San Francisco in the Top 5 best performing Housing Markets

Of course the agents pounding the pavement in San Francisco didn't need this to let us know we've been fortunate thus far in avoiding the national housing crisis so many other counties are working through.

However, because realtors are generally considered to have an alterior motive regarding reporting the truth of that; it's nice to have a 'neutral' party come out and say so for a change.

Compiled by Forbes magazine, this is a list of the top 10 best performing Housing Markets in the nation. It shows the third quarter median home sale prices and the percentage that prices have risen compared to third quarter 2006.

Salt Lake City, UT; Median Home Sale Price: $246,700; Percent Change: 14.1 percent
Charlotte, NC, $220,000, 11 percent
San Jose, CA., $852,500, 9.4 percent
San Francisco, CA, $825,400, 8.6 percent
Raleigh, NC, $229,500, 7.5 percent
Austin, TX, $188,200, 7.2 percent
Pittsburgh, PA, $127,700, 6.1 percent
Seattle, WA, $394,700, 6 percent
San Antonio. TX, $154,700, 5.7 percent
Portland, OR., $299,700, 5.2 percent

Source: Forbes, Matt Woolsey (11/21/2007)

San Francisco Out-Perfoms the Bay Area

According to DataQuick as reported in the SF Examiner, comparing October year over year sales (2007 to 2006), every other county in the Bay Area saw declines in volume of home sales between 28% and 54%.

SF County saw a decline of only 8.2% in volume of home sales, with an increase in median home sales price of 3.9%.

CBS news reports:

'Median home values were flat or declined in October compared to the year-ago period in Alameda, Contra Costa, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties. They were up in Marin, Santa Clara, San Francisco and San Mateo counties.'

Will the sun continue to come out for San Francisco real estate? Good question. I of course have my theory's but no one knows for sure.

What I do know is that when I moved to Sydney, one of the things I missed most about home, were the foggy San Francisco days. It forces everyone to slow down just a little - everything gets a little more still and quiet and you never know what might emerge from just beyond your vision.

Hope you're out and about enjoying the fog this misty Saturday morning. I certainly intend to (300 emails behind or no...)

Parking Meters Not Enforced Today (except in Fisherman's Wharf)

I know, it's been ages since I posted. I have no excuse except to say the Real Estate market in San Francisco is far from dead - even now at the end of the year and facing the holidays.

Today the Urban Youth Gardening Conference is on at 2050 Bryant Street from 11-3pm:

But what I find most interesting is NO Parking meters are being enforced, except at Fisherman's Wharf. Don't ask us what constitutes Fisherman's Wharf - that appears to be a mystery only the traffic enforcement officers know but for more information on when/what/where the holiday parking laws are going to be enforced go to-

http://www.sfmta.com/cms/penf/holidayenf.htm