Did you know there are nearly 40 marinas in the San Francisco Bay Area? Sausalito has one of the largest and busiest maritime areas in the region with almost a dozen marinas and boatyards. Sausalito is located on the south shore of Richardson Bay. Richardson Bay is located between Sausalito and the Tiburon Peninsula.
Blog by the bay
Marin County, people, places, culture and real-estate
See Fabulous Marin Kitchens at Belvedere Kitchen Tour
I am a sucker for a home tour, probably because I have chaired one. I always look forward to the Belvedere-Tiburon Kitchen Tour every February and it is almost here again! This year, six kitchens are featured on the tour. I have never stopped and stayed for the lunch at the San Francisco Yacht Club, but it is supposed to be good. The Marin IJ has provided us with a sneak peek, so check it out here. Even if you purchase your tickets in advance, bring your checkbook. They have a great marketplace with jewelry, purses, children’s things and more. You can also buy raffle tickets ($5 each or $25 for six) for some great prizes including a Dacor kitchen, and some great trips.
What: 30th Annual Belvedere Hawthorne Kitchen Tour
When: February 5, 2008, 9:30am -3:30pm. Lunch available from 11am-3pm.
Where: Starts at San Francisco Yacht Club, 98 Beach Road in Belvedere
How Much: $40 in advance, $45 at the door. Lunch is available for $25.
Info: www.belvedere-hawthorne.com
Benefits: Belvedere Hawthorne Nursery School
Show me the Home Depot!
If you have been a Marin homeowner for any length of time, you could probably drive to Home Depot in your sleep. Before I bought a home, I could never have imagined how much money I would spend at Home Depot, even if you aren’t a do-it-yourselfer. So, when we first moved to Marin and someone tried to describe how to actually get to Home Depot in San Rafael, I was horrified.
Highway 101. Exit Sir Francis Drake. Past San Quentin. Get on the 580. Immediately get off again. Go under the Freeway, down the frontage road.
YIKES! Over the mountain and through the woods- I may never return home! If it seems daunting, I promise you will one day be able to find all of the home improvement stores in your sleep. Until then, you can check out this map with details out the major home improvement spots in southern and central Marin County.
View Larger Marin Map of Marin County Home Improvement Stores
MEME- It shouldn’t be about ME, but today it is…
I got tagged to write a meme by AZ Mortgage Guru Shailesh Ghimire. What is a meme? Basically, in the blog world, a meme is a question that is asked on one blog and answered on another. SO in this meme chain, Shailesh tagged me and asked me to (1) list 7 things about myself, (2) tag 7 people to do the meme on themselves including a link to their site.
It is all in the name of good fun, and probably helps with "transparency" too. So here are 7 random things, all about ME!
Congress Stimulus Package Offers Financial Incentive to Marin Homeowners
The economic stimulus package being discussed by Congress and the President may have a huge benefit to Marin home buyers and current Marin homeowners. In addition to tax rebates, another element of the package offers to increase the limit on Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans and loans that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can buy. The new FHA and Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac loan limits would be increased to $729,750 under the current proposal.
Mortgage Rate Ping Pong
Mortgage rates dropped on Tuesday, and went right back up, higher yesterday than when they started Tuesday morning. Some lenders had 3-4 interest rate changes yesterday – during the same day! Conforming rates were up 3/8 of a percent. Some lenders stopped locking in rates because of the fluctuations.
Expect to see more volatility with rates…
Fed Cuts Rates 0.75%, Mortgage Rates Going Down, Down??
Yesterday the Fed made a drastic move and cut the Federal fund rate by 0.75%. With this rate many people expected rates for home loans to drop substantially. Not the case… The fed rate cuts do not directly impact mortgage interest rates, but it does impact homeowners with equity lines of credit, people who carry credit card balances and other short term loans.
While not directly tied to the fed rate cut, mortgage rates did drop yesterday. Jumbo rates decreased 0.125% and conforming rates (loan amount under 417K) decreased 0.25%.
Marin County a great investment
When evaluating real estate (or any investment for that matter), people often make the mistake of looking at it in a short term perspective. For most people who own Marin real estate, it often a long term investment. The chart below details the average Marin County home sales price in 2007, 1997, and 1987.
All I can say, is that I really wish I had purchased ten Marin County homes in 1987 or even just ten years ago in 1997.
Marin County real estate is a great investment at any time- just think long term!
| City | Average Marin Home Sales Price 2007 |
Average Marin Home Sales Price 1997 |
Average Marin Home Sales Price 1987 |
| All Marin County | $1,223,678 | $443,135 | $240,875 |
| Belvedere | $3,880,903 | $1,248,804 | $665,053 |
| Corte Madera | $1,214,431 | $382,677 | $219,925 |
| Fairfax | $841,837 | $325,912 | $160,930 |
| Greenbrae | $1,052,236 | $398,074 | $230,308 |
| Kentfield | $2,427,872 | $855,384 | $408,581 |
| Larkspur | $1,301,432 | $500,874 | $241,193 |
| Mill Valley | $1,400,526 | $524,941 | $283,479 |
| Novato | $757,815 | $303,576 | $188,771 |
| Ross | $3282,336 | $1,003,212 | $452,700 |
| San Anselmo | $1,056,271 | $416,676 | $232,160 |
| San Rafael | $905,599 | $368,903 | $225,358 |
| Sausalito | $1,309,383 | $453,109 | $230,151 |
| Tiburon | $2,207,819 | $801,875 | $451,038 |
Statistics from BAREIS Marin County MLS®.
Fun for Families- Jack and the Beanstalk
I took the family to see Jack and the Beanstalk in San Francisco on Saturday. The play is put on by the Children’s Theatre Association of San Francisco (CTA).
The classic fairytale is delightful for young children, who are encouraged to clap, and express their delight in the performance. Even my youngest stayed in his seat, enthralled in the performance. The CTA is a non-profit that was founded in 1934. The CTA charges for weekend performances, but offers the performance for free to local elementary school children during the week.
Performances are held in the Florence Gould Theater at the Palace of the Legion of Honor in San Francisco. The small theater is perfect for this type of play. It is a beautiful and intimate setting and every seat is a good one. Tickets are only $12.00 ( a bargain in San Francisco) and parking is plentiful and free.
The play is very simple…,don’t expect to hear Pavorotti, but it is a very special treat for children all the same. Both my husband and father-in-law complained about the lack of men in the all-women cast. Both the Giant and the role of Jack were played by women. This didn’t bother me, but I knew going it what to expect.
I will definitely be on the lookout for future CTA productions. If you are looking for a fun, family friendly event- this is well worth the trip across the bridge!
Meet me at the dipsea..
Marin has lots of great places for breakfast. Probably one of the most well known is the Dipsea Cafe in Mill Valley. The Dipsea was named after the seven mile Dipsea trail which starts in downtown Mill Valley. The trail is famous for the annual Dipsea Race, the second oldest foot race in they country.Interestingly enough, the Dipsea Cafe is not located on the Dipsea trail. It is located on shoreline just off the 101 freeway in Mill Valley. Parking can be tight at this busy Mill Valley restaurant.
The Dipsea is very casual. The interior is bright and cheery with a blue and yellow interior. The menu is diverse and has daily specials. Whether you like pancakes or huevos rancheros, everything I have tasted is excellent with generous portions. The biscuits are supposed to be amazing, although I have not tried them. My favorite lunch item is the gyro with greek salad. YUM. The Dipsea is a family friendly restaurant with a special menu for kids.
The Dipsea Cafe is located at 200 Shoreline Highway in Mill Valley, California. Phone (415) 381-0298. Reservations are not accepted.