Mill Valley California Real Estate News & Listings Presented By Frank Howard Allen Realtors

Corte Madera Craftsman Home with Cottage

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:46:15 GMT

Incredible Craftsman style house brand new in 2004 with a detached 1BR/1BA guest/au-pair cottage on a beautifully landscaped lot. Exquisite attention to detail. Classic craftsman finishes. Wood floors, 9 Ft ceilings, 9 sets of French doors open to patios, lanai and level grassy yard! Traditional two-story floor plan with great room design. Private double lot in quiet setting yet just minutes to 101, shopping and award-winning schools.

Listing courtesy of BAREIS MLS and listing agent BIll Johnson of Frank Howard Allen Realtors.

Mill Valley View Home Open Sunday 1-4

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:23:27 GMT

Big, Beautiful, Remodeled View Home is Move-In Ready! Main Level includes Kitchen/Great Room, Formal Living & Dining Rooms, Wired Media Room all with easy indoor-outdoor flow to decks & patios including built-in BBQ. Upstairs is master suite with fireplace, deck & views. Plus 4 more bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms & laundry room. Located on .5 Acre Lot close to trails, park, beach, etc. Space & Privacy to satisfy the most discriminating buyer.

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Listing courtesy of BAREIS MLS and listing agent Amy Glaser of Frank Howard Allen Realtors.

Quintessential Mill Valley Home

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 23:18:47 GMT

This is the Quintessential Mill Valley home in lush and peaceful Cascade Canyon. This Costigan classic provides close proximity to the village of Mill Valley, hiking trails, water falls and the natural beauty for which Marin is famous. Redwoods, wildflowers, ferns and a babbling brook accent this one-of-a-kind setting. If you love dining at El Paseo you will love this home designed by the same architect! Very spacious yet cozy. Welcome home!

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Listing Courtesy of BAREIS MLS and Listing Agents Karen Hardesty and Chelsea LaLeggio of Frank Howard Allen Realtors.

Santa Fe Home on Larkspur Water Front

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 23:07:23 GMT

Stunning custom-built Santa Fe style home w/ breathtaking views of the bay and Mt. Tamalpais. A bridge walkway leads to a private boat dock w/ deep water access. 2 spacious master suites each w/ adjoining den/office. Formal entry, formal living & dinning room with rustic beamed ceiling, gourmet kitchen & nook, elegant open flowing floor plan, designer fixtures, sun decks, fully landscaped level grounds leading to the water edge.Easy freeway access.

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Listing courtesy of BAREIS MLS and Listing Agent Ladan Mazhari of McGuire Real Estate.

True Estate Potential in Larkspur

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:53:44 GMT

True Estate Potential! Gated property w/circular drive, pool & privacy. Over 4,400+/- sq ft w/ generous sized rooms... just waiting for your vision! Great property for entertaining family & friends. Sited on over 1/3 acre. Located near schools, transportation & shopping. Kentfield Schools** Outdoor patio directly accessible from dining area and living room. Enjoy the Mt. Tam view while eating al fresco or entertaining in a serene and peaceful setting. Come and make this your dream home!

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Listing courtesy of BAREIS MLS and listing agent Sylvie Zolezzi of Frank Howard Allen Realtors.

Contemporary Compound in Larkspur

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:40:14 GMT

Outstanding contemporary compound located in the flats of Larkspur! Stunning, light filled main house with great scale & big open floor plan. Shows beautifully with tall walls of glass throughout. All main rooms open to the stunning, private grounds. Additional +-700 sq. foot legal guest house. Gated & private with all day sun. Located in the coveted flats, just blocks to shops & restaurants, with stunning views and all day sun. Pool site.

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Listing courtesy of BAREIS MLS and Listing Agent Tracy McLaughlin of Pacific Union International.

New Listing! Corte Madera Villa with Boutique Producing Vineyard

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

We've listed this one-of-a-kind property for discerning buyers who love the romance of producing their own pinot noir wine from their own boutique vineyard. The vineyard has 99 producing vines and has been a great source of enjoyment and gatherings of friends over the years. The home itself is beautiful has been meticulously maintained with superb quality and elegance. Click Here to find out more!

Beautiful Mediterranean with Mt. Tam Views

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:52:17 GMT

This is a beautiful Mediterranean home with terrific views of Mt. Tam. It boasts the latest in amenities and designer finishes. Fabulous natural light. Easy location on a private road. Each bedroom has its own en suite bath. A must see for the discriminating buyer.

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Courtesy of Bareis MLS and listing agent Larry Lang of Lang Realty.

Warehouse/Light Industrial Condo For Sale at The Vineyard

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 18:16:10 GMT

This beautiful light industrial space is in the newer prestigious commercial complex known as "The Vineyard."

This space is 1,793 sq.ft. (appx.) was one of the first units closed at The Vineyard and has special approval for:

Showroom (60%)
Office (20%)
Warehouse (20%)

(This special mix/use may be abandoned by the new owner.)

Contact Lesley McTaggart or Cliff Perotti for further information or for a confidential showing appointment.

Italian Villa with Personal Vineyard in Corte Madera

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:58:13 GMT

This is a one-of-a-kind property for discerning buyers who love the romance of producing their own wine from their own personal vineyard. This beautiful home has been meticulously maintained with superb quality and elegance. The home truly offers the feel of a warm Italian Villa, including a producing personal vineyard.

Features of this home include:

Three Bedrooms
Two Full Baths
Remodeled Kitchen and Baths
Extraordinary Views
Fireplace in Living Room
Vaulted Ceilings with Skylights
Formal Dining Room with Deck Access
Eat-In Kitchen
Large Street-to-Street Lot
Three car garage
Wine room
Personal 99-Vine Pinot Noir Vineyard

Contact Cliff Perotti or Lisa Perotti for further information or to arrange a private viewing.

Tom McGowan Joins Team Perotti

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

We're proud and excited to have a new member in Team Perotti...Tom McGowan! Tom joins the Team from ZipRealty, where he worked primarily in the Peninsula market. He will be working both San Francisco and the Peninsula for Team Perotti. Welcome aboard, Tom!

GREAT Corte Madera Home! Reduced to Sell!

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:46:43 GMT

Sunny, 3 bedroom, 2 bath single-level home in sought after Madera Gardens! Upon entering the front gate you are greeted by the private, enclosed patio. Brazilian Cherry hardwood floors in the living room and dining room surround a woodburning fireplace. Sliding glass doors lead out to private patios and the bright open kitchen is great for entertaining. Master suite has updated bath and great walk-in closet space.

3 full bedrooms
2 bathrooms
Open kitchen with eat-in area
Fireplace in living room
Level lot with grassy backyard
One car detached garage
Mt.Tam Views from Master Bedroom
Walk to award-winning schools, shopping and transportation

Close to Corte Madera Town Center, award winning schools and public transportation.

This sunny home is ready for its new owners!

Contact Lesley McTaggart for further information!

New Listing in Corte Madera - 46 Mohawk Ave., $655,000

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Team member Lesley McTaggart just listed 46 Mohawk Ave., Corte Madera, CA for $655,000! It's a great value in a SUPER location. It is a bit of a fixer, but at that price...Wow! This home is a short sale, so not for the buyer in a hurry. Won't last long, so reach out to us for further info!

Recourse Loans vs. Non-Recourse Loans - What does it all mean?

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 08:27:00 GMT

We often hear the terms "Recourse Loan" or "Non-Recourse Loan" when talking about home mortgages. So what does it all mean? And should you care? Well, it can mean ending up owing a lot of money, even after you lose your house in foreclosure. And yes, you should care.

A recourse loan means that, in the event of a default by the borrower and the lender has to foreclose on the property, settling for less than the original loan amount, the lender could still pursue the borrower later for a deficiency judgment. This is bad.

On the flip side, a non-recourse loan means that, in the event of a default and subsequent short sale or foreclosure, the borrower could NOT be pursued by the lender for any deficiency. Obviously, this is a huge issue.

In California, loans put on the property at the time of acquiring the home (acquisition debt) is non-recourse for a 1-4 unit property. Further, with recent changes in CA law, all loans on a 1-4 unit property are non-recourse, whether acquisition loans or not. There is an exception if the buyer/borrower commited fraud, but such cases are not the norm.

In some states, all financing of real estate is recourse financing. For example, in Illinois, regardless of the type of loan (acquisition or refinance), the borrower can be held liable for any deficiency after a loss is suffered by a lender in a short sale or foreclosure. Not good.

SO, for all the math majors out there...Recourse = Bad; Non-Recourse=Good.

Immediate relief for Short Sale Sellers

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 11:34:00 GMT

Last month Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law SB 458, which provides for immediate relief for short sale sellers from trailing liability to junior lien holders when completing a short sale in California. In order to receive protection under this law, the following conditions must be met:

• The property must be a 1 to 4 unit property;

• the junior lien holder must approve of the short sale;

• the borrower must not have committed fraud in their original loan application process;

• the property must not be owned by a corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership, or political subdivision of the state.

This is great news to those thousands of property owners who have been paralyzed from moving forward with a short sale for fear of being subsequently sued for some unresolved loan balance by their HELOC or other junior lien holder. It's also important to note that this protection does not apply in the case of a foreclosure that goes all the way to trustee sale and is subsequently sold on the auction block. This provides some great incentive to borrowers to complete a short sale in lieu of just walking away from the property.

What is acceptable “hardship” for lenders?

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 13:05:00 GMT

When seeking a loan modification or short sale from a lender, the borrower must demonstrate "hardship." There are 15 different types of hardship, which are:

• Loss of employment

• Income reduction

• Business failure

• Damage to property

• Death of spouse or wage earner

• Severe illness

• Inheritance

• Divorce

• Relocation

• Military service

• Payment increase or mortgage adjustment

• Insurance or tax increase

• Separation

• Too much debt

• Incarceration

The borrower seeking a short sale or loan modification must write a "hardship" letter to the lender, citing one or more of the above hardship causes. It's been my experience, that the typical borrower has at least 2 to 3 of these hardship causes. And, while we hear about “strategic short sales”, often the borrower has at least one of these hardship causes that can apply to their situation. Visit http://www.bayareadistressedproperty.com/ for more information.

Is now a good time to buy investment real estate?

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

With decreasing levels of homeownership and increasing levels of renters across the United States, now may be the perfect time to buy that rental property, whether you're considering a single-family dwelling or an apartment building. In addition, financing has become more accessible for such investments in the last few months. More and more, we are seeing all cash investors diving into the marketplace... So, yes, now is a great time to buy investment real estate.

Luxury property marketplace in Marin levels off

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 09:49:00 GMT

In an interview on The Property Beat, Frank Howard Allen Realtors luxury property specialist and office branch manager Andy Gellepis stated that the Southern Marin luxury real estate market was essentially maintaining the same levels of activity as 2009. He further mentioned that all cash buyers account for 25 to 30%. Hear the entire interview here:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thepropertybeat/2011/07/06/working-high-end-real-estate--meet-andy-gellepis-1

Fannie Mae offers short sale help desk

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 10:41:00 GMT

In an effort to improve the short sale closure rate and prevent unnecessary foreclosures by lenders, Fannie Mae has created a new "helpdesk" program for borrowers who have met unusual resistance from their lenders in getting short sales done on Fannie Mae backed/owned loans.

The program will be implemented in partnership with the local multiple listing service or Association of realtors, requiring such MLS/AO are to participate by providing access to their data for Fannie Mae. The helpdesk will only be available for borrowers in areas where the MLS/AO Art's consent to sharing this information has been given... Which begs the question, "why? Doesn't every borrower deserved assistance, regardless of what the MLS/ALR does?"

In a recent interview, Marcel Brier, vice president of Fannie Mae, reminds people that the helpdesk should be treated as a last resort, I. E., When all else fails with a lender. So, does the borrower has to wait until their short sale has been declined? Great.

San Rafael Home...Price Reduced!

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

We just reduced the price of this beautiful 4 bedroom San Rafael home to $709,000. Nestled in the charming Gerstle Park neighborhood, this home features a spacious layout great for entertaining, a large kitchen with stainless steel appliances, ample deck space, and hillside views. If you live in San Francisco and are thinking of moving to Marin, this could be the perfect home for you.

CLICK HERE for more information.