BAY AREA WEEKLY RECAP

Live from the Bay Area — mid January is bringing clear mornings, cool nights, and a steady sense that the region is finding its footing again. This week’s newsletter takes a look at new housing openings, major institutional moves, and what current market trends are signaling as we head deeper into 2026. Let’s get to it.

BAY AREA DEVELOPMENTS & REAL ESTATE

Valley Health Center San José | 1410 S Bascom Avenue | San Jose
Santa Clara County approved the purchase of the future Valley Health Center San José site instead of continuing a long term lease. The 230000 square foot, 10 story medical office building will centralize services and serve tens of thousands of patients annually. By buying the property, the County of Santa Clara projects more than $112 million in savings over 30 years, with services launching in early 2026. This move locks in long term cost control and permanent healthcare access along the Bascom corridor.

1X Technologies Expansion Watch | 150 Industrial Road | San Carlos
Palo Alto based 1X Technologies is exploring a 230000 square foot facility at the San Carlos Research Center to support production and testing of its Neo humanoid robots. The former Novartis site offers rare manufacturing ready infrastructure on the Peninsula. While no lease is confirmed, the search highlights growing demand for industrial and R and D hybrid campuses in cities like San Carlos.

Mainline North Workforce Housing | Near Levi’s Stadium | Santa Clara
A new 151 unit workforce housing community has opened near Levi’s Stadium. Mainline North serves households earning between 30 percent and 70 percent of area median income, with rents well below nearby market rates. Located in the Tasman East Specific Plan area, the project emphasizes transit access and proximity to jobs. Developed by USA Properties Fund and The Pinyon Group, the $86 million project shows how public private partnerships can add affordability in high cost markets.

Vanderbilt University SF Campus | Showplace Square | San Francisco
Vanderbilt University plans to open a full time San Francisco campus starting in the 2027 to 2028 school year, pending approvals. The campus would take over buildings from California College of the Arts in Showplace Square and serve about 1,000 students, with housing provided for undergraduates. A new university presence could bring long term activity and stability to the Mission Bay adjacent neighborhood.

Downtown San Mateo Dining Updates | Baldwin Avenue and Brickline
Downtown San Mateo continues to evolve as new restaurants move in. Reposado is opening a second location on Baldwin Avenue, while Johnny’s is preparing to open inside the Brickline. Nearby, the former Wursthall space is reopening as Whispers, with Wunderbar now back open downstairs. The mix of brunch, cocktails, and dinner points to steady demand rather than a downtown slowdown.

MARKET TRENDS

  • Stabilizing Prices with High Baselines – Bay Area median home prices remain high but aren’t spiking aggressively right now. Recent reports show prices holding firm with modest changes year-over-year, suggesting a cooling from the overheated growth of recent years.

  • Inventory Slowly Improving – After years of extremely tight supply, more homes are gradually coming to market across the Bay Area, giving buyers slightly more choice and easing some upward pressure on prices.

  • Mortgage Rates Moderating but Still Elevated – Mortgage rates have dipped from recent peaks and are stabilizing in a range that’s below the highs of 2024 and 2025. This moderation is coaxing some buyers back into the market.

  • Sales Activity Picking Up but Uneven – Some areas like San Francisco have seen meaningful growth in home sales, while broader Bay Area activity is mixed, with overall regional sales up modestly but still fragmented by county and segment.

  • Rental Affordability Pressure Continues – Rents in the Bay Area remain among the highest in the U.S., underscoring ongoing affordability challenges for renters despite slow home sales and rates shifting.

    📩 Want to better understand what this means for the future of Bay Area housing? We’re here to help — send us a message at [email protected].

JUST LISTED BY OWN REAL ESTATE

238 Warwick Street, Daly City
3 Bed | 2 Bath | 2 Bonus Rooms

What you can expect:

Fully remodeled kitchen with quartz counters, new cabinetry & stainless appliance
☀️ Bright living and dining areas with large windows and updated lighting
🛁 Two fully renovated bathrooms with modern finishes and glass shower doors
🏡 Two spacious bonus rooms with backyard access and flexible use
🎨 Fresh interior and exterior paint, new flooring, doors, fixtures & finishes throughout

Interested in touring? Reach out!

Wilson Leung | DRE 01904259
📩 [email protected]
📞 650.280.8888 Call or Text

FOOD & DRINK

JUST OPENED IN THE BAY AREA

ONIGILLY

serves freshly made Japanese onigiri with classic and modern fillings, offering a quick and affordable grab and go option for shoppers and locals.

DALY CITY

CUANYUE

specializes in customizable malatang, letting diners build their own bowls with meats, vegetables, and noodles cooked in rich, spicy broth

SUNNYVALE

YOUTUBE

Big SF Bay Area Changes (2026)

Bay Area real estate just got redefined: earning $273,000 is now "moderate income" in Mountain View. In this video, we break down the massive changes hitting the market in 2026, including San Francisco's historic Family Zoning Plan that ends single-family exclusion.

UPCOMING EVENTS

KEEP AN EYE OUT!

  • SF Sketchfest: Comedy Festival - Jan 16 – Feb 1, 2026 - San Francisco

  • Napa Valley Restaurant Week - Jan 18 – 25, 2026 - Napa

  • SF Ballet: Opening Night Gala - Jan 22, 2026 - San Francisco

  • NightLife: Lunar New Year Celebration - Jan 22, 2026 - San Francisco

  • Chinese New Year Flower Market Fair - Jan 24, 2026 - San Francisco

  • Zinfandel Experience Grand Tasting - Jan 29, 2026 - San Francisco

  • The Motels Live at The Independent - Jan 30, 2026 - San Francisco

  • San Francisco Beer Week Kickoff Party - Feb 6, 2026 - San Francisco

  • Southwest Airlines Chinese New Year Parade - Feb 7, 2026 - San Francisco

  • Tulipmania at PIER 39 - Feb 7 – 15, 2026 - San Francisco

  • San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition Public Tasting - Feb 14, 2026 - San Francisco

  • Monterey Jazz Festival: Winter Series - Feb 14, 2026 - Monterey

  • Disney On Ice: Magic in the Stars - Feb 18 – 22, 2026 - San Jose

  • Noise Pop Music Festival - Feb 20 – Mar 1, 2026 - SF & Oakland

  • Pacific Orchid Exposition - Feb 20 – 22, 2026 - San Francisco

  • SF Restaurant Week (Winter Edition) - Feb 20 – Mar 1, 2026 - San Francisco

  • Oakland Black Joy Parade - Feb 22, 2026 - Oakland

  • San Jose Jazz Winter Fest - Feb 26 – Mar 1, 2026 - San Jose

  • Exploratorium After Dark: Science of Light - Every Thursday - San Francisco

  • Gray Whale Migration Tours - Daily through Feb - Half Moon Bay

THIS NEWSLETTER IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY OWN REAL ESTATE

Between new workforce housing in Santa Clara, major institutional investments in San Jose and San Francisco, and steady demand in walkable downtowns like San Mateo, one thing is clear. Location, long term ownership, and access to jobs and transit are driving real value across the Bay Area right now. Whether you’re thinking about buying, selling, or just trying to understand how these shifts affect your neighborhood, having local context matters.

That's it for this week's newsletter. If you found something useful, please share it with friends. Stay tuned for more updates on detailed developments, new restaurants, news, and other Bay Area things. If you would like us to cover something you know about, please let us know!

— Wilson Leung

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