To Zillow or not to Zillow?

            Zillow.com is a web site that does property valuations.  In uniform neighborhoods and new subdivisions, this web site has demonstrated a reasonable degree of accuracy.  In many neighborhoods throughout Marin County though, where the homes and neighborhoods are quite diverse, Zillow.com’s accuracy is questionable.  Take a moment and check out their web site.  At best, it can be helpful in providing information about a property, and sometimes a reasonable estimate as to the property’s value.  Regardless, Zillow can be very entertaining.  
  
          Zillow.com raised $32 million during its pre-launch, which was marked by a huge publicity campaign.  Here’s a company that didn’t unveil its business model or intent until it released a beta version in February and its site stalled on the day of its debut.  Anyone can dip into Zillow.com’s two terabytes of data on U.S. homes and learn Zillow’s estimates, or “Zestimates”, of their home’s current value or some variation thereof.

          Chris Lyman, a partner in a Napa public relations agency, bought a second home in Scottsdale, Arizona for $330,000 in 2003.  He said strong appreciation in the region has roughly doubled the price of the home since then, but Zillow’s estimate put the property in the $500,000s – at least 10 percent below what he believes is the true value.  “At that point, it went from being a tool to a novelty,” Lyman said. “It doesn’t have the strength that  I would rely on those numbers.”  A new home on Palmer Avenue in Tiburon, California is listed by Zillow.com as being worth $1,780,000, and could be listed hundreds of thousands of dollars below its real value in today’s market.

          So, unless you live in an area where all the homes are identical, and typically sell for the same amount as one another, enjoy Zillow.com for what it is, and then talk to a professional.

         If you look to the right of this column you’ll see a list of links or “Blogroll” which includes a link to Zillow.  Also, check out Zillow’s Blog!  It’s excellent, and also offers links to other local real estate blogs.      

www.marinrealestateblog.com

www.technopanorama.com

www.MarinCountyDirectory.com

Marin County Real Estate

    A great philosopher once said  that all movements have three periods.  The first phase is change as perceived as necessary.   The internet became necessary because people had access to limited information.  There was little transparency, and the consumer had no voice.  Oftentimes the consumer was poorly treated.   The second phase perceives change as an improvement.  The third phase, that we’re currently experiencing, is a correction period.
   Real Estate has had the longest robust market in the history of the country, based on the internet.  What will the impact of this be as the market  passes through various adjustments that differ from state to state, and town to town?  With the arrival of Zillow.com, and other similar home valuation web sites , will the public be better served?
   Lloyd Frink, co-founder and President of Zillow.com admits that the margin of error with Zillow.com is 7.2 percent.  In the Bay Area ,where neighborhoods are quite diverse and less uniform, that margin of error is much greater.  And now that Zillow.com has recently added the ability for homeowners to modify the facts of their home, and create their own “Zestimate” it’s anybody’s guess.
   Allen Dalton, the President of Realtor.com says, ” the notion of suggesting to people that they can find out what their home is worth without a Realtor offends me.  Something as critical and vital as your number one asset, and then treat it in a parlor game-type of fashion?  The site Zillow.com says that they’re going to give consumers an idea of what their home is worth.  I’m convinced that home sellers already have an idea, so I don’t think value is being inserted.  Zillow.com wants you to believe that you can predetermine what the asset is worth before a Realor’s value is inserted into the proposition.  We are talking about different business models and different consequences.” 
    My personal experience with Zillow.com’s Zestimates for homes in Marin County is that so far, Zillow has been sometimes so off the mark, that at best it’s entertainment   New subdivions seem to be where Zillow does best in Marin.  Where all the homes were built by the same builder,and the floor plans are simiilar.  I wonder what the Appraisal industry and Banks think about Zillow?   I think we are a long way from where you can walk into a bank with a Zestimate (that you may have modified) and have the Bank give you a loan.  
    What do you think?
   
Marin County Real Estate Blog …. the power of the Internet

Marin County Real Estate enters the Blogosphere

Blogging has hit the real estate industry…and it just may upend a marketplace known for inefficiency and restricted information.

   There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of blogs covering real estate and they shine unfiltered lights on their subjects, reporting market gossip, innuendo, facts, opinion, virutally anything.

   ”Blogs are telling like it is at the street level,” said Bran Inman of Inman News, a large real estate news service, Inman said real estate blogging began in the Bay Area, took hold in New York and has now spread nationally.

   For example, bloggers may expose defects at new developments or buildings such as roof leaks or heating system inadequacies or shoddy workmanship of maintenance.  They may warn buyers away from dishonest or incompetent brokers or overpriced new housing. They can let buyers know that a neighborhood may not be safe, that an area floods every spring, or that jets fly directly overhead when the west wind blows.

   It’s not all negative though. “Comments on our posts often talk about how great a neighborhood is or praise brokers or landlords,” said Jake Dobkin,  a publisher of sites covering 15 cities.

   Blogs also help even the playing field for consumers. Traditionally, only professionals could get full access to comparable prices and property conditions.  “Blogs add information – they level the playing field for consumers” says Dobkin.

   Alexis Palmer operations head for Curbed.com, which covers New York and Los Angeles, says the strength of these sites is that they tell people more about the areas they may be considering moving into. “You can find out about the neighborhood’s character,” she said, “what kinds of restarurants, stores, and clubs are there.”

   The info comes from people like you. “Normally, in real estate, most of the information available comes from those representing the sale of properties,”said Palmer. “They have a different agenda than the consumer.”

   And, even though on many blogs anyone can post and there is little fact checking or test for accuracy, that doesn’t mean the information is too untrustworthy. “You get robust corrections from the community of readers,”said Palmer.

   It’s not just local real estate or neighborhood conditions that the bloggosphere highlights.  Some, like real estate research provider Jonathan Miller, take on different national issues.

   Insiders believe that blog sites empower consumers, enabling them to make better choices, obtain services at a better price, and find better service providers.

www.MarinRealEstateblog.com

www.MarkLomas.com

www.MarinCountyDirectory.com

Marin County Real Estate

Blogging and Real Estate     Finally, a forum/methodology for the Professional Realtor and the General Public to exchange ideas in a healthy virtual enviroment.  This will benefit the real estate industry’s relationship with the public by allowing a Town Hall like atmosphere for the free exchange of ideas while providing information that conventional media formats have been unable or unwilling to provide.     What is a weblog? A weblog, or blog, is a personal journal on the web. Weblogs express as many different subjects and opinions as there are people writing them. Some blogs are highly influential and have enormous readership while others are primarily intended for a close circle of family and friends.      The power of weblogs is that they allow millions of people to easily publish their ideas, and millions more to comment on them. Blogs are a fluid, dynamic medium, more akin to a ‘conversation’ than to a library — which is how the Web has often been described in the past. With an increasing number of people reading, writing, and commenting on blogs, the way we use the Web is shifting in a fundamental way. Instead of being passive consumers of information, more and more Internet users are becoming active participants.     This is why the blogging phenomenon and other forms of unfettered expression on the Web is often called the rise of the participant economy.      A few years ago, Web search was revolutionized by a simple but profound idea — that the relevance of a site can be determined by the number of other sites that link to it, and thus consider it ‘important.’ In the world of blogs, hyperlinks are even more significant, since bloggers frequently link to and comment on other blogs, which creates the sense of timeliness and connectedness one would have in a conversation. So Technorati tracks the number of links, and the perceived relevance of blogs, as well as the real-time nature of blogging. Because Technorati automatically receives notification from weblogs as soon as they are updated, it can track the thousands of updates per hour that occur in the blogosphere, and monitor the communities (who’s linking to whom) underlying these conversations.There are about 75,000 new blogs a day. Bloggers update their weblogs regularly; there are about 1.2 million posts daily, or about 50,000 blog updates an hour.A BRIEF HISTORY OF BLOGS1997            The term “Weblog” was coined by Jorn Barger, editor of the blog Robot Wisdom on December 171999            April/May   Peter Merholz, who blogs at peterme.com is the first to use the verb ‘blog’ by dividing the                     weblog in the words, “we blog”                    August/ a tiny company in San Francisco called Pyra Labs creates Blogger.  It is the first internet of                     based, free, and easy to use blog creation tools that will spark the explosive growth of the                    Blogosphere.                    December/   Rusty Foster debuts Scoop.  This open source “collaborative media application”                     allows the reader of a web site to also produce its content.  Markos Moulitsas Zuniga will later                    use it to transform DailyKos from an individual blog into a mega-community web site.2000            November/ freelance journalist Josh Marshall starts TalkingPointsMemo in the midst of the 2000                     election recount controversy2002            May/ Moulitsas begins blogging at DailyKos.  He is one of the many political bloggers who begin                    self-publishing in response to the 9/11 and the invasion of Iraq.                    November: David Sifry founds Technorati, a real time search engine that tracks what’s going on                    in the Blogosphere.2003            March/ The Oxford English Dictionary includes the word weblog and we-blogger.      2004            January/ Ana Marie Cox launches Wonkette, which dishes D.C. gossip. Wonkette belongs to         Gawker                    Media, an online company founded by Nick Denton and considered to be the most visible and                     successful blog orientated media company.

Marin County Real Estate Market Trends

     The Marin County Real Estate market remains on the same track as last week with minor changes. The most significant change is that the $2-$3 million Single Family Residence segment, though still a buyers’ market, has continued to show strength by rising to 23% in contract, just south of a balanced market. Improvement in the over-$3million SFR market as well.     Big news this week is that mortgage lenders continue to be under duress. American Home Mortgage, the nation’s 10th largest lender announced they are unable to fund their loans, and word has it they are closing their doors. Recent bad news in the mortgage industry has made it more difficult for lenders to package and sell their loans in the money markets and has forced them to sell at lower prices.    This is important to buyers and sellers because it makes it more difficult and more expensive for borrowers to obtain the funds they need to purchase property. Lending and credit standards are tightening. No-doc loans are drying up. Borrowers in many cases are forced to qualify at the fully-amortized rate rather than the introductory “teaser” rate.    Borrowers should take care to find a reliable locally based lender and be sure they are actually pre-approved. This means that the lender or the broker has verified credit and assets, reviewed the loan application, and, often, run it by an underwriter.    Sellers. This is a time when the knowledge and services of an experienced REALTOR are invaluable. The agent can follow up on the buyer’s pre-approval, help the seller set appropriate contractual standards for loan approval and contingency removal,  closely follow and track the process. This helps avoid unpleasant surprises just before closing when a shaky lender shuts its doors, leaving both seller and buyer in the lurch. Marin Real Estate Blog  2007       Mark Danforth Lomas          August 7, 2007 www.marinrealestateblog.comwww.technopanorama.com     www.MarinCountyDirectory.com

Southern Marin County Towns and Cities

SAUSALITO         For many tourist who visit the Bay Area, Sausalito is the only part of Marin County they see or know.  In some respects, that isn’t so bad because the harbor village has always been a place that is beautiful and bodacious.
                           Sausalito’s beauty is easy to catalog.  The tree covered hillsides cascade down to a bayside town that reminds strollers of the French or Italian Riviera.  The views from Sausalito are nothing but breathtaking – from the Bay Bridge, the San Francisco skyline, to the Golden Gate Bridge.
                           Don’t forget Sausalito’s saucy history.  Bootleggers, bordellos, gambling dens, and eccentric houseboats.  All combined to give Sausalito a unique personality.
                           As most Marin residents know, there are two Sausalitos.  There is the tourists’ Sausalito of ferry rides, small bayside shops, and flashy eateries.
                           Then there’s the locals’ Sausalito.  A foggy Sunday morning that starts with getting the newspapers at a newsstand that once was a gas station.  Then it’s down to Northpoint Coffee ( where Zacks use to be… remember the Wednesday Night Turtle Races?) for a Latte’ alongside the Bay (Dogs welcomed on the rear patio alongside the water).
                           Sausalito is also home to the Sausalito Art Festival  (Labor Day Weekend) which features incredible artist from around the world and local home grown talent.
                           Back in the 80s, I had the fortune to cross paths one afternoon with Sterling Hayden on St. Patricks day, and we closed Smitty’s Bar on Caldonia Street later that evening.  Smitty’s is somehow trapped in some time warp and looks just the same today as it did in the 70s.  Some things will never change …. thank goodness!   If you have the opportunity, Sausalito is a not only a great town to visit, but a wonderful community to live in.
                           If you lived or visited Sausalito in the late 1960’s or 1970’s you might remember a restaurant called the Trident.   People traveled from around the world to visit this truly unique establishment.  In retrospect some people have called it a Hooters for Hippies but it was much more elegant than that.  In the day some called it the Playboy Club for Hippies but that misses the point too.  The Rolling Stones had a private party there,  Pink Floyd visited,  Janis Joplin and Bill Graham had their own tables reserved for them when they came in, and that’s just the tip of the iceburg.  If you’d like to travel back to another time click on   www.tridentrestaurant.com
Sausalito Recreation Web Site: http://sausalito.recware.com 
                           Interested in the Houseboat community? Try: www.floatinghomes.org

Sausalito Web Site:  (www.ci.sausalito.ca.us)

Sausalito, California

TIBURON            Tiburon epitomizes the good life around San Franciso Bay.  On the sunny docks, day-trippers, locals, and yachtsmen sip their coffee, while across the bay the city slips beneath the fog.  Outside of town, a wealth of bayside beauty awaits hikers and bikers exploring at leisure.  On a circle tour, you can get a sampling of what the 4 mile long Tiburon peninsula has to offer.
                           Every March ,Tiburon is proud to present the Tiburon International Film Festival (www.TiburonFilmFestival.com), that has become a huge success attracting Filmmakers from around the globe! 
                           Incorporated in 1964, Tiburon is now a beautiful enclave of historical landmarks, world-class resturants, and shopping areas.  Some of the residential architecture is reflected in small cottages, many of them beautifully remodeled, contemporary showplaces located in the hills, and sensational examples of engineering marvels that jut out over the water.  The San Francisco and Corinthian Yacht Clubs provide berths for hundreds of sailboats for local yachtsmen: public and private tennis and swimming facilities are also available to residents.
                           Visitors from around the world come here to enjoy the natural beauty and many activities that this delightful harbor community provides.

Tiburon Web Site:   (http://www.ci.tiburon.ca.us/)

Tiburon Bike Path

BELVEDERE         Belvedere is an island a mile long and less that one half mile wide, connected to Tiburon by a causeway.  Although the two towns have become very much alike, with their premier real estate prices motivated by spectacular views, they grew up differently. There were distict differences between the towns: while Belvedere was home to the rich: Tiburon, in its days as home base for a railroad, was considered the other side of the tracks.
                           Belvedere celebrated its 100th year as a city in 1996.  Marin’s smallest incorporated community is also one of the most exclusive..  There is just enough room for some of the most expensive homes in Marin and the historic San Francisco Yacht Club.
                           Belvedere is a treasure trove of different architectural styles: from the tremendous Queen Anne and Mission Revival homes of the late 1800’s to more modern styles and Mediterranean villas.  The two elementary schools and one middle school are in the Reed School District are rated in the top one percent among schools.
                           Belvedere, which translates in Italian to “beautiful views”, was well and aptly named! 

Belvedere Web Site:  (www.cityofbelvedere.org/)    

Belvedere Island

MILL VALLEY     Nestled at the foot of Mt. Tamalpais, only ten miles from San Francisco, Mill Valley became a favorite vacation spot for wealthy city dwellers.  In 1896 a mountain railway, nicknamed “The Crookedest Railroad in the World”, carried passengers to the mountain’s summit and to Muir Woods.  Although the tracks were removed in 1930, the old Railroad Grade is currently very popular with hikers and mountain bikers!
                           Shortly after the town was incorporated in 1900 two town traditions began.  The Outdoor Art Club was founded in 1902, a group whose purpose was, and still is, to preserve the beauties of Mill Valley.  The Dipsea Race was first run in 1905 and has been held almost every year since.  It is the oldest race in the Country, behind the Boston Marathon.  The race is 7.1 miles long, from Lytton Square in Mill Valley over Mt.Tamalpais to Stinson Beach.
                           Bordered on three sides by the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Muir Woods National Monument, Mount Tamalpais State Park and watershed, Mill Valley offers spectacular recreation opportunities.  But this is only part of its attractions.  The people who have chosen to live here, from Rock Stars, Artist, Movie Stars, Nationally known authors, to Business Executives and Political Radicals: all are part of the eclectic mixture of talented folks who came for the pleasures of normalcy and anonymity to live in this incredibly beautiful and charming town.

Mill Valley web site:       (www.cityofmillvalley.org)

Giant Redwoods in Mill Valley

Aerial View of downtown Tiburon in September of 1955
Photo from Post Card found in Antique Store

Marin Real Estate Blog    2007

Central Marin County Towns and Cities

CORTE MADERA           At the turn of the century Corte Madera had attracted a number of families from San Francisco who came for the summer. Christmas Tree Hill was subdivided in tiny 25′ x 25′ lots for use as tent sites on the weekends. After the 1906 earthquake, many of these tent sites were used to build permanent homes, where some of the tiny cabins remain to this day. Corte Madera became a town in 1917. 
                                    Typifying the relaxed outdoor lifestyle of Marin with its pleasant climate, bordering wetlands, and lush open space, there is a strong community commitment to preserving the area’s wildlife and habitat. This commitment to the environment is exemplified by the Corte Madera Reserve Sanctuary for Migrating Birds, the Shorebird Marsh wildlife habitat, and The Ring Mountain Preserve, located at the southeastern end of town, the preserve borders Corte Madera and the neighboring community of Tiburon. 
                                    Home to three distinctly different malls, the town provides shopping as a favored pastime for guests and locals alike. Fine shops, unique boutiques, and a variety of excellent restaurants can be found at The Corte Madera Town Center, The Village at Corte Madera, and The Marketplace. 
                                    Extending from San Francisco Bay on the east side to Mt. Tam on the west, Corte Madera illustrates the wonderful Marin County blend of nature along with all the amenities of city living.

LARKSPUR AND GREENBRAE      The wife of a major developer, Charles Wright, named this beautiful area for the lupine she found there, mistakenly identifying it as Larkspur.
                                   The downtown / Magnolia Avenue area is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as an irreplaceable American “turn of the century home town.”
                                   Larkspur residents have been quite successful in preserving the small-town ambience. A medley of specialty shops, boutiques, Queen Anne Victorians, cafes and first-class restaurants can be enjoyed by taking a relaxing stroll down Magnolia Avenue. Not to be missed are the Escalle Winery, built in the 1890’s by the young Frenchman, Jean Escalle, who planted the northern hillsides of Larkspur with wine grapes; and the exquisite Murphy mansion, constructed in 1888 and now home to the world famous restaurant, the Lark Creek Inn. Larkspur extends north to the unincorporated area of Greenbrae, home to the Bon Air Shopping Center, which offers boutiques, restaurants and gift shops.
                                  Greenbrae is well known for its tastefully landscaped custom homes, many of which have views of the bay, Corte Madera Creek and lowlands, and Mt. Tamalpais. A special effort was made during the development of this area to preserve the hundreds of majestic oak trees that grace the hillsides. Greenbrae residents enjoy a one minute drive to the freeway and two minutes to the Larkspur Landing Ferry Terminal.
Larkspur Web Site:  (www.ci.larkspur.ca.us/) 

Bushes in front of City of Larkspur Town Hall
     
KENTFIELD                 Because the town of Kentfield is unincorporated, it is governed by the Marin County Board of Supervisors, who are known to pay close attention to the wishes of the residents, especially concerning development. An upper middle class to wealthy community, Kentfield is nestled at the base of Mt. Tam, bordered by Larkspur and Ross.
                                 The name “Kentfield” is taken from the family of Albert Kent, a Chicago meat packer who, along with his wife Adaline, settled in the area in 1872. Adaline donated twenty-three acres of land for a community recreation center; which later became the site for the College of Marin, which is part of the California Community College system. Albert and Adaline’s son William, who became a U.S. congressman and an ardent conservationist, donated Muir Woods as a national park.
                                 The homes in this area are generally set well back from the streets which meander among pine, redwood and manzanita. The low-profile roofs of these spacious homes, mostly set on large lots, are designed to blend in with the natural surroundings and offer a wooded, country feeling.

ROSS                        In 1857 a Scotsman from San Francisco, James Ross, bought a large Mexican land grant named Rancho Punta de Quentin, which extended from what is now Corte Madera to Red Hill in San Anselmo. In the town that bears his name, Ross built his home on the property that is now the Marin Art & Garden Center; a beautiful ten-acre site that, in addition to housing several non-profit community groups, also offers many classes and activities.
                                 Shaded roads and lanes enhance this lovely town of grand estates and luxury custom homes. Large properties in park-like settings often have accommodations for horses, as well as tennis courts and swimming pools. Centered around the Ross Common is a small, very quaint commercial area featuring restaurants and shops. One enterprise, the Ross Grocery, has been operated by the same family since WWII.
                                 Residents are universally proud of, and offer support to, the local elementary school. In 1991, Child Magazine named Ross Elementary School as one of the top ten schools in the nation. The academic ranking is in the 99th percentile, the highest any school can achieve.
                                 Ross, often characterized as the suburban ideal, can easily be portrayed as a bastion of gracious living.
Ross Website: (www.townofross.org/)

SAN ANSELMO          San Anselmo is a charming community of older homes amid diverse architectural styles, on shady, tree-lined streets. The downtown area is very “small town” in appearance, but offers a variety of shops and restaurants. In the 1870’s, what is now known as The Hub in San Anselmo was the spot where a spur track to San Rafael was added to the Sausalito-Tomales run of the Pacific Coast Railroad. San Anselmo was incorporated in 1907.
                                 The most visible landmark in town, a beautiful stone castle that overlooks San Anselmo, is actually the San Francisco Theological Seminary, established in 1892 to train Presbyterian clergy. From the ivy covered chapel with its enchanting bell tolling the hours, to the turrets and towers, this beautiful facility has an ethereal, fairy tale look.
                                 San Anselmo Avenue, the town’s main shopping area, is a curving boulevard of awning-shaded shops, cafes, galleries, restaurants, and boutiques. Known as the “Antique Capital of Northern California,” there are, within a half-mile radius of downtown, more than 150 antique dealers who attract collectors from all over the West Coast.
                                 Love of family and a sense of community are common bonds shared by those in the more affluent areas as well as by those in the more modest homes at the west end of town. The Annual Art and Wine Festival, the Antique Dealers Fair, and the Country Fair Day, are all very well attended by local citizens. San Anselmo also boasts one of the County’s most successful community volunteer programs.
                                 San Anselmo is a charming community of older homes amid diverse architectural styles, on shady, tree-lined streets. The downtown area is very “small town” in appearance, but offers a variety of shops and restaurants. In the 1870’s, what is now known as The Hub in San Anselmo was the spot where a spur track to San Rafael was added to the Sausalito-Tomales run of the Pacific Coast Railroad. San Anselmo was incorporated in 1907.
The San Anselmo neighborhood of Sleepy Hollow’s website is: www.shha.org/
As of 7/2/2007 HOA dues are: $160/year and family membership for the pool is:$200/year
And, to play tennis on the San Domenico School courts are: $100/year
San Anselmo Web Site: (www.townofsananselmo.org/)
                               
FAIRFAX                    Fairfax was originally part of a Spanish land grant conferred to Domingo Sais in 1839. Sais gave the area now known as the Marin Town & Country Club to Marin County’s first physician, Alfred Taliaferro of Virginia, who subsequently passed the property along to fellow Virginian Charles Snowden Fairfax. Lord Fairfax, tenth Baron of Cameron, Scotland, moved here with his wife Ada in 1855, lured west by gold fever. 
                                 After the death of Charles Fairfax, the property changed hands, eventually becoming the site of the renowned Pastori’s Restaurant in the 1890’s. Madame Pastori, once a singer at La Scala in Milan, Italy, was visited in Fairfax by many great figures in the opera world. The restaurant, which was rebuilt on a grander scale after a fire in 1911, still stands. 
                                Convenient railroad service early in this century made Fairfax a favorite weekend and summer retreat for city dwellers. Fairfax Park hosted thousands on weekends. Fairfax was the setting for dozens of early Western movies from 1910 to the early 1920’s. Construction of Alpine Dam in 1917 brought a large Italian population to the area, adding to Fairfax’s colorful history. 
                                 Fairfax came of age in February of 1931 when the town was incorporated as a city with a five-member council government. Fairfax today, with a diverse population of 7,000, is a community of fine neighborhoods nestled in the hills and small valleys of the Upper Ross Valley. Located 16 miles north of San Francisco, within easy reach of numerous State and National Recreation Areas, Fairfax offers the best of both work and play while retaining its small-town atmosphere and charm. Two of our Cal Land Title employees live in Fairfax and they absolutely love it!
Unofficial Fairfax Web Site: (www.gordyo.com/Fairfax/Fairfax.html)

Marin County Real Estate Blog * * * 2007

Northern Marin County Towns and Cities

SAN RAFAEL          Marin’s premier city, San Rafael, is the oldest and largest city in the County and it is also the seat of County Government. Marin’s second most popular tourist spot (after Muir Woods), the Frank Lloyd Wright Civic Center, was the last major structure and the only government building designed by the world famous architect. It is now a national historic landmark.                              Other notable places to visit are China Camp State Park, which rims a picture perfect shoreline and is wonderfully secluded, yet only minutes from town; the lovely Dominican College campus, founded in 1888; and the Falkirk Cultural Center, a handsomely preserved, 17-room Victorian mansion that is set on 11 acres of formal grounds is just a block from downtown.                              San Rafael offers a wide assortment of housing; from Peacock Gap’s Golf and Country Club contemporary homes and condominiums overlooking the Bay, to spacious traditional homes in the prestigious Dominican section.                               San Rafael has 14 parks, yacht clubs, outstanding docking and launching facilities, tennis / swim clubs and bicycle trails. It is truly a community where families can enjoy an active lifestyle and partake of a rich historical and cultural heritage.SAN RAFAEL WEB SITE:   http://www.cityofsanrafael.org/City_of_San_Rafael.htmNOVATO               The City of Novato is located 29 miles north of San Francisco, just off Highway 101. Incorporated in 1960 and encompassing 43 square miles with 3,500 acres of open space and parks, Novato is an agreeable mixture of a variety of neighborhoods. Waterfront communities, horse farms, and beautiful mansions are all part of the eclectic collection that is Novato.                              Novato began as Rancho de Novato, a Spanish land grant given in 1839 to Fernando Feliz, but its roots are far deeper.                              Olompali State HIstorical Park, just north of the city, is named for a key Miwok settlement, Olemaloke, that dates to 1300. Scholars debate the significance of an Elizabethan coin found nearby. Did it belong to Sir Francis Drake’s crew that hit the coast in 1579.                              The only battle of the Bear Flag Rebellion, which led to California’s statehood, was fought at Olompali in 1846, and the Burdell family later established the first formal garden in Marin there in the 1870’s.                               The Chosen Family hippie commune — serenaded by Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead — lived in the old Burdell mansion until it burned in 1969.                               Hamilton Field, on the southeast side of the city, served as an Army airfield from 1935 to 1947 and continued miliatry operations to 1975. After years of wrangling, Hamilton opened in 1999 as a community of new homes.                               Novato is largely a bedroom community — more than 7,600 students are enrolled in the Novato Unified School District — but the city also has made its mark in business and industry. Shopping in Novato ranges form the traditional stores and boutiques on Grant Avenue in “Old Town” to the Vintage Oaks Shopping Center.                              The city is home to Fireman’s Fund Insurance, the county’s largest private employer with about 2,500 workers.                               The nonprofit Buck Institute for Research in Aging, located in a striking complex on the slopes of Mount Burdell, is on the leading edge of biomedical research and the science of aging.Novato Web Site:   (www.novato.org/) Marin County Real Estate Blog                                

West Marin County Towns and Cities

WEST MARIN         The West Marin area is, debatably the most spectacular region in a county known for it’s scenic wonders.  A truly rural section of Marin encompassing miles of open ridgetops, wild coast lines, and pastoral farms, this area is home to such diverse wildlife as gray whales, tule elks, elephant seals, bobcats, mountain lions, fox, and hundreds of bird species.  Containing the Point Reyes National Recreation Area, almost all of West Marin is protected.
                                With the exception of Inverness, which is on the Point Reyes Peninsula, the coastal towns, from southernmost Muir Beach, going north through Stinson Beach, Bolinas, Olema, Pt.Reyes Station, Marshall, and Tomales, dot Highway 1 all the way up to the Marin/Sonoma County border.  The small hamlets of Nicassio, Woodacre, Forest Knolls, San Geronimo and Lagunitas are all unique and remarkably beautiful in their various settings that range from redwood forests to open grasslands and rolling hills.
                              Muir Beach is a tiny enclave surrounded by GGNRA parklands.  With the exception of the Pelican Inn, where residents and tourist alike go to dine, drink ale, and play darts, there are no commercial enterprises here (not even a gas station nor a grocery store.)  The residents seem to prefer it this way, holding very dear to their out of the way lifestyle.
Muir Beach Web Site: (www.muirbeach.com/)
                              Stinson Beach, the most often visited of the coastal towns, is home to a lovely three mile long beach which is well kept, clean, and accessible. Swimming, surfing,and sunbathing are the favorite activities here. And, Stinson is also the finish line for the famous Dipsea Race.  Right next to the beach is a wonderful park area with trees, lawns,picnic tables, and barbeques available for day use.
Stinson Beach Web Site: (www.stinsonbeachonline.com/)
                              Bolinas, located just past the Audubon Canyon Ranch north of Stinson Beach, is a small town of about 1,100 residents: some of whom do their best to keep Bolinas a well guarded secret by continually removing the directional road signs to the town.  Bolinas is also home to Smiley’s Schooner Saloon, the oldest, continuously operated saloon (this bar was open even during Prohibition) in California.
Unofficial Bolinas Website: ( http://totalescape.com/destin/all_towns/bolinas.html ) and history about the 2 Mile Sign that put Bolinas on the National News:  ( http://www.2milesurf.com/story.html 
                              Olema, holding the distinction of being the epicenter of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and currently the gateway to Point Reyes National Seashore, was once a roaring pioneering town with seven bars, a racetrack, and a stagecoach that brought visitors from San Rafael on the weekends.  Some of the old buildings still remain, including the Olema Inn, founded in 1876.
Olema Inn Website: (www.theolemainn.com/)
                              Nicasio  is a very small town located between Highway 101 and San Geronimo Valley.  George Lucas, famous producer of “Star Wars,” built Skywalker Ranch nearby as the headquarters for his film operations.  Also to be found in the area a variety of estate homes on many ranches.  The rural beauty of Lucas Valley makes for a pleasant setting for the patrons of the very popular Rancho Nicasio, who come from all over Marin to enjoy country dining and dancing.  Just to give you some idea of the amazing musical groups that have played here,  Van Morrison , who use to live in Marin County, recently played here.
Rancho Nicassio web site: (www.ranchonicasio.com/)
                              Inverness, located on the west shore of Tomales Bay, was once a weekend retreat.  Inverness is now home to many year round residents that include artist, builders, tradespeople, and professionals that commute to the city.  Although a few homes can be seen from the streets, most are tucked back among the trees.  During the peak whale watching months of late fall to early spring, the numerous Beds and Breakfast establishments in and around Inverness are often full.
                              Point Reyes Station had its beginnings as a railroad town when the first train came through on its way to Tomales in 1875.  The railroad disappeared in 1933, and although Point Reyes Station is now the largest town in West Marin, it is still only blocks long and a couple of blocks deep.  Within the quiet little town, coffee houses, galleries, bookstores, antique shops, and resturants lend a cosmopolitan flavor.
Point Reyes Station web site: (www.nps.gov/pore/home.htm) 

Point Reyes Lighthouse

                              Marshall, Tomales, and Dillon Beach are popular tourist stops en route up the coast to Sonoma County.  Marshall, which grew up as a resort for hunters and fishermen, is well known for it’s Oyster companies.  Leaving the coast from Marshall and following the path of the long gone trains, the road winds into Tomales.  With many restored old homes and the steep roofed Lady of Assumption church, built in 1860, the Victorian charm of Tomales beckons.  Driving north on Highway 1, Dillon Beach is the last town before Sonoma County border.  The community was named after Geoge Dillon, arriving in the 1880’s, he was the first settler in the area.  Today Dillon Beach is popular for it’s wonderful beach, sport fishing, crabbing, and clam digging.
Tomales Web Site: (www.pointreyes.org/tomales.html)
Marshall Web Site: (www.pointreyes.org/marshall.html)
Tiburon and Belvedere Real Estate     www.94920RealEstate.com