Now that we’re back to day to day life, the question lies…”How is the outcome of the election going to affect real estate?”  We heard about the economy, energy, the war, and a bit about foreclosures and the $700 billion bail-out bill from the candidates, but I was curious to find out how the housing market will be affected by all of this.  According to the CEO of the Illinois Association of Realtors,

“Obama advocated tax credits for property owners and fought to end predatory lending.  As a U.S. Senator, he’s advocated for a stronger FHA and voted for the National Association of Realtor-backed economic stimulus bill, which increased loan-limits in high cost areas.”

The outlook of the housing market based on current data is an issue that was brought up to Chief Economist Lawrence Yun by the National Association of Realtors 2009 President Charles McMillan.  Yun gave his perspective on the housing market in the following statement:

“We are in a recession.  In the next six months, we may lose up to 1 million jobs.  But the good news is, historically housing moves independently from the economy.  We are seeing a 20 percent improvement in home sales in states like California, Florida, and Virginia.  The economy will not improve without a housing recovery.”

San Francisco has not seen as much of a drop in real estate prices as other parts of the Greater Bay Area.  However, the state of the economy and the housing market is affecting the nation as a whole.  2009 is going to be a defining point for the current situation.  Our President Elect Obama has a big job ahead of him, and we all know that the president does not hold all of the cards.  All of our elected officials are going to have to come together with solutions that are better for the economy.  If housing is a top priority for President Obama as it has clearly been in the past, we may see better times ahead.  I have to say that I think the bottom is already here for Bay Area Real Estate.  I say I think because we have seen multiple offers in the Northern Peninsula where the housing prices have taken a huge hit.  Stay tuned for my research.  I know I have to base my opinion on statistics, so more to follow….

Share This

Find Your San Francisco Home’s Value

Search the San Francisco MLS

Share This

 Thank you to the San Francisco Northern District Police Station for their list of Halloween Safety Tips for Kids:

   1. Costumes should fit correctly so kids won’t trip on them.  Wear light colored costumes so you can be seen easily at night.

   2. Kids should not try to Trick or Treat by themselves.  They should go with an adult and a group of friends.  Everyone should stay together and not wander off on their own.

   3. Map out where you and your friends will be going.  Visit only well-lit houses

   4. Trick or Treat while it is still light out; always bring a flashlight, it may get dark before you are done. Wear a reflective costume or stickers.

   5. Pick well lit streets to Trick or Treat on.  Make sure to walk on the sidewalk. DO NOT take shortcuts or alleys.

   6. Only accept candy at a person’s front door.  Do not go inside of a house or someone’s car.

   7. Have a back-up plan in case you get separated from your group.  Carry a cell phone, a walkie-talkie or money for a pay phone, and the number of a trusted adult

   8. Don’t eat any candy until you get home.  Have an adult check to make sure there are no tricks in your treats!  If there is any suspicious candy please contact your local police department.  Do not eat candy that is not securely wrapped or candy that is not wrapped at all.

Share This

To be effective, the Marina Community Association needs ongoing input, support, and participation from their members and all residents of the San Francisco Marina District.  By staying informed of the issues and taking an active role in the neighborhood association, the residents can help protect the quality of life in the Marina.  If you are interested in attending the meeting, please email info@sfmca.org.

Share This

Northern Station Newsletter
Captain Croce Casciato
October 22, 2008

Hi everyone,

After just 8 short months we say goodbye to Lt. McEachern and Lt.
Meixner.  We wish the both of them the best as they head off to new
assignments.  Joining the Northern family is Lt. Belinda Kerr and Lt.
Tim Oberzeir.  We welcome them to Northern Station and are happy to have
them here.

******************************

************************
We wish Officer Kevin Horan a speedy recovery.  He broke his hand
arresting a suspect who had broken into a “bait car” and stole a GPS and
laptop that the police had left in the car.  The suspects took less than
five minutes to break into the car. They should be good at it, they both
have an extensive arrest record for breaking into vehicles.  It was a
great arrest but unfortunately Officer Horan was injured and required
surgery. We hope to see him back at work soon.
******************************************************The Western
Addition is hosting a Halloween Scream Fest on October 31 from 5:00pm to
8:00 pm.  The Scream Fest is being sponsored by the WA Beacon Center, WA
Safe Haven & Hayward Rec Connect.  There will be a haunted house, food &
games, goodie bag give-away, and costume contest. Dress to impress
because there will be costume contest for adults with a give away of a
$50 Safeway Gift Card.  So make sure to stop by 380 Webster Street (John
Muir Elementary School) on Halloween night.  For more information
contact Maysha Jackson at 415-749-2714

*******************************************************************************
If you are interested in sitting on the Community Courts Panel please
contact Jackson Gee at Jackson.gee@sfgov.org.  Please email him with
your name, phone number and a short bio.  If you have any further
question please call 415-551-9531.

******************************************************
The San Francisco Police Department and Office of the Controller
invite the San Francisco community to take part in two upcoming public
workshops regarding the future of the SFPD. Come hear the
recommendations resulting from a year-long organizational assessment of
the San Francisco Police Department and provide your feedback on
everything from district station and investigative staffing to officer
recruitment  training and use of force.

Workshop #1
Date: Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Time: 6:00pm – 7:30pm
Location: UCSF Parnassus Campus - Millberry Union
500 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco
Muni: 43, 6, N-Judah

Workshop #2
Date: Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Time: 6:00pm – 7:30pm
Location: Visitacion Valley Middle School
450 Raymond Avenue, San Francisco
Muni: 56, 9X, 9BX

Interpretation will be provided in Cantonese, Russian and Spanish.
All sites are wheelchair accessible. Materials in large print will be
available at the meetings. To request assistive listening devices, a
sign language interpreter or other accommodations, please contact Alexis
Ward at 415.364.0000. Providing at least 72 hours advance notice will
help to ensure availability.

Visit www.sfpolicereview.org or call 415.554.5297 or email
info@sfpolicereview.org for more information.

******************************************************
SENIOR CITIZEN VOLUNTEERS WANTED

Lt. John Sanford Jr., Officer-in-Charge of the Burglary and Fencing
Details, is seeking active senior citizens who are willing to volunteer
in the San Francisco Police Department’s Burglary and Fencing Details of
the Investigations Bureau.

The duties will consist of the following;

1. Provide assistance to all citizens and other law enforcement officers
who walk into the office
2. Answer and direct incoming phone calls
3. Chronologically arrange and file incident reports/case folders
4. Handle the proper distribution of both incoming and outgoing office
mails
5. Use officer machines such as a typewriter, computer, copy machine and
FAX machine
6. Perform other duties as may be assigned

The hours are flexible. All interested members must pass a brief
background clearance prior to entry into the Units.

Contact Persons:  Lt. John Sanford Jr.
Officer Dela Vega
Ana Servellon
Cora Aquino
415-553-1351//415-553-1392

*************************************************************

If you would like to reserve the Community Room at Northern Station
please contact Michele Rice at 415-614-3402 and she can assist you.

******************************************************

If you know any kids who would love to go fishing or take a nature
stroll at Pier 39 contact Officer Bob Ford at the Department’s Youth
Fishing Program at 415-401-4664.

************************************************

The men and women of Northern Station work hard each and everyday to
keep the streets safe for everyone.  Here are some of the great arrests
that were made in the last several weeks.

ARRESTS

Monday, October 20, 4:00pm, Possession of Loaded Firearm by Prohibited
Person Arrest:  Officer Griffin and Officer Spagnuolo were patrolling in
the area of the 600 block of Larch when they observed a known gang
member.  As the officers got closer the subject ran into a house.  The
officers continued to patrol the area.  As they continued to patrol they
once again ran into the subject from earlier.  The subject began walking
quickly away from the officers.  The officers exited their vehicle and
saw the subject throw a small handgun under a vehicle. The subject took
off running.  The officers were able to take the subject into custody.
They retrieved the handgun and arrested the subject.  This was not the
first time this subject has been arrested for possession of a gun.  Good
work by all the officers involved.

Monday, October 20, 5:45pm, Possession of Stolen Property, Resisting
Arrest:  Officer Byrne and Officer Spagnuolo were on patrol in the area
of Eddy and Buchanan when they observed a subject who was named in an
earlier police report as a suspect.  The subject had broken into a
vehicle and stolen a Garmin GPS and then fled the scene.  Officers were
unable to apprehend him at that time and the subject did not comply with
the officer’s request to STOP.   But the officer, who was chasing him,
knew him, so it was only a matter of time before he would be caught. The
subject was placed under arrest and booked.

Monday, October 20, 9:00pm, Recovered Stolen Vehicle, Possession of
Stolen Property and Narcotics Arrest:  Sgt. Lalor, Officer Guiney and
Officer Griffin responded to the area of McAllister and Fillmore
regarding a stolen car that the owner of the car was following.  The
officers located the vehicle but the driver did not comply with the
officer’s request to get out of the car.  The officers continued there
requests and in response the driver took out a “crack” pipe and smoked
out of it.  The officers were able to make entry into the car and take
the suspect into custody.  The vehicle and its owner were reunited and
the suspect was reunited with a jail cell.

Saturday, October 18, 11:30pm, Methamphetamine Offense Arrest:  Officer
Tursi and Officer Gordon were on patrol in the area of Polk and Willow
when they observed a drug transaction.  As the officers detained the
subjects a baggie of suspected crystal meth fell out of one of the
subjects hands and hit the ground.  The subject was placed under arrest.
During a search the officers located more narcotics.  The subject was
booked.

Thursday, October 16, 2:30am, Warrant Arrest and Resisting Arrest:
Officer Zelster and Officer Geraldo were in the area of Ellis and Larkin
when they observed a subject jaywalking.  They stopped the subject to
advise him of the violation.  They made contact with the subject who
gave the officers his name.  No surprise here, he was lying about his
name. The subject was unable to provide the officers with his social
security number or driver’s license number. The officers detained the
subject and transported him to Northern Station where they used the
Mugshot system   to prove his identity.  The subject had a no bail
felony warrant for his arrest.  The warrant was confirmed and he was
placed under arrest.

Thursday, October 16, 4:00am, Heroin Offense and Parole Violation Arrest
:  Officer Labson and Office Aslam were in the area of Van Ness and Fern
when they observed a subject that was possibly involved in a vandalism
earlier in the night.  When the officers made contact with the subject
he told them he was on parole.  The subject also told them he had heroin
on him.  The officers located the narcotics and paraphernalia.  The
subject was placed under arrest for the narcotics and a parole hold was
also placed on him.

Saturday, October 18, 5:00pm, Store Burglary, Petty Theft and Probation
Violation:  Officer Garcia responded to the Marina Safeway regarding a
shoplifting.  Security at the store was detaining a subject.  The
subject had placed items in a canvass bag and when approached by an
employee was unable to show him a receipt for the items.  The subject
left the store and was detained by several employees.  An employee
signed a citizen’s arrest so the subject was placed under arrest.  The
subject was on probation so a probation hold was placed on him.  The
subject was booked.

Wednesday, October 15, 11:30pm, Attempted Homicide Arrest:  FTO Dorgan
and Recruit Officer Cummins responded to McAllister and Steiner
regarding a subject wanted for attempted murder.   The dispatcher gave
the officers a description of the subject and advised the subject had
gotten on the bus.  The officers located the bus and observed the
subject exiting.  The officers quickly detained the subject.  The
officers made contact with the victim from the incident that positively
identified the suspect.   The suspect was placed under arrest.  During
the search the officers located narcotics and paraphernalia.  The
subject was booked for attempted homicide.

On October 11th, Vice Officers saturated the area of Sutter and Larkin
Street due to concerns by the residents regarding prostitution. Female
officers were sent out as decoys and over 7 arrests were made during the
sting.

Thursday, October 16, 5:30am:  Warrant Arrest:  Officer Geraldo and
Officer Zelster were on patrol in the area of Gough and Geary when they
made contact with a subject.  A computer check revealed the subject had
a $50,000.00 vandalism warrant for his arrest.  The warrant was
confirmed and the subject was booked.

Sunday, October 19, 11:00pm, Narcotic Arrest and Possession of
Paraphernalia Arrest:  FTO Pomatto, Recruit Officer Deguzman and Recruit
Officer Andersen were in the area of Olive and Polk when they observed a
subject drinking a beer.  They detained the subject who was on
probation.  During a probation search the officers located a glass pipe
and the subject then told him he had “crack” on him.  The officers found
the drugs and placed the subject under arrest.  He was booked at County
Jail.

Wednesday, October 15, 2:00am, Driving under the Influence Arrest:
Officer Zelster and Officer Porta observed a vehicle with expired
registration.  The officers stopped the vehicle at which time the driver
exhibited signs of being under the influence of alcohol.  The officers
administered the driver a Field Sobriety Test which he did not pass.
Further testing showed the driver was driving with almost double the
legal amount of alcohol in his system.  Thank goodness the officers were
able to get this guy off the streets before he hurt someone or himself.

Saturday, October 18, 7:30am,  Parole Warrant and Paraphernalia Arrest:
Officer Farrelly and Officer Alvarado were in the area of Plk and Post
when Officer Farrelly recognized a subject he had arrested before and
who was also still on parole.  The officers detained the subject and
during a search located crack pipe.  A computer check also showed he had
an outstanding parole warrant.  The subject was placed under arrest and
booked.

Saturday, October 18, 10:30am, Parole Warrant and Paraphernalia Arrest:
Officer Farrelly and Officer Alvarado were on patrol in the lower Polk
Street area when Officer Farrelly once again recognized a subject he
knew was on active parole and had a parole warrant for his arrest.  When
the officers detained the subject he threw a crack pipe to the ground.
The officers placed the subject under arrest.  The warrant was confirmed
and he was booked at Northern Station.

NON-ARRESTS

1200 blk of Buchanan             Burglary/Apartment
Webster/Bay                Robbery
1000 blk of Larkin               Burglary/Apartment
2500 blk of Fillmore       Theft of Property
1000 blk of Golden Gate          Theft from Building
Unit blk of Sanchez        Theft from Building
1800 blk of Geary                Robbery with Force
300 blk of Hayes                 Theft from Building
700 blk of Ellis                 Robbery
3200 blk of Scott                Threats
Ellis/Laguna                     Vandalism to Vehicle
1800 blk of Franklin             Burglary/Apartment
1300 blk of Golden Gate          Harassing Phone Calls
1900 blk of Clay                 Missing Adult
3100 blk of Webster        Mental Health Intervention
1000 blk of Hayes                Arson
Gough/Eddy                       Stolen Auto
Geary/Franklin             Theft/Pickpocket
1040 Polk                        Possession of Fraudulent Checks
900 blk of Geary                 Missing Adult
1000 blk of Post                 Mental Health Intervention
1200 blk of Van Ness       Battery
600 blk VanNess                  Found Property
1800 blk of Pine                 Mental Health Intervention
Union/Buchanan             Battery
700 blk of Van Ness        Battery
Divisadero/Chestnut        Found Property

HALLOWEEN SAFTEY TIPS

1. Costumes should fit correctly so kids won’t trip on them.  Wear light
colored costumes so you can be seen easily at night
2. Kids should not try to Trick or Treat by themselves.  They should go
with an adult and a group of friends.  Everyone should stay together and
not wander off on there own.
3. Map out where you and your friends will be going.  Visit only well
lit houses
4. Trick or Treat while it is still light out; always bring a
flashlight, it may get dark before you are done. Wear a reflective
costume or stickers
5. Pick well lit streets to Trick or Treat on.  Make sure to walk on the
sidewalk. DO NOT take shortcuts or alleys
6. Only accept candy at a person’s front door.  Do not go inside of a
house or someone’s car
7. Have a back-up plan in case you get separated from your group.  Carry
a cell phone, a walkie-talkie or money for a pay phone, and the number
of a trusted adult
8. Don’t eat any candy until you get home.  Have an adult check to make
sure there are no tricks in your treats!  If there is any suspicious
candy please contact your local police department.  Do not eat candy
that is not securely wrapped or candy that is not wrapped at all

***********************************************************************.

EMERGENCY:           911
Non-Emergency:       553-0123
Anonymous Tip Line:        575-4444
Customer Service Center:   311
Cell phone 911:            553-8090
Northern Station:          614-3400
Web:                       www.sfgov.org/police
(For Crime Stats, Internet reports, etc.)

Captain Croce Casciato          614-3400         Al.Casciato@sfgov.org
Administrative Sergeant    614-3404    Sgt. Bill Griffin
Bill.Griffin@sfgov.org
Anonymous Tip-Line         614-3451
Graffiti Abatement         278-9454
Graffiti Fax                     278-9456
Northern Events                  614-3421    Ofc. Bernie Corry
Bernard.Corry@sfgov.org
Northern Permits:          614-3405    Officer John Gallagher
Deputy City Attorney:            554-3852    Curtis Christy-Cirillo
Dept. Parking & Traffic:   553-1943
DPW:                       695-2020    Dispatch
Quality of Life Liaison:
SF SAFE              553-1984    San_Francisco_SAFE_Inc@mail.vresp.com
Homeless Issues:           614-3400        Officer Jeff Ferreria -
Officer Chris Schaefer
Newsletter:                614-3403        Officer Michele Aschero
Michele.aschero.@sfgov.org

District Station Monthly Community Meeting is held on the second
Thursday of Each month at Northern Station Community Room at 1125
Fillmore Street from 6pm until 8pm.  There is plenty of parking at the
station.

The San Francisco Police Department is currently hiring:
The San Francisco Police Department is continuously hiring qualified
applicants. Applicants must be 21 years old, have a valid driver’s
license, must be a US citizen, must have a high school diploma or
equivalent, and must not have been convicted of a felony or convicted of
a misdemeanor which would prohibit possession of a firearm. For more
information or to apply, contact the Department of Human Resource at 44
Gough Street, San Francisco. Additionally, applications are available
on-line at www.sfgov.org/police or
http://agency.governmentjobs.com/sf/default.cfm?action=jobs.

Megan’s Law Website Access:
The general public can find out information on sexual predators on line
by going to the DOJ website: www.meganslaw.ca.gov or at the SFPD link at
www.sfgov.org/police. You may check specific names or zip codes to
locate those listed in the database.

Join the San Francisco Citizen’s Police Academy
For more information, including application process, please call Ms.Lula
Magallon at (415) 401-4720, or Officer Maria Oropeza at (415) 401-4701.
You can also email us at sfpd_citizenspoliceacademy@yahoo.com or visit
our website: http://www.sfgov.org/site/police_index.asp?id=20182.

Graffiti Alert:
Day Watch Sgt. Andy Cox is Northern Station’s Graffiti Abatement
coordinator.  Each month he collects surveys from the various beat
officers to report graffiti to DPW and our own Graffiti Unit within the
police department.  You can contact Sgt. Andy Cox at
r.andrew.cox@sfgov.org

311 Customer Service Center:
What is 311? 311 is a toll free, NON-EMERGENCY  phone number that the
public can call to access information about government services. A live
customer service representative will be available 24 hours a day, seven
days a week, and 365 days a year. The service is available to both wired
and wireless customers. Wireless customers should call (415) 701-2311.
311 employees will be able to provide translations services in more than
145 languages and dialects and will employ a diverse staff of customer
service representatives. Additionally, 311 is set up to accept calls
form the hearing impaired by utilizing a TTY System.

How does 911 work on cell phones in San Francisco?
If you are on surface streets in San Francisco and dial 911, your call
will be answered by the San Francisco Department of Emergency
Management. Once the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management
determines what emergency services are needed, they will then process
your call.
If you are on a freeway in San Francisco and dial 911, your call will be
answered by either by the San Francisco Department of Emergency
Management Services or the California Highway Patrol Dispatch Center.
Regardless, your 911 call will be routed to the proper emergency agency,
the San Francisco Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, or
the San Francisco Fire Department, including ambulance service.

Captain Croce A. Casciato
Field Operations Bureau/Northern Station
San Francisco Police Department
Office:  415-614-3400
(Al.Casciato@sfgov.org)

Share This

Workshop #1

Date:  Tuesday, October 28th
Time:  6:00pm - 7:30pm
Location:  UCSF Parnassus Campus - Millberry Union
500 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco
Muni: 43, 6, N-Judah

Workshop #2
Date:  Wednesday, October 29th
Time:  6:00pm - 7:30pm
Location:  Visitacion Valley Middle School
450 Raymond Avenue, San Francisco
Muni:  56, 9X, 9BX

Interpretation will be provided in Cantonese, Russian, and Spanish.  All sites are wheelchair accessible.  Materials in large print will be available at the meetings.  To request assistive listening devices, a sign language interpreter or other accommodations, please contact Alexis Ward at 415-364-0000.  Providing at least 72 hours notice will ensure availability.

Visit www.sfpolicereview.org, call 415-554-5297, or email info@sfpolicereview.org for more information.

Share This

• How to report the following:  vehicle vandalism, vehicle break-ins, burglaries, and other crimes that have already occured
• How to spot suspicious activity in your neighborhood and what to do about it
• Building a beneficial relationship with the San Francisco Police officers from your Northern District Police Station
• How to improve the quality of life in our community
• Who to call and what steps to take for non police matters
• Starting a building and/or neighborhood watch group with the help of the San Francisco SAFE organization

The above points will be further elaborated in individual upcoming blog posts.  The focus of this group is to get to know our neighbors, unify the community, and build a relationship with the police department and the SAFE organization of San Francisco.  Our goal is to have a presence in our neighborhood, so that we can move towards deterring crime, notifying the appropriate people when there are problems in our neighborhood, and improving the quality of life in our community.

If you would like to receive more information regarding the Lombard Neighbors Group, please email lombardneighbors@yahoogroups.com to join our Yahoo Group and email list.  We look forward to seeing you at our next meeting.

Related Category:  Lombard Neighbors
Related Post:  How SAFE and the San Francisco Police Department are Teaming up With the Marina

Share This

Related Category:  San Francisco Events

Share This

The Current San Francisco Real Estate Market

Right now, the San Francisco real estate market is pretty stable, so to speak.  This past week, 16 single family homes sold for over asking price, 7 sold for below asking price, and zero sold for the asking price.  Also, this past week, 6 condominiums sold for over asking price, 12 sold for below asking price, and 4 sold for the asking price.

So why would you want to sell your home right now if you don’t have a good chance of getting 30 offers or so like people were getting in the height of the market a few years ago.  Well, for starters, don’t you want to be the buyer who is putting the only offer on the house of your dreams?  I am sure that it would be the ideal situation for you to not be competing with several other buyers and having to offer around 100-200k over asking price, right.  Well, now is a great time to sell your home only if you are upgrading, and obviously, if you have to sell for some other reason.  I would not suggest selling your home if you are going to downsize or move into something less expensive than what your current home can sell for right now.

Why Sell My San Francisco Property Now?

Let’s say properties are down 10%, hypothetically speaking, from last year.  You can sell your property for $720,000, and it was worth $800,000 last year.  Why would I sell my property now if it is down 10%, you ask.  Well, let’s say you have been wanting to upgrade to a property that was $1,000,000 last year, has now gone down 10%, and is now worth $900,000.  Well, if you sell your property today for $720,000, and upgrade to a better property that you buy at $1,000,000, you’ve won the game.  The $100,000 savings that you receive from buying your dream home today versus last year exceeds the $80,000 loss that you take on selling your home today versus last year.  This only applies if you are upgrading.  The question is:  Why would you wait for the market to go up to sell your home, and move up?  The other homes out there are going to get more expensive if your home does, too.  You will be spending more and your property taxes will only be higher.  Not to mention, where oh where will the interest rates be when the market turns?

What is my San Francisco Home Worth Today?

Search the San Francisco MLS

Share This

Northern Station Newsletter
Captain Croce Casciato
October 8, 2008

Hi everyone,

I hope that everyone enjoyed their long weekend and the beautiful
weather we have been having.  The cold weather is right around the
corner and so are the Holidays. Halloween is the first event and it’s
quickly approaching.  Please make sure that you read the safety tips
portion of this newsletter since it deals with safety tips for
Halloween.  We want to make sure everyone has fun that night but also
remains safe.
******************************

************************

The San Francisco Police Department and Office of the Controller invite
the San Francisco community to take part in two upcoming public
workshops regarding the future of the SFPD. Come hear the
recommendations resulting from a year-long organizational assessment of
the San Francisco Police Department and provide your feedback on
everything from district station and investigative staffing to officer
recruitment  training and use of force. (more…)

Share This