Marin Area Index

Contact Peter & Karin Narodny

If you have any questions or need more detailed information, please feel free to contact us via phone at 415.935.3287 or fill out the form to let us know how we can help with your real estate needs.

Office Location 511 Sir Francis Drake, Blvd,
Greenbrae, CA 94904
Phone: (415) 925-3287
Fax: (415) 461-5414

Marin First-Time Home Buyer Guide

Over the past 30 years we have worked with hundreds of first time home buyers and our advice and guidance has garnered a 98% retention rate on all first-time clients. Many of these steps below are very similar to our “Home Buying Process” section but they are even more important for first time buyers. Please contact us for more individual specific information: 

Obtain Pre-Qualification: Meet with a mortgage broker and find out how much you can afford to pay for a home.

Obtain Pre-Approval: While knowing how much you can afford is the first step, sellers will be much more receptive to potential buyers who have been pre-approved. You'll also avoid being disappointed when going after homes that are out of your price range. With Pre-Approval, the buyer actually applies for a mortgage and receives a commitment in writing from a lender. This way, assuming the home you're interested in is at or under the amount you are pre-qualified for, the seller knows immediately that you are a serious buyer for that property. Costs for pre-approval are generally nominal and lenders will usually permit you to pay them when you close your loan.
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Affordable Marin Homes

All Listings Under $400,000 $400,000 - $600,000
$600,000 - $800,000 $800,000 - $1,000,000 $1,000,000 - $1,250,000
$1,250,000 - $1,500,000 $1,500,000 - $2,000,000 $2,000,000 - $2,500,000
$2,500,000 - $3,500,000 $3,500,000 - $5,000,000 Over $5,000,000


654 Search Results Found. Showing Results 1 - 16.

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1 2 3 4 41 »

Tuscan-style Eichler REO in Lucas Valley! Includes hardwood floors, vaulted ceilings, a large...

Price: $699,900
City: San Rafael
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 2
Property Type: Single Family
MLS ID: 21001273

Gated Estate Style Home On Premium 30,400 +/-Lot. Outstanding spacious living areas w/formal...

Price: $699,900
City: Novato
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 3
Property Type: Single Family
MLS ID: 21021291

DRAMATIC REDUCTION!! Possible 3rd bedroom. Show to your Gerstle Park clients. This area is...

Price: $699,500
City: San Rafael
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2
Property Type: Single Family
MLS ID: 21015744

PRICE REDUCED. Best Deal in BMK. A beautiful home, with a private beach and boat dock with...

Price: $699,000
City: Novato
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 3
Property Type: Single Family
MLS ID: 20921123

Reduced to sell! Updated 2bd 1ba home has one of the best addresses in Stinson Beach! Just...

Price: $699,000
City: Stinson Beach
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 1
Property Type: Single Family
MLS ID: 21004828

Remodeled home on quiet end of Bel Marin Keys, backs up to 4 acres Wildland. Kitchen w/skylight,...

Price: $699,000
City: Novato
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2
Property Type: Single Family
MLS ID: 21008589

Custom designed elegantly rustic home on over 2/3 of an acre. Home boasts wood floors, stained...

Price: $699,000
City: Inverness
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2
Property Type: Single Family
MLS ID: 21012865

Pride of ownership is evident from the beautiful gardens and front porch to the hot tub and...

Price: $699,000
City: Fairfax
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2
Property Type: Single Family
MLS ID: 21013025

Just completed -- remodeled in excellent taste. Designer floor plan has dining area, breakfast...

Price: $699,000
City: San Anselmo
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2
Property Type: Single Family
MLS ID: 21015074

Welcoming 3 bedroom home on a tree-lined street located in prized Sycamore Park Mill Valley...

Price: $699,000
City: Mill Valley
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 1
Property Type: Single Family
MLS ID: 21015300

New Price for this One Story Gem in Northbridge Area. Three Bedrooms, Two Baths with Remodeled...

Price: $699,000
City: San Rafael
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2
Property Type: Single Family
MLS ID: 21016386

Well-priced Sunny Cove home with gleaming hardwood flrs & granite kitchen..7 yrs new and...

Price: $699,000
City: Novato
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 3
Property Type: Single Family
MLS ID: 21015460

Reduced! Charming remodeled cottage with two bedrooms plus an office / nursery and one bathroom...

Price: $699,000
City: Mill Valley
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 1
Property Type: Single Family
MLS ID: 21017224

WOW! Price lowered! and SO much to offer!! Beautifully remodeled Bret Harte main home,PLUS...

Price: $699,000
City: San Rafael
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2
Property Type: Single Family
MLS ID: 21017841

On a Clear Day...yes, you really can see Forever from virtually every window. Perched at the...

Price: $699,000
City: San Rafael
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 3
Property Type: Single Family
MLS ID: 21016440

Spacious and extensively upgraded southern Novato home with incredible VIEWS. Living room,...

Price: $699,000
City: Novato
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2
Property Type: Single Family
MLS ID: 21018160
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Last Updated: 2010-07-29 18:07:16


Create List of Needs & Wants: Make 2 lists. The first should include items you must have (i.e., the number of bedrooms you need for the size of your family, a one-story house if accessibility is a factor, etc.). The second list is your wishes, things you would like to have (pool, den, etc.) but that are not absolutely necessary. Realistically for first-time buyers, you probably will not get everything on your wish list, but it will keep you on track for what you are looking for.

Get Representation by a Professional: Consider hiring your own real estate agent, one who is working for you, the buyer, not the seller.

Stay Focused and Organized: Buying your first home is one of the biggest decisions you will ever make and the process will be much less stressful if you stay focused and organized. In a convenient location, keep items some of the following items handy to help you jot down notes or ideas:

  • One or more detailed maps with your areas of interest highlighted
  • Saved searches and listings online and a physical file of the properties that your agent has shown to you, along with ads you have cut out from the newspaper
  • A digital camera or camcorder to help refresh your memory on individual properties, especially if you are attending a series of showings
  • Town or city guides to cross-reference properties with community details. Look at a potential property as if you are the seller. Would a prospective buyer find it attractive based on school district, crime rate, proximity to positive (shopping, parks, freeway access) and negative (abandoned properties, garbage dump, source of noise) features of the area?

Be Objective: Instead of thinking with your heart when you find a home, think with your head. Does this home really meet your needs? There are many houses on the market, so don't make a hurried decision that you may regret later.

Be Thorough: A few extra dollars well spent now may save you big expenses in the long run. Don't forget such essentials as:

  • Including inspection & mortgage contingencies in your written offer
  • Having the property inspected by a professional inspector(s)
  • Requesting a second walk-through to take place within 24 hours of closing.
  • You want to check to see that no changes have been made that were not agreed on (i.e., a nice chandelier that you assumed came with the sale having been replaced by a cheap ceiling light)

Please contact us for custom tailored advice and recommendations.

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