As with San Francisco (which we look to as a leading indicator), our Marin County markets reflect a seasonal constriction of listings entering December. There is significant anecdotal evidence of a greater dearth of inventory than usual, particularly in the just-under-$1M range. We see frustrated buyers crowding open houses and… read more →
The leading indicator of future sales is the number of homes in escrow at a given time. We have experienced over 60 new escrows in five of the past seven weeks and over 70 for the past three weeks. May 2009 new escrows will likely surpass the levels of April… read more →
March 2009 new escrows up 17% from March 2008 (and 58% from February 2009) — In Marin County our most reliable indicator of changing market conditions is new escrow activity. New escrow activity bottomed out in December 2008 and began a modest ascent through January and February 2009. I believe the… read more →
Following Novato’s lead, San Rafael’s real estate market is gathering momentum at the low end as foreclosures and short sales drive the market. We are currently experiencing 31% pending ratio for homes priced at or below $600K. Although not as strong a market segment as Novato, I would still characterize… read more →
Marin County, California real estate has slowed. While largely a function of the season (Winter is generally slow), macro-economic considerations, and more stringent borrowing guidelines, I feel that the primary source of the current slowdown relates to a perception by home buyers that "now" is not a good time to… read more →
Marin County, California, Luxury Homes Report (December 2008–Sales and Inventory Analysis) Ponzi schemes, equity markets, banking woes, mounting unemployment, diminished home values and equity, generalized fear, and a palpable spending paralysis continue to weigh down and negatively impact luxury real estate sales in Marin County, California. I struggle to find the… read more →
Marin County, California, Luxury Homes Report (December 2008–Sales and Inventory Analysis) Ponzi schemes, equity markets, banking woes, mounting unemployment, diminished home values and equity, generalized fear, and a palpable spending paralysis continue to weigh down and negatively impact luxury real estate sales in Marin County, California. I struggle to find the… read more →
As Summer closes out and we enter the Autumn buying season, the entry level market in San Rafael continues performing well, despite a jump in listings. I referred to July 2008 as the "warm water month" because it seemed everyone jumped in–and that trend continues with about 36% of homes in the under $800,000 price range in escrow!… read more →
As our Summer selling season wears on, Mill Valley’s real estate market has sustained itself nicely. Across the board, this year has simply seen less inventory than the past few years as sellers have decided to wait for the real estate market to improve (although sales in Mill Valley are strong despite the… read more →
For information detailing your specific neighborhood or town of interest, please feel free to call on any of Frank Howard Allen Realtors’ amazing agents. We are supplied with the best tools. Given the best training. And are fortified with the experience and judgment you need. It is always our pleasure to… read more →