Nestled in the hills of desirable Gerstle Park; this almost new, immaculate bungalow with bay, bridge and city view; is a rare find. Walk up the stairs to the tiled front deck framed by gorgeous surrounding views.
The glass front wood door welcomes you while allowing sunshine into this sweet and compact but high efficient home.
Small but cleverly designed kitchen has slate tile floor, granite counter, stainless steel appliances, spotlights, under counter lighting and ample storage. There is a breakfast area and an adjacent granite top breakfast bar/workstation combination.
Cozy living room with dramatic fireplace set the stage. Huge picture windows bring in plenty of sunlight and the gorgeous surrounding views. Gleaming hardwood floors throughout; exposed wood beam ceilings add much warmth and charm to the home.
Slat tiles in entry way and kitchen. Double pane windows with shutter blinds frame gorgeous distant bay, bridge, and city views. Enjoy the view while observing deer right at home outside the master bedroom windows. 2nd bedroom has access to the backyard. Side deck outside of master bedroom is accessible through the door next to the kitchen.
Small courtyard sanctuary provides a peaceful place to gather. Level side yard to enjoy the view. Side and backyard attract wildlife from surrounding hills.
Centrally located with easy access to downtown San Rafael shops, restaurants, 101 and 580 freeways to east bay and the city. Award winning schools.
MARIN, SONOMA, S.F. BAY AREA REAL ESTATE - Beveldere, Corte Madera, Greenbrae, Kentfield, Larkspur, Marinwood, Mill Valley, Novato, San Anselmo, San Rafael, Sausalito, Tiburon; Cotati, Penngrove, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa. Starter Home to Luxury Property. REO (Bank Owned), Short Sale, View Homes, Architecural Distictive Homes. Investment, 1031 Exchange. Chinese Realtor.
I have never be 'IN' the Novato July 4th parade before. A few times I was there, I was a bystander, watching for my then young sons marching down Old Town Grant Avenue as part of Novato Summer Music Institute Marching Band. It was fun watching them, but I had never be IN one before.
Yesterday, I got the taste of actually being in the Parade while riding the truck with the Penguin Empire Robotics Team (San Marin High School Robotics Club). I have to say that it was a lot of fun riding with the students, pretending that I was helping (they knew exactul what to do). and waving to the bystanders (now that I am in it, might as well enjoy the parade!)
The parade drew record entries and recrod crowds presumably the difficutl economy kept a lot of people home during the summer; but being in Marin for the summer can not be considered a hardship, I have to say.
There were over 200 entries; including the perennial entry of tleet of antique tanks and military vehicles (a private collection), basset hound parade (yes, hundreds of them and their proud owners), MY personal favorite Pini Hardware Plunger Brigade, this year, with an automatic toilet built by Penguin Empire adviser Mike Sousa (I think Pini Hardware did the garbage can routine one year), many student groups - the Novato Summer Institute, Five Charming Lads from San Marin, San Marin Jazz Choir, Marin Summer Theater, Novato Unified School District, Various Novato schools and Novato School Fuel thanking Novato for passing Measure A+ for Kids campaign, dace clubs, Taken do clubs, anti-tax protesters, archers, musketeers, Coast Guard Strike Team, and much more.
It's also fun to see so many friends and neighbors out there watching and enjoying the parade. Novato, a town of 50K+ population, a lay-back and very friendly town can seem so small and personal where we seem to know and care about everybody!
Oh, not to forget about the Penguin Empire Team - the students did great and the crowd were awed by the awesome robot whenever we stop. The students remotely controlled the robot, drove it down the ramp, performed a couple of routines (unfortunately, due to the crowd, we were not able to show the full potential of the robot) and drove it back up the float. The crowds were quite enthusiastic about the robot and the team :-)
Here are a few picturs to share with you (sorry, I was too busy to be IN the parade, and did not take as many pictures as I would have liked!)
Come and check out these fabulous new homes in a small new community of 9 homes on Olive Court. Back up to provately owned open space and centrally located, these 9 new homes boasts same architectual details and top-of-the-line constructions, materials such as those in Olive Ridge with added convenience of close to downtown Novato, Trader Joes, future Whole Foods, and SMART Train stations.
Homes are single story homes and two story homes. One will come with a pool. Homes have granite slab counters, glass tiled backsplash, stainless steel appliances, beautiful cabinets, recessed and decorative lightning, cathedral ceilings, beautiful fireplaces, hand rubbed hardwood floors, build-in cabinets in family room, central heat and central air conditioner; GREEN FEATURES and much more...
OPEN SUNDAY 1-4PM.
COME AND CHECK OUT THESE HOMES AND THE UNBELIEVABLE BRAND NEW PRICES!
3 OLIVE COURT A PLAN $899,000
2,840 sf living space (approx)
11,204 sf lot (approx)
Single Story 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths
Office/Hobby Room
19 foot ceilings in living room
2 car garage
Centrail Air Conditioning
19 OLIVE COURT, C PLAN, $999,999
3,444 sf interior space (approx)
9,369 sf lot (approx)
5 bedrooms, 4 baths
butler's pantry
Backs up to Open Space
3 Car tandem garage
Centrail Air Conditioning
27 OLILVE COURT, C PLAN, $999,000
3,444 sf interior space (approx)
9,632 sf lot (approx)
5 bedrooms, 4 baths
Butler's pantry
Backs up to Open Space
3 Car tandem garage
Central Air Conditioning
CHECK OUT SOME INTERIOR PICTURES OF THE HOMES - BUT NOTHING BEATS COMING OUT AND SEE THEM FOR YOURSELVES!!!
ARTIST RENDERING OF THE ESTABLISHED NEW OLIVE COURT COMMUNITY
I always learn great things from my Rotary Club's (Rotary Club of Novato Sunrise) meeting - words of wisdom, kind deeds, great none-profit organizations, wonderful things people do for others all out of the goodness of their hearts; the down to earth approach, the selflessness in all, the good wills, the hope, and the future.
This past Tuesday was no exception.
While presenting 'Thought of the Day'; our past president, Bill Bell, recited the following, which I think is so true in today's environment, and thought it'd be beneficial for ALL of US to listen to the timeless wisdom again!
Abraham Lincoln, when establishing the Republican Party said:
"You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away people's initiative and independence.
You cannot help people permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves"
There was much holding up of Abraham Lincoln in the recent Presidential election. Perhaps all should reflect on Lincoln's words going forward as government policies and directions are debated and implemented.
As if planned to celebrate the beginning of the summer vacation and a brand new chapter for our youth in Marin (yes, this is graduation weekend), Marin county is the proud host of two fun, entertaining and educational events.
Both events celebrate the rich heritage and artistical talents of Marin county communities.
Being a community minded real estate company, my company, Frank Howard Allen Realtors is a proud supporter of two wonderful community events happening this weekend, June 13 and 14,
Make sure you click on the link for the entertainment lineups for both events. Many performing groups are homegrown, our local Marin Groups!
Novato Festival of Art, Wine & Music - our Novato Office is a sponsor of the 26th Annual Novato Art, Wine & Music Festival, which will take place in downtown Novato and features live music, a wine garden, arts and crafts booths and more.
The Italian Street Painting Festival - Join us along Children's Avenue at the Street Painting Festival in downtown San Rafael where we continue the tradition of photographing our youngest artists as they create their very own chalk masterpieces.
My friends. Margaret and Tim Buss have always participated in the Street Painting Fetival. Margaret's speciality is the 'triangle' technique (see painting on the left). This year, their son, Lawrence and his girl friend, Alex will follow the parents' footstep. I look forward to see what the younger generation comes up with tomorrow.
(Word of Wisdom from your Realtor - In addition to REO (Bank Owned) properties, there are GREAT Deals out there if you look hard enough. I will be able to help you to find the best deal and best house in Marin and Sonoma county for you, Bank Owned or Not!Come back for a new Blog 'Tale of a Short Sale', about my client's latest Short Sale purchase, which hopefully I will be able to post within a day or two)
The towns included in this list are Marin County towns South Marin, Central Marin, North Marin and West Marin (yes, we even have a few in South, Central and West Marin). Specifically: Belvedere, Bolinas, Corte Madera, Dillon Beach, Fairfax, Greenbrae, Kentfield, Lagunitas, Larkspur, Mill Valley, Muir Beach, Nicasio, Novato, Marin County, Olema, Point Reyes Station, Ross, San Anselmo, San Geronimo, San Rafael, Sausalito, Stinson Beach, Tiburon, Tomales
Single Family Homes, Farms and Ranches are in one link; and Condos/Townhomes are in another link. Note that the link expires in 30 days (Per MLS rule).
It has been close to four months since I last (02/20/09) posted Marin REO proeprties - taking care of my clients tends to get in the way of posting online. However, never hestiate to email me if you need current info.
Many homes went into escrow since March for quite a few reasons: Obama Stimulus plan gave optimism in the market as a whole; first time homebuyers taking advantage of the up to $8,000 tax credit from the government, interest rate was the lowest (4.875% for 1 pt., 30 year conforming... although inching up) for a long time, consumers believe the market has hit the bottom (as evident by many multiple offers recently), lenders are open to loan modifications (we have heard quite a few successful loan modifications), short sales are getting easier to approve, less stress for buyers, and much more.
The most famous, but oh, so accurate line is: "The Bottom of the Market is hindsight" - You only find out you have reached (actually, passed) the bottom of the market is when you look back. Don't be the one who missed out on the opportunity.
Changes between 02/20/09 and 06/06/09! 103 Totals!
16 Active - Best Deal - Check out Sun Lane property in Novato; over 1/2 acre lot. Sold in 2004 in original condition for close to $900K. Gorgeous location in Pleasant Valley. The owner completely remodeled the house and the house is now a bank owned property for $629K - as another agent in my office said; this is a screaming deal!!!
READY TO BUY (or not quite yet?)Call your trusted Realtor to give you personalized updates... This is our profession and we should NEVER be TOO BUSY to help you!
Millworks Novato (going strong with a lot of interest -check with Sylvia to see)
Novato Real Estate Market started to pick up after the gloomy winter - Yes! (by the way, is there such a thing as gloomy winter in Marin? - we are so spoiled, when there are more than a drizzle and a little bit of wind, we complaint about the weather and then secretly congratulate ourselves for being in such a wonderful place - there is a premium there :-))
Thanks to the press, both prnt and online and yes, the Obama Stimulus plan, the buzz out there is this is a great time to BUY in Marin county. Finally, we have affordable prices (o.k. affordable is a relative term), but more affordable houses here in Marin.
The condo/townhome cotinue to pick up pace, as well as the below $500K single family homes. These are the ones that went thru the worst downturn and were the ones who led the short sale / foreclosure pact, but are now being recognized as the best purchases in town.
Many former renters find it costs them less to own than to rent; in the mean time, they are able to enjoy the write offs from owning a home.
That buzz drives the market right above it to go up. 'Starter' homes up to $700,000 saw across board increases in % Pending. Being able to sell the condos and entry level homes means they can also move upward.
This allows the $500K - $700K homes to see the biggest surge in % pending.
The $800K and up range still lag behind - many are waiting for lenders to come up with the policy for Super Jumbo (between $625K and $729K) pricing structore. Other move up buyers have their homes on market, are relunctant to 'buy contingenty upon sale' are hoping to sell and move into upper end houses here in Novato.
Overall inventory starts to climb, as we expect it to be in Spring. Homes for sale went up 25 homes, from 305 to 330 in a month (March to April). With the slower release of foreclosures, the inventory is not growing as much as we thought it would.
Make Sure You are not waiting for the 'bottom' of the market. Remember, that is always hindside, by the time you look back, the bottom has already came and went.
Call Sylvia now to discuss the market and the trend, get familiar with the buying process, and start hunting. It's never too late to get ready.
Give me a call at (415) 717-0293 or email me at sylvia@SylviaSellsMarin.com for inventories on the market, whether REO, Trust Sale, start home, luxury homes.. I will be very happy to find the best house / investment property for you!
In order to stimulate purchases of newly constructed homes as well as encouraging home ownership; the State of California has issued a (up to) $10,000 tax credit for homebuyers of new contruction properties.
Here are the details of the plan:
1) This credit only applies to new homes that will be used as a primary residence and is limited to the first 10,000 new home purchases.
2) The credit is for $10,000 or 5% of the home's price, whichever is less.
3) There is no down payment requirement to receive the $10,000 tax credit.
4) There are no maximum income limitations so any buyer purchasing a new home can qualify.
5) The $10,000 tax credit is just that, a credit, not a loan, so if the home remains your primary residence for two years, you do not have to pay any portion of the tax credit back. If you sell the home in less than two years, then it has to be paid back at time of sale.
6) The new home cannot be located outside of the United States and it cannot be inherited property or a gift.
A controversial project due to the sheer size, the location and what it is and what it is not (a bit vague? Ask me!), Millworks Novato had it's grand opening today (April 25th). What a pleasant surprise the development is!
As a Novato resident and a Realtor; although I missed the design, approval phases of the project; I, as many Novatans, have watched with great interest and concerns in the progress of the building. Today, I got to tour Millworks with my friend, Barbara. We came away quite impressed!
Millworks - According to the developer, Millworks Novato is "Nestled among the North Bay's rolling hills landscape, charming Old Town Novato is the home to Millworks, and environmentally sustainable and pedestrian-friendly new home community".
Millworks Novato
The building, sits atop the coming-soon Whole Foods, located at the east end of Old Town Novato, consists of 124 flats and townhomes. The homes are designed to be a combination of 1 bedroom/1 bath, 2 bedrooms/2 baths flats and 2 bedrooms/2 baths plus Den Flats.
Amentities - Other than a few larger units on selected locations; first and second floors are mostly for Whole Foods and parking for Whole Foods and third floor is mostly for residents parking. In addition, there is a library, a fitness center and a social room for gatherings.
'Roof Garden - Living Roof' on 4th Floor
Roof Garden - One of the Millworks' most unique design is the rooftop garden on the 4th floor where the interior units all have patios on the ‘Roof Garden'. This Living Roof - centrally located with open sky courts - have living gardens and flag stone patiors, gives the 4th floor residents a sense of being on the ground floor which is a very appealing, surprising feature!
Views Galore - For outdoor lovers, the floor to ceiling windows brings tons of sunshine and the breathtaking surrounding Novato hill views inside. I can only imagine how beautiful the night time views will be with the twinkling lights from the distance.
Kitchen and Living Room
The Interiors - Millworks have open floor plan where kitchen opens into living and dining rooms (area - depending on plan). Kitchens have granite slab counter tops, break fast bar, Bosch stainless steel, Energy Star appliances, Kohler sinks and faucets. Bathrooms have Kohler faucets, Marble slab counters and surrounds on bathtubs. Dual flush toilets conserve water. All units are equipped with air conditioners (although I always say that we really don't need that in Novato - the breeze from the ocean cools down most hot days by night). Schlage hardware, recessed lighting, sustainable flooring, cable ready.
Green Features at Millworks
Building and Living Green - Millworks is also designed with ‘Building Green' in mind as Sustainable is a big concern for environmental minded Marin Residents. The building is designed with
Money Saving features such as emergency efficiencies while determining the direction of the building (South facing), insulation grades, dual paned windows, doors, Energy Star appliances..
Preserving Health - such Cabinet doors are free of formaldehyde, none-toxic and low VOC Materials are used throughout
Environmentally Sustainable- Pre-engineered lumber, waste recycling during construction, Build-in recycling centers, sustainable flooring's and cross ventilation windows are some example of the environmentally friendly design.
The Units and Pricing - One Bedroom / One Bath unit (812 sf to 883sf) starts from the low $400,000s; Two Bedroom / Two Baths Flats (1260 sf to 1360 sf) starts from the mid $400,000s and the Two Bedrooms, Two Bath plus Den Falts (1452 sf to $1595sf) starts from the high $500,000.
HOA Fees - HOA fees ranging from $393 to $494 monthly. An interesting chart provided by Millworks compares HOA fee to the average single-family detached homowner's regular maintenance cost per year, and of course, Millworks HOA seems more reasonable according to the chart - email me if you are interested!
Keep in mind the price includes standard features, and any and all upgrades will be additional costs to the buyers.
As a baby boomer and looking forward, I thought this will be a great place to retire - low to no maintenance, single story (elevator up/down), walk to town, new, green building, etc. Having a Whole Foods downstirs works well also. However, as a young, single professional living in Chicago many years ago, I also enjoyed staying in downtown highrise for the amentities it provides (Millworks is not close to the 45th floor I was on before).
Releases - The current plan the developer has is to release 10 homes at a time while gauging the interest ,control inventory and proper pricing.
Interested in Checking out Millworks? - I enjoyed my visit to Millworks with Barbara. Let me know if this stirs up your curiosity. Please give me a call (415) 717-0293 or email me at sylvia@SylviaSellsMarin.comif you want to check out Millworks. I would love to come with you and get your input about the building that changed the face of Old Town Novato, For Better For Worse, and hopefully, since it's already here, we will make it "For Better' because that's the only way we can all benefit!
According to Kentfield Architect, Sarah Robinson, an Alumni of the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture; that Being Green is not just to tear down and build from scratch but it's about "Seeing the untapped potential that already exists." She said:"For us, sustainability is not just about making green consumer choices, but is a lifestyle of resourcefulness that honors inherent value and respects the natural world."
Sarah Robinson, was thrilled, when her house, nestled in the native redwood and oak woodlands of Mount Tamalpais in Kenfield, Marin County, California, earned the 'Most Sustainable Renovation' Award from the prestigious Metropolitan Home Magazine. www.Methome.com
Robinson's 1963 fixed-upper home incorporated the following winning features:
1) Retain and Expand upon the original mid-century contemporaries design. Robinson's usage of rich wood, glass, American clay plaster and copper echoed the 'sensual surfaces' from the outdoors. She also retained the original custom mahogany paneling and cabinetry.
2) Resourcefulness- Adding 1200sf space (office, family room, extra bedroom) blow the building allows Robins the retain the original footprint of the building. Large dormer captures light and provides views of outdoors
3) Usage of Reflective Surfaces Such as stainless steel, high gloss woods, glass cabinets, white ceilings makes the most of the natural light that streams into the space.
4) Reused 80% of the original building material and incorporated with recycled materials from other sources - including reuse of the redwood framing from the attic for additional trim, exterior siding and new kitchen dormer. She also bought the seconds from a local tile manufacturer (Heath Ceramics in Sausalito).
5) Incorporated the outside environment to be the primary decorative feature for the home by using 'floor-to-ceiling glass', adding skylights and creating a large dormer to bring the outside in.
6) Usage of Energy-Efficient Mechanical Systems Suchas soy-based form insulation, Eco-friendly American clay plaster, no-VOC paint and double-paned windows.
Footnote - I was contemplating about what to write for the RED HOT contest and my presentation to my Rotary Club about LEED and Local Green Buildings, when the Marin IJ Article about Local Architect, Sarah Robinson's winning design caught my eyes. This is an excellent, timely example of how to creat a "RED HOT" Eco-Friendly, Sustainable Home while thinking Creatively Outside of the Box.
The idea of not having to build an eCO-friendly building from scratch, using recycled, reused, local materials to avoid the commonly expensive GREEN features, which is the main concern in a heathy economy and a huge hinderance in the current dismal economy while creating stunning buildings in the process makes this RED HOT for me!
* The post incorporated information from Met Home and Marin Independent Journal. - a news article caught my eyes and just in time for the RED HOT entry!
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
I always learn great things from my Rotary Club's (
Abraham Lincoln, when establishing the Republican Party said:
Novato Festival of Art, Wine & Music - our Novato Office is a sponsor of the 26th Annual Novato Art, Wine & Music Festival, which will take place in downtown Novato and features live music, a wine garden, arts and crafts booths and more. 
My friends. Margaret and Tim Buss have always participated in the Street Painting Fetival. Margaret's speciality is the 'triangle' technique (see painting on the left). This year, their son, Lawrence and his girl friend, Alex will follow the parents' footstep. I look forward to see what the younger generation comes up with tomorrow. 
MARIN COUNTY BANK OWNED / REO / FORECLOSED HOMES
In order to stimulate purchases of newly constructed homes as well as encouraging home ownership; the State of California has issued a (up to) $10,000 tax credit for homebuyers of new contruction properties. 
A controversial project due to the sheer size, the location and what it is and what it is not (a bit vague? Ask me!), Millworks Novato had it's grand opening today (April 25th). What a pleasant surprise the development is!
According to Kentfield Architect, Sarah Robinson, an Alumni of the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture; that Being Green is not just to tear down and build from scratch but it's about "Seeing the untapped potential that already exists." She said:"For us, sustainability is not just about making green consumer choices, but is a lifestyle of resourcefulness that honors inherent value and respects the natural world."
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