Bay Area California Real Estate Blog and News

 

 The Taming of the Shrew opens tonight, February 28th at the College of Marin Performing Arts Building. It is runs through March 14^th with evening and matinee performances. If you like Shakespeare, don't miss this wild west-style production directed by James Dunn.  This is a revival of a show James Dunn directed in 1971 that was invited to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland and won best production.  It's also part of a year-long 50^th Anniversary Celebration of the College of Marin Drama Department.

James Dunn who is well-known for directing the Mountain Play, an institution...

How to Be The Best Kind of Client in 4 Easy Steps

 

Often the end of a transaction is bitter sweet. The ultimate goal when we, as Realtors, start working with clients is to find them their perfect property or sell their home, get into contract and work towards the close of escrow.

During that process we have the unique opportunity of really getting to know our clients. It's a very personal process - one that benefits from clients sharing their likes/dislikes, thoughts and feelings about their lifestyle.

The first step towards being The Best Kind of Client is transparency. Often clients feel they have to hold back details of their search or lifestyle to protect themselves from their Realtor. ...

When looking for a new home, do not overlook Novato. So many buyers have a pre-conceived notion of the town from observing retail such as Target and Costco while driving north on Hwy 101. Novato is so much more. At about 30 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge, Novato is a community where residents love to live and traditionally - buyers can get so much more for their money.

 

Novato covers over 28 square miles with more than 56,000 residents, yet maintains a small-town charm. With a wide variety of neighborhoods from which to select, buyers should not overlook the many neighborhoods....

Well it is that time of year again, the time when we, as parents, sit down with our calendars and start to plan out the summer.  My first summer of having a child at "camp age" I completely missed the boat and by the time I got around to it most of the Southern Marin Camps were booked!  So the next year I learned my lesson and by the end of March my 8 year old was enrolled in all the camps that I thought he would enjoy.  

We are so fortunate here in Marin to have such a diverse selection of camps.  What I have learned is that most private schools have a version of day camps on their campuses.  These camps are other organizations, but it is a way for you to meet families from those schools because they go to the camps.  As an example Marin Primary host a Camp Doodles, MCDS hosts Adventure Camp, Marin Horizons host a day camp with swimming, Greenwood School hosts Greenplay and many more.

The two largest  camps in our area are Steve and Kates and Camp Doodles.  My son has...

You know about Staging!

 

You've visited beautiful Zen-like homes with abundant, elegant, uncluttered space everywhere, and wondered if anyone actually lived there. Staging is an art. A good stager will appeal to your senses---- Peaceful, attractive living areas, perhaps with colorful paintings, flowers, even the smell of fresh-baked cookies. Just enough furniture to suggest possibilities, and little enough to create an illusion of space in which you can imagine your own sanctuary. A good staging job is subtle, welcoming, alluring, and it sets a mood. But is it worth it the money? My own experience as a Listing Agent would lead me to respond with an unequivocal "yes", and a large majority of my colleagues would agree. Read the following short story and then decide...

Want to buy an "off market listing" in Marin County?

What is a "pocket listing"? How common are "off market sales"? Why would someone offer their home off market?  Common questions answered by a seasoned Marin County realtor.

Many buyers ask me about "off market listings", or "pocket listings". These are homes for sale that haven't been entered into the Multiple Listing Service (MLS).

There are a number of reasons why a seller would chose not to list their home officially, the most common are:

-       illness or other personal matters that make it uncomfortable to have the house shown often and to have "Sunday Opens" etc

-       tenant occupied properties

-       sellers who need to sell fast but have no time to "prep the house" for photography and staging

 Buyers tend to believe that off market sales are "bargain deals". That is usually...

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has recently released revised county loan limits for loans that it guarantees. (The VA does not lend but, instead, guarantees loans underwritten by private lenders.) Eight out of nine Bay Area counties saw their limits increase from 2013 levels. Solano County's loan limit remained set at $417,000. While many lenders do not offer 100% financing over certain amounts, Pinnacle Capital Mortgage is able to loan against the full purchase price up to VA county Limits in California for eligible veterans with full benefit. This includes coverage of the funding fee and closing costs. Here are the 2014 VA loan limits for Bay Area counties:

Alameda:        $1,050,000

Contra Costa: $1,050,000

Marin:             $1,050,000

Napa:              $575,000

San Matteo:    $1,050,000

San Francisco: $1,050,000

Santa Clara:    $827,500

Solano:            $417,000

Sonoma:        ...

Featured on the cover Atomic Ranch Magazine and as the feature article, this is a mint condition Mid-Century Modern Eichler home you don't want to miss out on! 8050 Shay Drive is an amazing and rare atrium model Eichler home located in the lovingly maintained Sequoyah Hills neighborhood in the highly desired Oakland Hills. This 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 1667 square foot (per tax records) Eichler has all of the famous hallmarks of mid-century modern architecture, such as mahogany panel walls, globe lights, original stained ceiling and beams, sliding cabinets, and more, but has been tastefully updated with modern amenities and design.

Enjoy the radiant heat through the newer VCT tile flooring, or sit inside on a rainy day and take in nature's beauty through the walls of recently...

Featured on the cover Atomic Ranch Magazine and as the feature article, this is a mint condition Mid-Century Modern Eichler home you don't want to miss out on! 8050 Shay Drive is an amazing and rare atrium model Eichler home located in the lovingly maintained Sequoyah Hills neighborhood in the highly desired Oakland Hills. This 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 1667 square foot (per tax records) Eichler has all of the famous hallmarks of mid-century modern architecture, such as mahogany panel walls, globe lights, original stained ceiling and beams, sliding cabinets, and more, but has been tastefully updated with modern amenities and design.

Enjoy the radiant heat through the newer VCT tile flooring, or sit inside on a rainy day and take in nature's beauty through the walls of recently...