Guide Me Home 2 Marin County  Real Estate Expertise from Frank Howard Allen Realtors

The 2010 Vancouver Olympics – Just a Hop, Skip and a Ski-Jump from Marin

Posted: March 2nd

For the last two weeks, people all around the world were glued to their television sets watching the 2010 Olympic Games and rooting for their country to bring home the gold. Of course, this all made for a popular topic of conversation amongst many of my friends and associates. While watching the closing of the ceremonies on Sunday, I reflected on my recent trip to Vancouver where I was fortunate enough to experience the Olympics first-hand.

Vancouver is a quick and easy getaway from Marin, with a flight time of just less than two hours out of SFO. Tucked along our same beautiful Pacific coastline, the area shares many things in common with our North Bay home. The vistas offer mountain and water views, there is a very active, outdoorsy lifestyle and the city has a hip, easy, flowing feel to it. There are a number of new and “newer” buildings, but also some really interesting ones that spark the imagination of what they might have been like years ago.

Vancouver is VERY clean, which I found particularly amazing due to the Olympic crowds. After arriving Thursday afternoon, we walked around Kitsilano beach, went to the South African chain Nandos, and then downtown, which was full of people and offered so much to see. We checked out the Olympic Cauldron, enjoyed listening to the volunteers directing traffic, and waited in line at The Bay to get into the Olympic Store. There was an ice skating rink open to the public at GE Plaza and folks walking around sharing their Olympic experiences. There was a cool booth setup where the local newscast was happening. Our local Tour Guide even told us about the daytime Zip Lines over the city at Robson Square. Pretty cool, but his friend waited five hours to go on the ride. In addition to all the things we saw, there were free concerts, fireworks, and even a nightly light show that locals could help program. It was a great experience with a sense of community that seems impossible to achieve in a big city.

We spent the next few days and nights in Horseshoe Bay, which happens to be between Vancouver and Whistler (another one of the Olympic venues). Wow, what a beautiful place with amazing views. We walked around, enjoyed a cup of tea from Starbucks – and of course I couldn’t help but check out the real estate signs and properties. We also did a little shopping for Olympic souvenirs and gifts in Park Royal and enjoyed some lovely family meals.

On Saturday night we headed back into Vancouver to dine at the Top of Vancouver revolving restaurant. What a treat: the company was great, the food was fantastic, and the views were amazing. We could even see the blue Olympic rings floating in the bay! In addition to enjoying the city lights, we were also able to see the lights of the Olympic venues in the distant mountains. What’s cool about this is that it’s just the top of the mountains that are aglow, so it looks like the lights are floating in the sky. In town, everything from buildings to cranes were lit up and decorated in honor of the Olympics.

Walking around after dinner, with the whole town dressed up for the Olympics, there was so much to see. Folks of all ages were very friendly and happy, spontaneously singing “Oh Canada,” and cheering with their red Canadian mittens. And while many of the people we saw were clearly enjoying their night with a little drink, they were still very polite.

While we may not have attended any events, I felt like we were still part of the experience and felt very welcomed into the Vancouver fold. And even though I was sad to leave, it’s probably good I did – as it was just in time for the US to beat Canada in the first round of hockey games.

I know that my first memories of Vancouver will always be of a big, clean, lovely town filled with bright lights and enthusiastic national pride. I wouldn’t live anywhere but the Bay Area, but it was a fantastic place to visit and I hope to go back soon – perhaps next time in hiking weather.


Posted by:Jennifer Masterson



Ten Questions to Ask a REALTOR®

Posted: February 23rd

Once you’ve made the important decision to sell your home, it’s a smart idea to interview at least three potential REALTORS® before deciding on whom to hire. Without any obligation, you can invite local agents to preview your home and prepare a listing presentation. (Referrals, word of mouth, sales presence in your neighborhood, local brokerage websites – are all ways to find a potential REALTOR®.) When agents arrive for the presentation, they will likely have prepared a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) with data on nearby similar homes that have recently sold. They will also provide you with information on their credentials, a marketing and sales plan for your home, benefits of any company affiliations, and why you should list with them. For your part, it is important to prepare a list of questions to ask in return. Following are some to keep in mind:

  1. How long have you been in the business?
  2. How many properties have you or your company sold in the neighborhood?
  3. How will you market the home?
    • Who will photograph my home?
    • Will you create a complete address-specific website for my home?
    • How else will you market the home?
    • How do you feel about Sunday open houses? Who would hold the home open?
    • May I see a sample flyer?
  4. Will you provide me an update on your marketing efforts, as well as an overview of any new comparable active, pending and sold properties?
  5. Will I work with you or your assistant?
  6. How will you keep me informed?
  7. Will you provide references?
  8. What are the top three things that separate you from your competition?
  9. How much do you charge?
  10. What haven’t I asked you that I need to know?

For more seller tips and articles, click here.

Posted by:Noreen Smith



Books, books and more books in Marin County!

Posted: February 16th

I have a confession. I love to read. I don’t like to read a lot of heavy stuff. I like the lighter fare: books by Grisham, Lescroart, Cornwall, Parker, etc. You get the picture. Sometimes I find myself perusing the book table at the Novato Costco searching for my next thriller. Then there are days when I’ll spend hours wandering the aisles at Borders in San Rafael on a quest for my next novel. Once I’ve read them, I take the books to our family home in Tahoe and put them on the shelves there so others can enjoy them. I don’t think many get read. Last time I looked, there were hundreds! What a waste of money and space. So I got to thinking…

When was the last time you went to the library?  Last month, I applied for and received a new library card. “Woohoo,” you might say.  But “Woohoo” is right!  I get to read the current offerings of my favorite authors and also investigate new authors without having to invest any money. If I don’t like the book, I simply return it. Libraries also offer a big selection of books on tape, music CDs, and movie DVDs. If you haven’t been to the public library since you were in 5th grade, now is the time!

Marin County Libraries:

Marin County Free Library‎more info »
3501 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael, CA‎ – (415) 499-6056‎

Sausalito Library‎more info »
420 Litho Street, Sausalito, CA‎ – (415) 289-4121‎

Marin City Library‎more info »
164 Donahue Street, Sausalito, CA‎ – (415) 332-6159‎

Belvedere-Tiburon Library‎more info »
1501 Tiburon Blvd, Tiburon, CA‎ – (415) 789-2665‎

Mill Valley Public Librarymore info »
375 Throckmorton Avenue, Mill Valley – (415) 389-4292

Corte Madera Library‎more info »
707 Meadowsweet Drive, Corte Madera, CA‎ – (415) 924-4844‎

Larkspur Library‎more info »
400 Magnolia Avenue, Larkspur, CA‎ – (415) 927-5005‎

San Anselmo Library‎more info »
110 Tunstead Avenue, San Anselmo, CA‎ – (415) 258-4656‎

Fairfax Library‎more info »
2097 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, Fairfax, CA‎ – (415) 453-8092‎

San Rafael Library‎more info »
1100 E Street, San Rafael, CA‎ – (415) 485-3323‎

Novato Library‎more info »
1720 Novato Boulevard, Novato, CA‎ – (415) 898-4623‎

South Novato Librarymore info »
6 Hamilton Landing, Novato, CA‎ – (415) 506-3164‎

Inverness Library‎more info »
15 Park Avenue, Inverness, CA‎ – (415) 669-1288‎

Point Reyes Station Branch‎more info »
11431 State Route 1, Point Reyes Sta, CA‎ – (415) 663-8375‎

Stinson Beach Library‎more info »
3521 Shoreline Highway, Stinson Beach, CA‎ – (415) 868-0252‎

 

Posted by:Mark Machado



CREPEVINE – Fresh, Delicious and Reasonably Priced Dining in San Rafael

Posted: February 12th

These days, most families need to watch their budget when it comes to eating out. My family is certainly one of those. We don’t eat out often, maybe once a week, and generally we will go to a restaurant that has great value and great food. One of our favorites is CREPEVINE, located at 908 Fourth Street, in downtown San Rafael. 

CREPEVINE is a casual restaurant where one orders at the counter and the wait person delivers the food to your table. Yes, they specialize in crepes, savory and sweet, but they do many other dishes and they do them well. The menu has a Mediterranean flair with healthy and flavorful choices. 

Our favorites include the EL PASO. The EL PASO is sautéed corned beef hash with bell peppers and onions served over potatoes with melted cheddar and topped with two eggs and a side of toast. If you’re ordering on your own, you can get a “to go” box beforehand because the portions are sizable. Better yet, share it – believe me, it’s enough.  At $9.95 you can feed two people!

Another favorite is the CANCUN salad. The CANCUN is romaine lettuce, corn, black beans and red onions tossed with chipotle vinaigrette, served on a flour tortilla and topped with a charbroiled chicken breast. Again, it’s definitely a shared item. As a family of four (two adults, a 16 year old and 10 year old) we can have a nice meal out for $30.00 to $40.00, depending on what we’ve ordered. It is more expensive, of course, if you enjoy beer or wine with your meal.

CREPEVINE also does sandwiches, pastas, scrambles, omelets, pancakes and French toast and a kids’ menu is available. Breakfast is served all day – so breakfast for dinner is always a treat for the kids. The food is fresh, tasty and reasonable. Next time you’re out and about in San Rafael, try CREPEVINE!  You won’t be sorry.

Find locations and the complete menu on their website: crepevine.com.

Posted by:Mark Machado



Reason #476 Why I Love Marin: Fort Cronkhite

Posted: February 5th

My favorite beach in Marin: Fort Cronkhite

Lots of folks forget this spot but it’s quick to get to, provides nice hiking, and is breathtakingly beautiful.

From Marin you drive South on 101 until the very last exit before the Golden Gate. My favorite way to go is through the “5 Minute Tunnel.” One Saturday, I took my Mom and forgot to mention that the five minutes refers to the wait, as it’s a one-way tunnel and traffic lights are used to let cars through in each direction. We got there just as our light was turning green – when we passed through the tunnel 60 seconds later, she breathed a sigh of relief (a little claustrophobic as she is…) and wondered at how that was 5 minutes.

Driving through the Marin Headlands to get to Fort Cronkhite provides amazing natural views. More than once we have seen coyotes on the hills – and one time a smirking coyote (no really he was smirking) leisurely crossed the street after stopping traffic in both directions. He was no more than three feet from my car door. Of course, the Park Service does have posted signs throughout warning not to feed or pet the coyotes. Seeing them from my car – cool. Closer than that – not so cool.

Once you arrive at Fort Cronkhite there is plenty of parking and even convenient restrooms. For me, the first thing I do is walk over the bridge over part of the Lagoon and sit down. Just sitting and watching the waves is peaceful and Zen like; even better to dig your hands into the dark sand – I swear you can see tiny stones of every color. Once, while sitting on the beach watching the waves, I could have sworn it was the past and present merging in front of me as I saw: cargo ship, sail boat, cargo ship, sail boat…

I started doing quick trips to Fort Cronkhite when I moved to Marin in 1999 and I probably go 10-15 times a year. I find it such a great place to sit and think – just watching the waves here has helped me work through all sorts of things. But in addition to waves, the cliffs, the occasional cargo ships, and the cute surfers, there is so much more.

When I go with my kids they love digging in the sand, making tunnels, playing with whatever friendly dogs are hanging out that day, and, when it’s warm enough, playing in the water.

There is a fantastic walk around Rodeo Lagoon – here is a picture we took last weekend from the far end of the Lagoon looking out to the ocean.

There are some great, somewhat short but steep hikes from both sides of the beach –a good way to sneak in a little exercise.

And if that’s not enough, there is also the Marine Mammal Center, along with their visitor’s center. A couple years back my daughter had her 3rd grade report on the Marine Mammal Center which was being renovated. We went to the visitor’s center and learned all about Pinnipeds.

Even better, the Marin Headlands offers lots of other walks and hikes, bunkers, and incredible views, but that’s a blog for another day.

In the meantime, I am thankful that the memories are bountiful and I truly feel blessed to have this wonder in my backyard.

I created a photo gallery that contains some of my favorite images that I’ve taken from around Fort Cronkhite. I hope you enjoy it!


Posted by:Jennifer Masterson



Update on the recent earthquake in Humboldt County

Posted: January 14th

UPDATE: The recent earthquake in Humboldt County on Saturday and the tragedy that struck Haiti on Tuesday are sobering reminders that we in the Bay Area are also susceptible and need to be prepared in the event of a major earthquake. We are very fortunate to live in a place with strong local infrastructure, and we encourage everyone to take advantage of the wealth of emergency preparedness information and education that is available.

Our thoughts are with the people of Haiti. For a list from the Associated Press of organizations accepting donations to help Haiti, click here.

Click here to read my blog post about how you and your family can be prepared in the event of a major earthquake or disaster.
Posted by:Noreen Smith



Are you ready? Recent small quakes remind us that there’s no time like the present for disaster preparedness

Posted: January 9th

The Bay Area has been rocked with a few small rumbles lately, mostly centered around Milpitas, just north of San Jose. It serves as a good reminder to make sure that you and your family are prepared in the event of a major earthquake or disaster.

The Ready Campaign is a national campaign designed to educate and empower Americans to prepare for and respond to emergencies including natural and man-made disasters. Information for families and individuals can be found on the Ready America website:  http://www.ready.gov/index.html. In addition, there is Ready Business (information for small business owners) and Ready Kids (a site designed specifically for children). All three Ready sites follow the same guiding principles of Get a Kit, Make a Plan and Be Informed.

1. Get a Kit:
After a disaster, you may need to survive on your own for a while – in general, it is suggested that you have supplies to last 72 hours. Provisions should include food, water, a first-aid kit, battery powered radio, flashlights, extra batteries, etc. Depending on your needs, it’s also important to make sure you have items such as pet food, formula and diapers, extra medication, etc. More info can be found here.

2. Make a Plan:
Disaster can strike at anytime and anywhere so it is likely that you won’t be with family members; you’ll need to make a plan for how you will get in touch with one another and where you will meet. (For example, it is recommended that you have an out-of-area contact since it will most likely be easier to call long distance than locally once an emergency strikes.) You’ll also want to create different plans for different scenarios. The Ready Campaign has several online resources for making a plan. Make sure you also have a copy of or are familiar with the disaster plan at your child’s school or your workplace. More info can be found here.

3. Be Informed:
The best way to prepare is to be informed. In addition to the Ready.gov website, there are several local websites that provide useful information. Get Ready Marin has a resource page with a downloadable version of the Get Ready manual, presentation, and supply checklist – as well as other resources associated with the program. Get Ready Marin also offers free two-hour training courses which are presented in many cities and can be found here: http://www.getreadymarin.org/training.html. The San Francisco website, 72 hours.org, is also very useful for gathering information. More info can be found here.

Are you ready? Do you have suggestions on the best places for supplies? Let us know.


Posted by:Noreen Smith



Ski Lake Tahoe

Posted: January 6th

Over the Christmas Holiday I was able to take my family on a ski vacation. My wife’s family owns a home in Tahoe Donner, usually a 3 1/2 hour ride from Marin. We left on December 28th in the afternoon and arrived by 9 p.m. that evening. It was a bit of a schlep as rain, wind and snow pelted us on the way up and Cal Trans required chains on all vehicles traveling over the pass. When rides get long and arduous, I sometimes question myself for making the trip. When we arrived, the house thermostat read 35 degrees! I built a fire, turned on the water (we shut it down when we leave so that the pipes don’t freeze) and soon we were asleep.

We awoke the next day to overcast but clear skies and an exterior temperature of 28 degrees. As this was the first day of our trip we decided to ski at the Tahoe Donner ski area. It’s small, just 3 lifts, a few runs, very inexpensive and nothing too difficult. It was nice to get our ski legs under us before we hit something meatier. All in all, it was a great day. A very cold but great day!

On Wednesday morning, it was storming. The snow was heavy, the temperature was cold (good) but it was windy. As we made our way onto Highway 89, what usually is a 25 minute ride to Alpine Meadows took over an hour. During our first ride up the chair, my 10-year-old son, Daniel, looked at me and said, “It sure is cold and windy!” I thought that this was not going to be a pleasant day. But then, it stopped. All the weather just stopped. The snow stopped; the wind stopped. All of a sudden, the conditions were perfect. Alpine Meadows is the perfect resort as well. With their 12+ chairs and numerous beginner, intermediate and expert runs, it has something for the whole family. For the next two days we had perfect conditions at Alpine Meadows. Alpine is not as large as Squaw Valley (just next door) but the same mountain with the same degree of variety and challenge.

What a great trip! Unfortunately, we were rained out on New Year’s Day but that was okay with us. We packed up, closed the house down and made the 3 1/2 hour trip back to Marin. I’m glad we made the trip. It was some of the best skiing I’ve done in 30 years!

Posted by:Mark Machado



San Rafael High School Christmas

Posted: December 22nd

A week ago, I had the opportunity to work at the San Rafael High School Christmas Tree Lot. What a blast! This is my third year participating and my job was to give the tree a fresh cut – I got to operate the chainsaw – attach the tree stand and secure the tree to the car. The experience really put me in the holiday spirit and I got to meet a lot of people who were in that wonderful, Christmas-giving mood!

This student and parent-operated lot is a great fundraiser for the San Rafael High. All the classes, clubs and athletic teams participate.Each of the four classes raises funds for their Senior Year Sober Grad Night and Prom, the athletic teams raise money for uniforms and training, and the different clubs raise money in order to support their interests. This year the lot opened on Friday, November 27, and closed Saturday, December 19. In this time period, the school sold 1400 Christmas trees and raised just around $23,000. All the trees came from Casella’s Trees, who has been supporting San Rafael High since 1990, with all of the proceeds going directly back to the school.

Next year, plan on helping the kids during the Christmas season and purchase your tree at the San Rafael High School Christmas Tree Lot – the students will be thankful!

Posted by:Mark Machado



Real Estate Rumbles

Posted: November 19th

The number of sales in Ross sales (average price $2.3M) and Belvedere (average price $3.9M) are holding steady, thank you.

In the past 12 months there have been 29 sales in Ross (compared to the prior year with 28) and 21 in Belvedere (prior year 24).

In Ross there are 26 homes currently on the market, with nearly 1/3 (eight) in escrow. Consequently the available supply of homes in Ross is 18 homes or an eight month supply.

In Belvedere there are 36 homes on the market, of which five are in escrow. The 31 homes available represent approximately an eighteen month supply.

The bright side is that the number of homes sold in the upper price ranges, while holding steady in these two tiny towns, is increasing throughout the rest of Marin.

Posted by:Tom Verkozen



Staying up to date on news and trends with Twitter Lists

Posted: November 16th

Twitter recently launched a new list feature which allows users to create a custom list of people that others can follow with one-click. This is a wonderful tool, especially for those new to Twitter, as lists can be a great way to quickly find worthwhile folks to follow. In essence, these lists contain Twitter accounts that have been vetted by people with interests similar to your own so you can narrow in on specific groups such as Real Estate Pros, North Bay Happenings or Marin County Resources.

For example, if you’re interested in Social Media, Mashable (a leading site for Social Media news and resources) has created several lists you may be interested in following, including @mashable/social-media. Watch this list for a while and you’ll get great insights into Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and more.

For an extremely robust list focused on real estate, Pat Kitano (Real estate/tech speaker and commentator and co-founder of a Bay Area management consulting firm) created a Real Estate list that is 500 deep. As there truly is wisdom in numbers, follow this list and you’ll be up-to-date on what’s happening in the local and national real estate market in no time. Currently, Frank Howard Allen has created three lists which contain our most recommended folks to follow.

  • Marin County Resources (70 people and companies): This is a list of local companies, media, non-profits, schools, and bloggers. Including the Marin IJ, Marin Humane Society, Tam High School, Marin Mommies and more. Go here for all things Marin County.
  • Sonoma County Resources (40 people and companies): This list includes wonderful North Bay / Wine Country resources, including the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, Sonoma County Vintners, Petaluma Downtown Association, and more.
  • Real Estate Best Of (41 people and companies): There are hundreds of real estate-related accounts to follow on Twitter. We have handpicked our favorites for this list to provide you with a great way to stay current by following some of the most influential real estate accounts on Twitter. Go here for wonderful insight from the experts behind Inman News, NAR, WSJ and more.

New lists are added every second on Twitter, so we recommend going to Listorious, a phone book, if you will, of Twitter Lists. You can search by hundreds of list topics and find the ones of most relevance to your interests.

If you would like to learn more about Twitter lists, click here for a wonderful “How To” guide.

If you’d like to be added to one of our lists, please follow @FHAllenRealtors and send us a DM or @mention..

Happy Tweeting.


Posted by:Noreen Smith



Signs of Stabilization in San Rafael and Novato

Posted: November 12th

National economists and experts are touting that the housing market prices have bottomed out and show signs of stabilization. However, how does this relate to our neck of the woods?

Here are some interesting statistics for San Rafael and Novato which indicate that the housing markets in these two towns have stabilized in the third quarter of this year as the average sales price increased in Q3 (July 1 – September 30) from Q2. These two towns have also shown the most units sold in Marin County during Q3. Contributing factors include the attractive price point (relative to the rest of Marin County) and buyer confidence that they are getting good value, not to mention great interest rates and the first-time home buyer tax credit.

The following graphs provide an overview of Average Prices of For Sale and Sold homes for San Rafael and Novato in the last 9 months.

If I can answer any questions or if you need more information, please let me know: 415.298.2485 or nfaulkner@fhallen.com.

Posted by:Nigel Faulkner



San Rafael City Schools – Marin’s Best Kept Secret

Posted: November 11th

I was standing outside an open house yesterday when I overheard an elderly gentleman tell another couple, “Sun Valley Elementary does a pretty decent job, but when you get to middle school, you better watch out. The middle school and high school are not good.” Wow, what a statement. Unfortunately, this man is grossly misinformed.

You see, I have two boys. The oldest is Charlie who is 16. He is a junior at San Rafael High School; he also attended Davidson Middle School. Daniel is 10. He is in fifth grade at Sun Valley Elementary School and will be attending Davidson next year. Both of these kids are well balanced, bright children. If you ask Charlie (4.1 g.p.a.) when the lights went on regarding academics, he will tell you, “6th grade math.” Ask him who is favorite teacher is and he’ll say, “Mr. Kordick, 6th grade Social Studies.” Yes, there are a slew of highly respected high school teachers that he likes now, but his middle school teachers held the keys that unlocked his academic vault.

Two weeks ago, I attended a function at Davidson Middle School. I was able to “shadow” a student through her morning classes. I am truly impressed by the mutual respect that the students and teachers hold for each other. The classrooms are clean and decorated with projects the students are working to finish. I was able to experience some great intellectual exchanges between student and instructor. The kids are not disruptive nor are they disrespectful. There seems to be a lot of learning going on at Davidson Middle School!

There is a large population of diverse ethnicities that attend the San Rafael City Schools. Our family looks at this cultural and ethnic diversity as a huge “plus.” One “gets” to experience different languages, different viewpoints and different cultures. This is real life! Take a look at California, where our children will one day work and co-exist with so many vastly different people. California is a conglomeration of ethnicities from all over this planet and our San Rafael City Schools reflect the melting pot that is California.

Next time you or someone you know wants information regarding San Rafael City Schools, I highly recommend making an appointment with the principal to see and experience the school firsthand. I promise you will be impressed beyond your wildest dreams. You can contact the school district through its website at www.srcs.org .

Posted by:Mark Machado



Help Share the Warmth in Marin County, CA, November 6-13

Posted: October 29th

Frank Howard Allen Annual Coat DriveIt feels like the perfect storm is still upon us this fall: an economy in crisis, high unemployment, record home foreclosures. The result: hundreds of local community members are in need of even the basics. Additionally, many Marinites who regularly contribute to local non-profits that provide assistance now find themselves on limited budgets of their own. With a greater need, and fewer resources, it’s so important that we pitch in and help our fellow community members.

The annual Frank Howard Allen Warm Coat & Food Drive is one way to lend a hand – and it doesn’t take deep pockets. Simply clear out your closets of no-longer-needed clean, reusable coats and jackets, as well as any extra canned goods that may be in your pantry, and drop them off at any one of several office locations between November 6 and 13.

Last year we exceeded our expectations by collecting over 1,500 coats. We hope to support even more community members this year, during a time when donations matter more than ever. Two of the organizations we are supporting shared their needs with us: Homeward Bound has seen a 50% increase in demand since last year for their emergency shelter services, and they have 25 families on a waiting list for their family shelter rooms. Meanwhile Marin Food Bank is in need of 2-3 times more food donations this year than last to meet Marin County’s rising need for food assistance.

Please drop off donations at the following Frank Howard Allen office locations. We thank you in advance for any donations you can spare.

Donation Drop-Off Locations:
Greenbrae: 511 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard
Mill Valley, Downtown: 25 East Blithedale Avenue
Mill Valley, Strawberry: 1204 Strawberry Village
Novato: 915 Diablo Avenue
Petaluma: 905 E. Washington Street, Suite 109
San Rafael: 700 Fifth Avenue
Santa Rosa: 460 Mission Boulevard
Sausalito*: 215 Second Street
Tiburon: 1660 Tiburon Boulevard

*Independently owned and operated brokerage

Donations to benefit the following organizations:
Homeward Bound of Marin and Marin Food Bank (Greenbrae, Mill Valley, San Rafael and Tiburon offices); New Beginnings Center and Marin Food Bank (Novato office); Petaluma People Services (Petaluma office); Redwood Gospel Mission (Santa Rosa office).


Posted by:Noreen Smith



Open Letter to Marianne Rogoff

Posted: October 23rd

I’m sharing this open letter to Marianne Rogoff, with whom I wrote ‘Men In Their Prime,’ hoping to hear from you. If you haven’t read our first chapter, check it out in my earlier blog posting.

Dear Marianne,

My, oh my … tonight I learned that Steven King writes 10 pages a day … damn, that has changed my view of writing as a work form. I’m game to go for the gold, illuminating character through dialogue, providing yummy, heartwarming glimpses of our Men/Women In Their Prime as they blaze trail away from civilizations hypnotic simulacrum, leading us with fast-talking, outlandish overgrown boy humor into the world of Women In Their Prime. Look out, guys, fun-trouble ahead!

Right now it is 9:40 a.m. in Lyons … 10:40 p.m. where I’m dining solo (my dear friend, master waiter Chip McAllister is guiding my gourmet experience), writing and languishing through an inspired French onion soup while sipping The Left Bank’s best Merlot, celebrating the opening of a surprisingly stunning art show at Hospice By The Bay my photo on canvas, ‘Work In Progress’ is displayed with some blazingly beautiful work by the magnificently talented hospice volunteers and workers, among them my favorite social worker, Laura Koehler ‘Lisbon 2009’, dear friend and fellow vigil sitter Jack Usilton ‘Sausalito Boat Builders’ volunteer coordinators Cheryl Wilkins ‘Grand Sunset, Venice’ and Kay McArthur ‘New Wing at the Nelson-Atkins’, then there’s Nadine Narita with ‘Come On, Get Moving’ internment camp collage and Ellie Cousineau’s controversial ‘Summa Apologia’, the devil weeping silver tears for the souls he’s taken, hung in the lobby …

Read the complete article >