Pacific Union Acquires Danville-Based Brokerage Empire Realty Associates

Pacific Union is pleased to announce that we have acquired Empire Realty Associates in Danville, the next step in our journey to becoming the ultimate California real estate company. Empire Realty Associates was founded in 2002 by current CEO and Chairperson Judi Keenholtz, who helped establish Pacific Union’s first presence outside of San Francisco in 1989, when the company hired her to...

Rising From the Ashes: How Will the Wine Country Wildfires Affect Its Housing Markets?

Executive Summary: The Wine Country wildfires are estimated to have destroyed about 2,800 homes so far, or about 5 percent of Santa Rosa’s housing stock. The current property damage approaches $4 billion. With rents and home prices already growing robustly, there will be further pressure on prices given the region’s already tight inventory. City and county building permit process...

Real Estate Roundup: Silicon Valley Has the Nation’s Most $200,000 Earners

Here’s a look at recent news of interest to homebuyers, home sellers, and the home-curious. ONE IN FIVE BAY AREA EMPLOYEES EARNS $200,000 EACH YEAR Silicon Valley may be one of the nation’s most expensive housing markets, but it is also home to the most U.S. workers who earn $200,000-plus salaries. A Forbes analysis of Census Bureau data found that 21 percent of Santa Clara County reside...

Looking for Ways to Help Those Affected by the Wine Country Wildfires? Here’s a List.

As wildfires continue their cruel assault, what can we do to help our friends, our Northern California neighbors, in this desperate hour? Plenty. Fire victims need food and shelter. Firefighters and rescue workers need our support on many levels. Relief agencies need cash donations and armies of volunteers so they can continue their work helping victims rebuild their lives. Here are ways you c...

Master Bathroom Remodeling Costs Are the Highest in San Francisco

Homeowners in the San Francisco metro area who overhaul a large bathroom spend an average of $34,000, $13,000 more than the national average. Bathroom remodels in San Francisco are estimated to net a return on investment of more than 90 percent. Baby boomers spend almost twice as much as millennials when renovating a master bathroom, driven by aging-in-place plans. Homeowners in the San Fran...

Bay Area Housing Affordability Improves in the Third Quarter

Affordability increased nationwide and in all nine Bay Area counties from the second quarter. San Francisco was the only Bay Area county where annual wage growth outstripped home price gains in the third quarter. Marin County residents must spend more than 100 percent of the average annual wage in order to afford a home. Some welcome news for Bay Area home shoppers: Affordability increased i...

Bay Area Housing Activity Slows in September but More Competition for Homes

Executive Summary: While September home sales in the Bay Area declined year over year, the region saw strong summer activity that outperformed last summer, bringing overall sales this year 2 percent ahead of last year. While all eight Bay Area counties (excluding Solano) posted year-over-year declines in September sales, San Francisco and Napa saw activity cool the most, with San Francisco s...

Please Donate to Pacific Union’s Wine Country Fund

All of us at Pacific Union would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to everyone affected by the wildfires that have devastated Napa and Sonoma counties this week. To help our colleagues in the North Bay get back on their feet, we have established the Pacific Union Wine Country Fund. Please consider making a donation to the relief effort via this PayPal link. You can also mail physical ch...

Real Estate Roundup: Bay Area Companies Offer the Nation’s Best Work-Life Balance

Here’s a look at recent news of interest to homebuyers, home sellers, and the home-curious. SAN FRANCISCO, SAN JOSE EMPLOYERS GIVE WORKERS OPTIMAL BALANCE A recent study found that Bay Area employees are the happiest in the U.S., and while large salaries certainly play a prominent role in career satisfaction, an ideal work-life balance also figures into the picture. A Glassdoor blog post says...