Aldersgate United Methodist Church
1 Wellbrock Heights San Rafael
415.492.0237
www.1wellbrock.org
First United Methodist Church
9 Ross Valley Drive San Rafael
415.453.8716
www.ruah.net
Mount Tamalpais United Methodist Church
Camino Alto @ Sycamore Mill Valley
415.388.4456
www.mtumc.org
Novato United Methodist Church
1473 S. Novato Blvd. Novato
415.892.9896
www.novatoumc.com
Community Congregational Church
145 Rock Hill Drive Tiburon
415.435.9108
http://ccctiburon.net
Fairfax Community Church – United Church of Christ
2398 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. Fairfax
415.454.6085
http://fairfaxcommunitychurch.net/
First Congregational Church
8 N. San Pedro Road San Rafael
415.479.2747
www.ucc.org
Trinity Church
495 San Marin Drive Novato
415.897.3410
Calvary Presbyterian Church
3 Brighton Avenue Bolinas
415.868.2180
Christ Presbyterian in Terra Linda
620 Del Ganado Road San Rafael
415.479.2712
http://www.cpcterralinda.org
First Presbyterian Church
1510 5th Avenue San Rafael
415.456.6760
www.fpcsr.org
First Presbyterian Church
72 Kensington Road San Anselmo
415.456.3713
www.togetherweserve.org
Korean Presbyterian Church
635 Adrian Way San Rafael
415.491.1932
Point Reyes Presbyterian Community Church
11445 State Route No. 1 Pt. Reyes Station
415.663.1349
Presbyterian Church of Novato
710 Wilson Novato
415.897.6152
www.pcnovato.org
Redwoods Presbyterian Church
110 Magnolia Avenue Larkspur
415.924.4382
www.redwoodschurch.org
St. Andrew Presbyterian Church
101 Donahue Sausalito
415.332.1011
www.saintandrewpc.org
St. Luke Presbyterian Church
10 Bayview Drive San Rafael
415.454.2705
www.stlukepres.org
San Geronimo Valley Community Presbyterian Church
Sir Francis Drake Blvd. @ San Geronimo-Nicasio Road San Geronimo
415.488.9318
Sausalito Presbyterian Church
112 Bulkley Avenue Sausalito
415.332.3790
www.sausalitopresbyterian.com
Sleepy Hollow Presbyterian Church
100 Tarry Road San Anselmo
415.453.8221
www.sleepyhollowchurch.org
Stinson Beach Community Presbyterian Church
32 Belvedere Avenue Stinson Beach
415.868.2603
Tomales Presbyterian Church
11 Church Tomales
415.878.2281
Westminster Presbyterian Church
240 Tiburon Blvd. Tiburon
415.383.5272
www.wpctiburon.org
Monastery of St. John OCA
563 State Route No. 1 Pt. Reyes Station
415.663.1705
www.divineascent.org/
Nativity of Christ Greek Orthodox Church
1110 Highland Drive Novato
415.883.1998
www.nativityofchrist.org
St. Nicholas Orthodox Church
102 Ross Avenue San Anselmo
415.454.0982
www.stnicholasmarin.org
Big God Ministries
180 Camino Alto Mill Valley
415.797.2567
www.biggod.org
Church of Aesclepion Healing
1314 Lincoln Avenue San Rafael
415.453.6196
http://www.aesclepion.org/
Scientology Marin
1930 4th Street San Rafael
415.459.0150
Subud California At Marin
100 Sacramento Avenue San Anselmo
415.456.4519
All Saints Lutheran Church
2 San Marin Novato
415.892.1669
www.allsaintsnovato.org
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
1180 Lynwood Drive Novato
415.897.3650
www.goodshepherdlutheran.org
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
5 Novato Blvd. Novato
415.897.2123
www.goodshepherdlutheran.org
Marin Lutheran Church
649 Meadowsweet Drive Corte Madera
415.924.3782
www.marinlutheran.com
Peace Lutheran Church
205 Tennessee Valley Road Mill Valley
415.388.2065
www.peacelutheranchurch.net
Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church
9 Shepherd Way Tiburon
415.435.1528
Trinity Lutheran Church
333 Woodland Avenue San Rafael
415.454.4135
www.trinitypreschool.com
www.tlcyouth.net
|
September: the kids are back in school and one of our nicest months for warm, fog-free weather. Stinson and Bolinas beaches often see the most visitors this month as locals and out of towners alike rent homes out there for long weekends or even a full week. But with our normal Indian Summer likely in place, this month and next are often talked about as a favorite time for many Marin residents.Speaking of normal, we’re all looking for the supply of homes for sale begin its return to a normal state, bringing with it a less frenetic resale market. Since 2007, when prices started to fall, so did the supply of properties for sale here. It surprised many of us, but people let go of their stocks or second homes, but not where they lived. We slowly went from an average of 1400 homes and condo’s for sale to only 700 today, and that current number is actually high. We’ve been as low as 500.
 While our inventory has basically been cut in half, the percentage of homes in escrow has steadily risen, yielding 40% – 50% of the market properties under contract, whereas it used to hover around 30%. We looked at this as an anomaly for the first few years, thinking it was just going to turn back the other way and more people were going to decide to sell, rather than hunker down. But hunker they did. Why? Well, we aren’t completely sure, but I can tell you that “quality of home life” had a lot to do with it. They didn’t (or don’t) need a condo up at Tahoe, which is far cheaper to rent anyway, and they didn’t (or don’t) have much faith in the volatility of the stock market, so they decided to stay in their houses and take permanent shelter. On top of that, another factor kicked in, starting in 2010: people started pouring back into California and the population began to rise again after a three year drop. And of the millions of people who moved here, where do you think a small percentage of them wanted to live? You guessed it, right here. And with Marin being basically a zero growth county, it doesn’t take an economist to figure out that your fixed supply of homes are going to increase in value. Sure enough, in 2011, it’s like somebody flipped a switch and the buyers started to buy again, with no end in sight. So given the dynamics in place, what’s a buyer to do? Well, probably “buy” I’d say. While you may think prices are high now after a three year run-up, we’re only now back to where they were in 2007 in half of the county. The northern half still has a bit to go, but not much. If you’re here for more than two years, go ahead and purchase. If not, go ahead and rent, but try to lock in two years. Rents are going up as fast as home prices, also now back to where they were at the high. Meantime, enjoy September wherever you are. Let me know of any questions. I’m here to help. TS Text or call 415.377.5222 |
After a brief respite in early July from the frenzy of the spring market, home sales started to accelerate again as we rolled into August. If you read last month’s newsletter, you know that Marin buyers and sellers often take a breather just after July 4th, choosing to vacation at home or away during the same month nearly every year. This often moves into August, with that month also being much slower than those in February thru June.
Not so this year. After four short weeks off, the buyers got back on it and put deals together on new listings, or those that had been sitting there, price-reduced or not. This could foreshadow a busy August, but it’s way too soon to tell. We’re only just here, but we’ll see.
 
Inventory remains low and is likely to stay that way. For the past year, prices are up 11% overall, with that likely to remain also. Figure roughly 1% a month in the median price range, which is $1,100,000. The lower price points will rise higher than that, the higher price ranges will lag behind, as they often do.
If you’re a buyer, I’d buy. You’re only going to see another slow and steady rate of appreciation for the next 2-3 years. Nothing dramatic and nothing will sky rocket like the go go days for Arizona or Las Vegas. But just a predictable climb up in nearly all areas of the county.
Meantime, enjoy August wherever you are. Let me know of any questions. I’m here to help.
TS
Text or call 415.377.5222
Email ted@allmarin.com
© Copyright 2019 Ted Strodder. 
Back Home