If you’re questioning whether now is a good time to buy, take into consideration what you are paying for rent, what a new home costs, and today’s interest rates. In San Francisco, when you compare average rents with the low cost of ownership at 5800 Third Street, the answer is an unqualified YES! And with mortgage rates at an all-time low, according to CNN Money, you will actually SAVE a substantial amount each month when you purchase one of our spacious homes with private balconies, energy star appliances, in-building parking and much, much more.

Here’s an example: A renter paying $2,500/month for a two bedroom apartment could pay just $1,732 a month – or less – for a mortgage and full home-ownership! That example assumes a sales price of $375,000 with a 20% down payment and reflects after-tax savings of approximately $407. It also includes HOA dues, property taxes, and principal and interest on a 30-year fixed rate loan amortized over 30 years at 4.125%.   But if you act fast, you can get an even lower interest rate now! PLUS we can work with you on a lower down payment, which will still put you (way) ahead, both now and in the future! With tax season upon us, call us to find out how much you can save by purchasing a beautiful new home. So hurry, payments may change with interest rate, credit score, purchase price and other variables, and terms can change quickly.  Call us today, at 415-822-3800.

What a Valentine’s Day at 5800 Third! We heard from buyers Nick and Caitlyn that they got engaged today, and they even sent us a picture. Looks like they favor lovely and tranquil locales, a bit like the landscaped courtyards at home. Great idea, Nick, an easy anniversary-day to remember each year, eh? (Some of us aren’t that smart!)

Happy to hear your news and best wishes from all of us on the marketing team and from fellow residents too, no doubt, for many happy years, starting right here at 5800!

Chef Eskender Aseged, the food innovator and owner of Radio Africa Kitchen, toured us through his new space at 4800 Third, down the street from our 5800 Third condominiums, and said he’s opening around March 1. Wow!  The exact opening will be announced on his website soon, click here to see if it’s posted.  That’s big news, both for him and the Bayview, and has been rumored for months. With the interiors nearly done and the window-covers coming off, you can see “it’s real.”  Chef Eskender has already built a strong following from his peripatetic pop-up cafes that you’d have to track down ahead of time.  Lots have, including food writers at the SF Chronicle, NY Times and others who’ve raved and yelped and blogged all about it.

Reflecting his origins in Ethiopia, Chef Eskender focuses on offering a seasonal, nutritionally well-balanced meal that always includes organic vegetables, greens, grains, nuts, wild fish, shellfish and fruit, accompanied by fine herbs and spices. But why, do you ask, is a café called Radio Africa?   As he was growing up, there were few outlets for popular music and sports except for the households that might have a radio which immediately made that house – that kitchen — one of the centers of life in the neighborhood.  Chef Eskender offers inventive, wonderful food and now with his first café, RAK aims to offer a similar center of activity and neighborliness he grew up with.

Nice to have another great café in walking distance, and another reason to live at 5800 Third’s spacious and welcoming condominiums. Living at 5800 Third is getting to be such an easy choice! A growing number of cafes – adding to our own Limon that’s busy as can be, and Brown Sugar Kitchen coming soon.  With ground-floor grocer Fresh & Easy, what more could you need?  Call our sales team, 415-822-3800, or register on our website, www.5800third.com, to see just how spacious the homes are, with so much more dollar-for-dollar than just about anywhere.

The Bay View—home of many creative businesses—is the headquarters of San Francisco’s premier non-profit Center for Glass Arts, Public Glass. And tonite, you can see the artists in action! Optical Underground is hosting an event and exhibition to showcase Public Glass’ flame-work artists with some of their work available for sale. There will be cool eats, wine, beer and chill sounds to offset the red-hot flames. It’s free, Thursday February 9, at Optical Underground, 280 Sutter Street at Grant in Union Square from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m, and if you miss it, just explore Public Glass direct.

This innovative arts-shop opened its doors in 1997, at 1750 Armstrong Avenue in San Francisco. A destination for students and artists from around the world, this unique organization offers a full roster of classes for everyone from beginners to experienced artisans. They also offer a six-hour team-building event for local businesses, called Experience Glass. For more information about Public Glass, click here

Our community of homes is also on fire, with homes going fast!  It’s no wonder, with all of 5800 Third’s amenities including  two landscaped courtyards, barbecue and entertaining areas, an outdoor dog bath, Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market, and acclaimed eateries Limon Rotisserie & Brown Sugar Kitchen in the same complex.   Be sure to join 5800 Third on Facebook as we continue to share all the exciting news about our neighbors in this vibrant community.

Later this year, our community will be celebrating the opening of a beautiful, new $11.8 million, 9,000 square foot library. The existing facility, built in 1969, is closed for demolition and reconstruction, but not to worry, literary services are still available at a temporary operation at the Bayview/Hunters Point YMCA, located at 1601 Lane. St.

The new Bayview branch will include separate adult, teen, and children’s areas built around a central courtyard, as well as more computers, room for an expanded collection and many environmental green features.

We can thank the Friends of the Library, a fundraising organization, who are filling in the budget gaps in order to make this possible. The Bayview branch is the 23rd project in the Branch Library Improvement Program, the largest capital improvement campaign in the San Francisco Public Library’s history.  In each branch, the Neighborhood Library Campaign is providing much needed furniture, fixtures and equipment, ensuring that Bayview children, teens, adults and seniors all have access to information and programs, a safe community space and the resources to empower 21st century learning.

5800 Third is already home to trendsetters, tastemakers and people who love to read.

Our new home community offers incredible value in a neighborhood that offers proximity to restaurants, a vibrant art scene, community gardens, and soon, a new state-of-the-art new library.

Be sure to join 5800 on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/#!/5800Third . Like it!

Our Bayview neighbor Quesada Gardens just won a national award for its innovative community-building efforts, all centered on urban gardens. Got ideas on how they should spend their $10,000 in garden products? Perhaps San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee offered tips when he accepted the award on their behalf in Washington DC last week from the U.S. Conference of Mayors and ScottsMiracle-Gro.  The Gardens And Green Spaces Award, one of only 5 given in the US, will further Quesada’s mission.  The grassroots organization is respected for the creation of community and backyard gardens, public gathering spaces, public art, and other projects that residents envision and implement for themselves.

Check out their phenomenal work to date at www.quesadagardens.org, and a great video featuring their signature Bridgeview Garden that encompasses a wide swath off Third St.  Want a garden, or wanna garden? Shovels ready!

5800’s “top” three 2BR/2BA homes are now available. Held off the market for months, these northeast-corner, extra-large homes have wrap-around views …and 1,221 sq. ft! Priced from $478,000 to $518,000, when they’re gone, they’re gone.

Visitors to 5800 tend to say the same two things: Wow, this much square-footage for such a great price! …and, this neighborhood has lots more than I expected.  One more for lots more: San Francisco magazine loves our neighbor, Smokin’ Warehouse BBQ, two blocks away. And if you like food, take a condo tour at 5800 and get a $20 gift card to Limon Rotisserie, new visitors only, thru Jan. 15.

Limon’s opening soiree, THAT’s where all the beautiful people were! Come on over for tres fab rotisserie chicken and light bites, feted by foodies everywhere. Open for lunch through 10pm, right here at 5800 Third.

Friends of 5800: Limon is having a pre-opening reception, so join us (if you RSVP, call us at 822-3800). It’s Wedn Nov 30th, 6-10pm, designed to create some buzz before their formal opening Friday Dec. 2.