| Marin County real estate is managing to keep | | | | buyers, including pricing, photos, amenities, |
| its head above water in a sluggish real | | | | size, and the number of days the property has |
| estate market, but it is a struggle. Long | | | | been on the market. The MLS database is |
| considered a real estate hot spot, the Marin | | | | updated constantly, it is a dynamic tool. It |
| market has slowed, although a few areas are | | | | will even indicate when the price of a |
| still in what can be considered a seller's | | | | property has dropped - something useful to |
| market. Other communities, including Novato | | | | know when it comes to making an offer! |
| and San Rafael have definitively entered the | | | | Accessing listings in the Marin MLS is easy |
| buyer's corner. In truth, Marin's housing | | | | for both real estate agent subscribers as |
| market is all over the map and the | | | | well as consumers. For consumers, access to |
| prospective buyer will need a knowledgeable | | | | the MLS database that covers Marin County is |
| realtor to help navigate these rocky shoals. | | | | typically achieved thru use of an online |
| The interesting thing about listings in Marin | | | | database search tool called the IDX (internet |
| County is that sales can be difficult to | | | | Data eXchange) that can be found on some |
| predict and generally need to be taken on a | | | | Marin real estate agent and broker websites. |
| case-by-case basis. The luxury home market | | | | Rather than sifting through hundreds of |
| remains strong, but more modest homes | | | | property listings you can enter your search |
| sometimes languish for a variety of reasons. | | | | criteria - your price range, the number of |
| Some are quite simply overpriced. Others | | | | bedrooms & bathrooms you require, the |
| went into escrow and subsequently fell out | | | | communities you are interested in, etc. and |
| due to financing issues (Again, might the | | | | the database will give you a concise summary |
| sellers be thinking their homes are worth | | | | of what is available within the parameters of |
| more than the market will bear?). There have | | | | your search. Many of these |
| also been situations where the buyers and | | | | consumer-friendly MLS search tools also |
| sellers locked horns and couldn't come to an | | | | enable homebuyers to sign-up for email |
| agreement regarding credits for defects | | | | listing alert notifications when new listings |
| discovered upon home inspections. This | | | | hit the market that match their unique search |
| shouldn't scare you off if you are looking to | | | | criteria. With an experienced Marin |
| buy a home in Marin. Just be cautious and | | | | realtor by your side, you can make that |
| wise. In the current Marin real estate | | | | perfect home in Marin County a reality. By |
| market, the first step is to find a good real | | | | working closely with you, a good realtor can |
| estate agent. It would be sheer folly to try | | | | help you define what you need and want in a |
| to go it alone. And remember, not all | | | | home, then use a variety of tools, including |
| realtors are created equal. You need to hook | | | | the Marin MLS database search tools, to help |
| up with a knowledgeable and experienced Marin | | | | you to identify potential properties. Once |
| realtor. An agent who knows the market can | | | | you have narrowed the search, your realtor's |
| guide you through the intricacies of real | | | | knowledge of the Marin market will help you |
| estate transaction and help you to make | | | | decide what a reasonable offer for the |
| informed decisions. One very important tool | | | | property is, and guide you every step of the |
| that your realtor will rely on is the | | | | way as you wind your way toward owning that |
| Multiple Listing Service (MLS) that services | | | | home you've always dreamed about. |
| Marin County. The MLS is a database, | | | | |
| available by subscription, and contains | | | | Renee Adelmann is a Bay Area realtor |
| information that is invaluable to prospective | | | | specializing in Marin real estate. |