By Roberto Lopes By Roberto Lopes | March 27, 2023 | Home & Real Estate, Feature, Real Estate,
Real estate insider James Nunemacher chats about the current Bay Area market and why buyers should be excited.
Nunemacher says this has become a buyer’s market.
Real estate insider James Nunemacher chats about the current Bay Area market and why buyers should be excited.
James Nunemacher will be the first to admit he doesn’t have a crystal ball, but the founder and CEO of Vanguard Properties (vanguardproperties.com) has decades of experience in the real estate trenches.
These days, Nunemacher directs a team of more than 500 agents and sales managers, among others, in 16 offices across San Francisco, Marin, East Bay, Palm Springs and Sonoma and Napa counties. Combined, these markets have generated more than $7.7 billion in home sales in the past two years alone. We caught up with the real estate pro to get his take on the current market.
Vanguard Properties founder and CEO James Nunemacher
What are three things every homebuyer should know about the market right now?
There’s a limited quantity, which makes Bay Area real estate particularly valuable. Today’s real estate market offers incredible opportunities, because there’s less competition. And, finally, people have wanted to live here since the gold rush—we continue to see that demand today.
What are some things that might surprise homebuyers?
Just how strong our Bay Area market is. In fact, it just flipped from a seller’s market to a buyer’s market for this moment in time. What trends are you seeing as we get into spring and summer? The market is good, considering the current lack of inventory. But we’re expecting much more inventory in late winter and early spring, along with an increased buyer pool.
Home inventory will increase this spring and summer in the Bay Area.
Where are some areas that remain incredible investments?
Many of the South of Market neighborhoods are especially great opportunities because of the current vacancies. We expect the available prices could inflate in the spring.
Why did your team recently open an office in Napa?
We love Napa and all that it has to of er, and we wanted a headquarters for our agents to be able to serve the community better. Our office is a prime example of the Vanguard brand and how our agents present luxury real estate.
Finally, what’s your company’s philosophy?
We don’t just live in the community—we invest in the community. It’s a strong belief that real estate isn’t just about buildings; it’s about the people inside and the lives they build. From the arts to food banks to health services, we support more than 50 community programs, and we applaud their extraordinary efforts.
Photography by: ROBERT RADIFERA; COURTESY OF VANGUARD PROPERTIES