The conventional wisdom says that July and August aren’t the best time to list a home since people are on vacation, but this could be a good time for sellers to throw that thinking out the window and take advantage of the lack of competition.

With relatively low inventory and sales still pretty brisk the months supply is as low as it’s been in quite a while. It was at 3.4 in May, meaning at the current rate of homes going into escrow it would take 3.4 months to exhaust the current supply. That number was 4.9 in May 2010, and 3.1 back at this time in 2006.

As always, if you’d like stats for your particular town or price segment feel free to drop us a line at info@sfnorth.com.

Now celebrating its 15th year, the Tour has been recognized by national media such as the Wall Street Journal as one of the nation’s premiere residential tours. This year the event will take place on October 2 and 3 in the Gold Coast of Pacific Heights – an exclusive section of Pacific Avenue between Divisadero and Lyon.
I have put together a slide show with a sneak peak at some of the homes’ interiors. I can’t show you the exteriors because the addresses are not able to be released until you arrive at the tour, but let’s just say- this tour is off the charts!

Photos courtesy of Kira Stackhouse of Nuena Photography. Video features sound. If you are unable to see this video in your reader, click here

The  Evening Home Tour + Preview Party takes place on Friday, October 2 at the Hamlin School from 5:30 – 10:00 pm. This event provides an intimate setting in which guests can view the homes before they open to the public, with door-to-door service and an exclusive cocktail reception. Tickets are $165/person.

The Home Tour takes place on Saturday, October 3 takes place from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., and enables members of the public to walk through some of San Francisco’s most architecturally distinct residences. VIP tickets are $115 and include door-to-door service, viewing of a museum-quality art collection, and tasting of culinary delicacies from Bay Area restaurant chefs. General admission tickets are $65.

Highlights include:

* A 5,000 square foot home built in 1918 with some innovative “green” elements – such as a sustainable garden that naturally recycles water via a hydroponic system to a koi pond, and a garage partly made of recycled milk gallon containers.
* A former three-unit apartment complex built in 1936 that has been transformed into a spectacular, brand new home with 10,000 square feet on four levels, plus a 2,500 square foot roof terrace with city and bay views.
* An Edwardian residence designed in 1910 which has recently undergone a significant renovation, taking great care to keep the integrity of the original home while adding in modern inconveniences.

I have seen a LOT of home tours.  The Junior League of San Francisco’s is NOT to be missed.

About The Junior League of San Francisco

The Junior League of San Francisco, Inc. is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.  Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. Since its inception in 1911, the Junior League of San Francisco, Inc. (JLSF) has provided the community with an estimated 6 million volunteer hours and more than $22 million through direct community grants, advocacy, and membership training and development.

As a problem surfaces within the community, the JLSF is frequently the first organization to recognize and address the issue, providing volunteer energy, financial assistance and public support. Often in collaboration with other community groups and/or the public sector, the JLSF designs and launches a program, then works to achieve community impact and measurable results. For the period 2007-2012, the JLSF focus area is to Support and Strengthen Families in Need. This focus is defined as supporting Bay Area families in need via direct service, advocacy and grantmaking. Volunteers participate in programs that promote comprehensive services focused on meeting life’s basic needs and strengthening all generations within the community with community partners such as:

• Compass Community Services – JLSF Signature Program
• International Rescue Committee
• San Francisco Child Abuse Prevention Center
• Support for Families of Children with Disabilities

Just a reminder that traffic is likely to be a bear this coming weekend in Marin County.  The Bay Bridge is scheduled to close from Thursday at 8pm to 5am Tuesday.  Friday is probably going to be the biggest traffic mess when San Francisco commuters head  over the Richmond/San Rafael Bridge.  Add in Labor Day weekend travelers departing the city or heading to it and it could be ugly.  Officials are advising holiday travelers to leave Thursday instead of Friday.  To top it off, the Sausalito Art Festival takes place this weekend.  If you are heading into Marin for that- take the Golden Gate Ferry!

More info here.

Patience may be the name of the game, but if you don’t have to commute, don’t!

So- Lesley Stahl’s segment talked about how online real estate sales are lowering broker commissions. Redfin Chief Executive Glenn Kelman was interviewed by Stahl. Redfin claims to offer a radically different real estate service. They charge flat fees for their “high tech” listing service. An agent at Redfin claimed she used to be a traditional real estate agent, but couldn’t believe she earned upwards of $12,000 for something she spent 5 hours on. How do I respond to that? She clearly was not a “full service” agent at that time if she spent that few hours on a transaction. Some transactions are easier than others, but I have never had one that required that little of my time. Some agents working at “full service” brokerages are not full service (not all agents are created equal- a topic for another blog!). Hiring an agent at a traditional brokerage? Interview them, check their references and make sure they are truly full service!

Limited service agents probably do have their place. Some people prefer to do things themselves. Lawyers and accountants still exist despite software to make wills or do taxes. Contractors are still busy as can buy despite do-it-yourself stores and Weekend Warrior type shows on HGTV. Some people buy a kit to handle a divorce or respresent themselves when they go to court but Attorneys still exist.

Some of my clients are Clean Offer “junkies”. They are online all the time looking for houses. Some log on to the clean offer (a subscription Marin MLS service) 20+ times in a day! And some find the houses before I have the opportunity to call them about them. This doesn’t mean that I am not full service and I don’t work for my money! Finding the right house is just the beginning. We have to negotiate a price, do inspections, and review disclosures. These inspections and disclosures often uncover issues that require research and further investigations. Sometimes the deal is renegotiated. Many buyers and sellers would never close escrow if a competent agent wasn’t involved. Emotions involved in real estate transactions sometimes prevent buyers and sellers from making rational business decisions. As a real estate agent, I am a counselor, a negotiator, a researcher and facilitator. I regularly advise my clients to walk away from houses that are a bad fit for them- be it a potential problem with resale value, issues that could impact the property or the stability of the neighborhood, or sometimes just because the home doesn’t meet the goals of the buyer. I don’t get paid unless I close that transaction- but I still say “no- don’t buy it” to my clients. Does an online broker care if the house meets the goals of their clients?

Most real estate transactions are complicated. A qualified agent who knows the area is able to provide in-depth local knowledge that an online broker cannot. This includes information on new building in the area, a history of the house or neighborhood (that isn’t statistical), an understanding of the buyer or sellers motivation. Don’t need this information? Don’t see the value in my services? Than don’t hire me. Want an advocate, a knowledgeable resource, a skilled negotiator? Let’s talk.

Real estate transactions are undoubtedly influence by the internet. Buyers are savvier and better informed. I LOVE working with clients that use the internet to research, but I don’t worry that they are doing my job. The job of a real estate agent has changed substantially in the last 20 years, and the media and public perception has not. Finding the house used to be a big part of the transaction. Real estate agents had big books that held all the listings. There wasn’t a realtor.com or a clean offer type service. Buyers had to go through agents to find properties for sale. Contracts were one page. Transactions were simpler (although buyer beware!). Today, real estate agents may not have to find the house, but they do have to know and understand hundreds of pages of contracts, disclaimers and disclosures. They have to understand technology and how to use it to provide the best possible service and information to their clients.Full service agents have to adjust to changing times and utilize the internet to its fullest. The real estate licensing system needs to change- licensing qualifications for real estate licensees need to be much more stringent in my opinion. I don’t care if a broker is full service or limited service- brokers and agents need to be qualified and trained to properly represent their clients…but I think i will save that topic for another blog…

Owners of condos are expected to pay around $30 per year, while owners of single family homes are expected to pay between $125-180 per year. The fee is capped out at $180 for residential and $6,000 per year for commercial. If there is a simple majority yes vote, the fee will take effect in 2008. If the fee is adopted, an annual hearing will take place to determine the fee for the following year. The is limited to a maximum of 3% per year and will end in 20 years.

So, is this tax good? This tax is critical to Ross Valley residents and Marin County. The economy of our community could be destroyed by a bad flood. Businesses and residences will be destroyed. Lives could be lost. Vital services could be damaged. The vitality of our local communities could disappear, causing home values to plummet. Schools could be closed for extended periods of time, impacting our children’s education. Residents who live in Flood Zone 9 whose homes have not flooded may not feel like they should have to pay the tax. My home is not in the path of potential floods but I believe my property contributes run off which is part of the problem. I believe everyone in the district should contribute to resolving improving flood protection for the area.

This program will preserve our community, its economy, residents, businesses and schools. Even if your specific home does not flood, you will still be impacted in some way.

For more information on the tax, visit:

• Ross Valley Watershed
• Marin IJ Editorial

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