Ms. San Francisco Real Estate (Janice Lee)

  The Bay Area’s housing market certainly has come a long way since the recession, with sales recovering in every price segment from entry-level distressed properties through multi-million-dollar Previews estates. And although prices took a hit from 2008 through 2010, valuations have also turned the corner and have been heading higher once again as well. While the market improvement is to be celebrated, I’m constantly reminded of just how fragile this recovery is – and why we shouldn’t take it for granted. Don’t get me wrong: I’m the last guy to see the cup as half empty. But we continue to face serious economic headwinds that could slow down or even reverse the encouraging gains we’ve seen in the market over the past year or so. I was interviewed by the San Jose Mercury on Wednesday and told reporter Pete Carey that improvement in the Bay Area housing market could quickly turn in the other direction if consumer sentiment grows worse over Euro-zone fears and

Some home buyers fall for common pitfalls when purchasing a home. How can you help make sure your clients don’t fall for one? Credit.com recently featured some of the biggest mistakes home buyers often make. Their list included: 1. Trying to fix credit scores before buying a home.  Home buyers may do more harm than good if they don’t consult a financial expert first. “Even paying down credit card balances, which is a good thing as far as your credit scores and debt ratios are concerned, could be a problem if it leaves you short the cash you need to qualify to get the loan,” says Gerri Detweiler, Credit.com’s personal finance expert. 2. Not considering the future enough in their purchase.  Buyers should consider what they want out of a house not just for today but also five or 10 years down the road. Do they plan to expand their family? If so, they may need a bigger home and want a different location. Also, how long do they plan on staying at the home? That can h

Bay Area home sales held at a six-year high last month as activity rose across the price spectrum, with the $500,000-plus market logging the biggest gains from last year. The trend toward more mid- to high-end deals, coupled with fewer foreclosures re-selling, helped the median sale price rise year-over-year for the second consecutive month, to a 22-month high, a real estate information service reported. A total of 8,810 new and resale houses and condos sold in the nine-county Bay Area last month. That was up 14.8 percent from 7,675 in April, and up 26.1 percent from 6,988 in May last year, according to San Diego-based DataQuick. Last month’s sales were the highest for a May since 2006, when 9,935 homes sold. Since 1988, when DataQuick’s statistics begin, May sales have varied from a low of 6,216 in 2008 to a high of 13,567 in 2004. Last month’s sales were 8.8 percent below the average number sold in May since 1988. A year earlier, in May 2011, Bay Area sales

Buyers were out in force this spring, pushing home sales up across the board, according to several recent market reports. The overall housing market saw the best April in six years, according to DataQuick, the La Jolla-based real estate research firm. And our own Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage luxury reports found surging high-end sales from Marin to Silicon Valley and across to the East Bay. First the DataQuick report: Sales of single-family homes were up 13.1 percent from the previous April to the highest level for that month since 2006. Led by San Mateo with a whopping 34 percent increase, six counties enjoyed double-digit sales increases, including San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Sonoma and Contra Costa counties. Alameda County sales were up 6 percent from a year ago. Only Napa and Sonoma counties were down fractionally. DataQuick analysts said the new report indicates that market stress is easing and fence sitters are moving to take advantage of

Janice Lee International President’s Circle Top Producer, Realtor TRI Coldwell Banker Previews International 415-832-9151 JaniceFLee@Gmail.com www.JaniceLeeHomes.com DRE #01720205

I just listed 2261 Bush #1, a beautiful two bedroom condo in Lower Pacific Heights steps to vibrant Fillmore Street restaurants and shops. Please see www.2261BushStreet1.com for more information. Janice Lee International President’s Circle Top Producer, Realtor TRI Coldwell Banker Previews International 415-832-9151 JaniceFLee@Gmail.com www.JaniceLeeHomes.com DRE #01720205

2261 Bush Street #1 is a beautifully remodeled two bedroom one bath Lower Pacific Heights condo located just steps from vibrant Fillmore Street. This bright unit features a large open living room with wood burning fireplace, dining area, remodeled kitchen and deeded patio. The kitchen is equipped with honed granite countertops, modern light fixtures, designer backsplash, under-cabinet lighting, stainless steel refrigerator, gas stove, microwave and dishwasher. The master bedroom has a spacious closet with built-in shelving. Bamboo flooring, new double paned windows, both recessed and track lighting, deeded storage and 1 car deeded parking complete this unit. The spacious bathroom features new light fixtures, a beautiful vanity and shower over tub. With a Walk Score of 100, 2261 Bush #1 is conveniently located within a block of all the restaurants and shops that Fillmore Street has to offer. Total of 2 bedrooms, 1 bath Open living floor plan with wood burni

The weather is warming up and we all know what the means: the fight to beat the heat begins! Clients often ask for tips on how to make their home more energy efficient to save on energy costs, especially during the warm summer months. The good news is that there are a variety of simple things you can do every day to cut back on your energy usage while still beating the heat—and putting a little green back in your wallet: Plant trees to shade your home and help reduce your cooling costs Use your microwave to cook meals and in by doing so, you’ll use two-thirds less energy than your stove When running your dishwasher, run only full loads and let your dishes air-dry Health permitting, turn up your thermostat to 78 degrees when you are at home and 85 degrees or off when you are away Use fans and ceiling fans, if you have them Avoid running your appliances during the peak hours of 4:00 to 6:00 pm