California: One of America’s Best States for Singles

California ranks as the country’s second-best state to be single, boosted by its opportunities for romance and fun.San Francisco has been named the best American city for celebrating Valentine’s Day in 2019.Los Angeles also ranks in the top 10 in the country for Valentine’s Day-friendliness. Single folks will find that the Golden State is a fine place to find romance, while there’s no better city...

High-Tech Kitchens Gain More Traction in Home-Remodeling Projects

About nine in 10 homeowners who have recently remodeled their kitchens added new appliances, mostly refrigerators and dishwashers.The popularity of wireless-controlled appliances in kitchen-improvement projects has nearly doubled over the past year.Upgrading a kitchen with hardwood floors has been on a declining trend since 2017. More homeowners who have recently tackled a kitchen renovation added high-tech features and appliances, while open floor plans remain a...

Bay Area Companies Dominate List of 2019’s Best Tech Workplaces

Eighty percent of America’s best 15 companies for tech workers are headquartered in the Bay Area.Menlo Park’s Facebook ranks as the best tech workplace in the U.S., followed by San Jose-based Adobe Systems.After not being included in 2018’s list of top tech workplaces, Airbnb jumped to No. 3 this year, while Google dropped off the rankings. The Bay Area’s high-performance economy attracts plenty of talented,...

Home of the Week: Timeless San Marino Villa

A short drive from The Huntington, the Langham Huntington Hotel and exquisite Lacy Park, this fully furnished home at 2466 South Oak Knoll Avenue is the height of easy California elegance. Every meticulously renovated space is rich with period elements, from luxury finishes and high ceilings to rare Honduran mahogany doors and gleaming marble and hardwood floors. All tile is from Mission Tile, nickel plated...

Real Estate Roundup: More California Home Sellers Cutting Prices This Year

Here’s a look at recent news of interest to homebuyers, home sellers, and the home-curious. SAN JOSE LED THE NATION FOR ANNUAL INVENTORY GAIN IN JANUARY Golden State homebuyers enjoyed additional leverage in January, with extra inventory to choose from, falling prices, and more sellers reducing their expectations. Research from realtor.com says that that the number of homes for sale in the San Jose metropolitan...

Video: January 2019 U.S. Jobs Report

Check out this short animation, which offers highlights from the January 2019 U.S. jobs report. To read the full analysis by Compass Chief Economist Selma Hepp, go to: https://compasscaliforniablog.com/january-marked-the-100th-straight-month-of-u-s-job-growth/

January Marked the 100th Straight Month of U.S. Job Growth

Today’s national employment report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics outpaced expectations, with 304,000 jobs added in January. The strong gain follows equally impressive December additions, though those numbers were revised down by 90,000 jobs. Nevertheless, the trailing three-month trend of 241,000 jobs created per month still beats economists’ outlooks at this point in the cycle. Over the last 12 months, the U.S. economy...

Bay Area Home Sellers Continue to Enjoy the Largest Returns in the U.S.

U.S. home sellers profited by an average of 32.6 percent in 2018, the most in a dozen years.San Jose and San Francisco led the country for seller returns last year, at a respective 108.8 percent and 78.6 percent of original purchase price.By dollar amount, San Francisco and Los Angeles home sellers turned the largest profits in the fourth quarter. The year 2018 was an opportune...

Home of the Week: Stone Canyon Ranch, an Equestrian Paradise

Just south of Silicon Valley and east of Carmel, one of the premier equestrian ranch properties in the country covers more than 10,000 acres of the pristine San Benito Valley. Developed by internationally renowned entrepreneur George Roberts (KKR) and designed by noted San Francisco architect Ugo Sap, this transcendent retreat was created for both upscale entertaining and quiet connection with nature. The land holds potential...