FRIDAY - FINALLY
By Tomincal (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Silicon Valley Crowned No. 1 Luxury Home Market - The Coldwell Banker Previews International survey ranked Woodside, Calif., in the heart of Silicon Valley, as the nation's top luxury market. Among the top five luxury markets in the country—as ranked by prices and sales volume—three are in the Valley.
Can urban villages really deliver both jobs and housing for Silicon Valley's capital? Since late 2011, Silicon Valley developers and urban planners have been awaiting details on how the City of San Jose plans to implement a wide-ranging vision for creating 70 urban villages by 2040.
Farewell to the Corner Office - In the changing world of work, the corner office with a desk the size of an aircraft carrier is no longer the hallmark of success it once was. Instead, more companies are looking to reduce their amount of wasted space, squeezing more people into fewer square feet.
Priced Out: San Francisco's Changing Values and Artist Exodus - This is the second in a series by Christian L. Frock that explores the impact of new tech wealth on artists and the art community. The first article titled "Priced Out: New Tech Wealth and San Francisco's Receding Art Scene" explored the impact on galleries and non-profit organizations and was published on March 7, 2014. Forthcoming installments will consider local changes in relation to the arts across the country, relevant histories and new strategies to preserve the arts and their legacies.
Home Builders Bidding Up Best Lots, Ignoring Outskirts - Builders are focusing on higher priced lots that are typically close to growing job and transportation centers. At the moment, these centrally located locations are fetching a historically high premium over more affordable areas, which indicates that builders would rather bid up the best lots than move to the outskirts. Undeveloped raw land has put added pressure on home prices.
Wanted: Employed 25- to 34-Year-Olds to Buy Houses - According to statistics from the Bureau of Labor, the number of employed people aged 25 to 34 is lower now than it was in the 1980s, which spells trouble for the housing market since this demographic group will struggle to become prime candidates for buying houses. The economic impact of a lack of first-time buyer sales has caused some experts to describe the market as looking a bit soft.
When home improvements offer the most bang for your buck - Remodeling is at its highest level since the spring of 2004, according to the National Association of Home Builders' Remodeling Market Index. When it comes to upgrades, homeowners can expect the average portion of costs being recouped at 66.1 percent.
Entry door improvements and kitchen upgrades offer the most bang for your buck. Here are some ideabooks, with my favorites being:
I'm curious:
- How do you decorate your front door or porch area?
- What have you noticed about the changes in corporate office spaces?
PS It's been raining a lot in the Bay Area (and a friend even alerted me to snow in Big Sur yesterday) so it's time to go fins something new indoors. A new find (for me, anyway) is the San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art. If you go, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
