Author Archives: Bill Smith

The Humble Homes That Birthed the World’s Biggest Tech Companies

Posted on November 27, 2018 by Bill Smith

A LOOK AT THE STRUCTURES THAT ONCE HOUSED THE BAY AREA’S ECONOMIC POWERHOUSES November 26, 2018 by Pacific Union The fabled HP garage. We’ve all heard the story about Hewlett-Packard tracing its origin to a humble garage in Palo Alto, but do … Read More

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Rising Housing Costs Hit the Bay Area’s Most-Affordable Communities the Hardest

Posted on September 17, 2018 by Bill Smith

Executive Summary: Bay Area home sales decreased by 11 percent year over year in August, the second-largest decline following June’s 10 percent drop, dragging year-to-date sales down by 2 percent. Marin and Napa counties, however, saw increased sales — a … Read More

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Pacific Union Joins Compass!

Posted on August 31, 2018 by Bill Smith

Pacific Union is excited to share the news that we have joined Compass! In this video, Compass CEO Robert Reffkin, Pacific Union CEO Mark A. McLaughlin, and other key company leaders weigh in on this game-changing partnership.   Read more … Read More

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Would-Be Homebuyers Outnumber Sellers by 4-to-1

Posted on July 16, 2018 by Bill Smith

July 13, 2018 by Pacific Union Forty-one percent of renters are thinking of purchasing a home over the next year, compared with 11 percent of owners who plan to sell. California home prices grew by 8.9 percent year over year in May, … Read More

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Real Estate Professionals Unanimously Agree on the Importance of Curb Appeal

Posted on May 29, 2018 by Bill Smith

Ninety-nine percent of real estate professionals say that a home’s curb appeal is key to attracting a buyer. Lawn care is the outdoor home improvement that has the biggest impact on buyers and is estimated to recoup 267 percent of … Read More

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Pacific Union Quarterly Report – Q1 2018

Posted on April 24, 2018 by Bill Smith

The first-quarter median sales price increased year over year in all Northern California regions in which Pacific Union operates except in Sonoma Valley, where prices relaxed slightly. Inventory mostly trended downward from the first quarter of 2017, though supply conditions … Read More

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Tight Inventory Continues to Drive California and Bay Area Home Prices in January

Posted on February 27, 2018 by Bill Smith

February 21, 2018 by Pacific Union California and Bay Area home sales declined in January on an annual basis by a respective 2.9 percent and 4.6 percent. The median sales price for an existing-single family home in the nine-county Bay Area was … Read More

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U.S., California, and Bay Area Home Prices Again Reach New Peaks

Posted on February 6, 2018 by Bill Smith

January 31, 2018 by Pacific Union  U.S. home prices increased for the 67th straight month on an annual basis in November. California home prices rose to $527,000, a year-over-gain of 9.32 percent. San Jose is the most expensive major housing market in the … Read More

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The Marin County Market At A Glance

Posted on January 26, 2018 by Bill Smith

From Pacific Union International Chief Economist Selma Hepp – Jan. 15, 2018 While fourth-quarter Marin County home sales increased compared with the same period in 2016, the Wine Country wildfires boosted stronger-than-usual November sales. Fourth-quarter activity increased by 4 percent … Read More

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California’s Unemployment Rate Reaches An All-Time Low

Posted on January 24, 2018 by Bill Smith

California’s job market ended 2017 on a strong note, with the unemployment rate dropping to the lowest level on record. Pacific Union Chief Economist Selma Hepp takes a look at the latest employment numbers.       In the last … Read More

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