July 23rd, 2010 By Stephen Pringle
One of the great things about Marin is the diverse array of cool neighborhoods to choose from when you’re deciding where to buy a home. We love so many of them for a variety of reasons and we’re constantly working to document them all in the Marin Neighborhoods section of the website, but we’ll also highlight areas that we think buyers should be sure to consider in our Neighborhoods to Watch series here on the blog.
One area we think can be a great choice for many buyers is the one surrounding San Francisco Blvd. and Memorial Park in San Anselmo. It’s got a lot of features we think make for a great Marin neighborhood:
- Being close to the one of the best parks for kids in Marin where you can play baseball or play on the coolest play structures around.
- Having your own community garden where the kids can pick their own vegetables or collect eggs from the chickens.
- Close to open space where you can hike or run the dog.
- Having a cool, funky neighborhood bar where you can grab an inexpensive cocktail without having to get in the car.
The area has all of these benefits while also being close enough so that you can ride your bike to downtown San Anselmo or Fairfax, and having a good selection of relatively affordable starter homes by Marin standards to boot. It’s definitely worth a look if you’re a home buyer considering San Anselmo.
July 23rd, 2010 By Ginger Wilcox
Tiburon’s Del Mar neighborhood may no longer see utility lines. The neighborhood has been fighting a court battle for nearly seven years to get utility lines buried in the neighborhood. According to the Marin IJ, the project will impact 164 Tiburon homes.
Some homeowners in the neighborhood have been fighting the project because of issues with the homeowner assessment needed to fund the project.
This is positive news for homeowners with bay views that have been restricted by the power lines. I can’t tell you how many times I have shown property to home buyers who say “I love the house, I love the view, but the powerlines…”
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Tiburon Homes for Sale
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1 - 5 of 86.
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Tiburon Del Mar Homes.
(all data current as of
7/31/2010)
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5 beds, 4 full baths
Size: 2,780 sq ft
Lot size: 6,403 sq ft
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4 beds, 3 full baths
Size: 3,014 sq ft
Lot size: 20,299 sq ft
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5 beds, 5 full baths
Size: 4,678 sq ft
Lot size: 19,602 sq ft
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5 beds, 4 full, 1 part baths
Size: 3,344 sq ft
Lot size: 14,375 sq ft
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3 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths
Size: 2,258 sq ft
Lot size: 17,468 sq ft
Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.
July 20th, 2010 By Ginger Wilcox
Imagine living in a place where the bike parking lot gets full…
I love this photo I snapped at the Sausalito ferry. The fantastic climate in Marin makes environmentally friendly commuting easy and clearly people are taking those options!
July 17th, 2010 By Julie Segura
27th Annual San Anselmo Art and Wine Festival this weekend!
Saturday July 17th and Sunday July 18th 10am-6pm
With the weather in San Anselmo in the 80’s what a great weekend to come out and enjoy the festivities at the Art and Wine Festival in downtown San Anselmo. There are over 200 booths of Artists, a variety of music entertainment for both children and adults. The activities for kids are in abundance including a puppet show, slot car racing, a train ride, a shark slide, a rock wall and magic show.
Haven’t eaten lunch yet? Well there are also a variety of food booths from local restaurants. Here is the entertainment guide for Saturday and Sunday:
Saturday, July 17
‘70s Bolinas Blast Stage
10 to 11 a.m. Magic Circus Magic act
Noon to 2 p.m. Petty Theft (Tom Petty tribute)
3 to 6 p.m. The Who Show (Who tribute)
Trippin’ Tunstead Stage
10 a.m. to noon Savannah Blue (Bluegrass)
1 to 3 p.m. Boys of Summer (Eagles tribute)
4 to 6 p.m. Zebop! (Santana tribute)
Sunday, July 18
‘70s Bolinas Blast Stage
10 a.m. to noon Drew Harrison (the spirit of John Lennon)
12:30 to 2:30 p.m. The Indestructables (‘70s rock)
3 to 5 p.m. The Sun Kings (Beatles tribute)
Trippin’ Tunstead Stage
10 a.m. to noon Savannah Blue (Bluegrass)
12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Wonderbread 5 (Crazy rock)
3 to 6 p.m. The Who Show (Who tribute)
More information
Image Courtesy of Rogersmj on Flickr
July 13th, 2010 By Stephen Pringle
To beat the heat this summer try heading out to Heart’s Desire Beach at Tomales Bay State Park, just North of Inverness. It’s about 40 minutes from San Anselmo and well worth the drive, which in itself is quite relaxing and beautiful. Since it’s located on Tomales Bay and sheltered from the ocean the water is usually calm, making it one of the best beaches in Marin for families with small children. We also found that the shallow water in the summer is fairly warm, so swimming is much more pleasant than most beaches in the Bay Area. Bring your buckets and build a sand castle or bring your favorite book and just relax.
We went on a weekend and found a great place to set up our blanket and umbrella and stayed for more than three hours. It’s a good idea to bring a picnic and just make a day of it, with BBQ areas and a nice bathroom facility with showers, perfect to wash off the sand before you leave. The lower parking lot is really close to the beach so you don’t have to trek too far, but if it gets full there’s another overflow lot which is a bit more of a trek.
To get there just head out Sir Francis Drake past the town of Inverness and hang a right on Pierce Point Road until you see the sign for Tomales Bay State Park. Turn right into the park, pay the $6 fee and head down the hill to the parking lot. This is a great place to bring friends or have a playdate for the kids. We brought an extra layer of clothes just in case the fogged rolled in, which turned out to be a good idea.
July 10th, 2010 By George Crowe
There was an interesting article in the New York Times this week based on a study showing that a higher percentage of mortgages over $1 million is delinquent than that of smaller loans. Some of the conclusions reached may be debatable, but it got me thinking about strategic default, which our friend Wikipedia defines as “the decision by a borrower to stop making payments on a debt despite having the financial ability to make the payments”. The NYT article asserts those in higher income brackets are more likely to see strategic default as a wise business decision, while Joe Sixpack continues to make the payments on his underwater mortgage. Is that really the case? And if so, who is right?
Google “strategic default” and you’ll get almost 11,000 results, including a recent 60 Minutes segment on the topic. It’s definitely a controversial subject–some say choosing to walk away from a home when you can afford to make the payments is unethical, while others think it’s strictly business and the banks have it coming since they got us in this mess to begin with. I see both sides of the argument, though after reading a lot about the subject this week I’m leaning towards thinking maybe there’s nothing wrong with a homeowner making the same kind of business decision a bank or corporation wouldn’t hesitate to make faced with a similar situation. Back in January Roger Lowenstein argued the case for strategic default in The New York Times Magazine, and he made some pretty good points:
“Mortgage holders do sign a promissory note, which is a promise to pay. But the contract explicitly details the penalty for nonpayment — surrender of the property. The borrower isn’t escaping the consequences; he is suffering them.”
If you buy into the argument that it was the irresponsible and greedy behavior of the banks that brought about the housing bubble and corresponding bust, then maybe it’s fair that they’re left holding the bag. It’s a tough question with no easy answer. What do you think?
July 1st, 2010 By Stephen Pringle
Samuel P. Taylor Park, Marin County
Did you know that 15 miles west of San Rafael is an awesome place to camp deep in the redwoods and next to a river? Samuel P. Taylor State park is the perfect thing to do on a weekday during the summer. The weekends are usually booked by now but there are campsites available for weekdays.
We parked the car, opened the door and the kids vanished into the wilderness. The many trails throughout the park are absolutely magical. Giant redwood trees standing next to a 3 year old girl is quite a site. We had friends come out and visit for both days and the kids went wild. They made forts in the carved out tree stumps, collected caterpillars, watched for Racoons with flashlights, went swimming in the river, built a small house out of sticks, roasted marshmallows by the fire and just felt free.
I can’t believe Samuel P. Taylor is only 20 minutes from San Anselmo. Our favorite sites are sites 42 and 43 but you have to book those in advanced. They have a 3 mile long paved road perfect for riding bikes or just strolling around. It’s also a great place to go out for the day and have a picnic or BBQ by the river. There are a lot of picnic sites so feel confident you will find a place if you go out at the last minute.
We are so lucky to live in Marin near so much nature and great places for the family to unwind and truly spend quality time together.
If you are unable to see the slideshow in your browser, click here.
June 24th, 2010 By George Crowe
The funds allocated for California’s first-time home buyer tax credit were not used up in the first few weeks of the program as some had forecast back in April, but should all be spoken for soon. When exactly will the $100 million be gone? That’s a good question. According to the Franchise Tax Board website the state had received more than 17,000 applications, representing more than $91 million of the fund, as of June 22nd. They say they’ll stop accepting applications once they get 28,000, and that even those will be subject to the availability of remaining credits.
This means frustrating uncertainty for buyers who are in escrow now, since you can’t apply for the credit until your transaction has actually closed and you won’t know for a while if you’re going to get it or not. The FTB says they’ll announce the cutoff date on their webpage at least one full day before they stop accepting first-time buyer applications, but to put it diplomatically the whole system does not seem very well designed, as evidenced by a couple of choice quotes from the tax credit webpage:
“We expect it to take 3-6 months to notify taxpayers after an application or reservation is received.”
“It can take several minutes or possibly up to an hour to connect and transmit the fax. If you receive a busy signal, try again later.”
And my favorite: “We have not processed any applications yet as our computer system is still being developed.”
So basically, at some point you’ll find out if you actually will get the credit…or not. It could take six months before you know, and good luck trying to fax in your application.
June 17th, 2010 By Ginger Wilcox
Joan Baez will be performing in Fairfax on Saturday at past of Kidszstock, a day long festival taking place in Fairfax on Saturday. The event will benefit Cascade Canyon School, a small progressive private school in Fairfax where Baez’s granddaughter is apparently a first grader.
I have to admit that I am totally jealous that I can’t bring my kids. This event looks amazing. Marin County musicians from the ages of 6-18 will perform all day. The kids had to audition for the event.
The event will include an interactive community art project, vendor booths from local businesses, carnival booths, tell chillout zone, instrument making, cookie decorating and more. (WOW!)
I am imagining the site will be gorgeous – described as the rolling hills in the wooded canyon.
- What: Kidzstock Music Festival
- When: Saturday, June19, 2010, 11am-7pm (doors open at 10:30)
- Where: The Theater for Tolerance, an outdoor theater built from recycled lumber by volunteers from Fairfax’s Cascade Canyon School
- Benefits: Cascade Canyon Private School
- Tickets: Adults $25, ages 6-17 $10, kids 5 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door.
- Getting there: Parking is limited to street parking in surrounding neighborhoods. Carpooling or public transportation is strongly recommended.
- More Info
June 17th, 2010 By Stephen Pringle
Driving up Miller Ave today I stopped into the hip new restaurant called Dish for lunch. I was totally impressed with the décor, ambience, service and food. I like ordering at a counter and then having a runner bring me my food. They have great beer on tap and a nice outdoor patio perfect for people watching.
The concept of the restaurant is great because they support local and organic farms and businesses in the area like Equator Coffees, Cowgirl Creamery, Bell Weather Farms, just to name a few. I could tell a lot of the furniture was built using r
eclaimed wood and metal. Super cool!
I had the grilled eggplant pita sandwich with Tzatziki sauce, redwood hills feta, red pepper, and chick pea puree. Try it with the salad. It was delicious and full of flavor. The salad was huge and dressed perfectly. I love the concept of this restaurant. The menu is simple and the prices are really reasonable for what you get. Mill Valley needs a cool restaurant like this and good thing I don’t live down the street because you might see me here everyday.
Located at 507 Miller Avenue, Mill Valley. Dish is open for breakfast, lunch & dinner.
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