Paint vs. Stain

When finishing wood upgrades in your home, you have two general style options: paint or stain. Whether you want to enhance the natural beauty of your new Redwood fence, or cover up the flaws of your old plywood cabinets, each style has its pros and cons, and can be used to accomplish distinct goals in your home renovation.

If you’re trying to brighten up an older home, but don’t want to spend the money to replace outdated cabinets, vanities, and bedroom doors - paint tends to be the way to go. It covers up imperfections in older wood, and gives you many more color options to match the rest of your home (convenient if you’re not doing a complete home remodel).

On the other hand, if you’ve just spent a bunch of money on brand new Cherry cabinets, or Redwood fencing, you’re not going to want to hide the gorgeous wood grain under a thick coating of paint. Instead, you’ll want to coat it with a stain that will penetrate deep into the wood’s pores, creating a richer wood grain appearance. Different stains will show more of the woods underlying features than others, depending on their opacity and pigmentation.

In some cases, paints and stains can complement each other quite nicely. Lighter paint tones used on trim or siding around darker stained doors and/or decking can yield some dramatic and beautiful results. Take for instance this San Carlos hills home pictured below, which masterfully pairs dark stained Brazilian Ipe decking with sleek white trim, posts and siding.

Dark stained Ipe Wood decking contrasting beautifully with the white painted wood accents.  

Paint can be more difficult and time consuming to apply than stains, as you typically want to prime a surface before painting, and give it a "finishing coat" of paint after the first coat. Also, since paint is so much thicker than most stains, more care must be taken to roll it out evenly, ensuring no droplets form and harden on the surface of the wood. Maintaining paint can be a bit more burdensome as well, as you will need to chip away any peeling layers before applying a new one. Stains don't normally chip or peel if applied properly.

With stains, surface preparation of the wood is minimal and primers are not always required. For exterior uses of stains (siding, decks, trim) a finishing coat is not normally required either. However, for some interior uses (floors, doors, butcher block countertops) you will want to apply a clear protective coating once the stain has dried.

History Shows: Stock Market Paces the Real Estate Market

Economists tend to disagree on whether there is a true causal relationship between the stock and real estate markets.  However, recent data shows that when the stock market goes up or down, home prices follow.  When tracking home prices in San Mateo County against the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI), between the dotcom crash of 2000-2002 all the way to today, you can see almost identical trend lines.  The above chart shows clearly that for nearly every peak and valley in the DJI there is a corresponding fluctuation in home prices.

As a Realtor who has represented numerous buyers throughout my career, I believe there is at least one obvious link between the stock market and real estate markets.  It is common for buyers to use stock investments to help fund down payments on home purchases.  This is especially true in regions like San Mateo County, where in the month of April a 20% down payment on the average home would have been roughly $375,000.  Since most people are not able to save this amount of money in a short period of time, stock based investments and company stocks are the typical source for the down payment.  For these people, a surge in stock value means a surge in purchasing power.  Therefore, it’s not all that surprising to see home prices ebbing and flowing right alongside the stock market.

While it’s not necessarily a proven science, the theory at the very least passes the eye test. If you’re looking for an indicator of where San Mateo County home prices could go next, keep an eye on the stock market.

The Bay Area's Most Central Transit Hub Set for a Major Facelift

The Millbrae Planning Commission was just given its first chance to formally review a massive mixed use development to be built adjacent to the city's Caltrain/BART staions.  The "Serra Station" proposal calls for the construction of 440 housing units, 290,000 S/F of office space, and 13,200 S/F of retail - contained in two 10-story buildings and one 9-story building.  This project is one of two major developments proposed in a 116 acre site surrounding the Millbrae Station, part of a city-led effort to build a vibrant economic hub around one of the peninsula's most central and connected transit centers.  The other project, "Gateway at Millbrae Station", is proposing the construction of over 300 rental housing units, 47,000 S/F of retail, and 160,000 S/F of office space.

In February of last year, city officials approved an update to the Millbrae Station Area Specific Plan, which preemptively completed much of the environmental work necessary for the development of the 116 acres site.  Plans were submitted for both projects shortly after the update was approved by city council, but they had to go through a lengthy public review process before being put in front of the Planning Commission.

Sound familiar?  Redwood City similarly completed environmental work for land downtown when they passed their 2011 Downtown Precise Plan.  This was done in an attempt to jump start developer interest in the city's downtown area - and it worked.... With fewer regulatory hoops to jump through for project approval, developers flocked to the city in droves.

Millbrae won't see development on the same scale that Redwood City did.  Their focus, at least for now, is on transit oriented development built around the Millbrae station.  Plus, the environmental work was only done for two projects (albeit two very large projects), as opposed to the dozens of residential and commercial projects that had the way cleared for them by RWC's Downtown Precise Plan.  Still, the Millbrae station certainly has the potential to become something special.  It is the largest intermodal terminal West of the Mississippi - connecting BART, Caltrain, SamTrans, and if all goes as planned, the California high speed rail.  It also happens to be the peninsula's most central public transit hub, offering easy access to the East Bay, SFO, the Oakland Airport, San Francisco, and San Jose.  With the area around it developed, this station could become a desirable place for people to to eat, shop, work, and live, rather than just a pitstop that travelers hurriedly pass through on the way to their final destination.

Check out this marketing video for the Gateway at Millbrae Station.  The project's developer, Republic Urban, put it together, and it offers a remarkably detailed representation of their vision for what the Millbrae station could become in several years time.

Redwood City Approves 350 Unit Apartment Complex Near Jefferson - El Camino Intersection

Redwood City's most prolific residential developer of late, Greystar Development, has been given the green light to move forward on another 350 unit apartment complex.  City council voted 4-2 last week to approve the 8-story project at 1409 El Camino, which will also include 6,000 S/F of ground floor retail, 440 parking spots, and 35 affordable units (10% of the total offering).  As a condition of the project's approval, Greystar will also be contributing $250,000 towards Habitat for Humanity's 20-unit affordable condo development at 612 Jefferson.

Greystar Development has been the largest beneficiary of Redwood City's 2011 Downtown Precise Plan, which pre-emptively completed environmental work for the construction of 2,500 new residential units.  With the approval of their most recent 350 unit complex, Greystar has now accounted for just under 1,000 of the 2,500 new residential units allowed under the Precise Plan.  These units are spread across 4 separate developments - all within 3 blocks of each other.  See below for a map showing Greystar's development activity in downtown Redwood City.

Despite all of Greystar's development falling under the residential cap set by the Downtown Precise Plan, many residents feel the city has not adequately taken into account the environmental impact of green lighting so much development in such a short period of time.  The Precise Plan was initially supposed to guide development for a period of 15 - 20 years, but just 6 years since its passing the city has already almost hit the 2,500 unit cap (between was has been built or approved).  Further exacerbating resident concerns about traffic is the fact that all of Greystar's 1,000 units are clustered around a small 4 block area, adjacent to the already congested intersection at El Camino and Jefferson.   As such, an organization called Redwood City Residents for Responsible Development has filed an appeal against the approval of Greystar's newest project at 1409 El Camino.

Its possible that Greystar - in an attempt to avoid litigation - will compromise with residents by reducing the size of their project.  Otherwise it could be quite some time before any shovels hit ground at 1409 El Camino.

Redwood City Residents for Responsible Development have not yet indicated whether they will file an environmental lawsuit against Greystar's project should their appeal be denied.

Stay tuned!

Creativity and Cooperation: Financing Affordable Housing Sans State Redevelopment Funds

Since the dissolution of California's 400 plus Redevelopment Agencies (RDA's) in 2012, much of the burden of funding affordable housing has fallen back to the local level.  Previously, city governments and non-profit builders were able to tap into RDA's for the funds necessary to get affordable housing projects off the ground.  Now, these projects rely much more heavily on public/private partnerships for funding.  In the SF peninsula, where there has become such a dearth of affordable housing, we are starting to see these public/private partnerships take initiative.  Take for instance, Habitat for Humanity, who has partnered with Redwood City to fund the construction of 20 affordable condos at 612 Jefferson.  Or more recently in San Mateo, where the Housing Endowment and Regional Trust of San Mateo County (HEART), a public/private nonprofit, just announced it will be lending $500,000 towards predevelopment activities for a 68-unit affordable apartment complex at the new Bay Meadows mixed-use development.

The absence of RDA funding is also part of what motivated Redwood City Council to pass an amendment to their Downtown Precise Plan in 2016 requiring that 15% of new residential construction be reserved for affordable housing.  Without RDA funding, the city knew their ability to finance affordable projects on their own was limited.  This amendment served as a way for them to pass the financial burden on to the developers of new market rate housing.  Since its passing, at least two developers have responded to the city imposed affordable housing requirement in a promising manner.

First, Anton Development put forth a proposal for a 250 unit apartment complex on Brewster, including 20% (50) affordable units.  The project received unanimous approval from the city, and council members praised the developer for taking advantage of state and federal tax credits and exemptions to finance a greater number of affordable units than what was required.  Using these opportunities provided by state and federal governments to finance affordable housing could set a precedent for developers in the future.

Last month, the developer trying to push through a massive mixed-use complex at Broadway/Woodside in Redwood City, the Sobrato Organization, announced a partnership with MidPen housing (a non-profit developer) to construct 120 affordable units on two parcels of land already owned by Sobrato.  These 120 units would count towards the affordable requirement imposed by the city, and when taken into account with the 400 market rate units they hope to build, make up almost 25% of their total offering.

If these affordable housing projects had been built in to all new residential development from the inception of the Downtown Precise Plan back in 2011, they likely would have had a much more significant impact.  Now, building 120 affordable units into yet another huge market rate complex just feels like damage control, as the cost of living has already soared far out of reach for countless locals.  Still, 120 additional below market rate units means 120 low-income families get to stay in place.  Let's hope this trend of developers and public/private partnerships leading the charge to build affordable housing continues.

RWC: Broadway Plaza Proposal Amended to Add 120 Affordable Units

Earlier this week, Redwood City council voted 6-1 to approve a study that will look at how amending the General Plan to allow residential in one of the city's light industrial areas would impact nearby businesses and traffic.  This comes on the heels of the Sobrato Organization announcing a partnership with MidPen Housing to build 120 affordable housing units on two parcels of land currently owned by Sobrato, located in the southeast corner of Woodside and Bay Roads.

These 120 affordable units are part of an amendment made last month to Sobrato's massive Broadway Plaza redevelopment proposal, and would help fulfill that project's city-imposed affordable housing requirement.   Sobrato's "Broadway Plaza" proposal calls for the redevelopment of the aging shopping center located at Broadway and Woodisde Road, currently home to CVS, Big Lots & Foods Co.   It would replace the existing retail strip mall with 400 market rate residential units, 420,000 S/F of office space within three 5-story buildings, and about 19,000 S/F of retail space (which will include a new storefront for the existing CVS).

City Council was enthusiastic bout Sobrato's partnership with MidPen Housing, a non-profit affordable housing developer with a great local reputation.  Just a few weeks ago MidPen purchased a 55 unit apartment complex on Rolison in Redwood City for $17.1 million in order to maintain them at below market rate.

Still, even with the MidPen partnership, this project raises some concerns.  After you take into account the 120 affordable units, Sobrato's proposal would introduce 520 new residential units around the already highly congested Woodside Rd/Highway 101 junction - where there was no residential previously.  Add a busy 420,000 S/F office complex into the mix and you've got yourself a recipe for a permanent Woodside Road parking lot.

Janet Borgens, the one Redwood City council member who voted against the study, expressed concerns that going forward with Sobrato's proposal would set a precedent for "spot-zoning", which over time could replace our industrial spaces with residential.  The southeast corridor of Bay Road, where Sobrato hopes to build the affordable housing, is a light industrial area, but it has also become something of a startup incubator.  Borgens worries that introducing residential along that stretch of Bay could threaten the incubator environment, which brings something unique and difficult to replace to our economy.

Do you have concerns about this project?  If so, you'll have plenty of opportunities to voice them.  City staff confirmed that between the citizen committee, Planning Commission and City Council meetings required for a general plan amendment, there would be seven to eight more public hearings where community feedback could be considered.

Stay tuned!

Robot Delivery Pilot Program Underway in Redwood City

In December of last year, London based Starship Technologies rolled out a 9-month pilot program of their robotic delivery service in Redwood City. Masterminded by Ahti Heinla, co-founder and former Chief Technical Architect of Skype, Starship Technologies hopes to provide autono-mous food and grocery delivery that can be implemented by existing third-party delivery services like Door Dash and Postmates (both of which became the Starship’s first official US partners this year).

At this point, Starship reports their robots have reached 90% automation, only needing remote assistance while crossing streets.  However, if you happen to run into one in the streets of Redwood City, it will likely have a human “handler” in tow. This is in part to ensure safety while the robots are still mapping out the city, but also to help with community engagement.

We recently caught up with Starship’s Head of Operations in California, Justin Hoffman, who filled us in on his company’s mission and future in Redwood City.   He informed us that while the robots currently only operate within about a 2-mile radius of their office at 234 Marshall, they hope to expand their service area by setting up additional charging hubs at various points throughout the city.   As of right now, Redwood City residents cannot specifically request robotic delivery, but Hoffman did say there’s a possibility Doordash will offer that feature by the end of the 9-month pilot.  For now, keep an eye out for these robots as you pass through Redwood City!

Read below for a complete transcript of our brief interview with Justin Hoffman:

How far do the robots deliver from your office on Marshall?

--2 mile radius is what we are initially beginning with

Are there plans to open additional charging hubs to allow a greater service area?

 --In the mid-to-long term we aim to have automated charging/delivery dispatch hubs in a given city to broaden service areas and enable greater efficiency amongst the network of robots

Which elements of the delivery process have not become fully autonomous?  When do your handlers have to step in to help?

--When a robot reaches a crosswalk, for example, the robot will ping a robot "operator" (a remote operator who sees through the robot's cameras to guide it in difficult situations) to assist it when crossing the road. Handlers currently help us engaging with the community, assisting with mapping, and managing day-to-day operations


Are Redwood City residents within your service area currently able to request robotic delivery?  If not, will they be able to at any point during the 9-month pilot?

--We currently operate through partners such as Doordash (and very soon Postmates), and at some toward the end of the pilot, you may be able to request a robot specifically for your order.

Will Starship’s delivery service ultimately be integrated into existing third-party delivery services like Door Dash?

--We actually are currently integrated already with third-party commercial partners such as Doordash. As we build more partnerships, we will be available for a variety of types of deliveries, including groceries and (e-commerce) packages as well.

Do you have plans to expand into other Bay Area cities any time soon?

--Yes, we are currently in talks with a variety of other cities in the Bay Area. We shall announce names over the coming weeks/months.