Eileen Bermingham's Blog

The Deets on SF's Seismic Retrofit Program

Posted On: Friday, March 8, 2013 - 6:00am
Tags: asn francisco seismic retrofit program | Topics: Laws and Regulations

The Mandatory Seismic Retrofit Program legislation is due for its first hearing on Monday, March 18th before the Board of Supervisors Land Use and Economic Development Committee. Based on conversations I've had with various clients, friends, and colleagues, it seems like many people are a bit unclear about the details. 

I've reviewed the legislation and also have spoken to Patrick Otellini, the Director for Earthquake Safety in the Mayor's Office, so I thought

TIC Legislation On Hold for Board of Supervisors' Vote

Posted On: Monday, February 25, 2013 - 6:00am

I was interviewed for a story that aired late last week on KQED radio about the TIC legislation that's making the rounds at City Hall. It will allow some homeowners to bypass our infamous condo conversion lottery and pave a smoother way to converting their TICs to condos so they don't have to share title---and in some cases, mortgages---with their fellow neighbors.


The issue is not without controversy, as many renters feel that allowing condo conversion to become an easier

Bubble 2.0 for San Francisco Real Estate?

Posted On: Friday, July 13, 2012 - 3:56pm
Tags: san francisco real estate | Topics: Buyers and Sellers

The San Francisco market has really kicked into high gear over the past three months. Buyers are coming out of the woodwork, and to be honest, they’re creating a sense of desperation from which sellers are seriously benefiting. A variety of factors that you’ve undoubtedly read about in the media is contributing to this sudden real estate boom—tech job sector growth, astronomical rents, the Facebook IPO, rising consumer confidence.

Former Mayoral Manse on Market Again

Posted On: Thursday, June 7, 2012 - 11:30am

Less than a year after former Mayor Newsom sold his 4BR/3.5BA Ashbury Heights home at 1581 Masonic in an all-cash transaction for $2,750,000, the property is again up for sale.

TIC Market Slower, But Still Strong

Posted On: Friday, June 1, 2012 - 2:01pm

The tenancy-in-common (TIC) market in San Francisco may not be the busiest it’s ever been. After all, condo prices have fallen since the 2005-2008 market heights, and most buyers would prefer to own their own unit (vs an interest in a building, with fellow owners all on the same title).

But the TIC market is certainly not dead. A total of 120 TIC interests have sold year to date, at an average of $598,422.

Get Preapproved for a Loan Before You Start House Hunting

Posted On: Tuesday, May 29, 2012 - 6:00am

The holiday weekend is behind us, and that means many buyers will be either entering the home buying market, or may already be out there looking for their next home.

If there's one key piece of advice I can give to all of you, it's that you should get fully preapproved for a loan before you start seriously searching for a property. Of course, it's a good idea to get your feet wet and go to some open houses to get a sense for pricing and value. But before you start making appointments to

Couldn't Sell in 2009? Give It a Shot in 2012!

Posted On: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 - 2:35pm
Topics: Buyers and Sellers

Many homeowners who attempted to sell property in the 2009-2010 timeframe weren’t successful. The MLS is littered with property histories showing withdrawn or expired listings across those two years. This activity was mainly due to the fact that buyers were sitting out the market and economy, loans were a challenge to obtain, and sellers generally were looking for more money than their homes were worth.

But the variables have certainly shifted this year in San Francisco. Cash

The SF Inventory is Finally Arriving

Posted On: Wednesday, May 9, 2012 - 6:00am
Topics: Buyers and Sellers

Buyers and Realtors have been complaining about the lack of residential inventory in San Francisco since earlier this year. Indeed, it seems like buyers are fully engaged in our single-family home, condo and multi-unit offerings and have hit the market looking for property all at the same time. That means that for every cool house in a central location, there are 10-15 sets of buyers waiting to pounce.

Buyers Will Pay For "Done," Even in So-So Locations

Posted On: Monday, May 7, 2012 - 5:25pm
Topics: Buyers and Sellers

Despite most San Francisco buyers' firm proclamation at the outset of their house hunt that they won't pay for someone else's renovation, many are doing just that. One trend that doesn't appear to be slowing is that of buyers snatching up fully renovated single-family homes---and paying dearly for them, even if the homes are not in prime locations within a given neighborhood. (Because not everyone can afford a newly renovated home in the heart of Noe Valley, right?)

Mission All Grown Up---And Still Growing

Posted On: Wednesday, May 2, 2012 - 6:00am
Tags: 179 san carlos | Topics: Buyers and Sellers

I was running home on Monday morning after dropping my car off for servicing in SoMa. My route home brought me through the Mission, and I suddenly found myself reflecting on how much things have changed there since I first moved to San Francisco in the late '90s.

Back then, I remember picking up my personal trainer to go to Crunch on Van Ness at 6:00am. She lived on San Carlos and 19th, and though she was willing to take public transportation to meet me at the gym in the early morning,

Eileen Bermingham

Eileen specializes in representing buyers and sellers of single-family homes, condominiums, TICs and multi-unit buildings in San Francisco.
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