Beyond Prospecting

Gold may have jumpstarted San Francisco’s economic progress, but these days the city has gone light years beyond panning for that glittery yellow metal in a river. What has remained constant is the air of optimism – San Francisco CA Real Estate has long been a magnet for folks who like to dream big, whether they be gold-seeking ‘49ers or ambitious dot-com startups. A San Francisco, CA luxury condo could well be the home of the latest Silicon Valley success story.

Today, the banking and finance industry that got its head start during the Gold Rush remains a vital part of San Francisco’s economy. The city is home to the corporate headquarters of financial institutions like Wells Fargo, Charles Schwab Corp. and the Federal Reserve Bank for the 12th District.

Tourism is what really keeps the city’s economic motor running, however. In 2005 alone, an excess of 15 million visitors brought in almost $7.5 million. It isn’t hard to see why this lovely, exciting city never fails to attract attention. Indeed, some visitors find it so difficult to leave San Francisco that they decide to become residents and to invest in a San Francisco, CA luxury condo.

The city also serves as the corporate headquarters of construction/engineering company Bechtel, retailers like Williams-Sonoma and apparel manufacturers such as Levi Strauss & Co. and Gap, Inc. And though the dot-com bubble has burst, high technology is still at the forefront of the city’s and the Bay Area’s economy.