Is it the flu - or carbon monoxide poisoning? - 11/30/07 10:02 AM
An insidious, and often overlooked, threat to the air quality in your home is carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that can poison the air in your home without you even realizing it. The good news is that you can easily protect yourself and your family by prevention, monitoring, and educating yourself on symptoms & what to do in the event of suspected CO poisoning.
Carbon monoxide is produced when any fuel does not burn completely, due to insufficient oxygen. Possible sources include:
FurnacesWater heaters Gas or wood fireplaces Automobiles left running in attached garages Plugged … (3 comments)

A New Course For San Rafael’s Peacock Gap Golf Club - 11/29/07 09:27 AM
Good news for golfers in San Rafael.  The Peacock Gap Golf and Country Club has reopened for business.  Closed since April, the semi-private 18-hole course has undergone substantial renovation including new greens and tee areas, a fancy new irrigation system, and redesigned bunkers.A new golf course isn’t the only thing to come from this overhaul.  Phase 2 of the project is scheduled to be finished in 2009 and will include a renovated clubhouse, Olympic size pool, and a new spa/fitness area.All of these fancy, state-of-the-art changes do come at a price.  There is a new, one-time membership fee of $30,000, which … (0 comments)

Controversial Larkspur Project Still At A Standstill - 11/25/07 11:48 AM
Who would think that a 16.8-acre former nursery site could be the source of controversy?  That is exactly what the city of Larkspur California has on its hands.  Larkspur is embroiled in a contentious residential housing project proposed for the site of the former Niven Nursery.  This project has already endured 8 years of discussion to get to this point.  Two nights of public hearings this month, with more slated for December, has left residents and the city council frustrated, but still hopeful that resolution can be reached.The residential project under discussion would include a minimum of 40 single-family and cottage-style … (0 comments)

Online Transaction Management - Success or Horror Stories? - 11/25/07 07:51 AM
Online Transaction Management Anyone? I was curious to find out if anyone has either evaluated or utilized online/web-based transaction tool such as those by Relay, Settlement Room, GuruNet or others.If you aren't familiar with these tools, you can find information here:RELAY INFO HERE: Relay Transaction Management SETTLEMENT ROOM INFO HERE: Settlement Room Transaction Management  GURURNET INFO HERE: GURUNET Transaction Management  If you have any experience with these types of tools (or others) I would be anxious to get feedback, both positive and negative. Thanks! … (8 comments)

65 degrees and sunny - but its snowing in San Rafael CA! - 11/24/07 07:23 AM
San Rafael California is not a place one would expect to find snow, even though its late November.     With the weather a sunny and cloud free, 65 degrees you may ask "how can this be"?
When you see snow in downtown San Rafael California (a town just north of San Francisco), you quickly realize that it can mean only one thing: The San Rafael Winter Wonderland & Parade of Lights has begun!
Each year, the city of San Rafael sponsors a community event which celebrates the joy of the holiday season.      This event usually starts the day after Thanksgiving and features a variety of family … (1 comments)

Put a Green Roof Over your Head - 11/22/07 04:05 PM
This weeks issue of Time Magazine has a nice little article entitled Need to Weed Your Roof which discusses the emerging trend of green, living roofs.   The article is sure to garner the attention of eco-concious buyers, including many of my clients who are looking for green homes in the San Francisco Bay Area.For those of you not familiar with this concept, the idea is to replace or supplement a traditional rooftop with a green one  which includes gardens, grasses, flowers and shrubs.    The rationale behind this "living roof" approach is to:
Minimize energy consumption by significantly reducing heat loss, Minimize air-conditioning … (1 comments)

Home Safety Tips - 11/21/07 04:51 PM
Every year thousands of people die from household related fires. Most of these tragedies are not caused by flames, but by inhalation of the toxic gases created by the fire.  The sad thing is that so many of these deaths are preventable.Last week I outlined some common sense safety guidelines. In addition to using common sense and following the safety guidelines that I discussed in my previous blog, every home should have smoke alarms and fire extinguishers on every floor of the house, and homes with rooms above ground level should have a secondary egress such as a ladder that can … (0 comments)

Median Home Price Soars In Marin County - 11/17/07 09:19 AM
Real estate is alive and well in Marin.  Although overall sales are down, the median home price for homes in Marin County is up.  In October 2006, the median price in Marin was $915,000 while the median price for a single-family home in October of this year is $978,000, an increase of nearly 7%.More good news is that sales volume is up slightly throughout the Bay Area as compared to last month, although it is still down from October of 2006. Marin County real estate continues to hold its own, with sales actually increasing slightly in several communities, including Corte Madera, … (2 comments)

Older Homes May Have A Hidden Fire Hazard - 11/14/07 12:58 PM
With winter rapidly approaching, I want to take a minute to remind everyone about fire safety, particularly if you live in an older home, have small children, or use a fireplace.  It isn’t something you necessarily think about in your daily routine, but Fire Administration statistics show that in the last ten years an average of 3,090 people lost their lives annually in residential fires; and another 15,340 people are injured annually.  So many of these tragedies are preventable. 
One often overlooked danger is the electrical system of  in homes built prior to the 1960s. Many older homes use fuse boxes … (0 comments)

Distressed in Marin - Novato Real Estate Leads County in Foreclosures - 11/05/07 02:17 PM
In Marin County foreclosure has pretty much been something that happens to someone else.  Not so any longer.  Hundreds of Marin homeowners are feeling the credit squeeze brought on by what sometimes feels like rampant foreclosure activity in the United States.  Compared to what you’ll find in other parts of the state and the nation, Marin’s problems are a drop in the bucket; nevertheless, foreclosure is happening in what has traditionally been a financially secure market.Although the overall Marin County real estate picture remains pretty stable – you’ll find that only about 5.5% of the properties on the Marin MLS represent … (0 comments)