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Greetings, All:
Please bear with me, as this month’s newsletter intro is written with our dog Kava top of mind.
Kava was a senior rescue. His owner of 10 years couldn’t take him where she was moving in 2021. She said we might have a year with him, since his breed was known for having heart problems and often didn’t make it much past 10 years. We were blessed with him for almost 5 years.
He was my first dog. My wife Monica bonded with him, first. But he soon became my little buddy, and constant companion whenever I was home. Spoiled him and made him as comfortable as we possibly could.
Few things make a house feel more like a home than a pet. They greet us at the door after a long day, keep us company when we’re alone, and somehow make even ordinary moments feel a little brighter. A wagging tail, a gentle purr, or a playful nudge can instantly lift our spirits. Pets become part of the family, filling our homes with laughter, affection, and countless memories that stay with us for years.
For children, growing up with a pet can be especially meaningful. Pets teach kids responsibility, patience, empathy, and kindness in ways that few other experiences can. They become trusted companions, loyal confidants, and often a child’s first lesson in caring for another living being. Many of us can still remember a beloved dog, cat, rabbit, or other pet from our childhood and the joy they brought to our lives.
We’re not planning to get another dog anytime soon. I’m adjusting to a new daily routine. However, if you’re thinking about adding a furry friend to your family, may I suggest that you consider adopting a rescue animal? Shelters are full of wonderful dogs and cats already here, waiting for someone to give them a loving home. By choosing adoption over buying from a breeder, you’re not only gaining a devoted companion, you’re giving an animal a second chance at life. The bond that forms between a rescued pet and the family that welcomes them home is often something truly special, and a reminder that some of life’s greatest gifts are the ones we choose to save. Just a thought.
Kava was such a good boy – “best doggy in the world”, I’d say to him every night. It’s now been three weeks since he passed, and coming home through the front door hasn’t felt the same since.
Till next month,
Derek, Emily, Natalie, Mo and Arwin
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by Mike Simonsen, Chief Economist, Compass International Holdings
June 2026
The Bay Are housing market hit a lot of national headlines in May. In San Francisco, AI and tech-driven demand has created aggressive bidding wars on the scarce inventory. Skyrocketing rents are back in the norm. Even the city’s condo market, which has been under pressure for six years, is showing signs of demand recovery.
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3 BD 3 BA 1851 SF $2,300,000
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3 BD 2 BA 1960 SF $1,678,000
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2 BD 2 BA 2164 SF $1,800,000
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2 BD 2 BA 1800 SF $2,200,000
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105 Palm Ave, Unit 1, 94118
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2 BD 2 BA 1281 SF $1,580,000
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* Bid It Out: I’m in the midst of a kitchen renovation. The EXACT same marble I chose for counters ranged in price from $170/sf to…..$65/sf…..over 61% lower for the exact same thing. Now imagine if governments were doing this consistently….with YOUR money!
* How can you lower insurance costs? Here are some ideas:
1. Fortify your home: you have more control over how resistant a home is to hurricanes, wildfires and other events. Hazard mitigation efforts can include adding storm shutters; fortifying a roof to protect against hail, wind or wildfires, moisture sensors that can help to more quickly identify leaks; and retrofitting a home to better withstand earthquakes, may help lower insurance premiums because they reduce the risk of damage to one’s home. Retrofitting a home to withstand hurricane-force winds could save property owners $6 for every $1 invested.
2. Carry the highest deductible you can afford, while also accounting for how affordable that deductible is in the event of costly home damage. Remember policyholders who live in states vulnerable to hailstorms may have a separate deductible for hail, while those on the East Coast may have a separate windstorm deductible.
3. Refrain from filing small insurance claims for all damage incurred to your home.
4. Insure what is necessary, appropriately: you are mostly covering a home’s replacement cost, not its market value….the land under your house isn’t at risk from theft, windstorm, fire, and the other perils covered in your homeowners policy.
5. Shop around: some companies that sell homeowners, auto, and liability policies will take 5% to 15% off your premium if you buy two or more policies from them.
6. Maintain a good credit score as it can help lower insurance premiums, since insurers often use credit-based insurance scores to determine policy costs.
7. When buying a home, evaluate insurance costs as part of your monthly cost of housing/living expenses. (CNBC)
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The Outer Sunset
As we prepare our new listing, a darling 3 bedroom home on 43rd Ave for market, I find myself drifting down memory lane — in a neighborhood that’s only gotten better with time: richer dining, deeper character, and an energy all its own. One of the first homes I listed in real estate, 23 years ago, was a two bedroom home on 46th Ave. I felt like I was the top dog when I sold it for $545,000! Wow, how the market has drastically changed in the foggy Outer Sunset! Now, it is difficult to find a fixer on the Great Highway for less than 2M!
The Outer Sunset has a very cool vibe, a real mix of old and new— kids running around after school, families, work-from-home professionals, surfers, and dog lovers grabbing sandwiches at Yonkers or tacos at Ruby’s and Underdogs Too. And woven into all of it are the neighborhood’s old guard: the longtime residents who have called these foggy streets home for decades, still enjoying a ice cream at Polly Ann’s, a pizza from Pasquale’s, or a bowl of garlic noodles and roasted crab at Thanh Long — family-run on Judah Street since 1971 and the actual restaurant that introduced San Francisco to Vietnamese cuisine! With all this delicious food, the workout is your free gym- Ocean Beach! It is one of the unique neighborhoods where everyone can belong, regardless of culture, hobbies, and means. When my sons were younger, we would spend hours at the beach, free entertainment, good bonding, and an excellent way to tire out two energetic boys!
For me, any mention of the Outer Sunset wouldn’t be complete without a nod to The Prep — St. Ignatius College Prep. My dad and uncles went to SI back when it was still on Fulton Street at USF — before the 1969 move that brought it to the Sunset for good. My brother and I followed, now on the Sunset campus, and today my son, along with his cousins, carries that tradition forward. And the story keeps evolving — SI is currently building out a stunning new Learning Commons, a 165,000 square foot transformation of the campus that will be ready by 2027. My children’s Prep will look different from mine, just as mine looked different from my dad’s — yet the tradition, the values, and the loyalty to the school carries straight through to the next generation and the next.
I look forward to sell our new listing on 43rd Ave to someone who will appreciate the Sunset the way I have, and in new ways too! Time to go…my breakfast sandwich at Devil’s Teeth Baking Company is ready!
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It’s been seven years since the Bay Area has seen pop sensation Ariana Grande hit the stage, and she returned with blockbuster visuals, gravity-defying vocal runs and moments of surprising vulnerability in one of the year’s most ambitious concert productions.
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Lamont Bain, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, explained the “culprit” for the rapidly rising temperatures is “offshore flow,” where the wind blows from inland out to the ocean, bringing hot weather to normally cooler coastal regions.
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In the clubhouse after his improbable, incredible, pick-your-adjective walk-off grand slam, Bryce Eldridge dropped one of the best quotes a San Francisco Giants rookie has ever given, a line that may have been nearly as memorable as the swing itself.
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Maximize the value of your home with Compass Concierge.
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A Nationwide Network
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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The Dunn & Chin Group
Top 1% SF Realtors
Derek Chin DRE #: 00854466
Emily Dunn DRE #: 01424486
Natalie Rome DRE #: 01386654
Mo Salimi DRE #: 02128819
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Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California operating under multiple entities. License Numbers 01991628, 01527235, 01527365. 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.
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