Neighborhoods: Fairfax

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We at SFNorth have a soft spot for Fairfax. Spend a Saturday hanging out in the relaxed and unpretentious downtown and you’ll see why. You can sunbathe in the park, take a yoga class, grab dinner, and see a live band or movie all within a radius of a few blocks. The range of businesses is really pretty extensive for such a small downtown, with an organic market, traditional grocery store, a brewery, bakery, ice cream parlor, clothing stores, hardware store, nursery, bike shops, surf shop, and more. Residents wouldn’t tolerate big chains coming into town, so everything has a friendly, local feel.

With a variety of restaurants, a nightclub, and several bars it’s a pretty happening spot at night by Marin standards, but it’s the abundance of warm days and outdoor activities that really seal the deal. Fairfax is surrounded by natural beauty with some of the best hiking and mountain biking trails in the Bay Area, so on weekends people come from all over to join in the fun, and this quaint little town still exudes the sense of community and respect for individuality that put Marin County on the map.

Market Stats

Current market data

Mousing over the graphs and bars will give you more specific information about that point in time. Moving the gray sliders at the bottom of the chart will allow you to look at a different time span.

Things to love about Fairfax

Feel like family at Sorella Cafe
Try the Vanilla Honey Lavender ice cream at Fairfax Scoop
Share sausage and beer with friends at Gestalthaus
Bask in the beauty at Lake Lagunitas
Have a handcrafted brew at Iron Springs Pub and Brewery
Picnic and watch the entertainment at The Fairfax Summer Farmers Market
Chow down on some gourmet organics at The Good Earth

Fairfax Neighborhoods

Deer Park

Deer Park is one of the most popular neighborhoods in Fairfax for many reasons. It offers easy access to the downtown area, has a good number of charming, vintage homes, is mostly in the flats so many have level yards, and its tree-lined streets are just perfect for strolling on a sunny summer afternoon. There are some hillside homes in this neighborhood, but they’re generally not too far up the hill and many have secret paths that offer shortcuts to downtown. At the end of the neighborhood at Deer Park school is the gateway to Mt. Tam with amazing trails and beautiful lakes. The local Deer Park Villa has a restaurant and can be rented out for private parties or weddings on their serene grounds. Sometimes you can hear the music echoing through the canyon on summer days from DJs or bands playing.

Dominga

Dominga is just a stone’s throw from downtown Fairfax. Homes are typically small, charming bungalows, with many reflecting the eclectic style of its inhabitants, and typically two bedrooms, three at most. The lots tend to be a touch smaller and the homes a little closer together than neighboring Deer Park, but being so close to restaurants, coffee shops and the movie theater is a big draw. You just can’t beat the location.

Cascade

The towering redwood trees that run deep into Cascade Canyon are what give this neighborhood its charm and make this one of the more desirable streets in Fairfax. With all the trees the homes tend to be partially or mostly shaded and styles consist of a mix of vintage charming homes and custom homes built in the 50’s and 60’s. Both lot sizes and houses tend to be on the large side compared to other neighborhoods in Fairfax. Often you will see people walking or biking to town, or walking along the river to the local waterfall. At the end of Cascade you’ll find open space with incredible hiking and mountain biking trails–the famous Repack Mt. Bike trail ends here. In the winter and spring the river flows through the open space and alongside homes in the canyon.

Peri Park/Tamarancho/Bothin

Another neighborhood with lots to offer is the area between Peri Park and Tamarancho Mountain Bike Park. Most of this neighborhood is in the flats and is flooded with people young and old walking or biking to downtown. Many smaller charming homes make up this area with tree lined streets. Having Peri park in your neighborhood makes it convenient for the kiddos. The park has several partially shaded play structures, a redwood grove with picnic tables for gatherings, and it’s own river where kids play in all year long. Bothin St. is one of the favorite streets in this area which has a serene setting in the trees with cool custom homes mixed with vintage charming ones. Right near Bothin is Iron Springs road which is the gateway to the best single track Mountain Bike trail in Marin called Tamarancho (Boy Scout Camp). In the hills of this neighborhood are homes with great views and privacy but you have to be willing to navigate the narrow windy streets to get up the hill.

Marinda Oaks

Mostly built in the 60’s this neighborhood has a bit more of a suburban feel, with wider streets and more sun than some parts of Fairfax. The homes are mostly one level ranchers with some two-stories mixed in. People who live here love it and show a lot of pride of ownership, and it’s a good location just outside of town.

Oak Manor

Another neighborhood with a suburban feel like Marinda Oaks, but a little further outside of town. Most of these homes were also built in the 60’s so you have a lot of one level ranchers. One big plus here is Manor Elementary School’s location at the beginning of the neighborhood, so it’s super convenient for kids walking or riding to school. There is open space access at the top of Oak Manor but it’s a bit of a hike from the bottom of the hill. Homes on Manor View and the other streets on the ridge at the top of the neighborhood can have amazing views.

East Side

There are a few neighborhoods that border San Anselmo, including a cute neighborhood off of Willow Street which mostly has smaller starter homes. It’s a great location because downtown is just next door and the commute to SF is a bit shorter. There are also small areas off of Center St. which have some charming bungalows. The main biking artery runs alongside Center St. on San Anselmo Ave/Lansdale and is especially well traveled on the weekends. You’ll see the crowds of bikes parked at the Java Hut on Center, where riders meet for a coffee before their morning ride.