The POTM Blog · Paulo's Pulse On Today's Market
What the San Francisco market is doing, and what to do about it.
The bi-weekly POTM Blog issues that frame the live data, plus practical guides for buyers, sellers, and small investors. No hype, no fear, just how I actually think about these decisions.
Latest issues
POTM Blog Issue #02, June 10, 2026
The Condo Turn
Compass just published its June report on San Francisco, 35 pages of charts through May 2026. I read all of it so you don't have to. The headline is another single-family record, but the real story is the condo market finally turning after six years of declines.
Read the issue ›POTM Blog Issue #01, June 7, 2026
The AI-Era Spring Market
One of the strongest spring markets in years, but the heat is concentrated: single-family homes and the cash-heavy luxury tier are surging while the condos closest to the new AI offices stay soft.
Read the issue ›Guides
Market Notes
San Francisco Market Notes
How I read the San Francisco market right now, and the questions that matter more than the headlines.
Read ›Buyer Guides
How to Read San Francisco Disclosures
San Francisco disclosure packages are thick for a reason. Here's what's inside and what's worth pausing on.
Read ›Seller Guides
Should I Sell or Rent My San Francisco Home?
A clear framework for one of the hardest calls a homeowner faces, with no thumb on the scale.
Read ›Buyer Guides
What First-Time Buyers Miss in San Francisco
The costs, conditions, and decisions that surprise people in their first San Francisco purchase.
Read ›Neighborhood Guides
Central Richmond Buyer Guide
What to know before buying in the neighborhood I call home, from housing stock to what to inspect.
Read ›Neighborhood Guides
Sunset District Buyer Guide
What to know before buying in the Sunset, from the Inner Sunset village to the foggy Outer avenues.
Read ›Buyer Guides
How to Think About Offer Strategy in San Francisco
Price is only one lever. Here's how the whole offer fits together, and why the highest number doesn't always win.
Read ›Seller Guides
What to Fix Before Selling in San Francisco
Where pre-sale dollars actually pay off, and where they usually don't.
Read ›Buyer Guides
Condo vs. TIC in San Francisco: The Complete Buyer's Guide
With prices high and inventory tight, TICs are one of the few real entry points into the west side and the central neighborhoods. They are not condos, though, and the differences are worth understanding before you fall for a listing. Here is the honest, plain-English comparison.
Read ›Buyer Guides
HOA Dues and Fees in San Francisco: What You're Paying For
Two units with the same price can carry very different monthly costs and very different risk. Here is what HOA dues actually fund, how to read the documents, and the red flags that should slow you down.
Read ›Buyer Guides
How to Get Your Offer Accepted in San Francisco
In a competitive market, the winning offer is rarely just the highest number. It is strong in three places at once: price, terms, and relationship. Here is how each one works, and how to win without overpaying or taking on risk you do not understand.
Read ›Seller Guides
The Cost of Selling a Home in San Francisco
The number that matters is not your sale price. It is what lands in your account after the costs come out. Here is an honest walk through every line on a San Francisco seller's net sheet, so there are no surprises at closing.
Read ›Seller Guides
When to Sell Your San Francisco Home
Is it a good time to sell? That is the wrong first question. The right one is whether selling serves your goals, and then how to time it well within the market you actually have.
Read ›Seller Guides
How to Price Your San Francisco Home
Pricing is where sellers most often leave money on the table, in both directions. Here is how I set a price that protects your final number instead of chasing a fantasy one.
Read ›Seller Guides
How to Prepare Your San Francisco Home to Sell
The goal of pre-sale prep is the best net result, not the biggest project. Here is the practical checklist I walk sellers through, from the disclosure package to the front door.
Read ›Property Condition
How Property Condition Affects Long-Term Value
Why the condition you can't see often matters more than the finishes you can.
Read ›Property Condition
How I Evaluate Foundations in San Francisco Homes
The part of the house nobody photographs is the part that decides what it costs to own. Here is my walkthrough, with an engineer's eye.
Read ›Property Condition
Water, Drainage, and San Francisco Homes
Fog, slope, and seventy-year-old gutters: why moisture quietly decides more about an SF home's future than almost anything else.
Read ›Property Condition
Permits and Unpermitted Work in San Francisco
Half the garages in this city hide a room that officially doesn't exist. Here's how that affects value, risk, and your offer.
Read ›Decision Guides
San Francisco vs. Marin: How to Choose
I cross the Golden Gate Bridge by bike most weeks. Here's the honest comparison for people deciding which side of it to live on.
Read ›Decision Guides
San Francisco vs. the Peninsula: How to Choose
City energy or suburban room, fog belt or sun: the honest comparison for households weighing San Francisco against San Mateo County.
Read ›Also: the San Francisco real estate glossary, plain-English definitions of TICs, disclosures, contingencies, and more.
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