We're not in Kansas

CLICK ON THE MAGIC SLIPPERS

FOR THE LATEST MARIN STATISTICS!

Well here they are! The latest Marin statistics. If you take a moment and click on the magic slippers, you will be able to see for yourself how Marin REALLY is doing. Too often the news in the papers leaves one feeling as if we are in a whirling house in the middle of a tornado. Just like Dorothy we are flying through the air without any control. When you finally are on the ground, you feel as if you aren't in Kansas anymore.

Not in Kansas, well, I should say not. Marin is its own place. Although we have seen a slowing in the past month, we are still holding our own. Fewer homes sell, but when they do, they are selling at fair prices. With mortgages at historic low rates, Buyers are in a unique position to get the home of their dreams, perhaps at the price the home would have sold for in the beginning of last year, in some cases lower. If you have seen in Marin as long as I have then you know, that opportunity will not last forever. Prices will rise. They always do.

Are you one of those people who wish that had bought a bigger home, a newer home or even just any home years ago. You know then that they only person who has regrets in regards to Real Estate in Marin would be the one who never bought any. (Ok, there are some people who had risky mortgages, and bought at the height of the market, perhaps overbidding on a property - but those are the minority here in Marin)

If you have been putting off buying a home. Don't make the mistake of waiting too long. Once this opportune time passes don't live in the land of "should have,. would have, could have."

Buy the house this year and then say, just like Dorothy and so many Marinites have said,

"There's no place like home."

Very Interesting.....

I was pulling together some statistics for a meeting I will be having on Thursday and I did a short evaluation of prices since 2000 in one neighborhood. Marinview is a wonderful enclave of homes ajacent to the National Recreation Area. Built in the early 70's, the homes are growing increasingly unique as improvements are made to many. The close commute and proximity to nature is truly a wonderful blessing. I currently have listed a 1625 sq ft townhome priced at $846,000. Back in 2000 this home would have been priced in the mid $500,000s.

Since 2000 the prices have gone up 65% for a detached single family home and 60% for an attached home. Do the math! Not only is Real Estate a wonderful investment, beating most stocks by yards and yards, but the added benefit is you get to enjoy your investment!

What about the market downturn I heard about on TV. Well, yes there is some evidence of longer times on market in this desirable neighborhood. Homes will now sell at a reasonable price and in a reasonable amount of time. It was getting to be that a listing would sell in 2 weeks time. Now our time on market is more like the average of the past 40 years. The average time on market over this time period is 4.5 months.

This is time for sellers to realistic about price and timing. Sellers need to find the person who will use every tool available to keep the house in people's minds. They need to make the home as available as possible. Patience is something severely lacking in the recent Real Estate boom. Now its time to head back to earth, and be thankful for the incredible gains realized. For those people who bought when the market was hot, and now worry their investment is at risk, take a look at the long picture. There is no better place to own Real Estate than Marin.