Mill Valley Among Top Safest Town in California

Located in Marin County, north of San Francisco, Mill Valley is a town of 14,300 residents that sits between the shores of Richardson Bay and the slopes of Mount Tamalpais. 

Mill Valley has been inhabited for nearly 6,000 years, and the geography of the area is known for its diverse habitats and nature preserves, including Muir Woods.  Living in Mill Valley is a safe bet as the violent crime rate is minimal and the odds of being involved in a property crime are just 1.2%.

The combination of Mill Valley's idyllic location nestled beneath Mount Tamalpais coupled with its towering redwoods, mild Mediterranean climate, quaint downtown and relative ease of access to San Francisco has made it a very popular place to reside. In July 2005, CNN/Money and Money magazine ranked Mill Valley tenth on its list of the 100 Best Places to Live in the United States.

Let The Costa Group help you find your perfect home in Mill Valley. Or, if you're in the market to sell your Marin County home, we can help there, too.

Marin Market Update November 2015

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Overheard in Marin real estate circles...

• “We finally reduced our list price by $100,000 after a month on the market, and immediately got a surge of interest, multiple offers and have just sold at the original asking price!”
• “We went in under asking and got the house… without a counter!”
• “We priced our home low, thinking we'd get multiple offers and we didn't get one!”
• “Despite our agent's suggestion, we listed our house $200,000 over their recommended asking price... no offers. We just accepted an offer below the agent's original suggested price.” 

OK, that last one wasn't actually overheard, as most sellers would not admit that they miscalculated the market and didn’t take a professional’s advice, but the others are quite common scenarios in Marin. The stories we're hearing right now are varied -- success stories from buyers and sellers, and stories of extreme frustration.
 
Some properties are flying off the shelves, perhaps because they are well-priced, expertly marketed, in a great location (close to town, transportation, schools, parks, etc.), look great with very little work to be done, or a fixer with tons of potential.
 
On the other hand, some properties languish on the market. This is ether because the seller is unrealistic about price, the agent has not marketed the property well, the layout is funky, the location is less than desirable, there is too much work to be done, or it is some combination of these factors.

Rest assured, there are eager buyers out there who are ready to make a move... they just want what they want.
 
As of November 11, 2015, there are 291 active homes on the market in Marin, ranging from $269,000 to $20,000,000. There are also 82 active condos for sale, ranging in price from $120,000 to $2,150,000.  Here it is broken-down first by price and then by location:

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The further we break it down into location-specific, the numbers dwindle even more. You can see there is a true inventory shortage in all categories. Broken-down by a few select Marin cities, one can see where the opportunities lie (for now):

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The average days on market for a single family house this past October is 50, down from the average 58 days on market in October of 2014. This indicates inventory is moving a bit faster than this time last year.
 
As the economy gains a bit of strength, mortgage rates are beginning to inch up. The Federal interest rates are expected to rise in December and although not directly tied to mortgage interest, they do ultimately affect it. If not raised in December, certainly in the New Year. This is a healthy sign that our economy can stand a little stronger on its own. But, it also has immediate effects on affordability, so will most definitely impact some home prices moving forward.
 
We are right now in a window of opportunity for buyers and sellers to find that perfect balance of list/buy price. It’s a shame more properties are not on the market. Though the market is pretty healthy, with a solid amount of sales, I think we’d be seeing a lot more movement if we had more properties on the market.
 
If you are interested in more specifics about your town or neighborhood, please don't hesitate to call us. While the market is varied, there are still ways of determining the true value of your home based on its unique features, recent comps and market conditions. And, if you're in the market to buy, let's strategize about how to make the best purchase for your dollar.

Mill Valley Film Festival: Get Your Tickets!

Sarah Silverman as Laney in 'I Smile Back.' (Broad Green Pictures) ( Broad Green )

The Mill Valley Film Festival first began in 1978, in support of independent and foreign filmmakers with a mission to expose films about education and art.  This is the 28th year of the Festival which features an enormous amount of work, over 200 films and begins on October 8th.  Actor Carey Mulligan, Meryl Streep and Directors, Tom Hooper and Catherine Harwicke are some of the luminaries featured this year.

You can preview the seasons most exciting films before the Academy Awards season is upon us. Running for 11 days the festival is not as hyped as Sundance and so has a more relaxed atmosphere.  Many attendees take advantage of the nearby hiking in the Tennessee Valley.

Sarah Silverman will be in attendance for her film "I Smile Back" about a woman battling mental illness and on Oct. 11th, Sir Ian McKellen will be at the the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center, to accept a Lifetime Achievement tribute. Other featured actors are Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara in the 50's era romance "The Price of Salt" and Meryl Streep in "Suffragette".

Several of the films have Bay area connections like "Dogtown Redemption", a film about 3 people who make a living off recylcling and a few films have already won prizes at Cannes.  Check out the line-up, it's stellar and enjoy the festival!

When:  October 8- 18t

Where: CineArts@Sequoia, 25 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley; Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center, 1118 Fourth St., San Rafael and other venues

Cost: $15 unless otherwise noted

Tickets and additional info: www.mvff.com or 877-874-683