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Ted Strodder


415.377.5222
Golden Gate
Sotheby's International Realty
189 Sir Francis Drake Blvd
Greenbrae CA 94904

Record Home Buying Continues in Marin and Much of the Country

It’s February in Marin, though if you’re like me, you’ll have to check your screen to confirm that month at least for the next few days or even beyond. In this new WFH environment, many of us are having trouble keeping track of which day of the week we’re in as things sometimes blend together. Mid week is the toughest as Mondays and Fridays tend to have their own feel. So I’m guessing this new month change may take some getting used to, though I can’t say why that is.

It’s kind of like the housing market right now. None of us can say exactly why we saw record buying in the final two quarters of last year, or why this winter has easily been the busiest on record. Oh we have our guesses, with most of them revolving around a healthier or more spacious environment to live and work in. But none of us saw it coming, until it was upon us. And upon us it still is as the buyers continued on right through Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day and beyond, with no end in sight. 

Many are relocating from nearby cities, SF in our case. But we are also seeing local buyers trade up into larger homes or bigger lots with room for an outside studio or dwelling unit to use as a home office. I showed a small house recently where the seller had purchased a new Airstream trailer and parked it in his driveway to use as a ready-to-go home office with a full (albeit small) bath. What a great idea and we’re seeing things like this throughout the county as many of us will be working from home more and more, some maybe indefinitely, so why not buy a bigger property to enjoy? 

We went over these other reasons to move last month, but I’m publishing them again in an abbreviated version. These likely will continue to be the factors driving our market (and home prices) forward:

Factor #1: The search for healthier, fresher air and surrounding space.  

Factor #2: Working from home will be the new norm for many companies.  

Factor #3: The passing of Proposition 19, making it possible for sellers over 55 to take a low tax base with them anywhere in the state.     

That’s it for now. Enjoy February and all of 2021 wherever you are and please stay safe. As always, thanks for reading.

Ted

415.377.5222

ted@gomarin.com