Guides

How to defer capital gains tax when you sell a San Francisco investment property — the timeline, the rules that actually matter, the replacement strategies that work for SF appreciation, and the traps that cost investors millions every year.

An SF investment Realtor explains why San Francisco cap rates look unattractive on paper, what they actually mean for total return, and how sophisticated investors use them in this market.

How to evaluate, underwrite, finance, and operate San Francisco multi-family properties — written from over a decade of buy-side and listing experience. Covers cap rates, rent-controlled rent rolls, condo and TIC exits, soft-story risk, and the underwriting mistakes that quietly destroy returns.

Accessory Dwelling Units are the single highest-yielding improvement most SF property owners can make. This guide covers the real costs, realistic rents, financing options, rent-control implications, and the timeline owners should actually expect.

Exactly how SF lenders count RSUs, ISOs, bonuses, and tender-offer income — what documents to gather, which lenders are flexible, and how to structure cash to close.

The three ownership structures every San Francisco buyer evaluates — condominiums, tenancies-in-common, and single-family homes. Real cost differences, financing realities, and the trade-offs that actually matter.

A San Francisco Realtor's plain-English comparison of FHA and conventional financing in SF — where each loan wins, where each one quietly costs you the deal, and how to choose with confidence.

Christopher Lee's definitive first-time buyer playbook for San Francisco — how to set a real budget, choose the right neighborhood, win in multiple offers, navigate TICs and condos, and avoid the mistakes that cost SF buyers six figures.

Foundation, drainage, sewer lateral, soft-story, knob-and-tube, microclimates — the inspection issues unique to San Francisco and how to negotiate when they come up.

How jumbo loans actually price in San Francisco — high-balance conforming, true jumbo, super-jumbo, portfolio lenders, and the rate moves no calculator shows you.

What a real San Francisco pre-approval looks like — jumbo limits, asset documentation, RSU and bonus income, and how listing agents actually read your letter.

Down payment is only one line. This guide walks through every dollar a San Francisco buyer needs at the closing table — lender fees, escrow, title, prorations, reserves, and the SF-specific items most first-time buyers miss.

Look up any San Francisco property tax bill, parcel history, permit record, and assessed value the same way a working Realtor does — plus how supplemental bills, Prop 13, Prop 19, exemptions, and appeals actually affect what you pay.

How self-employed, 1099, and business-owner buyers actually qualify for SF mortgages — bank-statement loans, add-backs, K-1 income, and the lenders who do this right.

What you must disclose when selling a home in California — and the extra layers San Francisco adds. A plain-English walk through the TDS, SPQ, NHD, 3R Report, and the city-specific items that catch out-of-area sellers.

The real timeline, decisions, and trade-offs of selling a home in San Francisco — from the first valuation conversation through close of escrow, by a Realtor who has done it block by block across the city.

The pre-listing playbook San Francisco sellers actually need: which projects return more than they cost, what to skip, the realistic prep timeline, and how staging works in SF (where Victorians, Edwardians, and small-footprint condos each need different treatments).

An SF Realtor's framework for choosing a list price in San Francisco — when underpricing wins, when it backfires, and how to read your micro-market before you commit.

Line-item breakdown of what it costs to sell a home in San Francisco — commissions, the tiered SF transfer tax, title, escrow, prorations, and the small line items that quietly add up.

Seasonal patterns, week-of-launch effects, and the personal triggers that actually drive a successful sale. The honest answer to 'when should I list?' from a Realtor who watches the SF market every day.

Exactly how much you can legally raise rent in San Francisco — annual allowable increases, banking, passthroughs, owner-occupied 2-unit exemptions, Costa-Hawkins exempt units, and the notice rules that make or break the increase.

How to accurately estimate what your San Francisco rental is worth in today's market — using the same comp methodology, neighborhood adjustments, and Costa-Hawkins considerations a working SF Realtor uses. Includes a step-by-step framework, pricing pitfalls, and when to use a rent estimator vs a professional CMA.

When to sell, refinance, or hold a San Francisco rental property: a complete decision framework with tax mechanics, exit pricing, 1031 strategies, OMI vs Ellis vs sell-tenant-occupied tradeoffs, and the realistic financial outcomes for each path.

The complete, plain-English guide to San Francisco rent control: which buildings are covered, how much rent can legally go up, allowable passthroughs, owner move-in and Ellis Act rules, buyouts, and the mistakes that cost landlords and tenants the most money.

Self-manage or hire help? A candid SF-specific framework: what professional managers actually do, what they cost, when they pay for themselves, and the questions to ask before hiring one.

How San Francisco tenant buyouts actually work: the legal disclosures, Rent Board filing, valuation framework, tax treatment, and the negotiation strategies that close — written from years of working both sides of these conversations.

How to screen tenants in San Francisco without breaking the law — what you can ask, what you can't, what to actually verify, and how to protect yourself from costly placement mistakes.

A practical, step-by-step guide for San Francisco landlords facing nonpayment of rent: the 3-day notice, unlawful detainer timeline, lockout rules, ERAP / rental assistance programs, and the documentation that makes (or breaks) every case.