Leave a Message

Thank you for your message. We will be in touch with you shortly.

Explore Our Properties

San Francisco: The Land of Unicorns

Steven Huang October 15, 2020

Real Estate

San Francisco: The Land of Unicorns

2019 was a record-breaking year for the number of new “unicorns” – startups valued at one billion dollars or more. The dynamo driving Bay Area’s incredibly expanding economy is its unique ecosystem of entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. While technology and biosciences lead, the growth spills over by the buckets into hospitality, restaurant, professional services, real estate and other industries. Take a look at this Built in SF list of San Francisco-based unicorns making waves in various industries:

  • Calm – $1 billion
  • Chime – $1.3 billion
  • DoorDash – $12.6 billion
  • Grove Collaborative – $1 billion
  • hims and hers – $1.1 billion
  • Instacart – $7.6 billion
  • KeepTruckin – $1.3 billion
  • Wish – $11.2 billion
  • Turo – $1 billion
  • Carta – $1.7 billion
  • Checkr – $2.2 billion
  • Scale – $1 billion

 Recent

Blog Posts

Browse our blog posts to be in the know.

September 2026 San Francisco Market Update from Ascend Real Estate, beside the Golden Gate Bridge at sunset.
San Francisco Market Update September 2026

September 2026 North Bay Market Update from Bliss Group and Ascend Real Estate.
North Bay Market Update September 2026

September 2026 Silicon Valley market update with a view of offices, a lake, and wooded hills.
SIlicon Valley Market Update September 2026

September 2026 East Bay Market Update by Ascend Real Estate.
East Bay Market Update September 2026

Prop 13 and the Bay Area tax gap: assessed value versus market value, and why the gap is shifting.
Prop 13's Big Bay Area Discount Is Still Huge — But in Some Places, It's Shrinking

August 2026 San Francisco Market Update graphic with the Golden Gate Bridge and Ascend Real Estate branding.
San Francisco Market Update - August 2026

Ascend Real Estate’s August 2026 East Bay Market Update, alongside a panoramic city view.
East Bay Market Update - August 2026

August 2026 Silicon Valley Market Update graphic with an office district, lake, and hills.
Silicon Valley Market Update - August 2026

North Bay market update cover for August 2026, with Bliss Group and Ascend logos beside a rocky coast.
Marin Market Update - August 2026

Illustration of a city building, streetlamp, and palm tree beneath a large sunset sun.
New Developer Steps In to Advance 400 Divisadero Street Housing Project in San Francisco

City skyline with a red rising line and pale sun
San Francisco's AI Boom Is Real. So Is the Rent Spike That Came With It.

Credit card linked to glowing data points and a chart icon.
Visa Cuts 2,600 Jobs and Blames AI: What It Really Means for the Future of Work

Illustrated city skyline with a crane over a building under construction
San Rafael Is in the Middle of Its Biggest Housing Boom in Decades

July 2026 North Bay Market Update from Bliss Group and Ascend Real Estate
Marin Market Update - July 2026

July 2026 Silicon Valley Market Update from Ascend Real Estate, over an aerial view of office buildings and a lake.
Silicon Bay Market Update - July 2026

July 2026 East Bay Market Update by Ascend Real Estate, over a city view with distant hills.
East Bay Market Update - July 2026

July 2026 San Francisco Market Update with the Golden Gate Bridge and Ascend Real Estate branding.
San Francisco Market Update - July 2026

June 2026 North Bay Market Update cover from Bliss Group and Ascend Real Estate, with a rocky ocean shoreline.
North Bay Housing Market Update June 2026

June 2026 Silicon Valley Market Update from Ascend Real Estate, alongside a view of offices and a lake.
Silicon Valley Housing Update June 2026

June 2026 San Francisco market update with the Golden Gate Bridge and Ascend Real Estate branding.
San Francisco Housing Update June 2026

June 2026 East Bay market update from Ascend Real Estate, with a panoramic city view.
East Bay Housing Market Update June 2026

May 2026 Silicon Valley Market Update
Silicon Valley Housing Market Update May 2026

May 2026 North Bay Market Update from Bliss Group and Ascend Real Estate, with a rocky coast and ocean.
North Bay Housing Market Update May 2026

May 2026 East Bay Market Update with a cityscape and Ascend Real Estate branding.
East Bay Housing Market Update May 2026

May 2026 San Francisco Market Update featuring the Golden Gate Bridge and Ascend Real Estate branding.
San Francisco Housing Update May 2026

Your Spring Guide to Bay Area Farmers’ Markets — Ascend Real Estate
Your Spring Guide to Bay Area Farmers’ Markets

April 2026 North Bay Market Update cover with rocky coastline, ocean, and Bliss Group and Ascend Real Estate logos.
North Bay Market Update April 2026

April 2026 Silicon Valley Market Update from Ascend Real Estate
Silicon Valley Housing Update April 2026

April 2026 San Francisco Market Update, with the Golden Gate Bridge and Ascend Real Estate branding.
San Francisco Housing Update April 2026

East Bay Market Update, April 2026, with a panoramic city and bay view.
East Bay Housing Update April 2026

March 2026 North Bay Market Update, with Bliss Group and Ascend Real Estate logos beside a rocky ocean shore.
North Bay Housing Update March 2026

March 2026 San Francisco Market Update with the Golden Gate Bridge.
San Francisco Housing Update March 2026

March 2026 East Bay Market Update
East Bay House Update March 2026

Silicon Valley Market Update title graphic with an office district and lake.
Silicon Valley Housing Update March 2026

February 2026 North Bay Market Update, with Bliss Group and Ascend Real Estate logos and a rocky ocean coast.
North Bay Housing Update - February 2026

February 2026 East Bay Market Update graphic with a city panorama and Ascend Real Estate branding.
East Bay Housing Update - February 2026

February 2026 San Francisco market update with the Golden Gate Bridge and Ascend Real Estate branding.
San Francisco Housing Update - February 2026

February 2026 Silicon Valley Market Update from Ascend Real Estate.
Silicon Valley Housing Update - February 2026

North Bay Market Update, Jan 2026, with Bliss Group and Ascend Real Estate branding and a rocky ocean shoreline.
North Bay Housing Market Update - January 2026

January 2026 Silicon Valley Market Update from Ascend Real Estate, alongside an aerial view of offices and a lake.
Silicon Valley Housing Update January 2026

January 2026 East Bay Market Update from Ascend Real Estate, with a panoramic city view.
East Bay Housing Market Update - January 2026

January 2026 San Francisco market update with the Golden Gate Bridge at sunset and Ascend Real Estate branding.
San Francisco Housing Market Update - January 2026 - Ascend Real Estate

December 2025 North Bay Market Update cover with Bliss Group and Ascend Real Estate branding and a rocky shoreline.
North Bay Housing Market Update - December 2025 - Ascend Real Estate

Ascend Real Estate December 2025 San Francisco Market Update, featuring the Golden Gate Bridge at sunset.
San Francisco Housing Market Update - December 2025 - Ascend Real Estate

December 2025 East Bay market update with a panoramic city view and Ascend Real Estate branding.
East Bay Housing Market Update - December 2025 - Ascend Real Estate

December 2025 Silicon Valley Market Update from Ascend Real Estate, alongside a cityscape.
Silicon Valley Housing Market Update - December 2025 - Ascend Real Estate

East Bay Market Update for November 2025, with a city and bay view.
East Bay Housing Market Update - November 2025- Ascend Real Estate

Provided Courtesy of Ascend Real Estate

November 2025 Silicon Valley market update with Ascend Real Estate branding and a city-and-hills view.
Silicon Valley Housing Market Update - November 2025 - Ascend Real Estate

Provided Courtesy of Ascend Real Estate

November 2025 San Francisco Market Update, with the Golden Gate Bridge and Ascend Real Estate branding.
San Francisco Housing Market Update - Nov 2025 - Ascend Real Estate

Provided courtesy of Ascend Real Estate

November 2025 Marin Market Update from Ascend Real Estate and BG Bliss Group, with a rocky ocean shoreline.
Marin Housing Update November 2025

Leased: Newly Remodeled Modern Home in Portola

East Bay September Market Update

Welcome to our September newsletter, where we’ll discuss residential real estate trends in the East Bay and across the nation. This month, we’ll examine the state of t… Read more

June Market Update: San Francisco

May Market Update: San Francisco

South Bay/Peninsula May Market Update

South Bay/Peninsula November Market Update

Greater Bay Area November Market Update

The Big Story What to expect when you’re expecting inflation Quick Take: The number of homes sold in 2021 is set to be one of the highest on record. Inflation reached … Read more

Sold! Cole Valley Classic Condo with Backyard

SOLD: Modern Mission Live-Work Loft!

Silicon Valley September Market Update

Welcome to our September newsletter, where we’ll discuss residential real estate trends in Silicon Valley and across the nation. This month, we’ll examine the state of… Read more

San Francisco November Market Update

San Francisco January Market Update

Bay Area April Market Update

South Bay/Peninsula July Market Update

Northern California Campgrounds

July Market Update: Peninsula

South Bay/Peninsula March Market Update

San Francisco September Market Update

Welcome to our September newsletter, where we’ll discuss residential real estate trends in San Francisco and across the nation. This month, we’ll examine the state of … Read more

Bay Area January Market Update

Happy Holidays

As we end another crazy year, we are very grateful our kids are finally fully vaccinated, and a return to some sense of normalcy is in view. We are especially looking … Read more

East Bay March Market Update

South Bay/Peninsula February Market Update

East Bay June Market Update

Bay Area March Market Update

December Bay Area Market Update

San Francisco May Market Update

July Market Update: San Francisco

April Market Update: San Francisco

August Market Update: Peninsula

East Bay February Market Update

San Francisco December Market Update

September Market Update: East Bay

South Bay/Peninsula October Market Update

South Bay/Peninsula June Market Update

July Market Update: East Bay

San Francisco March Market Update

The 12 most delicious new restaurants in the Bay Area

Summer is here, and so are the boozy slushies, all-you-can-eat tacos and double cheeseburgers

April Market Update: East Bay

South Bay/Peninsula January Market Update

South Bay/Peninsula December Market Update

August Market Update: Greater Bay Area

San Francisco November Market Update

The Big Story Where can home prices go from here? Quick Take: Home prices appreciated faster in 2021 than at any other time, even surpassing the 2004–2006 housing bubb… Read more

August Market Update: San Francisco

September Market Update: San Francisco

November Bay Area Market Update

San Francisco July Market Update

San Francisco October Market Update

Our Annual “Trick or Treating” Event

Bay Area May Market Update

Webinar: Bay Area Housing Market Update Dec 10 at 10 am

No doubt 2021 Bay Area housing markets was one of the wildest in recent memory! Our local real estate experts will share their year-end analysis of San Francisco, East… Read more

Let’s Talk

You’ve got questions and we can’t wait to answer them.