Marin Market Update 
Market update for Marin County real estate buyers and sellers. Find out how home sales are doing in Marin, California.
There are currently 93 blog entries related to this category.
First Time Home Buyer Questions #1: Why has that property not sold? Is there something wrong with it?
Tuesday, January 31st, 2012 at 12:43pm. 98 Views, 0 Comments.
First Time Home Buyer Questions: Part 1
Anyone who maintains a blog or has ever written an article for a blog eventually faces the question - What should I write about?
The best piece of advice I received from the countless webinars I attended on blogging was - Write about the subjects you talk about, email about and discuss every day with your clients and friends. As Realtors, we entertain questions about the market, the process, the community and even our jobs every day. It's awesome and one of my favorite parts of being a Realtor - sharing information.
If you have questions, especially the ones you aren't asking because you think they are stupid - you are not alone (and your questions are not stupid). The Real Estate/lending…
Financing for Foreign Nationals and U.S. Citizens Living Overseas
Tuesday, January 24th, 2012 at 10:10pm. 149 Views, 1 Comments.
Although never a mainstream lending program for residential properties, many of the larger national banks used to offer loans for foreign nationals. Amid the major setbacks experienced by the housing and financial sectors over the past few years, most of these loan programs were discontinued. Nowadays, even U.S. citizens living abroad have a tough time securing financing and most foreign nationals eligible for any level of financing will find themselves obligated to put down at least 50% of a property's purchase price. Fortunately, lining-up financing for overseas citizens has improved dramatically and qualified foreign nationals can now secure excellent financing (up to $5 million) with down payments as low as 10%.
With interest rates…
Marin Eichler Homes Market Summary for 2011
Friday, January 13th, 2012 at 1:15pm. 1385 Views, 1 Comments.
With a new year upon us, I wanted to provide fellow Eichler fans with a quick look back at the real estate market for our homes in Marin.
In 2011, a total of 50 Eichler Homes were sold in Marin County and I was proud to once again finish the year as the #1 Agent in Marin County for Eichler Home Sales. As a listing agent, my Eichler listings sold on average for 99% of their asking price in just 57 days. Eichler Homes that were not listed by me on average sold for only 93% of their asking price and took considerably longer (97 days) to sell.
Looking closer at 2011 Eichler sales in Marin, all sales occurred in San Rafael (with the exception of one custom-built Eichler home in Kentfield which sold for $1,600,000 and is…
Increased FHA limit to $729,750 - greater purchase power with less money down
Tuesday, January 10th, 2012 at 10:18pm. 172 Views, 0 Comments.
In a welcome reversal to loan limit reductions of $625,500 that were imposed on FHA, high balance, and super conforming loans on October 1, 2011, the FHA increased its high balance limits in mid-November to the former threshold of $729,750. The increased FHA limit should be effective throughout 2012, however both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s high balance and super conforming products currently remain fixed to the lower amount.
The FHA’s higher limit of $729,750 affords borrowers superb financing, especially long-term, fixed pricing with 30-year mortgages currently around 4.0%. In contrast, the conventional high balance and super conforming loans, which cap out at $625,500, have rates of .125% to .25% higher. And, as soon as…
2012: Is Now the Time to Buy a Home in Marin?
Sunday, January 8th, 2012 at 7:37pm. 151 Views, 0 Comments.
Many of our clients have a New Year's Resolution which includes "Buying a New Home in 2012" however I know many folks are still uncertain about the market. For those curious about the overall real estate market and whether or not now might be a good time to jump-in, I'd encourage you to preview the following articles which just ran in this past weeks USA Today.
If you just want the Cliff Notes, here goes:
- Rents are dramatically increasing (double-digit increases throughout the Bay Area),
- Mortgage Rates are at record lows
- Unemployment rates are the lowest they’ve been in 3 years (note: Marin County consistently has the lowest unemployement rates throughout California)
You can read the full articles here:
- Apartment rents heading…
Marin Real Estate Forecast for 2012
Sunday, January 1st, 2012 at 7:34pm. 182 Views, 0 Comments.
I don't have a crystal ball and would never be so presumptuous as to predict the future. Instead I'll defer to the expert, Karl Case, co-creator of the Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller Home Price Index, considered the Dow Jones Industrial average of real estate.
In a recent article in the New York Times, it said the relentless decline in the Case-Shiller home price index since the financial crisis has many experts predicting a further decline in home values in 2012. "People are discouraged and fearful," Mr. Case said. "They thought home prices would never go down and now they think they'll never go up." Even though home prices on average are where they were in 2003, Mr. Case thinks the data masks signs that point to recovery.
The…
House Hunting for Your Perfect Home in Marin County-I will help you remember!
Thursday, December 8th, 2011 at 5:21pm. 155 Views, 0 Comments.
You live in a cacophony of sounds, from city streets to your own old house. Over time, you live your life and get used to it, letting the chaos blend into the background of your life as you tune out that which takes over your senses of distraction, and instead keep the melodious qualities that bring music to your ears.
It might be difficult to comprehend--having put up with this for so long, but it is possible to find a new home that brings your dreams to life, so that you are left with peace and nothing short of a smile.
House hunting can range from scary, as you feel the need to fit in a major change in your life, to exhilarating when you hear the new sounds, feel new textures and try on your new dream in your…
Low Inventory of Homes for Sale in Marin County - What that means for Buyers and Sellers
Monday, December 5th, 2011 at 7:18pm. 161 Views, 0 Comments.
The second Monday of each month Marin County realtors meet at the Aqua Hotel in Mill Valley to pitch new and upcoming listings and to share market stats and trends. It's a chance to get a "feet on the ground" perspective of what agents are seeing and hearing at all price points and in all geographic areas.
Below are a few statistics, trends and observations that were noted at the meeting:
- October 2011 had the highest number of sales since May 2007 (a year before the market went over the cliff)
- Very Low inventory - currently a little over 3 months of inventory (inventory has been down over 30% in 2011 compared to 2010)
- Multiple offers are increasingly common according to many of the realtors. (In the past month I received…
Marin Real Estate Update | Single-Family Home Market Up October 2011
Saturday, November 19th, 2011 at 4:40pm. 145 Views, 0 Comments.
October is often seen as the beginning of the slow period in real estate. Not so in Marin County. Single-family home sales were up in October 2011. There were 157 homes sold this year as compared to 152 in October of 2010 according to the Marin IJ. Prices of Marin single-family homes were also up October 2011 versus October 2010. The median price for single-family homes sold during this period rose from $740,000 to $749,000.
Condo sales also increased in October from 39 sold last year to 49 closed in 2011, which is a 25.6% increase. However, the median price for condos sold in October 2011 fell from $350,000 to $325,000 or a 7.14% decrease. This can be attributed to the number of distressed condos in Marin County.…
Public Storage Options in Marin County
Saturday, October 15th, 2011 at 8:35am. 255 Views, 1 Comments.
Perhaps you are preparing to move to another home locally or across the country. Maybe you are about to embark on a major remodel of your home and need to move much of your belongings out for a fixed period of time. Another scenario finds you getting ready to sell your home. You've selected a realtor, met with the stager and you need to make way for some important staging and accessorizing of your main living areas. Your garage is already packed to the gills so what exactly are your options?
The public storage options in Marin County are varied, flexible and quite affordable. They are designed to meet every conceivable need whether you've already identified it or are still trying to sort it all out. The important…