The median price per square foot has dipped to about $575 per sq. ft. (which is down from well over $800 in mid-2007). While some buyers believe prices may slip a bit more, as noted above, most appreciate the fact that interest rates are very appealing. Indeed, mortgage math punishes those who don't lock in at or near the lowest rate possible. For example, if prices dip another 5% and interest rates go up just 1%, the monthly payment would increase rather significantly for an $800K home with 20% down (call me for exact numbers relating to a given situation).  Down from April 2009, the percentage of homes in escrow under $800,000 slipped to 21%. I have a fixer listed in Homestead Valley that is a super value play, priced at $768,800 (3 Beds/3 Baths, 14,000 sq. ft. lot backing Molino Park... 05/21/2009

We are consistently asked by our clients (sellers), "when will our markets return to normal?" We formed our definition of a normal Marin County market in our Q3 2008 Luxury Newsletter (call us for a copy) only to be followed by the October '08 stock market meltdown. A normal Mill Valley market over the past ten years has been an annual average of 377 single family homes sold (31 per month). For the past six months the total has been 78 (16 per month). The number of units sold is off roughly 50%. Without closings we have limited comparables to make investment decisions. We are all looking for recent closings to benchmark property values. In the stock market we know CitiGroup Inc. will not soon return to its September 2008 value of $25 per share. In turn, we do not expect Mill Valley real... 05/09/2009

We ♥ MV There are many reasons we ♥ Mill Valley ("MV") CA and here are a few of them: A quick and easy commute to San Francisco often spectacular views of the Bay and Mt. Tam excellent schools pleasant weather a mellow, laid back ambiance a town square unlike any other in Marin (you have to go to the town of Sonoma for anything like it) the dog park diverse social events (think Mill Valley Film Festival) lots of good restaurants "The Song" Outdoor Art Center (my wife and I got married there) excellent shopping choices, including non-gentrified, family-owned boutiques and shops of all kinds virtually unlimited access to nature Tenessee Valley to Tenessee Beach walk  Country Club Lucretia Little History Room Sunnyside Tony's Shoe Repair (388-5935, 38 Corte Madera Ave.) O'Hanlon Center for... 05/01/2009

Readers of my monthly reports on Mill Valley, CA. are well aware of my love for Mill Valley. They are also among the most informed consumers of Marin real estate (why else would they be reading my blog?). As such, despite my bias favoring Mill Valley, these consumers KNOW that Mill Valley presents serious value — right here, right now. This is true for every price band. Here are some numbers to contemplate: (1) just eleven homes sold in Mill Valley last month — a slow market; (2) of the eleven homes that sold, four were priced under $800K; (3) the bread-and-butter price band is experiencing an abysmal 8% to 13% escrow rate; (4) the current absorption rate (AR) for homes in Mill Valley’s sweet spot (homes priced between $1 million and $2 million) is an amazingly high 17.25 months.  Note... 04/17/2009

As of April 6, 2009 only 10% of available listings in Mill Valley are in escrow. For the month of March 2009 only 11 homes sold in Mill Valley for an average final selling price of $1,232,818. The average original asking price of these homes was $1,404,273. The range of final selling prices was from a low of $555,000 to a high of $3,150,000. All of these homes sold for less than their original asking price. It took these homes an average of 107 days to sell. To see everything that is currenlty available for sale through our local MLS, click here. To learn more about this area visit my website or contact me directly. And, now, for a photo of Bayfront Park with Mt. Tam enshrouded in clouds in the background: 04/09/2009

If you've been looking for a safe and environmentally-friendly way to dispose of your old electronics (or "e-waste") in Mill Valley, you should make a note to attend the upcoming electronics recycling event in Marin County. Recycle your EWaste in Mill Valley CA Marin residents will have an opportunity to safely dispose of their ewaste this Saturday, March 29, 2009 from 10am to 3pm. This event is being sponsored (and hosted) by the Whole Foods Market in Mill Valley which is located at 414 Miller Avenue in Mill Valley. Event details are as follows: WHAT: Electronics Recycling Event in Mill Valley WHERE: Whole Foods Market, 414 Miller Avenue, Mill Valley WHEN: Saturday, March 29, '09 Collected materials will be safely disposed of and/or recycled for re-use by Goodwill Industries and other ... 03/23/2009

For several months my Mill Valley, CA, real estate report has noted that the market "is strangely out of sync," and that buyers "are taking a few pitches to see what happens," and I have also aired my suspicians about "undercover buyers" who are ready to buy and want to buy the "right" home. More than ever, I believe this is all true. At Morgan Lane we have about $12 million of closings taking place in the next week or so (and we closed a $4 million Mill Valley deal last month). If we can gather a little wind behind our sails, I believe we will be off to the races. Certainly, sellers seem to grasp the need for aggressive pricing and it appears that attractive new inventory will help drive the market in 2009.  As evidenced by the above graph, The median price per square foot has dipped t... 03/19/2009

There are many reasons to love Marin County, CA. -- its great schools is just one. If you have ever wondered if there is life outside of San Francisco, we can assure you -- there is. We are just a short hop across the Golden Gate Bridge. The commute is quick and short. There is no bridge related traffic coming into San Francisco from Marin, unlike commuting over the Bay Bridge from Oakland and the East Bay. Give me a call for packet of information. It is my pleasure to be of service.     03/17/2009

I proudly represented the buyers for this fabulous mid-century modern home in the conveniently located and highly desirable Boyle Park neighborhood of Mill Valley, California. The sale price was $1,040,000. 142 Manor Drive, Mill Valley Originally built in 1950, this 3 bedroom / 1.5 bath home is situated on a quiet and light-filled quarter-acre lot with sweeping views. Fabulous indoor / outdoor living in Mill Valley! The home had been tastefully updated yet still retained much of its original mid-century charm. Excellent expansion potential for this mid-century modern home in Boyle Park. Contact me if I can assist you with the purchase or sale of real estate in Mill Valley, California.    From Mill Valley luxury homes to Mill Valley condominiums, I welcome the opportunity to assist you i... 03/12/2009

As of March 6, 2009 only 12% of available listings in Mill Valley are in escrow. For the month of February 2009 only 11 homes sold in Mill Valley for an average final selling price of $1,096,409. The average original asking price of these homes was $1,233,455. The range of final selling prices was from a low of $390,000 to a high of $4,000,000. Of the 11 homes that sold, 1 sold at the original asking price and all others sold for less. It took these homes an average of 69 days to sell. To see more recent sales history for Mill Valley and the surrounding areas, click here. To see everything that is currently available for sale in the area, click here. To learn more about the area visit my website or contact me directly. 03/07/2009

Twice this past week a wayward owl, believed by some observers to be nesting with young behind the Mill Valley Public Library, has perched amongst the stacks. Actually, it has chosen ceiling beams to peruse the isles. It is unclear how the brown owl enters the library. Not is it clear how to get it to leave for good. Certainly, library popularity has escalated since the appearance of Owliver Twist (my name for him or her).  Moreover, Owliver does not pipe down when shushed by staff and has proven to be a somewhat messy guest by leaving droppings wherever it wants.  Because the bird has taken to snatching pencils from the children's room, there is some concern for its safety as it apparently was trying to build a nest with them. My suspicion is that if Owliver could speak, it would ask ... 02/21/2009

As of February 7, 2009 only 14% of available listings in Mill Valley are in escrow. For the month of January 2009 only 12 homes sold in Mill Valley, for an average final selling price of $986,967. The average original asking price of these homes was $1,196,158. The range of final selling prices was from a low of $400,000 to a high of $2,175,000. Of the 12 homes that sold, 2 sold over their original asking price and all others sold for less. It took these homes an average of 148 days to sell. To see all homes that are currently available for sale, click here. For more information about this area visit my website or contact me directly. 02/07/2009

  The New York Times is reporting a public outcry over the cancellation of popular home magazine, Domino. As I mentioned in my recent blog, Say It Ain't So...Are Home Shelter Magazines the New Dinosaurs?, Domino is one of several shelter magazines recently nixed because of shrinking ad dollars. In the NYT article, "A Girl World Closes, and Fans Mourn," they write: WHEN Domino magazine folded last week, another casualty of the economic smack-down, a howl of protest rang through the blogosphere. Fans of the girlish, how-to decorating magazine owned by Condé Nast were vociferous in their disappointment, posting anguished comments on design sites like Apartment Therapy, Decorno and Design Sponge (which accrued 498 remarks in just a few hours), as well as nondesign sites, like The Huffington... 02/05/2009

The Windmill HouseIt was the summer of 1972. A couple of years earlier Rosa Burke Perez had completed construction of the hillside home that she and her then-husband, Neil E. Davis, had built a few blocks from downtown Mill Valley. Winding circularly, this unique all-redwood house has no right angles, a dozen levels, and 18 stained glass windows. On the afternoon of June 23rd, her youngest daughter's 5th birthday, Rosa was saying goodbye to small party guests when the phone rang. It was Diane Nilson, an acquaintance who knew that in a week Rosa and her four children were traveling to Mexico."I know someone who might want to rent your house while you're gone," Diane said. "It has a lot of privacy, doesn't it? Because they're very famous. You can't tell anyone...it's John and Yoko."It tur... 02/03/2009

As of January 13, 2009 only 16% of available listings in Mill Valley are in escrow. For the month of December 2008 only 10 homes sold in Mill Valley for an average final selling price of $917,869. The average original asking price was $1,059,500. The range of final selling prices was from a low of $550,000 to a high of $1,300,500. All 10 homes sold for less than their original asking price. It took these homes an average of 127 days to sell. To see everything that is currently available for sale, click here. To learn more about this area visit my website or contact me directly. 01/14/2009

Calling newly minted Marin Homeowners - Do you know.... How to shave $7,000 off your Marin county home's assessed value from property tax year-in and year-out?  By filing Homestead Exemption on your primary residency by February 15th each year. Homestead Exemption The home has to be the primary residence of the owner(s) or co-owner(s) as of 12:01 A.M. January 1 (lien date). To receive the full exemption, the application has to be filed with the Assessor's) Office by February 15th. A partial exemption will be approved, if the application is filed between February 16th and December 10th. If the home is purchased after January 1st, the exemption is applied to the supplemental assessment, unless the prior owner received the exemption on the secured bill.  The claim has to be filed within 30... 01/09/2009

As of December 6, 2008 only 11% of available listings in Mill Valley are in escrow. For the month of November 2008 only 14 homes sold in Mill Valley for an average final selling price of $1,304,107. The average original asking price was $1,453,357. The range of final selling prices was from a low of $725,000 to a high of $2,510,000. It took these homes an average of 104 days to sell. Of the 14 homes that sold, 1 sold at the original asking price, 1 sold over the original asking price and all others sold for less. For more information about this area visit my website or contact me directly.   12/06/2008

San Francisco Bay Area home owners can learn tips and ideas for making their home more green and ecofriendly by attending a FREE event this week in Mill Valley, California. This North Bay workshop, which is being hosted by the Eucalyptus Knoll HOA in Mill Valley,  will include presentations from: Carol Misseldie, Sustainability Coordinator for the town of Mill Valley Mark Guthrie, Water Conservation Specialist from the Marin Municipal Water District Discussion topic will include tips and ideas for making your Bay Area home more green and ecofriendly.   This Green Workshop will be held at 8pm on Thursday, November 13, 2008.    The venue for this event will be the the Shelter Bay Clubhouse which is located at 2304 Shelter Bay Ave in Mill Valley.  You can also obtain more information about... 11/11/2008

Please join us to honor Gordon Bennett 2008 Environmental Leader of Marin Save the Date Where: Mill Valley Community Center, 180 Camino Alto, Mill Valley, CA 94941 When: November 11 2008, 6:30 - 8:15 PM  The Environmental Education Council of Marin "EECOM" invites you and your colleagues and friends to join; Senator Mark Leno, Assembly member Jared Huffman and Supervisor Charles McGlashan at our 2008 Environmental Leadership Award Ceremony. The award ceremony will be held at the Mill Valley Community center on Tuesday evening, November 11 th between 6:30 and 8:30 pm. This year EECOM is pleased to honor Gordon Bennett as the 2008 Environmental Leader of Marin. We hope that you and your work colleagues/friends can join us for this auspicious event to honor an environmental hero, and to s... 11/10/2008

Please join us to honor Gordon Bennett 2008 Environmental Leader of Marin Save the Date Where: Mill Valley Community Center, 180 Camino Alto, Mill Valley, CA 94941 When: November 11 2008, 6:30 - 8:15 PM  The Environmental Education Council of Marin "EECOM" invites you and your colleagues and friends to join; Senator Mark Leno, Assembly member Jared Huffman and Supervisor Charles McGlashan at our 2008 Environmental Leadership Award Ceremony. The award ceremony will be held at the Mill Valley Community center on Tuesday evening, November 11 th between 6:30 and 8:30 pm. This year EECOM is pleased to honor Gordon Bennett as the 2008 Environmental Leader of Marin. We hope that you and your work colleagues/friends can join us for this auspicious event to honor an environmental hero, and to s... 11/07/2008