Marin County is a picturesque region located just north of San Francisco. With its rolling hills, abundant wildlife, and dramatic coastline, Marin County is an outdoor lover's paradise. The county is home to over 200 miles of hiking and biking trails and several state and national parks. In addition, locals enjoy kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding in Tomales Bay, horseback riding on Mount Tamalpais, and picnicking in Muir Woods.
Alongside its natural beauty, Marin County is home to outstanding schools for growing families. All-in-all, Marin County has something to offer everyone, and the housing market will always be highly sought-after. If you’re interested in learning about Marin County real estate for sale, keep reading to learn about all that this area has to offer.
Recent housing trends in the San Francisco Bay Area
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Marin County is part of California's San Francisco Bay Area real estate market. Before diving deeply into recent trends in the Marin County housing market, here are a few key points to note about the current state of the market for the San Francisco Bay Area. Despite the fact that homes in the Bay Area are selling for record prices, the Bay Area housing market has continued to slow from the competitive levels of the previous two years, providing favorable conditions for buyers who lost bids or waited out the fiercely competitive market.
Marin County property values rose to $95 billion in mid-2022, which is a 6.55% increase over the previous year. In addition, the median price of a Marin County single-family home surpassed $2 million as of April 2022. While the median price for the county had fallen slightly as of August 2022, the area overall boasts a robust housing market. This is especially true for luxury home prices in Marin County, which are skyrocketing due to high demand and low inventory.
Within Marin County as a whole, there is fierce competition for properties, as the inventory is quite limited, and no new homes are being built on pre-existing lots. The year-over-year appreciation rate for Marin County properties has been extremely high from 2020 to 2022, with Marin County home values per square foot also rising, despite a decrease in the third quarter.
A specific look at the cities
Tiburon sees the most expensive properties, with a median price of $3.15 million for single-family properties as of August 2022. With only 11 active listings and homes spending a median of 13 days on the market, this is a competitive real estate scene. Belvedere is similarly competitive, with a median price of $3.495 million and only three homes sold in August 2022. Ross and Sausalito are also highly sought-after markets, with a median price of $3.795 million and $3.4 million, respectively.
In Mill Valley, according to the monthly market report for August 2022, the median price of single-family homes was $2.03 million, with 31 active listings available. Homes here see a median of 23 days on the market.
In Larkspur, the median home price for single-family properties was $2.25 million as of August 2022. Similarly, Corte Madera single-family homes sold for a median price of $1.925 million.
In San Rafael, the median price for single-family homes was $1.5 million as of August 2022, and there were 47 active listings at that time as well. Homes here spend a median of 22 days on the market. Fairfax was priced similarly, with a median price of $1.477 million.
In Novato, as of August 2022, the median price of single-family properties was $1.22 million, and homes spend a median of 30 days on the market. There were also 50 active listings. San Anselmo properties were priced similarly as of August 2022, with a median price of $1.44 million and a median of 28 days on the market. However, there were only four active listings as of August.
A popular real estate scene
There are several reasons why Marin County will always be popular among house hunters, with a high demand for properties. Two of the main reasons are its great schools and gorgeous adventure areas.
Excellent school options
Marin County is a fantastic choice for growing families, as the public schools in the region are ranked among the best in the entire state—in fact, they are one of the factors that motivate families to move here from San Francisco. Some of the top public schools in the county include Tamalpais High School, Redwood High School in Larkspur, San Marin High School, and Sir Francis Drake High School. In addition, there are excellent Catholic and Montessori schools in the area, such as Bella Mente Montessori Academy.
There are also several exceptional private schools within the region. Marin Catholic High School in Kentfield is top-rated and provides an exceptional education with a student-teacher ratio of 14:1. Marin Academy is one of the highly-rated private high schools in San Rafael and focuses on getting students involved in problem-solving and creative thinking. San Domenico School in San Anselmo is another top private school for grades 3 through 9.
Phenomenal adventure spots
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Marin County has no shortage of opportunities for outdoor recreation and exploration. From hiking the beautiful Muir Woods to biking at the state parks to enjoying all the open spaces, the nature-oriented lifestyle will always be a draw for real estate seekers looking for a fantastic place to live. With stunning views and great weather, Marin County is a paradise for nature lovers.
Buy or sell in Marin County
For over 20 years, Jeff Marples has assisted buyers and sellers of single-family homes, condominiums, TICs, and cooperatives throughout San Francisco proper and Marin County as a partner and broker of record at Marker Luxury Properties ("MarkerLux"). Whether you are looking for property in Marin County, Sausalito real estate, or Mill Valley real estate, Jeff works tirelessly to negotiate the most favorable terms for his clients. Ready to get started? Contact Jeff Marples today.
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*Header photo courtesy of Shutterstock
