Let's talk about driving

One of the biggest laughs I’ve gotten during this period of adjustment to life in San Francisco has come through driving around town in a car. Despite a public transportation system that just rocks, there are times when driving a car is just the best choice. 

Parking - well now that’s just another issue altogether unless you have one of those smartcars that can practically be parked curbside in either a perpendicular or parallel style. While I’ve never seen one park nose to the curb, it isn’t a bad idea. Really. Probably get a ticket though. You get one if you’re too far out from the curb, on that curb, don’t have your car wheels turned (You wouldn’t want to roll downhill now would you?) or caught in a spot you’re not entitled to be in. 

You figure it out. And the signs are different on the other side of the street too. Smartcars. That’s the answer. Surely they were designed by a San Franciscan.

Following the signs for traffic patterns isn’t entirely easily interpreted either. Not too many roads here intersect at 90 degree angles with another street. And there are often many street converging at the intersection. And far too often one street simply changes to another. 

One trip to find a particular address was a real doozy when we discovered 9th Street rounds a bend and turns into 12th. What happened to 10th and 11th? We’ll never know. Wonder how mail service is on those streets?

Then there are the marked lanes on the street that don’t necessarily jive with the marked lanes on the other side of the intersection. Most residents know this and drive accordingly in a somewhat jigsaw fashion. Buses and tourists on the other hand don’t. You see the deliema. Add the motorcycles and Vestpas to the mix who drive wherever and however they want and often up the middle and you have a situation that requires your full attention -- at all times. No car texting allowed here. No siree.

Imagine my surprise earlier this week when I rounded a corner and found myself nose to nose with a Cadillac in the middle of an intersection. The driver was beside himself yelling at me. I could see his face turning Pantone’s Color of the Year - Tangerine. Odd thing was he was on the wrong side of the road! Maybe he was a colorblind Englishman or just unable to see the yellow stripe to the right of his car. Either way I was glad to have had that double shot of espresso in my latte that morning. Really. 

But perhaps one of the best and most entertaining things about driving in San Francisco are the hills. That’s what we call them here. You would probably call them something else more descriptive in nature. Uphill or downhill, both have their challenges -- and views. If you are scared off, just drive a block or so to the right or left and the topography is completely different. I especially like the ones that have you driving over the edge, unable to see where you are headed other than down. Yeah those are fun.

Who knew buying a house could be so difficult ..

The economy is bouncing back from the brink thanks to rising home sales. Okay. Exactly where would that be happening? Certainly in the Mid-Atlantic area of Baltimore-Washington that might be occurring about now. After all we did sell our home nearly five months ago. And someone bought the home of that buyer. Okay we all took a major hit, having to settle for significantly less that our original asking prices as the bubble burst and the market tanked during that year and a half period. But I suppose those sales counted for something.

Now let’s talk about the San Francisco Bay Area, in the city west of Twin Peaks. That’s where our efforts have been concentrated for the past year or so. The bubble reached its max around 2007 but didn’t truly burst. It delated somewhat though and seemed to hold. 

It occurs to us that the main reasons the market didn’t decline further was that folks have been sitting tight. Those who have been able to continue making payments, have done so and haven’t been interested in selling. Those who haven’t been able to keep up financially have gone under, accounting for at least a good third if not more of the available homes for sale -- in the form of foreclosures, short sales and bank owned properties. Many of the remaining for sale homes are due to deaths in the family who are now involved in estate sales.

The current market explains the scenario we’ve faced in the past five months as we have attempted to secure a new home. We are currently under contract on the sixth house we’ve tried to buy.

The first one was a short sale in which we did underbid significantly and were one of more than a half dozen doing exactly the same thing. The owners upped the price and were able to snag a contract, eventually settling for $10K over that. Hmpff.

The second contract was for a home with minimal financial struggles. The owner was moving out of the area for family reasons. The sad part of this deal was that she overpaid - by a lot - at the high of the market when mortgages companies were offering 105% loans. Yes you read that correctly. Our offer was for current market value, which would leave the owner having to bring big bucks to the settlement table. No deal. The home eventually sold at a price that required her to bring all her cash to the table to break even. That was still above our maximum bid. At least she didn’t have a short sale or bankruptcy.

The third home was one we saw a year before when we were not in a place to be able to offer a contract. Their realtor had given us information to make an offer that was in our range and would be accepted. They eventually pulled the house off the market. Our realtor knocked on the door a year almost to the day. The homeowners seriously considered the offer but decided to rent the home instead, waiting for prices to rise. At last look, they are still sitting tight.

On to the next contract which was for an estate sale. The home belonged to the original homeowner, which was amazing since the house was built in 1927. The two children were in their 80s. The outcome of this offer still stings.

In San Francisco this season the realtors have come up with a new gimmick - the old ‘call for offers’ when all interested parties present a contract at the same time. The trick is to get your offer in at the last minute so other offers can’t be ‘shopped.’ In this instance we learned that our top dollar contract was not the last one in on a Friday afternoon. The listing agents, a mother-daughter team, had a third party offer of their own. Yeppers you guessed it. That contract was the accepted one. As it turns out the final sold price was $20K less than our offer. Ouch.

House number five was a bank-owned property that had a call for offers the following Monday. We bid slightly less than asking price and were the only bidders oddly enough. Pretty sure it had more to do with the particulars of the deal, buyers had to be pre-qualified by the holding bank. Luckily we already had everything necessary at hand for online submission. Buyers would also be required to use the bank’s title company as well. Luckily the rates and numbers were in our favor. Unfortunately the appraisal and home inspection were not. Combined with a stressful mortgage lender/title company not being able to secure final numbers in time for our contingency, we elected this was not a good deal for us in the long run. Exit stage right.

Bet you can’t believe this could all happen to one couple in a four-month period. Hang on, it gets better.

We decide to take a step back and re-evaluate our stepping off point. In the very beginning of talks to move west, we had zero’d in on Sausalito, across the Golden Gate Bridge. We hopped in the car and paid the sleepy little town of 4,000 homes a visit. A stop into a realtor’s office brought us a new realtor too. Luckily for us three homes were for sale in our price range and looked promising. Two of them already had contracts and  probably weren’t the best choices anyway. Bingo on the third!

In short time we presented a contract closer to market value. And after a strange bit of back and forth where the owner upped the price, we arrived at a good price. As it turns out, things are strange in Sausalito too. This owner-realtor was at a critical financial place and selling this home at this particular price is the only option available to clear the debts away. 

At current time we are near to lifting all contingencies and waiting for a May 24 settlement. Keep your fingers crossed.

It's the gypsy life for us ...

One might think living as a gypsy would be tiresome after a bit. Well maybe it will soon enough but for now, I’ve quite enjoyed it. 

Sure we’ve had to pack and repack several times, hauling things to another part of the city each time. Then there rediscovering a new area, where to buy groceries, park the car, meet the bus and a whole lot of things that don’t occur to you until you need them. Laundry, emptying the trash, timing the rush hour thing, new noises all come to mind.

It seems that in a city where rent control laws rule, newcomers must contend with the option to either sign a yearlong lease or move every 28 days from short-term rentals often called corporate rentals. 

Finding one of those that is furnished - and takes cats - and doesn’t cost an arm and leg is difficult to manage. Luckily I’ve been able to pull the rabbit from the hat three times, each place being unique and in a different part of the city. 

The first one was in the Marina District. Other than the minute size and overwhelming noise of Lombard Street rush hour traffic, it was a sweet location. Best of all was hearing the Golden Gate Bridge fog horn bellowing out in the quiet of the night.

Marina Motel on Lombard

Chestnut Street

Palace of Fine Arts

The city has lots of districts, each sporting its own main street flavor. In the Marina, it’s Chestnut Street. Lots of super boutiques, restaurants, shops and other amentities. And not one but two theaters. Seeing Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in a small theater with locals and being to walk home really added to the enjoyment of the movie. Overall I give the accomodations and area an A++. The wonderful office ladies turned even their heads and extended our stay a week until we could move into our next place.

Place number two was atop Nob Hill a block way from Grace Cathedral. Considerably breezier and more centrally located, we had to take a bus or cable car to get around. The transportation system in the city is beyond easy and cheap. In Nob Hill the only issue was having to walk up or down hill a block to get to it. Contrary to what you might think, walking down a very steep hill is actually harder than uphill. 

Grace Cathedral

Parking in Nob Hill is quite another issue. Once we got a temporary permit, it was cheaper but then you had to be vigiliant about not blocking a garage driveway, turning your front wheels at an angle to the curb, parking close but not on top of that curb and signage listing when cars are required to move for traffic patterns and street cleaning. Sounds easy right. Think again. Meanwhile I’ve become an expert at parallel parking, even on an incline.

Villa Nob Hill

Loved Nob Hill despite having a front facing bedroom above street level on Leavenworth where the busiest firehouse in the city is located. Middle of the night sirens and lights are not something I’d wish on anyone else.

Enter the third place down in the Financial District along the Embarcadero and waterfront. Hit pay dirt here as we are renting a one bedroom condo that has a designated parking spot in the garage down the street. We have to walk a bit more to get to the F Train or bus or the car or the little market, but it’s very residential in our area and quiet - so quiet.

F Train down in the Financial District

Our unit is on the second floor and abuts Telegrah Hill. Hill might be understating the size involved. The ‘hill’ is a vertical rocky wall about a dozen stories high. It dwarfs our eight story building which is below the base of Telegraph Hill, similar to that leaning tower landmark building in Italy, only this one isn’t leaning. Anyway the hill is rocky with thick flowering vegetation.These photos don’t do it justice.

240 Lombard

Best of all, this unit has a free laundry room and trash room down the hall, a gym, sauna, jacuzzi, front door personnel and a lobby that sparkles it’s so clean and shiney. Landscaping in and around the building is beautiful. During our stay here San Francisco has sprung to life with blossoming cherry trees, star jasmine and lots of other wonderful smelling blossoms.

Luckily we are able to extend our stay here until after closing on the Sausalito house. Can our gypsy days be coming to an end?

Rainbows can come in all forms ...

San Francisco has come to be associated with rainbows of many kinds. The kind that comes from light in the sky to the kind that involves tolerance for others with different points of view. New on the list for me to learn about is the vast array of unusual fruits and vegetables California has to offer -- in a full rainbow of colors.

View of the financial district across the street

Ferry Building

The Ferry Building near The Embarcadero Center is one of the best places in the city for some of the very best in locally grown organic produce. Several days a week, Tuesdays, Thursdays and mostly on Saturdays, it’s open to the public as a fresh air market. Not only can you learn about what you’re eating, but you can sample your brains out. Word is that about 25,000 shoppers visit each week. Judging by my first visit this past weekend, I think that’s a fair assessment.

Dogs not allowed. Does he qualify?

While you can always find some good things inside the building, on Saturdays you can find dozens and dozens of booths surrounding the building, stretching out onto the dock area where the ferry boats regularly come and go, connecting San Francisco to Marin County.

Fingerling something or rather. 

Who knew there could be so many lettuces?

You can't just get a plain old potato. 

There are wheat grasses and then there are wheat grasses. 

The same applies to sprouts. 

Even the radishes come in multi-colors.

Obviously orange is the color of the season

And you just can't ask for an oranges. You have to specify what type AFTER you sample of course.

The farmers market is operated by the nonprofit Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture and features some of San Francisco’s best known chefs and most famous farmers. Aside from the usual seasonal fruits and vegetables, you can also find herbs, flowers, meats and eggs. And many other specialities such as breads, cheeses and jams. Towards the rear of the market there are many local restaurant booths that include everything from wood-fired pizza to grilled meats, sandwiches and tacos.

Just had to get some avocado honey. Yum. 

Now this is a fig newton

No explanation needed - just that there were more than three types.

Even the trash cans come in colors. Honestly the compost bin is all over San Francisco. 

The thing to remember is bring cash, a comfy pair of shoes, a big cloth shopping tote to haul it all home, and a healthy appetite. Bon appetite!

... week one under my belt

It’s been a week in San Francisco. The cats have somewhat made the adjustment. Hubby made it across country and even managed to swing through Colorado Springs to see our son. As for me, I’ve managed to get around San Francisco quite easily via bus. Now I’m ready to stretch a bit further to areas I don’t know how else to get to.

Getting back and forth to the area where I set up mail service and meet our realtor takes a bit longer by public transportation but couldn’t be easier or safer. I find asking a middle schooler directions works best but that only works after school lets out.

I’ve now seen all the houses available in our price range in the area we’re interested in. Not much on the market just before Christmas so now we just wait it out for more sale signs. It’s good to be non-contingent with full financing ready and waiting. Perhaps we can give some lucky homeowner a great Christmas or Hannukkah. 

With a bit of free time, I spent the day looking for the downtown Flower Market and shopping for the sofa we will eventually be needing for the new house. We lightened our moving load by getting rid of our sofas and beds before the move. I found both and can only say, “Wow!”

Which one is Rudolph?

orchids galore

Christmas apparently is a year-round event at this place

Name your color

Ribbon, ribbon, ribbon, ribbon

... let's call it Day 1

We packed the car to the hilt. Okay the husband packed the car to the hilt. I packed most of the rest of the house. Okay my best buds showed up and packed the entire kitchen. And in under two hours flat. But I did pack most of the house myself. It took most of each and every day between signing the contract and when the movers showed up (two hours later than expected) to move it out on the day of settlement. Whew that was a day.

But it’s behind us now and onward west ho. Hubby dropped me, the two cats and their happy pills off at Dulles International Airport bright and early the day after settlement. And less than six hours later, the three of us become officially unofficial California residents.

Sadly I didn’t think to get a photo because a picture in this instance would be worth a thousand words. Me, a piece of rolling luggage, my purse, an oversized pet kennel, two small under seat pet travel cases and a very valuable collapsable trolley to load most of it on. 

Now close your eyes and picture me getting on the BART (San Francisco subway system) with everything to get downtown where I reload into a cab for the last part of the journey to our new lodgings now known as Home Sweet Home until the real deal comes along. Yep it was all that and more.

I am dependent on public transportation completely until the husband can complete the cross country drive with the car and all the must haves that couldn’t go into storage. 

Surprisingly the bus is a snap to get around on. It takes a bit longer but it gives me time to enjoy the sights and get my bearings. Plus the temporary home is walking distance to about everything you need to get along in the life. I just need to remember not the get more than I can carry at any given time.

The great adventure has begun and we couldn’t be more delighted.

... it's about time

It took nearly 18 months, but it happened -- finally. The house sold and we’re moving to San Francisco. Now the real works begins and the clock is ticking. We’ve got less than a month to secure movers, pack, find temporary lodging on the other end (until the perfect home comes along), transfer our mailing address and all that comes with that, and, of course, say au revoir to family and friends that we hope to see again real soon.

Did I mention that this happens before Christmas. I said it was going to be an adventure and as it turns out, that’s an understatement.

Let’s start with the sale of the old homestead. Despite an economy that has been a bit less than healthy, people and their lives do go on. Situations change and we all adjust. Enough said.

Picking a moving company, as it turns out, is a bit easier than expected. With the consolidation of most of the biggies, a struggling economy and the movement of DIY movers with PODS, prices are relatively uniform. Since we had secured an entire garage worth of boxes and packing material from a friend of a friend, our price was significantly less. Let the packing begin and pass the Aleve.

On to the next challenge, finding temporary lodgings that come furnished and allow for cats. Not such an easy task as it turns out. First there are the renter laws in San Francisco that don’t allow for temporary lodgers to exceed 28 days. Okay we can manage that. Then there’s the cat issue ... 

All is well that ends well. Hooray there’s a place in the Marina District near the Palace of Fine Arts and uber trendy Chestnut Street shops. Okay it’s small. Really small. Really, really small -- tight quarters. And the noise level of Lombard Street is less than ideal, but it works -- for now.

Courtyard view from the bath and bedroom windows

Spaces appear tighter in real life

View of Lombard Street

Securing a temporary mailing address isn’t a ready, set, go either. Did you know you have to have a local address to rent a USPS post office box in another state? Nuts, right? Thanks UPS Store. We’re going to be BFFs.

Also on the list is tending to the cat issue. That’s the issue of getting the cats across the country. We determined that flying would most likely be the easiest on all of us. Better living through pharmaceuticals. A quick nap and presto we’re there -- sort of. A bottle a wine for me on the other end not so bad either.

More to come once the big move has happened.