With election day around the corner, politicians are finalizing legislation for the ballot. One proposition that affects real estate investors is Prop G. Prop. G imposes a 14 – 24% tax on residential properties with 2 – 30 units, including single-family homes with in-law units, if they are sold within five years of ownership. The tax… Read More
Give a Tenant an Inch, They’ll Take a Mile…And More!
August 22, 2014 by
While we all try to get the best tenants possible, occasionally a bad one slips through the cracks, or we may purchase a new building and inherit such a tenant. They may pay their rent late, create nuisances for other tenants or create safety hazards in the building. While it can be a frustrating and… Read More
In a Wave of Bad New for Landlords, A Small Victory for a Lingsch Realty Client
July 24, 2014 by
I truly love my job and count my blessings each day for the wonderful opportunity my grandfather bestowed on me. However, I would be remiss if I did not confess that the current media portrayal of the rental market and tenants’ sense of entitlement frustrates me. From tenants’ unwillingness to cooperate with construction that will… Read More
Preserve the Ellis Act
April 20, 2014 by
San Francisco lawmakers have introduced a pair of bills to the state legislature that would hamper a property owner’s ability to quit the rental housing business. The pending bill, which would force buyers to own a building for at least five years before they could evict tenants using the Ellis Act, has moved out of… Read More
What is the Ellis Act?
March 21, 2014 by
The Ellis Act has taken center stage in San Francisco real estate media in recent months. While those evoking the Ellis Act or tenants displaced by the Act are well versed in what it is and what it means, bystanders may not. I would like to give a brief overview of the law and current… Read More
Cultivation and Consumption of Cannabis: What You Need To Know
February 19, 2014 by
Walking down the street in San Francisco, it might surprise people that marijuana is not legal. The free-spirit attitude of the 1960’s Haight-Ashbury days has persevered, and indeed, most law enforcement officials turn a blind-eye. However, as a multi-family building landlord, you still need to know your and your tenants’ rights with regards to cannabis… Read More
New Laws for 2014 That Affect Property Owners
January 28, 2014 by
Smoke Detector Compliance: Effective July 1, 2014, a battery-operated smoke alarm will not be legal unless it contains a non-replaceable, non-removable battery capable of powering the smoke alarm for at least 10 years. Until July 1, 2015, an exception to this rule applies to smoke alarms ordered by, or in the inventory of , an… Read More
A Landlord’s Prospective on Leasing
December 12, 2013 by
This is a continuation of last month’s blog post in which I chronicled my apartment hunting experience from a tenant’s prospective. This month, I focus on what I felt landlords and leasing agents could improve. PRICING San Francisco is under rent control, so it is in a landlord’s best interest to rent an apartment for… Read More
A Tenant’s Perspective on Leasing
November 20, 2013 by
I recently found myself on the other side of my business, as I searched for an apartment in San Francisco. I decided I wanted to move back to San Francisco after almost ten years of Peninsula living. I rented out my house and took the plunge into apartment searching. I decided to use this opportunity… Read More
Spooky San Francisco
October 17, 2013 by
Greetings! Owning and renting property in San Francisco can be a scary experience, but not as frightening as these foreboding Fog City abodes. Enjoy these chilling tales in honor of Halloween! Best, Natalie Atherton Mansion, 1990 California Street Believed to be haunted by George Atherton, the feeble son of Faxon D. Atherton and Dominga de… Read More