Bay Area California Real Estate Blog and News

405 Goodhill Rd, Kentfield - Just Listed - Iconic Mid-Century Modern Masterpiece

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I'm delighted to present my newest listing, an iconic mid-century modern masterpiece located in the desirable Kent Woodlands neighborhood of Kentfield.

Located at 405 Goodhill Road, this unique property known as the Hall House has been featured in numerous architectural publications including NorCalMod and also appeared in the famous exhibit “Domestic Architecture of the San Francisco Bay Region” at the San Francisco Museum of Art.  

Designed...

Selling Your Marin Home - How do I prepare?

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Deck Views from Mill Valley 

As I was sitting on the deck of my Mill Valley home this morning, I was thinking about some friends who are getting ready to move. They asked me what they should do to get their house ready to sell. There are many things that can be done, many of them simple and quick, which can make your home more appealing to potential buyers. 

For most sellers, selling a home is an emotional time. The house isn't just four walls, it is a place where they have built memories, raised families and felt safe and secure. When getting ready to put your house on the market, take some time to consider a few of the following points.  

  • Mentally and emotionally separate yourself from your home. You are now selling...

32 Palm Avenue in San Rafael - Just Sold!

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I am thrilled to report my latest sale at 32 Palm Avenue in the Dominican University area of San Rafael. I represented the buyers for the purchase. The home was listed at $1,045,000, and I negotiated a sales price of $919,500. It was a challenge, but well worth it in the end for my clients.

This contemporary style mid-century home features 5 bedrooms, 3 full baths, a two car garage and a swimming pool. The living space is open to the backyard - which makes it perfect for indoor/outdoor living and entertaining.  And as a bonus, the home is within walking distance to downtown San Rafael.

If you would like to learn more about real estate in San Rafael, feel free to contact me.

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Marin Home Values & Zillow Zestimates

Recently a client asked me "Why does Zillow estimate this Marin home's value at $1M when the list price is close to $2M?"  In this case the home was located in an estate community in San Rafael where the homes are not uniform in nature.  The homes are custom built, the lots vary in size and their orientation. This particular home was on the waterfront with views of the surrounding hills and had flat sunny .5 acre lot with extensive upgrades. This home certainly was worth more than the neighbor's home across the street that lacked these features.  Was it worth $1M more or $500k more?  That is the question buyers want to know and this is the challenge when assessing value using Zillow's Zestimate tool.

Zillow pulls their data from public records and their Zestimates work relatively well when assessing homes in planned unit developments (tract home neighborhoods) where the homes have relatively similar floorplans, square footage, lot sizes and amenities. Still Zillow does not take into account a home's upgrades and lot orientation (views, corner lot, upslope, downslope, flat lot, added pool) - which can alter the value dramatically.  It also doesn't take into account the intrinsic value of a particularly desirable street or home's architecture. Zillow does disclose this in their FAQ section. 

When making an offer on a home, rely on your...

Backyard Chickens in Marin = eco-friendly benefits!

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The backyard chicken craze continues to grow in popularity throughout the Marin County suburbs. In fact, there are forums and yahoo groups that cater just to backyard chicken enthusiasts!  However, before you rush off and buy some cute baby chicks, it is best to do a little research to make sure you (the zoning of your home, plus your neighbors) and backyard chickens are a good match. My Pet Chicken Guide to Chicken Care is an excellent place to start your research.

One of my San Rafael buyer-clients has just embarked on this hobby. Fascinated by it all, I wanted to see her little fluff balls and their newly erected coop in person. So, I headed over to her house and she gave me the lowdown. Here are just a few good reasons to have backyard chickens.

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152 Golden Hinde Blvd, San Rafael - Eichler Home - California Living!

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I'm excited to present my newest listing - the ultimate summer Eichler home offering you the best of the indoor / outdoor California living!

Located at 152 Golden Hinde Blvd in San Rafael, this extensively remodeled atrium-model Eichler home (1,987 sq ft per tax records) featuring 4 Bedrooms / 2 Bathrooms and fabulous outdoor space for relaxing and entertaining.   Improvements include foam roof, remodeled bathroom, updated kitchen appliances including gas stove, newer radiant boiler, gas fireplace insert, bamboo floors, updated drainage, newer electrical panel, new poured driveway, exterior shed for storage and built in BBQ area.   1-car garage parking plus carport.

This home backs up to open space and features amazing landscaping including an organic garden and automatic sprinkler system throughout the yard.

Offered at $775,000.  Property address: 152 Golden Hinde Blvd, San Rafael, CA 94903.   The first public open house will be held this Sunday, May 22, 2011 from 1-4pm.     Contact me for additional information regarding this property...

Just Sold! 990 Via Escondida, Novato

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I am excited to announce the completed purchase for buyer-clients of a lovely single family home in the Loma Verde neighborhood of Novato at 990 Via Escondida. This lovingly maintained 4 bedroom and 2 bath home has numerous upgrades including central A/C, newer appliances, double-pane windows and is situated on a level parcel with a lawn area and covered patio in the backyard. 

The home was on the market a total of 91 days with a list price of $485,000 and I negotiated successfully for my clients and closed with a selling price of $470,000!  My buyers acquired this property with an unusual FHA mortgage referred to as a FHA 203k Rehab loan and worked with a highly qualified mortgage banker, ...

Just Sold! 923 Ventura Way, Mill Valley

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With just two weeks on the active market, I am excited to announce that my property listing at 923 Ventura Way in the Marin Terraces neighborhood of Mill Valley sold for $1,400,000!  The asking price was $1,450,000.

This beautiful property offered 4 bedrooms and 3.5 baths and had been extensively remodeled from the builder’s original build in 1990.  In short, it was an entertainer’s dream house offering a combination of impeccable appointments, recent upgrades of significance and incredible outdoor space including 3 decks, flagstone patios and level lawn.  A Mill Valley address...