Belvedere Tiburon Landmarks Society Event March 30, 2008 1-4PM

Belvedere Tiburon Landmarks Web Site

Marin Independent Journal’s online Marin History Web Site

Tiburon Film Festival

The Tiburon International Film Festival comes to the Tiburon Playhouse and Corinthian Yacht Club from March 13, 2008 through March 21, 2008. 
For more information please go to:  Tiburon Film Festival 
Or call: 415-381-4123

Understanding the World through Film!

Just the facts!

    Welcome to Tiburon and Belvedere Real Estate!  This site’s focus will be on the Tiburon, and Belvedere communities. You’ll find all kinds of helpful information here, and you will also find helpful statistics, articles, opinion pieces from various local contributors, and much more! 
    Please feel free to click on “comments” and share your thoughts!             
       Mark Danforth Lomas  
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Tiburon and Belvedere Real Estate * Transparent Real Estate* Consumer Advocate

                   

174 Avenida Miraflores in Tiburon, California

174  AVENIDA MIRAFLORES IN TIBURON, CALIFORNIA

What’s “HOT” this week in Tiburon Real Estate? Check out this elegant Tiburon property with truly breathtaking views from every room!  This exceptional home offers four bedrooms including Master suite and three and one half baths. Off the kitchen/family room step outside into your own private oasis.  An aquatic paradise awaits you.  A lushly landscaped patio area surrounds the pool,spa, and covered dining area. Other features include a gated driveway, two car attached garage, and the highly sought after Reed School District.  Offered at: $2,995,000  email: MarinRealEstate@gmail.com for more information. Open this Sunday from 1pm to 4pm. Possibly the best value in Tiburon real estate for sale!  For those in the know, it’s 94920!

Window of Opportunity

  The Government just announced that it will temporarily increase limits on conforming loans from $417,000 to as high as $729,000. Marin County and thirteen other counties in California qualified. This will affect only those loans originated between July 1, 2007 and December 31, 2008.  The Government is expected to be working out new underwriting standards and plans to offer these new loans soon.
     This is part of the Governments economic stimulus package approved earlier this year calling for temporary increases on loan limits to allow troubled borrowers to refinance out of sub-prime loans and make it easier for many new buyers to qualify for mortgages in high cost areas, particularly in Marin County where home prices remain among the highest in the nation. 
      This may also prove to be a window of opportunity for many buyers as the new home season begins. If your thinking of buying and selling, now may be the best time to take advantage of an opportunity that will not be available after December 31, 2008.

Who is really the Number One Real Estate Company in Marin?

     Frank Howard Allen is the North Bay market share leader once again, according to both dollar volume and units sold for 2007. Frank Howard Allen Realtors led the local market with 17.4% of the total dollar volume and 16.1% of total units sold in Marin and Sonoma Counties combined. For Marin County, Frank Howard Allen is also on top with 21.6% of total dollar volume and 23.3% of total units sold.  

     “I have to say, it’s no surprise to me that our agents performed so well despite the very challenging market they faced last year. I know every agent has worked hard to stay on top and maintain a positive outlook. Clearly it’s what makes the difference,” says Noreen Smith of Frank Howard Allen administration.
     In another key accomplishment, FHAllen has again ranked as one of the North Bay’s Top 500 Businesses. At position 94, we are the only real estate company in the top 100 and the only privately-owned real estate company in the top 300.  
     “The energy and spirit of Frank Howard Allen is truly unique. As we approach our 100th anniversary, the amazing record of our company is one we can be proud of.” says Becky Gould the GM for Frank Howard Allen.
THE NUMBER ONE REAL ESTATE COMPANY IN MARIN COUNTY!
 

Is the Marin Association of Realtors in Crisis?

  Is the Marin Association of Realtors in a state of crisis?   Many members believe so, what do you think?
      About 10 years ago the Marin County Association of Realtors maintained the Multiple Listing Service (MLS/property information) database for Realtors in Marin County.  This was prior to the internet becoming such an intricate part of our lives and businesses.  At that time the Marin Association of Realtors was worried that Microsoft might attempt to make inroads into our profession, and we relinquished the data we owned and controlled to third parties (which is now Bay Area Real Estate Information Services/BARIES.)  I was on the Board of Directors at that time, and protested this action. I felt we were allowing our fears to define us.
      When the Marin Association of Realtors (MAR) controlled the MLS the “Code of Ethics” and “Professional Standards” were respected.  Why? Because if you conducted your business in an unethical or in a non professional manner you could have your MLS privileges suspended.  Now that the MLS is operated by a third party, it appears that there are no mechanisms in place to enforce unethical conduct and unprofessional behavior.
       Over the last 10 years we’ve seen realtors, real estate companies, and VOWs (virtual office websites aka virtual offices without walls) marketing other realtor’s listings as if they were the listing broker.  Misleading?  Confusing? That’s just the tip of the iceberg! 
       In the last ten years we’ve begun seeing what Steven Colbert on The Colbert Report calls “truthiness” being practiced in Marin County Real Estate advertising.  It’s not the truth, but some variation that has nothing to do with the truth. You think at first that it might be true, but when you examine it, it has nothing to do with the truth.
      How can there be two number one real estate companies in Marin County? How can there be multiple agents claiming to have been the number one agent in Marin.  How can  local newspapers, and other local publications print conflicting ads depicting two different companies claiming the mantel of being number one, oftentimes in the same publication? Not only is this a disservice to the company that truly is number one, but what kind of disservice is this to the public? You might think that the Real Estate profession would have established clear criteria and standards in this regard…wouldn’t you?! 
       What happened to the Code of Ethics? 
       If there is a real estate agent, broker, or company in Marin County that is disingenuous, devious, deceptive, and dishonest in their advertising, does it matter?  Does this kind of behavior affect other real estate professional’s ability to practice real estate fairly in the same environment ? Has “truthiness” become the new professional standard? 
       Is the Marin Association of Realtors in crisis?  As long as these kinds of concerns plague the membership many members believe there’s a cancer eating away at the integrity of MAR.  It appears  that the organization has become ineffective and powerless.  The Marin Association of Realtors Board of Directors needs to take a long look at where it’s been and where it want’s to go. Or continue doing what they’re doing and run the risk of becoming an unnecessary entity.

       This post was originally emailed to the current President of MAR, last year’s President and now a member of the Board of Directors at MAR, and Ed Segal Cheif Operating Officer of MAR on 2/26/2008.  On 2/21/2008 the Board of Directors had a meeting. Afterwords, Ed Segal, said the Board would be taking actions to enforce the Code of Ethics and Professional Standards.

       The Tiburon Film Festival’s program for 2008’s back cover has an Ad from a new real estate office in Tiburon claiming to be the Number One Listing Office in Tiburon.  The problem is they don’t have any listings in Tiburon?  Not one listing?  I’ve asked agents in that office if they could explain this to me.  They said they could not.  One agent said they did have a listing but it’s been withdrawn so the owner could refinance?   She was visibly upset when I asked her if she could explain the ad. 

Can anyone explain how a company can advertise that they are the Number One Listing Office in Tiburon, when they don’t have any Tiburon listings?  Is this more ”truthiness?”

 *As of February 28th, 2008 this company did not have one listing in Tiburon according to the MLS, and the agents in this office