On May 8, 2009, Mick Dawson and Chris Martin set off for the Golden Gate Bridge in their 23 foot row boat envisioning San Francisco real estate?6,000 miles away and arriving 189 days later on Friday, November 13th crossing?under the bridge at 37 degrees 49 minutes.

The skipper, Dawson said, “The Golden Gate and the city beyond looked ‘like heaven’ in the bright morning light”, as they arrived. And “heaven” it is, for many of those that have traveled near and far to own a piece of San Francisco real estate here.

Just as Dawson and Chris were envisioning San Francisco for 189 days by further saying,?”if anything means San Francisco, it is that bridge”, there were also those that had been envisioning the same image of the bridge when they bought and/or sold a piece of their “heaven” during those same 189 days.

Of the 2,183 San Francisco homes on the market from May 8, 2009 to November 13, 2009 (189 days), 72 had views of the Golden Gate Bridge:

40?Homes have sold from $565.101K to $11.5M

9 Homes have accepted offers with asking prices from $775.K to $9.M.

24 Homes are still on the market for now an average of 66 days, asking from $649K to $15.2M.

Of the 2,544 San Francisco Condos, Coops, Lofts, and T.I.C.s on the market from May 8, 2009 to November 13, 2009, 117 had views of the Golden Gate Bridge.

59 have sold from $360K to $7.250M

17 have accepted offers with asking prices from $449.9K to $3.495M.

41 are on?the market an average of 61 days, asking from $419K to $8.5M.

Do you want to know how much a piece of “heaven” with a 37 Degree 49 Minute view is worth?

Ask me by emailing me at ColdwellBanker@AnnScherbert.com

The?1930’s grand dames along the?San Francisco northerly skyline have the most elegant glorious spacious?rooms?with lovely views, yet?the more dramatic?floor to ceiling windows in?buildings built thereafter?capture?more of any view.?

What is your preference in finding the best views?in San Francisco real estate??

I know?how to?get them,?email?me at ColdwellBanker@AnnScherbert.com .

Yet, it is worth knowing what the coveted 2000 block of Jefferson has been touting for decades…and that is, there is another island in the Marina District of San Francisco.

Over the years, these neighbors have shared and accumulated?documentation showing that they are living on top of an?”ancient island” that was mapped as early as?1789,? just off of?”Wash Woman Cove”.

These neighbors know the “ancient island” as “Strawberry Island” surrounded by an estuary to the West and South West and the Bay to the North and North East?extending over portions of 10 blocks in the?Marina.?

The National Geologic Map Data Base for the Marina also shows “Strawberry Island” as “Qb” made up of coarse gravel and large cobble stones.

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This little bit of Marina trival is worth?knowing, if you live on “Strawberry Island”.

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Mark your calendar as your zipcode’s 3 free days only come twice this year.

On the Northside of the city in zip codes 94115 (Pacific Heights,? Lower Pacific Heights, and Western Addition), 94118 (Presidio Heights, Laurel Heights, Jordan Park, Lake Street, Lone Mountain and the Inner Sunset) and 94121 (Sea Cliff,?Central and Outer Richmond) and 94129 (The Presidio), the free days are May 15-17 and October 2-4, 2009.

On the Northside of the city in zip codes 94123 (the Marina and Cow Hollow), 94115 (Russian Hill) and 94133 (North Beach and Telegraph Hill) ,the free days are May 29-31 and October 16-18, 2009.

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Go green and take the bus.? And start early the Academy opens on Friday and Saturday at 9:30 AM and on Sunday they open at 11:00AM.

From the West end to the central Northside of San Francisco, the bus ride easy and?scenic.

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Don’t forget to?provide?your proof of residency by either having with you, a postmarked envelope, postcard, or magazine with?your name and date. a driver’s license that was issued in the last 6 months, or?utility bill (i.e. PG&E?or cable), bank statement, or letter from?a government agency that has your name and?address.?

Go with a?friend?from the neighborhood and enjoy your free days together this spring….otherwise you will have to wait until October for your next free days.

On the Northside of San Francisco the median asking price for Condos?is now $1,095,000 and for Homes, it is now?$3,495,000.

For stellar buyers that have been eyeing?prime located Condos and/or Homes in “done” condition?on the Northside of San Francisco, they are?now able to take full advantage of? a “jumbo conforming” loan (up to) $729,750 at an?attractive rate below 5% that the Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac “conforming” loans (up to $417,000)?have been touting?for some time now this year.

Under Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac guidelines on the Northside of San Francisco:

29 Condos out of 179 Condos on the market have asking prices of $556,000 or less. Buyers for these 29 Condos are able to take full advantage of the lowest interest rates with 25% down payment and the “conforming” loan amount of $417,000.

An additional 52 Condos out of 179 Condos on the market have asking prices between $556,000 and $973,000.? Buyers for these 52 Condos are?able to take?full advantage of the lowest interest rates with 25% down payment and the?”jumbo conforming” loan of $719,750.

There is only one home out of 64 homes on the market is?asking price below $912,000 for Buyers to?take full advantage of the lowest interest rates with 20% down payment using the “jumbo conforming” loan amount of $719,750.

With the new appraisal rules, appraisers will be an “arms-distance” from the lender and a “done” condition will be a Seller’s best defense in getting an accepted offer closed.

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This year, as every year, those Marina residents that participate “In the Marina” Spring Clean Garage Sale receive a free garage sale kit (upon request) with 3 garage sale signs from its sponsor, ColdwellBanker@AnnScherbert.com

1. Each Marina participant will determine when their garage sale begins and ends by placing one sign in front of their residence and the other two signs at both ends of their street. The participants will take down their signs when their own garage sale is over.

2. The San Francisco Sign Ordinance allows for garage sale signs posted on city streets provided that: (a) The garage sale signs will be posted only on city light street posts and/or muni poles (nothing will be posted on telephone poles, stop signs, etc.), and (b) The garage sale signs clearly state the date of the event?and its sponsor.

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3. Early Saturday AM, April 25th, directional signs & mini-map-flyers will be posted on Chestnut St., Marina Blvd, Bay St., and/or Fillmore St. pointing into the Marina: (a) The mini-map-flyers on the directional signs will mark the block (not the address) where a garage sale signs kits were delivered & where one might expect a garage sale during the day, (b) Mini-map-flyers will also be available at the individual garage sale locations, and (c) The directional signs will be taken down and the mini-map-flyers removed by late Saturday afternoon on the street corners.

4. All participants are encouraged to post their own ads on www.craigslist.com and/or www.sfgate.com (San Francisco Chronicle) with the details of their garage sale (i.e. what they are selling & when they will be open) to increase everyone????s success in participating in ??œIn The Marina??? Neighborhood Annual Spring Clean Garage Sale.

5. As in years past, avid garage sale aficionados that scour the ads expect all garage sales to be promptly open between 8AM or 9AM???so Marina participants are encouraged to put their signs out early & be ready for bargain-hunters.

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6. This is a neighborhood event to have fun making some extra money, meeting one’s neighbors, keeping our neighborhood clean, and afterwards…treating ourselves well by shopping & eating out locally in the Marina.

Watch for your?door hanger…and?get?inspired to have your own Garage Sale on April 25th “in the Marina”.

So check out what you need to do to participate.

It is an annual event and timely…perhaps for you(?).

Listen to this video?(below) to understand that multiple buyers in San Francisco are?no longer waiting to?get ready?and now are taking action.?

Real Estate Rebound Video from CBS5.com

Only one lucky Buyer bought each of these homes…leaving all these other Buyers still wanting to buy and ready to buy.

With this upsurge of 1st time Buyers’ demand in San Francisco, now is the time to do your homework,?get qualified, and be ready to?get what you want.

The tide is changing in San Francisco, the sun is coming out, spring is in the air…get going!

Historically speaking the affordability standard?has never?changed over the years for 1st time Buyers.?

What did change is those Buyers with no money (that bought in recent years) had a short time view on a long term investment.

Affordability?has always been reflected in?a comfortable monthly mortgage payment with?an initial cash investment into the property (i.e. down payment) and the peace of mind of?an interest rate?that is within one’s means now and for?the long term.

Today’s 1st time Buyers have a lot more going for them by getting off the fence?with lower interest rates, the federal government paying them to buy before 12/01/09 with a $8,000 tax credit,?and affordable prices.??