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.

7 San Francisco Restaurant Makes Yelps Top 100 List

Yelp recently announced its top 100 eateries in the United States. The list was comprised of a wide variety of establishments that had numerous reviews and were the most popular among Yelpers in the local area.

Seven San Francisco restaurants made this list.  They vary widely in atmosphere, cuisine, and price but all get kudos from Yelpers. The top-ranking restaurants include:

#6: Gary Danko, high end New American cuisine on N. Point Street whose namesake is widely respected as one of the nation's most talented and respected chefs. 

Chef Gary Danko, whose restaurant ranked #6 on Yelp's Top 100 in the nation.

#24 Ike's Place, known for their amazing sandwiches, especially those with the 'dirty sauce'

#26 Kokkair Estiatorio, serving delicious Greek/Mediterranean dishes in the Financial District

#53 Lou's Cafe, another sandwich shop in Inner Richmond with many loyal customers

#55 Arizmendi Bakery offers pizza and mouthwatering baked goods on 19th Street

#83 The Codmother Fish & Chips, a favorite British fare served up in a casual, fun atmosphere

#95 Roxie Food Center, a market that makes stellar sandwiches and it right across the street from Balboa Park

Of course, San Francisco is known for its amazing diversity and its cuisine is no exception. There are so many delicious options to explore for breakfast, lunch and dinner! 

Tell us, what is your favorite place to dine in San Francisco?

Best Açaí Bowls in San Francisco

The açaí berry is a superfood grown on a species of palm tree native to Brazil (our very own Franck Costa is also Brazilian!) and northern regions South America. This dark fruit quickly become a favorite among the health-food conscious as it contains antioxidants, fiber and heart-healthy fats.

If you're looking for the best açaí bowls in the city, look no further than these 5 places.

Basik Cafe in Nob Hill

Basik Cafe's The Drifter, 1958 Polk St. (Nob Hill), basikacai.com 

If you're looking for a twist on the classic açaí bowl, Basik Cafe offers up The Drifter is a chocolate lovers dream come true. It includes an organic blend of raw cacao, acai, and housemade cashew milk topped with cacao nibs in addition to granola, banana,  crushed almonds, fresh strawberries, and honey. 

The Plant

The Plant's Sambazon bowl, multiple locations, theplantcafe.com Photo courtesy of Yelp

The Plant's Sambazon açaí bowl is bursting with berries and includes a side of fresh fruit and granola.

Bowl-d Açaí

Bowl'd Açaí 14 Mint Plaza (SoMa), bowldacai.com  (Photo courtesy of Wendy Goodfriend)

Bowl'd Açaí is a food truck that serves up smoothies, juices and 3 signature açaí bowls. These include Original Gangster, brimming with fresh, locally sourced strawberries, blueberries, banana, coconut and honey in addition to the Brazilian berry.

Blue Hawaii Açaí Cafe

Blue Hawaii Açaí Cafe,  2 Embarcadero Center (FiDi), bluehawaiisf.com, Photo credit to Julia Mazzucato

Blue Hawaii's Lime Fresh açaí bowl infuses fresh lime and honey while their classic bowl blends organic açaí, fresh banana, and berries, perfect for a healthy meal on the go.

Judahlicious

Judahlicious,  3906 Judah St. (Outer Sunset),judahlicious.com Photo credit to Jennifer Eng

Known for their healthy, gluten-free cuisine, Judahlicious offers raw and vegan options including their Jungle-Style acai bowl. Made fresh with raw acaí, blueberries, banana atop housemade sunflower, pumpkin seed, and buckwheat granola. For $1 extra, add cacao nibs, goji berries, coconut flakes, hemp seed, or mango.

Article excerpt from 7X7.

Mudslides Block Bolinas-Fairfax Road

As much as the Bay Area needed precipitation, with heavy rains come downed trees and hillsides that just can't hold up.  Bolinas-Fairfax Road on Mount Tamalpais was hard-hit by mudslides and is currently expected to be closed for 'week's, according to the Marin County Sheriff. The closure is between Meadow Club in Fairfax and Ridgecrest Road. 

Ample time is needed for road crews and civil engineers to assess the damage and evaluate necessary repairs. 

One of the most scenic drives in the Bay Area, Bolinas-Fairfax Road is a favorite among Sunday drivers who wish to enjoy its redwood forests, foothills and ocean vistas as well as the thrill of those amazing hairpin turns!  Also a favorite among cyclists thanks to its varied terrain and minimal traffic, Bolinas-Fairfax Road offers great, heart-pumping climbs, with one of the most popular routes descending to Alpine Lake. 

This beautiful back road road is often featured in automobile commercials and scenic calendars.

San Francisco Community & Development Update

Below is a quick synopsis of recent community activity and development in San Francisco. 

Community

Residents protest Ellis Act evictions of mid-Market building

A group of artists and musicians living in an 84-unit building on Market Street are going toe-to-toe with their landlord after being handed notices of what they say is the largest Ellis Act eviction in San Francisco history for their live-work units late last month.

Supervisor Peskin Introduces Idea for Building ADUs Citywide

Last week at the full Board, District 3 Supervisor Peskin announced legislation to allow for the construction of new accessory dwelling units (ADUs), aka in-law units, throughout San Francisco. At the hearing, he referred to building new in-law homes as a “pragmatic infill strategy” that could potentially add up to 40,000 new homes throughout the City.

San Francisco Planning Takes Lead in Modernizing Environmental Review for New Development Projects

For decades, environmental analysis of transportation impacts focused on how quickly cars moved through a given intersection, a flawed approach that was expensive to calculate, did little to benefit the environment and promoted urban sprawl rather than smart infill growth. The new approach is more comprehensive, looking at the method of travel, how far the person is going, and how many other people are in the vehicle to determine the impact on the environment.

Development

New rendering shows building that will replace Flax Art & Design

Solomon Cordwell Buenz Architecture is behind the new design, which incorporates more of a natural, textured element to the facade. The building is still slated to be a nine-story, 162-unit structure with subterranean parking, along with 4,500 square feet of ground-floor retail space.

Canton Seafood Condos Closer to Reality

The plans for razing the two-story Canton Seafood & Dim Sum restaurant at 655 Folsom Street and constructing a modern 14-story building, with 89 condos over 2,300 feet of commercial space and an underground garage for 36 cars with its entrance on Hawthorne, have just been granted an Eastern Neighborhoods based exception from having to complete an Environmental Impact Report (EIR).

Ground Breaks On Condos, Restaurant At Former Pagoda Theatre

...construction officially began this week on the Palace at Washington Square, a condo building with ground-floor restaurant space that will occupy the former Pagoda Theatre site at 1731 Powell Street, near Columbus Ave.

Transbay Joint Powers Authority Approves $160 Million Cash Offer Pre-entitlements

Generally zoned for 750 feet, Parcel F is the last remaining site available for development of a super-tall building in downtown San Francisco and the final parcel that can directly connect to the Transbay Transit Center Rooftop Park via a pedestrian sky bridge. F4 proposes to construct a tower on Parcel F containing 200-300 hotel rooms, 200 residential units, and 250,000-425,000- square-feet of office.

New Condos Proposed for Big Bubble Site

The Cow Hollow parcel upon which the two-story Big Bubble Laundromat sits at 2525 Van Ness Avenue, adjacent to Amero, is zoned for development up to 65-feet in height. And having recently acquired the site, a Vancouver-based developer, the Executive Group, is working on plans for a seven-story building to rise. The proposed 65-foot building includes 27 condos over 1,500 square feet of café/retail space fronting Van Ness Avenue and an underground garage for 27 cars. 

Tenant Buyout Clears the Way to Raise the Roof on Mission

With Anna’s Linens on Mission having closed, and the master tenant from which Anna’s had been subleasing having been paid to forfeit the remaining 30 years on their 99-year lease, plans to renovate the existing 12,000-square-foot structure and add four floors of residential units above are in the works. 

Checking In On Octavia's Planned Micro-Unit Apartments

It's been over a year since we covered plans for Parcels M and N, two narrow Octavia Boulevard-adjacent lots where two micro-unit apartment buildings are in the works. Despite the lack of visible progress, the project is still trucking along behind the scenes. Architect Douglas Burnham from envelopeA+D, which is handling the development, gave us an update.

For the complete list of related articles, click here.

San Francisco Development Report-March 2016

News & Highlights

• The resale price per square foot is above $1,000 for the first time since December 2015.
• 60% more resale condominiums on the market in March VS February.
• 450 Hayes is almost completely sold while the 4th floor penthouses are priced at $1,700 per square foot.
• Sales have commenced at The Pacific Row House Collection with 5 of 10 units  already in contract.
• Sales set to launch this month for 388 Fulton and 69 units in Hayes Valley.
• 5 market-rate units remain available at 1001 17th in Potrero Hill.
• More unit closings were released for Arden in Mission Bay with a price per square foot average of $1,015.
• Initial closings for Lumina Tower B have been released with a price per square foot of $1,170.

Market Performance

Residential Pipeline Summary

Projected & Historical Supply

If you are interested in a private showing of one of the many properties on the market in San Francisco or if you have a unit you are looking to list, contact The Costa Group. 

Marin County Reservoirs at Capacity!

Finally! Marin County's final holdout, the Nicasio Reservoir, is now full thanks to early storms in March.  Nicasio joins the other Marin reservoirs: Lagunitas, Bon Tempe, Alpine, Kent, Phoenix and Soulajule, all of which have now hit capacity. 

Fog shrouds Nicasio Reservoir.  Photo credits: Liz Hafalia, The Chronicle

The district's reservoirs are known to reach capacity even in drought conditions due to the fact that they are significantly smaller than our state's largest reservoirs. But, due to California's four-year drought, the last time Marin's reservoirs were at capacity was December 2014.

Marin Reservoir Capacities

Graphic from Marin Municipal Water District.

Despite current rainstorms and with only a few weeks left in the rainy season, Marin residents have still been advised to conserve water.

Nicasio Reservoir in 2007. Photo credit: iso110.net 

"Any one year isn't going to make or break a four-year drought," Drew McIntyre, the district's chief engineer stated. "No matter how much it rains, we still need to conserve because we don't know what will happen next year."

Gorgeous Off-Market 2 Bed, 2 Bath Arden Condo

The opportunity to live in Mission Bay's urban waterfront is here! Your new home in residence 814 is filled with natural light and the open concept floor plan with an outdoor view patio that is perfect for entertaining.

HOME FEATURES INCLUDE:

• 2 bedroom and 2 full bathrooms
• Approximately 1177 square feet
• 1 car parking in the gated garage
• Private storage

BUILDING AMENITIES INCLUDE:

• Two designer lobbies
• 75' rooftop lap pool and spa
• Expansive outdoor wood deck with city, water, and Twin Peaks views
• Double height fitness studio with changing rooms
• HOA dues: $919.34

Offered at $1,475,000

FOR SHOWINGS AND MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT FRANCK COSTA.

Franck Costa

focosta@vanguardsf.com   |   415.490.7027   |  BRE#01853603

San Francisco Flower & Garden Show March 16th through 20th

The 30th annual San Francisco Flower & Garden Show will take over the San Mateo Event Center, filling it with gorgeous gardens, insightful seminars and a variety of exhibitors.  

Professional gardeners, landscapers and nursery owners will answer all of your questions.

Discover fabulous, sustainable floral techniques creations in the Flower Pavilion.

You'll be inspired by the stunning, designer on-site garden displays, each of which is based around a single theme, then designed and created by talented landscape designers. 

New Leaf Landscapes: 2014 exhibit, "No water for this garden".

The variety of seminars will teach you how to create your own, be it a container garden on an intimate patio or balcony, a drought tolerant front yard or a lushly planted backyard.

Wander through specialty shops offering plants, flowers, tools, garden art, tools and more.

Originally called the San Francisco Landscape Garden Show, the first event was held in 1985 at Fort Mason to benefit the San Francisco Friends of Recreation and Parks. Over the years, it has move locations, changed ownership and flourished in the creative, cutting-edge information, products and designs it offers attendees.

If you want to learn more about DIY garden ideas and techniques, or are looking for a landscape designer to create your own personal paradise, the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show is the ideal one-stop shop.

Show hours are 10am to 7pm each day of the event. Tickets are available online and seminars and special events are included in the price of admission.

Marin Market Update-March 2016

They're finally here. 

A new crop of homes has hit our inventory-starved County, and Marin Buyers could not be happier. This is the moment we've been waiting for. 

Savvy shoppers, who have been watching the market, and are pre-approved and ready to act will reap the benefits of this new Spring harvest. Buyers, if a home pops up in your price range that hits most of your parameters, this agent says go for it!  If a home feels right, don’t wait. Write an offer. Too often when a flood of inventory hits the market, buyers get overwhelmed and hesitate, hoping that a more perfect home will come on the market in the coming weeks. But those who hesitate often miss out on a great home, and then find themselves with fewer choices down the road than they had hoped.

Pricing remains critical in this highly charged market.  Sellers pricing too high may miss out on a buyer that has dismissed their home as being overpriced. Better to start with a more realistic offer price and let the market determine for how much it should sell.

In Marin, real estate agents, for the most part, try to price as accurately as possible. Sales of comparable homes in one of Marin's many micro-markets that are similar in size, layout and make-up help determine an offer price akin to what the going sales prices are in that area. While there's generally a range that feels comfortable for both buyer and seller, remember that ultimately the market price is the price a buyer is willing to pay.

One of the most common questions we get asked is, “Are we in a bubble? And, if so, when will that bubble burst?” Let’s first burst all this bubble talk. Real estate is a cyclical business. Historically, prices go up and down. Inventory goes up and down. There will always be shifts and swings; that's just the nature of the business.  So there will be a downturn again at some point, but since mechanisms have been put in place to guard us from the bubble burst of the past, we expect any market shifts up or down to have little impact over the long term. That’s because for the majority of us, real estate is a more long-term decision: where you want to live to suit your lifestyle, or where you'd like to raise your kids, or where you see yourself building a future, etc. If you are looking to make a move for any of those reasons — or want to make a different kind of investment, real estate continues to be one of the very best places to put your money. I can help you with both.  

Here’s what happened in Marin Real Estate in the month of February:

Single Family Houses Sold in February 2016 vs February 2015

While fewer properties were sold this February, overall prices did increase in Marin. January and February started off slowly, but look for some solid numbers in March with inventory on the rise. Housing prices are still predicted to rise moderately this year at about 6%, which is a healthy increase, though not as dramatic as in the last few years that saw 10-15% or more appreciation.

The median home price for Marin in February was $1,141,400, up 14% from last year at this same time. For a typical buyer today, purchasing a home at this median price, with a down payment of 20% ($228,280), and a 30-year fixed rate of 3.375%, the monthly mortgage (not including taxes and insurance) would be approximately $4,036.87.

Working with a qualified mortgage professional will help you determine your magic number and what you can afford in the Marin market. Some new loan programs are available, so with good credit you may be able to finance more and pay less down. Rates are still amazingly low, so doing research will help you find the loan package that works best for you.

he majority of properties sold this February in Marin (single family homes and condominiums combined) were under $1 million dollars. In the combined $1.5 million to $5 million price ranges, there was significant increase of days on market, meaning it took longer to sell these homes than it did one year ago. And in the $2-5 million dollar range, while the numbers are small, we did see a slight increase in the number of properties sold.

Of the 60 sold properties under $1M, most of them were in Novato (28) and San Rafael (19). Novato’s under $1M properties were mostly single-family homes, while San Rafael had a majority of condominiums in that range. There were 30 total condominiums sold in Marin this past February with a median sales price of $464,000, versus 49 sold last February 2015 with a median sale price of $505,000.

All in all, we're seeing more normality in the market. Prices are rising, but not at the clip they rose in the past few years. Sales are slower, but we attribute that to low inventory levels and expect to see a significant upward change in the coming months. There are some good values out there right now and more will be coming on the market as we move into Spring. Well-prepared buyers will win by knowing the market, what’s available and having a good sense of recent comparable sales. The key is always to work with a reliable agent as your trusted partner.

OPENING SOON: OUR SECOND OFFICE IN MARIN

We're putting the finishing touches on Vanguard Properties’ new office on Magnolia Avenue in Ross Valley. Look for an invitation in the next few weeks to our Grand Opening event. More details to follow.

Looking to buy or sell a home in Marin County? The Costa Group knows the Marin market well. We'd love to learn more about your real estate needs and share how we can help you make them a reality.