Haight-Ashbury Street Fair This Sunday, June 12th

The 39th annual Haight-Ashbury Street Fair (HASF) is happening this Sunday, June 12th from 11am to 5:30pm along Haight Street between Stanyan Street and Masonic Avenue. 

According to the Fair's website, since 1978, HASF has produced the annual, one-day street fair that allows the community to celebrate the cultural contributions this district has made to San Francisco. This festival provides the neighborhood with the opportunity to showcase the variety of mercantile, cultural and community services available in this district. By creating a festival atmosphere, the street fair creates a stage for many artisans, musicians, artists and performers to present their work to the public. And, as a community service, HASF enables many non-profit organizations a chance to conduct outreach campaigns.

Since the event began, every Haight-Ashbury Street Fair has its own poster image that "reflects the many facets that make this event memorable and one of the most anticipated events in San Francisco." A contest is held annually, with poster submissions coming from anyone who wishes to contribute.  Many of these original works of art have become highly sought after collector Items.  This year's winner of the 39th Haight Ashbury Street Fair poster contest is Lily Prillinger, whose work is shown below.

Click here for more information on the Haight Ashbury Street Fair. 

Two stages offer live music through the day, including Crystal Garden and American rock band, Jefferson Starship. Amazing food and a variety of artisan crafts and products are also available for sale. A fair like to no other, HASF honors the legacy of the Upper Haight.

The Haight-Ashbury Street Fair embodies the unique diversity and culture of San Francisco that residents and visitors alike appreciate about this amazing City. The Costa Group is proud to serve the residents of San Francisco! 

Million Dollar Homes Make Up 57.4% of San Francisco Market

According to a recent real estate study conducted by Trulia, $1 million is the median price for a home in San Francisco. While million dollar homes make up only 3% of the national housing market, they equal a whopping 57.4% of homes in the City. Only four years ago, this percentage was 19.6. That's an increase of 37.8% or approximately 9.5% per year.

San Francisco is not alone in it's propensity of high priced housing. San Jose and Oakland hold the second and third places respectively on Trulia's list. Millions dollar homes in San Jose went from 17.4% to 46.3% over four years while Oakland went from close to the national average at 5.2% in 2012 to 19.7% in 2016.

Below are the San Francisco neighborhoods that have the most million dollar real estate.

• Potrero Hill 76.7% (triple what it was in 2012)
• Mission Terrace 50%, up from .4%
• Mission Bay 88.9% from 14%, one of the largest upticks in the City
• Westwood Park 96% of homes are in the million dollar range from 2.9% in 2012

Three caveats to consider when mulling over this data. 

1. These numbers are reflective of listings on Trulia's website, which aren't all-inclusive
2. Westwood Park is a small borough, with only 11 homes selling within its borders since August 2015.
3. The study was conducted based on estimated home values and not recent sales prices.

Click here to see how prices have increased throughout the Bay Area since 2012.

Neighborhoods with the smallest increase in million dollar homes include:

• Chinatown at 14.4%, up from 6.5%
• Bayview 6.5% up from .9% in 2012
• Visitacion Valley 2.9% VS .4%
• Tenderloin 5.4%, double what it was in 2012

Article excerpt from sf.curbed.

Marin County's Desalination Plant On Hold

Over the past 10 years, Marin County has dramatically reduced its water usage. As such, plans for its desalination plant near the Rod and Gun Club at the foot of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge have been placed indefinitely on the back burner. 

Desalination is a process that removes salts and minerals from saline water, providing water that is fit for human consumption. This process for obtaining potable water is costly but, according to Christopher Gasson of Global Water Intelligence, "At the moment, around 1% of the world's population are dependent on desalinated water to meet their daily needs, but by 2025, the UN expects 14% of the world's population to be encountering water scarcity. Unless people get radically better at water conservation, the desalination industry has a very strong future indeed."

According to the Marin Municipal Water District's 5-year Urban Water Management Plan, barring a major drought the “district has adequate supply to meet future demand through 2040 in average years and in the first two years of a multiple-year drought.”

Ten years ago, Marin was consuming 36,000 acre feet of water per year (one acre foot equals 325,851 gallons). This resulted in a concern that there would be a significant deficit between water usage and supply.

In August 2009, the water district approved a $115 million desalination plant, able to produce 5 millions gallons a day with the capability to expand production to 15 million.

Only a year later, the project was halted as water usage had dramatically declined. According to water board member Larry Bragman, “We have conserved our way out of it. We have created a reservoir of conservation.”

Today, Marin County is using 21,000 acre feet annually. Bragman credits people’s habits as well as better plumbing fixtures, removal of large swaths of water-thirsty turf and district water recycling plans in helping drive down demand.

“By pushing conservation, we fundamentally altered what the demand projections are, and at the fraction of the cost of desalination,” said Cynthia Koehler, water board president. “In many ways Marin is a model of where California is going.”

Thought the plant is on an unlimited hold, it hasn't been completely halted.

Water board member Jack Gibson said desalination is no longer discussed as an option but states the district can only survive a drought for two years before customers would face severe, mandatory reductions in water consumption.

“We are in sound shape as long as we won’t have extreme drought,” he said. “There is no need to bring in a mega-project like desalination for the time being, but it would be good to have on the back burner in an event like that.”

Article excerpt from ©2016 The Marin Independent Journal (Novato, Calif.) 

 

San Francisco's Disney Family Museum

Set in the Presido is a little piece of magic. Disney magic. The Walt Disney Family Museum explores the life of Walt Disney himself, from his early childhood growing up on a farm in Missouri to his creation of Mickey Mouse and a lifetime of bringing wonder and magic into the lives of people around the world.

The ten distinct museum galleries focus on various aspects of Walt Disney's life, his experiments with sound imagery and personality animation led to a creative revolution in art and technology and how his imagination sparked everything from animated films to theme parks. 

On May 18th and running through January 9, 2017, the Museum is hosting the Wish Upon a Star: The Art of Pinocchio exhibit. "This never-before-seen exhibition created by the museum allows visitors to discover the artistic process and step behind-the-scenes to explore how one of the most influential animated films in history was produced: Walt Disney’s 1940 feature-length masterpiece Pinocchio."

In addition to it's galleries and special exhibits, the Disney Family Museum offers various studio courses and workshops that allow students of all ages to delve into the world of Disney by offering instruction on the fundamentals of art, design and animation or experiment with new techniques and materials to ignite individual creativity.

Located at 104 Montgomery Street in the Presidio, the museum is open daily from 10am to 6pm (except some holidays). Tickets are available online: $20 for adults, $12 for ages 6 to 17, $15 for seniors. Children 5 and under are free with paid adult admission. 

The next time you're looking for a bit of Disney magic but can't make the trip to Disneyland, San Francisco's Disney Family Museum is filled with color, creativity and just a bit of pixie dust.

How To Maximize Your Home's WiFi

Reliable WiFi is critical in most homes today as it is the communication vehicle for numerous electronic devices. Without it, much of our technology grinds to a halt.  

Not only do our smartphones, tablets and gaming devices connect via WiFi but 4K televisions, smart thermostats management, multi-room speaker systems, laptops and printers also use WiFi. The bandwidth demands placed on your home's WiFi system are taxed by these devices so it's crucial to optimize it's output and performance. 

1. Place your router in a central location in your home

2. Invest in a wireless extender (also called a repeater) to boost WiFi reach, especially if you live in a larger home or have areas with poor reception.

3. Check with your Internet service provider to see if they offer faster Internet service

4. Make sure you have the latest router with 802.11ac speeds to boost reach, support simultaneous users and increase speed 

5. Choose a router that offers dual connection options of both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.  This minimizes device interference. 2.4 offers slower speed but wider reach while 5GHz operates faster. Connect cordless phones, baby monitors and microwaves to 2.4 and devices requiring higher speeds to 5 GHz.

6. Password protect your WiFi network so others don't 'stow away' on your service and slow it down. This also keeps you from being liable for illegal content unwanted users may download from your WiFi.

7. Set up a guest network password for friends and visitors to use.

8. Make sure your modem is also up-to-date. If you also need to upgrade your router, consider a bundled option.

There are a number of free 'apps' to test WiFi speed, such as speedtest.net, that will give you an idea of the bandwidth of critical devices.

Common sense tip: When using public WiFi, never enter in personal or sensitive information, such as passwords, bank accountor credit card details. Its best to do that off WiFi or using your own, secure network.

How Accurate Are Zillow Zestimates?

Zillow's CEO Spencer Rascoff sold one of his personally owned Seattle homes in late February for $1.05 million, a whopping 40% less than his company's property page estimated the home's value. 

Read entire article here.

Though Zillow itself openly acknowledges that it's Zestimates are just that-estimates-many consumers are lured in by the dollar figure, especially if it plays in their favor. This can result in pricing challenges between sellers and their agent as some consumers believe that Zillow possesses a 'crystal ball' when it comes to home valuations.

Zillow says that it's national media error rate for it's Zestimates is 7.9%. This means half of Zestimates nationwide are within 7.9 percent of a home’s sales price and half are off by more than 7.9 percent.

As with Rascoff's home, the Zestimate for luxury properties tends to differ from the actual market value much more than less expensive properties. 

"Zestimates can’t take into account “non-quantifiable facts,” such as layout design or lighting, and these facts can have much more of an effect on the values of luxury homes than less expensive properties,says Zillow Senior Economist Skylar Olsen. Real estate agents can see how special features impact a property’s value, but the “Zestimate algorithm can’t know” and “at this point in time, it’s not designed to know,” she said.

As such, though it's calculated scientifically using a variety of data, the Zestimate is a good starting point as well as a historical reference, but it should not be used for pricing a home. 

If you are in the market to sell a home in San Francisco or Marin County, The Costa Group can help you determine the market value of your home.

Marin Market Update-May 2016

There is much debate about where the market is going, but for savvy buyers and sellers, it doesn’t really matter. The ups and downs of the market are expected in the real estate world. So, unless we're facing another mortgage crisis, which doesn't seem likely (given everyone's hyper awareness of making sure that doesn't happen again), we should be good. I’m actually kind of loving this market right now. Strategy is key, and if you're in the market to win, the world (or shall I say Marin) can be your oyster!

Fortunes have been made in markets like this. Quite frankly, fortunes can be made in ANY real estate market. Though it might be a bit trickier right now, for the average buyer and seller it's simply a matter of strategic persistence with a skilled Realtor, like me!

If you're thinking of selling your property here are some tips:

• Know your house inside and out -- best practice is to get a pest and contractor's inspection ahead of time so you know what the issues may be at the time of sale; always address what you can in advance.
• Be realistic about price -- just because the house down the street sold for a fortune, doesn't mean yours will. Talk to me about a strategy that works for you (and for the market). When in doubt, price below the latest and closet comp (recently sold properties of a similar nature to yours).
• Listen to your real estate professionals -- most are giving you good solid advice based on their market experience and knowledge -- we're not making this stuff up. Yes, it's easy to play along with Zillow and Trulia, but our professionals are studying the nuances of the market daily and can provide you with some good sage advice.
• Presentation matters. In this day and age, buyers want "done.” They don't want to hassle with having to fix this or that; they want to imagine themselves moving right in to a turnkey home and getting on with their lives, they are usually willing to pay more for that convenience. Here's an interesting article by Carole Rodoni about the purchase habits of Millennials.

If you're a buyer...

• Have patience! With less inventory on the market, it may take longer for your ideal home to appear. But, when it does pop up, you'll want to be ready to pounce on it (and be prepared to write an offer that trumps your competition)
• Get pre-approved -- I know it sounds like a no-brainer, but many buyers do not have a clear picture of their financial situation. It would be a waste of time to start looking at homes without knowing what you can realistically afford. Talk to me about getting pre-approved and also talk with your mortgage professional (or ask me for a referral) about just how high you can go. Perhaps your price point can be pushed a bit without much implication on your monthly mortgage payments.
• Flexibility. I always contend that just about everyone in Marin settles in one way or another. I know that may sound negative, but let's face it… Marin homes can be a little funky! If you can accept this small truth, it may make house hunting here actually more fun. One of the skills one learns in Marin is how to make your home your castle. It's amazing what some new windows, hardwood floors and crown molding can do. With a little vision, that million dollar shack could be a really cool home!
• Price point: A more restricted market may require you to adjust your price point. If you're looking in the $900's and all of those properties are going for $1.2 million, perhaps you need to start looking in the $800's or even $700s. Or, can you have better luck by increasing your price parameters to a higher mark? Talk to your mortgage professional and see what might work and what programs might impact your financial attractiveness.
• Expand your location parameters -- can you stand a little longer commute? Or perhaps a different neighborhood, or the next town over? Marin is full of amazing neighborhoods worth considering. You may have your mind set on a craftsman in Sycamore Park or an Eichler in Terra Linda, but there are so many more options worth looking into.
• Reconsider properties that have been on the market a while -- this may require a bit of sleuthing by your agent, but why not try to put in a lower offer on a property that has been on the market a while? It may not be perfect, but for the right price perhaps you'll find you have money left over for some quick and stylish fixes.
• Find out what properties have expired and did not sell last time around. See if the sellers are ready now to sell at a more realistic price -- or maybe the price they had before, now seems like a bargain. Or, why not pick your house and ask me to find out if the owners would be willing to sell? 

When it comes to buying a house in today's market, getting creative can definitely work to your advantage. There are plenty of opportunities around -- sometimes you just need to change your perspective a bit.

In terms of current market dynamics, the new Marin real estate market is shaping up to be a more measured version of the market seen last year. As an example, properties are taking about a week longer to sell than before, and the rate of appreciation has gone from double to single digit rates. Furthermore, the Months Supply of Inventory (MSI) has expanded to almost two months, versus the one month level seen last year.

Homes above $2 million are actually selling at a faster rate than last year. Homes from $3 to $5 million are selling 71% faster while homes above $5 million sold 90% faster (note the smaller sample size).

Corte Madera and Fairfax remain the hot Marin markets. Larkspur prices are off the charts with 76% appreciation since last year with almost the same amount of sales. San Anselmo, Mill Valley, Sausalito and Tiburon actually saw price drops year over year. Opportunity!

Single Family Homes Sold in April 2016 vs April 2015

Overall, however, there is continued upward pressure on pricing. April's county-wide median sales price grew 10% year-over-year. Strong economic fundamentals continue to propel property values upward. With the prospect of oil prices stabilizing, the national economy appears to be on better ground. Reuters reported on the markets Friday morning, stating “The S&P is marginally positive for 2016; the benchmark index has rebounded some 13 percent off of February lows…data on Friday showed U.S. home resales rose more than expected in April, suggesting the economy continues to gather pace during the second quarter (Reuters, 2016).” 

Click the video to experience why Marin County is home to the lifestyle we love, and see our brand can bring that lifestyle to you. Enlist The Costa Group to help you buy or sell in Marin County.

Driving Marin County: 4 Scenic Routes Not To Be Missed

With awe-inspiring views just around every corner, Marin County promises a vacation state of mind a short drive from San Francisco. For driving enthusiasts or nature lovers up north or down in Silicon Valley, these four scenic routes are a must-do.

Much of Marin County can be easily explored by car. Whether you're looking for a top-down day in the convertible or a photo opp adventure, these stunning drives guarantee that you can do Marin in style. Even if you're not a shutterbug, its worth bringing your camera (or using your smartphone) to capture the Marin mountains, hills, and valleys.

Image courtesy of Summitpost.org

4 Scenic Marin 'Sunday Drives'

1. Conzelman Road: If you're driving north from SF, take the first exit from the Golden Gate Bridge towards the Headlands and drive Conzelman Road. Prepare yourself for unforgettable views of the coastline and gentle rollercoaster turns. 

2. Lucas Valley Road: For a more relaxing experience, the winding Lucas Valley Road has plenty of twists and turns sure to put a smile on the face of any driving enthusiast. Watch as the green spring grass changes to gold in summer months. 

3. Point Reyes National Seashore: A drive to Point Reyes National Seashore, with its dramatic and wild landscape, is sure to meet your need for sun, sand and scenery.

4. Mt. Tamalpais on Panoramic Highway: Finally, find yourself atop a 2,571-foot mountain peak with panoramic views of Marin’s hills, San Francisco, and the East Bay. The drive up Mt. Tamalpais on Panoramic Highway serves up canyons and sweeping hillsides, redwood forests, oak woodlands, and open grassland.

These four scenic drives are the ideal way to explore all the beauty and majesty that Marin has to offer.

Article excerpt from 7X7.