City Structure - Articles

What new SB-9 housing law means for single-family zoning in California

This Senate Bill sets an incredible precedent in housing for California as well as for entire US. It shows a commitment to transition from a suburban experience of the cities in California to a proper urban experience. This is an important step but with collaboration of the residents and support from the local government, it could be just a great intent without practical application.

What to expect once the eviction and foreclosure moratorium is over?

Yesterday, I was talking with a friend lawyer and he raised a worrisome fact that, after three extensions, as CARES Act eviction and foreclosure protections officially ended Saturday July 31, 2021 and millions of Americans are facing the hard reality of losing their housing, we might face a Great Recession.

What means RM zoning in San Francisco?

RM are residential districts are intended to recognize, protect, conserve and enhance areas characterized by a mixture of houses and apartment buildings, covering a range of densities and building forms according to the individual district designations. Despite the range of densities and building sizes, most structures are of a scale that respects the traditional lot patterns, open spaces and articulation of facade typical of San Francisco neighborhoods. These Districts provide unit sizes and types suitable for a variety of households, and contain supporting nonresidential uses. The RM Districts are composed of four separate classes of districts.

What means RH zoning in San Francisco?

RH are residential house districts are intended to recognize, protect, conserve and enhance areas characterized by dwellings in the form of houses, usually with one, two or three units with separate entrances, and limited scale in terms of building width and height. Such areas tend to have similarity of building styles and predominantly contain large units suitable for family occupancy, considerable open space, and limited nonresidential uses. The RH Districts are composed of five separate classes of districts.

What is the size of the house I could build on my lot?

The power of communities to regulate the use, height, coverage and setback of buildings and the density of residential development is firmly established by law. In recent years, there has been little questioning of the right of municipalities to regulate residential density, with its clear relationship to light and air and fire protection.

Here’s how large a house could be on a lot and how much it costs

The size of a house on a lot depends on multiple factors like local zoning regulations, your needs, or desires, your time constrains and your budget. Here we'll dive into each aspect.

Dolores Heights neighborhood , San Francisco

Dolores Heights perches along Liberty Hill where Noe Valley meets the Castro meets the Mission. Grand homes take advantage of the hillside location to offer the golden crescent of luxury view homes in central San Francisco.

Cole Valley, San Francisco

The neighborhood is bordered on the west by Stanyan Street and the Sutro Forest, on the south by Tank Hill, and on the east by Clayton Street.[4] The main commercial strip is condensed into three blocks along Cole Street and part of Carl Street. This strip includes more than a dozen restaurants and cafés.

Cow Hollow Neighborhood , San Francisco

Cow Hollow is one of San Francisco’s most well-known and desirable neighborhoods, featuring world-class boutique shopping, a diverse housing market and easy proximity to recreation and work.

Noe Valley Neighborhood , San Francisco

Noe Valley is a neighborhood in the central part of San Francisco, California. It is named for Don José de Jesús Noé, noted 19th-century California statesman and ranchero, who owned much of the area.

Corona Heights Neighborhood, San Francisco

Corona Heights is a neighborhood in San Francisco, California, just north of Market Street and Eureka Valley. Corona Heights is often considered part of the Castro and Upper Market areas.

The Truth about Real Estate Investing in San Francisco

The Bay Area real estate market is hotter than ever. In March, it had the highest year-over-year sales gain in California, at a growth rate of 35.0 percent from March 2020, C.A.R. reports. The median sales price of this region, which includes all nine counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma, was up by 21.3 percent as compared to previous March. Nearly half of US homes sell in less than a week, existing-home prices grow to all-time high, and the nation’s first Dogecoin home sale. Where is this going?

Forget about Upzoning! Now, it’s Zoning awareness …

How could real estate agents cast a wider network and help improve the balance of power between developers or investors and consumers?

San Francisco made ADU application possible online

Here you can find out the cost, time and check list to apply for an ADU and work related to ADU construction.

Marco Carvajal unlocks development potential in Richmond

Marco Carvajal, Vanguard Properties agent is known to have a great portfolio of developers ready to invest. In this video you'll find out how Marco reveals new investment opportunities to his developers and transforms regular buyers into starter investors.

10 Steps to Build an ADU in San Francisco

Finally, San Francisco put together a friendly process to add Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) on a property. Now that we have got the green light from the city, let's see how you can get ready to start the project.

No permit, no worries for some projects in Napa

Check out the list of improvements you could perform in Napa Valley without applying for a permit.

What means historical buildings in San Francisco?

There are different categories that San Francisco Historic Preservation department classify historical buildings.

10 Steps to be one of the top 1% Real Estate Agents

The secret to becoming successful in anything is persistence. Learning from the successful real estate agents how they persist in their business is the key to achieve this.

Tips To Improve the Garages into Livable or Finished Areas

There are still well-priced single-family homes for sale in San Francisco. While the price is attractive, they offer too little space even for a four people family size. Here lies the development opportunity. Learn what type of spaces you're allowed to add in these houses and start to benefit by improving them.

Tax Breaks for Historic Homes

Did you know that there are advantages of having your building considered a historical resource under Mills Act? Here is what you need to know about the Mills Act.

Maher Ordinance and its impact

Many real estate properties in San Francisco have to follow the Maher Ordinance regulation requirements before making any improvements on the site. Here is what you need to know about this regulation.

How to save time and money when planing to build a residential addition

Are you excited to get your new addition built and have no time to waste on the permit process? Here is what you need to do to avoid the lengthy Use Permit Discretionary Review process.

A quick permit process guide for residential properties in Berkeley

Here are the steps on how the permitting process works for residential projects in Berkeley, California.