Startup among latest efforts to help teachers afford Bay Area housing

When Wendy Gudalewicz heard about a new startup aimed at helping homebuyers afford down payments, she called her daughter Jamie right away. "You need to check this out," she said. Jamie Carota, an East Oakland renter who teaches science at Itliong-Vera Cruz Middle School in Union City, has been searching intensively for a house in San Jose for about half a year. So far, she says, the process has been "defeating." The 27-year-old has toured over 30 houses in the last eight weeks and scours the real estate website Redfin several times a day. But her husband also works in education, and their salaries put most homes out of range as Bay Area prices continue to rocket to new heights.
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America's Most Desperate Kitchens

Look at this amazing makeover!
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ATTENTION SAN FRANCISCO Luxury Home Owners! Do you know how much your home is really worth? It may surprise, even shock you.
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Are you a fan of the rustic modern look of this dining space? Would you love this decor in your new home?

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Average US 30-Year Mortgage Rate Rises to 3.45 Percent

ortgage giant Freddie Mac said Thursday the average for the benchmark 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose to 3.45 percent from 3.42 percent last week. The average rate is down sharply from 4.04 percent a year ago.
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This colorful wallpaper really makes this bathroom pop!

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S.F.’s residential towers encase tenants in urban luxury

Kristie Locks is making the case for life in Rincon Hill’s newest apartment tower, where rents for a 619-square-foot, one-bedroom unit start at $4,065, and the bells and whistles are state of the art. There’s a refrigerated room off the lobby to store deliveries of fresh groceries. Two “board rooms” can be reserved with seating for eight. A concierge is on duty 24 hours a day. An app lets you pay the rent, tell the valet to retrieve your car, or schedule a dog-walker or an in-room massage. “This is the new way of living,” said Locks, senior leasing agent for the Jasper, which stacks 320 apartments in a 40-story shaft behind the gas station at the entrance to the Bay Bridge. “People love how techie our units are. It’s San Francisco!” The Jasper is one extreme of what I call Extreme Living: the packaged lifestyles being dangled before potential residents of all those buildings taking shape above the streets of the city’s northeast corner. We long-timers may resent blocked views, or be dumbfounded by the prices. But the past decade has proved that people who want to live in San Francisco and can afford it — an important distinction — aren’t just looking for Victorian charm and bohemian funk. For many of them, modern amenities are as seductive as that little cafe around the corner.
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Wow, this built in lounge & fire pit makes the perfect addition to this beautiful pool home!

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A Minimalist Manifesto: How To Simplify Your Style at Home

Sometimes, our homes can overwhelm us. What should be a place of retreat and comfort becomes bloated with items not needed, styles experimented with and abandoned, and projects started but never completed. While a good Spring Clean (whenever it happens) is always welcome, sometimes you want to go even further than that and streamline your style, too. Read on for our Minimalist Manifesto, and for ideas on how to simplify your home.
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Best Places to Live

U.S. News analyzed the 100 most populous metro areas to find the best places to live. To make the top of the list, a place had to have good value, be a desirable place to live, have a strong job market and a high quality of life.
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This looks like the perfect setup to relax in after a long day!

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Easy, Affordable DIY Projects to Increase the Value of Your Home

Consider tackling these jobs before crunch time.
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Here is your opportunity to own a home at substantial savings!

EXCLUSIVE List of SHORT SALE HOMES in San Francisco
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Look at this incredible kitchen pantry! Is this a must have for your new home?

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New Listings Low in Bay Area Real Estate Market | Published: 7/13/2016 | Homesnap Real Estate News

New listings have fallen in the SF Bay Area market, reaching a low that hasn't been seen since April. They also had a 30-day tally of 6,323 sales. With a total of 1,827 new listings, Alameda County contributed the most. Potential buyers should note that prices are coming down in the Bay Area Metro Area, and for this period the median sales price slid from $760,000 to $758,000. There are only two months of inventory available in the Bay Area Metro Area, and combined with shrinking new listings numbers, it's a definite seller's market.
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Do you like the look of this beautiful Brick house? Or do you prefer a more modern style home?

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130 Designer Kitchens for Every Style

Allow these culinary hot spots to stir up major inspiration for your own home.
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Brexit unlikely to roil U.S. real estate sector, experts say

The turmoil roiling the United Kingdom real estate market since the surprise Brexit outcome is unlikely to trigger similar impact for the U.S. real estate sector, industry experts predict. In fact, some predict U.K pain ultimately could mean U.S. gain.
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Get a FREE - NO obligation Instant Home Valuation

ATTENTION SAN FRANCISCO Luxury Home Owners! Do you know how much your home is really worth? It may surprise, even shock you.
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Wow! "Like" if this is your dream pool home!!

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Foreign buyers flood US real estate, but buy cheaper homes

The appetite for U.S. real estate continues to flourish, but international buyers are shifting their sights from luxury to less-pricey properties. This may be due to overall higher home prices, along with a stronger U.S. dollar, which both cost foreign buyers more at the negotiating table. There are also fewer nonresident foreigners investing in the market.
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This looks like the perfect family home! Is this what you're looking for??

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San Francisco Real Estate Market Hits New Listings Low | Published: 7/8/2016 | Homesnap Real...

The San Francisco market looks like it may be showing mixed signals. Although there has been a three-week upward trend, bringing this week's numbers up to 452 homes sold over the last 30 days, new listings have fallen to the lowest they've been in three months. In comparison, Oakland led all other nearby municipalities with 431 new listings. The median sales price dropped to $1,227,500 over the latest reporting period for San Francisco, down from $1,249,888. With just two months of inventory available and sales going up, San Francisco is a definite seller's market.
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This backyard dining & grill space looks perfect for summer entertaining! What do you think??

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How To Make Your Outdoor Space Feel Like Another Room In Your Home (for Less than $100)

As soon as summer hits, you may feel the urge to move everything you own outside so you can live under the sun and stars. Utilizing whatever outdoor area you have is especially important when you call a small space home, because it can give you the dining room, living room, or reading nook your place typically lacks.
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Custom list of Fixer Upper homes in San Francisco Bay

Are you looking for a Fixer Upper home in the San Francisco Bay market area? We have this custom list of homes just for YOU!
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Will a Sparkling-Clean Home Appraise for More Money?

Selling your home is a long journey, but it doesn’t end with accepting an offer.
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Wow, check out this unique bathroom! Is this your style? Or would you like a more classic style bathroom?

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Thanks, Brexit! Why UK vote is likely to boost US home sales

The net effect will depend on location and price point, but overall, the Brexit will likely result in continuing growth in home sales with somewhat slower growth in home prices. The impact will benefit well-qualified buyers the most, and it will be a boon for sellers in affordable markets and price points.
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Look at this beautiful library! Is this exactly what you'd like in your new home?

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Sales Down in San Francisco County Real Estate Market | Published: 6/30/2016 | Homesnap Real...

The San Francisco County market slowed with a 4.7% sales drop in this week's report. However, overall sales numbers for the last 30 days remained above the monthly average (385.2) with 442 homes sold. Within the same time period, Santa Clara County had 1,362 sales, the most of all counties in the area. Prices are falling in San Francisco County, and this period the median price of all sales fell from $1,250,000 to $1,249,944. In spite of the decrease in sales, a low two months of inventory signals that San Francisco County is a solid seller's market.
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5 Staging Tips to Make a Home Welcoming for an Open House

Buyers will want to put in an offer when you make them feel like they're already at home.
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Do you like this rustic front porch? Is this what you would like for your new home??

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