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Regulations

How Buyers' agents could show value after NAR's latest decision to stop commission split

National Association of Realtors (NAR), affects commission structures and the agreements between agents and clients. Because of the antitrust lawsuit, NAR has recently agreed to stop imposing a commission split agreement between the seller's agent and buyer's agent. This signals a significant changes in the way real estate transactions will take place. Buyer's agents now face the challenge of demonstrating their value to prospective homebuyers. Here is how they can succeed.

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Regulations

What does it mean for Home Buyers and Buyer's agents the latest changes in NAR commission split?

“This will be a really fundamental shift in how Americans buy, search for, and purchase and sell their housing. It will absolutely transform the real estate industry,” said Max Besbris, an associate professor of sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on his statement to NY Times.

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San Francisco

San Francisco Expanding Housing Choice

After months of presenting to the San Francisco residents for public feedback, the Final Proposed Zoning Map is presented today to the Mayor for consideration and introduction at the Board of Supervisors. How is this rezoning is going to shape San Francisco? It's hard to image. Surely the Housing Element Zoning Program, part of the Housing for All initiative, follows the Regional Housing Needs Allocation required by the State of California.

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California SB-10

How SB-10 applies to properties in San Diego county

San Diego county, after successfully implemented California Senate Bill 9 (SB-9), now they're in the process of adopting Senate Bill or SB-10 which permits up to 10 unit development building on any parcel regardless the existing density limit as long as the new building includes also affordable units.

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San Francisco

Projects that need to go though Discretionary Review in San Francisco

Discretionary review is part of the Project Application to obtain permits to build in San Francisco. Any project that is not eligible for same-day approval at the Planning Counter must submit a Project Application. This includes any Building Permit Application that requires an intake for Planning Department review, including for environmental evaluation, and any application for a development entitlement

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Regulations

Mayor London Breed makes a historical shift for San Francisco Housing

Proposed legislation will cut unnecessary processes and expand incentives for housing that fits within approved zoning laws.

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ADU regulations for Chula Vista city

City of Chula Vista is part of the San Diego county. It has aligned its regulations about building ADUs and JADUs on a property similar with most of the cities in San Diego county or even the State of California.

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California SB-9

How SB-9 applies to properties in San Diego city

City of San Diego’s regulations have been aligned to implement California Senate Bill 9 (SB 9), which permits multi-dwelling unit development and lot splits, under specified circumstances, on parcels zoned for single-dwelling unit development and Planned District Zones that permit single dwelling unit development.

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San Francisco

The New Four-Unit Density Exception for Residential Districts in San Francisco

Starting with November 27th, 2022, the 4 Unit Density Exception takes effect. This ordinance allows a density exception for projects located in residential RH Districts in San Francisco. In all RH districts (RH-1, RH-1D, RH-2, RH-3), you are allowed to have up to 4 units (not including any allowed ADU’s), and up to 6 units (not including ADU’s) are allowed on corner lots, as long as you and your project meet certain conditions.

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Financing

How to afford to buy a house in California if you make $150,000 or less

The state of California government is on alert because of a lack of inventory for homes, sky racketed prices for any property, and witnessing residents leaving the Golden State. This is a pivoting point when NEW financing programs have been in place to help homeownership for CA residents who earn as much as $150,000 per year.

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Neighborhood

Escondido City, San Diego County

This article is based on seven important factors that describe how it feels to live in City of Escondido, part of San Diego County. Before purchasing a single-family home or make an investment in a multi-family property, you should first be aware of the local history, demographics, transportation, politics, education, and lifestyle in this neighborhood.

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Neighborhood

Chula Vista City in San Diego County

This article is based on seven important factors that describe how it feels to live in Chula Vista city. Before purchasing a single-family home or make an investment in a multi-family property, you should first be aware of the local history, demographics, transportation, politics, education, and lifestyle in this neighborhood.

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Neighborhood

Fallbrook Neighborhood, San Diego

This article is based on seven important factors that describe how it feels to live in Fallbrook Neighborhood, San Diego. These factors cover the local history, demographics, transportation, politics, education, and lifestyle in Fallbrook Neighborhood.

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Neighborhood

Imperial Beach City in San Diego County

This article will discuss top seven factors you should take into consideration when considering buying or renting a house in Imperial Beach city. We are summarizing for you the history, demographics, lifestyle, transportation and real estate in the city of Imperial Beach.

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Neighborhood

Encinitas City in San Diego County

This article will discuss top seven factors you should take into consideration when considering buying or renting a house in Encinitas city. We are summarizing for you the history, demographics, lifestyle, transportation and real estate in the city of Encinitas.

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Neighborhood

El Cajon City in San Diego County

This article will discuss the five essential factors you should take into consideration when considering buying or renting a house in El Cajon City. We are summarizing for you the history, demographics, lifestyle, transportation and real estate in the city of El Cajon.

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Neighborhood

Descanso Neighborhood, San Diego

This article will discuss the five essential factors you should take into consideration when considering buying or renting a house in Descanso Neighborhood, San Diego. We are summarizing for you the history, demographics, lifestyle, and transportation facilities available in the city of Descanso.

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Neighborhood

Del Mar City in San Diego County

People who live in the community state they love the fact they feel safe walking around this city alone at night. This is one part of living in Del Mar Heights that everyone mentions. They said the cool air makes for great beach walks. It's easy for people to step outside and reach the waves in minutes. Nearby beaches include North Beach, also known as Dog Beach. This is a popular place for pet owners to play in the surf with their dogs.

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Neighborhood

Colorado Neighborhood, San Diego

Looking to live in a great place so you won’t regret buying a house in the wrong place. In this article, we focus on life in Colorado Neighborhood, San Diego. We’ll summarize the history, transportation, demographics, school, and real estate so that people understand the actual value of this neighborhood.

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Regulations

San Francisco Housing Element 2022 Update Phase III Release

The Housing Element 2022 Update is San Francisco’s housing plan for the next 8 years (2022-2030) and the first one that will center on racial and social equity. It will include policies and programs that express a collective vision and values for the future of housing in San Francisco.

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Neighborhood

Cliff by the Sea Neighborhood, San Diego

Looking to live in a great place like Cliff by the Sea, read this article to have a well-rounded image about it. We’ve summarized its history, current transportation, demographics, schools, and real estate so that you can understand the quality of living in Cliff by the Sea. This area is great to invest if you’re interested to get a positive ROI. It is also an excellent area to live with upgraded buildings and low cost of living.

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Neighborhood

Carlsbad City in San Diego County

Carlsbad Neighborhood is one of the best places to live in Southern California. Read this summary about this area which includes a brief history, current transportation, demographics, school, and real estate to understand the quality of living in Carlsbad Neighborhood, San Diego.

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Neighborhood

Campo Neighborhood, San Diego

Looking to live in a great place so you won’t regret buying a house in the wrong place. In this article, we focus on all the factors why Campo Neighborhood, San Diego, is the best place to live. Read here a summary about this area to have a well-rounded image starting from its history, current transportation, demographics, school, and real estate so that you can understand the quality of living in Campo Neighborhood, San Diego.

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Neighborhood

Boulevard Neighborhood, San Diego

This article is focused on the development of the area over the years, describing the lifestyle of Boulevard Neighborhood history, demography, transportation, politics, and education.

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Neighborhood

Borrego Springs Neighborhood, San Diego

This article focuses on identifying all the main factors that describe the history, demographics, transportation, school of Borrego spring, and helpful insights if you’re looking for buying or renting single-family house or a multi-family building in Borrego Springs.

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Neighborhood

Bonsall Neighborhood, San Diego

In this article, we will present the five essential factors of Bonsall Neighborhood, San Diego, when someone is interested in buying or renting a house in this area. Learn about the history, demographics, lifestyle, and transportation facilities available in the Bonsall Neighborhood.

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Neighborhood

Bonita Neighborhood, San Diego

This article is based on different perspectives that describe what it means to live in Bonita Neighborhood, San Diego, including history, demographics, transportation, politics, education and lifestyle.

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Neighborhood

Alpine Neighborhood, San Diego

This article focuses on all the factors which identify the importance of the Alpine neighborhood, San Diego. Those are planning to buy a new development home without facing significant issues. Alpine Neighborhood, San Diego County, is the best investment you can make these days.

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Marketing

Zoning Analysis adds value to Realtors' services and real estate properties

Learn about Zoning Analysis and how it Realtors and sellers add value to a property and expand their pool of buyers.

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San Francisco

Anza Vista Neighborhood, San Francisco

Every time a large section of San Francisco is rebuilt, planners and developers promise that the final product will blend in seamlessly with the rest of the city. Will it be the same in Anza Vista? The neighborhood of Anza Vista is located in San Francisco County and is considered one of California's finest places to live. Residents of Anza Vista enjoy a dense urban feel, and the majority of residents rent their homes. Anza Vista is located between Geary Boulevard to the north, Turk Street to the south, Masonic Avenue to the west, and Divisadero Street to the east. The Anza Vista neighborhood includes some of the lands between The Presidio, Golden Gate Park, the Panhandle, and the Western Addition.

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10+1 Things to Consider Before Starting Your ADU Project

Learn from industry experts what to consider when planning to build an ADU. Learning from professionals is great because it help you avoid mistakes and gain time and money.

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California SB-9

Design Scenarios for Properties Developed under SB-9

Here you can understand, with drawings and explanations, what you could build on a lot taking into consideration SB-9 regulations.

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California SB-9

Possible Development Scenarios under SB-9 San Francisco

There are quite a few options on what you could build on your lot based on SB-9. Here we've described couple of scenarios for you to quickly understand the parameters.

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California SB-9

Ministerial approval for SB-9 Projects in San Francisco

Ministerial approval is the fastest way to get your permits and start your project. SB-9 eligible projects will successfully go thought the permit process because they skip the long and unpredictable neighborhood notification requirement and take the ministerial review path instead.

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California SB-9

Streamlined approval process for properties in San Francisco (SB-9)

Quick list of SB-9 eligible lots and criteria for properties located in San Francisco.

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California SB-9

How SB-9 applies to lots in Alameda County

Senate Bill (SB) 9 (Atkins), signed into law by Governor Newsom on September 16, 2021, allows property owners within a single-family residential zone to build two units and/ or to subdivide lot into two parcels, for a total of four units. Some details of the legislation are still unclear as some provisions are difficult to interpret and the State is still working on their guidance.

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California SB-9

How SB-9 applies to properties in Oakland?

In 2021, California has issued an exciting bill 9 that allows more units on lots where only one unit used to be allowed. Now that the framework was voted, Oakland as any other municipality has specified how the bill will apply under the local planning regulations.

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Construction Funding

How to afford buying a house in San Francisco?

Yes, you could also afford to buy a house in San Francisco! City of San Francisco offers substantial down-payment programs as well as 0% loans.

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Construction Funding

How to get free money to finance a home improvement project?

In California, for many years has become more and more difficult to own a home. The local governments have started programs to support home owners to afford to purchase and make improvements to their homes.

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Best Neighborhoods to Live in Redwood City

The price of the real estate properties in an neighborhood is usually a good indicator about the scarcity and demand for that particular area. But is this area what you're looking for when you want to move-in that neighborhood with your family? IS this a good investment opportunity? It's an up and coming neighborhood but safe enough to live there till you can cash out? When it comes to moving to Redwood City, here are the best 10 neighborhoods you should consider.

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ADU

10 Steps to Build an ADU

New to build an ADU? Here are 10 steps you need to know in order to start your project.

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Neighborhood

Bernal Heights, San Francisco

Bernal Heights is a residential neighborhood in southeastern San Francisco, California. The prominent Bernal Heights hill overlooks the San Francisco skyline and features a microwave transmission tower. The nearby Sutro Tower can be seen from the Bernal Heights neighborhood.

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Neighborhood

Visitacion Valley, San Francisco

Visitacion Valley is a neighborhood in San Francisco, California with a population of 16,890. Visitacion Valley is in San Francisco County. Living in Visitacion Valley offers residents an urban suburban mix feel and most residents own their homes. In Visitacion Valley there are a lot of restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many young professionals live in Visitacion Valley and residents tend to be liberal. The public schools in Visitacion Valley are above average.

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Regulations

California new ADU laws

California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) has prepared guidance to assist local governments, homeowners, architects, and the general public in encouraging the development of ADUs. Here is a summary of legislation since 2019 that amended ADU law and became effective as of January 1, 2020.

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ADU

ADU regulations for San Diego

San Diego county, like most of the counties in California, is following the regulations mandated by the state. However, due to the existing housing stock, there are some specifics that need to be followed when apply for an ADU in San Diego. Learn more in our article here ...

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California SB-9

What is ministerial approval process or streamline permit process?

The ministerial approval process or also called "as of right" permitting is the most favorite permitting process for a home owner or a developer who wants to get the entitlements for their project. This is the fastest way to get plans approved by the city because the review process is streamlined.

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California SB-9

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.

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San Francisco

What RM zoning means for a property 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.

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San Francisco

What RH or Single family zoning means for a property in San Francisco?

UPDATES! 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.

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Regulations

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.

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Development

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.

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Neighborhood

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.

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Neighborhood

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.

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Neighborhood

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.

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Neighborhood

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.

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Neighborhood

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.

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Development

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?

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Development

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?

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Permit Process

Apply for ADU permits online in San Francisco

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

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Development

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.

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Regulations

How 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.

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Permit Process

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.

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Regulations

What means historical buildings in San Francisco?

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

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Marketing

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.

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Design

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.

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Regulations

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.

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Regulations

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.

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Design

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.

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Permit 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.

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