A decommissioned Air Force base with vacant dilapidated airplane hangars is fast becoming some of the hottest commercial property in Marin County.  The Hamilton Landing office complex is what the buzz is all about.  Already corporate home to Smith & Hawken and Birkenstock USA, Hamilton Landing has picked up some heavy hitting players in the technology and entertainment industry as well, including Sony ImageWorks, Visual Concepts Entertainment, and Oracle.  And a good thing just keeps getting better…  Walt Disney Studios recently announced plans to move their ImageMovers Digital studios to Hamilton Landing, with plans to be in the new digs before Christmas.

Tenants of the renovated hangars are attracted by the airfield’s sense of history coupled with the…

Once again Marin County has been recognized for its standard of living.  Forbes Magazine recently ranked Marin as being one of the wealthiest counties in the United States based on median household income.  Unlike other quality-of-life statistics, which may factor in per-capita income, median home-price, and cost of living, this survey is based solely on the household income, and places Marin County as the 15th richest county in the country.  

Real estate in Marin County also ranks high on a somewhat related Forbes list.  Last year nineteen cities in Marin ranked on the most expensive zip codes list. Homes in Ross California led the way with the ninth highest median home sale price in the nation. 

Ironically, relatively affordable housing can still…

If you are looking for an affordable house in a good neighborhood, Novato California might be the place for you.  Recently recognized by BusinessWeek as being the best suburb in California in which to buy a reasonably priced home, Novato is the fastest growing community in Marin County, but it still manages to maintain its small town feel.

In putting together their list for the “best” affordable suburbs in the U.S., BusinessWeek.com joined forces with Bert Sperling, founder and president of Sperling’s BestPlaces, and identified one suburb in each of the 50 states that offers good value for the dollar.  Location and affordability were primary considerations, coupled with low crime rates, quality schools, average commute times, and median household…

I recently listed a 4 bedroom view home located in the hills of San Rafael, California.       The home consists of 2 separate units on a spacious 3/4 acre lot.   Panaromic water, mountain, and town views from this mid-century home located at 77 Upper Fremont in Marin County.

• The updated lower unit consists of 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom,
• the upper unit (which requires some basic finishing work) includes 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms,
• Both units have spacious decks for enjoying the outdoors,
• The property also includes a pool

Asking price is $895k.  

For additional information and pictures, check out the MLS listing details for 77 Upper Fremont in San Rafael, CA.

Listed by:

Renee Adelmann, Realtor & Certified EcoBroker

Marin…

Showcasing the best of Bay Area design, the San Francisco Winter Market:  World View is the design extravaganza of the year.  With entries from the American Institute of Architects, landscape architects, and interior designers, this is one of the top design trade events in northern California.

Small Firms, Great Projects Exhibition
One venue provides the opportunity to see the diversity of residential design and architecture available throughout San Francisco, Marin County, and the greater Bay Area.

Date:  January 14-25, 2008
Time:  9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Place:  Galleria Atrium @ 101 Henry Adams Street, San Francisco

Small firms, Great Projects Opening Party
This gala, benefit for the Center for Architecture and Design, is a celebration of…

It's that time of year again to begin looking for inspirational ideas for renovating or redecorating  your home.     While countless trips to local service providers and big box retailers can be fruitful, its always nice to be able to see many of them in one central location!

If you live in the Bay Area, mark your calendar for the 2008 Spring Homes Show in San Francisco which will be held later this month at the Cow Palace.  Event and venue details are as follows:

EVENT:    San Franciso Spring Home Show

WHAT:   Conference featuring the latest information on remodeling, redecorating and landscaping.     Hundreds of exhibitors will be in attendance to showcase and demonstrate their products and services.

WHERE:  Cow Palace, 2600 Geneva Avenue, San…

Even traditionally stable Marin County hasn’t totally escaped the credit meltdown.  Sales for single-family homes priced under $1 million were down 21% in 2007, as compared with 2006, and condo sales were down 32%.  Hard as it is to imagine, just under the $1 million mark is the target price for first-time home-buyers looking for real estate in Marin County.

Luxury home sales remain invulnerable.  Sales for Marin County homes priced over $1 million jumped by 32% last year, while $3+ million house sales were up a whopping 65%.  This has skewed the sales figures for Marin; the median home price rose 9% last year, to $1,025,700 despite the fact that sales volume declined.  The median price for a condo has crept up to $570,000, up 4%, while sales have…

If the result of a recent poll of Marin County residents is a reliable indicator, Marin may be the first county in California to form a countywide power authority and plug homes and businesses into a green grid that is powered by wind, sun, and gas generated by waste products.  In the poll, 74% of the 1000 people questioned were in favor of forming a Marin Cooperative for energy, and 58% said they would be willing to pay more for green power.  Estimates project that the average household would see a $6 per month increase in their electric bills if Marin goes green.

Under the plan, Pacific Gas & Electric would continue to read meters, maintain equipment, bill customers, and deliver electrical power, but the Marin agency would arrange the source of…