NAI Northern California volunteers with Project Open Hand in San Francisco

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On Tuesday, August 13th, NAI Northern California and Piedmont Financing volunteered with Project Open Hand in San Francisco. Six brokers, staff, and advisors from the companies’ San Francisco office worked at the Grocery Center peeling and chopping sweet potatoes for sick and vulnerable people in the Bay Area. Project Open Hand’s volunteer coordinator, Kelly Wong, described the nonprofit’s origin during the AIDS crisis and their mission of providing healthy, nutritious meals to people with critical illnesses.

The team donned hairnets, gloves, and aprons, except Investment Advisor Kevin Royer; he had read the instructions and worn his own hat. (The rest of the volunteers were a little jealous, as they felt hairnets were not the most flattering look.) As the team got started, another of Project Open Hand’s coordinators gave them a quick lesson in sweet potato peeling techniques before they set to work. When almost all the potatoes were peeled, most of the team switched to chopping the potatoes into cubes; another volunteer at Project Open Hand taught knife safety and dicing skills.

By the time the volunteer shift was over, they had peeled and diced five cases (135 pounds) of sweet potatoes, over twenty pounds per person. Market analyst Cole Byrd said, “Project Open Hand was a fun and eye-opening experience that makes you realize that a little effort can go a long way for the community. It was also a great time to bond with coworkers; I found it a very fulfilling experience.”

Investment advisor Trey Sells, who also volunteered at the Oakland location last month, said, “”I loved seeing how a small donation of our time and teamwork was able to produce such a large amount of prepared food for the community.”

“Learning that this massive operation started with one woman cooking for people after work is living proof that big dreams with powerful impacts really come true,” said Investment Advisor Kevin Royer (with the hat). “Taking a couple of hours out of the day to help feed over 2,500 people in need gave me a great feeling, and it was amazing to see how our small role could have such a great effect on thousands of people throughout San Francisco. Plus it is always nice to connect with colleagues over non-work stuff while still being productive. And I became a professional in the kitchen after only a few hours!”

In a thank-you letter from Project Open Hand, their volunteer coordinator wrote, “The amount of hard work, energy, and enthusiasm your group brought was much appreciated! Thank you for your generous donation of 2.5 hours of service. We look forward to working with you again in the future.”

See all the photos from the event on NAI Northern California’s Facebook page.

ABOUT PROJECT OPEN HAND

Founded in 1985, Project Open Hand is a nonprofit organization that provides meals with love to critically ill neighbors and seniors. Their food is like medicine, helping clients recover from illness, get stronger, and lead healthier lives.

Every day, they prepare 2,500 nutritious meals and provide 200 bags of healthy groceries to help sustain their clients as they battle serious illnesses, isolation, or the health challenges of aging. They serve San Francisco and Oakland, engaging more than 125 volunteers daily to nourish their community.

Learn more or sign up to volunteer at OpenHand.org 

NAI Northern California volunteers with Project Open Hand in Oakland

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On Thursday, July 25th, NAI Northern California volunteered with Project Open Hand in Oakland. Ten brokers, staff, and members of management from both the Oakland and San Francisco offices worked at the Grocery Center repackaging pinto beans, black beans, and quick oats from their original bags into individual servings for sick and vulnerable people in the Bay Area. Project Open Hand’s program coordinator, Sharon Schrager, described the nonprofit’s origin during the AIDS crisis and their mission of providing healthy, nutritious meals to people with critical illnesses.

After the introduction, they put on their hairnets, washed their hands, and put on gloves (“In that order!”) Then they set up their work space and poured 50 pounds of pinto beans into a tub while Sharon put on a playlist of 80’s pop music to set the vibe. Two people pulled the bags for the individual serving off of the rolls they came on; two applied labels to the bags; three people measured out eight ounces of each item; two sealed the bags; and one counted the completed bags and moved them into crates. Rinse and repeat until all the beans are gone, and then load in 50 pounds of black beans, then 50 pounds of quick oats, then clean up. “A lot of the time the team was so focused that they wouldn’t stop for pictures!” said Danyn Oakes, the digital marketing manager for NAI Northern California. Their hard work, teamwork, and efficiency resulted in finishing over half an hour earlier than planned; repackaging 150 pounds of food (300 servings) only took the team about an hour and a half.

Despite the frenzy of activity, they still had fun, humming along with the music and laughing when they bumped into each other. Market analyst Trey Sells said, “Volunteering at Project Open Hand was a reminder how teamwork is fun, motivating, efficient, and helpful. I am glad there are resources like Open Hand to support members of our community.” Sourcer Travis Chu agreed, and was ready to keep going if they’d had more work to do; he said, “My experience with Project Open Hand was great. Although the workload was too easy, I enjoyed working with the team, creating bonding moments, and making small impacts to the community.”

Operations Services Associate Anna Guzman, who coordinated the event for NAI Northern California, said, “It was lovely to hear how Project Open Hand started from just one person cooking for those around her who were suffering from the AIDS epidemic. It goes to show you that just one small gesture can expand into greatness for others.”

“I thought it was a great experience,” said Samantha Schoneweis, a market analyst in the San Francisco office. “I didn’t realize that they aren’t necessarily a food bank but are dedicated specifically to educating around nutrition and feeding those with disabilities and illnesses. It’s so great that they’ve continued to operate in the Bay Area for almost 40 years now.”

In a thank-you letter from Project Open Hand, their program coordinator wrote, “The amount of hard work, energy, and enthusiasm your group brought was unmatched, and we so appreciate your generous donation of your time and service.”

See all the photos from the event on NAI Northern California’s Facebook page.

ABOUT PROJECT OPEN HAND

Founded in 1985, Project Open Hand is a nonprofit organization that provides meals with love to critically ill neighbors and seniors. Their food is like medicine, helping clients recover from illness, get stronger, and lead healthier lives.

Every day, they prepare 2,500 nutritious meals and provide 200 bags of healthy groceries to help sustain their clients as they battle serious illnesses, isolation, or the health challenges of aging. They serve San Francisco and Oakland, engaging more than 125 volunteers daily to nourish their community.

Learn more or sign up to volunteer at OpenHand.org 

NAI Northern California ranks in Top 5 San Francisco commercial real estate brokerages with revenue up 18% entering 2019

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Leader in Bay Area multifamily, retail, and office investment sales and leasing transactions owes continued expansion to its team of talented people

Fast-forward from its 2004 debut on the San Francisco Bay Area real estate scene, NAI Northern California has grown in transaction volume to the 5th largest commercial real estate brokerage in San Francisco and 6th largest in the East Bay according to the San Francisco Business Times. With a major specialization in investment property sales and corporate leasing transactions, the company was up 18% in total revenue from the previous year.

“We are proud to have evolved into one the top brokerages that Bay Area investors turn to when it comes to representation of their multifamily, retail, office, industrial, and land assets,” says President James Kilpatrick.

He points out, “The secret to our success is that we invest in talented real estate professionals who provide amazing service on transactions and offer deep expertise on Northern California submarkets and far beyond. We bring together a group of people as diverse as the Bay Area itself, and we value what all these different experiences bring to serving our clients. Our company culture is really big on professional development and empowerment, from our interactive sales training workshops to our technology platform that encourages a high level of collaboration.”

At NAI Northern California’s recent 2019 Kick-Off Event hosted in downtown Oakland, James Kilpatrick and Brett Stratton led the team in celebrating great momentum. For the third year in a row, the spot of company-wide Top Producer was earned by Shivu Srinivasan, who leads one of the most successful teams in East Bay multifamily sales. Other top producers in the 2018 NAI Northern California President’s Club, include Kent Mitchell, Doug Sharpe, Ethan Berger, Tim Warren, Joel Calvillo, Mary Alam, Grant Chappell, Kevin Flaherty, Rudas Gebregiorges, and Joby Tapia.

“2018 was a great year for NAI Northern California, and we are excited to be celebrating with all our top agents in Las Vegas this spring for our Top Producers Retreat,” says James Kilpatrick. “Our San Francisco and East Bay teams are solid, and as the year unfolds NAI Northern California is ramping up an expanded presence to serve our clients in the South Bay Area.”

 

2nd crack at SF Transbay Transit Center — to stay closed through next week

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San Francisco’s new Transbay Transit Center will remain closed at least through the end of next week, officials said Wednesday, after yet another cracked beam was discovered during an overnight safety inspection.

The $2.2 billion hub for buses and eventually trains, which opened just last month as the flashy centerpiece of city infrastructure, was closed abruptly Tuesday afternoon after a fissure was spotted in a beam that helps hold up the sprawling complex.

The initial tear runs about 2½ feet long and 4 inches deep through the bottom of a 60-foot-long beam that supports both the center’s celebrated rooftop park above and a bus deck below, officials said. The beam is located over Fremont Street, between Mission and Howard streets. The second crack is in a parallel steel beam that also crosses Fremont Street. It was described as slightly smaller.

Representatives of the Transbay Joint Powers Authority, which built and operates the transit center, said Wednesday they didn’t know the causes of the cracks, but they remained concerned about the potential for the beams to fail. Fremont Street, which passes under the center, also is scheduled to stay closed through Oct. 5.

“We will not open the transit center or Fremont Street until we are certain the issue is 100 percent rectified,” said Mark Zabaneh, executive director of the TJPA.

 

Read more on San Francisco Chronicle

 

 

What is Ed Lee’s legacy for the San Francisco skyline and population?

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Edwin Mah Lee, San Francisco’s 43rd mayor and the third to die in office, leaves behind a city in transition. The second-tallest skyscraper west of the Mississippi River is rising in South of Market, a few blocks away from where another monolith tilts slowly into the muck. In Mission Bay, a derelict ghost town a decade ago, an 18,000-person basketball arena is under construction in what’s now a dense forest of hospitals, university classrooms, and research facilities. More people than ever before live and work in San Francisco, where the homeless population is resiliently constant, tent cities are taking over sidewalks in front of million-dollar condos, and where income inequality tests the limits of metaphor.

Read more from Curbed

Trump picks Jerome Powell to succeed Yellen as Fed chair

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President Donald Trump nominated Jerome Powell to run the Federal Reserve once current Chair Janet Yellen’s term expires, in a move widely expected and one unlikely to disturb the roaring stock market.

Trump made the announcement during a Thursday afternoon ceremony in the Rose Garden.

The move follows an extended period of speculation over who would be named to head the central bank, whose aggressive policies have been considered crucial to a climate of low-interest rates, surging job creation, and booming asset prices.

Read more from CNBC

Brett Stratton joins NAI Northern California as Managing Director in Oakland to lead growth in the East Bay

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SAN FRANCISCO, CA – October 31, 2017–  NAI Northern California is pleased to announce that Brett Stratton has joined as Managing Director based at the firm’s downtown Oakland office. Brett brings over 20 years of real estate industry experience on a national level including multifamily investment properties, contract negotiations, and brokerage operations. His previous background includes roles with startups Owners.com and Movoto as well as real estate players like KB Home and Coldwell Banker.

“With demand and prices on the rise in Oakland and other cities throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties, NAI Northern California is really focused on growing our service coverage to meet the market. Brett’s real estate experience and team building expertise will definitely be key in driving exponential market share growth throughout the East Bay,” remarks NAI Northern California President, James Kilpatrick.

NAI Northern California’s momentum in the East Bay Area is already gaining this year. The brokerage closed just over $93 million in real estate transactions across the East Bay Area in 2016. Already in 2017, the team has nearly doubled sales volume in the region to over $173 million year to date.

 

About NAI Northern California

NAI Northern California is a progressive, tech enabled, full service commercial real estate firm serving the Bay Area. Recognized as one of the Top 25 Commercial Real Estate Firms by the East Bay and San Francisco Business Times, we are committed to delivering best in class services for our clients.

www.nainorcal.com

Download full press release PDF here

Playboy Mansion expected to go up in value

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Following the news of Hugh Hefner’s death, the iconic property could surpass recent $100M sale price.

Playboy founder Hugh Hefner died at 91-years-old on Wednesday, his company confirmed. As the tributes and debates over Hefner’s legacy continue, the new owner of the iconic Playboy Mansion in the tony Holmby Hills neighborhood of Southern California could enjoy a windfall in the property’s value.

Read more from Inman

DisruptCRE Coming to San Francisco, September 15th

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SAN FRANCISCO, CA – August 29, 2016 – The national technology and commercial real estate conference, DisruptCRE, is coming to downtown San Francisco on Thursday, September 15th. The conference will take place on the 12th floor of Tishman Speyer’s Class A office building, 333 Bush Street, a distinctive, 541,900-square-foot mixed-use tower in the heart of San Francisco’s dynamic North Financial District. Standing at almost 500 feet, the building is one of the city’s tallest skyscrapers, boasting commanding views of the nearby waterfront and surrounding skyline.

DisruptCRE sources the best industry professionals and entrepreneurs to provides educational and thought provoking discussions centered around emerging CRE technologies. Topics range from IoT (Internet of Things) that are being integrated into our commercial buildings, tenant engagement and concierge services, to newer “Tech Tools” such as virtual reality, and real estate’s secondary market.

“We take the topics that are crucial to the future of this industry, and unpack them in a way that makes it easy to digest,”says Mariel Ebrahimi DisruptCRE CEO and conference day host.

Attendees will be treated to a top notch CREtech experience from the moment they arrive. Starting with a Virtual Reality Experience Center powered by exhibiting company, Matterport, a 3D media platform creating immersive experiences to navigate and share space in 3D. Attendees will be able to connect with real estate projects through the use of virtual reality technologies via headsets, Gear VR and Google Cardboard. The educational side of the conference day kicks off with a fun, rapid-fire segment called “Meet the Disruptors” where CRE tech companies have 45 seconds to pitch their company to attendees.

Participating CRE tech companies include Building Connected, Comfy, Brevitas, Indoor Reality, Managed by Q, Matterport, MRI Software, Raisal, Real Liquidity, Reonomy, Skyline Exchange, VTS, ZoomProspector & more!

Three educational panels are provided, anchored by the popular “State of CRE & Tech: The Executive’s POV,” where some of the most recognizable and powerful executives in the industry will shed light on how technology is affecting the industry on a local and global scale. Executive’s will also explore the CRE tech products and services that are currently in the marketplace, what are they investing in or implementing now, and what is coming up on the horizon that gets them excited.

According to Ebrahimi, panels are filled with CRE and investment industry titans including Deborah Boyer, Executive Vice President and Director of Asset Management at The Swig Company; Jordan Nof, Head of Investments at Tusk Ventures; James Kilpatrick, President at NAI Northern California, Stuart Appley, Managing Director GWS Technology Solutions at CBRE, Lindsay Baker, President at Comfy, Kevin Guy, CEO at RealLiquidity among others.

The conference closes with a casual “cocktails and nosh” networking event where attendees can re-visit the showcase for networking and demos in a casual atmosphere to engage personally with the tech companies, sponsors, VC’s, and other real estate industry leaders.

For more details: http://disruptcre.com/cities/sanfrancisco/