Something resonated with me watching the recent Brad Pitt release, F1: The Movie. Without spoiling it much, an old friend of Pitt’s character makes him an offer he finds hard to refuse, but he refuses it anyway. At least, initially. Sitting at a restaurant counter, Pitt’s character asks the waitress what she would do if someone made her an offer “too good to be true”. She asks if his hesitancy is about money. “It’s never about the money”, Pitt’s character says. She replies, “What is it about, then?”
You get to a certain point in your life, and something shifts. It’s not about ambition anymore, being a real estate “Top Producer”, or chasing the next big thing. It’s more subtle than that — an awareness that there’s unfinished business. Not dramatic, not urgent, just something unresolved that keeps tugging at you when things get still. Maybe it’s a path you didn’t take, a part of yourself you set aside, or a moment that passed too quickly. And if you’re lucky — if time is still on your side, if you’ve managed to stay healthy and sharp — you might just get the chance to go back, not to relive it, but to make sense of it. Maybe even do something about it.
What is it about, then? Legacy? Redemption? The need to prove something — not to others necessarily, but to the person you once thought you’d become? For me, it’s none of those things and all of them at once. It’s about reconnecting with a part of myself that got buried under the demands of work, family, responsibility — all the things that make up a good, full life, but can still leave certain subconscious checklists unticked.
There are choices I made when I was younger that I don’t regret — but I do wonder about them. Roads not taken, passions that were shelved for later, or ideas I let sit in notebooks. I think that’s what starts to rise to the surface when time slows down enough for reflection. When you’ve built a life, maybe even a good one, and yet feel there could be another chapter waiting to be written.
So when I watched Pitt’s character sit at that diner counter, wrestling with a decision that had less to do with the offer on the table and more to do with who he’d be if he walked away — I felt that. Sometimes the hardest thing isn’t starting over. It’s picking something back up after so many years, and choosing to see it through.
Till next month,
Derek, Emily, Natalie, Mo & Arwin
Market Report
by Patrick Carlisle, Market Analyst for Compass Bay Area
Across most of the Bay Area, the severe economic volatility which prevailed in Q2 – and the absence of a meaningful decline in mortgage interest rates – generally caused a significant year-over-year weakening in the spring selling season, usually the most dynamic of the year.
Team News
IN CONTRACT
1 South Park Street, Unit 308
2 BD 2 BA 1,199 SF (as per tax record) $1,395,000
in contract
3 Laussat Street
2 BD 2 BA 1,555 SF $2,050,000
SOLD
287 Church Street
2 BD 2 BA 1,330 SF (as per tax record) $990,000
SOLD
1616 Larkin Street
3 BD 2 BA 1,816 SF (as per tax record) $1,498,000
Did You Know?
* Could building cleaning and housekeeping costs surge? Estimates suggest around 24% to 33% of maids and housekeeping cleaners are undocumented. (PEW)
* The latest version of the new tax bill passed by the Senate raises the current $10,000 limit on the federal deduction for state and local taxes, known as SALT to $40,000 starting in 2025, with the phaseout beginning after $500,000 of income. Both figures would increase by 1% each year through 2029 and the cap would revert to $10,000 in 2030. (WSJ)
“A majority of my committee have said that they plan to cut rates before now and the end of the year.”
– Jerome Powell, speaking to how the FED wants to see if the impact of tariffs on inflation is a brief, one-time event, or triggers a continuation of elevated inflation. The 10-year dipped to 4.27% yesterday, down from 4.8% in January.
Client Spotlight
What a joy working with Ashraf Islam and his beautiful family on the purchase of this stunning Nob Hill property. Ashraf’s story is the quintessential tale of a brilliant and hardworking person from another country who made it big in America, creating a legacy that will last generations. May you all enjoy continued success and happiness.
Neighborhood Spotlight
Born and raised in Lakeside, this neighborhood holds a special place in my heart. Tucked between Junipero Serra Boulevard and 19th Avenue in San Francisco, Lakeside is more than just a location—it’s a collection of memories and milestones, divided into three mini sections.I grew up in Lakeside 1, the cozy three-block stretch between Ocean Avenue and Sloat Boulevard. This was home—a place of childhood adventures with the neighborhood kids, riding bikes, and playing hours of hide and seek, all the fun that defines a great upbringing. Just south of us was Lakeside 2, where my grandparents raised their family, between Ocean Avenue and Holloway. A short walk away, in Lakeside 3—the area between Holloway and the I-280 entrance near San Francisco State—was the location of the first home my parents purchased.
A highlight of the neighborhood is Lakeside Village, the charming commercial strip along Ocean Avenue. It’s home to a few can’t-miss destination restaurants like Ofena and Lucho’s. I’m especially excited about the upcoming opening of Ben Tre Vietnamese Homestyle Cuisine, taking over the space that, for as long as I can remember, used to be a bank. And of course, you can’t mention Lakeside without mentioning the beloved Ambrosia Bakery, known for its charm and absolutely unbeatable cinnamon twists, also a neighborhood staple that continues to bring people together over pastries and coffee. And, just another community builder the neighborhood has to offer, a few years ago, the neighbors made a parking lot into Lakeside Landing, a colorful parklet that offers an open space to watch concerts, play giant chess, or in the fairy garden, or just hang out with neighbors and friends.
With all of this said, truly the most special part about Lakeside is that it is not just where people live, it is where people belong. The charm of grassy front yards and white picket fences, the sense of community, and the shared history across generations makes it truly special. My cousin, who is now raising her three sons in the very home she grew up in—and right across the street from her sister who is raising her children there as well, said it best, “Our neighbors in Lakeside are more like family than just neighbors, and watching all of our children grow up together has been one of the coolest things to witness. There is a sense of security amongst all of the kids, and we love our neighborhood bbqs and block parties.”
SFGATE recently sat down with Nakornkhet in his office at the onset of summer travel. Becoming SFO’s airport director eight months ago was a homecoming. Nakornkhet worked out of the airport for over 10 years before talking a leadership role at Denver International Airport in 2020.
2 Bay Area restaurants ranked among the best pizzerias in the U.S.
On Tuesday, 50 Top Pizza, an Italy-based ranking guide, released its annual list of U.S. winners. The majority of its California winners were Southern California-based restaurants. San Francisco fixture Tony’s Pizza Napoletana (No. 3) and Berkeley’s popular Rose Pizzeria (No. 50) were the only Bay Area winners in the national ranking list.
Thanks to the helping hand of A’s outfielder Tyler Soderstrom, San Francisco Giants outfielder Tyler Fitzgerald’s ball that looked to be a few feet short of the Sutter Health Park fence ended up going over.
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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
Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California operating under multiple entities. License Numbers 01991628, 1527235, 1527365, 1356742, 1443761, 1997075, 1935359, 1961027, 1842987, 1869607, 1866771, 1527205, 1079009, 1272467. All material is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to the accuracy of any description or measurements (including square footage). This is not intended to solicit property already listed. No financial or legal advice provided. Equal Housing Opportunity. Photos may be virtually staged or digitally enhanced and may not reflect actual property conditions.
