Onetime Madison Bumgarner Condo Goes to Bat for $1.999M

Photo of Bumgarner via SD Dirk
A large but otherwise kind of blah two-bedroom at the 

Metropolitan in South Beach does have one thing going 

for it: The unit was once upon a time rented by 

Madison Bumgarner, about "three baseball seasons ago,"

 per broker Paul Hwang. As Hwang tells it, Bumgarner 

rented the condo from former MLB pitcherDontrelle 

Willis, who owned the unit between 2008 and 2012. 

Willis sold the condo in 2012 for $1.25 million—and 

that was before the latest staging, so those are unlikely 

to be MadBum's New Yorker covers in the bedroom or 

his shell collection in the bath.

The unit has two bathrooms and 1,622 square feet of space, 

making it $1,232 per square and $999,500 per baseball 

personality. For HOA dues of $886/month, the building is 

full of amenities, from a lap pool to a gym to a roof deck, 

from which the much fancier Lumina can be seen rising 

nearby.

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Article and images sourced from: http://sf.curbed.com/archives/2015/03/20/onetime_madison_bumgarner_condo_goes_to_bat_for_1999m.php

Bauer Give Mourad Three Stars, Feels the Heat at Hawker Far

Patricia Chang

Mourad 

Plus: Dosa is still pretty good, and Elmira 

Rosticceria has rustic charm.

For his Sunday review, Michael Bauer thinks 

Mourad is the bee's knees, though not yet fully 

realized: "Many diners will feel that the food is 

fantastic — and on several levels it is — but 

it’s only scratching the surface of what I 

know is in Lahlou’s soul...It feels as if the 

intent is still a little fuzzy." Additionally, he 

found that "Mourad is an ambitious project 

with equally ambitious aspirations, and seems 

destined to have national impact. But whereas 

Aziza is more modest in its ambition, it feels 

complete. Mourad is a beautiful house, but 

not quite yet a home." Three stars. [Chron]

In honor of its 10th anniversary, Michael Bauer 

updates his opinion of Dosa's Valencia Street 

location: "The food under new chef Dinesh 

Kumar is good, but I wished for a little more 

finesse. For example, the seasonal vegetable 

uttapam ($13.50), which resembles a thin 

pancake, was so doughy that the batter actually 

stuck to my teeth." Some dishes, like the lamb 

korma were winners, but must of the menu "

was hit and miss." Ultimately, Bauer concluded 

that "while it’s still a popular stop, it seems as if 

the kitchen and some of the staff at Dosa is on 

autopilot. Yet with all the components and 

complexity that goes into preparing Indian food, 

it’s hard to be truly disappointed." 

Two stars. [Chron]

For his Thursday Update, Michael Bauer 

experiences the culinary equivalent of "Fifty 

Shades of Grey" at Hawker Fare: Chef-owner 

James Syhabout's recent leap across the bay 

elicited a visit from Bauer to Hawker Fare's new 

Mission location. "At the San Francisco branch, 

he’s created a similar, but expanded, menu. 

Often with an expansion, the soul is lost, but 

Syhabout has maintained the food’s vibrant 

nature." Things got real when Bauer had a 

taste of Syhabout's authentic and liberal use of 

spice: "By the end of one of my three visits, it 

felt as if flames had scorched my tongue, a sort 

of culinary equivalent of Fifty Shades of Grey." 

Even the dishes that aren’t as spicy have an 

assertive earthiness, such as vegetables stewed 

with knobs of pork rib ($13), Thai eggplant and 

still-crunchy long beans." Three stars. [Chron]

Luke Tsai time-travels to 1982, finds vegan 

sandwiches galore at Analog: The tiny, new bar 

from owners Arianna Alcala and Sean Asmar 

(proprietor of Bender's Bar and Grillin San 

Francisco) is a cozy place where carnivores and 

vegans can enjoy sandwiches side-by-side, 

along with a selection of craft beers and a 

healthy dose of vinyl-fueled nostalgia. "You 

don't have to be vegan to bow down to the 

glory of a sandwich Asmar has dubbed 'The 

Young and the Breastless,' probably the finest 

vegan sandwich I've eaten in recent memory."

 [EBX]

Wendy Hector loves Italy, and Elmira 

Rosticceria:  "At first glance it might look like a

 café, but the food coming out of Elmira’s 

kitchen is anything but pedestrian coffee shop 

fare." In fact, "It’s obvious from every bite of 

food that an immense amount of love has been 

put into each dish, and while they might not all 

be flawless, they all exhibit thoughtfulness and 

honest, rustic charm. Fresh, flavorful ingredients 

prepared with care — sometimes that’s all it takes 

to make the day better." [SF Examiner]

The 6th Annual Easter Egg Hunt For Dogs: Saturday 3/28/15, noon-2PM

Event Details

Bring your furry friend and join us for our 6th Annual Easter Egg Hunt for Dogs to benefit Muttville Senior Dog Rescue! Enjoy finger foods and local vendors while your dog sniffs out eggs filled with tasty treats and valuable prizes. Don't forget your camera for photo opportunities with the Easter Bunny!  Easter Attire is encouraged and pets and kids' entry is free.

Schedule of Events:

12-12:30pm : Check-in

1pm SHARP: Egg Hunt

1:30pm Raffle

In California, Water Conservation Begins at Home

Worsening drought conditions demand the attention of all Californians. Whether you are a homebuyer or a seller, water conservation will increasingly be a part of your real estate discussions — and decisions.

If you are a buyer, you will save money (and headaches down the road) by checking prospective homes for water-efficient appliances and low-flow toilets and making sure the plumbing is up to date and faucets don’t leak.

For sellers, water-conserving improvements are a sign to prospective buyers that your home has been well-maintained and kept up to date with modern housing standards.

Drought-resistant landscaping is another key factor in conservation efforts at home, and we will discuss the subject in future posts. Today, however, we focus on efforts inside the home to help all of us cope with the very real threat of shrinking water supplies in the Bay Area and across California.

Toilets are by far the main source of water use in homes, accounting for nearly 30 percent of indoor water usage. Older, inefficient toilets use as much as six gallons per flush, while newer models that meet current federal standards use 1.6 gallons per flush. The very latest models, however, use 1.28 gallons per flush or less while still providing equal or superior performance.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that replacing old, inefficient toilets with one of the newest models reduces water used for toilets by 20 to 60 percent for the average family, saving nearly 13,000 gallons of water per home every year. That could add up to more than $110 per year in water costs.

These extremely efficient toilets carry the EPA’s WaterSense label, which identifies a wide range of high-performance, water-efficient appliances, fixtures, water systems, and accessories, including shower heads, faucets, and water softeners. Other energy- and water-efficient appliances, such as dishwashers, clothes washers, and water heaters, can be identified by the EPA’s Energy Star label. For more information from the EPA on conserving water, visit the agency’s Green Homes website.

Did we mention that there are dozens of rebates and free products available to Californians to promote water conservation?

The incentives are sponsored by state and local agencies. The Santa Clara Valley Water District, for example, offers free shower heads and faucet aerators, as well as toilet flappers and shower timers. InSanta Rosa, homeowners can get a $25 rebate on a high-efficiency clothes washer and a $100 rebate on a recirculating hot-water pump. San Francisco residents can recieve a $150 rebate on an Energy Star clothes washer.

The rebates and free products are scattered across two websites. To see what is available in your community, visit the EPA’s WaterSense Rebate Finder page, as well as the Find Your Local Water Agency page on the statewide Save Our Water website.

The Save Our Water site is a partnership between the Association of California Water Agencies and the California Department of Water Resources, and it presents updated news on California’s drought, as well as tips for conserving water indoors and outdoors. Another useful website is that of H2ouse.org, hosted by the California Urban Water Conservation Council, with tips for conserving water both indoors and outdoors.

Additionally, most Bay Area water agencies offer free water-use inspections. An expert will come to your home to check for leaks and offer tips on how to save water and lower your bill.

(Photo: Flickr/Brian Noe)

Article and photo sourced from:  http://blog.pacunion.com/indoor-california-water-conservation-tips/

FREE Puppy Parent Orientation: Wednesday, March 25th, 2015 at 6:15pm

At the San Francisco SPCA, this highly informative 1-hour session is essential for anyone who is a puppy parent or is thinking about adding a puppy to their life. No pre-registration is required for this class. You may just show up as they have plenty of space available.

Discussion topics include: 

• New puppy management in the home
• Setting up for success in housetraining
• Crate training: Your most valuable tool
• Puppy playdates–the importance of early socialization
• Controlling biting and mouthing, and more!

If you are interested in adopting a puppy from the SF SPCA, you will receive 50% off your adoption fee if you attend a Puppy Parent Orientation first!

Please Note: This humans-only class provides a brief introduction to many topics important to the new puppy parent. For a more thorough overview of concepts, problem-solving tips, and socialization time with your puppy, register for the SPCA's in-depth Manners classes!

Included Material

Lecture and relevant handouts

Capacity

30

Fees

Free! Donations are always gratefully accepted.

Location

Training Annex

243 Alabama Street

94103 San Francisco, CA

See map: Google Maps

Wednesday, March 25th, 2015 - 6:15pm

Pacific Union's February 2015 Real Estate Update

The pace of residential real estate sales picked up throughout most of Pacific Union’s Northern California regions in February, with homes selling in fewer days than in the previous month in every market except for Napa County and Lake Tahoe/Truckee.

Median sales price trends varied by region, but prices for condominiums in San Francisco hit a one-year high. Single-family home prices decreased a hair from January in our Silicon Valley region, but they remained near the $3 million mark.

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MARIN COUNTY

The median sales price in Marin County has relaxed a bit each month since November and closed February at $980,000. The MSI followed suit, dropping to 2.1.

Homes sold in an average of 57 days, five days faster than in the preceding month. Sellers received about 99 percent of original price, the most since May 2014.

Defining Marin County: Our real estate markets in Marin County include the cities of Belvedere, Corte Madera, Fairfax, Greenbrae, Kentfield, Larkspur, Mill Valley, Novato, Ross, San Anselmo, San Rafael, Sausalito, and Tiburon. Sales statistics in the adjoining chart include single-family homes in these communities.

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SAN FRANCISCO – SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES

As has been the case for most of the past year, single-family homebuyers in San Francisco paid in excess of $1 million in February — $1,133,000 to be exact. Successful buyers forked over an average of about 12 percent more than original price, the highest premiums in any of Pacific Union’s regions.

At 1.9, the MSI was unchanged from January. Single-family homes in the city left the market in 30 days, in line with the general pace throughout most of 2014.

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SAN FRANCISCO – CONDOMINIUMS

At $1.1 million, the median sales price for a San Franciscocondominium climbed to a yearly high. Sellers reeled in an average of 7 percent above original price, the most since last summer.

Properties sold in an average of 28 days, roughly twice as fast as in December and January. The MSI tightened a bit from the previous month to finish February at 1.8.

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SILICON VALLEY

With February’s median sales price at $2.8 million, homes in our Silicon Valley region are selling for about 21 percent more than they were a year ago. And while the region saw a supply spike last February, that didn’t happen this year, and the MSI fell to 1.7.

Buyers took an average of 26 days to close a transaction — two weeks quicker than they did in January — and paid about 6 percent more than original price to make it happen.

Defining Silicon Valley: Our real estate markets in the Silicon Valley region include the cities and towns of Atherton, Los Altos (excluding county area), Los Altos Hills, Menlo Park (excluding east of U.S. 101), Palo Alto, Portola Valley, and Woodside. Sales statistics in the adjoining chart include all single-family homes in these communities.

Mid-Peninsula Subregion

At $1.53 million, the median sales price for a home in Pacific Union’s Mid-Peninsula subregion was down from January but up about 18 percent from a year ago. Successful buyers paid nearly 3 percent more than original price, an uptick from the previous month.

Homes left the market in an average of 32 days, identical to numbers recorded in February 2014, while the MSI declined to 1.8

Defining the Mid-Peninsula: Our real estate markets in the Mid-Peninsula subregion include the cities of Burlingame (excluding Ingold Millsdale Industrial Center), Hillsborough, and San Mateo (excluding the North Shoreview/Dore Cavanaugh area). Sales statistics in the adjoining chart include all single-family homes in these communities.

Article and Photos sourced from:  http://blog.pacunion.com/pacific-union-february-2015-real-estate-update/