Guide Me Home 2 Marin Luxury - Home

Are You Ready? or What Do You Do With An Old Pair of Loafers?

2010-03-08T22:13:00Z

Recently we saw the devastating effects of the earthquake in Haiti…then came Chile…then Taiwan…and just today, a 6.0 quake in Turkey.

Ask yourself: are you ready should a disaster happen in your neighborhood? Could you subsist without outside support for up to 72 hours after a disaster? If you think we live in such a civilized area that surely help would reach us quickly, you must have missed the Katrina debacle.

The truth is, if we have a major disaster, we may need to rely on our own devices for quite a while. And in the aftermath of Katrina, it became obvious that few people were prepared. At the urging of the Belvedere and Tiburon Foundations, a task force was created to address this on the Tiburon Peni ... Continued on the blog.

The Spring Real Estate Market in Marin has Sprung

2010-03-04T16:01:00Z

Despite the ongoing rain, the real estate market has blossomed for spring. This is evidenced by a substantial increase in activity, more listings, more sales, more closings and more traffic visiting our listings at weekend open houses and private showings. This activity is being driven by quality inventory which I define as, well-located and well-priced homes in desirable locations. Inventory as of March 1, 2010 is still running behind March 1, 2009 listings. On the other hand, ... Continued on the blog.

Home Buyer Alert

2010-02-24T22:40:00Z

For potential homebuyers who are still unsure about making a move, the next few months signify a countdown of sorts.

The first countdown is the extension of the federal tax credit for first time buyers (see my previous blog post about this) and the expansion of the credit to include move-up buyers as well, which both expire April 30, 2010. For more information, visit www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com.

The second, and relevant to ... Continued on the blog.

State Ballot Measure Helps to Preserve Marin’s Home Values

2010-02-10T18:14:00Z

One of the many reasons that Marin continues to enjoy high real estate values is due to the many county, state and national parks in our area. Marin County is dominated by 70-80% open space, which includes this network of parks, many of which are suffering due to the California budget crisis.

There is a proposed state ballot measure, sponsored by the Marin Conservation League, which would create the State Parks and Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund Act of 2010. The purpose of the measure would be to protect state parks an ... Continued on the blog.

Who is Tweeting? Mill Valley, That’s Who

2010-02-09T22:30:00Z

In an effort to save paper (and trees) the Planning and Building departments of the City of Mill Valley in Marin County, California, are both Tweeting and using Facebook.

The departments are sending out messages about upcoming meetings, vacancies on the commission and the like. No specific projects are discussed. They also have a joint Facebook page, which provides information about meetings, workshops, applications, ... Continued on the blog.

Celebrating Valentine’s Day in Marin County, CA

2010-02-02T14:59:00Z

Mention Valentine’s Day and our thoughts turn to cards, chocolates and roses. But have you ever wondered how we came to celebrate this holiday?

According to www.history.com, the history of Valentine’s Day and St. Valentine – its patron saint - is a mystery. Valentine greetings can be traced as far back as the Middle Ages and Valentine’s Day as we know it today has remnants of both Christian and Ancient Roman traditions. To read more on the history of Valentine’s Day, visit www.history.com.

If you are p ... Continued on the blog.

Home Buyer Tax Credit Update

2010-01-25T20:12:00Z

The Home Buyer Tax Credit, initially set to expire on November 30, 2009 has been extended into this year. Additionally, the tax credit has been expanded to include current homeowners looking to purchase a different home. The key points of the tax credit bill is as follows:

First-Time Home Buyer Credit
The $8,000 credit is available to first time buyers defined as a person who has not owned a principal residence for three years prior to the purchase. This applies to both parties in a married couple as well. If one spouse has owned a home for three years, but the other has not, then neither can qualify for the credit.

Current Home Buyer Credit
The tax credit ... Continued on the blog.

Low-Cost Home Remodeling Ideas for 2010

2010-01-05T01:22:00Z

As 2009 comes to a close and we look to set our resolutions for the New Year, are you thinking of ideas for sprucing up your home? If you are, REALTOR Magazine, as part of its Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report suggests these big impact, low-cost remodeling projects:

Add or replace tile – By using very inexpensive tile to update a kitchen backsplash or renew the look of a bathroom you can change the look of the room.

Add a breakfast bar - If you have a wall that separates a kitchen from a family room, consider cutting an opening in the wall and adding a counter top to create a breakfast bar.

... Continued on the blog.

Is now a good time to list and view real estate?

2009-11-04T20:37:00Z

You bet! This time of year is known as Indian Summer – and while the warm weather is still with us, it can be a great time of year to showcase your home, especially in Marin.

Indian Summer is a period of unseasonably warm weather following a cold spell (or a hard frost in other parts of the country with less mild climates). While there are no actual set dates, the warm streaks usually occur during October and November .

The Old Farmers’ Almanac says: Indian summer can occur between St. Martin’s Day (November 11) and November 20. Although th ... Continued on the blog.

Exclusive In-House Recital Brings Elizabeth Pitcairn and the Red Violin to 85 Spring Lane in Tiburon, CA

2009-11-02T18:14:00Z

Friday evening, October 30, was a magnificent Indian summer night in Tiburon. San Francisco glistened as our backdrop to a wonderful performance by Elizabeth Pitcairn on “The Red Violin.” The Marin Symphony organized this event as part of the Prelude In-Home Concert Series and we were proud to open up 85 Spring Lane for this musical recital. There were 110 guests, most of whom were patrons and supporters of The Marin Symphony. We enjoyed fine wine, superb appetizers and world ... Continued on the blog.

An Apple A Day

2009-10-30T20:33:00Z

Halloween weekend is here and it is time to bob for apples at the neighborhood Halloween party. Not only is it fun and wet, but if you are lucky enough to snag one of those apples, you are in for a delicious and nutritious snack.

Apples have a lot of nutritional value. In addition to being rich in antioxidants (they fight cancer) and phytochemicals (they reduce the risk of heart disease, colon, prostate and lung cancer), apples have no fat, sodium or cholesterol. Oh, and they are a good source of fiber and complex carbohydrates which give you sustained energy.

So pack an apple in the kids’ lunch or better yet, make ... Continued on the blog.

Buyers and Homeowners: It Pays to Know About the HVCC

2009-10-14T22:31:00Z

HVCC stands for Home Valuation Code of Conduct . Effective in May of this year, the HVCC was established to change appraiser selection criteria that will help eliminate conflicts of interest on mortgage appraisals. Consequently, many lenders are required to source appraisals through an appraiser network. This is where it is important to use a lender who has more options than just contacting a call center in Minnesota and being assigned an appraiser who happens to be the first to respond and may not even live in the area.

... Continued on the blog.

Spring Forward…Fall Back…

2009-10-14T17:33:00Z

Every year I send out time change announcements to my clients and friends without even thinking about why we change our clocks. This year I got to wondering: Where did the idea of Daylight Saving Time originate? (Yes, it is singular!)

Curious, I decided to do a little research and was amazed at the detailed information I discovered. If you, too, are interested, here are some things I learned from the California Energy Commission Website:

Daylight Saving Time is observed in most of the United States and approximately 70 other c ... Continued on the blog.

San Francisco Hosts the 2009 Presidents Cup

2009-10-08T15:54:00Z

San Francisco won big with hosting the 2009 Presidents Cup. The hotels are happy, the golfers are happy and the management of Harding Park Golf Course is ecstatic.

The opening ceremonies took place Wednesday afternoon (Oct. 7) with former Presidents Clinton and George H. W. Bush in attendance. Practice rounds started Tuesday, the only day photos were allowed. I walked in the gate and immediately saw co-captain Michael Jordan sauntering down th ... Continued on the blog.

Mill Valley Film Festival October 8-18 2009

2009-10-06T17:06:00Z

It’s that time of the year again when the film world converges on Mill Valley for the 32nd Annual Mill Valley Film Festival. Frank Howard Allen has been a sponsor and supporter of the MVFF for ten years and counting and we are thrilled for this event to be back in town.

The Festival begins on Thursday, October 8, with two opening films (The Boys Are Back and Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire), followed up by an Opening Night party where we’ll be hanging out with invited guests Clive Owen, Scott Hicks and Lee Daniels. The 11-day event continues with a full line-up of mo ... Continued on the blog.