There was an unexpected and unusual surge in buyer activity in December of last year that has continued through January. Sunday open houses have had better attendance and multiple offers have been reported for some properties. Because of this increase in buyer interest (and the good weather), houses are going on the market earlier in the year than usual. This should be a realistic year for Marin buyers and sellers, with prices holding steady.

Marin Home Sales Picked Up in 2010

Compared to 2009, the number of Marin single family homes that sold countywide increased by 10% and prices increased by 4 %.

Marin condo values countywide increased by about 8%, while the number of condos sold dropped by 7%. The increase in value reflects the smaller proportion of foreclosed (and discounted) Marin condos in 2010.

While Marin real estate values vary significantly with neighborhoods, the countywide increases indicate a strong and steady real estate market in Marin. It is still the place people want to live and raise their families. And, a significant pool of buyers can afford Marin homes.

Enjoying Ring Mountain in Corte Madera and Tiburon

One of our favorite neighborhood walks in Corte Madera is the Ring Mountain Nature Preserve that separates Corte Madera and Tiburon. The view of the Bay, Mt. Tamalpais, and San Francisco are spectacular, particularly after a rain has washed the air clear.

You can start your walk from the top of Koch Road along Highway 101, at the top of Endeavour Drive (Paradise Drive to Prince Royal to Endeavor), the top of Robin Drive or Taylor Lane, or at the open space trailhead a little further south on Paradise Drive. Here is Tracy Dunham’s account of a ring Mountain walk, from the Marin Independent Journal.

The Magic of Steep Ravine

With its rushing creeks and waterfalls, Steep Ravine trail on Mt. Tamalpais provides a magical springtime hike. These recent photos from our friend and client Michael Serecsko tell more than we can describe about this experience.  Tracy Dunham describes a Steep Ravine hike in the Marin Independent Journal.

For the more adventuresome, choose a day with a full moon, and plan to hike down Steep Ravine to reach Stinson Beach early in the evening. I have done this several times, enjoying a beer at the Sand Dollar Restaurant, and then hiking back up in the bright moonlight. Not recommended for everyone, but a delightful experience.

Featured Homes at www.livinginmarin.com

Each week, Madeline selects interesting homes for sale, from Sausalito to Novato to Stinson Beach, and features these on her newly designed web site at www.livinginmarin.com . Just go to the home page and click on Featured Homes. If you are interested, or just curious, we can send you more information about any of these homes.

Right behind our office on the Old Town Square (Menke Park) is the oldest part of Corte Madera, winding up Christmas Tree Hill. Like many of the older neighborhoods in Mill Valley and Sausalito, there are stairs to take residents and summer visitors up the hills to the good life and spectacular views

One of Madeline’s favorite hikes starts at our office and proceeds uphill via stairs and streets to Summit Ave, then onto trails that show you the best that our mountain has to offer: views of San Francisco and the Bay, a panorama of Corte Madera north past San Rafael, oak and redwood forests, and fern-lined canyons.

You can pick up a trail map to the right of the front door of Madeline Schaider Real Estate, at 217 Corte Madera Ave. Then walk two doors south past Stefano’s Pizza, make a right turn and start up the hill on the Hill Path stairs. The hike is about 1.5 miles long and takes about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.  Be warned, the first part of the hike up to Summit is steep, so you may have to stop a few times. It is worth the effort. You will once more be refreshed by the beauty of Marin.

Here are a few photos of Madeline’s recent hike on this trail, with friend Suzannah:

New Listing This Week

22 Parkview Circle, Corte Madera
2 bedrooms, 2½ baths
$689,000

Madeline has for sale this week a special townhouse at Meadowcreek Station in Bayside Corte Madera. Madeline has sold more than 50 townhouses and condos at Meadowcreek Station, and this one has great deal to offer. It is an end unit for privacy, south facing for all year light, and spacious–with almost 1,600 sq. ft. of living space and an attached two-car garage. Walk out the front door to a 1.6 acre park. Meadowcreek is valued for the natural beauty of its setting, well-designed homes, convenience, and the an ideal central Marin location. Ready to move in!

FIRST OPEN HOUSE, Sunday, October 2, 1-4 pm. Stop in to see Madeline!

Preserving its natural beauty, Marin is fortunate to have about 85% its land (more than 200,000 acres!) as parks (national, state, county, and local), open space, watershed, tidelands, and protected agricultural land.  For an overview, go to this map of Marin County Open Space.

Our extensive open space limits the number of Marin homes and its population. While there are still a few homes built or rebuilt each year, Marin was considered completely “built-out” about 20 years ago.

There is still a small number of undeveloped parcels of land that are for sale each year. Madeline Schaider Real Estate has the largest of these parcels for sale at 110 Juniper Ave. in San Geronimo, a few minutes west of the Town of Fairfax.

22+ Acres in San Geronimo, CA

Magnificent, estate parcel of almost 23 acres. Beautiful Mt. Tamalpais terrain with majestic redwood groves, native plants, sunny knolls, trails, and panoramic vistas. Walking distance to Kent Lake. Three approved building sites out of at least 10 choices, adjacent to 1,200 acres of Giacomini Open Space. Walking, hiking, and horseback riding trails at your back door. Survey maps, topological maps, percolation tests, and additional information are available. Water and electric are adjacent to the property.

110 Juniper Landscape, San Geronimo, CA

For more photos, go to www.livinginmarin.com, Our Listings.

There is no sign on the property, but east access via a fire road.  For a tour, contact Madeline Schaider at (415) 515-9357.

Offered for $1,100,000.

Rain is good; it provides our drinking water. Marin has unusually good drinking water, 75 % coming from five lakes on Mount Tamalpais and two large reservoirs in north-western Marin. The lakes on Mount Tamalpais are Phoenix, Lagunitas, Alpine, Kent, and Bon Tempe. Take the time this year on a sunny or misty day to visit Alpine, Bon Tempe and Kent lakes on the south west side of Fairfax; they are spectacular.  The northern reservoirs are Nicasio and Soulajoule. The rest of our water (25%) comes from Lake Mendocino via the Russian River.

So far, the rain is doing well to fill our lakes and reservoirs. The Marin Municipal Water District (MMWD) reported on January 24 that water storage this year is at 82% of capacity. The average to date is 79%. The rainfall at Lake Lagunitas, high on Mount Tamalapais, has been 28 inches this rainy season, twice as much as last year. The average rainfall at Lake Lagunitas since 1879 was 52 inches. We still have time to catch up.

Waterfall Walks

One of the delightful aspects of the rain in Marin—besides the lush vegetation—is the waterfalls that cascade down Mount Tamalapis to the bay and ocean. My favorite is Little Carson Creek Falls out the Fairfax-Bolinas Road.  It is a little tricky to find the trail, but on a sunny, warm day in early springtime, it is a delightful place to sit by the water. Here is a list of the top seven waterfall hikes, courtesy of Don and Kay Martin. For a few fine photos of the waterfalls, see this “Scrapbook” blog.

Marin Water Quality

Marin water quality is very good, but not as good as I remember when I moved here in the 1970’s. While I was in graduate schools, I hiked the remote country in the High Sierra for a week or two each summer. The drinking water from the streams and ponds was unforgettable. It seems to me that Marin water used to taste like that. At some point it became not quite as good. Someone told me that State law required Marin to add more chemicals to assure water safety, and that this decreased the water quality. If you can add to or correct my recollections, please let me know.

Marin Mini-News

Pelican Sculpture in Novato

Novato is the name used by the original, native Miwok people for the pelican. A few years ago, the City of Novato commissioned a sculpture of a pelican to be installed in a marsh-side park, at Scottsdale Lake. Tim Omarzu related the story in the Novato Advance on January 20, 2010.

Marin Independent Journal Newspaper Involved in Bankruptc

The parent company of the Marin IJ may soon file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The fate of our fine, conventional, local newspaper, which I read every morning, is at stake. Sam Chapman presented a detailed analysis in the Pacific Sun on January 22, 2010.

Harbor Seals in Drakes Bay

20% of California’s harbor seals live in the Point Reyes area. The Marine Mammal Commission is about to release its report on “seal disturbances” in the area. It should also tell us the effects of these disturbances. Andrew De Fao reports in the Point Reyes Light on January 21, 2010.

Rustic Bakery of Larkspur Opens in Novato

The Rustic Bakery at the north end of Magnolia Ave in Larkspur is opening a second store on Grant Ave. in Novato. You might not think this is big news unless you have tried their bread, pastries, muffins, salads, and more. We are lucky to have them! Tim Omarzu tells more in the Twin City Times on January 20, 2010.

Marin Home Prices at Glance: 1965-2009

Every year in January we present the past years years of home prices for each city in Marin, starting in 1965. You’ll see that the rapid rise in prices in 1998-99, the peak of the market in 2006-07, the price levels for 2009.  Please go to this page at livinginmarin.com. if you have any questions about your specific neighborhood or a specific house, send a note to madeline@livinginmarin.com.

In Marin, heavy rains and runoff into our creeks can cause flooding in nearby neighborhoods. If the bay tides are high, the streams drain slower and flooding can be more severe. There have been only a few years of flooding in Marin. The Marin Sheriff’s Department has a short history. 1982 was probably the worst year, with 2005-06 next in severity.

I lived on the Arroyo Holon Creek (Baltimore Canyon) in Larkspur in 1982 when we had much rain and high tides. The house was on a beautiful sunny lot with redwoods and oaks and a bridge across the creek. Close to midnight, the water came up to my front doorstep, flooding the garden and basement. My electrical sump pump in the crawl space could not keep up, and then the power went out. Winds that often accompany winter rains had taken out a power line. The furnace was under the house. One cold night!

The next day the FEMA office gave me a check to replace the furnace. Two days later, I had a new furnace. FEMA also loaned me money to clean the massive debris out of the garden and creek and replace the broken bridge across the creek.

The severe flooding in the Baltimore Canyon creek happened primarily because of the accumulated debris in the creek Water pushed the tree trunks and random lumber up against the culvert that takes the creek under Magnolia Ave, causing the water to back up. Since that event, the creek is kept clean.

Areas that are prone to flooding in Marin are low-lying areas along creeks and marshy areas or filled marshes along the bay.

Is Your Marin Home in a Flood Zone?

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) published new “flood maps” (FIRMS or Flood Insurance rate Maps) for Marin on May 4, 2009. These show the flood risks, if any, of every property in Marin.

FEMA has defined the flood hazard zones by the likely hood of flooding in the next  30, 100, 500 years, and so on.

• B, C, and X zones have low chances of flooding, and do not require flood insurance.
• A and V zones have a high risk of flooding in the next 30 years. Flood insurance is required for properties in these zones.

Much of the flood zone determination has to do with the number of feet a house is above a base flood plane (or elevation). Each community determines this elevation. It may be, for example, 9 feet. This sometimes results in a peculiar situation where part of a property is in the flood plane and part is above. However, if the house is above the base elevation, no flood insurance is required.

If you would like the official flood information on your house or another property, let me know. I’ll send you a mini flood map of the property.

What Can You Do to Prevent Flooding?

If you live in a flood hazard zone (A or V, contact me to find out), you have options to prevent flooding:

• Install a sump pump under your house. Also, consider a natural gas powered generator in case the power goes out. We have a great generator expert for you, Hazelton Electric, at www.hazeltonelectric.com. Many of our clients and friends have used their services to install back-up generators.
• Have sandbags ready to block the water at critical locations.
• Raise your house above the flood plane. Some cites now require this if you do a major remodel or if you build a new house. It is a small investment relative to your construction costs, and well worthwhile.

What is Marin Doing to Prevent Flooding?

There are many solutions completed and many underway. A few years ago, Novato completed a large flood control project on the Novato Creek that  protected neighborhoods from flooding.

Corte Madera Creek Watershed, courtesy of the Friends of Corte Madera Creek

Towns along the Corte Madera creek, from Fairfax through Corte Madera to the bay, are ensuring unimpeded flow of the creek through developed areas. Creeks that drain easily are less likely to overflow. You can keep up to date with plans and ongoing programs at the Ross Valley Watershed website and the Friends of the Corte Madera Creek website.

Marin Mini-News

Community Garden in Marin City

The San Rafael-based Milagro Foundation, founded by rock star Carlo Santana, is sponsoring a community garden at the Martin Luther King Academy in Marin City. In cooperation with the Kellogg Foundation, this garden project will provide $65,000 a year for three years. Jessica Mullins reported on this program and the benefits to Marin City residents in the San Rafael News Pointer on January 13, 2010.

Conservation of Wetlands at Dillon Beach

The federal government has pledged $1M, to be matched by state funds, for conservation of hundreds of acres belonging to a campground at the mouth of Tomales Bay. Tim Henry provided an outline in the Point Reyes Light on January 7, 2010.

Marin Energy Authority Receives Support from San Anselmo

The controversy about establishing a Marin Energy Authority to provide a green alternative to PG&E continues in the county. The San Anselmo Town council affirmed its commitment on Jan. 6. Kelly Dunleavy reported the details in the Ross Valley Reporter on January 13, 2010.