Wendy Yee's Real Estate Wisdom

02/10/2025

An aerial view of the eastern side of San Francisco connected by the Bay Bridge with the visible East Bay cities of Berkeley, Emeryville and Oakland. An outstanding and dynamic area to live in with mild weather, and much natural beauty despite its high housing costs.

San Francisco, California

**San Francisco, California** 🇺🇸 is a city of breathtaking views, iconic landmarks, and a rich cultural history. Nestled along the Pacific Ocean, it is home to the world-famous **Golden Gate Bridge**, where the fog rolls in dramatically over the bay. The city's steep hills, historic **cable cars**, and colorful **Painted Ladies** make for a postcard-perfect setting. Explore the lively atmosphere of **Fisherman’s Wharf**, visit the infamous **Alcatraz Island**, or take in the views from **Twin Peaks**. From the vibrant streets of **Chinatown** to the artsy vibes of the **Mission District**, San Francisco is a city that blends innovation, history, and natural beauty like no other. 🌁🌉✨

02/10/2025

According to Lawrence Yun, NAR’s Chief Economist, job creation in January 2025 reduced the unemployment rate to 4.0%.
There was also wage growth. But there willbe a shortage of construction workers due to Trump’s immigrant deportation plan. This would not bode well for increasing much needed supply of new homes, condos and apartment buildings.

Instant Reaction: Jobs, February 7, 2025
"The number of unemployed declined by 35,000 in January, bringing the unemployment rate down to 4.0%."
https://www.nar.realtor/blogs/economists-outlook/instant-reaction-jobs-february-7-2025

12/16/2024

At Coldwell Banker Realty we are unbeatable at taking great care of our clients as we help them make their dreams a reality. Please contact me at (510)499-4543 and wjy@ msn.com if I can help you make your real estate dreams come true in the San Francisco Bay Area. CA DRE #00866538 since 1984.

08/04/2024

Enjoy this travel back in time to San Francisco in the late 1930’s after the Golden Gate Bridge and Bay Bridge were built. San Francisco is indeed one of the most beautiful and popular small big cities in the USA!🦋 (This video is courtesy of San Francisco Pictures)

07/11/2024

Useful to know about: your likely hidden costs of owning your single family home, excluding your mortgage payment.

$18,118 is the average hidden cost of owning and maintaining a single-family home in the U.S. every year, according to a recent study from Bankrate. 💰

According to Bankrate, "Everything has become more expensive in the past four years. Home prices have risen by 40% since the beginning of the pandemic. In March 2020, the median price of an existing home was $280,700, according to the National Association of Realtors. By March 2024, that figure had reached $393,500."

Moreover, insurance costs have surged, driven by escalating home values, rising construction expenses, and more frequent natural disasters, further squeezing homeowners.

Most expensive states:
1. Hawaii
2. California
3. Massachusetts
4. New Jersey
5. Connecticut

Least expensive states:
1. Kentucky
2. Arkansas
3. Mississippi
4. Alabama
5. Indiana

06/09/2024

Instant Reaction: Jobs, June 7, 2024

"Job additions are continuing at a healthy clip. A net of 272,000 payroll jobs were added to the economy in May, which is an acceleration from recent months."
https://www.nar.realtor/blogs/economists-outlook/instant-reaction-jobs-june-7-2024

02/21/2024

According to the California Association of Realtors 2024 is off to a good start. Read on…..

California had a good start in 2024 with both housing supply and buyer demand showing signs of improvement in January. While the market will likely face headwinds in the coming months as mortgage rates continue to fluctuate, the lending environment is expected to be more favorable in 2024. Rates will ease again as inflation stabilizes in the second quarter and the market could see more pent-up demand being converted into sales in the spring homebuying season.

02/07/2024

December 2023 pending home sales had a good increase in the Western Region per the NAR. Read on…….

In December 2023, pending home sales rose 8.3% month-over-month. http://spr.ly/6188powRC

02/07/2024

Just in time for Valentine’s Day! An understanding of 2023 USA buyers marital status drawn from NAR statistics.Read on….

Data from the 2023 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers shows the makeup of households and how relationships play a role in shaping homebuying decisions.

02/02/2024

Per Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist, the Federal Reserve Bank appears likely to lower interest rates as 2024 progresses. Read on…….

Instant Reaction: Federal Reserve Meeting, January 31, 2024. "As anticipated, the Federal Reserve did not alter its short-term interest rate today, keeping it at 5.375%." http://spr.ly/6186pguxj

02/02/2024

Good news! Fixed rate mortgage rates are still declining! Read on…..

Instant Reaction: Mortgage Rates, February 1, 2024. "Mortgage interest rates ticked down slightly this week to 6.63% from 6.69% the previous week." http://spr.ly/6183pWdK1