105 Atherton Oaks, View Home on 2 Acres (Novato)

Generously proportioned view property with 4 Bedrooms & 2.5 Baths (approx. 3,136 sq. ft.) on 2 acres. Amazing views stretching from the Bay to Mt. Tamalpais and north across Novato, formal dining room, Great Room (with fireplace), Family Room (with fireplace), large decks and patios, fabulous landscaping, lots of fruit trees, modern construction (built in 1985), air conditioning, and a huge 3-car garage. Country-style living on highly desirable Atherton Oaks just minutes from Trader Joe’s, Costco, Starbucks, downtown, and the future site of Whole Foods.

106 Maybeck Street, South Gate at Hamilton Field (Novato) — Home For Sale

This home’s superior upgrades and tasteful elegance are unrivaled. Boasting an open Great Room and Kitchen (with extraordinary light and fantastic flow), soaring vaulted ceilings, designer landscaping, built-in barbecue, outdoor fireplace, and 3-car garage with additional work bench area. All 4 bedrooms are upstairs, including the palatial Master Suite with jetted tub and walk-in closet with built-in storage. This rarely available home, located in the highly sought after neighborhood of South Gate at Hamilton Field, has the coveted Plan 4 layout — it is exquisite.

 

• Property Address: 106 Maybeck Street, Novato, CA 94949
• Listing Price: $1,049,000

---

If you would like to learn more about this lovely home or set up an appointment to see it, please call Kyle Frazier, the listing agent, at (415) 350-9440.      

Kyle Frazier, CRS
Frank Howard Allen Realtors
Email: [email protected]

Newport at Hamilton Field Home For Sale (Novato, California)

Exceptional value in a 4 Bedroom, 3.5 Bath home (includes separate studio with full bath) home in Hamilton Field. Popular floorplan with great flow, a Kitchen/Great Room configuration, and large Master Suite with lots of closet space. Other unique features include a Rotunda entry and large study area upstairs. Great location. This home is turnkey and ready to move into!

• Property Address: 12 Marblehead Drive, Novato, CA 94949
• Listing Price: $799,000

---

If you would like to learn more about this Hamilton Field home or set up an appointment to see it, please call Kyle Frazier, the listing agent, at (415) 350-9440.      

Kyle Frazier, CRS
Frank Howard Allen Realtors
Email: [email protected]

Marin County, California, Luxury Homes Report (February 2008–Sales and Inventory Analysis)

Inventory levels in Marin County’s $2 million to $4 million luxury home market surged this past month–with 68 active listings compared to 46 homes last month. This boost in inventory was accompanied by a strong month of sales, with 15 homes sold. Tiburon led the pack with 3 sales, followed by Sausalito, Mill Valley, and Ross with 2 sales apiece. Belvedere, Larkspur, Greenbrae, San Anselmo, and San Rafael each had just one sale. The average days on market for homes that sold was about 117 days and the average sales price was just over $2.53 million (roughly $748/per sq. ft.).

The inventory level in Marin County’s ultra-luxury market (homes priced in the $4 million and up range) also rose–to 35 active listings, compared with 26 last month. Tiburon, as usual, boasts the largest number of such homes with 14 (up from 9 last month). It is followed by Belvedere with 6, and Kentfield, Mill Valley, and Ross with 4. Only 2 of these home sold last month. There are, however, another 3 ultra-luxury homes currently in escrow. Because only 2 homes sold last month the average days on market, price, square footage, and price per square foot are of little assistance in gauging the market. The 2 homes that did sell were very different–one was a horse property in Upper Lucas Valley and the other was a View home in Tiburon. Marin’s most expensive home remains a unique gated Tiburon estate sitting on eight acres with stunning views and resplendent gardens–asking price: $38.5 million.

Marin Cities & Towns	$2 Million ? $4 Million		$4 Million & Up
	Active	Pending	Active	Pending
Sausalito	6	0	1	0
Belvedere	10	1	6	0
Tiburon	11	4	14	1
Mill Valley	12	2	4	0
Larkspur	5	0	0	0
Corte Madera	2	0	0	0
Kentfield	5	1	4	0
Greenbrae	1	1	0	0
Ross	1	1	4	1
San Anselmo	6	1	0	0
San Rafael	2	1	2	1
Novato	7	0	0	0

The above graph identifies the numbers of active listings and homes in contract in the Marin County luxury and ultra-luxury home market segments. Note that all homes in contract are included in the category ?Pending? even though some are technically ?Contingent? properties (e.g., the buyers have not removed all contingencies). This information is limited to Marin County’s Highway 101 corridor towns and cities that consistently maintain a monthly inventory of luxury and ultra-luxury homes (e.g., towns without a consistent luxury market and beach homes are not included here). Call Kyle Frazier, CRS, Broker Associate, Frank Howard Allen Realtors of Marin, at 415/350-9440 with any questions about a particular neighborhood or your situation. You can also e-mail Kyle at [email protected].

Marin County Real Estate Update–February 2008 (Homes For Sale & Price Ranges)

Real estate inventory levels in Marin County, California, are on the rise in the new year. There are 519 active listings (up from 445 in January 2008). This time of year historically sees an up-tick in listings as sellers who want to get a jump on the market, put their homes for sale. This year, many Marin County agents anticipate that the number of homes coming on the market early in the year will be much higher than years past as those who tried to sell last year, but failed, renew their efforts (in addition to those who are trying for the first time). And buyers are ready.

The percentage of homes in escrow is up substantially in many markets. Buyer have been out at open houses in droves (about 50 groups of people came through an open house held on one of my listings in Belvedere last weekend). I continue to anticipate a busy first quarter in Marin real estate (as noted here last month, figureheads such as Donald Trump are stating that now is the time to buy) as interest rates continue trending into historical low territory, prices are scraping the bottom, and talks relating to raising the conforming loan limits continue. Indeed, buyers are offering large down payments and short contingencies to bolster their negotiating leverage with sellers anxious to make a deal.

The graph below breaks down the current number of homes for sale in Marin County, California, in February 2008, along with the price ranges for each town/city. Also included is a note indicating whether inventory is up or down over the past month:

Marin Single Family Homes For Sale

Some observations: Buying a home in tony Belvedere, as always, is an expensive proposition–you?ll need $2.599 million to live on the Lagoon (click HERE to see a delightful Lagoon home). The highest priced luxury home in Marin, however, is located in Tiburon. An ultra-luxury dream estate on about 8.5 acres, with 12 Bedrooms, 10 full baths, 3 half baths, and show-stopping views of the San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the Bay–asking price $38.5 million. In fact, Tiburon boasts several homes in the $10 million and up range.

On the other hand, Novato continues to be a Marin home buyers’ dream. Novato has 10 homes priced under $500,000 (and another 31 homes at or under $600,000). Novato’s 177 active listings is by far the most in Marin County. Even San Rafael in Central Marin has 5 homes priced under $700,000. Investors are beginning to ask about certain properties and condos (condo prices have come down by 40% in some cases). All signs point to a healthy market in Marin County in coming months.

If you desire a list of Marin County’s best deals or more specific analysis of your neighborhood, please give me a call at (415) 350-9440.

Mill Valley Real Estate Update (February 2008 Home Sales Report)

As we progress into the new year, Mill Valley’s inventory of single family homes for sale remains fairly low, with just 49 homes currently on the market (there were 33 in January 2008). With 15 sales last month, Mill Valley’s absorption rate is about 3 months (e.g., there is enough supply to cover current demand for 3 months). Incredibly, there are just ten homes on the market under $1 million!

Mill Valley homes priced between $1 million and $1.5 million continue selling briskly–3 of these homes sold in January 2008. And 10 homes priced under $1 million sold. As with much of the rest of Marin, homes priced aggressively are getting multiple offers—note: the winning bid is likely to be just around or over the asking price, depending on the home. Mill Valley homes that sold during the past month averaged 66 days on the market and sold for an average price of about $1.49 million (about $700 per square foot). 

 

As always, the commute to San Francisco from Mill Valley via the Golden Gate Bridge (a short 5-10 minutes), along with the excellent Mill Valley schools, pleasant weather and laid back ambiance provides ample motivation for San Francisco professionals to relocate to Marin County. Accordingly, prices and sales are ever-strong. Indeed, Mill Valley is THE place people thinking of moving out of San Francisco generally start with when they decide to buy a home in Marin County. Homes in Tam Valley, Strawberry, Sycamore Park, Blithedale and Cascade Canyons continue to be in low supply and high demand. If you would like me to run the exact numbers on your neighborhood, just give me a call at (415) 350-9440 or e-mail me at [email protected].

San Rafael Real Estate Market Report (February 2008 Home Sales Update)

The housing market in San Rafael reflects the pent-up demand noted in these articles for the past several months. Inventory is up and the percentage of homes in escrow is up. As noted below, San Rafael’s bread and butter homes (those priced between $750,000 and $900,000) continue to sell if priced in accordance with recent relevant sales. Buyers now focus very carefully on knowing every home in a given market segment and show deep understanding of their leverage in this market. That said, the percentages of homes in escrow have risen markedly in most every market segment as buyers look to capitalize on the low interest rates and the low prices obtainable in today’s market.

Of the 13 homes that sold in January 2008, they averaged about 101 days on market, sold for an average price of about $1.37 million (this figure is much higher than normal because an ultra-luxury equestrian estate in Lucas Valley sold for over $7 million), and an average of about $493/square foot. In something of a statistical anomaly carrying over from last month, San Rafael’s luxury and sub-luxury markets remain very active, with 50% of homes in escrow in the $1.5 million to $2 million price range (along with 33% of homes priced over $2 million). And the market also remains at a slow boil at the entry and move-up levels, with 21% – 26% of homes in escrow. For a brief discussion regarding the importance of the percentage of homes in “Pending” status, click HERE. San Rafael’s strongest micro-climate markets during the past month included The Dominican, Glenwood, Terra Linda, Marinwood, Peacock Gap, and Lucas Valley Estates. Renovated Eichler homes, particularly those in the Berry Patch, continue to see strong sales.

Contact Kyle Frazier, CRS, Frank Howard Allen Realtors with any questions: (415) 350-9440.

Novato Real Estate Market Update (Febuary 2008 Home Sales Report)

The new year brings with it new energy in the Novato home sales market. The number of active listings in Novato, Marin County, remains fairly high with an abundant inventory of relatively affordable homes (including newer construction under $800,000). Novato provides home buyers who cannot afford the lofty prices of Southern and Central Marin lots of very attractive options. As for sellers, homes MUST BE PRICED FOR TODAY’S MARKET. While homes elsewhere in Marin County continue selling at a relatively brisk pace, in Novato, homes must be very well maintained, updated, and/or located in a desirable neighborhood if they are likely to sell in a time frame under 90 days. However, there is currently a spike in the percentage of homes in escrow virtually across the board, except the Novato luxury market (homes over $1.5 million). In fact, Novato was recently identified as one the best affordable neighborhoods near a major city (in this case, San Francisco) by Business News magazine—click here for Novato is “Best Affordable Town”.

Homes in Novato that sold in January 2008 (there were a mere 14 home sales–there were 26 in December 2007) averaged about 127 days on market, for an average sales price of $684,000 (roughly $397 per sq./ft.). Homes in Hamilton Field (particularly Southgate and Newport), Pointe Marin, Rush Creek, Indian Valley, San Marin, and Partridge Knoll continue to get robust numbers of showings, as do the new luxury homes at Stonetree and Olive Ridge.

For a brief explanation of the importance of the statistic addressing the percentage of “Pending” listings, click HERE. If you would like me to run the exact numbers on your neighborhood, just give me a call at (415) 350-9440. It is my pleasure to be of service.