September 2010

San Anselmo is becoming more and more popular with buyers looking for that Marin town that "has it all". The town itself is small with unique shops, renowned antiques, boutiques and galleries with a wonderful choice of restaurants. The neighborhood is easily accessible to San Francisco with easy access to the freeway and has some of the best schools in the county with numerous playgrounds, parks and outdoor activities scattered throughout the area. There are certain neighborhoods within San Anselmo that offer choices of homes for every need and budget. Sleepy Hollow has larger lots and is close to open space, horseback riding and cycling facilities. There are several homes there that cater to  the  high end luxury market with gorgeous grounds.  The

For the purpose of this conversation,  I am calling a high end luxury home any home over $2 million. Marin County has a wide variety of choices in  luxury homes to fix every need, lifestyle, and pocketbook. Currently, there are 343 luxury homes on the market to choose from, with the majority of those being in Belvedere, Tiburon, Mill Valley,  Kentfield and Ross. If you want views and a closer proximity to  San Francisco, then Belvedere, Tiburon and Mill Valley are your best bets. If you want warmer weather and larger lots, then Kentfield and Ross are where you want to look. The public  schools are excellent in all of these areas  and there are also some excellent choices of private schools within the county.

Out of the 343 luxury homes on the market, 18

We’re one week past Labor Day and Marin is back into full swing. Kids are back in school, most vacations are over, and traffic is jamming again. Just this week 107 new homes have been put on the market, increasing inventory to just over 1600. That dropped our homes in escrow by 2% from a month ago to 23%. The good news is that in the last 3 months, 705 homes have sold at an average price of $925k. If you deduct the 200 condos that sold, the average price of a single family was $1,040,000.

So where do we go from here? The lowest interest rates we have ever seen and the tax breaks are a huge factor in buying activity, but yet there is something else. The New York Times just featured an article  “A Dream House After All” in which they say that

11 Forrest Ave., San Anselmo

$999,950

Light and airy contemporary home in pristine condition. Private setting, high ceilings and an inviting open floor plan. The interior architecture incorporates angles to provide a sense of openness. Multiple windows draw the eye to the hillside views and fill the rooms with direct and indirect sunlight. Outside, exquisite landscaping, decks, patio and privacy.

A home of quality, located in the flats of San Anselmo, in a central and convenient location, near playground, high school and downtown San Anselmo and Fairfax. It is rare for a home with such a combination of feaures to come on the market.

• Three Bedrooms, Two And One Half Baths
• Approx. 2065 Square Feet
• Open Floor Plan Living Room, Dining Room and