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