Patricia Oxman Real Estate

How do you handle change?  Since I sell houses for a living, I see change happening on a daily basis.  Right now the trend is empty nesters waking up in larger houses than they need and exploring their next best step.  For some it is purchasing a smaller house.  For others, it’s renting in a new location – trying it on for size and convenience.

After 17 years in their comfortable Greenbrae family home, a major house remodel and successfully launching their two sons, Rob and Sandra were ready for a new experience.  They sold their home to the next generation of Greenbrae buyers and moved to Stinson Beach where they are renting and exploring a new way of life.  Running their dog on the beach, warm outdoor showers and lazy nights in front of a fire – I think we already know how they handle change.  Just fine, thank you!

If change is in your future, let’s talk.  There is certainly no one right way to move, but I’m happy to share many successful stories that I have been a part of.

Recently I had the privilege of representing 8 siblings in the sale of their parents’ home. It had been the center of activity and their family home for the past 44 years.  This
long term ownership allowed the sisters and brothers to share with me their memories of growing up in Greenbrae when Bon Air was half its present size, included a bowling alley and Greenbrae School still existed where Parkside homes stand today.

The market responded quickly to this 5 bedroom home – an unusual bedroom count for Greenbrae.  The new owners are a lovely family complete with a 6 month old son and a live-in mother who will be invaluable to new working parents.

And so the cycle continues. The things that were attractive to buyers in 1967 – warm weather, good schools and easy commute to the City – are the same ingredients that buyers in 2011 value.

The changing of the guard – welcome to Greenbrae!

Preparing a home for the market these days means pulling out all the stops to make sure the house presents the ‘right picture’.  One of my many skilled and qualified team members in this preparation process, is Adam Willis, photographer.  Yesterday we were together photographing a beautiful home in Sausalito.  I thought he went BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY to capture just the right shot.  So while he was shooting the house, I was shooting him.

It takes a TEAM EFFORT to prepare my listings for this picky market.  From my inspectors to stager to gardener to the final photo with Adam – I am surrounded by excellent professionals who give my clients their all and help create good results in any market.

Many of my clients this year have been empty nesters contemplating retirement.  Some are buying down to smaller homes.  Some are selling and renting while they consider their next move.  And then there are the adventuresome dreamers among us who, after 20 happy years in their home, sell and set sail!  That’s just what James and Charlotte did.  With retirement in sight, they have sold their Kent Woodlands home and have their itinerary set on their 52 foot Seahorse Marine trawler, Pegasus.  Their first port of call will be the Sea of Cortez in Baja, California.

I have completely enjoyed being involved in their transition and happy to help them cast off to life’s next adventure!  During the sale of their home, we exchanged many emails.  Charlotte chose the following quote as the footnote on her emails reminding me regularly of the goal ahead:

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.  So throw off the bowlines.  Sail away from the safe harbor.  Catch the trade winds in your sails.  Explore.  Dream.  Discover.”  Mark Twain

Congratulations, James and Charlotte.  Your willing spirit is my inspiration.

As Charlotte said, “It is amazing how quickly we have adjusted to 300 sq.ft.!”

What does it tell you when Steve Edelman, Founder of Edelman Productions and Executive Producer of HGTV’s poplular Designed to Sell, also hires a stager for his own San Anselmo home in preparation for sale?  Savvy to the needs of this marketplace, Steve worked successfully with my talented stager, Margot Oven.  They were a great match.

Did it do the trick?  We ratified a contract for Steve and his wife, Sharon, within two weeks on the market.  The house photographed beautifully and the editing and staging showed it to its best advantage.

Moral of the story:  Even the most talented among us benefit from some staging help.  This is a picky marketplace and there’s simply no short cut to putting your best foot forward.

How much staging and preparation does your house need?  Give us a call and we’ll help you get ready for a successful result.

The Function of a Sunday Open House:  The posting of listings online has changed the role of the Sunday Open House.  Buyers enjoy the autonomy of shopping at will for their home on the Web.  They then need access to visit new listings that public opens provide.  Today’s buyer remains committed to the service of their real estate agent for judgement, negotiation and direction.  I now advise sellers that the Sunday open house has re-created itself from a forgotten marketing tool to essential market exposure.

Re-Location Buyers – How Has Their Position Changed in this Market?:  In the height of 2005 when listings sold quicker than lemonade at a corner stand, buyers attempting to relocate to Marin were at a disadvantage – timing was against the buyer who was not on the spot when a new listing first came out.  Now, however, as buyers take more time making their buying decisions, relocation buyers often have an urgency not shared by locals – they need a new address or school district and come to town ready to purchase.  Sellers – pay attention – your best buyer today may very well be new to town.

Staging – The importance of that first online impression:  Like online dating, a listing’s first impression often determines whether a buyer will or will not make the effort to give it a look.  This vital online presence often means that in order to show at its best, a house needs to be prepared, edited and often staged to show at best advantage in photographs!  It’s less about how the house looks when the buyer arrives and more about getting them there in the first place.

Spring arrived early in Marin while Chicago is crippled by a winter storm, New York is still digging out and a Denver blizzard is creating havoc on air travel.

My clients, who are moving to Marin from Hoboken, New Jersey, arrived to our Spring like conditions having left home in 3 degree weather.  It’s not easy to move from a beautiful 5,000 sq.ft. home on 2 acres at half the value of our 50 year old ranch homes.  I often have to tell buyers that they will never move to Marin on account of the architecture – it’s the lifestyle, including weather, that helps us make sense of Marin prices. 

Mother Nature has been particularly generous to us so far this year.  Another reason to be grateful and another reason to call Marin home.

What motivates someone to buy a home?  These four cute faces were all the reason that grandpa and grandma needed to call me and ask for my help.  With both sons and their families living in Marin, having a home that they could come to often was going to be what kept Grandma happy (and as Grandpa said, “Happy wife, happy life!).  Their full-time residence is in Chili but they now also own a wonderful Sausalito hideaway with a water view and outdoor space on which to barbeque. 

Grandparents as a buying trend in Marin?  Why not?  A good investment and a reminder that residential real estate is a beautiful combination of business and emotion.

What do you do when you have new homeowners relocating from Chicago to Mill Valley, arriving in two weeks and five projects they want done before they move in?  Coordination, baby! First, Chris and Brian installed new doors, headers and base, Pat built-out a custom office, Mike painted throughout, Carol had new carpet ready and Roberto refinished the hardwood floors……and then the moving van arrived!  Whew!  Good job, crew.  Welcome to town, John and Linda!

Need a referral for a project around your house?  We have a tried-and-true team of pros ready to help. Let us know what project you have in mind and I’ll send you some trusted referrals.

Did you know that Greenbrae was originally built as one of the only residential/commercial centers in Marin?  First construction took place in May of 1946 during the post-war building boom.  Built primarily by the Schultz Co. and Burger Construction, the one-time dairy ranch was converted to a planned community of homes on one side of Sir Francis Drake; multi-family and commercial use on the other.

We keep in touch with our Greenbrae neighbors through our website: www.Greenbraeonline.com  Merchants from the Bon Air Shopping Center join in with us by offering free drawings.  This month, Mollie Stones awarded these lucky winners a $50 gift certificate each and our previous winners received at $50 gift certificate to Wipeout.  Click on for more Greenbrae information and to see photos of other neighborhood winners!