Marin Home Sales Rise, Prices Edges Up Article

SEARCH MARIN HOMES FOR SALE NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED

Tiburon Art Festival
Sat & Sun Aug 27 & 28
10am-6pm

Search Belvedere and Tiburon Homes For Sale

The Marin Independent Journal newspaper recently reported that a “Revitalization Report” has been released for downtown Tiburon.  A committee of Tiburon elected officials and Town staffers has released a report that recommends more than a dozen actions including a parking study, marketing task force, and beautification project to help boost activity downtown.

The committee was formed in early 2010 to address vacancies, and turnovers in Tiburon’s commercial/downtown districts.

For the whole article click here: Tiburon Revitalization Report 2011

Council and Commission Meetings
Town Council: First and third Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. -
(May 4 and May 18).
Design Review Board: First and third Thursdays at 7 p.m. – (May 5 and May 19).
Planning Commission: Second and fourth Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. – (May 11 and May 25).
Heritage & Arts Commission: Fourth Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall Conference Room (May 24).
Parks, Open Space and Trails Commission: Third Tuesday every other month at 6 p.m., Town Hall Conference Room (the next meeting is May 17).
Unless otherwise noted, all meetings listed above are in the Council Chambers at Tiburon Town Hall, 1505 Tiburon

Planners Want More Details on Tiburon Martha Property Subdivision

Foreclosures Climb in Marin While Rest of Bay Area Stabilizes

New Home Construction Numbers Up 7.2% in March

Marin Named One of the Richest Counties

It marked the first time in six months that both sales volume and prices have increased year to year, inspiriing optimisim in many observers of the Marin Real Estate market.

For the whole article click here: Marin Home Sales Prices Rise in March

Search Marin Homes For Sale No Registration Required

Editorial Tiburon Police Cameras Yield Promising Results
Going….

Web Site for the Tiburon International Film Festival 2011

An Artist’s vision of downtown Tiburon in the Future. This painting hung in the office of longtime Town of Tiburon  Manager   Robert Kleinert .

Search Properties For Sale In Tiburon and Belvedere

Tiburon Officials and Business Owners Seek to Boost Downtown Economy

Tiburon Focus on Downtown Editorial by the Marin Indpendent Journal

Tiburon Security Cameras

Porpoises Return After Six Decades to Marin Shores by Paul Liberatore

Search Marin Property Listings No Registration Required

Marin Home Sales Increase but Median Price Decline in January

Rents in Marin Increasing after period of Decline

Marin By The Numbers by Paul Liberatore

1. Population: 8,730
2. Median Resident Age: 45.4%
3.Estimated median house or condo value in 2009: $1,662,682 
   Estimated median house or condo value in 2009 for the State of California: $384,200
4.Tiburon has an average of 2.33 persons per household, slightly below the county average of 2.38
5. About 2,700 children are born to Marin Parents each year, on average about 1,850 people die in Marin each year, making a net increase in population of 850 persons.
6. The senior population currently is about 15 percent of Marin County’s population, but is projected to climb within the next decade or two.
7. Marin has about 1800 homeless people, and about 1/3 of them are living in shelters
8. Tiburon, as of 2008, had 1,378 famlies without kids; 1,030 families; 1,026 single people; and 278 nonfamily multi-person households.
9. Single family houses numbered 2,422. The local inventory also includes 237 single family attached homes, 467 homes that are part of buildings with 2 to 4 units; and 837 units that are part of buildings with 5 or more units

 
C’mon people, we can use some more diversity here. Seriously!

Fred Analyan is a Real Estate Broker with Coldwell Banker in Greenbrae
Mount Tamalpais from Corte Madera, California

Do You Have a Pocket Listing?

A pocket listing is a real estate industry term used throughout the United States which denotes a property where a broker holds a signed listing agreement/contract with the Seller, whether that be an “Exclusive Right to Sell” or “Exclusive Agency” agreement/contract, but where it is not advertised conventionally nor entered into a Multiple Listing Service (MLS), or where advertising is limited for an agreed upon period of time. Wikipedia

Not everyone wants everybody in the world to know their business. Pocket Listings have proven successful in assisting high income clients, celebrities, professional athletes, and anyone that wants to market their home discreetly.

It becomes something of a Zen question for the times: If a home is for sale as a “Pocket Listing”, is it really for sale when most buyers don’t know about it? In other words, if a home isn’t on the Multiple Listings Service, how does it attract buyers? There are a variety of ways to reach buyers that can be as effective as conventional marketing, but requiring a local professional with a successful tract record marketing pocket listings.

How do Buyers Finding Pocket Listings? Homes for Sale, that are Not Listed on MLS ?

First off you should be aware that there have always been”Pocket Listings.” Although Pocket Listings may seem counter intuitive, there are many circumstances when a Pocket Listing makes sense. Here are some reasons why it might make more sense to market your home as a Pocket Listing:

1. Only “Qualified Buyers” will be previewing your home

2. No Lockbox, your agent will be present at all showings

3. No For Sale Sign, does every “lookey Lou” or noisy neighbor need to know your selling your house?

4. No DOM (Days On Market) the MLS “kiss of death” if you’re home doesn’t sell right away

5.No Public Sunday Open Houses

6.Control. No jumping through hoops to prepare your home for last minute showings.You, with your realtor, control the amount of exposure your property will get.

7.The option to market your home “Formerly” is still an option

8. Marin Pocket Listings Web Site

We have the technological skills, local networking experience, relationships, and local knowledge to market your home as a Pocket Listing. If you’d like to know more about the real estate services we offer, please feel free to contact us. Mark Danforth Lomas and Kirsten Wolfe

Le Garage, Spinnaker Point, Sausalito, California

Falsely, Orbitz and Expedia says, “this is bad for the consumer.” BS. It’s bad for Orbitz and Expedia that exploit the airlines data for profit. Why can’t American Airlines control their own data? How does a third party, that’s exploiting this data, have any say in how a company or business conducts their business or controls their data?

Southwest Airlines has had no problems by NOT COOPERATING with these third parties information vultures that exploit the airlines data. In fact, it’s improved their bottom line. Guess what, this is the tip of the iceburg regarding corporate online information parasites.

What does this have to do with Real Estate??

The real estate industry has their own version of the American Airlines Orbitz debacle playing out over the last 10+ years. When local, state, and national real estate associations (MAR, CAR, and NAR) gave away the real estate communities Multiple Listing Service data to online corporate giants like Expedia’s Zillow.com, and many others, have exploited this information that’s created on the backs of realtors.

Is that fair?  What happened to the leadership from the real estate communities associations that are supposed to look after their membership’s best interest? Realtors are still outraged that the data they create continues to be given away to these parasites.
 
The local, state, and national associations say it’s too late to put the toothpaste back in the tube, and take back control of the data we create. Then, American Airlines dumps Orbitz, and now we know the truth.

Do we continue to lie down and let these third party data vultures walk all over us, or regain control of our data from these parasites. Are our associations working on our behalf, or the Information Vultures? Is there an attorney out there familiar with these issues that can shed some light on what our options are? Is it time to create a grass route campaign to take back our data? 

Our are local, state, and national representatives in bed with these third parties? Who’s looking after the real estate community’s most valuable asset, the information and data we create? The airlines have had enough with these online corporate Information parasites. When will Realtors say, “enough is enough!”

Comment by Realtor Tim Ziffle Sr. on the National Association of Realtors, and Realtor.com

Realtor Tim Ziifle Sr.:

RPR represents the continued marginalization of the individual REALTOR in a real estate transactiopn by NAR because it further distances the individual REALTOR as being the go to source for real estate information. Just how long do you think it will be before NAR – with agreement from our local MLS Associations – develops additional and alternative revenue streams by making this aggregated library of information available to other entities other than the individual REALTOR? About as long as it took them to allow others to access and display our aggregated Realtor.com information!

REALTORS spend significant time, effort and expense to earn the right to collect and input listing and sale information into the MLS in order to enhance their ability to serve their future clients. Yet, our national and local REALTOR associations continually dream up ways to aggregate and/or manipulate this data into revenue streams that enhance the associations’ coffers but only serve to further marginalize us, the individual REALTOR, as being the local expert who is central to the real estate transaction. What active, individual REALTOR thinks this is a great idea? Please help me understand, that what I believe is NAR’s continued marginalization of the individual REALTOR, is really somehow a great benefit to me and every other individual REALTOR.

1. Mortgage Rates will stay low   2.Lenders may loosen standards  3.Tax Cuts could lead to a faster recovery  4.Americans still want to be homeowners  5.Homebuyers are looking for long term ownership, not a fast profit
6.Home prices are expected to dip again  7.Builders will start building again  8.Inventory for all types will increase  9.Homes will keep shrinking  10.There will be more opportunities available for cash buyers, and investors (for the 10 Reason’s full explanation click on the link below)

The Bottom Line
     Time will tell what happens to the real estate market in general in 2011, but one thing to keep in mind when making your decision about buying a home, sellling a home, or investing in real estate is that this is one part of the economy that is extremely LOCAL!  Not only do housing markets vary from state to state, but also from neighborhood to neighborhood.
     Following the national real estate news can be valuable, but keeping up on local market conditions can be even more important.
For the entire article click here: 10 Reasons Real Estate Could Rebound in 2011

Marin Real Estate Blog by Mark Danforth Lomas of Coldwell Banker

In 1978 Edwin Newman and NBC News came to Marin County and produced a 51 minute video that aired nationally that suggested that Marin County, one of the most affluent communities in the country, was shallow and self indulgent.   Who knew? After the video aired many people in Marin either thought the show was hilarious or demeaning.  What do you think?

The link here will take you to the entire 51 minute video. The video is  provided by the University of Utah’s J. Willard Marriot Library :
 
I Want It All Now NBC News Video

…………………………………

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT LENDER 411 GO TO THEIR WEB SITE AT:  LENDER 411

Friday March 26, 2010 at 7:30PM  The Tiburon Film Festival presents the Closing Night Celebration, and Awards Ceremony! Exclusive presentation of the the Tiburon Film Festival’s Golden Reel Awards!  Food & Cocktails, Live Music & Entertainment! (415) 789-8854
Guaymas Restaurant, 5 Main Street, Tiburon

The Tiburon Film Festival (March 18 - 26, 2010) offers the best of Independent Films from around the World and brings them to the communities of Tiburon, Belvedere, and the Greater Bay Area.

The Tiburon Film Festival is commited to true spirit of Independent Film and and Independent Film Making which has always been at the core of what fuels this Festival. The trancendence of life into art, that brings the world into our communityy for 9 days. This year the Tiburon Film Festival will shine a spotlight on Turkish Cinema, the Enviroment, and Current Events. There will also be some amazing Surfing films featured this year. Click on the link above, and check out this year’s incredible program! 

Some Humor/Jokes taken from the Opening Night Ceremony at the Corinthian Yacht Club’s Open Night Gala:

*The Real Estate Crisis has hit our Country pretty hard, and has even affected people here in Marin. Earlier this evening I heard someone complaining that their home was “under water.”  And I said, “So what, that’s true for a lot of people.” And he says, “Yeah, but I live on a house boat!”

As you know the huge bailouts of the Banks, the Insurance Companies, and their CEO’s seems to have affected everything. Earlier this year the Tiburon Film Festival hired an intern that proceeded to lose 90 % of this year’s films, and had no idea what happened to them. When asked what he had to say for himself, he said, “where’s my bonus?”

And, did you see Sarah Palin on the Today Show the other day? When Merideth Viera asked her if she thought Marilyn Monroe had slept with JFK? And, Sarah replied, “Really? the whole Airport?  Just a joke, we love Sarah!

     Front page article in the 1.22.10 Marin IJ exclaims “Home sales, median price up“. At the same time stocks in the Dow take a 200 point one-day dive on fears about proposed new bank regulations as well as concern about Fed Chairman Bernanke’s re-appointment problems. Investors want to be optimistic but still cautious, skittish, reacting to news and rumors by selling stocks. Mortgage rates improved slightly on the poor financial news.

A new website in Marin County  More Marin  has posted another very good article on this subject.

And, back in October Marni also wrote another timely and very insightful article about how hard the credit crunch has hit the Bay area. Here’s that article that was published in the San Francisco Chronicle:

Mortgage Update: Mortgage rates dropped last week, providing a dose of welcome news to prospective home buyers.  Freddie Mac reported Thursday that rates on 30 year fixed rate mortgages averaged 6.20 percent for the week ending November 6, 2008.  That was down sharply from 6.46 percent the previous week.

The retreat in mortgage rates comes as the economy is getting weaker.  The drop in rates is good news for people thinking about buying a home.  However, tight credit conditions are still making it difficult for some people to obtain financing.

Ann Rodgers, executive director of the Marin Community Food Bank sits among bags ready to be distributed at the Food Banks warehouse.  The Marin Community Food Bank agency gives out 2 million pounds of goods each year and will provide meals to more than 3,500 families during Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Hanukkah.

Marin Community Food Bank

75 Digital Drive, Novato, California   94949
 41… / fax: 415-883-5178

You can always deliver donations to the food bank at the above address.  You can also write a check and send it to that address.  The Food Bank spends $150,000 a year buying traditional food to fill out the Holiday boxes.  You can also leave food donations under the 20 foot tall turkey at the Town Center in Corte Madera.  The turkey was created by employees of Lucasfilm’s Industrial Light and Magic, and has been a fixture at the mall for the last 13 years.

Marin Independent Journal Article: One Giant Turkey Feeds the Hungry

Come see John “Lucky” Lister’s massive mechanical Turkey to collect canned food for the needy (bring canned foods!) at the Corte Madera Town Center!

Marin’s home sales increased on the strength of condominium sales last month while prices continued to drop, mimicking Bay Area trends.   The median price of a single family home in Marin last was $825,000, down from $860,000 last year.  159 single family homes were sold, about the same as the 158 homes sold in September 2007 reported DataQuick of San Diego on Tuesday.
Marin Independent Journal’s article: Condos Buck Up Marin Home Sales
And, check out my Marin History web site with the Marin Independent Journal: Marin History

Angel Island from Downtown Tiburon

Helicopter Bailing Water From The Bay To Fight Fire

En route to Angel Island Fire

Firefighters prepare to relieve fellow firefighters on Island

A huge Helicopter siphoning water from the Tiburon Marsh
behind the Town Hall. The wind from the helicopter was blowing
me backwards as I took this photo… while the Tiburon Police
cleared the area.

At this time the fire has spread from the east facing side of
Angel Island to the North side of the 740 acre island. Angel
Island State Park has several historic buildings (that at this
time were not endangered) from the days it served as an
important station for the West Coast as well
as a military facility.

“A critical pillar to market competition and free markets did break down.
I still do not know why it happened?”

Alan Greenspan, the Oracle, never really understood what he was talking about when it came to the economy. Greenspan was so consumed with his own self-importance he overlooked the most basic fundementals of a healthy economy, and helped create the current melt down on Wall Street that has now spread throughout the world. Amazingly, Congress was so enamored with Greenspan they rarely questioned him. And yet, those entrusted to protect our Country…did not. Where is the accountablity?
On October 9, 2008 Peter S. Goodman reported in the New York Times: “George Soros, the pominent financier, avoids using the financial contracts known as derivatives “because we really don’t understand how they work.” Felix G. Rohatyn, the investment banker who saved New York from financial catastrophe in the 1970s, desicribed derivatives as potential “hydrogen bombs.” And, Warren Buffett presciently observed five years ago that derivatives were “financial weapons of mass destruction, carrying dangers that, while now latent, are potentially lethal.”
Amazingly, one prominent financial figure has long thought otherwise. And, his views use to be held in the highest regard in debates about the regulation and use of derivatives that he refered to as “exotic contracts” that promised to protect investors from losses, thereby stimulating riskier practices that led to the current financial crisis.
Even more amazingly, on October 23, 2008, Greenspan denied before Congress that the nation’s economic crisis was his fault, but conceded that the meltdown had revealed a flaw in a lifetime of economic thinking and left him in a “state of shocked disbelief.” Greenspan was unable to defend his resistance to recommendations to use the Fed’s power to crack down on sub-prime mortgages, and opposing efforts to impose regulations on derivatives (the complex financial instrument that include credit default swaps – that figured in prominently in the current crisis).
On October 23, 2008 Greenspan was asked by the House Oversight Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, after pointing out that Greenspan had contributed to irresponsible lending practices by rejecting appeals that the Fed intervene to regulate a surging sub-prime mortgage industry and also noted that the list of regulatory mistakes and misjudgments was long … asked Greenspan, “My question to you is simple, were you wrong?” To which Greenspan replied,”Well, partially” And then Greenspan went on to blame overeager investors who did not stop to think about risks. My question is ,”why didn’t Greenspan, the Federal Reserve Chairman, stop to think about risks?” Where is the accountability?

    Personally, I believe the Glass-Steagall Act needs to be re-enacted.  Before we bail out the banking industry, insurance firms, and Wall Street some reforms and regulations need to be put into place or the game will just continue. 
    The American International Group – AIG – upon receiving $85 Billion Dollars from the government recently sent executives to a $440,000 retreat at a posh California resort?  Where’s the oversight?  How many times can the taxpayer’s trust be betrayed before someone steps in and does something? Congress seems to only act in times of crisis… is anyone listening?!
    Late in the game our government realized what had to be saved was not the housing market or the dollar, but the financial derivitives industry: and the precepice from which it had to be saved was an “event of default” that could collapse a quadrillion dollar derivatives bubble, a bubble that could take the entire global banking system down with it.
     Right now  derivatives represent the biggest financial market in the world.  Derivitives are financial instruments that have no intrinsic value, basically they’re just bets.  “The point everyone misses” wrote economist Robert Chapman a decade ago,”is that buying derivatives is not investing.  It’s gambling, insurance and high stakes bookmaking.  Derivatives create nothing and they serve to enrich non producers at the expense of the people who do create real goods and services.”  As bets, you can hedge your bet that something will go up by placing a side bet that it will go down. Hedge funds hedge bets in the derivatives market. Bets can be placed on anything, from the price of tea in China to the movements of specific markets.
                                                                                                                        
     What to do?  Re-enact the Glass-Steagall Act for starters.  Separate commercial banking from the stock market. Then, have Congress focus on the Dirivatives Bubble and articulate a solution, simply and clearly. Steve Krofts on 60 Minutes last week did a great job of explaining what’s happening.  Where’s the political discourse?
     Just my opinion.

Some of the information for this post was gathered from Wikipedia, William Kaufman’s “Shattering the Glass – Steagall Act”, the Phoenix Business Journal, and Ellen Brown’s post on her blog (Web of Debt) It’s the Derivatives Stupid!

     “But seven Marin schools – nearly twice as many as last year  failed to meet their mandates, according to a report by the California Department of Education.  Educators say the increase is largely due to higher state and federal standards for English language learners.”
                                                                               
For the whole article, and a chart with the Academic Performances Index Test Scores for Marin Public Schools, click on:  Marin Independent Journal Article September 4, 2008 Marin Schools

And, check out my web site with the Marin Independent Journal at: Marin History

Condominiums had an good week too. Continuing their recent popularity, 19 units sold during this period, while only 18 were listed. 40 listings went under contract.. Market inventory was reduced from 401 to 391 units.

The price of gas began to drop, the weather warmed up, and suddenly people felt a bit better, while the stock market struggled to get back into profitable territory, showing renewed signs of life in spite of many challenges and continued adverse economic news. DataQuick, the La Jolla based source of real estate statistics continued its string of pessimistic reports while allowing that San Francisco and Marin Counties were better off than most other Bay Area markets.

So, what’s happening in Marin County Real Estate? Lots of activity here with buyers getting tremendous value, especially in Novato and San Rafael, and particularly in Condominiums which languished for too long and are now enjoying renewed popularity courtesy of their relative affordability— a great opportunity for first-time buyers or downsizing sellers. Let’s see what happens next! Our market typically enjoys increased activity in the fall. Buyers who have been waiting may recognize the opportunity they have been waiting for is here now. Experienced local real estate professionals can help mine the gold in this market – they know values, and are an important resource for buyers and sellers alike.

Recently, George W. Bush was caught off camera commenting on the economy and that, “Wall Street had gotten drunk, and the question is, when are they going to sober up?”  Sounds like someone forgot to tell the President he was the bartender…oh well. (This Video was aired on the Evening News, and can be found on YouTube)

Click Here To Read Article

And, if you have a moment ,check out my Marin History Web Site with the Marin Independent Journal by clicking on the link below:

Marin Independent Journal’s Marin History Web Site

     Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac reiterated Friday that the companies are adequately capitalized and that a government bailout is not imminent, but stockholders in the government chartered, publicly traded companies were not entirely reassured.
     Continuing a monthlong slide that intesified last Monday, Fannie Mae’s shares fell 22 percent on Friday and Freddie Mac was off more than 3 percent.  Investors are worried loses at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could force those companies to issue more common stock to raise additional capital.  And, if the companies are unable to raise capital, and the government steps in to place the companies in a conservatorship, their shares would be worthless.

Novato
16th Annual 4th of July Parade – Come see over 100 parade entries ranging from classic cars and vehicles from a military museum to Irish bagpipers and a Chinese drum and bell corps.
Parade Time: 10 am
Route: Downtown Novato, starting at the corner of Grant and Railroad Avenues 
Along the parade route, you will also find food and refreshment booths, and souvenir t-shirts.
Info: (415) 899-8900.

The 55th Annual Buckaroo Breakfast
Location: Redwood Credit Union parking lot: 1010 Grant Ave, downtown Novato
Time: Breakfast served from 7-10 am
Organizer: The event is presented by the Presbyterian Church of Novato.
Fee: There is a suggested donation of $5 for adults, $3 for kids. Proceeds will be donated to the Marin Community mission project.

First Annual Novato 4th of July Race
Tamalpa, a Marin running club, presents a “4 on the 4th” four-mile road race and a “Mayor’s Mile” one-mile family walk/jog.
Starting time/place: 7:20 am at 7th and Grant, downtown Novato
Entry fee: $15, which includes a race mug and post-race goodies
To register, go to the Tamalpa website.
 
Ross
Annual Ross Commons Picnic – Pack your own lunch, or you can order from Eddie’s. The picnic begins at noon and will take place at the Grove area of the Common.
Info: (415) 453-1453, ext. 176
 
San Rafael
Marin County Fair and Fireworks
The Marin County Fair (at Marin County Fairgrounds, Civic Center Drive) offers Marin County’s official fireworks display. The July 4th concert features the Preservation Hall Jazz Band from New Orleans.
Fair admission: $12 to $14, and includes free carnival rides, exhibits, and music
Fireworks begin at 9:30 pm
Info: (415) 499-6400 or  www.marinfair.org
  
Sausalito
4th of July Parade and Fireworks – This year’s parade will include the Cal Alumni Marching Band, floats of all shapes and sizes, and the Sausalito Fire Department.
Parade Time: 10 am
Route: Starting at South Bridgeway, it will move through downtown Sausalito to Caledonia St and into Dunphy Park.
Post Parade: A town picnic in the park with food, entertainment, raffles, tug-of-war, and an egg toss. Fireworks: 9:15 pm
For a complete schedule of the day’s events, go to www.ci.sausalito.ca.us
 
 
Tiburon
Fireworks Cruise – One of the best ways to see the San Francisco fireworks display is from the Bay! The Angel Island-Tiburon Ferry Co. will offer a 4th of July fireworks cruise.
Boarding Time: 7:30 pm and departs at 8 pm
Place: The Tiburon ferry dock off Main Street
Fee: $40 for adults; $20 for children
Info:  (415) 435-2131.

Woodacre
4th of July Parade and Pancake Breakfast
Breakfast Time & Place: 8-11 am at the Woodacre Fire Station, 33 Castle Rock Rd.
Cost: $7 for adults; $3 for children
Parade Time: Noon
Route: Starting at the Woodacre Improvement Club (1 Garden Way), it follows Railroad Ave to the Dickson Ranch.
Post-Parade: A good old-fashioned celebration at Dickson Ranch – A family affair with games, face painting for the kids, competitions (including the men’s ugly leg contest), horse rides, plenty of music, barbecue, bingo, and everyone’s favorite, the flea market.

      The median price of a single-family home in Marin last month was $935,000, down from $1,010,000 a year earlier, and just 165 single-family homes were sold – down from 254 in April 2007, DataQuick Information Systems of La Jolla reported Tuesday. In March, the median single-family home price in Marin was $862,500, and 110 single-family homes were sold. April statistics included total sales of 216 single-family homes and condominiums, down from 313 in April 2007 – but up from 148 sales in March.

     DataQuick analyst John Karevoll said Marin remains a “unique market that doesn’t seem to be too concerned with the ups and downs of mainstream meat and potatoes real estate in the state of California.” “The issues that seem to concern Marin homeowners are not the issues that concern 97 percent of homeowners,” he said. Describing last month’s median price for a resale home in Marin as “stratospheric,” Karevoll noted Marin was the first county in the state to exceed a million-dollar median price one year ago. “And Marin is going to be the first to re-cross it,” he said.

     Levi Swift, president of the Marin Association of Realtors, said the statistics indicate “Marin County and San Francisco County are the ones holding up the best. É Realtors on the ground are seeing lots of traffic and if a house is properly priced, it sells and it sells pretty quickly.” Across the Bay Area, 6,310 homes and condos sold. That was up 29 percent from 4,898 in March but down 15 percent from 7,447 in April 2007. The month-to-month jump was the strongest for any March-to-April in DataQuick’s statistics, which go back to 1988. From last September through March, each month was the slowest on record.

     The median price for a Bay Area home was $518,000 last month, down 3.4 percent from $536,000 in March, and down 21.4 percent from $659,000 in April last year. Rollins said the combination of low prices and affordable rates may lead condo dwellers and those living in small homes to consider bigger homes. “But I don’t think it’s going to happen rapidly,” said Rollins, a residential appraiser in addition to her teaching duties.

     The Marin market – especially among condos where the median price jumped to $508,000 in April from $477,500 in March – should benefit from a federal move to increase the conforming loan rate to as much as $729,750. The move cuts interest premiums.      Foreclosure property resales accounted for 26 percent of last month’s Bay Area market. Foreclosure properties accounted for 9 percent of Marin’s market. Appraising a home in foreclosure in a Petaluma subdivision, Rollins found 8 of the 9 homes for sale in the area were in some stage of foreclosure.

This article appeared in the May 20th, 2008 issue of the Marin Independent Journal.
For the full article and statistical graphs from DataQuick CLICK HERE
And, if you’d like to see my online journal with the Marin Independent Journal click -> Marin History

Belvedere Tiburon Landmarks Web Site

Marin Independent Journal’s online Marin History Web Site

Understanding the World through Film!

                              
Marin Schools           Marin County Directory      Marin County Demographics

                                 The Facts of Marin Real Estate   
                                                           
Tiburon and Belvedere Real Estate * Transparent Real Estate* Consumer Advocate

       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
    

The full story for this article,by Judity Wilson, appeared in the February 20, 2008 issue of the Ark Newspaper

     The deal is further evidence that people are willing to pay ever higher prices for luxury Bay Area real estate, particularly downtown San Francisco condominiums, even as thousands of average homeowners are wrestling with plummeting prices and fighting off the specter of foreclosure. High-end homes operate in their own universe because the availability is limited and the very wealthy are largely immune to the main factors dragging down the broader market.
    
     “On the upper end, it has definitely gone up,” said Alan Mark of the Mark Co., a marketing and research firm for the condominium industry. “There’s a deep market for large, high-end condominium residences that have great views.”     New York-based Millennium Partners is developing the $500 million, 60-story glass structure at 301 Mission St., which is scheduled to open in spring 2009. Sales began in November and despite an average price tag of $2.5 million, the company is well ahead of its goals, said Richard Baumert, managing director with Millennium.

    “The momentum has been pretty strong since the day we opened,” he said.

    And not just at the Millennium.

    During the fourth quarter of last year, 40 condos and single-family homes traded hands in San Francisco for more than $3 million – adding up to a total of $213.8 million in real estate sales.    That’s up from 22 sales for $119.4 million a year earlier.

   The trend has continued into the new year:

– A six-bedroom, five-bath home listed for $6.45 million in Ross went into escrow in January.

– A three-bedroom, two-bath property on 113 acres in Calistoga sold for $6 million on Feb. 7.

– An eight-bedroom, 9 1/2-bath house in Hillsborough traded hands for $11 million. It went on the market Jan. 28, sold on Jan. 29 and closed on Feb. 5.

– Units that sold at the St. Regis Hotel and Residences in San Francisco two years ago are trading for 50 percent more today.

     These deals are occurring even as the broader market tumbles, with resale homes in the nine-county Bay Area falling 43.7 percent in January and median prices dropping nearly 9 percent from a year earlier, according to DataQuick Information Systems.

     The high-end market is experiencing the opposite trend primarily because things like tight credit, prices that outpace incomes and subprime mortgages aren’t of particular concern to the wealthy, who can often pay all cash.

     And while there is a glut of inventory in markets hammered by foreclosures, the supply of very high-end homes is extremely tight across the region. A five-year wait for a premium property in a tony San Francisco neighborhood is not uncommon, said Malin Giddings, who specializes in upscale San Francisco real estate for TRI Coldwell Banker.

     “We have so many more buyers who have money than we have inventory,” she said. “I don’t care how much money you have, I cannot make people move.”

     On top of that, more people are becoming wealthy, as the rich are getting richer – creating additional demand that pushes prices higher.

     The top 1 percent of California’s taxpayers saw their income jump 107.7 percent from 1995 to 2005, after adjusting for inflation, according to a California Budget Project report last year. Similarly, Forbes reported late last year that the collective net worth of the individuals on its 400 richest list grew $290 billion from the prior year to $1.54 trillion.

    “The affluence in the U.S. is the greatest it has ever been,” said Richard Welty, president of Welty Capital Management in Lafayette. “They’re taking (money) out of investments and buying that dream house.”

This article appeared on page C – 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle  2/16/2008

Sausalito Tugboats with the Sleeping Maiden’s full figure in the backdrop(Mount Tamalpais)

Tiburon and Belvedere Real Estate   *   2008

By Pat Ryan…Artista Extrodinaire!

    For a house that has already been on the market, in a relatively strong real estate market (the Marin Real Estate market peaked in July and August of 2005 and is still strong in some areas of Southern Marin) to bring it back on in a declining market as a For Sale By Owner, for many is seen as an act of desperation.

    These sellers, even with a price reduction don’t seem to understand why they seem to only attract bottom feeders and predatory buyers looking for a steal … or realtors, that only chase listings that have expired and For Sale By Owners that they hope they can convert into a client.

2. If your house is not listed that means there is no assurances to the professional realtor that if they show your property, that their buyer might go around them and try and cut a deal with you. And, why not? It happens all the time. Some buyers, if they think they can save some money, will try anything.

    Without a listing agreement, there’s no guarantee that the buyer’s agent will be compensated. Even if the FSBO offers to pay the buyer’s side of the commission, most agents won’t want to go through a transaction with a self-represented seller across the table.

    This means the pool of potential buyers for FSBO homes is limited primarily to unrepresented and probably unqualified prospects.

3. For Sale By Owners is an attractive concept in a Seller’s market. However, when the market starts to turn cold history has shown that people tend to use Realtors.

4. In fact, a 2002 study on Home Sellers reports that the median sales price of an agent assisted home was 27% higher than ones sold By Owner.

5. For Sale By Owners are also locked out of many home search engines and Web sites including Realtor.com the number one site for buyers looking for homes for sale.

6. Buyers will feel intimidated. Potential buyers will spend less time in a FSBO home especially if the homeowner is present during the showing, and they’ll be shy about discussing it’s pluses and minuses with their own agent if the owner is within earshot.

7. Buyers will also be less inclined to make an offer if they know that they’ll be negotiating directly with the seller.

8. Having an agent on each side of the transaction creates an effective emotional buffer between the seller and buyer.

9. These are unusual times, the stock market and economic markets around the world are in a tailspin. Mortgage options are limited from what they had been, and the super jumbo loan rates have gone up significantly. This is not a good time to “test” the market.

10. And lastly, Buyers are worried about potential legal problems with For Sale By Owner sellers. As we all know real estate transactions are fraught with potential liability, particularly in California where there are extensive disclosure requirements. A For Sale By Owner who overlooks even one required form or legally mandated disclosure could face a protracted and expensive buyer lawsuit after the transaction closes.

Tiburon Police Car on Bike Path (this picture was taken 9:35am January 4, 2008)
Four Tiburon Police cars and two Belvedere Police cars help rescue teams from
shore locate man who fell into bay.

40 Foot Boat breaks loose from Sausalito and lands on Tiburon shores

All the best in 2008!   Mark Lomas   415-789-7777     MDLomas@gmail.com

Mr.Minto was a poor example used to make the wrong point.  The right point is that despite the problems there is good news in the Marin Real Estate market.  Values are, for the most part, holding.  THe investors are returning to the secondary market so interest rates on jumbo loans are coming down.  If there is a problem it’s that the buyers are inundated with the “Sky is Falling!” tales from all the media outlets which is making them as skittish as feral cats.  It’s time to stop preaching doom and gloom unless you have some vested interest in self-fulfilliing prophesies.  Say it often enough and eventually you will be right!”Fred Morfit: 415-383-8836 / fred@fredloanguy.comWasserman – Boston GlobeFred Anlyan’s “Anlyan Report”MBA and Broker Associate11/4/2007: “This is a healthy market where buyers and sellers who are prepared to negotiate in good faith are having great success every day.  For those who’ve been waiting to see what the market will do, the upcoming holiday lull may present just the opportunity you’re looking for.  My guess is the spring market will be a very active one.  Experienced real estate professionals know the market, they know the neighborhoods, and they know values. 11/8/2007: “Regarding the Condominium market in Marin County only two units have sold in the past week, but enough condo’s went Pending to push the percentage in contract over 15% making this area very much a “buyers market.” Condo’s in Marin continue to be a great opportunity for buyers.Facts about the Marin County Real Estate market:1. The number of single family homes over $1 million available for sale today is 15.7% greater than 2005 and 8.2% less than in 2006.2. The number of single family homes under $1 million for sale today is 71% greater than in 2005, but 3% less than in 20063. The number of condominiums under $1 million available for sale today is 124.8% greater than in 2005, and 1.6% less than in 2006.  

.

Bubble Blogger links:

Reality Parser

The Housing Bubble Blog

Bubble Meter

Piggington

Paper Money

Housing Bubble Bust

Housing Panic

Housing Doom

Dr. Housing Bubble

House Bubble

Bubble Blogger’s Glossary:(the humor)Homedebtor (recent homebuyer): Perpetual debtor who will probably never own the house outright, thanks to cyclical refinancing (used to fund conspicuous consumption) and property taxes.Serial Refinancer: A homedebtor who is addicted to mortgage refinancing as a street addict is to crack. This type typically refinances several times a year for the purpose of “liberating” more equity to purchase such essentials as exotic vacations, plasma TVs, massive humvess, and anything bling!Loanowner: Another synonym for homedebtor, that more accurately describes what one really owns.Jealous Bitter Renter aka JBR: Someone who pays a homedebtor for the right to live in his home at a huge discount. (No downside risk of falling property prices, rising property taxes, or maintenence nightmares)Sheeple: Derogatory term for the vast herds of Homedebtors unaware of the bubble’s existenceAlligator: Investment property that eats more income than it generates, such as a neg-am Florida condo purchased in the last two years.McAlbatross: Play on McMansion. Homedebtor that cannot sell home. Described as living “under house arrest”Accidental Landlord: Cannot sell house and finds oneself in the position of becoming an unintentional landllord. This type is easy to spot.  Usually has simultaneous “for rent” and “for sale” listings on Craigslist.  Careful if you rent from an Accidental Landlord, if they sell house, the new owner may not honor the prior rental agreement.Buyer-User: Industry term for someone who buys a home to actually live in it.  An increasingly rare and endangered species.     Obviously, if you’ve found yourself caught between a rock and a hard spot none of this is too funny, and you have my deepest sympathies.  Markets run in cycles.  It is my belief that the market peaked in July and August of 2005.  As long as there are no acts of God (Earthquakes, Hurricanes, ect.) or terrorist attacks, this current market should turn around in the next couple of years.  Some areas of the country may take longer than others.   So, be careful, cautious, and talk to a reputable Realtor as to what your best options are.  All the best!

PREPARING THE INTERIOR:
ENTRY: The entry is where the first impression of the interior is created.  Here you have the opportunity to make a big statement in a small area.  If need be: Repaint the entry using light, neutral colorss. Tile or linoleum flooring should shine.  Replace plastic switch plate covers with brass or porcelain.  A new hall light fixture can make a big impression.  Make sure area is well lit.

KITCHEN: The kitchen is perhaps the most important room in the house.  Make sure the kitchen is virtually spotless and smells fresh.  Consider replacing outdated light fixtures with new track lighting.  If your appliances are dated by colors like harvest gold or avocado, consider having them professionally refinished in a new color like almond or white.  This will make the appliances look new at a fraction of the cost to replace them.  Spruce up cabinets by installing new knobs or hardware.  Organize cabinets to demonstrate how much room you have.  Remove small kitchen appliances from countertops to create an uncluttered look.  Chipped or damaged countertops should be replaced or repaired.

BATHROOMS:  The bathroom has become an important selling feature in today’s home.  It is a room that has moved from the utilitarian to the exciting.  There are many ways you can improve deficiencies and create interest by: Placing a vase of fresh flowers on the vanity. Install a wall telephone for a high tech look. Replace old toilet seat with a new one. Replace old light fixture with a new style light strip or make up light. Refinish an old porcelain tub using a porcelain finishing service.  Place all personal care articles out of sight.  Freshen air with lemon scented products.  Replace old towel racks with new ones.  Add color and richness with new towels and shower curtain.

LIVING ROOM: Use mirrors whenever possible to enhance the perception of size. Show fireplace off to its best advantage.  Sweep clean and make sure screen is in good condition.  Remember buyers look for “impressive living rooms!”

BEDROOMS: The bedrooms can do as much to sell your house as they can to turn off a buyer. Make sure the bedrooms are spotless.  Organize closets to increase their perceived size.  Bedrooms should be well lit.

THE END RESULT:  By showing attention to detail and understanding the buyer’s need to visualize your house against a neutral backdrop, you can dramatically increase the saleability of your property.   And, I will be very happy to assist you with recommendations to help your house sell for the highest price, with the best terms and conditions, in the shortest time possible.
]]> http://marinrealestate.wordpress.com/2007/12/20/tips-for-sellers-part-two/feed/ 0 marinrealestate Entries/Halls/Stairways/Railings Bathrooms/Powder/Master/Pool Living Rooms Bedrooms http://marinrealestate.wordpress.com/2007/12/20/tips-for-sellers-part-three/ http://marinrealestate.wordpress.com/2007/12/20/tips-for-sellers-part-three/#comments Thu, 20 Dec 2007 00:40:47 +0000 marinrealestate http://marinrealestate.wordpress.com/2007/12/20/tips-for-sellers-part-three/ Continue reading →]]> INTERIORS: 
  
     Appeal to the senses: There are many ways to create a more exciting and saleable interior, at surprisingly little cost.  I’ll briefly discuss the sensory selling tools that can have an enormous impact, then provide you with some suggestions:
LIGHT:   It is proven that people react more favorably to property shown under bright light than dark.  The following steps should help you keep your room as bright as possible.  Keep windows clean.  Use adequate wattage in light bulbs. Consider replacing old florescent lamps.  Use mirrors to magnify the feeling of light and space.  Use light wall colors.  Open drapes and blinds and turn on lights prior to showing.
COLOR: A fundemental rule when selling your house is to keep colors neutral and light.   Avoid highly patterened wallpaper whenever possible.  Limit bright colors to accents like flowers, towels,area rugs, and shower curtains.
SOUND: The sounds of peace and quiet are some of the best sounds to have when your home is being shown to a prospective buyer.  Other consideratons are: Avoid barking dogs and noisy children, if possible. Avoid sounds like vacumns,dishwashers,and lawn mowers.  Light classical or instrumental music can be effective to creating a pleasing atmosphere.
SMELL: Smell has more impact than you might expect.  The smell of newness is positive. Also, the smell of cleanliness is important to the selling enviroment of your home.  Fresh flowers can be very effective. Smells to avoid are: pet odors,tobacco,cooking,and oil or gas.

PREPARING THE INTERIOR:
ENTRY: The entry is where the first impression of the interior is created.  Here you have the opportunity to make a big statement in a small area.  If need be: Repaint the entry using light, neutral colorss. Tile or linoleum flooring should shine.  Replace plastic switch plate covers with brass or porcelain.  A new hall light fixture can make a big impression.  Make sure area is well lit.

KITCHEN: The kitchen is perhaps the most important room in the house.  Make sure the kitchen is virtually spotless and smells fresh.  Consider replacing outdated light fixtures with new track lighting.  If your appliances are dated by colors like harvest gold or avocado, consider having them professionally refinished in a new color like almond or white.  This will make the appliances look new at a fraction of the cost to replace them.  Spruce up cabinets by installing new knobs or hardware.  Organize cabinets to demonstrate how much room you have.  Remove small kitchen appliances from countertops to create an uncluttered look.  Chipped or damaged countertops should be replaced or repaired.

BATHROOMS:  The bathroom has become an important selling feature in today’s home.  It is a room that has moved from the utilitarian to the exciting.  There are many ways you can improve deficiencies and create interest by: Placing a vase of fresh flowers on the vanity. Install a wall telephone for a high tech look. Replace old toilet seat with a new one. Replace old light fixture with a new style light strip or make up light. Refinish an old porcelain tub using a porcelain finishing service.  Place all personal care articles out of sight.  Freshen air with lemon scented products.  Replace old towel racks with new ones.  Add color and richness with new towels and shower curtain.

LIVING ROOM: Use mirrors whenever possible to enhance the perception of size. Show fireplace off to its best advantage.  Sweep clean and make sure screen is in good condition.  Remember buyers look for “impressive living rooms!”

BEDROOMS: The bedrooms can do as much to sell your house as they can to turn off a buyer. Make sure the bedrooms are spotless.  Organize closets to increase their perceived size.  Bedrooms should be well lit.

THE END RESULT:  By showing attention to detail and understanding the buyer’s need to visualize your house against a neutral backdrop, you can dramatically increase the saleability of your property.   And, I will be very happy to assist you with recommendations to help your house sell for the highest price, with the best terms and conditions, in the shortest time possible.
]]> http://marinrealestate.wordpress.com/2007/12/20/tips-for-sellers-part-three/feed/ 0 marinrealestate Entries/Halls/Stairways/Railings Bathrooms/Powder/Master/Pool Living Rooms Bedrooms http://marinrealestate.wordpress.com/2007/12/19/changes-in-the-mortgage-industry/ http://marinrealestate.wordpress.com/2007/12/19/changes-in-the-mortgage-industry/#comments Wed, 19 Dec 2007 17:40:18 +0000 marinrealestate http://marinrealestate.wordpress.com/2007/12/19/changes-in-the-mortgage-industry/ Continue reading →]]>      Your probably aware that there are problems in the mortgage industry in the sub prime and Alt-A lending arena.  The problems occured because underwriting standards became too lax.  This has resulted in higher incidences of mortgage defaults and foreclosures.
WHAT DO THESE CHANGES MEAN FOR THE LENDING INDUSTRY?
      * Some loan programs are being eliminated and underwriting guidelines are becoming more conservative.
      * The difference in interest rates between Conforming loans (less then $417,000) and Jumbo loans are 
      widening significantly, in some cases as much as 1.0% to 1.5%.
      * Fully documented loans are becoming the norm.  Stated income and asset loans will be requiring at least
      10% down and available only to well qualified buyers.
      * Mortgage insurance is coming back to help structure loans with less then 20% down.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO REALTORS?
      * Stated income buyers will need high credit scores (720+) and a minimum of 10% down
      * Agents should “re-approve” their buyers
      * Always carefully review pre-approval letters
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO SELLERS?
      * Work with a trusted realtor (like myself) and lender (I can help direct you here)
      * The market for seconds has momentarily dried up…some exceptions
 WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO BUYERS?
      * If your currently in contract to purchase talk to your lender and make sure that there are not any issues
      with your loan due to recent industry changes.
      * If you were pre-approved before 8/1/2007 you need to have your lender re-verify your terms in writing.

If you need help check out:
www.bankrate.com  Free, online source for personal finance information. Has an entire section on mortgages and local rate comparisons.
Or, contact a reputable local mortgage broker!
 
     

     
    
]]> http://marinrealestate.wordpress.com/2007/12/19/mortgage-industry-meltdown/feed/ 0 marinrealestate http://marinrealestate.wordpress.com/2007/12/19/what-realtors-do-to-earn-their-commissions/ http://marinrealestate.wordpress.com/2007/12/19/what-realtors-do-to-earn-their-commissions/#comments Wed, 19 Dec 2007 14:28:20 +0000 marinrealestate http://marinrealestate.wordpress.com/2007/12/19/what-realtors-do-to-earn-their-commissions/ Continue reading →]]> What do Real Estate agents do to earn their commission ? Ever heard that question? Here’s a comprehensive and humorous take on that very question from a Home Inspector who’s worked closely with Real Estate practitioners.
   ”They don’t do @*!?&% thing! Why they just stick a sign in the yard and make easy money.  I could do their job any day of the week.”
   Well, maybe you could do their job.  But it just won’t be any day of the week.  And if you intend to be successful at it (which means satisfying a bunch of clients, mortgage lenders, appraisers, and countless other associates), it will probably be EVERY DAY of the week as well as most nights, weekends, holidays, anniversaries, special occasions, sick days, snow days, and unpaid vacation days.
   Understood, there are Real Estate agents, and then there are good Real Estate agents.  Just like Doctors, Lawyers, and Indian Chiefs.  This article is about the good ones.  The ones who go to work before,during, and after the times mentioned above.
   To serve their clients and stay competitive in their profession, today’s Real Estate agent are expected, assumed, requested, required, and or demanded to perform, be knowledgeable of or have access to the following: Information Brokerage Services, Multiple Listing Services, tax rate adviser, appraiser, mortgage lender,financial planner, legal expert, credit counselor, city planner (fortune teller),building inspector, chauffeur, shuttle service, travel agent, tour guide, delivery boy, order taker, public relations expert, therapist,marriage counselor, family doctor, nurse, baby sitter, advertising executive, general contractor, construction estimator and superintendent, and multi-talented subcontractor (not excluding locksmith, yard man, maintenance man, garbage man, plumber, electrician, decoder scientist for alarm systems and programmable thermostats).
   They’re often perceived as the bad guy when interest rates go up and the bad guy when your house doesn’t sell by 10am the next day.
   It’s helpful if their talents include being a diplomat, a negotiator, a referee (similar to those used in Roller Derby and Monday Night Wrestling) and, in general, a walking bureau of information for everything about anything – including whose check is good and whose wife or husband isn’t.
   They must know about schools, churches, governments, public utilities, crime rates, world affairs, this weeks jail term for this weeks Environmental Protection Agency violations, future developments that no one has ever dreamed up yet, transportation, shopping, day care, soccer, T-ball,how many termites it takes to eat a house, every homeowners association formed since 12 BC and what kind of fences they don’t allow, should you water and fertilize the Bermuda grass before, during, or after mowing, the best place in town to buy pizza, if you can buy beer on Sundays, and at least two dozen other skills and talents that I don’t have room to mention.
   So, be nice to your broker/agent.  Next time you start thinking. “They have it so easy”, go spend a day with them.  You’ll soon realize that, like most of us, they work hard for their money, and your satisfaction really is important to them.

Mark Lomas              Marin Real Estate Blog                    MarinCountyRealEstate@gmail.com

if(requestedWidth > 0){ document.getElementById(‘articleViewerGroup’).style.width = requestedWidth + “px”; document.getElementById(‘articleViewerGroup’).style.margin = “0px 0px 10px 10px”; } A new study says Marin children and families are tops in the state in terms of health, educational success and financial stability, but experts caution the results do not include everyone.The 2007 California County Data Book, published by the Oakland-based nonpartisan group Children Now, ranked Marin County first among the state’s 58 counties in eight of 10 major indicators of children and family prosperity. They include economic well-being, mothers who receive early prenatal care, preschool enrollment and English and math proficiency across all grades.

Marin scored better than the state and Bay Area averages in 24 of 26 sub-categories that examined how many children are in good physical condition, pass state high school exit exams and meet entry requirements for both state university programs.

“Every time we look, Marin does extremely well,” said Corey Newhouse, a senior policy associate with Children Now.

Kay Wernert, chairwoman of the Marin County Child Care Commission and director of Marin Head Start, agreed that local children are receiving exceptional health care. But she said there is a big group of children unable to attend services such as preschool because their parents earn more than federal poverty guidelines,

not enough to afford those programs on their own.”They make too much, but they can’t qualify,” she said.

Newhouse said Children Now performs the California County Data Book study every two years. The 2007 study is the fourth.

She said California has cut in half the number of children without insurance during the past 10 years. But she said rural children around the state still lack health insurance and access to preschool programs.

Children who do not have access to those services

(Click to enlarge)

during their early years have more problems later in life, she said.In the category of children with health insurance, Marin came in second place with 98 percent covered. San Francisco topped Marin, but only because officials there provide free health insurance for all children.

Wernert, of the county’s child care commission, credits the Marin County Board of Supervisors for spending on health insurance programs for children who otherwise would not receive it. “There may be only 100 kids in Marin who don’t have health insurance,” she said.

In terms of preschool attendance Marin, at 74 percent, had the highest rate of 3- and 4-year-old children enrolled in the state.

“It should be no surprise to us that Marin County is in a strong position as it relates to the state,” said Mary Jane Burke, superintendent of the Marin County Office of Education.

Burke said there is room for improvement because not all local children have access to proper health care and perform well academically.

“We must not rest on the fact that we’re in a good position,” she said.

Newhouse said a big reason Marin does so well is its per-capita income, which is twice the state average. But she noted that 6 percent of Marin’s children – or 2,996 kids – are considered very low income.

“Even for the counties at the top, there are still a lot of families struggling,” she said.

Ethel Seiderman, executive director of Parent Services Project, said Marin’s affluence doesn’t reflect the pinch many local families feel. She said child care costs more in Marin County than almost anywhere in the state.

In addition, she said there are 800 to 1,000 children who need child care in Marin but whose families are unable to find it or afford it.

“We need to take the rose-colored glasses off,” she said. “There is a needy population here.”

     Earlier this year ,Diane Tuman of Zillow.com, posted an article in Zillow’s Real Estate Blog in response to an article/post from Bradley Inman’s Inman Blog about a “Noisy Neighbor from Hell”. The article Diane posted led with the above photo in which a neighbor war in Utah led one neighbor to install a vent on his house in the shape of a middle finger salute.  He would not remove it until his neighbor apologized.  They did and he did.

     How many neighbor from hell stories are there out there?  Your stories are more then welcomed!

     For those Realtors that live in California, you should be aware of an initiative passed by the state, that could forever change your thinking on what  a residential neighborhood is.   The Marin Independent Journal has been reporting on a property owner in San Rafael that has been purchasing homes in a fairly exclusive subdivision of San Rafael.  Each of these homes has been converted into commercial Rehabilitation facilities.  When the neighbors found out what their new neighbor was doing, with these homes he’d just purchased ,they then found out that the State of California  supports this kind of commercial property use in residential areas.  By passing this initiative the State allows the commercial use of a property to supersede existing zoning regulations.  Think the neighbors are happy about this? 

     One party doesn’t have to play by the rules that everyone else does.  And that individual is increasing their property values at the expense of their neighbor’s property values.

     Has a precedent been set here? Can the new property owner that’s operating these rehab facilities
(for alcoholics and drug addicts), then sell the property to someone else who wants to run a similar business
for profit?

     This is only the beginning.  Another similar initiative passed by the State of California allows for large commercial Day Care Centers also to be placed in residentially zoned neighborhoods. And, as in San Rafael, the State super cedes existing zoning regulations.  One such Day Care Center is operating in Tiburon, California. 

     Is their a Rehabilitation Facility, or a large Day Care Center moving into your residentially zoned neighborhood?    Don’t be too sure….   

     Please, if you have any interesting Neighbor’s From Hell stories, I’d love to hear them ! 

For the whole article click below:
http://www.marinij.com/fastsearchresults/ci_6167323

Marin County Real Estate Blog ………   Mark Danforth Lomas

      1.  (Tip from Tae Kwon Do)  The elbow is the strongest point on your body.  If your close enough to use it, do!
      2.  From a tourist guide in New Orleans.  If a robber asks for your wallet or purse, Do Not Hand It To Him!  Toss it away from you…chances are he’s more interested in your wallet or purse than you, and he will go for the wallet or purse.  Run like mad in the other direction!
      3.  If you are ever thrown in the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy.  The driver won’t see you, but everybody else will.  This has saved lives.
      4.  Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, ect. and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, ect. Don’t Do This!  The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go.  As soon as you get into your car, lock the doors and leave!
         If someone is in the car with a gun to your head…Do Not Drive Off, repeat Do Not Drive Off! Instead gun the engine and speed into anything, wrecking the car.  Your air bag will save you!  If the person is in the back seat they will get the worst of it.  As soon as the car crashes bail out and run.  It is better than having them find your body in a remote location.
      5.  A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage:
      A. Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor, and in the back seat.
      B. If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door.  Most serial killers attack their 
          victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.
      C. Look at the car parked on the driver’s side of your vehicled, and the passenger side.  If a male is sitting
          alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard
          or policeman to walk you back out
          It is always better to be safe than sorry  (and better paranoid then dead)
       6.  Always take the elevator instead of the stairs   (stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect
crime spot.  This is especially true at night.     
      7.  If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, Always Run!   The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times: and even then, it most likely will not be a vital organ.   Run, preferably,  in a zig zag pattern!
      8.  Women try to be sympathetic: STOP.  It may get you raped or killed. Ted Bundy the serial killer, was a good looking, well educated man, who always played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women.  He walked with a cane or a limp, and often asked for help into his vehicle or with his vehicle which is when he abducted his victims.
       Not too long ago I was leaving a Broker’s Open House with a friend who’d used his lockbox for us to gain access to the property.  As we were leaving, a very good looking young couple pulled up in a brand new BMW and pretended they were agents also out on the Wednesday’s Broker’s tour for Southern Marin County.  They said they were agents, and could we leave the door open so that they wouldn’t have to use their lock box key.  My friend trusted them and let them in,  and the next day he was called by the listing agent (Marin County lock boxes code who was in the house, and at what time) to find out they had robbed the house.  Fellow realtors, please be careful, and all the best. 

        I was working with a couple that had been Pre-Approved online not too long ago. When it came time to remove our loan contingency they were advised to do so by the Online Lender.  Then, when it came time to close escrow, the Online Lender decided that they would not fund the loan? Two days before closing, we found a local lender that was able to fund a week later, and they went ahead with their purchase. What a roller coaster ride!
       Initially, the only way to communicate with this Online Lender was via email.  When things went south, they were able to get a phone number for a manager that wasn’t always easy to reach?

                  Dian Hymer, an excellent journalist that is featured in the Marin Independent Journals Home and Garden section reported, “Anecdotal evidence suggests that the world of online lending has improved. Recently, well-qualified buyers with a large cash down payment had no trouble closing the purchase of their new home on time using an online lender. However, there were a few hiccups along the way.

                  Fortunately, they were hooked up with a good real estate agent who helped the process along. The buyer’s agent knew that the seller of the property was a stickler for detail and unforgiving by nature. So the agent encouraged her clients to submit a second application to a local mortgage broker. That way, if the online lender failed to perform at the last minute, the buyers could proceed with their second option and close the purchase.

      The appraiser sent by the online lender was from out of the area and knew nothing about the 
local market. The agent provided the appraiser with comparable sales information that was appropriate for the property in question. Armed with this information the appraiser was able to turn out a finished report in two days.”

      Dian also suggest,”You may be able to find a lower interest rate or fees online but there is likely to be a tradeoff in terms of service. Buyers whose loan qualifications are marginal, or buyers who are trying to buy in a competitive market, will probably have better success working with a local mortgage professional.”

Dian Hymer is featured regularly in the San Francisco Chronicle and the Marin Independent Journal.
Marin Real Estate      Mark Lomas    2007

          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

   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

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

 
                              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: (

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