in the Bay Area in May with the average price of single-family homes climbing 34 percent to $637,022. As we are seeing in other Bay Area counties, volume is declining and home sales are quickening as a result of the limited inventory. The number of days on market dropped by 40 percent to just 21 from May 2012, while the number of units sold declined 25 percent during the same period. The area of Blackhawk saw extremely strong appreciation with the average home price climbing 98 percent to $1.94 million.

SAN MATEO COUNTY
Strength in the tech and biotech sectors continues to fuel the San Mateo County real estate market, which posted extraordinary gains in May compared with the same month a year prior. The average price of a single-family home continues to grow, increasing 21 percent to $1,292,692 buoyed by the attractive Hillsborough and Woodside markets. Home prices also rose sharply in the city of San Mateo (49%), Woodside (42%), and Redwood City (41%).

MARIN COUNTY
Home prices in Marin gained significantly, increasing 16 percent to $1,033,295 in May compared with the same month a year earlier. The number of homes sold was up 24 percent not only from the previous month but also the previous year. Echoing the trend seen across the Bay Area, days on market dropped over 35 percent from the previous year. The Kentfield market saw particular appreciation with the average home price climbing to $2.9 million in May, a gain of 51 percent. Prices cooled slightly in the affluent neighborhoods of Ross (-58%) and Belvedere (-38%). Yet due to the low number of transactions in these areas, some percentages can be misleading and tend not to be statistically significant.

SONOMA COUNTY
The housing market in Sonoma continues to hold its momentum, with the average home price reaching the mid $500,000s in May 2013, a 30 percent gain year-over-year. As we are seeing in most other counties, Sonoma saw a sharp decline in days on market compared to May 2012 (-31%) as well as a relatively flat sales volume, both are a reflection of the limited inventory.

NAPA COUNTY
Similar to Sonoma, Napa saw significant appreciation in the average price of a single-family home which rose 42 percent to $629,011 in May compared with the same month a year earlier. Sales volume fell 17 percent year-over-year, but conversely rose by 17 percent month-over-month. The city of Napa saw particularly strong appreciation in May with the average home price rising 31 percent to $563,275 as buyers are putting a premium on a more urban lifestyle.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD COMPLETE MAY 2013 MONTHLY UPDATE!

1.) 1466 45th Avenue | Outer Sunset – $559,000

Please contact: Jeffrey Salgado & Howard Reinstein

2.) 535 Teresita Blvd. | Miraloma Park – $1,729,000

Please contact: Anne Manning

3.) 1642-1644 Funston Avenue | Inner Sunset – $1,650,000

Please contact: Cynthia Cummins

4.) 1170 Sacramento Street 3C | Nob Hill – $2,650,000

Contact: Leslie de Bretteville & Joseph Gartland Moore

5.) 1097 Howard Street #307 | South of Market – $17,500 a/mo.

Please contact: Jeanne Zimmermann

6.) 3030 Octavia Street | Cow Hollow – $1,099,000

Please contact: Marla Moresi-Valdes
*OPEN: Thursday, June 13, 5-7pm

7.) 2955 24th Avenue | Merced Manor – $985,000

Please contact: Barbara Callan & Robert Callan Jr.

8.) 5355-57  Bennett Valley Road | Santa Rosa – $6,995,000

Please contact: Ann Murphy and Jim Clopton

9.) 69 Laurel Grove Avenue | Ross – $9,500,000

Please contact: Joseph Gartland Moore, Lotte Moore & Sarah Kowalczyk

10.) 650 Delancey Street #101 | South of Market - $1,545,000

Please contact: Eric Turner
*OPEN: Sunday, June 16, 2-4pm

The main target group is for first time home buyers looking to owner occupy. and it allows for 3.5 percent down payment on their loan with a loan amount maximum of $729,750. The maximum amount varies by county. There are additional fees involved. Two additional groups of borrowers covered by the FHA are people looking to refinance and those looking for small home improvement loans up to $5,000 normally for the purpose of upgrading to energy efficient water heaters, windows, or similar expenses.

But my purpose here is not to discuss the rules, regulations. and nuances of the FHA program. All of this information can be found on the FHA website at hud.gov. Also, because rules are constantly changing, it is important for buyers to work closely with their Realtor and bank or mortgage broker as they make their financial plans to buy a home or condo. Writing this article, I double checked my facts with Bob Gerson, vice president and senior loan officer at Pe Finance.

For the most part, a home in reasonably good condition is covered by the FHA program. There are nuances here, so be sure to find out if the home will be covered by the FHA before making an offer.

The majority of buyers I deal with are buying condos and a condo building must be approved by the FHA, so it is necessary for the building to be on the FHA approved list. Again, you can search this list at hud.gov. There is so much new construction in San Francisco that buyers will be interested to know that some of these buildings are FHA approved.

Here is a short list (not all) of FHA approved buildings in San Francisco. You can check online if you know the name of a building that interests you.

• 3620 Market Street
• 465 10th Street; 5800 3rd Street
• 862 De Haro Street
• 942-944 Treat Street, Shipley Square
• 821 Folsom Street, 1022-1024 Oak Street,17-19
• Jenning Court, 1315-1327, 7th Avenue

Currently in San Francisco it’s not as easy as one might hope to buy a condo with an FHA loan and 3.5 percent down. The rub here is that the FHA’s standards are quite high, and condo buildings must have an updated approval every two years When the real estate market was in the doldrums, sellers (at least some) were willing to do the paperwork necessary to keep a building’s certification current.

A few years back I thought I would do the paperwork to obtain an FHA approval for a building where I own a condo. This was a major project by itself, but to my surprise there were FHA NIMBY’s in my building. They absolutely did not want people in the building who they felt were on shaky financial ground and would not have a serious financial commitment to the building. I argued that with the price of a condo in San Francisco it usually takes years for a first time home buyer to save up a 20 percent down-payment. Not having 20 percent did not mean they were not responsible or committed to their condo. I saw these buyers as being grateful for the opportunity to own their own condo and as an asset to the building. In the end the FHA NIMBY’s were a stronger force than me. This building today is not FHA approved.

As little as a year ago a seller might have been willing to wait for a buyer to complete the FHA paperwork. This is rarely the case today when more than 40 percent of homes and condos are sold for cash.

The real issue for first-time homebuyers in San Francisco today is that this is an exceptionally strong seller’s market with multiple offers on many properties. It is easy to understand that when a seller has a choice between a buyer with cash (very short escrow) and buyers with 20 percent or more down-payment that the logical choice is to go for the cash.

FHA buyers San Francisco Style are left with few choices. New construction is one worth investigating, if only because developers have many condos to sell and there may be some that will not be as attractive to cash buyers or buyers with large down-payments. With low interest rates, owning is better than renting, and it is most important to remember this is not the only place you will ever live. You are first-time home buyers, and you get to live in San Francisco. You are very lucky!

Real estate is never boring! Happy house hunting!

Would you like help selling your home, searching for one, or interested in trying CleanOffer? If so, please email me at callingcarole@gmail.com or call my cell 415.608.1267. Follow me on Facebook at San Francisco City Living, on Twitter @caroleisaacs, or visit caroleisaacs.com for more information.

Carole Isaacs is a McGuire Agent at its Noe Valley Office. She also writes a monthly column for the Marina Times called Real Estate Today.

1.) 535 Teresita Blvd. | Miraloma Park – $1,729,000

Please contact: Anne Manning
*OPEN: Sunday, June 9, 1-4pm

2.) 1170 Sacramento Street 3C | Nob Hill – $2,650,000

Contact: Leslie de Bretteville & Joseph Gartland Moore

3.) 1466 45th Avenue | Outer Sunset – $559,000

Please contact: Jeffrey Salgado & Howard Reinstein
*OPEN: Sunday, June 9, 2-4pm

4.) 69 Laurel Grove Avenue | Ross – $9,500,000

Please contact: Joseph Gartland Moore, Lotte Moore & Sarah Kowalczyk

5.) 87 Camino Alto | Millbrae Highlands – $998,000

Please contact: Valerie Sancimino

6.) 1097 Howard Street #307 | South of Market – $17,500 a/mo.

Please contact: Jeanne Zimmermann

7.) 1642-1644 Funston Avenue | Inner Sunset – $1,650,000

Please contact: Cynthia Cummins
*OPEN: Sunday, June 9, 2-4pm

8.) 2 Hazel Road | Claremont – $1,225,000

Please contact: Jenny Wang

9.) 349 Banks Street | Bernal Heights – $1,249,000

Please contact: Angelo Cosentino
*OPEN: Saturday, June 8, 1-4pm & Sunday, June 9, 1-4pm

10.) 1099 23rd Street #16 | Central Waterfront/Dogpatch – $4,400 a/mo.

Please contact: Jeanne Zimmermann

San Anselmo real estate is in demand. The average median home price for a single-family home in San Anselmo is $930,000. Homes in Sleepy Hollow tend to be larger with acreage, and home styles throughout the town range from Spanish-Mediterranean, single level ranches, Craftsmans, Victorians, bungalows, a few Eichler homes, and more. Parts of San Anselmo are located in the flood zone, so take this into consideration when choosing a piece of property to buy. Neighborhoods within San Anselmo offer subtle differences and proximity to things. If you want to learn more about San Anselmo’s history, pick-up a used copy (it’s no longer being printed) of the book called San Anselmo: A Pictorial History by Barry Spitz. Have you been to San Anselmo? What are your favorite things about it?

Angelo Cosentino is a REALTOR® with McGuire Real Estate, and takes an individual approach with home buyers and sellers. Angelo was born and raised in San Francisco, and now lives in San Anselmo with his wife and two kids. He has thorough knowledge of San Anselmo’s complicated and changing real estate market. Ask him a real estate question in the comments section below, or visit him online angelocosentino.com.

Two: What happens in Silicon Valley impacts San Francisco. Google, Nvidia, Samsung, Facebook, and Apple are all building new 1 million+ square foot campuses. Ergo, there is great demand for construction labor and materials, which is driving up prices of new commercial and residential construction here in the City.

Three: There are only a few major condominium developments coming soon: Tishman Speyer’s Infinity Two complex (655 units at 201 Folsom) will break ground later in June. Millennium Partners appears to be winning its battle to build a 47-story tower with 215 units at 706 Mission (at Third Street): it will include a 4-story Mexican Museum at its base. Bosa Development is getting ready to start a new development at Block 12 East along Mission Creek that is entitled for 300 units. Combined they only add about 1,100 units to the housing stock.

Four: A couple of smaller buildings are already selling, including the 98-unit Marlow (Van Ness & Clay) and the 63-unit 300 Ivy (at Gough). Both are drawing strong buyer interest, and both are releasing units in stages and escalating prices as they do. This is what developers do when the market is hot. Next up will be 21-unit 2000 Ellis at Divisadero and the 115-unit Linea at 1998 Market. The total is a mere 300 more units, and some of them are BMRs.For those interested in rentals, may I suggest looking at Zumper, which is worth checking out. It gives a quick overview of available rentals, neighborhoods, prices, and bedroom configurations.

Five: At the end of April 2013, San Francisco’s unemployment rate was 5.4%, down from a peak of 9.9% in February 2010. Moretti’s book sheds light on why this is so.

Contact me if I can be of assistance.

For a one-bedroom condominium in those neighborhoods there are currently 12 active listings and five sold properties. Of the properties that sold four out of five of the transactions were cash. The three properties that sold for over asking price were on the market 14 days or less and the amount over asking ranged from $20,000 to $130,000 over. The two properties that were on the market 60 days or more, both sold under the asking.

My Favorite Just Sold Property: 3825 Scott Street #306

It was located in the Marina District just a few blocks from the Palace of Fine Arts and Marina Green. It was on the market for 14 days with a listing price of $599,000 and closed at $650,000. It was a top floor unit with hardwood floors, a beautiful kitchen, and a large bedroom with a walk in closet.

My Pick of the Week: 2410 Pacific Avenue #1

This condo is currently on the market and offers the best bang for your buck! It is located on Pacific between Fillmore and Steiner Street. This is a beautifully spacious one-bedroom condo in excellent condition with deeded parking and a fireplace. You are walking distance from all of the trendy shops and restaurants located just a half block away on Fillmore Street. This place will be gone before you know it!

Listing Over 60 Days (So Sad): 2200 Sacramento Street #608

Just four streets over, this one-bedroom condo is priced at $889,000. This place is priced way too high for what it looks like.

What do you think?

1.) 2504 Jackson Street | Pacific Heights – $13,750,000

Please contact: Neal Ward

2.) 221 Clara Street | South of Market – $3,400 a/mo.

Please contact: Jeanne Zimmermann

3.) 181 South Park Street #4 | South Beach – $1,449,000

Please contact: Adam Gavzer

4.) 535 Teresita Blvd. | Miraloma Park – $1,699,000

Please contact: Anne Manning

5.) 2 Hazel Road | Claremont – $1,225,000

Please contact: Jenny Wang
*OPEN: Sunday, June 2, 2-4:30pm

6.) 15 East Manor Drive | Mill Valley – $1,925,000

Please contact: Mia Zambrano Michel & Shenna Moe

7.) 1170 Sacramento Street 3C | Nob Hill – $2,650,000

Contact: Leslie de Bretteville & Joseph Gartland Moore

8.) 5355-57  Bennett Valley Road | Santa Rosa – $6,995,000

Please contact: Ann Murphy and Jim Clopton

9.) 87 Camino Alto | Millbrae Highlands – $998,000

Please contact: Valerie Sancimino
*OPEN: Sunday, June 2, 1-4pm

10.) 1097 Howard Street #307 | South of Market – $17,500 a/mo.

Please contact: Jeanne Zimmermann
*Fully Furnished Rental

San Francisco’s civic leaders envisioned the newly born city making its mark on America minus the appearance of the pioneering rugged grit that got it to where it was. The vision was all about bringing the splendor of large parks and arboretums like those in European cities and the eastern United States to San Francisco.

So it goes. Between 1870 and 1876, the Army-trained engineer William Hammond Hall started forging plans for the cultured amenities for San Francisco. He created a detailed site survey and a preliminary design for the Park, which came to be known as Golden Gate Park.  The site location was the western part of the city, which many citizens considered a bad location because it was too windswept. As park engineer for five years, he leveled and stabilized the sand dunes and established a nursery to supply the first 60,000 trees. Curved roads and tree plantings were designed to temper the ocean winds and provide a natural, rustic, and informal appearance.

But the development and realization of Golden Gate Park as one of the world’s great parks fell into the hands of the Scottish landscape gardener John McLaren. It was his vision, determination and oversight as superintendent of the park from 1887 to 1943, which transformed it into the amazing park it is today. His leadership also resulted in the selection in 1890 of a botanical garden, based on key elements, such as “a variety of soil and exposure, sloping, dry and sunny hillsides, sheltered spots and rich, low or marshy land.”

Today, San Francisco Botanical Garden Society continues with the vision planted more than 140 years ago, connecting people to plants with its youth education program, serving 10,000 school children every year.

Plans for the future include building the Nursery: Center for Sustainable Gardening (targeted for LEED Platinum certification) that will enable both the Recreation and Park Department and Botanical Garden Society staff and volunteers to maintain and expand plant propagation and growing activities in a safe and improved work environment. Something that Mr. Hall and Mr. McLaren would surely have enjoyed witnessing.