theFrontSteps – San Francisco

Real Estate, Insight, Statistics, Gossip, & News…With a Twist and Some Flavor

Entries for February, 2009

$15,000 Homebuyer Tax Credit Trimmed To $8,000

From the Zillow Blog: Details have not yet been ironed out, but the proposed $15,000 tax credit amendment in the economic stimulus package that was sponsored by Sen. Johnny Isakson has been trimmed down to an $8000 tax credit, according to the NY Times. This is all very preliminary until the bill is actually signed, but here is [...]

SF BLŪ Introductory Price Reduction

From the marketing team behind BLŪ, San Francisco: Please note that we are nearly ready to deliver homes at BLŪ on 631 Folsom Street. First though, we need to fulfill a lender commitment to pre-sell 25% of the building. Once we hit that number, we can commence closings. In an effort to reach this 25% [...]

The Montgomery San Francisco Showing The Full Monty By Slashing Prices

We didn’t get a chance to head down to The Montgomery and report back on their coming of the Ox Chinese New Year celebration party, but we can bring you this: Notice the top right corner of that photo? We’ll give you that extra 1.5% commish back, so don’t be shy getting in touch with [...]

Ask Us: Agents Referring Clients To Another Agent In A Different Location, a.k.a Referral

Where readers ask and we (the community) try to answer: Your site is on my daily list of reading and I love contributing in the comments. I had an experience a week back that’s left me wondering about how things work on the inside of the real estate business. I’m not sure what your comfort [...]

Some quick Lending Notes

Great news for the investors out there.  Fannie Mae has lifted the 4 property limit rules for conforming loan qualification.  Effective March this year, any investor can obtain up to 10 mortgaged properties, but will certainly need to qualify.  Down payment, credit score, and reserves may prohibit. . .but, this really opens the doors up for [...]

How Much Have San Francisco Home Values Declined Since Their Peak?

Paragon Real Estate has the answer. A snapshot of declining price per square foot shows the Bayview Hunters Point district down 25%, Richmond District down 6%, Sunset down 11%, SOMA down 22.5%, Noe Valley down 7%, and Pacific Heights also down 7%: A snapshot of declining values by price doesn’t look much better with the [...]

Suckers For Eichler

We (courtesy of Renee) gladly give you a preview to a new Eichler coming to the market. Now, of course, when we say “new” Eichler we don’t mean they’re building more, we mean, it’s a new listing. Here is your chance to take a peek before the masses: The deets: -25 Bolanos Drive, Marin County [...]

Ask Us: The Infinity Condos San Francisco Top Floor Upgrades (And Pricing)

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SF BLŪ, San Francisco Condos: Rendering To Reality, Pricing, Pictures, And Info

We had a chance to get down to SF BLŪ, yet another San Francisco new development releasing units for purchase, and we have to admit, it is also a very nice building. It doesn’t quite have the amenities of the other new developments around town, but that’s exactly what the folks checking it out are [...]

Brokerage Signage Fail

Taking a page from one of our favorite blogs, Fail Blog: