Luxury Home Magazine

CNBC recently ran an interesting story about million dollar homes across America and what buyers can expect to get for their money. You’ll find that the answer really varies greatly from place to place, and that some locations seem to have been affected by the mortgage meltdown more than others.

In San Francisco, California, million dollar homes include approximately 1,177 square feet of living space, with two bedrooms and one bathroom. According to Coldwell Banker Realtor Rick Turley, “San Francisco’s real estate market remains one of the strongest in Northern California and has changed little over the past two years.” The duration of time these million dollar homes sit on the market has increased a little, but the demand for housing has kept prices high. According to the National Association of Realtors, the median home price in San Francisco / Oakland / Fremont is $538,100.

Meanwhile, million dollar homes in Seattle, Washington will get you a little more space – 2,774 square feet, with two bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. Like San Francisco, home values have held pretty steady because the city is such a beacon for new residents. Foreclosures resulted in housing prices decreasing 10-20% since 2006. Currently, the median price of Seattle / Tacoma / Bellevue, Washington homes is $321,500.

The million dollar homes of Portland, Oregon offer around 4,875 square feet of space with five bedrooms and four bathrooms, which is a very good buy. The median sales price is $244,500, according to the National Association of Realtors, with a 12.2% decline since 2006. Local realtor Dana Griggs explains, “The sellers just renovated it and I believe it would have sold for the same amount of money two years ago. The main difference between today’s million dollar market and that of two years ago is the time on the market. This home would have sold in 30 to 60 days before. Now it will take between 90 and 120 days.”

Luxury Home Magazine would like to tell you about some of the best neighborhoods San Francisco luxury real estate has to offer. In Pacific Heights, elegant mansions, breathtaking views and top caliber shopping await prospective residents. Commanding some of the highest prices in San Francisco Bay area real estate, the Fillmore District of Pacific Heights is one of the city’s greatest treasures. Bordered by Japantown and the Fillmore Jazz District, you will find upscale boutiques like Zinc Details, Nest, Paolo Shoes, Betsey Johnson Clothing and Design Within Reach. After your day of shopping, you can indulge in fine dining choices that range from Dosa, Florio or Fresca to the Elite Café and Jackson Fillmore Trattoria. Theatergoers can choose from the Clay Theater or the Sundance Kabuki Theaters, while spa lovers may visit the International Orange or Kabuki Hot Springs.

Don’t be fooled by the rural-sounding name “Cow Hollow.” This San Francisco luxury real estate has been converted from 1800s dairy farms and gardens into grandiose mansions, Victorian manors and Edwardian flats. Young and old residents stroll through the Union Street shopping district, with stores like the Blue Jeans Bar, Bulo Shoes, Stuart More, Z Gallerie and Atys. The Union Street MedSpa is a popular spot for pampered residents who can stop at large Mac or Sephora beauty shops on their way home. Highly recommended Cow Hollow eateries include Brazen Head, Liverpool Lil’s, Rose’s Café and Left at Albuquerque, but residents say they have some of the best nightlife hotspots in town. Whether you’re looking for a bar (Blue Light, Bus Stop and Bar None), a place to dance (the HiFi Lounge), or a location to sip wine (Nectar and Bacchaus), you will find it all in Cow Hollow.

San Francisco luxury homes are some of the most desirable properties in the United States. It’s no secret that Northern California boasts world-class architecture, boutiques, wineries, museums, performance venues and schools. San Francisco luxury homes are spacious and opulent, overlooking the waterfront and commanding top dollar on the market.

Luxury Home Magazine features multi-million-dollar mansions and premier San Francisco luxury homes in the Sea Cliff area, offering stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate National Park and the Marin Headlands. Your neighbor might be actor Robin Williams, actress Sharon Stone, Gap founder Donald Fisher, Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett or actor Cheech Marin – all who have made Sea Cliff their happy home.

We are also proud to represent San Francisco luxury homes along the illustrious Gold Coast, an area comprised of Jackson, Pacific and Broadway streets within Pacific Heights. The Gold Coast is known for its beautiful beaches, recreational opportunities, historic sights, downtown shops and scenic views of the San Francisco Bay, Golden Gate Bridge, public parks and Alcatraz Island. In this coveted stretch of California, “Ten million is the new three million,” says one local realtor.

Presidio Heights San Francisco luxury homes are encompassed by the urban Richmond District and the swanky Pacific Heights region. This elegant neighborhood features two-story homes on wide tree-lined streets, with large front, back and side yards ideal for upper-income families. Sacramento Street offers an excellent assortment of high-end clothing boutiques, jewelry shops and spas. The bustling Laurel Village on California Street is known for its hip bars, restaurants, inns, wine shops, Starbucks, book stores and supermarkets, which are all within walking distance of most homes in Presidio Heights.

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Luxury Home Magazine is proud to represent some of the best Napa luxury real estate in Napa, Yountville, St. Helena and beyond. Napa luxury real estate is beloved by wealthy pleasure-seekers who are looking for a more rural niche, without sacrificing big city amenities like upscale shopping centers, entertainment venues and fine dining opportunities. Unlike other portions of Northern California, Napa luxury real estate has been protected by strict development limitations that maintain some of the wide open spaces, scenic valley views and historic nature of the neighborhoods.

The heart of Napa luxury real estate holds 70,000 residents, which comprises over half of the county’s population. Residents choose the town of Napa for its historic Victorians along the Napa River, the picturesque Craftsmans with lovely views, French cottages, elegant ranches and magnificent Tuscan chateaus. The local city center holds a newly renovated Opera House, grocery stores, chain restaurants, and shopping outlets, while the outskirts feature exclusive country clubs, golf courses, spas and vineyards.

Yountville, Napa luxury real estate has a more suburban atmosphere and features Modern style architecture overlooking rows of vineyards. On the outskirts, behemoth mansions overlooking Napa River go for over $8.5 million and boast exposed beams, clay tile roofs, skylights, glass walls, mahogany doors, pools and guest villas. Tourists flock to Yountville for its great selection of shops, restaurants, galleries and wine stores.

St. Helena, Napa luxury real estate is some of the most desirable because of the friendly small town vibe and the walk-ability of the neighborhood. Handsome farmhouses with wrap-around porches, oasis pools and backyard vineyards attract second home buyers to these green hills.

The region surrounding Northern California’s Napa luxury homes offer temperate conditions that are pleasing to both homeowners and wine grapes. Just 36 miles northeast of San Francisco, you’ll see some of the same fog that lingers from the San Francisco Bay to Napa’s San Pablo Bay, but you’ll also see the vibrant foliage changing color in autumn and experience pleasant summer sunshine. Picturesque country manors dot the landscape of Napa Valley and the mountain foothills, as do rows and rows of vineyards. In fact, wine has been a local staple in Napa since the 1880s. After a brief hiatus during America’s Prohibition in the 1920s, the wine industry was reborn in 1950s America, when more than 50 wineries began to churn out favorites like Beringer and Beaulieu. Today there are over 200 wineries and vineyards surrounding Napa luxury homes.

Residents living in Napa luxury homes certainly love their world caliber wine, but that’s not all. The Calistoga mud baths, mineral springs and Old Faithful geyser are also local attractions worthy of mention. Napa Valley is also home to the last of the 21 missions established in California during the 1800s. Residents of Napa luxury homes enjoy golfing, day spas, antique collecting, hot air balloon rides, farmer’s markets, public parks, beaches, fine dining, nightlife and the arts. Nearby, you can stop at Sonoma Plaza to see historic adobe buildings, shops and some of the best dining establishments in Northern California. Author Jack London said that Napa luxury homes were “on some of the most beautiful, primitive land to be found in California.”

Luxury real estate in the Marina District of San Francisco is interesting to real estate professionals because of the overwhelming demographic shift from middle class families and retirees to affluent young urban professionals in their twenties and thirties, who make up more than half of the population in this area. These swingers frequent the bars, nightclubs and singles scenes along Fillmore and Lombard streets. In fact, this area is colloquially referred to as “Singles Safeway,” “Dateway” and “one of the city’s best pick-up spots.” Some credit this perception to Armistead Maupin, whose 1970 novel Tales of the City featured the chronicles of a model, a bisexual hippie, a gay man, a gynecologist and a brothel owner – characters which many said revealed an accurate snapshot of the Marina District during that time period.

Todays young professionals frequent Marina Bars like Delaney’s, the Horseshoe Tavern, La Barca and establishments along the Marina Safeway. Residents of Marina District luxury real estate also enjoy unique dining establishments like Bistro A16, Aix, Ace Wasabi, Circa, Greens, the Tipsy Pig and The Plant Café along Chestnut Street. Shoppers can visit stores like Books Inc, BeneFit Cosmetics, Giggles baby clothes, Pottery Barn and Rabat Shoes. The historic Presidio Theater and Marina Theater offer movie showings and the active types can break a sweat at Crunch or 24 Fitness.

Today the luxury real estate is full of brightly colored Mediterranean style homes with brilliant views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island and the Marina Green. Flats and apartments from the roaring twenties have largely been redesigned as luxury condos. At one time, this neighborhood housed the 1915 Panama Pacific Exposition, but now the only remnant is Bernard Maybeck’s crown jewel, The Exploratorium.

Luxury homes in San Francisco‚Äôs Nob Hill are reminiscent of turn-of-the-century high society — with some of the city‚Äôs most prominent mansions once built by governor / senator / university founder Leland Stanford and mine baron James Flood. The Leland Stanford Mansion is a National Historic Landmark that has been painstakingly restored to its 1860s glamour ‚Äì French polished wood paneling, chandeliers, gilded mirrors and all. You can still see the tremendous James Flood Mansion at 1000 California Street, standing majestically at the top of Nob Hill as one of only two remaining local buildings following the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire. This 42-room brownstone mansion stands brings a bit of gothic New York City style elegance to the San Francisco landscape dotted by white stucco and grey granite.

People who aren’t living in San Francisco luxury homes may have to settle for staying in the area’s ritzy accommodations instead. The Fairmont Hotel – the other building that remained standing during some of San Francisco’s worst natural disasters – is still welcoming guests at 950 Mason Street. Although the interior was ravaged by fire, the renovations preserved much of the original floor plans and opulence of the hotel, including the world-famous Tonga Room tiki bar.

Nob Hill luxury homes attract upper class families, young urban professionals and a growing number of Chinese immigrants who are moving over from Chinatown, which is just to the east. The luxury homes themselves are made up of Edwardian flats, San Francisco high rises, turn-of-the-century Spanish architecture, stucco manors and stately brick mansions. Nob Hill’s location is central to many neighboring hot spots, with just a short walk to downtown, Russian Hill, North Beach, Chinatown and the Marina.