January 2026

Greetings and Happy 2026, All!

If you, like me, slightly broke into a cold sweat at the thought of holiday travel, then you probably enjoyed the simple luxury of staying put—at home with family, friends, pets, or just yourself (cue the deep, satisfied “ahhhh”). I’ve always been a bit of a homebody. I like my nest. I’ve put real thought into creating a space that feels like me, filled with things I love and enjoy. Being married with a son just means that personal space sometimes shows up in creative ways—wherever I can find it. I’ve been doing this, consciously or not, since I was a kid.

The homes we grew up in tend to linger in our memory not because of their square footage or architectural pedigree, but because of how they made us feel. I still remember the way afternoon sunlight landed on my bedroom desk, the familiar creak in the hallway floor, and the comfort of everyone ending up in the same room at the close of the day. Those small details become emotional bookmarks, quietly shaping our sense of comfort, belonging, and safety long after we’ve moved on.

As adults, when we look for a home of our own, we’re usually chasing that feeling—not a carbon copy of the house itself. For the record, a 1960s modern box is not what I went shopping for as a grown-up, but certain details from my childhood home definitely followed me each time I moved. We gravitate toward spaces that feel warm and natural—homes that invite connection, calm, and ease. An open kitchen where conversations linger, a cozy corner that begs for a book, or a backyard that happily absorbs friends and family—we’re all, in our own way, trying to recreate that emotional imprint.

Over time, the homes we choose start to reflect who we are now, not just where we came from. Our routines, values, and personalities show up in subtle ways: how rooms are used, what we hold onto, and what moments we make space for. A home becomes a living, breathing portrait of the people inside it—one that evolves right along with us.

And so the house we buy as adults becomes both a continuation and a fresh chapter. It carries echoes of childhood while making room for new memories—holidays celebrated, milestones marked, and plenty of quiet evenings enjoyed. In the end, the best homes are the ones that nod to where we’ve been, while fully embracing the life we’re living now.

Till next month,

Derek, Emily, Natalie, Mo & Arwin

Market Report

by Patrick Carlisle, Market Analyst for Compass Bay Area

January 2026

As 2026 begins, interest rates are near multi-year lows and stock markets are at or close to all-time peaks. Early in the new year, it is common for buyers, re-energized to move forward with major life decisions, to jump back into the market faster than sellers list their homes for sale. this disparity of increasing demand versus a low supply of new listings usually runs through the spring, typically making these months the most heated selling season of the year. Last year, this was upended by the tariff shock. Barring new, unexpected economic alarms, we expect this spring to be very heated indeed.

Team News

Did You Know?

* Are you IN or OUT? Inevitably at this time of the year these sorts of lists emerge and here is a list of design items that qualify (noting that the following year that on the out list may be back in again….)

COLORS:  IN:  Sunny Shades. OUT: Moody Blues

TECH:   IN:  Analog.  OUT: Smart everything

WINDOWS:  IN:  Bamboo shades.  OUT: Bare windows with no window treatments

TILES:  IN:  Statement tiles and surfaces with character, hand-made. OUT: Sterile machine-made surfaces

STYLE:  IN: Vintage Glam.  OUT: California Minimalism

LIGHTING:  IN: “Jewelry Lighting’.  OUT: Cold, brash LED

KITCHENS:  IN: Metal surfaces.   OUT: Splashy marbles (we knew that was coming!). WSJ

* Want to be emotionally resilient? These are 9 things people do daily that help:

1. Reframing stress as a signal, not a threat

2. Making one micro-decision daily with confidence

3. Building your support system with intention

4. Creating a ‘done’ list instead of a to-do list

5. Noticing and savoring one good moment every day

6. Practicing honesty in your closest relationships

7. Helping someone else, before you need help

8. Asking yourself, ‘What’s the worst that could happen?’

9. Practicing these habits in low-stakes moments  (CNBC)

Neighborhood Spotlight

Mission Terrace is in the south-central section of San Francisco, and is one of its sunniest neighborhoods. The active and involved Improvement Association plans regular annual events such as an Easter egg hunt, Fourth of July parade, and a neighborhood garage sale. The Bridge Garden project, a community effort to enhance the streetscapes and public space, has been very successful. Grants were applied for and received from San Francisco Community Challenge, and volunteers began immediately to make things happen. Balboa Park offers a pool, playground, stadium, baseball diamonds and tennis courts. Residents of Mission Terrace enjoy easy transportation to the 280 freeway, as well as the nearby Balboa Park and Glen Park Bart stations.

News

The biggest art installation in the history of Golden Gate Park came at a hefty cost

The Richmond-based artist and fabricator has long been captivated by the story of “Cyrus the Unsinkable Sea Serpent,” a 1975 tale of an enormous maritime monster who is urged by a shark to sink a boat of civilians, but overcomes the peer pressure to save them from the dangers at sea.

A former ‘Top Chef’ alum cooks her ‘greatest hits’ at new SF restaurant

Equal Parts opened in North Beach at 478 Green St. in mid-December to little fanfare, at least in terms of traditional press. Even with executive chef Melissa Perfit, who once starred on “Top Chef,” helming the kitchen, there were only two articles sharing details about this newcomer.

This Bay Area 1-hit wonder sold a million copies. Then everything unraveled.

Stylistically it sits in a sweet spot between boogie, R&B and new jack swing, with an infectious sing-along hook, punchy drum machine rhythms and syrupy harmonies. But the aftermath of its creation is far from sweet.

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The Dunn & Chin Group
Top 1% SF Realtors

Derek Chin DRE #: 00854466
Emily Dunn DRE #: 01424486
Natalie Rome DRE #: 01386654
Mo Salimi DRE #: 02128819