Hi everyone !! High Season is officially in South Beach ! The weather is amazing ! Yesterday I went for a walk on Lincoln Rd. and it was packed ! …tons of people walking and having dinner, all the restaurants were completely full. I was really amazed, from one day to the next the weather changed, the holidays arrived and the recession was gone hahaha. While I was walking I just kept observing all the beautiful  people visiting, having so much fun, buying stuff etc.. I could smell all the different kind of perfumes in the air, it was pretty cool.

For South Beach Rentals 123 was a pretty good month too. I had several clients, including some who rented from me a year before. I made another lease at Verdi South Beach, they did a very good job renovating that building, the glass cube in the middle has 2 bedrooms with very nice finishes. I love the kitchens in there because are big and open with lots of counter space, great design and stainless steel appliances.

This month I also had clients from France that got transferred here to work and they needed a place for a year asap. I’ve seen so many french people moving into South Beach. Everywhere I go I hear someone speaking french, sometimes I don’t know if I’m in the US anymore hehe but is really cool that South Beach is becoming more “europeanish” or how would you call it? hahaha.

*Est-ce que vous habitez en France et voulez se déplacer à Miami ? go to: Miami Beach Immobilier de Prestige !

I’m so happy because I rented my listing at “Lofts at South Beach“, is a large 1 bedroom Split-Level Loft with direct water views and is located near the Sunset Harbour marina. I was afraid not to rent it soon because it was listed for $2500 usd per month and the kitchen was not renovated. The unit itself is pretty cool but a lot of people were looking for brand new kitchens with granite counters and stainless steel appliances. I leased this unit for a year but… is still on the market for sale, is listed for $499K so… if you have any buyers interested in a great waterfront deal, we are willing to show it with 24 hrs notice.

Right now I’ve been working with a lot of people that want to move December 1st, so wait till the end of December for the Christmas update hehe.

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving weekend and talk to you soon !

Best,

Rosario Diaz.

LOFTS AT SOUTH BEACH #504

A pair of snowboarders zip down toward Copper's base area on opening day of the 2009-2010 season.

Slide into the heart of the season in Copper Mountain’s 22-foot superpipe, open as of this weekend. Pictures from the first day of action in the pipe are online at Copper Mountain’s Facebook page.

The pipe will get its first big test of the season Dec. 10 -13, when the U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix drops in for an Olympic qualifying event. Top snowboarders from Summit County and around the country will be competing for just a handful of spots on the u.S. Olympic team.

Check with Copper Colorado Condos now to reserve lodging for the event.

While snowmaking crews will make sure Copper can open more terrain in the next few weeks, all eyes are on Mother Nature, hoping she’ll deliver. The outlook for the early part of the coming week is for dry skies and seasonable temperatures. Local mountain forecasters with the Colorado Avalanche Information Center said Colorado is currently languishing in some weather doldrums in between a split flow in the Jet Stream — not unusual for early in the winter during an El Niño year. But there’s a chance of at least some light snow by Thursday.

Once you’ve worked off your Thanksgiving turkey in the halfpipe, consider sampling one of Frisco’s newest eateries, the Depot, on West Main. The family style eatery just opened a few weeks ago, with an eye toward feeding hungry skiers and snowboarders without busting the budget. Tasty breakfast burritos are just $3.95, and a family of four, with 2 smaller kids, can enjoy a full dinner for under $30 with menu items like chicken-fried steak for $6.95.

Get more information on the Depot with this Copper Colorado Condos blog post.

Not far from Copper Mountain, the Summit County Open Space department last week finalized a $900,000 deal to buy a 129-acre mining parcel in Mayflower Gulch, a popular snowshoe and crosscountry ski destination. Read an interesting Summit Daily News story by Bob Berwyn about the purchase here.

Another Summit Daily story by Berwyn outlines Denver Water’s quest to increase water diversions from the High Country to the Front Range. Plans to expand the Moffat Tunnel system could also have impacts on the Blue River Basin, in Summit County. Those effects will be discussed at an early December hearing in Keystone.

Finally, a little farther afield, read about local Colorado foods in a blog from Westword, Denver’s independent weekly.

62

Originally uploaded by katiewitry

Here’s the details for OPEN HOUSES tomorrow

I will be showing 1427 N. Galvez from 1-3PM

http://bit.ly/5mq6kh

For a virtual tour, click below

http://bit.ly/6TyKOS

822 Touro Street #2 will be shown from 4-5PM

http://bit.ly/4ubS1b

For a virtual tour, click below

http://bit.ly/1bVdKW

Also, check out other open houses tomorrow

Click the Hyperlink below to link to and view property listing(s) of interest. If after clicking the link, your Internet browser does not launch, right click on the link and Copy the Shortcut. Then paste the Shortcut into your browser’s Address Field.

XPROP Open House Report

We will find you the perfect place to live along the California Riviera.  Whether you are looking for a long term residence to lease or a short term vacation home to rent, we can help.  We represent the finest residences available for your budget.

We can help you :

• Locate a Long Term Residential lease.
• Locate a Short Term Vacation Home.
• Relocate to Orange County.
• Manage an Investment Property for Maximum ROI.
• Lease to Purchase.

We proudly serve the following communities in the area many call California’s Riviera, Orange County.

Enjoy some early season snow and sun with special lodging offers from Copper Colorado Condos.

Work off those Turkey Day calories and help fund local environmental projects by joining in the fun of Copper’s sixth annual Gobbler Chase 5K snowshoe race Saturday.

Racers will meet at 11 a.m. in the Burning Stones Plaza for registration before heading out along the loop up toward Union Creek and then along the Colorado Trail through gorgeous High Country forest scenery.

Register for the race ($25) between 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. in the race tent at Burning Stones Plaza. All proceeds go toward the Copper Environmental Foundation, funded by voluntary employee donations. The funds are distributed through grants once a year, helping local youth environmental and education projects.

Later in the day, Copper’s first En Fuego celebration of the season includes bonfires throughout the base village and a street party with a BMX stunt show and a torchlight parade down the front side of Copper Mountain.

Finally, Santa and some elves will skydive into the village to light Copper’s holiday tree.

Get information on other local arts and entertainment events with the Summit Daily News calendar.

In local news, Summit County is revamping its building and development codes to encourage installation of solar systems and other renewable energy features. Read the story here.

In Frisco, the Jewish community is opening a new resource center.

Read about a Breckenridge woman’s mountain bike adventures in Afghanistan.

EARLY SEASON DEALS
Come back for more early season fun and book now to take advantage of special rates with Copper Colorado Condos.

Book 3 or more nights in our condos in Copper Junction, Tucker Mountain, or Summit House, and take 20% of the rental rate. We’ll  bake  some fresh cookies for your arrival.

Book 3 or more nights between Friday, November 27th and Friday, December 4th in our Cirque, condo, and take 15% off the rental rate.

Contact us anytime, even on Thanksgiving, to lock-in your post-Thanksgiving Copper Mountain vacation.

CONTACT INFO
Copper Colorado Condos
PO Box 226
Frisco, CO 80443
970-485-1046
coppercondos@hotmail.com
Click here to follow us on Twitter
Click here to visit our Facebook page

Visit Copper Mountain after Thanksgiving and enjoy more room on the slopes and great lodging deals with Copper Colorado Condos.

We are completely booked for Thanksgiving, but consider one of these great offers for your after Thanksgiving fun on the mountain!

Book 3 or more nights in our condos in Copper Junction, Tucker Mountain, or Summit House, and take 20% of the rental rate. We’ll even bake you some fresh cookies for your arrival.

Book 3 or more nights between Friday, November 27th and Friday, December 4th in our Cirque, condo, and take 15% off the rental rate.

Contact us anytime, even on Thanksgiving, to lock-in your post-Thanksgiving Copper Mountain vacation.

CONTACT INFO
Copper Colorado Condos
PO Box 226
Frisco, CO 80443
970-485-1046
coppercondos@hotmail.com
Click here to follow us on Twitter
Click here to visit our Facebook page

On November 6, President Obama signed the Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 into law, extending and expanding the important home buyer tax credit, and thereby providing many Americans with just the break they need to buy a first home or move up to a new home.

One of the requirements for becoming a Member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network® is to provide my community with critical real estate information so you can make the best possible decision when buying or selling a home.

To that end, I wanted to pass along some key facts about the extended and expanded tax credit that are critical for you to understand in order to take advantage of this opportunity: 1. Eligibility: The tax credit is now available for first-time home buyers and eligible current homeowners. A first-time home buyer is an individual who has not owned a principal residence during the three-year period prior to the purchase. This law applies for both parties in a married couple; if you haven’t owned a home for three years, but your husband has, then neither one of you can qualify for the tax credit. A qualified current homeowner who wished to move to a different home, must have owned and resided in their residence for five consecutive years out of the last eight. 2. Salary requirements: Single taxpayers with incomes up to $125,000 and married couples with a joint income up to $225,000 qualify for the full tax credit. Single taxpayers who earn between $125,000 and $145,000, and married couples who earn between $225,000 and $245,000 are eligible to receive a partial credit. 3. Amount of credit: The maximum credit amount for first-time home buyers is $8,000; the maximum credit amount for current homeowners is $6,500. The federal tax credit amounts to 10% of the cost of the home, up to a maximum credit of $8,000 for first-time home buyers and $6,500 for current homeowners. Under the new legislation, a tax credit may only be issued for homes purchased for $800,000 or less.

 The tax credit is a true credit—it does not have to be repaid unless the homeowner sells or stops using the home as their principal residence within three years after the purchase. 4. It’s refundable: The tax credit is fully refundable, meaning the credit will be paid out to eligible taxpayers, even if you owe no tax or the credit is more than the tax owed. The credit is claimed using Form 5405, which you file with your original or amended tax return. 5. Timeline: The credit is available for homes purchased on or after November 7, 2009 and before May 1, 2010.

 The federal income credit can be claimed on one’s individual or joint tax return for the purchase of any single-family home (newly-constructed or resale, single-family detached, townhomes or condominiums) between the dates of November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010. Home purchases subject to a binding sales contract signed before May 1, 2010 will also qualify for the tax credit as long as closing occurs by June 30, 2010. For more information on the home buyer tax credit, e-mail me or visit www.irs.gov.

Please forward this email to friends and family who may also be able to take advantage of this unique opportunity to purchase the home they’ve always wanted.

Sincerely, Blayne

 Blayne Pacelli

 Rodeo Realty

 Top 5 in Real Estate Member

BlayneSellsHomes@sbcglobal.net

 www.BlaynePacelli.com

Contact Ten Palms

                   Rhonda

Ten Palms Cleaning Services
2725 Shoreview ct.
Navarre Fl.32566
Open Seven Days A Week 7:00am- 7:00pm
Licensed & Insured
850-699-7484
Fax No# 888-725-5430

Contact us by  Email at   rhonda@tenpalmscleaning.com
Website www.tenpalmscleaning.com

Give us a call here at Ten Palms to do your cleaning after moving
out or before you move in to your new home!                     
                                      850-699-7484

Email us at rhonda@tenpalmscleaning.com
We do the moving out or moving in cleaning on your schedule
with no waiting so you can stay on track with your scheduled
plains.

All Rooms
All Floors vacuuming, sweeping  and mopping
All Doors both sides and trim
All Windows and window cells
Base boards, celling fans, light fixtures and plug ins,
Corners and cobwebs
Patio
Laundry room
Kitchen all cabinets and drawers inside and out, top of cabinets,
closets,all appliances if any,counter and counter tops,sink
Bathrooms top to bottom,mirrors,sink,showers,tubs,toilets
Trash and trash cans

Are you ready to move out. We
recommend that you call Ten Palms
Cleaning Service to clean up the
place for you. They do a wonderful
job cleaning getting the ready for
the next family to move in.

We are all packed up and ready to
move on to our new home. We call
Ten Palms Cleaning to do the finial
moving cleaning for us so we
could get moving to our new home.
They do a superb job cleaning up
we recommend that you give them
a call.

 

 Condo Departure Cleaning

Call Ten Palms Cleaning Service for all your departure cleanings
at 850-699-7484 or email us at rhonda@tenpalmscleaning.com

All Appliances inside and out,refrigerator,stove,microwave
Dishes
All cabinets and drawers inside and out and organizing
Sink and counter tops
Take out all Trash and clean all trash cans
Sweeping,vacuum and mopping floors
Patio and patio furniture,balcony railing and floor
Dusting all furniture, knick knacks,pictures and removing cobwebs
Sliding glass doors and tracks
Windows and mirrors
Making all beds and sofa bed
Underneath  all furniture and behind
Dusting lamps
Bathrooms top to bottom inside and out cabinets and drawers, corners,
shower/tub and shower tiles and walls,toilet,mirrors,sink and counter
tops
sweeping and mopping floor, putting fresh linens in bathrooms,trash
and trash     cans
Wipe down washer and dryer,removing lint from lint filter

“As part of our global asset allocation, we are targeting Florida as one of the areas with the most potential to recover value on the residential side,” said Shlomo Cohen,  vice president of real estate for Dizengoff-Trading Group which just completed the purchase of 115 condo units in Palm Beach.  The same Isreali based company completed the purchase of 118 condos in Jensen Beach in September.

The weak dollar and market which by many accounts has reached bottom is fueling a flurry of investment is Florida.  I see many great deals here in our Sarasota/Bradenton market and are working on many purchases with foreign investors.  Now is the time to back into the market.

FINALLY… The Long awaited Project in D9

is Coming on 26 Nov 09

FROM $8xxk !!!$8xxk !!

Prime District 9, Mins Walk to Somerset MRT & ORCHARD ROAD!

ESPADA @ St Thomas Walk

Developer: Novelty Group
Project Name: Espada
Location: St Thomas Walk, D09
Tenure: Freehold
Land Size: approx 38,756sqft
Facilities: Tennis Court, 4xPool, Spa, Gym, Sky Terrace, Sports Bar, etc
Est TOP: 15 DEC 2014
Total Units: 232 luxurious units

Unit Types for Selection

Typical Units

1 bedroom sizes from 344 / 355 / 377 / 452 / 560sqft – Total 141 units

1 + Study from 646 & 689sqft - Total 56units

2 bedrooms from 667 & 721sqft - Total 27 units

Penthouse Units

1br / 1+S / 2br Penthouses from 657sqft to 1313sqft – Total 8 units

(all sizes quoted are estimates and subject to change as required by authority)

Estimated Prices:

1 Bedroom from $8xxk !

1+Study from $1.5xx m

2 Bedrooms from $1.6xx m

WHY ESPADA??

TOP 5 SELLING POINTS!

1)FREEHOLD, PRIME DISTRICT 9,MINS TO SOMERSET MRT AND ORCHARD ROAD !

2)FROM $8xxk only! Very Affordable price to own a masterpiece in Orchard road! Where else can u find such attractive properties in  prime d9,Orchard ,Brand new and freehold yet near mrt?

3) 3 Different level of facilities apartment and iconic building sitting on top of the hill in orchard which give you a 5 star living lifestyle,where else?

4)Investment Return,Estimated >$3500pm for 1 bedroom..which enjoy > 4% pa in return..isn’t sound good better than rest your $ with the bank or cpf board??

5) Quality Finishing> Branded Stuffs provided by developer( Lema , Bontempi,Gaggenau,Gessi and duravit)..Classy …like driving a ferrari,owning a LV or Prada  ..branding shown different in you!

Amenities Nearby:
• Sommerset MRT Station (Est 5 Mins walk)
• Orchard Road shopping belt (Est 10 mins walk)
• Vibrant Nightlife & Urban Living (Cineleisure,Heeren,TakaShimaya,Paragon etc)
• Excellent Rental Yield due to shortage of small units in the city (>4%-5%)
• Great Investment Grade project with Super Potential Capital Gain when economy pick up.

(ST 9/11/09 Economic Growth 3% Next Year: MM )
• Short drive to future MARINA and SENTOSA Integrated Resorts (Estimated 15-20mins)
• CIRCLE LINE COMPLETION 2010 and 2011..MINS to CBD and travelling thru city and towns..so convenience!

A well planned out family vacation is a tradition in most American families. Come Christmas season and everyone is making preparations to head for their favorite vacation spot for which they may have saved up, from the beginning of the year. Have you made plans for the winter? What is your idea of a perfect vacation? If you are looking to spend your Christmas by the seaside, then A1 Beach Rentals in Lincoln City, Oregon is the place to be.

Christmas near a beach

Not many are enthusiastic about spending their Christmas near a beach, but this vacation rental begs to differ. You can enjoy activities like Whale Watching, Storm Watching, Kite Flying and Beach Combing for those who would like to try something they have never done in their lifetime. A1 Beach Rentals has many luxurious beach houses and condos to choose from which are just situated a few feet away from the beach. All their condos are designed with a traditional, contemporary feel with access to all amenities close by. The sea side whets your appetite so prepare to visit all the famous restaurants situated around your vacation rental. Don’t forget to visit the famous Chinook Winds Casino.

To book your beach house in Lincoln city Oregon, call (503)232-5984 or fill out this form. They will get back to you as soon as possible. Meanwhile visit their website at www.a1beachrentals.com for more information on their 26 beach club condos.

Adam Vaughan would like to see developers alter their philosophy.

“Developers are very existential. They look at what sold yesterday and they want to build that today to sell tomorrow.”

In this case, the Toronto city councillor for the Trinity-Spadina ward is calling on builders to do more to accommodate families who want to live downtown. Condominium buildings, he says, should offer more of the condo sizes, services and stores that make that possible.

“We need to effectively get them to become a vertical neighbourhood.”

For their part, builders are answering the call with amenities such as daycare centres and recreation facilities. They are also asking designers to stretch their creativity and come up with units that provide three bedrooms without swelling in size so much that only the ultra-wealthy can afford to buy them.

In Mr. Vaughan’s opinion, the family-oriented offerings have improved in the past few years, but not enough to meet the needs of a city that has made increasing density and reducing sprawl part of the official plan.

Mr. Vaughan has put forward an amendment to the city’s official plan that would require builders to offer more units that cater to households with children.

If they don’t, he says, enrolment in downtown schools will continue to decline, libraries won’t load shelves with children’s books and new daycare centres won’t appear.

“The family-friendly services you require to stay downtown won’t be downtown,” Mr. Vaughan says. “The current trajectory makes the situation worse and worse over time.”

Builders need to provide a mix of affordable housing, he says, because if they don’t, only the affluent will be able to live downtown and affluent parents have fewer kids.

The change would require that 10 per cent of all units in large downtown developments be built with either three bedrooms and up, or have the ability to easily be converted to three bedrooms and up. To achieve the latter, Mr. Vaughan says, developers are looking at making walls that move, for example, so that floor plans can be reconfigured.

Builders are coming forward with their objections and suggestions, meanwhile, and the Building Industry and Land Development Association is collating views. Mr. Vaughan expects the draft policy will need some tweaking.

Since taking office, he says, he has asked developers building in his ward to voluntarily provide a minimum of 10 per cent of their units as three-bedroom residences.

Of the applications Mr. Vaughan has approved in his ward in 2007 and 2008, the voluntary approach led to 516 three-bedroom units out of 4,864 units.

He compares that with the period between January, 2005, and December, 2006, in the ward, when only 73 of the 2,551 units approved contained three bedrooms.

Jim Ritchie, senior vice-president of sales and marketing for Tridel, says some customers do ask for three-bedroom condos, but the demand is relatively meagre compared with the numbers of people who want compact one- and two-bedroom units.

“We have sold to families in most of our communities for many years.”

The problem for developers, he says, is that land downtown is so expensive to acquire that larger condos have to be sold at rich prices. Families who have the means to spend upward of $1-million for a property will likely opt for a house with a backyard and a barbecue.

Mr. Ritchie says it’s not unusual for people to ask to have two condo units combined, say, or tailored to accommodate a disability. His team reshapes suites for all kinds of reasons.

“If people tell us they want a three-bedroom home, I’ll have one designed and we’ll sell it to them.”

But the Tridel executive doesn’t like the idea of the 10-per-cent mandate.

“Can children live happily in a condo? Of course they can.”

But most condo owners are first-time buyers, he says. They often use an affordable condo as an entry into the real-estate market.

“To build a three-bedroom condo and keep an end price that works is difficult,” he says.

To keep costs in line, Tridel has come up with an 822-square-foot unit that offers two bedrooms plus a den. The company first offered the family-friendly suite in a high-rise building at Front and John streets. Customers liked it, so Tridel has since replicated the design in other projects.

The compact design eliminates wasted space in hallways and other underutilized areas so that it can offer the bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen and living room that a family needs.

At Lanterra Developments, president Barry Fenton says, the company finds that many clients are interested in selling their big house in Milton and moving to the centre of the city.

He points to the company’s Ice developments near the Air Canada Centre, which offer nearby parks, lots of shopping and a short hop to the temples of hockey, basketball and baseball.

Downtown schools are excellent, he says. At Lanterra’s downtown Residences of Maple Leaf Square, it built a daycare centre into the complex, and condo owners have first chance at available spots.

And while condos have traditionally appealed to singles and couples, he says, they increasingly draw empty nesters too. In some cases, owners want to accommodate older kids who are away at university and come home to the condo for weekends and holidays.

Lanterra builds in extra closets, condenses some of the hallways and uses a more open plan to give lots of living space for families. People who are moving from a large house like the brand new kitchen and broad expanses of glass.

In many cases, he says, they are glad to give up a larger house and the chores that go with it.

“They’re not replacing their 2,000-square-foot house in Milton with a 2,000-square-foot condo downtown. They have to downsize.”

Mr. Vaughan understands that some developers are nervous about the proposed plan amendment. He says some fear that the city will force them to build units that don’t dovetail with their financing.

Banks often require a certain percentage of the units to be sold before they will lend money for building. And clients are reluctant to sign up for a big condo that won’t be ready for a few years. If they need more space, they probably need it right away.

So Mr. Vaughan is waiting to hear the suggestions of the developers.

But he would like them to keep the family-friendly mix so that downtown neighbourhoods remain vibrant. It doesn’t work, he explains, to have builders determining the shape of future communities based on what they can sell today.

“The market can’t do the planning in Toronto. Toronto has to do the planning.”

For those of you who just can’t get enough colorful squiggly lines on graphs we thought that we would just post this new data. It seems as though the continuing trend in Santa Clara County remains more pending sales and less actives ones, and that includes condos as well as single family homes. All those buyers (and investors) and buyers agents must be wondering where are all those “shadow foreclosures” when the buyers need them?

(Click on graph for larger image)

$6,500 Homebuyer tax credit for homeowners

you may qualify for the $6,500 if…

1.0
You have owned a home for five consecutive years out of the past eight years.  This home must have been your primary residence.

2.0
You purchase a different home as your primary residence.  This home’s purchase price cannot exceed $800,000.  If it does , you are not eligible for any portion of the credit.

3.0
You do not need to sell your former primary residence.  You may lease it, sell it or give it away.

4.0
Your income does not exceed $125,000 filing individually or $225,000 if married filing jointly.  Even if you do make more you may be eligible for a smaller credit.

5.0
You must purchase the home sometime from November 7, 2009 to April 30, 2010.  You must have signed purchase/sales agreement during that time.  And have proof of purchase for your tax return.

6.0
You get an additional 60 days to close financing or on sale July 1, 2010

7.0
You must be 18 years of age or older.

First-time Home-buyer’s tax credit limit equals $8,000

Who qualifies:

You have not owned a home for the past three years.

Your income does not exceed $125,000 filing individually or $225,000 married filing jointly.
(If your income is more, you may still qualify , but a sliding scale.)

You get an additional 60 day grace period to close financing

The home you by must be your primary residence.

What you get:
A tax credit that equals 10% of the value of the home up to $8,000.
If you do not owe $8,000 in taxes you receive the balance in a stimulus check to you.
If you sell your house within three years  there are penalties.

Resources:

www.wahomeowners.com
A great site for homeowners.

www.homeloans.va.gov
VA home loans.

Washington State housing finance commission: www.wshfc..org
Low-interest loans, down payment assistance, and first-time home buyer classes.

Homeownership in Washington: www.homeownership-wa.org
Another great nonprofit resource web site.

Homesite Washington:  www.homesightwa.org
Help for low to moderate income families looking to buy a home.

Fannie Mae:www.fanniemae.com
Competitive loans and a great buyers resource.

HUD Help for homeowners:www.hud.gov
Free foreclosure avoidance counseling.

Making homes affordable: www.makinghomesaffordable.gov
government-sponsored programs to refinance your home or loan modification.

Washington Association of mortgage professionals: www.wamb.org
trade association for mortgage professionals as well is excellent information for consumers

Realtor.com:www.realtor.com
The world’s largest database of homes for sale.

Susan

www.susanknowshomes.com

There’s a theory that if you flood the market with something you will reduce the price of that something.  Flood the world with bananas and the banana prices will go down.  Flood the market with gasoline and gasoline prices drop. 

This same theory holds that if you build more and more housing the price of housing will come down.  But this doesn’t happen.  In fact, the opposite happens.  Think of the densest cities on earth:  Tokyo, London, Singapore, New York, even San Francisco.  The prices are very high. 

Now, think of some communities you may not have thought of in a long time:  Susanville, Pixley, Alturas.  Did you realize you can buy a 4-bedroom home in wooded Chester California for $150,000?  Even in high-priced California there are spectacular home bargains.

So, what happened to San Francisco?  As San Francisco is built up with more and more housing, the prices go up, not down.  Well, it’s like this.  People like to be around other people.  The more people you push together in an area, the more people want to live in the area.  People want to be with other people.  They want to experience the culture others have to offer.  They want to go out to restaurants and see other people.  They want to have the crowd experience of the movies, concerts, live theater, and softball games.  Pack people densely enough and everybody wants to be there.  Then you begin to get bidding wars where people will keep trying to outbid each other to buy homes.  That’s exactly what happened in the decade prior to the economic collapse of two years ago. 

San Francisco has always been expensive compared to other communities, but when it was at its most affordable was during the 1960s and 70s when people took flight to the suburbs.  The population of San Francisco went down dramatically.  Fewer people living here meant fewer people wanted to live here.  The “law” of supply and demand did not work. 

As the limits were taken off home building in the 1990s in the name of creating “affordable housing” and the building codes governing live-work lofts were relaxed, a building boom ensued.  Nearly every inch of undeveloped land South of Market was soon filled with junk condos.  And Chris Daly was the main proponent of this wholesale construction.  Prices went through the roof.   Once again, the “law” of supply and demand did not work.

Solution:  The way to solve the housing price situation in San Francisco is to stop building.  If we become as densly built as Tokyo, we will have housing prices like Tokyo.  Believe me, you won’t want that.

[Source: Mike Sunnucks, Phoenix Business Journal] – Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon extolled the economic resilience of downtown Phoenix [last] week during this annual “State of Downtown” speech.  Gordon said Arizona State University’s expansion of its downtown campus, construction of the mixed-use CityScape project, and the light rail system are helping the area. He also said while sales tax revenue is down citywide, it is up 13 percent in downtown Phoenix.  “Yes, it’s been a tough year economically for everyone.  You’ve heard all about it, read all about and felt it,” Gordon said.  “But in spite of it all, we’ve still got a lot going on in downtown Phoenix.”

Notwithstanding the mayor’s optimism, downtown Phoenix faces some economic problems.  High-rise condominium developers face questionable financial futures because of troubles with pricing and occupancy.  The Hotel Monroe redevelopment at Central Avenue and Monroe Street remains stalled, and the boarded-up building has become a haven for pigeons.  The total amount of vacant space in downtown Phoenix stands at 1.05 million square feet — up from 630,400 square feet in the first quarter of 2007, according to Colliers International.  The downtown vacancy rate is 13.8 percent, compared with 8.5 percent in first-quarter 2007, according to Colliers.

Downtown also is feeling the effects of pulled-back consumer spending.  A number of downtown businesses have closed because of the recession, including Weiss Guys Car Wash at Grand Avenue and Van Buren Street and the China Inn restaurant at the Colliers Center.

The two downtown pro sports teams also face economic challenges.  The Arizona Diamondbacks had a poor season on the field and drew about 381,000 fewer fans than in 2008, according to ESPN.  The Phoenix Suns have gotten off to strong start on the court — but, like other sports teams, they face hurdles in attracting and keeping fans during the consumer doldrums.  [Note: Read the full article at Despite mayor’s optimism, downtown Phoenix feels real estate, consumer stress.]

Come join me at one or both of my open houses today before you head over to the 3rd annual Po-Boy Fest

822 Touro Street Unit 2 11am-1pm

801 St. Joseph Street #3 2pm-4pm

Chris Daly sits on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the combined city and county ruling board that makes public policy.  Among his public policies was the build “moderate income” housing at all costs.  And the costs have been plenty.  Whole neighborhoods have been uprooted while junk condos have been stuck in every corner of South of Market (the area south of Market to Townsend, 3rd Street to Van Ness). 

It’s gotten so bad that machine shops have closed because the neighbors don’t like the noise, even though most of these shops don’t operate past about 6pm.  Nightclubs that used to be able to have live performers are stymied by the junk condo owners who want SF to be another Walnut Creek. 

It doesn’t matter that the clubs and the shops were there first.  The condo owners outnumber them.  The SFPD is going to listen to 6 condo owners rather than 1 or 2 club owners, even if the condo owners are clearly wrong. 

This happened several years ago when the owners of Holy Cow were cited by the SFPD for noise problems.  The owners said that they had plenty of noise insulation.  They brought out sound engineers with decibel meters to measure.  Sure enough, the sound wasn’t leaking.  As far as anyone can tell, the complainers either heard sound from elsewhere or they were simply trying to have the club shut down. 

I don’t believe in a “right” to moderate income housing.  I don’t believe that every square inch of San Francisco must be “developed” into junk condos.  I happen to like empty lots and old houses and places where people can build furniture and fix things. 

Oh, and Chris Daly, what became of him?  The carpetbagger bought two homes in Fairfield, 45 miles away!  Oh, he claims to still live in San Francisco, but what kind of living is it if he’s moved his family away and spends all his off-time with them?  As far as I’m concerned Chris Daly should be ousted from the Board of Supervisors. 

But why is he staying?  So he can get a city pension.  Meanwhile, he has destroyed communities in San Francisco.