Should We Pray For a Housing Crash?


In May, a Michigan Facebook user declared, “The new Millennial dream is a housing market crash.” More than 2,600 people Liked or Loved that sentiment; when a larger page recycled the post, it got approval from over 327,000 users. Variations of this meme have floated around social media for years. Although usually presented as a … Continue reading Should We Pray For a Housing Crash?

Housing Affordability and Market Corrections


A look at San Francisco Bay Area housing affordability trends over time and how they intersect with real estate market corrections: The 2008 San Francisco Bay Area real estate crash was not caused just by a local affordability crisis: It was triggered by macro-economic events in financial markets which affected real estate markets across the … Continue reading Housing Affordability and Market Corrections

August Case-Shiller Index | San Francisco Bay Area


The new S&P Case-Shiller Index for August was just released on Tuesday. The prices for homes in the upper third of prices – which dominate in most of San Francisco, central and southern Marin, and central Contra Costa – ticked down a tiny bit in summer, exactly as they did last summer. These short-term fluctuations … Continue reading August Case-Shiller Index | San Francisco Bay Area

San Francisco Apartment Building Market Report


A little something different than what we usually post… 2015 Mid-Year Report by Paragon Commercial Brokerage Median Sales Price Appreciation (Prices in Millions of Dollars) Median sales prices are very general indicators in San Francisco since building location, size, age, quality of construction, tenant profile, rent control and financial returns all vary enormously. Still, the … Continue reading San Francisco Apartment Building Market Report

Readers Ask: Readers Know (Usually)


The Frontsteps is littered with experts, so when a reader asks a question, seems like the highest form of logic is to simply pose that question to the aforementioned experts. Yesterday I asked if any, any, any reduction in price could make being a landlord for a full occupied, multi-unit property worthwhile. One reader, in response, … Continue reading Readers Ask: Readers Know (Usually)

Vultures, Commence Your Circling


  Well, all, few and far between are homes we can look at and positively say: That’d be a good investment. Yet here is one, that frankly, given the size and location, has to be just that. The downside– yes, sorry, these days there simply has to be one- is that this could be a … Continue reading Vultures, Commence Your Circling

Verbatim: “Is this the time to invest in land?”


From the recent New York Times article Sure, Land Is Cheaper. So Is It Time to Buy?: THE real estate market may have cooled, but investor demand may soon be heating up for at least one type of property: land. “The time is ripe to start looking; I haven’t seen this market in 20 years,” … Continue reading Verbatim: “Is this the time to invest in land?”

Green prefab?


by Tiffany Elston I know what you’re probably thinking: a “green” prefab? Aren’t prefabs generally characterized by their cheap (and toxic) materials with no real aesthetic appeal? Well that was until now! West Coast Green has decided to bring in a whole, full size beautiful green prefab to sit in Civic Center Plaza for the … Continue reading Green prefab?

The FlippingPad.com Launches…a First Impression


What the hell is the FlippingPad…besides a cool name? Actually, it’s a pretty cool site with very good intentions. In a nutshell, it is is a forum/blog/site for all you property flippers, aspiring property flippers, and past property flippers to get together and talk story. It has a national audience, albeit small but definitely growing, … Continue reading The FlippingPad.com Launches…a First Impression