Junior League of San Francisco Fashion Show

Posted on March 12, 2009 by Ginger Wilcox

My blog is a little quiet this week as I have been very busy prepping for The Junior League of San Francisco’s 83 Annual Fashion Show. I will be strutting my stuff on the catwalk at the Fairmont Hotel on Saturday for the big event. Yes, I am modeling!

The JLSF Fashion Show is the longest-running event of its kind in the nation and a premier fundraising event in San Francisco. In its 83 year history, the Show has raised many millions of dollars for Bay Area Community Programs. The JLSF runway fashion show is a breathtaking production filled with drama and elegance with clothing by Macy’s. This year will feature two show options: a champagne luncheon and a black-tie gala dinner dance at the Fairmont Hotel. Each show will also include a silent and live auction.

The video below was done for corporate sponsors, but it gives a great overview of the event.

What: 83rd Annual Junior League of San Francisco Fashion Show Gala
Where: The Fairmont Hotel, San Francisco, California
When: Saturday, March 14, 2009
- Champagne Luncheon ~~Cocktail Silent Auction Reception from 10:30 am to 12:15 pm, Grand Ballroom doors open at 12:00 pm; Live Auction and Fashion Show program begins at 12:30 pm
- Evening Black-tie Gala~~Cocktail Silent Auction Reception 5:30-7:15 pm, Grand Ballroom Doors open at 7:00 pm; Live Auction and Fashion Show program begins 7:30pm
JLSF Fashion Show Information
Tickets:
- Luncheon: $125
- Dinner/Gala: $225
- Purchase tickets

This is a fabulous event for a worthwhile cause. Hope to see you there!

Greenbrae Market Report

Posted on March 9, 2009 by Ginger Wilcox

This market profile is a snapshot of what is happening in Greenbrae. Home prices have trended down in recent weeks.Â While the days-on-market has been increasing, listing inventory has been decreasing and the Greenbrae Market Action Index has been on the rise, signally positive indications for the Greenbrae real estate market.

Greenbrae Real Estate Market Update

There are currently 12 homes for sale in Greenbrae, California. There are 0 homes under contract.
Median List Price	$1,111,550
Highest Priced Home in Greenbrae (single family)	$2,399,000 45 Corte Dorado, Greenbrae
Lowest Priced Home in Greenbrae (single family)	$869,000 44 Corte Morada, Greenbrae
Asking Price per Square Foot	$518
Average Days on Market	139
Percent of Properties with Price Decrease	67%
Percent Relisted	8%
Median House Size (sq ft)	2,135
Median Lot Size	6,501-8,000 sq. ft
Median Number of Bedrooms	3.6
Median Number of Bathrooms	2.3
Market Action Index	13 – Cold! Buyer’s Market

The Market Action Index answers the question:
“How’s the Greenbrae Real Estate Market?”
By measuring the current rate of sale versus the amount of inventory.
Index above 30 implies seller’s market conditions.
Below 30, conditions favor the buyer.

Greenbrae Real Estate Market Data effective as of March 8, 2009. Data provided by AltosResearch and Bay Area Real Estate Information Services, Inc. Are you a Marin real estate junkie? Sign up to receive very detailed real-time market reports in your email. Just register and let me know which neighborhoods you are interested in. Download a sample report.

Dawn Falls Live from Larkspur

Posted on March 5, 2009 by Ginger Wilcox

Here is some video from one of my favorite hikes in Marin. I took this yesterday at Dawn Falls in Larkspur. It is short and very simple, but I was thrilled to capture the peaceful sounds of the waterfalls. Enjoy!

How many mortgage borrowers are REALLY past due?

Posted on March 3, 2009 by MortgageNews

Mortgage delinquencies are on the rise nationwide, but the news may not be as bad as it appears at first glance.

Using anonymous data from its national credit database, TransUnion reports that 4.58 percent of American homeowners were at least 60 days past due on mortgage payments last quarter.

Comparing the statistic to the data from a year ago, the credit reporting agency goes on to say that mortgage delinquencies are up 53 percent.

Although fair, the comparison carries a distinct, negative connotation because if we flip the data to its positive, the statistics don’t seem nearly as menacing.

Consider: In the last quarter of 2008, 4.58 percent of homeowners were delinquent on their respective mortgages. The positive sign, therefore, is that 95.42 percent of homeowners were not delinquent on their home loans.

Furthermore, in looking at TransUnion’s data for the 5 largest states in the Union, it’s clear that the national delinquency rate is being skewed by California and Florida. New York and Texas, for example, exhibit delinquency rates below the national 4.58 percent marker.

North Dakota’s delinquency rate hovers near 1 percent.

Headlines are designed to attract eyeballs and nothing else. To get the complete story, therefore — the real story — it never hurts to dig a little deeper into the facts.

(Image courtesy: TransUnion)

A Saturday in Seville- Tombola Benefiting the Kentfield Schools Foundation

Posted on February 23, 2009 by Ginger Wilcox

This year I have the honor of chairing the Kentfield Schools Foundation’s biennial fundraiser. This year’s event, A Saturday in Seville, promises to be a spectacular evening when approximately 400 guests will feel like they have been transported to Spain for an evening of tantalizing cuisines, scintillating music, and fabulous live and silent auctions. The event will take place at the Mt. Tam Racquet Club in Larkspur on Saturday, May 2, 2009.

What: A Saturday in Seville, The Kentfield School Foundation’s biennial Tombola fundraiser
When: Saturday, May 2, 2009, 6:00 pm
Where: Mt. Tam Racquet Club, Larkspur
Why: Raise key funds in support of the the Kentfield School District (Bacich Elementary and Kent Middle Schools). With drastic budget cuts in the public schools, funds from the Kentfield Schools Foundation are needed now more than ever. This biennial provides a significant portion of funds to the budget of the Kentfield School District. Please come out and support our schools!

Save the date and mark your calendars for an exciting escape to Spain benefiting a great cause!

What The Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan Doesn’t Mean For Homeowners

Posted on February 22, 2009 by MortgageNews

On Wednesday, the President presented the Homeowner Affordability and Stability plan, a multi-pronged effort to support the housing market.

The story made the front page of nearly every newspaper in the country.

The president’s plan is sweeping:

Incent mortgage servicers to work with at-risk homeowners before delinquency starts
Let homeowners with good credit but little equity refinance to today’s low rates
Fund Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to support mortgage markets

It is a broad plan with many positive angles, but for now, we can’t forget that it’s just a plan. Although the White House shapes and influences housing policy, Congress, Loan Servicers, and the Federal Agencies must still implement and execute it. Until that implementation occurs, these reforms exist only on paper.

It is a key aspect of the speech that’s not getting coverage.

One thing we learned during the stimulus package debate was that just because the President wants something to happen doesn’t mean that it will. There are always details to be worked out and that’s one reason why the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan couldn’t go into effect immediately. There are still loose ends to tie and details to define.

According to its website, the White House lists March 4, 2009 as the plan’s effective date. Until March 4, nothing in Wednesday’s speech is guaranteed.

(Image courtesy: Birmingham News)

A Gloomy Moment in History

Posted on February 19, 2009 by Ginger Wilcox

This is reprinted with permission from an email sent to my company, Alain Pinel, by Alain Pinel Owner/CEO Paul Hulme.

Did you read the editorial in yesterdayâ€™s paper?

THE AWFUL UNCERTAINTY OF THE FUTURE

It is a gloomy moment in history. Not in the lifetime of any man who reads his paper has there been so much grave and deep apprehension; never has the future seemed so dark and incalculable.

In France, the political cauldron seethes and bubbles with uncertainty.

England and the English Empire is being sorely tried and exhausted in a social and economic struggle, with turmoil at home and uprising of her teeming millions in her far-flung Indian Empire.

The United States is beset with racial, industrial and commercial chaos â€“ drifting, we know not where.

Russia hangs like a storm cloud on the horizon of Europe â€“ dark and silent.

It is a solemn moment, and no man can feel indifference, which happily no man pretends to feel in the issue of events.

Of our own troubles, no man can see the end………..

This editorial sounds pretty gloomy, doesnâ€™t it? The writer evidently was weighted down by present problems and quite ready to sell our Nation short. Did I say â€œpresent problemsâ€? Excuse me, please. No, far from it. This editorial appeared before 9/11, Vietnam, before the Korean conflict, before World War II, before the Depression of 1929, before the First World War in 1914, before the Panic of 1891, before the Civil War in 1865.

It was an editorial in Harperâ€™s Weekly â€“ October 10, 1857. One hundred and fifty-two years ago! Yes, our country is going through difficult economic times, but hang in there. And remember, â€œThe race goes not always to the swift nor to the strong, but to those who endure to the end.â€

This, too, shall pass.

Half Day Cafe -Kentfield Breakfast Hot Spot

Posted on February 17, 2009 by Ginger Wilcox

I can’t believe I haven’t written about the Half Day Cafe in Kentfield before. The Half Day Cafe is one of my absolute favorite spots to meet friends for breakfast, lunch or brunch. Half Day is located on College Avenue just across the street from the College of Marin. It has been a Marin County staple for more than 20 years. The restaurant is tucked into a charming brick building built in the 1930’s. It was originally the Kentfield Garage. Half Day is bright and cheery with tall ceilings and huge windows. On a warm, sunny day, it has a great outdoor patio for leisurely dining.

I have never had anything I didn’t like on the menu. Half Day Cafe has phenomenal omelettes, huevos rancheros, and french toast for breakfast. Most of the breakfast options come with a choice of homemade pastry- their scones, cinnamon rolls and muffins are to die for! For lunch, there are many options. I typically go the lunch omelette route unless I am craving a burger and fries. My lunch companions often enjoy delicious homemade soups and tasty salads. Everything on the menu is fresh. The service is always good, and they happily oblige my coffee addiction with frequent refills. This restaurant is tops for me in terms of service and menu.

Where: The Half Day Cafe
Address: 848 College Avenue, Kentfield, CA 94904
What: Breakfast, Lunch & Brunch

Mill Valley Real Estate Market Report

Posted on February 16, 2009 by Ginger Wilcox

This market profile is a snapshot of what is happening in Mill Valley. Mill Valley home prices have continued to trend down in recent weeks. While the listing inventory in Mill Valley has been decreasing, days-on-market has been increasing. The Market Action Index has been basically flat, not providing a strong indication of the direction of the Mill Valley real estate market. Despite these numbers, Mill Valley continues to be one of the stronger real estate markets in Marin County.

Mill Valley Real Estate Market Update

There are currently 84 homes for sale in Mill Valley, California. There are 16 Mill Valley homes under contract.
Median List Price	$1,199,000
Highest Priced Mill Valley Home (single family)	$5,700,000 321 Summit, Mill Valley
Lowest Priced Mill Valley Home (single family)	$770,000 290 Morning Sun Ave, Mill Valley
Asking Price per Square Foot	$657
Average Days on Market	108
Percent of Properties with Price Decrease	43%
Percent Relisted	9%
Median House Size (sq ft)	2,160
Median Lot Size	8,001-10,000 Sq. Feet
Median Number of Bedrooms	3.0
Median Number of Bathrooms	2.3
Market Action Index	17 – Cold! Buyer’s Market

The Market Action Index answers the question:
“How’s the Mill Valley Real Estate Market?”
By measuring the current rate of sale versus the amount of inventory.
Index above 30 implies seller’s market conditions.
Below 30, conditions favor the buyer.

Mill Valley Real Estate Market Data effective as of February 15, 2009. Data provided by AltosResearch and Bay Area Real Estate Information Services, Inc. Are you a Marin real estate junkie? Sign up to receive very detailed real-time market reports in your email. Just register and let me know which neighborhoods you are interested in. Download a sample report.

San Rafael Real Estate Market Report

Posted on by Ginger Wilcox

This market profile is a snapshot of what is happening in San Rafael. San Rafael home prices in the 94903 zip code have continued to trend down in recent weeks while home prices in the 94901 zip code have stayed flat. While the listing inventory in San Rafael has been decreasing, days-on-market has been increasing. The Market Action Index has been basically flat, not providing a strong indication of the direction of the San Rafael real estate market.

San Rafael Real Estate Market Update

There are currently 180 homes for sale in San Rafael, California. There are 41 San Rafael homes under contract.
Area- Zip Code	94901	94903
Median List Price	$889,500	$699,000
Highest Priced San Rafael Home (single family)	$4,500,000 349 Bay Way, San Rafael	$6,500,000 1677 Lucas Valley Rd, San Rafael
Lowest Priced San Rafael Home (single family)	$375,000 117 Auburn Street, San Rafael	$379,900 842 Rincon Way, San Rafael
Asking Price per Square Foot	$450	$407
Average Days on Market	126	149
Percent of Properties with Price Decrease	39%	49%
Percent Relisted	9%	2%
Median House Size (sq ft)	2,047	1,833
Median Lot Size	8,001-10,000 Sq. Feet	8,001-10,000 Sq. Feet
Median Number of Bedrooms	3.8	4.0
Median Number of Bathrooms	2.4	2.0
Market Action Index	14- Cold! Buyer’s Market	15- Cold! Buyer’s Market

The Market Action Index answers the question:
“How’s the San Rafael Real Estate Market?”
By measuring the current rate of sale versus the amount of inventory.
Index above 30 implies seller’s market conditions.
Below 30, conditions favor the buyer.

San Rafael Real Estate Market Data effective as of February 15, 2009. Data provided by AltosResearch and Bay Area Real Estate Information Services, Inc. Are you a Marin real estate junkie? Sign up to receive very detailed real-time market reports in your email. Just register and let me know which neighborhoods you are interested in. Download a sample report.

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