There is a new company in town you should be very interested in, particularly if you are catering to a high profile buyer. The company is DRIV, and the mission is simple: Take your automotive fantasies, render them in metal and leather, and hand you the keys to a stable [read: large choice] of exquisitely … Continue reading Luxury High Rise Condo/Hotel Developers, Realtors and Marketing Peeps Take Note
Category: Buying/Selling Techniques
To Floor Plan or Not?
Sophie asks: Should the listing [always] provide the floor plan drawings or not? In Paris (just to mention there), a listing actually ONLY includes the floor plan, square foot, and price… sometimes a photo of a view, if any, or inside if architecturally significant. We’re not going to call this a Stump the Stammtisch question, … Continue reading To Floor Plan or Not?
Internet Marketing for Real Estate 101
This just kills us and it happens all too often. We know a large percentage of homes are sold by agents and not from photos on the internet, but there is also a very large percentage of attention deficit home buyers that get blasted with new listings as soon as they hit the market, and … Continue reading Internet Marketing for Real Estate 101
Stump the Stammtisch: Why do an off-market deal?
This question came to me from Sophie, a very avid reader of both theFrontSteps and the sfnewsletter. I’m hoping we can provide some insight. Dear Alex, I’m very puzzled by something that happens more often than I can understand in the SF market. Why would ANY party agree to an off-market deal? (VIP houses put … Continue reading Stump the Stammtisch: Why do an off-market deal?
Stump the Stammtisch: Bernal on Fuego or Hielo?
Being that it is the middle of summer, we’re curious to see what kind of replies we get to this post, but we hope the Stammtisch can come through nonetheless. If they can’t…readers!? “Hi, Over the past few weeks I’ve been seeing a Realtor post on Craig’s List that Bernal Heights is “on Fuego”. For … Continue reading Stump the Stammtisch: Bernal on Fuego or Hielo?
Orbitz, Travelocity, Hotwire? Nope, just a Realtor incentive.
From one Realtor to another, the incentives are there. You just need to know where to look, or hope this shows up in your email. We’re keeping anonymity on this, but putting it out there for your viewing pleasure. It is not a totally stale listing, but has been on since at least April. ****Close … Continue reading Orbitz, Travelocity, Hotwire? Nope, just a Realtor incentive.
You wanna re-think that staging!?!
by Rik Goodell I have little talent for design. Actually I’m still fond of the cable-spool, coffee table I had in college. So it goes without saying that I believe staging, done right, unquestionably helps present a property in its best light. It makes small spaces look more useful and large spaces look more functional; … Continue reading You wanna re-think that staging!?!
43 & 56 Forest View Drive: a reader’s report
This sent in by a reader, Aunt Mary [edited by us, with pictures and MLS links]: 56 Forest View Drive: I just found out that my neighbors up the street were able to sell their home after only 2, maybe 3, weeks on the market. Our neighbors were a lovely couple who, while living in … Continue reading 43 & 56 Forest View Drive: a reader’s report
The Time is Right for Solar
by Tiffany Elston Everyone’s talking about climate change, carbon footprints, and that shade of “green” that seems to be increasingly infiltrating every major publication. Buildings are a huge proponent of climate change, consuming 36% of total energy use, 65% of electricity consumption, and contributing to 30% of greenhouse gas emissions. Installing a solar photovoltaic (PV) … Continue reading The Time is Right for Solar
Stump the Stammtisch: “How can I predict if my house has what buyer’s are looking for?”
It is amazing how the traffic to this site is exploding! We love it, and we’re here to help. We think we’ve illustrated that at least once, and we’re ready for more. Recently, a reader wrote in, and we’re thinking he/she would like some help from the Stammtisch. If you have a question for our … Continue reading Stump the Stammtisch: “How can I predict if my house has what buyer’s are looking for?”
A reader asks, we hopefully answer (888 Seventh Street resale restriction for BMR.)
A reader recently came to our post regarding 888 Seventh Street, and asked a great question, which we’ll get to below. Rather than email her directly, thus hogging all the glory, we thought we’d use her question as a beta test of our vision of what this site could be. So…we’re posting her question, and … Continue reading A reader asks, we hopefully answer (888 Seventh Street resale restriction for BMR.)
2340 Larkin #2…an update, and $296,000 price reduction.
We’re slowly getting back into the swing of daily posting about real estate and still very much a construction site over here at theFrontSteps, so what better way to kick things off with a post about how utterly and completely wrong we were, and it isn’t the first time. The update for 2340 Larkin #2 … Continue reading 2340 Larkin #2…an update, and $296,000 price reduction.
$$$ Real Estate Marketing
As much as I love my fellow Realtors (R), sometimes I wonder where they get their “marketing remarks”, and how they tie them into the rest of their materials. Take for example, 9 Massasoit St in Bernal Heights. It just hit the market and it has “$$$ Bay View”, yet the 76+% of internet home … Continue reading $$$ Real Estate Marketing
A Very Simple Explanation of the Complex 1031 Tax-Deferred Exchange
We recently received a few questions about 1031 Exchanges, and the short answer…they’re pretty simple, but also complicated. ;-) How’s that for a politician’s answer? Joking aside, we thought this brief description from The Money Alert was pretty good. “Established for real estate barons and tycoons, 1031 exchanges have been around since the 1920s. Named for … Continue reading A Very Simple Explanation of the Complex 1031 Tax-Deferred Exchange
1 Part Dwell, 1 Part The Infinity, 2 Parts YOU!
So you think you’ve got what it takes to design a la modern. Here’s your chance: “Dwell™ invites [their] readers to submit design proposals for one of three varied floor plans for homes in The Infinity. A panel of industry experts, including Dwell owner and founder Lara Hedberg Deam, will review designs. Winning designers … Continue reading 1 Part Dwell, 1 Part The Infinity, 2 Parts YOU!
“Good Bones”
Another way to ensure hordes of buyers to your property, use the words, “Good Bones”. This 2 bed, 1 bath, probate at 833 26th Ave is a total fixer that listed at $679,000, minimum bid is now $896,150, after receiving 23 offers. As we said, fixers fly. This one could easily get into the mid … Continue reading “Good Bones”