Greetings, All:
As we approach the end of another calendar year, it’s impossible to ignore the collective sigh of relief that seems to permeate the air. The year behind us has been one marked by historic challenges and unexpected hurdles, pushing individuals and societies to their limits. Closing out such a tumultuous chapter requires reflection, resilience, and a glimmer of hope for the future.
Remaining effects of the global pandemic, economic upheaval, social and political unrest, war —these are just a few of the storms that have swept across the world, leaving in their wake a sense of disarray and uncertainty. In my personal world, family illnesses, unexpected passings, a drastic shift in the real estate market, I’ve felt as if I’ve been playing dodgeball, and the balls are all marked, “Take this!”
Of course, reflecting on the challenges faced allows us to check ourselves, see what we’re made of, and acknowledge the strength that resides within us. When faced with adversity, we discover the depth of our character, don’t we? So let’s take a moment to recognize the small victories and the lessons learned.
Closure is not about forgetting the difficulties but about finding a sense of resolution. It’s an opportunity to sift through the experiences of the past year, extracting wisdom and understanding. I’m reminded of a conversation I had once about the generations of people that came before me. I was talking to a friend about my grandfather, who grew up during The Great Depression, a young immigrant in America, who fought as a tailgunner in the US Army Air Force during WWII. When he survived being a German POW and made his way back to San Francisco, he had to figure out how he was going to live his life moving forward, and take care of his wife and son (my dad). He became one of the first American Chinese Realtors in the City. I don’t think he ever had the luxury of time to sit back, think and reflect; he just got to work. I’m sure he hoped for the best, remained optimistic…but I don’t think he ever really looked back till he was no longer working and the kids (4) were all grown and gone.
Me? I’m constantly looking back, trying to learn to do better, looking for reasons of “why this and that” so I can move forward more wisely. I read self-help books, listen to podcasts; I even had a life/business coach for a time. Can’t imagine my granddad doing any of this. Life has surprised me in so many ways, and thankfully I’ll accept that the bad comes with the good, and like my granddad I remain hopeful and optimistic.
I get these daily messages from “success guru” Darren Hardy via Darren Daily. Just wanted to share this particular one today and hope it speaks to someone.
When faced with fear and anxiety:
1- See people from the inside. Don’t judge a book by its cover.
2- In the face of fear and anxiety, remembering to…JUST do.
3- Our power in kindness. There are opportunities to show kindness every day.
4- Build your support system. Receive words of encouragement from mentors, colleagues, friends, family.
5- Understand that hard work, works. Show up and do the work.
Wishing you the Happiest of Holidays!
Till next month,
Derek, Natalie, Mo & Arwin
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by Patrick Carlisle, Market Analyst for Compass Bay Area
Stocks and bond markets – which greatly impact household wealth, consumer confidence, and interest rates – were generally characterized by deep pessimism in October, but with significant changes in economic indicators such as inflation, and a continued pause in benchmark rate increases by the Fed, financial markets abruptly shifted to enthusiastic optimism in November. That translated into a dramatic plunge in mortgage rates, which has caused mortgage applications to increase over recent weeks.
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New Listings | Just Sold | Announcement
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This month we’d like to place the spotlight on Jackie Tom, and her company “Rentals In SF“. If you need a top-notch rental agent, we couldn’t recommend her more highly.
Those who know Jackie know she is a determined, persistent woman who makes things happen. So began her real estate career back in 1995, when she could not find a place that would take her Great Dane. She not only found a place for the two of them, she found herself a new career.
As a strong believer in the philosophy of ‘if you think you can, you can’, lack of cash didn’t deter Jackie from buying her first rental property. A couple of credit cards sealed the deal. Jackie continues to use her innate ability to problem solve to successfully market rental properties, helping landlords turn drab into fab and attract the best quality tenants. As a native San Franciscan, Jackie knows the City and knows people, successfully bringing together her network of landlords and tenants. Her repeated success has earned her many accolades, including San Francisco Apartment Association’s Leasing Agent of the Year.
Jackie’s knowledge and passion for real estate rentals gives her a competitive advantage in the ever-changing rental market. She thoroughly understands both landlords’ and tenants’ needs and strives to help make the rental experience as easy and worry-free for both parties.
Jackie’s can-do attitude extends into her personal life, where she seeks the path less traveled, four-wheeling it to the next adventure. She’s a rock climber, a competitive ice skater, and a skier. By the time the ink is dry on this story, there will likely be another tale of a seemingly daunting challenge met. One thing remains certain—her passion for real estate never ends.
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“If you look at what you have in life,
you’ll always have more. If you look at
what you don’t have in life, you’ll never
have enough.” -Oprah Winfrey
* Some of the most expensive major cities in the US – like San
Francisco and Washington – also offer the best living standards
for mid- and lower-income households, according to a new
study of metro areas by the Ludwig Institute for Shared
Economic Prosperity. Higher prices in those places are offset by
the higher wages on offer, according to this analysis, which
ranks the 50 biggest US metro areas based on the economic
well-being of middle- and working-class residents. San Jose in
California comes out on top.
* Investors are selling dollars at the fastest rate in a year as they raise their bets that the US Federal Reserve has finished its aggressive campaign of interest rate increases and will deliver multiple cuts next year. (FT)
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After over two years of construction, the East Bay Regional Parks department officially opened access to 18 miles of new hiking trails across 2,800 acres in the Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park.
The trails are accessible from the freshly minted Tyler Ranch Staging Area in Sunol, California, a country town about 15 minutes east of Fremont.
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The biggest taco in Calif. is hidden in a Bay Area strip mall
Luong Dang believes that we eat with our eyes first, so when he decided to add a giant taco to his Taqueria Azteca menu, he made sure to give customers an eyeful. In late October, a massive hard-shell taco made its way to the strip mall restaurant at 7155 Amador Plaza Road in Dublin. With a mountain of shredded iceberg lettuce and overly generous toppings of pico de gallo, crema, salsa and guacamole tucked inside a shell that could hold a newborn baby, the entree has since gained wide notoriety thanks to a viral post.
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The Sean Connery fabrication is only the start. The truth is even stranger.
In the 1996 action blockbuster “The Rock,” Sean Connery plays an Alcatraz escapee enlisted by the FBI to defuse a hostage situation on the notorious prison island.
“I have a unique knowledge of this prison facility. I was formerly a guest here,” Connery’s character John Mason tells the FBI.
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Since Compass launched in 2012, we’ve been simplifying the real estate process one community at a time. Today, we have more than 250+ offices extending from coast to coast.
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