The Bay Insider

A closer look at bilingual, globally focused education in San Francisco. In this episode of The Bay Insider, Amanda Martin and Ying He sit down with Federica Lentini, the Assistant Head of School at La Scuola International School, for a closer look at one of San Francisco’s more distinctive bilingual programs. What began as a small, parent-led Italian language group has grown into a pre-K through 8th grade community serving n...

Bayview–Hunters Point is one of those neighborhoods that gets talked about a lot, but not always by people who actually live there. So this episode takes a step back and looks at it through a more grounded lens. Ying He and Amanda Martin are joined by Federica Lentini of La Scuola and local artist Bob Lake, both deeply connected to the community.

They discuss how Bayview fits into the larger map, its ties to Dogpatch and Butch...

San Francisco real estate market activity in March 2026 is showing just how competitive things have become. In this episode of The Bay Insider, we take a closer look at what’s happening across the city as low housing inventory continues to meet steady buyer demand.

We walk through recent examples from neighborhoods like Inner Sunset, Noe Valley, Glen Park, West Portal, and Bernal Heights, where some homes are drawing significa...

San Francisco housing inventory is still low, buyer demand is steady, and competition continues to shape the market which is exactly what Amanda Martin and Ying He talk about in this episode of The Bay Insider.

Rather than focusing on charts and heavy data, they share what they’re seeing day to day: activity at broker tours, offer timelines, pricing decisions, and how negotiations are actually playing out. Some homes are drawi...

In this episode of The Bay Insider, San Francisco Market Update 2025 and What's Ahead in 2026, Amanda Martin and Ying He discuss how the San Francisco real estate market wrapped up the year and what buyers and sellers should actually be paying attention to heading into what’s next.

They break down the single-family home and condo markets, why competition for houses remains intense, and where the condo market is beginning to fi...

In this episode of The Bay Insider, Amanda Martin and Ying He take a closer look at Southern Hills and its close neighbor, Crocker Amazon, two hillside communities in the southeast corner of the city. Joined by longtime resident Liz Cong, they talk about how Southern Hills came about after World War II as a quiet, residential pocket known for detached homes, wide-open views, and some of the sunniest weather in the city.

They also he...

In this special episode of The Bay Insider, we sit down with Teresa Van Woy: author, podiatrist, world traveler, and former resident of Raphael House. Teresa shares her remarkable childhood story, from growing up with eight siblings on the road to eventually finding safety, structure, and a sense of home at Raphael House, a San Francisco organization that has supported low-income and homeless families since 1971.

We talk about how R...

In this episode, Amanda and Ying take on a topic that’s been getting a lot of attention lately: the idea of a 50-year mortgage. We structured the conversation as a debate.

Ying argues for the potential for affordability especially for renters who feel locked out of the market and need another pathway into homeownership. Amanda takes the other side, calling out the long-term tradeoffs: higher interest costs, slower equity, and ...

In this episode of The Bay Insider, Amanda and Ying head to Mount Davidson Manor, a quiet gem on San Francisco’s west side with deep roots and undeniable charm. Joined by resident Deepti, they explore what makes this 1920s neighborhood so special: its Spanish-Mediterranean architecture, detached homes, ocean views, and that rare sense of calm you don’t often find in the city.

They also trace the legacy of Fernando Nelson...

In this episode of The Bay Insider, Amanda and Ying are unpacking what’s really happening in San Francisco real estate right now, from new policies with big ripple effects to one of the largest industry acquisitions still awaiting approval.

After a slower summer, the market’s showing more movement. Interest rates dipped, buyers are easing back in, and single-family homes are holding steady. Condos are starting to wake up...

In this episode of The Bay Insider, Amanda and Ying are heading to San Francisco’s Inner Richmond, a neighborhood with deep roots and a strong sense of community. They sit down with Patty, a longtime resident who’s called the Richmond home for more than 45 years.

Together, they talk through the neighborhood’s history, from its Irish, Russian, and Chinese influences to the diverse mix of restaurants, bakeries, and f...

In this episode of The Bay Insider, Amanda and Ying sit down with longtime Potrero Hill resident and neighborhood historian Peter Linenthal to uncover what makes this hillside community so special. Peter shares personal memories of moving to the neighborhood in the 1970s, the quirks of his century-old home, and stories passed down about local legends and everyday life on the hill. They talk about the resilience of Potrero Hill thro...

In this episode of The Bay Insider, Amanda and Ying dive into one of San Francisco’s most talked-about neighborhoods: Dogpatch. They sit down with locals John, Mindy, and Sam to talk about what makes Dogpatch so unique, from its industrial roots and the history of Irish Hill to its growing real estate market and close-knit feel.

They cover everything from Victorian cottages to sleek new construction condos, along with neighbor...

In this episode of The Bay Insider, Amanda & Ying break down the numbers in the San Francisco real estate market for Q2 2025, what it all means looking back, and what we are seeing beyond the numbers.

Yes, home prices have been rising. Single-family homes that check boxes are moving fast. But the condo market? Especially in District 9: SOMA, Mission Bay, South Beach, it’s telling a bit of a stagnant story, with more invent...

In the final episode of the Sausalito Series on The Bay Insider, Amanda and Ying sit down with longtime resident and fifth-generation Californian, Chris Ornellas, to talk about what makes Sausalito such a layered, memorable place to live.

From its roots as a Coast Miwok settlement to its Prohibition-era days as a rum-runner hideout, to the anchor out community, Sausalito has always been a little offbeat in the best way. They explore...

In this episode of The Bay Insider, Amanda and Ying take a closer look at one of the most unique lifestyles in the Bay Area, living in a floating home in Sausalito.

Their guest, Leisa Snyder, an interior designer and longtime resident of a floating home on Issaquah Dock shares what day-to-day life is really like out on the water. From early morning paddleboarding on Richardson Bay to impromptu “dock alerts,” it’s a...

This is the first live video podcast on The Bay Insider, and if you want the full experience, we definitely recommend watching it on YouTube. Click here to check it out.

This episode of The Bay Insider is one for the books. In this episode, Amanda and Ying sit down with Cyril Derreumaux, "extra" (other than) ordinary adventurer, motivational speaker, and the first person to complete solo kayak crossings of both the Pacific a...

In this episode of The Bay Insider, Amanda and Ying are breaking down what Q1 of 2025 looked like in the San Francisco real estate market and what it might be telling us about what’s next.

They get into the usual suspects: median prices, price per square foot, interest rates, inventory but also the real dynamics playing out behind the numbers. Why are some listings getting multiple offers while others sit untouched? What&rsquo...

Today on Bay Insider, Amanda and Ying are continuing their neighborhood series where they talk about the history, lifestyle, and real estate of Downtown San Francisco.
 
In this episode of The Bay Insider, they're stepping into the heart of Downtown San Francisco to explore its evolving present and hopeful future. Recorded inside the iconic Anthony’s Shoe Service, they are joined by special guests Yvette Gentile, c...