marin: Corte Madera, Marin County, California - 02/16/07 02:06 AM
Corte Madera is best known for the two shopping malls right off of Highway 101. But the town, translated as "cut wood" in Spanish, has a lot going for it. Besides boasting a 22-acre park with tennis courts, two playgrounds, and recreation equipment, the town also has an historic village square and numerous biking paths.
The amenities as well as the area's central location, moderate home prices and taxes, friendly neighborhoods, and a good commute all help make Corte Madera a popular place to live. East Corte Madera is a flat, mostly ranch-style home area, including some properties that back up on the … (0 comments)

marin: Mill Valley Market Overview (Home Sales Report as of 2/14/07) - 02/14/07 10:16 AM
The Mill Valley market is somewhat fractured at present with no homes in escrow (as of the writing of this report) in the $900K to $1 million range.  This is simply an anomaly, however, as many of these homes are likely to sell in the near future and as we all know, the real estate market is always fluid.  It is also worth noting that there are no homes in Mill Valley under $700K and that the homes under $900K tend to be smaller, in poorer condition, in less desirable neighborhoods, and/or located on a steep hill, etc. 
The bread and … (1 comments)

marin: Novato Home Sales Market Overview - 02/13/07 01:51 AM
Overall, the market in Novato seems fairly typical, especially in the bread and butter price ranges (e.g., up to $800,000).  Nicely maintained and updated homes located in affordable neighborhoods with good schools (and which are priced correctly) are seeing multiple offers.  But, even with multiple offers, many times the winning bid (which is not always the highest bid) is for asking price or just above.  And if a home comes on the market at a price that does not represent good value to buyers, that home will likely face an extended marketing period.  Buyers are still in the driver's seat for … (0 comments)

marin: Sausalito's 8 Neighborhoods - 02/13/07 01:47 AM
Sausalito has eight neighborhoods: Old Town/Hurricane Gulch, Wolfback Ridge, The Hill, New Town, Monte Mar Vista/Toyon Terrace, Spring Street Valley, The Marinship and Nevada Street Valley.
Old Town/Hurricane GulchOld Town/Hurricane Gulch extends from the southern City limits to North Street and Cable Roadway to the north. It is the oldest part of the City and is characterized by a mix of single family, duplex and multiple family units, with many small dwellings and rental units. Newer, larger units are located on steeper slopes. Easiest commute to San Francisco. 
Wolfback RidgeThe Wolfback Ridge area is a very low density hillside and ridgeline residential neighborhood, … (1 comments)

marin: Kyle Frazier’s Best Home Pick For Marin County, California (2/9/07) - 02/09/07 05:02 AM
Each week I select one home that was on brokers' tour in Marin County, California, which I feel really stands out (e.g., winning criteria may include value, unique location, desirable or unusual architectural properties, views, or some other striking feature).  These are NOT my listings, but rather ones that I truly and objectively think have something very unique to offer. 
This week's pick:
47 Stonetree Lane, Novato 
This delightful home is priced at $2,270,000 and has 4 beds and 3.5 baths, with about 3,500 sq. ft.  It is my pick of the week because it is the only one-level home in Renaissance. … (0 comments)

marin: Sausalito, Marin County, California - 02/09/07 04:33 AM
Sausalito, named by a Spanish explorer for the little willows, or saucelitos, growing along its shores, always has been a vibrant area. In the 1800s, the area was known as Whaler's Harbor, and sailors and whalers flocked to the port for its safe harbor, saloons, bordellos and gaming houses. After its incorporation in 1893, the town became a major ferry and railway center, and then a shipyard during World War II.
Through the 1960s, Sausalito carved an enduring reputation as the bohemian haunt of artists, writers, actors, poets, and others who spent their time on waterfront houseboats. Today, Sausalito is a … (0 comments)

marin: San Anselmo, Marin County, California - 02/08/07 12:40 PM
San Anselmo, once the county's railroad hub, is larger than many of its neighbors (like Fairfax and Ross), but retains a small-town charm. The self-proclaimed "Antiques Capital of Northern California,'' San Anselmo has about 130 antique dealers, as well as bookstores, coffee shops, boutiques, and restaurants along San Anselmo Avenue next to Creek Park. It has a lots of nice restaraunts and is a lovely place to spend afternoons.  Homes are older and smaller than those in nearby Ross. Larger lots grace some hill areas. Five roads converge through The Hub, with Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and The Miracle Mile jamming … (0 comments)

marin: Tiburon, Marin County, California - 02/06/07 04:14 AM
Spanish adventurers called it Punta de Tiburon "Shark Point," but today the former working-class railroad town at the end of the Tiburon Peninsula is a trendy, wealthy community with tennis and yacht clubs, parks, bike paths, and a wildlife sanctuary. Many homes have stunning views of the San Francisco Bay, Richardson Bay and Mount Tamalpais. Blackie's Pasture, along Tiburon Boulevard on the way into town, is a former pasture that now includes a walking/biking trail and playgrounds, as well as soccer fields and a gazebo.Housing and EducationAlong with neighboring Belvedere, Tiburon is graced by some of the most expensive homes in … (0 comments)

marin: Larkspur, Marin County, California - 02/06/07 04:07 AM
If developer Charles Wright's wife knew her plants, this picturesque Central Marin town would be called Lupine. Mrs. Wright, whose husband helped to incorporate the town at the turn of the century, admired the fields of what she thought were larkspur plants blooming near her new homestead, and named the village Larkspur. Most of the town lies inland, but the part that fronts the water is home to the county's largest ferry terminal, as well as a metal sculpture of Sir Francis Drake. Larkspur shares schools and a police department with Corte Madera and together they make up the Twin Cities. … (0 comments)

marin: Mill Valley, Marin County, California - 02/06/07 03:56 AM
Mill Valley sits in the shadow of Mount Tamalpais and has a charm all its own. Besides the quaint downtown, home to antique stores, bookstores, a theater, nightclub, art gallery, coffee shops, and the Depot Bookstore cafe, Mill Valley offers hiking and biking trails, a dog run, a nine-hole public golf course, and the annual Dipsea foot race. For those with an artistic bent, there's a noted film festival every fall, as well as an outdoor arts fair, festival of wine and Memorial Day crafts festival in Bayfront Park.Housing and EducationPrices in Mill Valley tend toward the high side, but condominiums … (0 comments)

marin: San Rafael, Marin County, California - 02/06/07 03:50 AM
San Rafael became Marin's first city in 1874. Franciscans founded Mission San Rafael Archangel at the foot of San Rafael Hill, the 20th of California's 21 missions in the early 1800's. A replica of the mission stands at St. Raphael's Church. More than 52,000 residents make their home in the county seat, the commercial, cultural and governmental center of Marin. Just 17 miles north of San Francisco and surrounded by wooded, grassy hillsides and the bay, about one-third of the city's 17 square miles is open space. East of the Marin County Civic Center, Frank Lloyd Wright's architectural enigma (pictured to the … (0 comments)

marin: Novato, Marin County, California (Profile) - 02/06/07 02:28 AM
Novato is the northernmost town in Marin County, California.  It has a rich history and began as Rancho de Novato, a Spanish land grant given in 1839 to Fernando Feliz. per. Olompali State Historical Park just north of the city is where a panorama of history unfolds in a single afternoon. It's named for a key Miwok settlement, the location of the only battle of the Bear Flag Revolt leading to California's statehood, the setting for Marin's first formal garden, and a hippie commune in the 1960s.
Incorporated in 1960, Novato is Marin's fastest-growing city, embracing new residential development and commerce. Novato's latest … (1 comments)

marin: Marin County, California Absorption Rates Very Low - 02/03/07 04:46 AM
Marin County, California sits just north of San Francisco (across the Golden Gate Bridge) and boasts some of the most dramatic and expensive homes in the Bay Area.  Homes in Marin (Mill Valley, Sausalito, Tiburon, Belvedere, Ross, Kentfield, San Anselmo, San Rafael, Greenbrae, Corte Madera, Larkspur, and Novato) are not entirely immune to the effects of rising interest rates and the overwhelming barrage of mostly negative media coverage of the "state-of-the-market."  But, prices seem to have stabilized and sales seem to be on the rise as the year wears on, based on anecdotal evidence and early observations.  I will report on the … (0 comments)

marin: Punxsutawney Phil—May the Buying Season Begin! - 02/02/07 09:48 AM
Today, Punxsutawney Phil (my favorite groundhog), predicted an early spring.  We all know what that means!  Let the home buying begin!   Today even felt a little like Spring around here....  I love Marin!!!  In fact, I may go out and buy something myself--after all, prices are as good as they are likely to get. 
… (1 comments)

marin: $1.5 Trillion Worth of 3 & 5 Year ARMs Resetting in 2007 - 02/02/07 08:40 AM
I've written about this before.  It is a scary scenario.  According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, about $1.5 trillion in adjustable mortgages are due to have their rates reset this year. Now that it looks like the Federal Reserve will not lower interest rates anytime soon, many already cash-strapped homeowners/borrowers will soon see the 3 & 5 year fixed intermediate ARM loans (they took out during the real estate boom years of 2002-2005) adjust upward in rate. For many, there will be few options available. 
Although increased foreclosures and defaults are already being reported in the press, so far most local markets like … (1 comments)

marin: California Foreclosures - 01/25/07 01:29 AM
A recent article in Inman notes foreclosures are at an 8-year high in California.  As noted the default rate increases about two years after the loans were made and that we are entering that period for the high water mark period for prices (at least in Marin County).  It will be interesting to see whether all those exotic loans come back and revisit us as foreclosures in the coming years and whether prices drop as a result.  Many industry analysts with whom I have spoken have identified California's Central Valley and Inland Empire (e.g., east of L.A.) as possible hot spots … (2 comments)

marin: Marin County--Number of Homes For Sale & Price Ranges - 01/24/07 02:39 PM
The following is a brief rundown of the number of homes for sale in Marin County, California, as of January 24, 2007, along with the price ranges for each town:
Marin Single Family Homes
 
As is evident, except for Mill Valley, San Rafael and Novato (of course, these are Marin's largest cities), there is very low inventory county-wide (especially in Kentfield and Larkspur).  San Anselmo has added nine homes to its inventory in the past three weeks.  The largest spread in price range belongs (again) to Corte Madera as the Bill Graham Estate on 11 acres remains Marin's highest priced active listing-please call … (1 comments)

marin: Marin County Buyers Jumping Off The Bubble - 01/21/07 01:06 AM
In Marin County, over the past few weeks and back as far as mid-November, more and more buyers have made their move and written offers on homes they feel represent good value.  Many of them are bubble sitters who stood back over the past year to see where the chips were going to fall (e.g., hoping prices would fall precipitously). 
Over the past two weeks, anecdotal evidence shows that buyers are confident that prices have found their bottom.  Two modest homes in Tiburon, which were priced to sell, got multiple offers (3 and 5 offers, respectively).  This trend is also being seen in Belvedere, Mill Valley, Larkspur, Greenbrae, … (0 comments)

marin: Mill Valley--Marin, California - 01/20/07 02:09 AM
Mill Valley sits just north of the Golden Gate bridge.  Because of this location and easy commute, it is widely considered one of the most desirable towns to live in for those who work and play in San Francisco.  And there is lots to love.  Of course, the schools are great and there is very little crime.  In addition, it is home to a lovely downtown area with lots of shops, restaurants, services, and an old cinema sits right across the street from where I got married.  Muir Woods, Mount Tamalpais' hiking trails, and beaches are just minutes away, as is … (0 comments)

marin: Lucas Valley--San Rafael, Marin, California - 01/19/07 06:33 AM
Lucas Valley, which is an upscale area of San Rafael (in Marin County, California) sits between Terra Linda and Marinwood.  It is also home to George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch.  Homes in the area over the past six months have generally sold in the $800,000 to $1,000,000 range and up.  Great schools, low crime, proximity to open space, and a good commute all provide a strong incentive for families and retirees alike.  The commute to San Francisco is good and will be improved once work on HWY 101 is completed in 2008 (widening the highway to allow for a commute lane to run through Marin County). 
If … (0 comments)

 
Kyle Frazier, Kyle Frazier , CRS & Marin CA Realtor (Christie's Great Estates | Pacific Union International)

Kyle Frazier

Kyle Frazier , CRS & Marin CA Realtor

Mill Valley, CA

More about me…

Christie's Great Estates | Pacific Union International

Office: (415) 448-1118

Mobile: (415) 350-9440

Real Estate information about Marin County, California--Mill Valley, Sausalito, Tiburon, Belvedere, Corte Madera, Larkspur, Greenbrae, Kentfield, Ross, San Anselmo, San Rafael, and Novato. Community descriptions, sales information, and more.


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