woolie

Not surprised the nice video is by Steelblue. They do some great work here in the Bay Area. My favorite of their vids:

Well, as I was sitting on my patio this evening, I noticed a certain realtor taking pictures of my neighbor across the street (he's a specialist in this area, was the listing agent when I bought this house). Turns out he's about to list that house, nearly identical to my own, for 270k. He was emphatic about the local market conditions, and is trying to establish a new high water mark with this listing. Said houses are getting multiple offers, over asking. So, if he reaches his goal and establishes a 1:1 comparable house at that price... It'll be an easy decision to sell. Now, to get the jobs I have my first interviews in SF next week. Kinkaid: Yeah, it is painfully expensive. However, my salary there will be 3x my current salary here if I leave research and go into an industry position. My wife is also an experienced CPA, so we'll be rowing hard in a DINK boat. It should be manageable.

Hey again, everyone. My wife and I are considering moving to San Francisco. We're undecided on selling or renting our house out. It's a standard 3 story townhouse in midtown, 2 bed, 2 bath. One shared wall, with a nice little front yard on a pretty, low traffic street. We've put in some upgrades -- new A/C (2012), all new stainless appliances, nice new bathroom fixtures everywhere, new tile downstairs, new deck in the front yard, new landscaping, nice paint in all the rooms, etc. The area has limited inventory lately so hard to get an exact comp. New construction (dozens of houses this year) is 330k+; existing houses 240k-300k, generally selling in less than a month. In the five years I've lived here, I have never seen so much new construction, so few active listings, or these kinds of prices. So, I think 250k-260k would be realistic. For renting, 2100-2300 seems reasonable. Comparable rental houses have all been in that range, and only stay on the market a few days. Selling would help us build our down payment towards a new place. I wouldn't have the risk of paying a mortgage here if a tenant moves out or skips town. Leasing out has different benefits and risks. The market could continue to appreciate (or could just as easily crash). If our new life in SF doesn't work out that great, it'd be an escape hatch back to Houston. Now, the scary parts. We could lose a tenant and go for months without a rent check. The tenants could trash the place, or there might be an accident and major repairs needed. Additionally, I'd be a first time landlord, although my family has rented out houses before. They will still be here, my sister could help manage the property, be local phone contact for tenants, meet with contractors, etc. I could probably be persuaded either way. Looking for feedback from the community.

I lived within a block of the Fiesta for a while; it was great having a grocery store (good produce) literally outside my front door. Easy cooking. I do still shop there occasionally -- it's on my way home when I drive -- but I mostly shop at new HEB now.

I've been to NYC in the summer, and it's miserable. Miserable in winter, as well. That's not where I'm planning to move Hint: I'm a scientist and software developer.

Not surprised. I'll stack it on top of my long list of midtown disappointments.

I've lived in Midtown a long time, and it's finally starting to realize some of it's potential. I think, "Maybe I won't relocate after all, I can get the experience I want here." Then I remember that it's 100 degrees from June to September, and walking in even the best, most pedestrian friendly neighborhood is awful.

I was joking about LinkedIn peeking at my HAIF posts I figured it was the common connection. It was just amusing to me as I saw it immediately after checking this thread.

Tory just showed up in my LinkedIn "People You May Know." I guess LinkedIn has been following me on HAIF.

Good luck.

Midtown could use more highrises, though.

So, long discussion here. I'll just add that I've been thinking about San Francisco alot lately, and also visiting. Most residential buildings in SF don't have ground floor retail. Yet, it has the highest rents and is considered one of the best urban environments in the country.

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Sorry to comment on an old thread. I've had a "tin shack" near Baldwin Park for five years. The only issue with crime is people stealing my UPS/Fedex packages, and people going through my garbage looking for cans. I don't know about appreciation, but inventory is tight and prices are up significantly from when I bought. If you get a townhouse, I'd recommend a block of 3 or fewer units, not one of the 6+ unit blocks. I've replaced my AC, and might update my appliances, but those are normal aspects of owning a home, not anything particular to a townhouse. Fortunately, metal roofs tend to be durable, and also no need to repaint the metal siding. Transportation connections are excellent. Easy to walk, bike, or get on the freeway. Exceptionally quick to Montrose, Downtown, TMC, East End, etc.

UPDATE: These pieces are all for sale. Please let me know if you're interested. It would ease my heart if I knew they went to another MCM lover.