SF Home Blog by Opening Doors

What Buyers and Sellers Need to Know about Clear Cooperation, Coming Soons, and Private Exclusives

September 24, 2020

Getting a jump on available properties puts any buyer at an advantage, particularly in a housing market that’s been on a tear. For sellers, understanding the recommended course of listing is equally important. But there’s a methodology to things like clear cooperation, coming soons, and private exclusives. Here’s what buyers and sellers need to know about all three. Recommended Course of Listing...

Are Cities Emptying? Here’s What Migration Data in San Francisco Says

September 17, 2020

One of the main topics of conversation these days is whether everyone is really leaving San Francisco, the state of California, or big cities in general. Accurate...

In San Francisco, Condos Buyers Emerge

September 10, 2020

During yesterday’s sales meetings, something unusual happened. After months of building inventory, we had our first week of more buyers than new listings. Here’s a little background and a look at what the most recent data is saying. Understanding Months of Inventory Months supply of inventory (MSI) is the measure of how...

Two Real World San Francisco Transactions During the Pandemic

September 02, 2020

Here are tales from my two of my most recent sales in San Francisco, both of which happened from start to finish during the shelter-in-place orders. You learn a little something with every deal, and knowing just how far you can push a seller or buyer without losing the deal altogether is definitely an art form. Representing the Buyer 715 Hampshire Street...

Seven Things Homebuyers Really Believe

August 27, 2020

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There’s a standing joke about real estate agents as therapists, and there’s some truth to the idea. But listening and analyzing and advising aside, the job of a good real estate agent is to guide. And a big part of the...

The Good/Bad in San Francisco’s Housing Market, August 2020

August 20, 2020

It’s been interesting year, to say the least, and real estate is one of many industries experiencing some wild swings. As we wrap up summer in San Francisco, we’re seeing the softest recovery from the spring shelter-in-place mandate out of all the markets in the Bay Area. Supply and demand conditions in condos are noticeably weaker than the housing market. Here’s what...

Home Buyer Priorities Before & After Lockdown

August 13, 2020

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A recent look at buyers’ housing preferences and priorities pre and mid lockdowns can be summed up with this: there are a wave of buyers looking to trade up, but no one wants to compromise. The New Normal More time at home means a shift in priorities...

Live Auctions Coming to a Listing Near You!

August 05, 2020

There’s a method to buying a home in the US, and an auction on a non-distressed property is rarely part of it. But things may be changing. Buying a property via a live auction may be the way you buy your next home in the San Francisco Bay Area, so here’s the scoop. New Player in Town Harcourts Auctions has been selling...

The SF Real Estate Headlines We’ll Probably See In About Eight Weeks

July 30, 2020

As the city’s housing market ping-pongs around in the new normal of COVID-19, a few facts are emerging. First, single-family homes are selling and at a good clip. Second, we’re creeping up to a six-month supply of condos in the city — the largest I’ve seen since the Great Recession. And the mainstream press has yet to report on it. What the...

Two Signs It’s Time to Fire Your Real Estate Agent (And How to Do It)

July 23, 2020

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Relationships can be rough. And I’m not talking about the romantic stuff. Your doctor, your therapist, your accountant — it can take a little trial and error before you land on a winner. The same goes for your real estate agent...