Bay Area California Real Estate Blog and News

Whenever people ask me, "How do you figure out what to do?", my first response is, "I don't really know, it's mostly intuitive at this point." But the reality is that there is a whole lot of theory, education, travel, exposure, reading and practice that goes into how any designer comes up with ideas of what to do with a property.

From my education - at LSU, in Baton Rouge - we were taught that the design comes from 3 places: first, the style of the home (no sense going against what you have, and also a desire to integrate the architecture and the landscape), second, what the land can actual do (this is what is now called sustainability, meaning what can really grow in a cetain place, not require vast resources, and last a lifetime) and third, what the client's needs and uses are for the outside area...

As most prospective borrowers in search of mortgage financing quickly discover, a standard set of loan requirements dictates the items you’ll be expected to provide. These include tax returns for the two most recent years as well as verification of employment and assets to meet with the “investor’s guidelines.” For most loans, the “investor” is either Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac and even loans channeled through other investor conduits tend to conform to the guidelines or rules these two giants of the mortgage world lay out.

Although Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s guideline requirements are similar, subtle differences do exist allowing certain borrowers whose application may be blocked by one to win approval through the other. Most lenders sell exclusively to one or the other, though some mortgage banks will channel loans through both. Keep in mind that neither entity’s guidelines are static. Beyond the pool of more standard requirements...

Robert Burle Marx holds a special place in the development of modernism in the field of landscape architecture. Often times in books - and in my professor's history courses - he was set apart from others of the same period. In Elizabeth Rogers' book, Landscape Design, she gives him his own sub-chapter: Roberto Burle Marx and the Garden as Abstract Art.

Wikipedia says:

    "Roberto Burle Marx in Brazil combined the International Style and native Brazilian plants and culture for a new aesthetic. "

That sums it up nicely - a new aesthetic. He was - and still is - so unique, that he stands out as a iconic master in the profession. His works are iconic also, especially the famed Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro.

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Now that I have had Pat Kuleto's listing on the market for a couple of weeks, I wanted to share with you the incredible amount of exposure that has been generated for my client's property, as well as a glimpse of how I was able to do it. This underscores the importance of working with a Realtor who is skilled in the latest marketing technology.

The effort began before the property went onto the market. I was active on the social media front, letting folks know it was coming. I blogged about it, and I contacted my friends, family and clients to tell them about the property. As soon as the listing hit the market, my team got one of the online media sites to write a story on the listing. From there, it went "viral" as other outlets picked it up...

I just assisted one of my buyer clients in the purchase of an Eichler home in Upper Lucas Valley.   Located at 100 Mt Whitney Court, this Eichler was originally listed for sale at $925,000 and I was pleased to assist my buyer in the purchase of the home for $850,000.

Built in 1963 and updated throughout, this 4 bedroom / 2 bathroom home was located on a large corner lot in Upper Lucas Valley.   Property features included an updated, contemporary kitchen with granite countertops & newer cabinetry, tile flooring, and a solar heating swimming pool & spa.   Additionally, the home featured a bonus room with fireplace and 2 car garage with a workroom.    Located in San Rafael's...

Marin homebuyers look for an incredibly original and well maintained Eichler home which backs up to open space should run, not walk, to my latest Eichler listing which is located at 8 Anchorage Court in San Rafael.

Eichler purists will definetly want to check out this new atrium-model Eichler listing which will be hitting the market later this week.    Property features include 4 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, VCT flooring,  pristine mahogany paneling, updated kitchen and appliances, Built-in Nelson bookshelves and sliding Shoji screens.   The property is located on a small cul de sac and backs up to open space.  New drainage, landscaping, and irrigation system.  1 car garage parking + carport.     Located in the coveted Dixie School District...

I've just listed an adorable single-family home located in the popular Chapman Park neighborhood of Corte Madera.   Located at 208 Sausalito Street, this updated home will be hitting the Marin mls later this week.

This California bungalow style split level home features 2 Bedrooms / 2 Full Bathrooms, updated kitchen with gas range which opens to the living area, updated bathrooms, hardwood floors, spacious and well landscaped yard, custom-built Finlandia Sauna, 1 car attached garage and more.    Fabulous location within walking distance to the city center, parks, shopping, restaurants, and transportation

Offered at $715,000, 208 Sausalito St will hit the market this week.    A Brokers Tour will be hosted this Thursday, June...

With Memorial Day Weekend behind us, we typically see an increase in the number of Eichler homes for sale in the San Francisco Bay Area and this year is no exception.

There are currently a total of 19 Eichler homes on the market in San Francisco & Marin County:

12 Eichlers for Sale in Marin County (priced between $719,000 - $899,000)
All of these listings are single-family homes located in San Rafael.  In addition to these current listings, I have a few new listings which will be hitting the market within the next few weeks, one of which is an incredibly original and extremely well maintained 4 bedroom Eichler home which backs up to open space.  I'm also aware of a number of "off market" Eichler listings that...

With a team of professionals, great clients, a vision and several months of hard work, I was able to turn this home in need of repair into a beautiful home that got the attention of hundreds of buyers. The response was incredible - especially from the neighbors who had known the owners and lived in the neighborhood for almost as long as the neighborhood has existed. 

Within 2 weeks of coming to the market, we had 3 offers and we were able to secure a buyer who loved the home and the neighborhood.  This 3 bedroom, 2 bath home built in 1970 in Marinview SOLD today for $830,000.

This Mill Valley home features a nice open living concept with kitchen and family room combination, formal dining...