Chic vs. Geek: How do you flex?

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Last week’s excessive heat wave caused flex alerts that asked Californians to conserve energy during peak hours from 4-9pm in order to prevent blackouts. What are some ways you cut back to help out?

CHIC (PEARL)

I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m in love with my air conditioning. But with rising energy rates and calls to conserve, I’ve also had to admit that it’s a luxury we can live without for a few hours a day. So we started pre-cooling our house before 4pm, preparing for the hottest time of day. At 9pm, we checked the air outside and either opened up all the windows or cranked that lovely AC. It may have been rough, but we’re lucky to have these options in the first place.

GEEK (KEVIN)

Anybody who knows me knows I love food, and dinner is a very important time of my day. I’m usually in the kitchen during flex hours, cooking with multiple burners, heating up the oven, and going in and out of the fridge and freezer. The flex alerts forced me to change up our routine, eating dinner later in the evening or DoorDashing from one of our favorite restaurants. It’s a great way to support local businesses while you’re flexing your power.

Let them eat mooncakes!

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We may be in the middle of a late-Summer heat wave, but this weekend marks the Mid-Autumn Festival in Chinese and other East/Southeast Asian cultures. Also known as the “Moon” or “Mooncake” Festival, it dates back over 3,000 years and features lanterns of all shapes and sizes and tasty mooncake pastries.

Looking to impress your friends and family during the Mid-Autumn Festival? Thrillist put together a list of the best places to find mooncakes in San Francisco. Let us know your favorites!

Doubling down on affordable housing

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The Los Altos City Council recently approved a pair of housing developments that could more than double its number of below market rate (BMR) units. With a long waiting list, this move can’t come soon enough. But what does it mean for the broader housing market? The Town Crier has the scoop.

Chic vs. Geek: Non-Contingent Offers

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Contingent offers have been on the rise of late, indicating an increase of buyer power. But sellers still have the leverage to accept non-contingent offers. So what do buyers and sellers need to know?

CHIC (PEARL)

First and foremost with a non-contingent offer, a buyer may risk losing their deposit or paying other damages if they decide not to purchase after the offer is accepted. The buyer also loses their right to an inspection contingency, which could uncover issues that need correcting but become the buyer’s problem. The good news is that even with non-contingent offers, buyers have the right to cancel an offer if the seller does not provide a Transfer Disclosure Statement (TDS) beforehand or the TDS is updated or modified during the transaction.

GEEK (KEVIN)

It may be tempting for a seller to accept a non-contingent offer in order to have a quick turnaround, but there are plenty of snags that can get in the way. For example, it’s wise to verify if the buyer has the funds to make the down payment or buy the property outright. There’s no guarantee the buyer can get a loan or that an all-cash buyer can come through. And buyers who feel powerless in the purchase process are more likely to file claims and disputes that could hold up a sale for months, or worse, force you to take the property off the market entirely.