Lately people have been talking quite a bit about ‘The Square Foot Cost’ of homes as they ponder purchasing decisions. Square foot costs are interesting but not great for guidance because they vary so much. Here are some examples of how in the various towns in Marin these figures are wildly different.

Victor Maas laughed when I asked him to edify me on the square foot housing costs. “They vary, over time and in different locations. They are informative but not easy figures on which to hang one’s hat.”

In the past year, Stinson Beach sales, averaging $1345 per square foot, have led the county and are more than four times the Novato average, which is currently at $307 (down from $433 in the same period from 2005 to 2006). “In terms of percentage, the drop in Novato is the highest in the county for two reasons, the large number of distressed sales and the large number of condos.”

Compared to Stinson Beach, Ross, at nearly three times the cost of Novato, isn’t as high as one might expect at $868 per square foot.

Interestingly Mill Valley values appear to have held well – Mill Valley had a very small decline in cost per square foot from the ’05/’06 figure of $655 to today’s $642.

Two more towns of interest: In the last year the square foot cost in Ross was $868 and in Belvedere, $1073.

The real question is how do we use this data. Want to know more OR want to set me straight? Contact me verkozen@comcast.net and let’s jaw it out.

Posted by:Tom Verkozen