Marin County Real Estate Market Blog | Marin Market Trends

By, Lisa Roberts

Are you unsure whether you can afford to buy a second home? A couple of signs will quickly tell you that you are financially ready and can afford it. Buying a second home is a big financial responsibility, and you must consider many things before you sign any papers. A good credit score, paying the utilities, and having an emergency fund are just some of the many things you need to consider before searching for your second home.

1.    You won’t have to rely on renting your second home out

To help reduce the costs of owning a second home, most people look into renting it out while they’re not using it. However, renting out your second home comes with specific responsibilities you need to consider first. When you rent your home…

226 Views, 0 Comments
Read Full Post

By, Lisa Roberts

If you’re planning to sell your home soon, you’re probably overwhelmed by the paperwork and preparation required. A disclosure document is a part of that paperwork that not many people remember. However, this document is important for both home buyers and sellers. As a seller, you are typically required to provide information about your home in a written document. There is a specific list of disclosures home sellers must make when selling a home.

In general, a disclosure document is supposed to contain information about a property's condition that can negatively affect its value. If a seller willfully conceals information, they can be sued and convicted of a crime.

This isn’t only meant for bad things, however. Since it also…

187 Views, 0 Comments
Read Full Post

By, Lisa Roberts

Trying to find a good home for yourself is complicated enough as it is. When you add a pet into the mix, things tend to get even more complicated. This is, of course, because you have to make sure the home is also suitable for them. Additionally, certain house features, such as carpets, are a very bad idea for pet owners. As such, pet owners need to pay special attention to the home-buying process in order to avoid mistakes. Also, keep in mind that certain animals also need certain conditions to live. To help you out with this, we’ve put together the pet owner’s guide to buying a home, and we hope you find it helpful.

Sturdy flooring

The fact is, pets can do a lot of damage to your flooring, and scratches are extremely common…

219 Views, 0 Comments
Read Full Post

By, Lisa Roberts

Starter homes are a great way to start your life as a homeowner. After all, they're typically much easier to take care of than forever homes and usually cheaper. However, they also come with fewer amenities and are generally much smaller. Still, a starter home is an excellent idea if you're a first-time homebuyer, no matter how you look at it. But, because of the fewer amenities, you need to know what to look for when buying a starter home. So, to help you out, we have put together a list of things to look for when buying a starter home, and we hope it helps you find the right home for you.

Condition

The first thing to look for when buying a starter home is its condition. Why? Well, the last thing you want is your first week…

241 Views, 0 Comments
Read Full Post

If you’re looking to sell your home this summer, you already know the current housing market is like the Wild West. Properties are commanding higher prices than ever before, and buyers are paying them. But what if you need to do a little sprucing up before you list your home? Studies show that buyers want properties that support sustainability and energy efficiency. So, to be competitive on the market, increase the value of your home, and get the best bang for your buck, you might consider going green. Check out these tips to help get you started.

Install Energy-Efficient Lighting

One of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to increase your home’s market value (and save you some money on energy bills) is installing LED lighting. Beyond using…

295 Views, 0 Comments
Read Full Post

 





 

Moving yourself or a relative into assisted living involves making a number of big decisions. Included in these decisions is what to do with your major assets, especially your home. You want to make the right choice, but there are so many options to consider and factors that influence whether you should keep the home vacant, gift it to family, sell it, or rent it to tenants. Marin Real Estate explores each option to help make this decision a little easier for you.

Assisted Living Facilities vs. Nursing Homes

First you need to understand the differences  between assisted living and staying in a nursing home. You may need to move to a skilled nursing facility if you require 24/7 care for a medical issue. Look online to find…

211 Views, 0 Comments
Read Full Post

Simple home upgrades can go a long way when you want to sell your house. Certain upgrades will attract buyers quickly if you’re looking to sell in the near future or down the line. While home upgrades usually require a lot of involvement, there are many simple ones you can do yourself. Most people will tell you that extensive upgrades or remodels are the way to go, but you can add as much value with more minor upgrades. Arguably, sometimes small touches add more to a home than extensive upgrades. To prove this to you, we’ve put together a list of simple home upgrades that add value.

Paint the interior

A fresh coat of paint is a great way to attract the attention of buyers, so the best time to paint is right before selling so that your home looks…

602 Views, 0 Comments
Read Full Post

Your backyard is a blank slate where you can design a recreational area to fit your family’s needs. And, with a bit of elbow grease, you can make the best use of your space by going beyond a pool and a basketball goal.

Marin Real Estate offers today’s tip for families ready to make their backyard space an amazing place.

 Lawn Preparation

Before you get started on any type of backyard makeover, make sure that your yard is smooth and level. Having a stable and well-graded backyard is the best way to avoid pooling water and uneven surfaces, which can cause concrete and other materials to split open and erode. Lawn care grading can get expensive, however, so spend some time getting quotes and looking for companies that have deals on the services…

192 Views, 0 Comments
Read Full Post

Selling a home can be a complicated and time-consuming task. Most homeowners want to make their homes look appealing to buyers, but preparing for showings might not be as easy as they think. Fortunately, there are some strategies that you can use to make the process smoother. For instance, you can rent a self-storage unit and make your life easier. But how could self-storage help you sell your home? Well, we have all the answers written below. So keep reading to see how self-storage is a must when you want to make your home sale a success.

Self-storage keeps your home clean.

When you have a large family, you have a lot of things in your house. Besides the common-use items, each family member has personal belongings that they keep for various…

189 Views, 0 Comments
Read Full Post

 

By, Katie Conroy

Maintaining a home and yard can eat up precious free time that could be spent on hobbies, exercise and social activities. Sizing down your belongings and reducing upkeep with a smaller house can add back time and save you money. Just make sure you think about your pet's current and future accommodations throughout your downsizing process. Read on for some tips from Marin Real Estate. 

Be Efficient

You probably have an idea of your budget and what you want in a new home, but before you start searching, reach out to your mortgage lender to get pre-approved. Lenders calculate your debt-to-income ratio to pinpoint how much you can realistically pay each month. You can calculate this by adding your existing monthly debt…

234 Views, 0 Comments
Read Full Post

What's Your Home Worth? Find out now, for Free.

Let's Go