San Francisco Real Estate - Janice Lee

As the world’s second-largest economy, China is at an important turning point. China’s leadership has pledged to put the economy on the right track and be less opaque about its currency moves. Economist Stephen Green and China affairs specialist Andrew Dougherty discuss: •  The outlook for China’s economy and why a soft landing is more likely •  The case against China pulling the trigger on big, one-time devaluation of its currency •  Whether China’s leadership can manage the political and social implications of deep structural reforms •  Pockets of strength in the Chinese economy during this transition to consumption-led growth What are your expectations for China’s economy this year and can a hard landing be avoided? Stephen: I expect China’s GDP to grow in the range of 3% to 4% this year (while the official figures show something above 6%). While China faces serious challenges, I think they can avoid a hard landing. The economy is going through a tough pe...

While stock markets in the U.S. have been more than a little volatile the past month or so, the dip has been nothing compared to China. The Hong Kong Hang Seng index is down more than 21 percent so far this year and more than 38 percent from its 52-week high. So what impact will troubles in the world’s second largest economy have on the U.S. housing market? A recent article in Realtor.com, the magazine of the National Association of REALTORS®, said the shaky Chinese market may be a double-edged sword for real estate here at home. On one hand, Chinese buyers have been one of the major drivers of the Bay Area real estate market, and tough economic times could mean less competition from those offshore investors, “possibly cooling some markets and making a wee bit of room in inventory at least in the luxury market,” the article notes. But at the same time, there continues to be a very strong desire by the Chinese to invest in the U.S., which is still seen as somewhat of a “safe h...

Welcome to my second entry in the real estate series where I'll be sharing my experiences in the fascinating real estate world. This month I attended the Global and Luxury Real Estate Conference in New York where I learned of the increasing Asia opportunity and what luxury buyers are looking for. Global GDP is picking up and people are spending. Equity values increased $6.8 trillion in 2013! Real estate values are up $2 Trillion in 2013. Buyers are flocking to the big Metropolitan cities like San Francisco and New York but there is not enough inventory to quench of thirst of investors,  international buyers and local buyers. It was not all work and no play. I stayed with my good friend Liz in her new Manhattan condo that an agent I referred her help her purchase - the condo was in the center of it all and had all the amenities like a gym, hot tub, sauna, steam and movie room and even a swimming pool. I'm sold! Liz got us a private tour of DC Comics and I held the first Supe...

Many investors today want to add real estate to their investment portfolios, but they don’t understand the complex nuances of real estate investing or how to begin the process. Real estate investing is substantially different from investing in stocks, bonds, and CDs, and it can seem overwhelming to brand-new investors. Several years ago, an investor called me to buy a rental property after losing a great deal of money in the stock market. He was excited to begin his real estate investing career, but was terrified of investing in something new. In fact, at his first closing, his hands shook so much that he could hardly sign his name on the documents. Today, he owns eight houses and has become quite successful. We laugh whenever we recall how nervous he was in the beginning. But real estate investing doesn’t have to be difficult or scary. When I teach people how to invest in real estate, my philosophy is to maximize return while minimizing the risks.  When don...

J U S T  L I S T E D ! 53 Sussex Street, San Francisco Exclusively Presented by: Janice Lee 415-832-9151 janiceflee@gmail.com www.JaniceLeeHomes.com BRE #01720205   Charming three bedroom two bath spectacular VIEW home steps to Glen Park shops, restaurants and Bart. Quaint living room with wood burning fireplace, built in cabinetry, and hardwood floors. Two bedrooms, one bath on the main floor with sweeping views of the city from the kitchen. From the tiled kitchen, enjoy a view from the picture perfect windows that will take your breath away! One bedroom, family room, full bath and views on lower floor with sliding glass doors that leads you directly to the deck and stairway leading to landscaped garden. Alleyway in the back provides a sense of privacy and no back neighbors. Stunning picturesque views. Separate laundry area. Ten year young roof. One car garage. Three Bedrooms Two Baths Sweeping Views of the City Wood Burning Fireplace in Living Ro...

With foreign buyers flocking to places like San Francisco, Silicon Valley and Los Angeles to invest in U.S. real estate, the trend is beginning to have an impact on the housing industry – everything from increasing sales and prices to changing how developers design new homes and how brokerages market to off-shore investors. According to the National Association of Realtors, U.S. home sales by international buyers grew an astounding 54 percent just in the past two years to $82.5 billion in 2012. Interestingly, foreign buyers spend almost twice as much on homes as domestic buyers. One of the fastest growing groups of foreign buyers has been Chinese investors, who now are second only to Canadian buyers when it comes to purchasing U.S. real estate. The percentage of Chinese investors has more than doubled since 2007 and now makes up 11 percent of all foreign buyers. Affluent Chinese residents are facing increasing limitations from their gove...