Determining the value of a Marin home is a complex process We’re often asked, “How do you determine the asking price for a property?” The primary tool for gauging the fair market value of a residential property is real estate comparables (“comps”). But comps only go so far, especially in a place like Marin County where many variables come into play. What are comps? Comps look primarily at Continue Reading
Preparing to Sell Your House in Marin: a Checklist
Selling your Marin home requires a good deal of planning. Depending on its condition, a home may require time and investment in improvements before going on the market. To get the ball rolling, choose an experienced and trustworthy real estate agent – he or she will guide you each step of the way and recommend reliable tradespeople to complete any work that needs to be done. These are the Continue Reading
Rent Back Agreements in California Home Sales
What is a rent back? Sellers may want or need to stay in their home after they sell it; for example, they may need more time to find a replacement property or want their children to finish the school year. With a rent back agreement (which may also be called a sale and rent back, a sale-leaseback or a post-settlement occupancy agreement), the buyer allows the seller to live in the house for a Continue Reading
Free Structural Evaluations for All Madeline Schaider Real Estate Clients
Interview with Robert Ross, Our Structural and Design Consultant Robert Ross, who has many years of experience designing and building homes in Marin County, has worked with Madeline Schaider Real Estate for over 30 years as a structural consultant. In this role, Robert (who is not a Realtor) acts as a trusted advisor, collaborating closely with us to provide advice benefiting both our buyers and Continue Reading
Which Repairs Should I Make Before Listing My Home for Sale?
Inspect Your Home First Most Marin property owners have their homes inspected prior to listing them for sale. Pre-sale inspections are important for these reasons: Inspection reports alert sellers and buyers to issues that could impact the value of the property. All homes, whether newly constructed or older, will have defects. Some defects are relatively easy to correct while others may Continue Reading
How Long Will It Take to Sell My Home?
The length of time it takes to sell a home in Marin County depends on these factors: List Price Homes in Marin are in high demand, due in large part to low inventory. Well-priced homes sell quickly, within weeks. Overpriced homes may remain unsold for months. See more about how to price your home. Price Bracket In Marin, most homes sell on average within 30 days. Homes priced above $4.4 Continue Reading
Can I Live in My Home While It’s on the Market?
Sellers often want to know whether they can continue to live in their homes while they are being marketed or whether they need to move out. The Best Advice Our best advice to sellers is to move out before listing their home for sale. That allows for efficient cosmetic improvements, upgrades, and professional staging. All of these steps are important for obtaining the best price and the highest Continue Reading
Splitting Lots in Marin County Under SB9 – What you Need to Know
SB9 allows simplified lot splitting in single-family zones California Senate Bill 9 (SB9) allows a property owner to subdivide a parcel that is in a single-family zone into two lots. SB9 is meant to help ease the state’s critical shortage of affordable housing by encouraging the building of small houses on smaller lots. The new lots can be smaller than the required minimum size (usually 7,500 Continue Reading
How Smart Staging Pays Off
How Smart Staging Helped Sell a Larkspur Home for a High Price Here is another case of how Smart Staging a home for sale brought the sellers more than they ever expected. The list price was $2,150,000. After one week on the market, we received four offers including a successful offer at $2,500,000. Before and After Photos Here are pictures taken before and after Smart Staging of the Continue Reading
Marin County Guide to Consignment Stores and Donations
At Madeline Schaider Real Estate, we understand the challenges that come with moving homes. One of your biggest challenges may be what to do with extra possessions. When moving, it's useful first to assess your needs: What you're keeping. What you're giving to your family. What you're selling. What you're donating. What you are throwing away. We suggest that you first Continue Reading