By TINNELLY LAW GROUP www.tinnellylaw.com Introduction Community Associations have traditionally encountered problems with renters in their communities. Because renters do not have an ownership interest in their units and the Association, they may feel less invested in the community. This often results in renters failing to (1) comply with the Association’s CC&Rs and/or (2) properly adhere to the Association’s rules and regulations. Associations that have high quantities of renters typically find themselves paying more in enforcement costs compared to those Associations that have smaller renter populations. As a result of this unfortunate situation, Associations have adopted various form… read more.

In 2011, San Francisco’s Noe Valley neighborhood experienced a firming in real estate activity and prices.  Noe Valley continued to attract a broad demographic of professionals and families seeking “relatively” affordable single family housing, good weather, access to public transportation, and a favorable commute to companies located on the peninsula. There were 113 Noe home sales, with an average sale price of $1,445,939.  Most homes sold in under 50 days. Here’s a snapshot of summary sales data for Noe Valley single family homes sold in 2011. Noe Valley… read more.

Six months after the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art released conceptual designs of how a new wing would look alongside its current home, the institution on Wednesday showed how the two pieces might fit together inside. The biggest surprise: To try to create one seamless cultural facility, SFMOMA intends to remove the iconic centerpiece of the existing museum on Third Street – the atrium’s three-story granite staircase. Director Neal Benezra also said that before the expanded museum opens in 2016 it will be necessary to close the current building for an unspecified period. This will allow time for similarly sized but very… read more.

By Sarah McBride SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Adam Holm has been looking to sell his three-bedroom Victorian house in San Francisco’s Potrero Hill neighborhood all year, but he needs one thing to happen first: gaming-company Zynga’s initial public offering. “It seems foolish to put it on the market before when there are a thousand people down the street who are about to make a million dollars,” said Holm. His place is within walking distance of Zynga’s headquarters, and he expects prices in the neighborhood to rise significantly in the wake of the IPO. Holm, now working as a carpenter after being laid off… read more.

Nationally, foreclosures are up– no one, not even the sunniest, most Pollyanna-esque of Realtors, can deny it. Bloomberg reports that the U.S. will experience as much as a 20% increase in foreclosure filings, up record numbers filed in 2010. This figure is all the more startling given that in 2010, “2.87 million properties got notices of default, auction or repossession.” Still, while foreclosures make up a significant part of the real estate market in many areas of U.S., one metro area will vary wildly from another when you focus in on local markets. Thus emerges a tale of two cities, thi… read more.

Due to inconsistent installation requirements mandated by local governments and a multitude of questions raised by property owners concerning California’s new carbon monoxide alarm law, the state Housing and Community Development Department has issued emergency regulations to bring clarify to the law. There are a number of exceptions in the regulations concerning the installation requirements, which owners will find helpful.  At the same time, the regulations clarify that the July 1, 2011, installation date for single family homes only applies to detached homes, not to condominiums.  Here’s a look at some of the clarifications made through the regulations. All single-family detached homes (owner… read more.