Marin County Real Estate – Best of Brokers Tour and Real Estate Porn! Week 1
Marin County Real Estate – Best of Brokers Tour and Real Estate Porn! Week 1 Unfamiliar with the term Brokers Tour? Once a week the newer listings are held open by the listing agent for other Realtors to preview the homes. Marin County has two tour days, Wednesday you can see Southern Marin (Sausalito, Mill Valley, Tiburon and Belvedere), and the Northern most Marin city, Novato. Thursday is for the rest of Marin, Corte Madera, Larkspur, Greenbrae, Kentfield, San Rafael, San Anselmo, Ross, Fairfax, Woodacre, Forest Knolls and Nicasio.
Many agents go out with a plan to see homes their clients might be interested in or if listing property, comparable properties. However, plan or no plan we all like to see the beautiful million/multi-million dollar homes. Personally I love interiors, architecture, furnishings, floor plans, unique design choices – doesn’t everyone? Not sure about you but my mailbox doesn’t see many invitations to parties for the rich and famous or social elite. It’s our chance to see some extraordinary design but also a lot of gaudy, hideous styling…you never know who your next client will be so better to see the whole range of listed homes from the $450,000 condo to the $10,000,000 hilltop sanctuary and be prepared.
This week my pick for Real Estate porn came with a fairly reasonable price tag (for Marin County that is). Listed at only $1,525,000 in San Anselmo, CA. San Anselmo, just a few short miles off the 101 freeway is Marin’s middle ground. More affordable per square foot than Mill Valley, Ross, Larkspur, Tiburon, Belvedere, Sausalito, Kentfield and sometimes Greenbrae and less than San Rafael, Fairfax and Novato. It has a small town feel with a bustling main street bursting with restaurants, small shops and even a Frank Howard Allen office.
The range of the 53 current listings is $375,000 – $3,999,000. Similar to other Marin County cities, you can choose from a home in the flats, walking distance to town or a view home in the hills. Check out the latest city report for the market statistics.
My home (I mean choice) is not crazy extravagant and doesn’t have 7 bedrooms each with their own bathroom (but I do love when each bedroom has it’s own bathroom) and it doesn’t even have a pool. However, in today’s movement toward smaller, well thought out spaces, moving away from the McMansions of the early 2000’s to me it’s the perfect living space. It has everything a small family or social couple would need. Kitchen, dining, living rooms are one big open space with french doors leading to a small, manageable yard.
The floors are all done in stained concrete which is durable and easy to maintain. 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms in the main house with a flexible room that could be used as a TV room/office/den, etc. In the back, off the garage is a studio. Perfect for an artist hangout and equipped with a sink and bathroom. The brilliance is the full one bedroom cottage with Garage. OK, it’s starting to sound like a listing but it’s not even my listing. I walked into this house and instantly wanted to live there or at least find someone who I could sell it to who would love and it as much as I did.
I have seen bad placement of guest cottages. Smack dab in the middle of the backyard or across from the front door but this one seems like a natural extension of the home yet detached and out of the way.
The interior has interesting angles and ceiling lines and the interior doors are large, floor to ceiling wooden sliders. The flow is sensible and easy and the living space and bedrooms are separated by the entry so privacy is maximized and the kids can be sent off to bed while the adults entertain. The 2,518 square feet, while not a small home, feels bigger because it’s all usable thoughtful space.
Run, don’t walk to see this property before it is snatched up! I predict this small piece of Real Estate heaven will be in contract soon.
401 The Alameda, San Anselmo, CA 94960