San Francisco Real Estate: Escrow Out Loud

In today’s episode of Escrow Out Loud, our San Francisco Real Estate podcast, we interview Tom Cotter and Doug Beebe – real estate agents based in Portland, Oregon – about the differences in the markets in San Francisco (SF) and Portland.

[00:21] We learn more about Tom and Doug, their brief background and how long they have been agents.

[01:49] When our clients decide to move to Portland we love to refer them to Tom and Doug. While there are a lot of similarities between our two cities, we would love to hear how Californians take to settling in Oregon.

We discuss some differences in seller requirements between California and Oregon as well as SF quirks that have been rearing their head in Portland.

[08:38] Price is another major point of difference between the two cities. What does a typical three bedroom, two bath condo or single-family house cost in Portland? Why have 30-50% of all listings in Portland had a price reduction?

Portland does still see over-bidding in desirable neighborhoods and the most competitive markets commonly generate multiple offers (either at asking price or over).

[12:21] In Portland about 30% of buyers are cash buyers; mostly they are coming in from other markets, though. Similarly to SF, this means a housing crisis and affordability issues. There are suggestions of doing away with single family zoning and limiting the square footage of new construction.

[16:56] Tom and Doug have lived in Portland since 1992; what are some of the changes they’ve seen and how similar are they to SF?

[19:41] What is some advice for folks considering exploring Portland area? Don’t hesitate to get in touch with Tom and Doug; visit their website everyportlandhome.com for more.

[21:10] We talk about Portland neighborhoods. How is it laid out and how many neighborhoods does it have?

[24:31] To wrap-up Tom and Doug share some great things about Portland.

Thank you for listening. If you enjoyed this episode leave us a review on your favorite platform, tell your friends and don’t forget to join us again next week!

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In today’s episode of Escrow Out Loud, our San Francisco Real Estate podcast, we are on location at City Hall meeting with the Mayor’s Director of Housing Delivery – Judson True.

[00:23] Due to the current housing crisis in San Francisco, Mayor Breed has set a goal of creating at least 5,000 new homes a year; with roughly a third of this being affordable housing. It is a lofty and crucial goal she has tasked Judson True with achieving. Judson True has an impressive background and is the first person to be appointed to this newly created position. What, exactly, is his job?

[03:16] Currently, in SF there are 56,000 homes that have been approved by planning but are yet to be built. The vast majority are part of large new neighborhood projects which will transform the city. Projects like The Shipyard, Park Merced and Treasure Island. Dogpatch projects include Pier 70 and the Potrero Power Plant while Mission Rock is in Mission Bay.

[05:01] Judson is working on a lot of large projects and loves them all equally. But a little more equal than the others are the waterfront projects which he is particularly excited about. It is great to see some projects moving along really quickly. Because really, the hard part (and the part that takes the longest) when building new neighborhoods, is getting all the infrastructure permitted (our favorite new phrase: "horizontal infrastructure").

[06:59] Most of us realize that there is a real need for affordable housing in the city. How does funding for affordable housing work though? As you might imagine, it is complicated. Judson sheds light on how the funding for affordable housing and the building of market rate housing correlate, and where funds for affordable housing come from.

[10:00] Judson is from the mid-west originally, but an opportunity at Berkeley led him to SF, where he lived in the same apartment in Hayes Valley since 1998! Hayes Valley is one of the neighborhoods that has been radically transformed over the years.

[13:12] This year there are a lot of housing bills in the state legislature. Which in particular does Judson believe will have the most positive impact on housing in SF?

[15:15] Finally, what are Judson’s thoughts on the CASA Compact and its impact on the housing debate so far?

Thank you for listening. If you enjoyed this episode leave us a review on your favorite platform, tell your friends and don’t forget to join us again next week!

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In today’s episode of Escrow Out Loud, our San Francisco Real Estate podcast, we interview a very accomplished and well-know guest. Former President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and civil rights attorney, Angela Alioto, joins us today as we find out why she decided to take on the case of the Hillsborough ‘Flintstone House’.

[00:45] An introduction to our guest, Angela Alioto, an extremely accomplished individual with a history of significant legislative wins. She fought the big-tobacco companies, she fought for increases in AIDS and HIV services and support, and also won the nation's largest civil rights case against IBC/Wonderbread for discrimination against African American men... to name just a few.

With her background, the case of the Flintstone House may seem trivial but Angela argues it speaks to a very serious issue. She asks: “What happened to the first amendment”?

[05:21] The city is demanding Florence Fang, the owner of the home, have the dinosaurs from her backyard removed. Who has the right to decorate our backyard? Is this a first amendment case of free speech or a case about discrimination? Either way, it’s a troubling idea that we should all be subject to someone else deciding on what we can put in our backyard. Angela also stresses a key point: none of the neighbors have complained!

[07:43] Matt talks about the Town of Hillsborough Architectural Design Guidelines and how well the Flintstones House meets all four of the principles in the guidelines.

[09:26] What the City’s reasoning for reinforcing this is seems to be somewhat inconsistent. There is also no precedent for something like this in Hillsborough. Angela questions the real motives for doing this to Mrs. Fang. Could Mrs Fang’s ethnicity be what’s driving this whole issue?

[16:18] Angela believes the other homeowners in Hillsborough do not agree with the actions of the town and support property rights.

[21:21] Angela has always focused on things that matter; health care, homelessness etc. Because Mrs Fang and her house bring so much joy to people she decided this is a very worthy cause.

Thank you for listening. If you enjoyed this episode leave us a review on your favorite platform, tell your friends and don’t forget to join us again next week!

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In today’s episode of Escrow Out Loud, our San Francisco Real Estate podcast, we talk to a very special guest; Joe Gallagher, owner of Joe's Barbershop in San Francisco at 2150 Market St., and a long-time San Francisco resident.

[00:25] Joe and his partner at the time moved to San Francisco from New York in 1998. How did they end up in Midtown Terrace and how did their prior home in a co-op in New York influence their choice?

[03:15] Having lived in a few different neighborhoods over the city, Joe votes for location over property type. Currently he lives in Duboce Triangle ( giving up a car for this location) and it is his favorite neighborhood.

[04:10] How much has changed about San Francisco since 1998? Homelessness has always been a problem here but lately it seems like it has worsened. On the flip side, Joe believes, people here take time for each other and are nicer than in a lot of other parts of the country he has lived in. There are also some thing he misses that are starting to disappear.

[07:19] Joe owns a barbershop – Joe’s Barbershop on Market Street, which will be operating for 15 years this year. While there are challenges, the experience of being a small business owner in San Francisco seems to be improving. What are his thoughts on the rent increases resulting in the ‘retail apocalypse’ that we often hear about?

[10:49] Most people would agree San Francisco is going through a housing crisis. Joe believes this is largely due to our insistence on low density housing in lieu of vertical growth. The problem with increasing density around train transit lines, however, is NIMBY.

[12:56] So, while the prices are soaring, the experience of buying real estate and selling in San Francisco has not changed all that much. Joe talks about his very first over-bid...

Thank you for listening. If you enjoyed this episode leave us a review on your favorite platform, tell your friends and don’t forget to join us again next week!

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In today’s episode of Escrow Out Loud, our San Francisco Real Estate podcast, we talk about how, in San Francisco, our past does not live up to our ideals.

[00:28] Compassion, brotherhood, love. These are just some of our values in San Francisco. But do we always live up to these ideals?

The history of Sutro Baths is one example where we have some bad history. More recently a statue, Early Days, has been making the news due to to its portrayal of California history. Another example is the renaming of streets like Phelan.

[07:24] In addition to all the street name changes throughout San Francisco, the Embarcadero Plaza has also had a name change. It was once known as Justin Herman Plaza. So, why has Justin Herman’s name been stripped and the Plaza renamed?

[11:14] It’s not all bad though. To wrap up we give some shout-outs to the incredible women that have been a large part of San Francisco’s history. Namely: Julia Morgan, Dorothea Lange, Maya Angelou and finally Ruth Asawa. Thank You!

Thank you for listening. If you enjoyed this episode leave us a review on your favorite platform, tell your friends and don’t forget to join us again next week!

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In today’s episode of Escrow Out Loud, our San Francisco Real Estate podcast we demystify some new acronyms that have surfaced as a result of the new housing bills that have been introduced.

[00:29] A housing crisis means new housing bills in the legislature and that means new acronyms and jargon. We jump right in with an acronym that doesn't exactly ‘acronymize’, the CASA Compact.

What does it stand for and why is it important?

[06:38] The CASA Compact acronym was formed by two other acronyms: the MTC and the ABAG. We explain what these are and what the nine San Francisco Bay Area Counties are that MTC is legally responsible for.

[09:32] You might be wondering who is on the CASA Compact committee? Luckily, Matt has the answer.

[10:24] In San Francisco we have a problem with NIMBYism at different levels and it lead us where we are today! There is always a lot of resistance to change and it is too soon to say what is going to happen with David Chiu’s bill at this point.

Thank you for listening. If you enjoyed this episode leave us a review on your favorite platform, tell your friends and don’t forget to join us again next week!

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In today’s episode of Escrow Out Loud, our San Francisco Real Estate podcast we welcome back a guest who has been featured in publications such as Gentry Home and recognized for his talents with an award from the American Society of Interior Designers – Kevin Sawyers of Sawyers Design. (For past conversations with Kevin and his husband Pete see episodes 41, 42, and 43)

[00:57] To warm him up, we start off with a lightning round of questions. Our chat starts with the first home he bought, how he found his realtor and whether or not he continued using that same realtor over the years. Then we move on to San Francisco and his favorite buildings and places in the city.

[06:12] What about outdoor spaces? Kevin shares his favorite places in San Francisco and why he loves them.

[08:41] If Kevin could change one thing – one real estate law in San Francisco – what would that be? He believes the bigger picture should be considered when considering the aesthetics and making city planning decisions. People with relevant backgrounds should be more heavily involved in this sort of decision making, as opposed to it being dictated by public officials.

Kevin also explains how even remodeling a single family home requires a lot of patience and money.

[12:11] We switch focus to interior design and Kevin explains how his own firm, Sawyers Design, came to life. With years of experience behind him since his first project, ten years ago, how has the world of interior design and Kevin’s own process changed over the years?

[14:50] Because we love to share stories of the unexpected and the strange from our own world of real estate, we had to ask Kevin to share his own! We also had to know, what is “the psychology of interior design”?

[18:56] Texture or color?

[20:38] If you are thinking of hiring an interior designer, an important question Kevin recommends asking them is, how they manage time and money. It is also good to know how much you want to spend beforehand and give the designer a budget to work to. But how do we go about discussing budget?

[24:48] Finally Kevin leaves us with some closing thoughts on design. To see more of Sawyers Design, check out their recently updated website: sawyersdesign.com.

Thank you for listening. If you enjoyed this episode leave us a review on your favorite platform, tell your friends and don’t forget to join us again next time!

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In this episode of Escrow Out Loud, our San Francisco Real Estate podcast we are joined by the CEO of the San Francisco Association of Realtors (SFAR), Walt Baczkowski.

[00:21] Walt Baczkowski has an impressive background, including being the recipient of the SFAR’s prestigious William Magel Award, recognizing a lifetime of outstanding leadership and contributions to the real estate industry. We are very excited to have him here today!

[01:06] Having lived so many different places before coming to San Francisco Walt shares the most unexpected thing he encountered about SF and talks about some of his favorite neighborhoods.

[04:15] There are a lot of interesting individuals in SF but Walt shares why Mayor Ed Lee was one of the most interesting people he met and spent time with.

[05:48] Arguably, there are many areas of real estate in SF that could benefit from law changes. Walt believes that the area in most desperate need of a total revamp, however is the planning process.

[07:45] What, exactly, does an association do?

[09:30] Peskin's proposed legislation to penalize and prevent homeowners who want to remodel or repair their home comes up....

[14:23] Walt's dad was an Association Executive for a Realtor association, and real estate has been a part of Walt’s life as far as he can remember. In fact, in the 104 years that the National Association of Realtors has been around, a Baczkowski has run a local board for 54 of those years! So... how has real estate changed over the years?

[18:37] We already mentioned the William Magel Award Walt received in the 2018; and this is just one of the numerous honors he has received over the years. Walt has a well deserved reputation for being a visionary and leader in the industry. We discuss some things he has worked on over the years and where he believes things are going in the future.

Listen for the details, but Walt makes a convincing case for industry changes driven by consumer demand for speed, convenience and choice; companies will need to look at how they can provide that to clients to be successful.

Thank you for listening. If you enjoyed this episode leave us a review on your favorite platform, tell your friends and don’t forget to join us again next week!

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In this episode of Escrow Out Loud, our San Francisco Real Estate podcast we have a very special guest and founder of Fireball Approves, Tammy Sorrento.

[00:21] Fireball Approves is a company that helps protect people from getting scammed. Tammy explains how she developed the company because she wished she had access to this type of service when searching for a short-term vacation rental online.

[07:21] Does California have public records readily available for people to access? Tammy also poses an interesting question: say your home has been fraudulently rented out while you were away, how hard is it to get it sorted out?

[11:11] Online scams are not only fairly low risk crimes with a high payout for the scammers and they are so rarely reported.

[14:56] If you are a potentially looking at renting property, Tammy recommends you do your due diligence. What does this mean? She shares a few helpful tips with us and shares what she does to help.

P.S. Tammy is also writing a blog on what people can do on their own and when to contact her on fireballapproves.com for assistance, so be sure to keep an eye out for that!

[17:16] A cool service Tammy has partnered with is a free Chrome extension called Cluck. What is Cluck and how is it different to others services like it on the market?

[21:18] The price of the rental ad verification is only $19 and Fireball also offers a listing of Fireball approved vacation rentals free to renters. How can owners of properties become gold, silver or bronze members on the approved rentals list?

[23:45] Why the name, Fireball Approves? While the rental market is the focus now, in the future Tammy plans to expand to other services including virtual job scams, for example.

[27:24] To find out more about her services find Tammy on the fireballapproves.com website or any social media including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn. Also, don’t forget to share this information with others as she relies on word of mouth to get the word out.

Thank you for listening. If you enjoyed this episode leave us a review on your favorite platform, tell your friends and don’t forget to join us again next week!

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Last week we talked about the crazy stories that pop up when researching properties. Today, on Escrow Out Loud, our San Francisco Real Estate podcast, we build on that theme and talk about crazy things that happen during inspections.

[00:21] Last year David Milne, a home inspector from Arch Inspections, joined us for episodes 46, 47 and 48 where he shared some interesting things that can happen during a home inspection (we highly recommend you catch up on those if you haven't already). One of our favorite stories involves a condo building that was a former hospital and is also featured in the movie Vertigo.

[05:41] When we offer a list of inspectors to buyers it is not because we get a kickback, so then why? Because we know that they are respected, well known, vetted, solid inspectors that do a go job and give an honest thorough opinion of the property. Not all inspectors know what they are doing; Britton shares a story to illustrate this point. Matt's bonus tangent: what is appropriate Realtor involvement during inspections?

[11:43] Sometimes home inspectors fail to pick up on certain things, which are understandable, but other times major fails happen that are unacceptable. Wrong address, talking about non-existent materials, confusing vinyl with wood and other glaring mistakes don't leave us with much confidence in the inspector!

Thank you for listening. If you enjoyed this episode leave us a review on your favorite platform, tell your friends and don’t forget to join us again next week!

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