Media Mogul John Battelle's Marin Mansion Up For Grabs

Media mogul John Battelle’s inviting Marin mansion is on the market for $9 million. The refined real estate, belonging to one of the founders of Wired magazine, is located in Ross, California, an upscale Marin County enclave 18 miles north of San Francisco. It could very well be included in 2016's list of the top 10 most expensive Marin County homes on the market.

According to the listing, the “legacy estate” was built in 1906. The old-world architecture is updated with contemporary interiors.  Offering 6,700 square feet of living space, the home has five bedrooms on the upper floor with separate guest quarters on the lower level.

The posh home also includes a library, gym, music room, and expansive rooms for entertaining. Many of the main-floor rooms open to decks and beautifully landscaped, park-like grounds.

A co-founder of the Web 2.0 Summit, Battelle is known for his innovative work in the areas of search and advertising. He wrote “The Search,” a book about Google, in 2005, and is still a key contributor on thoughts about technology, media, and search.

Ross is an idyllic town with tree-covered hills, winding creeks and graciously landscaped streets and gardens. The existing scale and quality of architecture, along with a low density of development, create a community where the man-made and natural environment co-exist in harmony.

Are you looking for a wonderful place to call home that's near San Francisco yet feels far away? Marin County offers convenience and luxury while surrounding its inhabitants with nature. Let The Costa Group help you find the perfect place to call home in Marin and san Francisco. 

Article excerpt & images from Realtor.com

SoMa Clock Tower Penthouse Up for Grabs

San Francisco's SoMa clock tower was an addition to a massive factory at Second and Bryant Streets, then occupied by Schmidt Lithograph Corporation. Schmidt was the City's biggest employer and the largest printer on the West Coast. As such, the tower symbolized San Francisco's economic prowess. 

Click here for a gallery of all of the penthouse photos.

The warehouse property has been reimagined over its 94 years and in 1993, it was renovated, becoming a modern live-work loft concept with 127 units designed by David Baker. The penthouse Clock Tower loft, by far the crown jewel of the building, is on the market for the first time in 23 years. 

View of the inner workings of the clock from inside the iconic tower.

A two bedroom, two bath  3,000 square foot residence with exclusive access to the 3-stories that comprise the Clock Tower, this home is priced at $8.5 million. The home also includes a modern kitchen and spacious living room with glass-enclosed fireplace. Exposed brick walls and cathedral ceilings with exposed steel beams harken back to the building's industrial past.

From the wrap-around deck outside you can see AT&T Park, all of SoMa, and the downtown skyline. The property also provides an unparalleled view of the Bay Bridge.

Can you see yourself living in this one-of-a-kind home? Contact The Costa Group if you'd like to schedule a private showing.

How to Secure Fast, Cheap(er) Parking in San Francisco

Parking in San Francisco can be a challenge to say the least. And often, even if you do find a spot, the price can make a serious dent in your wallet. But, in today's day and age, there's an app for that!

Enter mobile apps like SpotHero, BestParking and ParkMe, all of which will show you in real time parking spaces near your intended location, what the prices for each spot are and will let you reserve that spot in advance! And, many of the apps also give discounted rates to boot.

No WAY!

Yes, its true.

BestParking's website shows available parking from lowest (in yellow) to highest price (in red).

SpotHero not only has a mobile app but you can log onto their desktop version specifically for San Francisco in advance, find a spot you need, when and where you need it for a price you want to pay.

 ParkMe also has a mobile and desktop version as does BestPark. It pays (or saves, actually) to shop multiple services as each company can have different prices for the same parking places. 

So the next time you're heading out to a Giants game, a concert, to your favorite restaurant, to an open house in the Mission or to a meeting in the Financial District, consider locking in your parking place in advance. You'll spend less time, less money and be much less stressed!

San Francisco Development Report April 2016

Click here for complete Development report.

News & Highlights

• Sales have begun at One Mission Bay, 350 units located on the Channel.
• Sales have began at The Harrison, a 49-story tower on Rincon Hill. Initial pricing is approximately $1,700 per square foot.
• Just over 20 market-rate units remain at The Rockwell, with first closings projected in August.
• Over 1/3 of market-rate units are in contract at 388 Fulton. Initial pricing averages $1,400 per square foot.

Market Performance 

The Harrison

Ken Fulk-designed The Harrison, located at 401 Harrison Street, is now selling.

Ken Fulk's much-anticipated 49-story residential complex went on the market in April. The 298 units will offer four unique floor plans for one and two-bedroom residences. One bedrooms start at $1 million and two bedrooms start at $1.75 million. 

Selected signature touches include diagonal-planed Siberan oak wood floors, gray cabinetry with polished white slab Carrara marble countertops, custom brass and casted-glass wall sconces, and brass fixtures in the bathrooms. There are 298 units available with 12 already in contract. 

If you're interested in scheduling a private showing at The Harrison or elsewhere, The Costa Group can help!  Its our goal to provide extraordinary service to elevate your life and bring you home. 

The Baby Boom in Mission Bay

Mission Bay is one of the few start-from-scratch neighborhoods in San Francisco. Before AT&T Park was built in 2000, it was empty land and abandoned warehouses. When the Mission Bay neighborhood was just starting to fill in the vacant lots near the ballpark with housing, the San Francisco Unified School District asked an analyst to project how many children would live in the emerging development. The answer at the time was: not many.

With most of the housing in Mission Bay being high price-point one- and two-bedroom apartments and condominiums, the thinking was couples would move in, have one child and then go elsewhere to grow their families.

Mission Bay continues to attract young, upscale couples who want to grow their families.

But over the past 10 to 12 years, housing in this borough has filled in the open area between AT&T Park and the UCSF campus. 

And, when the Mission Bay Public Library branch opened in 2007, offering Story Time for toddlers, the library staff were amazed at the response. With only 55 spots for each of the two daily sessions, all are filled in under ten minutes 6 days in advance. Strollers line the entry and hallways of the library well before the event begins.

Obviously, Mission Bay IS a place for children. There is an amazing Children's Park and talks are underway for Mission Bay to have its own Elementary School so children don't have to attend schools 30 minutes away.

The neighborhood itself is still growing, with the opening of the 267-unit Arden condominium complex and its neighbor, the Azure apartment complex with 273 units. Realtors often refer to Mission bay as 'the suburbs of San Francisco', attracting upscale, engaged families who want amenities in their homes as well as community amenities for their children.

Mission Bay's waterfront is the ideal location to call home with absolutely everything walkable needed for city living. An eclectic variety of cafes, shops and restaurants as well as Whole Foods and Safeway are all within just blocks. Nearby outdoor activities include waterfront trails, kayak and paddle board rentals, basketball courts and a children's park.  To commute out of the city, there is no better location with close access to BART, MUNI, Caltrain and the freeway.

Franck and Sara Costa of The Costa Group were among the first to own property in Mission Bay, and like many other young couples, started a family while living there. The Costa Group has many clients who've chosen to reside in Mission Bay. In fact, they have a 2 bed, 2 bath Arden condominium available now. If you might be interested in living in 'the suburbs of San Francisco', contact us to schedule a showing of this stunning property.

Cruel Choices Card Game: What Will You Choose?

Move over, Cards Against Humanity, There's a new game in town. Cruel Choices is the latest outrageous adults-only card game taking social gatherings by storm. 

Based on the game, "Would You Rather", Cruel Choices serves up options that has players choosing from 'the best of the worst' options and guaranteed to leave everyone doubled over in laughter.

Would you rather...

• Only be able to listen to Justin Bieber songs or relive one day over and over for a year?
• Swallow a live earthworm or be force-fed a large bucket of mayonnaise?

And believe us when we say, these are some of the least Cruel Choices this game will offer.

                   Available for purchase at CruelChoices.com

"In Cruel Choices, you'll find yourself forced to make decisions that no one should ever have to make. All the while, you'll enjoy watching your friends judge you as you expose your true colors. When faced with Cruel Choices, what will you least regret?"

This game was created by our wonderfully talented friend and client, Dorian K. For two to ten players, the game can take 30 to 90 minutes and is recommended for ages 17 and up. For $25, Cruel Choices will provide loads of laughs and give you some interesting insights into your friend's and family's innermost secrets! 

Ready to make some Cruel Choices? Order yours by clicking here!

Marin's Most Expensive Homes

In 2015, Marin County once again broke real estate records when multiple historic homes went on the market and were promptly scooped up for mind-blowing prices. A considerable number were on Golden Gate and Belvedere Avenues in Belvedere, including the piece de resistance.

Below are the top 10 most expensive homes sold in Marin County last year.

# 10. 44 Golden Gate Avenue, Belvedere Sale Price: $7.89 million and a stunning waters-edge view of the City and Golden Gate Bridge

#9. 1910 Straits View Avenue, Tiburon Sale Price: $8.19 million

Photo credits: Jason Wells Photography

#8. This stunning home at 44 Makin Grade in Kentfield sold for $8.96 million.

Photo credits: Jason Wells Photography

#7. Nestled against the hills, 12 Canyon Road in Ross went for a cool $9.3 million.

#6. This modern home at 1925 Straits View Avenue in Tiburon sold for $10.1 million.

#5. With views across the Bay of the City lights, 1 Cliff Road in Belvedere claimed a sale price of $10.5 million.

#4. Another beauty on Golden Gate in Belvedere. This one sold for $10.5 million.

#3. Tucked in a secluded spot on the water, this property at 125 Belvedere Avenue in Belvedere went for $13 million.

#2. Another majestic mansion on Belvedere Avenue set on its own private cliff overlooking the Bay. This one commanded $15.49 million.

#1. And at the top of Marin's most expensive homes sold in 2015 is Locksley Hall at 440 Golden Gate Avenue in Belvedere. Price tag? $47.5 million.

60+ Apartments Coming to San Francisco's Upper Market

Earlier this month, San Francisco's Planning Commission overwhelmingly approved the construction of a new, 7-story building at Market and 14th Streets. The building will include 62 residential apartment units and will take advantage of the location's proximity to public transportation by offering parking for bicycles but not vehicles. 

The complex will be on the site of the former Home Restaurant, which closed in 2011 after declaring bankruptcy. It has taken 5 years for the future of this unused parcel to be decided upon. The parcel is an odd triangular shape and includes challenging slopes but city planners felt it would benefit from substantial development, especially because of the 5 Muni lines all within a block of the property.

“This is an important corner, as you kind of enter into the Castro at two major intersections,” stated Commissioner Rich Hillis.

Enter Brian Spiers Development, the San Francisco-based real estate firm that is spearheading the mixed use complex that includes 62 residential units and ground-level retail. Though the building's proposed design underwent some reworking of the exterior as well as the floor plan of the retail space, the planners unanimously decided to approve Spier's project.

        Brain Spiers Development rendering of approved building at 2100 Market Street.

“To those who were critical of the building, one group said it wasn’t dramatic enough…others said it didn’t fit in with the Victorians…but I think it strikes a good balance,” said Commissioner Michael Antonini.

Because of the vicinity to multiple Muni lines all within a one block radius, the building will not include any parking areas for motorized vehicles. Instead, it will offer bicycle parking to encourage residents to take advantage of public transportation.

Commission President Rodney Fong noted that San Francisco needs new housing immediately, and further delaying this project could prevent the construction of new homes.

What It Costs to Live Near BART

The relative cost of living near BART has been newly mapped by Estately. The firm compiled the average sale price per square foot for all the houses, townhouses and condominiums that have sold within a one-mile radius of each BART station over the past six months.

Below are the ten most and least expensive stops and average commute times to Downtown San Francisco (i.e.  Embarcadero station).

Ten most expensive locations:

1. Embarcadero – $1,191 per square foot (0 minutes)
2. Montgomery Street – $1,149 (2 min)
3. Powell Street – $1,099 (4 min)
4. 24th Street/Mission – $1,001 (9 min)
5. 16th Street/Mission – $998 (7 min)
6. Civic Center – $994 (6 min)
7. Millbrae – $854 (25 min)
8. Glen Park – $817 (11 min)
9. SFO – $735 (32 min)
10. Rockridge $704 (20 min)

The ten least expensive:

1. Pittsburg/Bay Point – $219 per square foot (62 minutes from Downtown San Francisco)
2. Richmond – $258 (35 min)
3. Coliseum – $270 (20 min)
4. North Concord/Martinez – $306 (56 min)
5. Concord – $317 (43 min)
6. Hayward – $347 (32 min)
7. South Hayward – $356 (36 min)
8. San Leandro – $366 (24 min)
9. Bay Fair – $376 (28 min)
10. Castro Valley – $406 (32 min)

If you are in the market to buy, sell or lease in San Francisco or Marin, The Costa Group possesses an intimate knowledge of the City of San Francisco and the Marin County neighborhoods and amenities.  

With real estate partners throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, California, the United States and globally, we help our clients with all of their real estate needs. Wherever you may want to buy or sell, The Costa Group has a vetted partner to guide you. 

BusyGirl Personal Concierge Services

There was an ad posted recently on a local Personal Assistant website for a full time butler to help manage a Noe Valley mansion as well as the activities of the busy family that resides there. The salary for the below position was an impressive $175,000 per year!

Job Description

"You will be responsible for calendar management for this family of 5 (plus a puppy!), help with travel planning, restaurant reservations, to running local errands and organizing closets and pantries. The client has recently remodeled their 10,000 sq foot home and is looking for an Assistant/House Manager who can help run their day to day lives. We are looking for someone who can set up systems for this new home and organize everything from a gift database to cleaning routine for the housekeeper and groundsmen. If you have the best eye for attention to detail, and love keeping everything in its place and want to work for the loveliest, most loyal client, please send your resume. Anyone with a background in architecture or art would be a bonus to this client – as they have an extensive art collection comparable to a museum!"

Though there are quite a few affluent residents in San Francisco and Marin, most may not require the level of service this family needs. But its fair to say that the majority of us are busy. We have work, family, social obligations and numerous day-to-day items on our To Do list that can overwhelm us and cause extra stress. That's where having a highly efficient Personal Concierge comes in handy. 

BusyGirl Personal Concierge Services

Joanna McCormick, owner of BusyGirl Personal Concierge Services, helps busy people by managing and taking on their To Do lists, including personal shopping, organization of home and office, event planning, household services and administrative support. She will even oversee major household renovation projects!

Joanna and her team can and will handle pretty much anything, from grocery shopping and picking up dry cleaning to paying bills, scheduling appointments and managing your calendar, planning vacations as well as house and pet sitting while you're away.

The goal of BusyGirl is to allow busy families to gain back more time for the important things in life. Joanna's attention to detail and well-rounded skills make all of the moving parts of her clients' lives work much more smoothly. Her customers know that they, their families, pets and homes are in good hands with BusyGirl.

A BusyGirl herself, Joanna has worked in Project Management and Communications for over 10 years in both corporate and personal concierge roles. Her experience paired with her impeccable attention to detail and desire for perfection makes her one of the most sought after individuals in the personal concierge industry.  She has organized many closets, decluttered lives, managed several high profile and complicated moves and has overseen multimillion dollar renovations. Joanna prides herself on her “operational efficiency”, always leading projects with the utmost amount of productivity to deliver effective solutions for her clients. She approaches each new project with a thoughtful and fresh mindset, catering to each client’s individual needs.  

The Costa Group highly recommends BusyGirl. We've used her services for quite some time and thanks to her, we've been able to focus on what's important for us to manage while letting Joanna handle the rest!

Contact BusyGirl by phone or email to discover how Joanna and Team can help you!

                         Joanna McCormick

                                   Founder and Chief BUSYGIRL

                                             415-531-8985

                                      busygirlusa@gmail.com