With all the rain we’re having it’s a perfect time to check out Marin County’s waterfalls, and Fairfax is a good place to start.  One of our favorites is easy to get to and just a 10 minute walk from the road. Park at the top of Sir Francis Drake on the right as you hit the summit out of Fairfax and before descending into Woodacre. It’s a big waterfall and a nice hike for the kids or dog.

Also in Fairfax, Cataract Falls is one of the most popular in Marin and a good hike as well. There are a couple of ways to access it, and you’ll find good directions here.

Also, check out the waterfall at the end of Mountain View Dr. in San Rafael’s Dominican neighborhood. It’s handy as you don’t really have to hike to get there.

And at the north end of the county there’s the Arroyo de San Jose Waterfall on the trail at the end of Fairway Dr. in Novato. It’s also a nice hike and fun for the kids.

And if you’re really into exploring all the waterfalls Marin County has to offer you might want to check out Waterfallswest.com. It’s now a pay site but looks to be the most comprehensive resource.

I don’t know very many people who haven’t been impacting by the economy.  The financial crisis has significantly impacted our community and our day to day lives and spending habits.  Despite that, most people I know are fortunate to have a roof over our heads and food on our tables. Sadly, many Bay Area residents aren’t as fortunate.

In the San Francisco Bay area, there are approximately 35,000 homeless people; In San Francisco, estimates put the number between 7,000-15,000, which is the highest per capita rate of homelessness in any major American city. *  Affluent Marin County had more than 1770 homeless people living within its borders at least count in January 2009, with more than 3000 people on the verge of becoming homeless.**

Yesterday morning I was complaining about how cold it was as I had to defrost the ice on my windshield.  I can’t imagine living on the streets ever, let alone in the freezing nights of winter.

This Saturday, December 4, 2010 volunteers will be gather to make and distribute 5,000 StreetPacks to bay area homeless adults and children who live on the street.  The “StreetPacks” are backpacks filled with cold weather necesseties including gloves, hats, scarves, wool socks and rain ponchos.  5,000 Bay Area children hand write a personal holiday card to be included in the backpack. The backpacks will be distributed to 40 sites around the Bay Area, including Marin County, San Francisco, Richmond and the East Bay.

The event is run by Warm Wishes, a non-profit organization who describes it’s purpose as this:

Our purpose is for the homeless people to stay warm; perhaps to save a life. But our purpose, too, is for our volunteers to reap the rewards of looking into the eyes of a stranger, of coming closer to understanding his or her plight, and  filling with the feeling of doing good for others.

How you can you help?

• Volunteer: Join volunteers on Saturday, December 4, 2010 at Unity of Marin in Novato, 600 Palm Drive.  8am.  Volunteers will assemble the backpacks and then go out into the community to personally deliver the StreetPacks to Bay Area homeless. Volunteers are asked to donate $10.00 or more to offset the cost of the backpack items.
• Donate: Donations can be made online at WarmWishes.org.

Sources

* Philanthropedia.org
**Marin’s Homeless Report

One casualty of the run up in real estate prices in Marin County in the mid 2000s was that staple of American real estate, the investment property. When home values got to a certain point the numbers just stopped working–no longer was it feasible (without a huge down payment) to buy a starter home or condo and have the rent from a tenant cover your mortgage, taxes, and other monthly expenses. But falling home prices and a fairly consistent rental market have made it possible again, at least for the time being.

For example, 3 bedroom, 2 bath units in Western Oaks III, one of the nicer townhome developments in Novato, have been selling in the mid $300Ks, after peaking around $600K back at the height in 2005 and 2006. They average around 1400 square feet, with 2-car garages, in a nice complex with two swimming pools. If you got one for say $350K and were to put 20% down, with a 4.5%, 30-year fixed loan your monthly outlay including the mortgage, taxes, and HOA dues would total about $2,000. A nice townhome in that development should rent for $2,000 or more per month, which would mean covering your costs or even possibly a little positive cash flow to maintain the unit and/or put in your pocket. This of course assumes you have the extra $70,000 for the down payment, and since you wouldn’t be putting that money in another investment you’d be forgoing whatever return you might have realized somewhere else. But in the right situation it’s certainly interesting to think about, and nice to know the numbers at least are making sense again.

It’s important for anyone thinking about buying a condo or townhome to consider units in better developments, as there are big differences in desirability from complex to complex, and the right property will have more upside. And even within the same complex some locations are better than others. In Western Oaks III for example, units closer to the freeway come with substantial road noise, while those set back from 101 are much quieter.

And of course nobody can predict with certainty what the housing market will do in the next couple of years, though there does seem to be some stabilization in the lower price ranges lately, as buyers have been snapping up distressed properties and the entry level segment has been relatively active. 

The Novato Farmer’s Market kicks off this Tuesday.  The downtown farmer’s market will be open on Tuesday evenings  from 4 to 8 pm.  The market runs from May through September in historic downtown Novato on Grant Avenue between Machin and Reichert.

The Novato’s farmer’s market is a true community market with local Novato merchants like Flourchylde Bakery, Mediterranean Delight, J & T Jams, Kettle Thai, and the Ultimate Souvlaki.

Local residents come out to enjoy great fresh produce, dinner from downtown merchants and live local music.  It is a great weekly event for adults and children.

Novato Real Estate Market Update

The Market Action Index answers the question: “How’s the Novato Real Estate Market?” By measuring the current rate of sale versus the amount of inventory. Index above 30 implies seller’s market conditions. Below 30, conditions favor the buyer.

Novato Real Estate Market Data effective as of August 25, 2009. Data provided by AltosResearch and Bay Area Real Estate Information Services, Inc. Are you a Marin real estate junkie? Sign up to receive very detailed real-time market reports in your email. Just register and let me know which neighborhoods you are interested in. Download a sample report.

Corte Madera Farmer’s Market

• When: Wednesdays, 12 noon-5pm, year-round
• Where: Corte Madera Town Center, Hway 101 & Tamalpais
• More info: shoptowncenter.com

Fairfax Farmer’s Market

• When: Wednesdays, 4pm-8pm, May-September
• Where: Bolinas Avenue Park
• More info: marinfarmersmarket.org

Larkspur Landing Farmer’s Market

• When: Saturdays, 10am-2pm, May-October
• Where: Larkspur Landing, off Sir Francis Drake near the Larkspur Ferry terminal

Novato Farmer’s Market

• When: Tuesdays, 4pm-8pm, May-September
• Where: Historic downtown Novato, Grant & Sherman
• More info: marinfarmersmarket.org

San Rafael Farmer’s Market- Civic Center

• When: Thursdays & Sundays, 8am-1pm, Year-round
• Where: Marin Civic Center, Hway 1010 & San Pedro East
• More info: marinfarmersmarket.org

San Rafael Farmer’s Market- Downtown

• When: Thursdays, 6pm-9pm, April-September
• Where: Downtown San Rafael, 4th Street between Lincoln & B Street
• More info: marinfarmersmarket.org

Sausalito Farmer’s Market

• When: Fridays, 4pm-8pm, May-October
• Where: Sausalito Ferry Landing at Bridgeway
• More info: Sausalito.org

Countywide, the number of Marin homes under contract was up just slightly (1.1%).  Homes under contract is an indicator of future sales.

*Statistics pulled from BAREIS MLS. Single Family Residential Only.

April 2008 vs. April 2007

Countywide, the number of Marin homes for sale was up almost 16% from last April. The number of homes under contract was down about 13% while the number of units sold is down about 31%.

While the number of homes sold in April 2008 vs April 2007 is dismal, the glimmer of hope is in the units under contract. We have gradually seen this number get closer to 2007 numbers for many Marin cities, indicating next month’s sold number may be even better.

If you’re planning an irrigation project this spring (or even if you’ve done one since March 1, 2007), you probably can claim a rebate of up to $350! 

• Bay-Friendly Rebate Program
• Bay-Friendly Rebate Application

If you live in Novato, they have a different program available

• Smart Irrigation Controller Rebate Program

Happy Landscaping!