The year 2009 in Marin County, California has been a roller coaster ride for real estate sellers, buyers, and agents. To the extent that trends can be identified, they have proven particularly ethereal and fleeting. Nonetheless, it does appear that the one market sector that has shaken out this y
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10/21/2009
In our New Economy, real buyers have become less numerous and have placed increased emphasis on prestige locations, views, lifestyle amenities (usable yards, proximity to clubs/shopping, etc.), schools, and sensible scale. As reported all year, the luxury segment remains weighted towards homes p
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10/20/2009
Over the past year, my reports have continually pointed to simple supply and demand indicators in an effort to define a “normal” Marin County real estate market. As noted a year ago, “recovery to a normal market will require stability in financial markets, a strong local employment trend, afford
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10/19/2009
The good new is that it seems the media has turned a corner on its reporting of the U.S. and worldwide economies, as well as the housing market. Positive press coverage has permeated all forms of media and is certain to change the tide, although it will take time. Significantly, San Francisco ag
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10/17/2009
Belvedere and Tiburon sit on the Tiburon Peninsula and associated islands, just across a narrow portion of the San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. Real estate is expensive. Several homes each year sell for $5 million and up. As 2009 began to unwind, the luxury sector was flat for obvio
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10/17/2009
San Rafael, California’s real estate market continues leaning heavily on foreclosures and short sales for volume. The entry level price band (under $600K) remains at a slow boil with 64% of home are now in escrow, same as last month. Meanwhile, the $600K to $800K price band (a mix of entry level
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10/15/2009
“Give Yourself a Raise. Move to Novato.” Entering into the dormancy season for Marin County real estate, it appears that certain “hotspots” remain — Novato is one of them. In September 2009, 35 Novato homes sold, compared with 38 sales in August 2009. The Novato real estate market derives its
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10/15/2009
Southern Novato will soon benefit from another grocery store — the highly anticipated Paradise Foods is scheduled to open next week, according to the Marin IJ. I drive by the site regularly and sure enough it is looking good. The entire shopping center (on Ignacio, just west of HWY 101), which l
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10/12/2009
Barring special circumstances, there is generally nothing more important to sellers than the net amount of funds they retain when their home is sold. As every real estate professional will attest, pricing correctly for the market at the outset of the listing period is far and away the most impor
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10/10/2009
Estero Trail, Point Reyes National Seashore: A nine-mile trip with sweeping coastal views and no trail conflicts makes this a near sure thing (unless there's fog). Take the Estero Trail up to the ridge to the Drake's Head Trail. The views are breathtaking, first across the Estero de Limantour, a
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09/24/2009
