Larry Rosen

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Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos – pictured testifying via video at a congressional hearing in July 2020 – recently announced a program in which Amazon is seeding $2 billion in funding for affordable housing.<ins></ins>

Amazon may not be all evil

Online giant is helping funding affordable housing in three cities

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos – pictured testifying via video at a congressional hearing in July 2020 – recently announced a program in which Amazon is seeding $2 billion in funding for affordable housing.<ins></ins>
Starcity, an outfit providing co-living spaces in urban areas, is developing a property at 457 Minna St. in San Francisco. <ins>(Courtesy Starcity)</ins>

Talkin’ ’bout a Starcity revolution

Company offers high-tech boarding houses and investment opportunities

Starcity, an outfit providing co-living spaces in urban areas, is developing a property at 457 Minna St. in San Francisco. <ins>(Courtesy Starcity)</ins>
Redfin’s online home-buying service becoming available in S.F. enables people selling and purchasing single-family homesto close a deal without a real estate professional.<ins> (Shutterstock photo)</ins>

Virtual home-buying in The City: Not a revolution … yet

Service new to San Francisco another blow in humans vs. technology war

Redfin’s online home-buying service becoming available in S.F. enables people selling and purchasing single-family homesto close a deal without a real estate professional.<ins> (Shutterstock photo)</ins>
During the pandemic, online searches for real estate have mushroomed because we’re fantasizing due to boredom. <ins>(Screenshot)</ins>

Redfin, take me away

COVID has become the golden age of real estate search portals

During the pandemic, online searches for real estate have mushroomed because we’re fantasizing due to boredom. <ins>(Screenshot)</ins>
With the loss of open houses due to the pandemic, home buyers are relying heavily on online real estate sources. <ins>(Screenshot)</ins>

Lack of open houses brings COVID casualties

Viewing hundreds of properties is out, hyper-targeted online searching is in

With the loss of open houses due to the pandemic, home buyers are relying heavily on online real estate sources. <ins>(Screenshot)</ins>
Pandemic-era measures to ease stresses in The City’s rental market may not be helpful to small landlords in the long run.<ins> (Courtesy photo)</ins>

San Francisco supes save the day — with a catch

Rent relief funding has strings attached in form of Proposition I

Pandemic-era measures to ease stresses in The City’s rental market may not be helpful to small landlords in the long run.<ins> (Courtesy photo)</ins>
Doorstead, a new tech firm, is finding success serving people who want to rent their property. <ins>(Screenshot)</ins>

COVID winners — but for how long?

Real estate tech firm promises guaranteed income for landlords

Doorstead, a new tech firm, is finding success serving people who want to rent their property. <ins>(Screenshot)</ins>
Much of the pandemic-era real estate action in The City is related to the glut of condominiums on the market. (Shutterstock photo)

It’s the condos, stupid

Young, new SF residents are the ones selling due to COVID-19

Much of the pandemic-era real estate action in The City is related to the glut of condominiums on the market. (Shutterstock photo)
Ingka Centres, real estate partner of Swedish furniture giant IKEA, has purchased the long-vacant building at 945 Market St. (Courtesy IKEA)

Market Musings: IKEA to the rescue?

Mayor Breed is among supporters of the retail giant moving to 945 Market St.

Ingka Centres, real estate partner of Swedish furniture giant IKEA, has purchased the long-vacant building at 945 Market St. (Courtesy IKEA)
Realtors truly are invaluable to their clients, working with myriad people involved in the complex process of buying and selling a home. (Courtesy photo)

Market Musings: Tech replacing Realtors? Please.

There are few, if any, ‘easy’ commissions for real estate professionals

Realtors truly are invaluable to their clients, working with myriad people involved in the complex process of buying and selling a home. (Courtesy photo)
Perhaps the most fun thing about matters of real estate is taking the opportunity to fantasize about owning a lake house, place on the beach or big-city penthouse. (Courtesy photo)

Market Musings: Landlord Go vs. Zillow

For a real estate break, choose dreaming over gaming

Perhaps the most fun thing about matters of real estate is taking the opportunity to fantasize about owning a lake house, place on the beach or big-city penthouse. (Courtesy photo)
During the pandemic, people buying houses in The City are seeking open space rather than proximity to bars and restaurants. (Courtesy photo)

Market Musings: An unprecedented familiarity

Home buyers interestingly seeking suburban qualities in S.F.

During the pandemic, people buying houses in The City are seeking open space rather than proximity to bars and restaurants. (Courtesy photo)
Millions of homeowners stand to benefit from refinancing as 2020 has seen very low interest rates and extraordinary effects of COVID-19. (Courtesy photo)

Market Musings: Pandemic brings new surge of refi madness

Mortgage business booms with appealing rates, uncertain market

Millions of homeowners stand to benefit from refinancing as 2020 has seen very low interest rates and extraordinary effects of COVID-19. (Courtesy photo)
To understand what is happening in The City’s real estate market during the coronavirus crisis, read beyond the headlines. (Courtesy photo)

Market Musings: Unraveling the pandemic exodus from San Francisco

A funny thing happened on the way to the apocalypse — everyone decided to leave San Francisco. Or did they?

To understand what is happening in The City’s real estate market during the coronavirus crisis, read beyond the headlines. (Courtesy photo)
While a significant number of people ages 18 to 25 have moved home to live with families since the pandemic hit, it doesn’t necessarily mean disaster for rentals. (Courtesy photo)

Market Musings: Panic button abuse

Gen Z kids living with parents won’t devastate rental market

While a significant number of people ages 18 to 25 have moved home to live with families since the pandemic hit, it doesn’t necessarily mean disaster for rentals. (Courtesy photo)
Rents will likely continue to fall and many small landlords will go bust. And then their properties will be snapped up not by ethical collectives of some kind but by big management companies. (Courtesy photo)

Market Musings: The pandemic is putting some San Francisco landlords in crisis

We have this image of “the landlord” — this predatory, over-funded, 1980s yuppie meme, polo shirt-wearing tech bro.

Rents will likely continue to fall and many small landlords will go bust. And then their properties will be snapped up not by ethical collectives of some kind but by big management companies. (Courtesy photo)
Companies such as Twitter have said that employees can opt to work at home indefinitely, but is that a good thing for San Francisco? (Courtesy photo) Companies such as Twitter have said that employees can opt to work at home indefinitely, but is that a good thing for San Francisco? Courtesy photo

How a permanent working-from-home scenario would harm San Francisco

The depth of nothing good in this scenario is impressive

Companies such as Twitter have said that employees can opt to work at home indefinitely, but is that a good thing for San Francisco? (Courtesy photo) Companies such as Twitter have said that employees can opt to work at home indefinitely, but is that a good thing for San Francisco? Courtesy photo
While hotels and airlines are major employers and hotels are major local taxpayers, homesharing — especially in a tourist-dependent city like San Francisco, is all of that and more. (Courtesy photo)

Market Musings: Why we should root for Airbnb

Of course, Airbnb hasn’t always been the most popular kid on the San Francisco block

While hotels and airlines are major employers and hotels are major local taxpayers, homesharing — especially in a tourist-dependent city like San Francisco, is all of that and more. (Courtesy photo)
Realtors can show houses again? Not so fast

Realtors can show houses again? Not so fast

As shelter-in-place rules loosen, confusion increases in San Francisco real estate market

Realtors can show houses again? Not so fast
It’s one thing to step into a home and picture yourself living there; it’s another to do it watching a video on your iPad. (Courtesy photo)

Market Musings: Are buyers purchasing homes through ‘virtual” open houses?

Some agents tell me the market is at a standstill; others say they’re moving properties

It’s one thing to step into a home and picture yourself living there; it’s another to do it watching a video on your iPad. (Courtesy photo)