Typically, our summer housing market slows down as people head out on vacation (or just try to get away from the fog 🙂 ).  And then post Labor Day “BAM” – the faucet opens. We saw this happen again this year, as the Tuesday before Labor Day, there were only 98 new properties on tour.  Compare that with the past two weeks – 247 on 9/11 and 220 on 9/18: roughly a 150% increase. Buyers that were ready to go jumped on the increased inventory, and several properties, from Pac Heights to Bernal Heights, were in contract BEFORE the first broker tour on Tuesday (including 2200 Pacific #5C (pictured above), 714 27th St, and 44 Crescent Ave).  The numbers would be even higher, but many agents discourage early offers by setting an “offer date” after a period of exposure, hoping for some competition among buyers. As a seller, it’s critical to do the necessary prep work to make sure your property shines – then price it right so you get a good amount of interest.  As a buyer, you need to know the market, and be ready to move quickly (with a pre-approval letter in hand), should the right property surface.