Today we’re traveling over to Brannan street to explore a 9 story mixed use residential luxury condominium building, 200 Brannan. This lavish San Francisco building of beauty, completed in December of 2004, was designed by MBH architects and built by Lennar Corp, it went on to be a 2006 Gold Nugget award finalist for the best loft project. It holds much sophistication in addition to a collection of 191 loft style condominiums which were created by combining existing concrete warehouses, an old century salami factory, and several new pieces of construction. Of the 191 units, 13 of them are penthouse units and 79 of them create the dynamic glass walls that encompass the central courtyard.

photo via mbh.com

Taking up residence at 200 Brannan makes urban living in San Francisco a breeze, as it sits in San Francisco’s South Beach neighborhood which is centrally located. This is an opportunity to move into one of San Francisco’s most exciting and fastest growing neighborhoods, which has been said to have become “the epicenter of the City on the Bay’s condominium boom”, according to afirerealestate.com. With this address you can count 2 children parks, the South Beach Yacht Club, the South Beach Marina, AT&T Park and The Embarcadero waterfront as well as the regions biggest job centers, SOMA, the Financial District, and Mission Bay, as your neighbors. Not to mention easy accessibility to the Bay Bridge, the 280 freeway, and Caltrains.

A few of the building amenities include quality fixtures and finishes, a fitness center, 24 hour security, a concierge service, on site property management, and a central garden among many other things. There are currently 6 units on the market at 200 Brannan, they are as follows:

* Unit #146: $1,175,000 – 2bed 2bath – 1613 sq ft.
* Unit #205: $949,00 – 2bed 2bath – 1500 sq ft.
* Unit #310: $975,000 – 2bed 2bath – 1525 sq ft.
* Unit #412: $949,00 – 2bed 2bath – 1517 sq ft.
* Unit #422: $1,565,000 – 2bed 2bath – 2030 sq ft.
* Unit #502: $1,199,00 – 2bed 2bath- sq ft not listed

photos via highrises.com & sfarmls.com

This is urban luxury done the right way! And we’re not done just yet, below we’ve listed a couple of nearby establishments that are well worth checking out. Weather you live in the area or not, it’s great to call these spots your neighbors and/or your favorite places to hang out.

Aliotos: This fine dining establishment is the oldest restaurant on the warf and one of the most delicious. Located at 8 Fishermans Warf with a neon sign that is considered the San Francisco trademark and a menu that offers a grand selection of rich Italian seafood. Owned and operated by the family of Joesph Aliotos, the 36th mayor of the city of San Francisco, and noted for the Dungeness crab and courteous staff that make you feel like one of the family, Aliotos should be on every great San Franciscians to-do or must-do-again list! aliotos.com

The Embarcadero Waterfront: This is an area that truly captures the essence of the city. During regular business hours Monday- Sunday you’re able to find anything from people juggling, to tons of food options, vendors selling various items, to that much needed peace of mind people often discover while strolling along the waterfront watching the sailboats on the Bay. It’s also the ideal location to view an auburn sunrise against the bay bridge before the city really begins to bustle. embarcaderocenter.com *Quick tip! Be sure to bring a camera whenever you visit the waterfront: you’re sure to stumble upon more then a few memorable moments. They fill the air down there!

MoMo’s: Located directly across from the Giant’s home, AT&T park, MoMo’s is one of the prime go-to-places for before-gamers and after-workers. Though Momo’s embodies a swank and upscale environment, it is casual dining with a sing song name. It’s ideal for adults from all walks of life looking for a great American meal! Also ideal for mid-morning to early afternoon Sunday brunch.  sfmomos.com

Ciao Bella Gelato: Located in the Ferry Building, Ciao Bella Gelato is the only place in San Francisco to go to for 4 star Award winning gelato and sorbet! This is a retail chain which originally began in New York and has had it’s brand featured on the Oprah show. They offer an array of unique gelato and sorbet flavors to die for such as their blood orange sorbet and their key lime graham gelato. If you’ve never been, you’ve never lived and you must pay them a visit soon. Sample any flavor you’d like, grab a couple of scoops, and find a cozy spot in the Ferry Building to take a load off! ciaobellagelato.com

How do you feel about the up and coming area of South Beach? Let us know below!

For more information on the property listed above and other San Francisco luxury properties please visit sf.condodomain.com or call 877.852.6636 to speak with a representative.

Ghirardelli Square, located in the Fisherman’s wharf area of San Francisco (900 N. Point St. Sf, Ca 94109), is today a landmark location with a portion of the area being registered on the National Register of Historic Places as Pioneer Woolen Mills and D. Ghirardelli Company. In 1849 Domingo Ghirardelli relocated from Italy to San Francisco during the Gold Rush Era to make his fortune as a chocolatier. He made the realization that the miners in the field were in need of something grand to spend their hard earned gold dust on. He capitalized on this opportunity by keeping his local shop fully stocked with a generous selection of chocolate treats. He proved himself right and found himself extremely successful. In 1893 he went on to purchase an entire San Francisco city block for the purpose of creating the headquarters for the Ghirardelli Chocolate company. However, in the early 1960′s the Ghirardelli company was bought by the Golden Macaroni Company which moved its headquarters to San Leandro, CA and sold the square to San Francisco natives William Roth and his mother in 1962.

The Roths went on to hire architects and converge the square, and its historic brick structures, into the beloved restaurant and retail plaza that it stands as today. This was the first major adaptive re-use project in the United States. As of today Ghirardelli Square stands as a favorite of San Francisco natives and tourist alike, with its upscale shopping, fine dining, wine bars, spas, live entertainment, and more! Below we take a look at a few of the majestic businesses and events that have found a home within the Ghirardelli Square! (photo via wikipedia.com)

We’ll begin with the Fairmont Heritage Place. This isn’t so much a business as it is for businessmen, those that spend a portion of their time in San Francisco and a portion of their lives elsewhere. The Fairmont Heritage Place, located inside the walls of the world renowned Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory, is a part of the Fairmont exclusive collection of private residence clubs which are located in some of the worlds most celebrated locations. The Fairmont offers fractional home ownership which allows it’s buyers to posses a second home that is graciously staffed by the Fairmont’s dedicated owner services team. These homes are available for a minimum of 35 days per year with 1/10th deeded fractional ownership. This is a rare chance to own an additional home within one of the city’s most famous national historic landmarks. To learn more about the Fairmont Heritage place please visit: fairmontatghirardelli.com (photo via: fractionalpropertyguide.com)

Next we have Kara’s Cupcakes, an artisan bakery that emphasizes the use of organic products. Voted best cupcake in San Francisco. Kara’s Cupcakes bakes their products fresh throughout the duration of the business day and ensures that each is sold within hours of baking. They are also a community of activists who donate all unsold cupcakes to local charitable organizations.  With a menu that offers gluten free sweet vanilla, chocolate velvet, and coconut cupcakes, as well as S’mores and milk chocolate ganache, Kara’s cupcakes is sure to satisfy even the sweetest sweet tooth. For more information please visit: Karascupcakes.com or phone 415.351.CAKE (photo via fairmontatghirardelli.com)

Moving along to the Ghirardelli Ice Cream and Chocolate Shoppe, the original Ghirardelli ice cream and chocolate manufactory. Here you are given the opportunity to view the original chocolate manufactory equipment, sample famous chocolate squares, and fill up on hot fudge sundaes! There is also a chocolate cafe in addition to Ghirardelli on the go which sales pre packed Ghirardelli gifts to go! For more information please visit: Ghirardelli.com or phone 415.474.3938 (travels.com)

Next we have Crown and Crumpet, an astounding England style tea salon and antique shop located right here in San Francisco. Here you are afforded the luxury of hosting your very own high tea party or simply stopping in on a casual day for tea and other libations as well as several delectable treats and a unique english antique shopping experience. For more information please visit: Crownandcrumpet.com or phone 415.771.4252 (photo via fairmontatghirardelli.com)

Next in line we have, Cellar 360, a premium winery, wine bar, and restaurant that provides SF residents with the wine country lifestyle right here in the center of the city. Cellar 360 offers an entire array of premium wines, wine focused foods, winery events, and more! For more information please visit Cellar360.com or phone 415.440.0772

We now travel over to an old time favorite, Lori’s Diner, which offers a great 50′s fashion American Diner atmosphere with a classic diner menu complete with Malts and ice cream sodas to accompany it. For more information please visit: lorisdiner.com or phone 415.409.1950

We’ll end there on the business side of the Square and briefly move along to information about some of the great events that take place here. There are as follows:

The Chocolate Festival: Held September 11-12 ideal for chocolate lovers of all ages. You’ll be granted the oppurtunity to indulge in chocolate treats, sip wine (if you’re 21+), part-take in family activites, and soak up the sweet energy.

There’s also Fleet Weekend October 8-11. Ghirardelli Square has been known to provide the best view for the Blue Angels air show and their is also a great deal of live music and other forms of entertainment provided.

You’re also always invited to come out and get into the Christmas spirit during the holidays at which time Ghirardelli Square host their famous, Tree Lighting ceremony, which provides live entertainment for the entire family throughout the entire day!

This square in its entirety is a divinely magical place that is surely not to be missed. For more information on Ghirardelli Square and all of the events and businesses listed above please visit Ghirardellisq.com. Let us know how you feel about Ghirardelli Square below and for information on luxury properties nearby please visit sf.condodomain.com or phone 877.852.6636 to speak with a CondoDomain Representative!

Our first stop is Nob Hill. Here we are visiting a small but elegant five story, eleven unit residential condominium building that at this time has two available units. 1083 Clay street, designed by Donald Macdonald Architects, is currently the highest wood frame building in San Francisco. It features an exterior finished in Stucco, two top floors with panoramic views, curved bay windows, and a small formal garden. This is opportunity to own a property in one of San Francisco’s most affluent districts also allows you to neighbor with the four most expensive and popular hotels in the city: The Fairmont, Mark Hopkins Intercontinental, The Stanford, and The Huntington. Don’t forget the majestic Grace Cathedral, our copy of France’s Notre Dame, which stands as one of the largest Cathedrals in the entire city that just so happens to be situated right before the magical oasis that is Huntington Park. Don’t miss out! (photos via sfweekly.com and bayareaforsale.com)

Our next stop has new doors that have just recently been opened in the Mission District. Let’s give a warm welcome to Manuel Godino’s new simple spanish cuisine hot spot, Venga. Noted for their multi flavored empanada’s Venga is certainly making a small but mighty splash in the Mission District. Not only are they serving small well priced pockets of heaven but also things such as Spanish potato salad which consist of roasted potatoes, carrots, bacon, hardboiled eggs, parsley, peas, and lemon aioli, in addition to serving traditional Argentine desserts. Stop in for a taste today; Venga is located at 443 Valencia St. (photo via vengaempanadas.com)

Continuing along our journey, we now find ourselves in Noe Valley. You must love books and/or artsy design in order to appreciate this next place. Press Works On Paper located at 3492 22nd Street at Dolores St, puts a snazzy and unique spin on book buying while presenting items such as hard to find art, graphic design wrapping paper, vintage staplers, tabletop made letter pressed cards, out-of-print and hard to find fashion books, and of course several classic novels, this is truly a place where book worms and fashionista’s unite!

Our next stop isn’t just designated to one particular area of the city. SF Chefs, San Francisco’s premier food, wine, and spirits festival presented by Visa Signature is set on Union Square as well as various other venues around the city. It allows attendee’s to mingle with master chefs, mixologist, and winemakers as well as eat, drink, and indulge in a good time all in the name of gourmet dining. The events begin July 9th and carry on until August 7th. (photovia sfchefs2011.com)

And our final stop brings us back to the Mission District where housing activists organized and performed a rally to raise awareness and call attention to an abandoned 43 unit Mission District building. The group of 50 some odd activists put on this demonstration with the intent of calling the community to reclaim what they referred to as “a waste of housing” with hopes of reclaiming that vacant property for homeless families and individuals. With the economy still residing on the grounds of uncertainty and the amount of citizens finding themselves unceremoniously put out into the streets due to lack of funds, you can’t at all fault this group for their admirable demonstration. It is our hope that these heart felt efforts didn’t go to waste and the valid point of this entire rally was conveyed well enough to be heard, understood, and tended too by those capable of handling these matters. For more on this story visit sfappeal.com (photo via sfappeal.com)

That completes today’s tour around SF. I hope you gained something from it and hope you get out there and explore all that SF has to offer! Want to know what we have to say about a certain issue or neighborhood? Let us know!

For more information visit sf.condodomain.com or call 877.852.6636 to speak with a CondoDomain Representative.

Finding a place to call home in the Bay Area is an adventure in and of itself—one that carries with it both a sense of excitement unequal to apartment hunting anywhere else, and a set of challenges unique to this part of the Golden State. Call them cozy, snug, homey or charming; the fact remains that apartments in and around San Francisco are small. So how can you be sure you’re getting the most for your money when it comes to your new bay area apartment or condo? Here are a few ideas for finding the perfect place for you:

Prioritize
Before taking a look at a single For Rent ad, it’s essential to decide what is most important for you in an apartment. Knowing what you can’t live without (and, in turn, the areas where you are willing to be flexible) will help you narrow down your choices before driving all over the city. For example, if sweeping vistas and a dishwasher are essential to you, then you might be willing to sacrifice counter space and live with smaller closets in exchange for a fully equipped unit in Mountain View apartments.

Know thy Neighborhood
Where an apartment or condo is located is just as important as what is in the space itself. Whether you’re working with a realtor, rental service or just scanning online ads, don’t forget to ask plenty of questions. Is there a garage with assigned spots? (Street parking in the Bay is notorious for being next to impossible to find) What’s the crime rate like for the area? If you have children, ask about nearby schools and parks. Taking the time to research a potential neighborhood before making a decision can save you from the heartache of falling in love with a unit, only to find out that you’re scared to come home after dark.

Commute is Key
This is California, after all, and getting to and from work can often seem like the longest part of your day. Many a renter has moved into a beautiful apartment overlooking the water, only to realize (4 months into their lease) that they just can’t handle the ridiculous morning commute. It might be worth it to you to pay a bit more rent in order to stay closer to the office. Also, don’t forget to look into the Bay Area’s public transportation options. You may just find that accessibility to the B.A.R.T and other commuter friendly alternatives can help you make the decision on where you want to call home.

There is no place in the U.S quite like the Bay Area. San Francisco, Napa, San Jose, Sacramento… every city has its own unique feeling- an urban beat, a quiet retreat, a simple escape. Finding the perfect place to live may just come down to doing your homework, and deciding which personality suits yours best. Happy hunting.

In anticipation for the all new CondoDomain San Francisco (SF) search portal, we have pushed our local blog live! In the coming months we plan to release CondoDomain San Francisco and begin working with buyers looking to purchase in downtown San Francisco, CA! If you want to get a feel for what our site will be like in San Francisco, CA, please feel free to check out our Boston site.

Why Buy With CondoDomain?

1. We are exclusive buyers brokers! We only do 1 thing…and we do it very well!

2. Condos! Its what we know! Its what we do!

3. Flat Fee! We run an efficient business that benefits YOU, not a commission based agency that is compensated when you spend more!

Our average client receives more than a $13,000 refund back at closing…

We’re Hiring!

If you are interested in learning more about the company please write us or check out our Facebook Group here.

About CondoDomain.com LLC

CondoDomain.com is a web-based real estate brokerage based in Boston, MA. The company is expanding nationwide to offer its buyers’ brokerage services in more than 30 cities around the U.S. Currently operating in Boston, CondoDomain offers an innovative flat-fee business model allowing the majority of the commission to be refunded to the buyer. By combining up-to-date MLS feeds, new construction buildings, FSBO, Foreclosures, Lofts and Auction listings all on one site, CondoDomain has become one of the most popular and user friendly real estate websites available. CondoDomain.com offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee to all of its clients, ensuring a professional, efficient, and pleasant transaction. Visit www.CondoDomain.com for more information or feel free to dive into our blogs at www.CondoDomain.com/blog.

For more information, please contact Erica Farthing at (877) 852-6636.

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