Escrow Out Loud: San Francisco Real Estate

Last week we had some clues to help us figure out a neighborhood. In today’s episode of Escrow Out Loud, our San Francisco Real Estate podcast, we reveal the answer and play round two. With a whole new set of clues how quickly can you guess the neighborhood this time?[00:47] The mystery neighborhood from last week’s episode, Are You Smarter Than a Realtor, Neighborhood #1, is…Pacific Heights.[01:20] Clue 1: One of the oldest bars in San Francisco, The Little Shamrock, is in this week's neighborhood.[02:01] Clue 2: Some say you can find the best Chinese chicken wings in the city in this neighborhood at the San Tung Chinese Restaurant.[02:28] Clue 3: This is a neighborhood without a single park within its boundaries.[02:46] Clue 4: However, it is a very park-adjacent neighborhood, including: Golden Gate Park, Grandview Park and J.P. Murphy Playground.[03:18] Clue 5: When exploring this neighborhood you can easily have a seat in public, as the Public Bench Project started here.[04:15] Clue 6: A well known worker

As our listeners are probably aware by now, we love different San Francisco neighborhoods. In this episode of Escrow Out Loud, our San Francisco Real Estate podcast, we play a little game. Matt will give us 10(+1) hints to see if we can guess which San Francisco neighborhood he is thinking of today.[00:45] Clue 1: Donald Trump Jr’s current girlfriend and former Fox News personality once lived in this neighborhood with our current state governor.[01:18] Clue 2: It contains a park which was once a rock quarry but was turned into a park by John McLaren (also designed the Golden Gate Park).[01:44] Clue 3: Another park in this neighborhood was once home to the first astronomical observatory on the west coast?[02:15] Clue 4: In this neighborhood we have the most expensive stock cooperative home to ever sell in San Francisco, but not the most expensive condo.[02:30] Clue 5: In this neighborhood Alma Spreckels once built a massive mansion across from the park. How massive? The current owner once had street parking pe

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 competitiv

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

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 ri

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 own

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 y

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 e

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 bac

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 associatio

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 w

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 duri

Today, on Escrow Out Loud, our San Francisco Real Estate podcast, we talk about researching properties and the crazy stories that sometimes pop up![00:21] Sometimes unexpected things can come up when we dig into the history of the property; some not very pleasant. One of the things people might consider looking up is the California Megan's Law Database. But what is Megan’s Law and why might it be of interest to me?[04:01] A normal real estate transaction is a pretty standard process: an offer is made, it is accepted, there is escrow, some signing of paperwork, the rest of the cash is transferred, seller sends their docs, there’s closing and finally they get the cash and you get the house. Unless…. The seller freaks out and refuses to leave after the transaction has closed.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! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today on Escrow Out Loud, our San Francisco Real Estate podcast, we continue the neighbourhood theme from last time with a game; let’s play Name That Neighborhood![00:21] How quickly can Britton figure out the neighborhood in question while Matt reads out descriptive sentences?We cover: Lake Street, Nob Hill, Western Addition, Clarendon Heights, Alamo Square, Twin Peaks, Anza Vista, Hayes Valley, North Panhandle, Dolores Heights, The Mission, Dogpatch, SoMa, Westwood Highlands, Miraloma, Forest Hill - throwing in some interesting facts and musings along the way.[07:49] How do freeways affect neighbourhoods? As the city evolves, old freeways are torn down and new ones are built up, but do they always make sense within a neighborhood?[14:39] The gentrification issue is a contentious one and raises an interesting question: Who does a neighborhood belong to?[22:22] There are a number of transformations planned for the city over the coming years – it will be interesting to see how these changes will further impact

Today, on Escrow Out Loud, our San Francisco Real Estate podcast, we talk about neighborhoods and what defines them.[00:21] Matt and Britton share stories of growing up; Matt was a suburban kid who later moved to rural Michigan and Britton remembers living in Anchorage, Alaska in a brand-new subdivision as a five-year-old.[02:58] People often yearn to find the balance between living with nature in the great wilderness and the convenience of urban city living. Is suburbia a good enough compromise to make? The west side of San Francisco has great examples of suburbia residence parks where the aim was to bring more nature into neighborhoods.[05:31] What makes a neighborhood? In some cases, it is geography and sometimes it’s the era of construction. We argue SF condo buildings can also be a neighborhood within a neighborhood e.g. The Watermark.How small can a neighborhood be and still be considered a neighborhood?[11:55] The San Francisco Planning Department states eight things on their website that define a neig

Lockboxes can be a convenient way for realtors to set up appointments for house viewings. However, they are not very commonly used in San Francisco. Today on Escrow Out Loud, our San Francisco Real Estate podcast, we talk about why this is and alternative ways buyers view properties in this town.[00:21] There are a few urban legends that explain why very few houses listed for sale in San Francisco are on lockbox, but Matt has his own theory. Much more common are open home viewings on Sundays or scheduled appointments during the week.[04:06] Unlike other parts of the country, in San Francisco, weekend open houses are paramount. How does this work for tenant occupied properties?[06:45] We wrap up today with Britton sharing a story about seeing houses!For more on private showings and lockboxes listen to our previous episodes: Sketchy Showings and Is Anyone Home?Thank you for listening.If you enjoyed this episode leave us a review on your favourite platform, tell your friends and don’t forget to join us again nex

Money, money, money. Today on Escrow Out Loud, our San Francisco Real Estate podcast, we talk about how and when to bring money into a real estate transaction![00:21] We begin today by walking you through what happens after you’ve submitted an offer on a house and it has been accepted. Where is the initial deposit going, how do you make the transfer and why is the standard amount in San Francisco 3% of the purchase price? Britton also explains why a personal check is accepted for the first deposit but not the final deposit.Always remember to be vigilant and take steps to prevent wire fraud! We talk more about that in Episode 40: (Online) Safety First.[03:47] After making the initial deposit and going through escrow it’s time for signing the closing documents. What does this mean and what if you have to sell stocks or take other steps to turn your down payment into cash that you can transfer?Thank you for listening. If you enjoyed this episode leave us a review on your favorite platform, tell your friends and

Today on Escrow Out Loud, our San Francisco Real Estate podcast, we cover one of the dreaded certainties of life, taxes; how property taxes work and how they are calculated.[00:21] Before the taxpayer rebellion in 1978, that led to a change in proposition 13, looking at how properties were assessed in California, the county would asses property value and tax accordingly. Since the change in proposition 13, however, property taxes are capped at 1% of the purchase price of the property. Are there any other additions to this we should be aware of and do we still need to be worried about any increases in property value the next year?We break it down by looking at an example.[06:29] So, this probably sounds like a pretty good thing in the current market, with increasing property values, but what happens in a downturn?Britton points out that another important aspect to be aware of is that the tax assessor’s office is in touch with the department of building inspections. What does this mean exactly? Well, they will

Today on Escrow Out Loud, our San Francisco Real Estate podcast, we regale you with some tales from the broker’s tours.[00:21] You may be wondering, what all these open home signs on Tuesdays are all about? Tuesday broker’s tour is on! A broker’s tour is an opportunity for agents to tour new listings so that they can tell clients about them. It is also a great opportunity to catch up with other agents and keep a pulse on the market. So why was Matt terrified of them when first starting out?[03:28] There’s some interesting stuff that goes on during a broker’s tour. There was a case of the disappearing Prada shoes, a run-in with some armed guards, as well as the occasional signing of a release of liability form. What’s more, sometimes there is soup![09:24] San Francisco is a busy city and all the cars and parking on broker’s tour can be a test of patience on the nearby residents. Matt considers attempting the tour on a bicycle and shares advice on how to deal with an irate homeowner whose parking you might have

A note from Matt about this episode: Agency relationships are really important, and the first time we discussed them (episode 14) we had no idea how to record a podcast. Episode 60 is another look at agency relationships in San Francisco real estate. - Matt---Today on Escrow Out Loud, our San Francisco Real Estate podcast, we talk about one of the most important, and at the same time least understood, concepts in real estate – agency relationships.[01:17] Let's start off by looking at real estate agency – what an agent does and what our fiduciary duties entail. Loyalty, confidentiality and the exercise of the utmost care are just a few of our duties to our clients, what are some others?[02:15] Now that we know what an agent does, let’s talk about who they do it for. There are three types of agency relationships in California, but keep in mind that this does differ by state. Important disclaimer: we are not lawyers and don’t offer legal advice. Britton gives an overview of types of agencies in California: buye