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Home loveMarin County, people, places, culture and real-estate

Dealing with Marin’s changing market- make them fall in love

Posted on June 6, 2007 by Ginger Wilcox

Hot, hot, hot? I talk about it, the IJ talks about, multiple offers, people locking themselves in houses to make sure they are the only people who see it.. is the marin real estate market crazy, crazy, crazy? Can sellers get any price they want? NO!! We are seeing multiple offers, and that upper end market is hot. Actually, the higher the price, the hotter it has been BUT this is not the norm. All over Marin, good houses are sitting on the market unsold. Sellers have to be realistic about their prices. Overpriced homes will not sell. Buyers are prepared to wait for big price reductions. With interest rates creaping up, buyers in the lower price ranges are watching prices very closely. The Marin market is still active, but it generally gets pretty quiet in the summer months.

Curious about how to sell your home in this changing market? It is all about creating an emotional connection with the buyer.

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Market Update -Marin Real Estate

Posted on May 30, 2007 by Ginger Wilcox

So, what’s happening….

Well I heard this week that a buyer in Southern Marin locked himself in a house with their agent to prevent other buyers from seeing a property while they wrote an offer. Desperate measure? Sure seems like it! Multiple offers are still very common in Marin, yet many properties are sitting on the market. The average days on the market in May (through the 30th) was 58, the median sales price was $1,012,500. 188 properties were sold. The most active price point was between $1,000,000 and $1,750,000. The highest sale in Marin so far in May was $7,950,000. The lowest single family home sold (excludes condos) was $550,000.

 

# of Home Sales by Area
May 1-May 30, 10:40 am

Belvedere- 0
Bolinas-
Corte Madera- 10
Dillon Beach -1
Fairfax-5
Greenbrae – 4
Inverness -1
Kentfield- 5
Larkspur- 6
Mill Valley- 30
Muir Beach -1
Nicasio- 1
Novato- 40
Ross- 5
San Anselmo- 12
San Geronimo Valley- 5
San Rafael- 40
Sausalito- 5
Stinson Beach -1
Tiburon – 15

Marin History- How Marin Got Its Name

Posted on by Ginger Wilcox

Ever wonder how Marin became “Marin”?

Marin was the name of a famous chief of the Lacatuit Indians who lived in the area. Marin fought the Spaniards between 1815 and 1824 but was eventually captured. He escaped and took shelter on a small island in the San Francisco Bay, where he communicated the name of the land to the north-Marin.

He was captured again, but saved from death by the priests at the Mission of San Rafael. He converted his faith and later died at the Mission San Rafael in 1834.

Allstate to stop insuring California homes

Posted on May 11, 2007 by Ginger Wilcox

Starting in July, Allstate Insurance will no longer be issuing new homeowner insurance policies. Allstate says existing homeowner policies and auto policies will not be affected.

The California Department of Insurance has an online policy finder to compare policies. I was surprised to see how much more I am currently paying with Allstate. Probably time to find a new company even if they don’t cancel my exisiting coverage. Insurance Commission Steve Poizner commented on Allstate’s decision, saying “Other companies – such as Farmers, Safeco, State Farm, AAA, Hartford and others – have reduced insurance rates for California customers by more than $1 Billion, in direct contradiction to Allstate’s actions.” He went on to say, “Allstate’s decision to not accept new business does not entitle them to charge excessive rates.”

Yikes.

Corte Madera and Larkspur Potential Kidnapping Attempts

Posted on by Ginger Wilcox

Marin County- Corte Madera and Larkspur Attempted Kidnapping Alert

I generally feel very safe living in Marin County. We don’t hear a lot about violent crimes, despite living within close proximity to San Quentin. Yesterday, I was notified about two seemingly separate suspicious contacts (potential kidnappings?) with young children in Larkspur and in Corte Madera. I posted a copy of one of the notices. (click on the picture to view it larger) In Larkspur, a stranger asked an eleven year old girl to enter their vehicle. In the second instant, a seven year old girl was approached outside her home in West Corte Madera.  Police are not calling them attempted kidnappings at this point.

These are very scary circumstances. It is so easy to get complacent. The area we live in feels like a small, close knit community. We try and watch out for each other. The mothers’ club online boards frequently post stories about nannies and babysitters who shouldn’t be trusted. These mothers’ clubs have eagle eyes and they spread the word. Thankfully, they spread the word about these frightening circumstances. Southern Marin Mothers Club & Ross Valley Mothers Club– it might be time to get together and do a Stranger Safety night. It is always a worthwhile topic!

How do we protect our kids without scaring them? According to kidpower, you use matter of fact language, not fear based language.

Remember the old term, “stranger danger“? Forget it! Call it stranger safety. Bad touches? NO- unwanted touches and attention.

UGGH! I don’t want to have this discussion with my kids. It is not fun. I wish I can stick my head in the sand and everything would be ok- but that is not the answer. Teaching our children to say NO when circumstances feel wrong or uncomfortable is the answer.

The National Children’s Advocacy Center has some good tips to keep your kids safe.

Educate yourself, educate your kids. Be a community watchdog and report strange behavior to police, or the school, your friends or that mothers’ club board. Find that right place to talk about it.

Thanks for looking out for my kids. I will be on the watch for yours too!

Home buyers beware- get a home inspection!

Posted on by Ginger Wilcox

A fellow Marin real estate agent and close girlfriend of mine is buying a house. She loves the house- it is absolutely perfect and fits all of her needs. Well, actually, it isn’t perfect- but she thinks it is. She is a buyer emotionally attached to a house. I asked her- “when is your home inspection scheduled?” “I am not getting one, the house is less than ten years old.”

WHAT??? I asked her if she would ever, ever let a buyer go without a home inspection. The answer- no, no and no. Why not? Home inspections uncover problems that could be very, very expensive for you to repair. Even if you are absolutely in love with the property and plan to buy it -no matter what- get a home inspection! Buyers often expect problems on older homes. They also may be willing to overlook issues if they are planning a major remodel. Inspections on new and remodeled homes can uncover more problems, or at least more unexpected problems. If you are paying top dollar because of a remodel, don’t you want to know what is beneath the surface? A good inspector will also tell you not just problems, but suggested maintenance to prevent future problems.

An inspection, doesn’t have to be a deal breaker. It just means that everyone knows what they are getting into. Even if you don’t write in an inspection period (always do!!), still get a home inspection. I have seen some inspections uncover issues what would warrant a buyer walking away- even if they had to leave a substantial earnest deposit on the table. I always advise my sellers to allow the buyer to have an inspection period, even if it is a short one. Buyers who get inspections help sellers avoid lawsuits later.

Buyer beware? Maybe. Buyer be informed? Absolutely!!! (oh yeah, and my girlfriend- buying the house? Absolutely! Putting the emotions aside, getting inspections and asking the hard questions- definitely!

Beauty by the Bay- Marin County Open Spaces

Posted on May 9, 2007 by Ginger Wilcox

Beauty by the Bay? It never ceases to amaze me how beautiful Marin is. Now, once again, this may come back to my Arizona roots. Some people claim the desert is pretty, but truly- how does dirt and cactus compare to Marin County? (ok, ok, Arizona sunsets are pretty spectacular!)

I was recently reading about Marin County Open Space. Marin has more than 16,000 acres of designated open space- providing countless places to bike, hike and explore. The Marin County Open Space District website provides a peek at the 33 open space preserves in Marin. If those pictures don’t make you want to get outside, I don’t know what will!

On Mother’s Day, we will be taking in the natural beauty as we hike up Mt. Tamalpais for the Mother’s Day pancake breakfast at the West Point Inn. This is an easy hike we will be doing with the kids. I plan to bring some pictures to share. West Point Inn is on the upper south slope of Mt. Tam. It has panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay Area including the Golden Gate bridge, the East bay, and the Pacific Ocean.

By the way, forecasted Mother’s Day temperatures are:

  • Phoenix- 97 degrees
  • Mill Valley- 75 degrees (pure bliss!)

Ross Valley Storm Drainage Fee Being Put to A Vote

Posted on May 8, 2007 by Ginger Wilcox

If you live in the Ross Valley, you should have received a ballot for the “annual storm drainage fee” for the Ross Valley Flood Protection and Watershed program. This “fee” would apply to homeowners in Flood Control District Zone 9 (Fairfax, Greenbrae, Kentfield, Larkspur, Ross and San Anselmo) . The fee will cover capital improvements to “repair and replace drainage infrastructure, enhance and establish drainage system and floodway maintenance programs” and provide habitat restoration projects.

Owners of condos are expected to pay around $30 per year, while owners of single family homes are expected to pay between $125-180 per year. The fee is capped out at $180 for residential and $6,000 per year for commercial. If there is a simple majority yes vote, the fee will take effect in 2008. If the fee is adopted, an annual hearing will take place to determine the fee for the following year. The is limited to a maximum of 3% per year and will end in 20 years.

So, is this tax good? This tax is critical to Ross Valley residents and Marin County. The economy of our community could be destroyed by a bad flood. Businesses and residences will be destroyed. Lives could be lost. Vital services could be damaged. The vitality of our local communities could disappear, causing home values to plummet. Schools could be closed for extended periods of time, impacting our children’s education. Residents who live in Flood Zone 9 whose homes have not flooded may not feel like they should have to pay the tax. My home is not in the path of potential floods but I believe my property contributes run off which is part of the problem. I believe everyone in the district should contribute to resolving improving flood protection for the area.

This program will preserve our community, its economy, residents, businesses and schools. Even if your specific home does not flood, you will still be impacted in some way.

For more information on the tax, visit:

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