GREEN REALTOR NEWS | Vol. 21
Market Update | News | Photo Contest
No Barking! Despite several of you wishing you had a sign like that for your own backyard, no one guessed the location of our November photo! That brick wall is next to the parking lot for the Old Western Saloon in Point Reyes Station. This local landmark has been a bar since at least 1915 and has quite a storied history, including a visit from Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles in 2005. If you are looking for a way to enjoy the great outdoors in 2023, we here at the Green Realtor News highly recommend a drive out to Pierce Point Ranch to hike among the tule elk, followed by a beer next to the roaring wood stove at the Old Western Saloon. You might even catch some live music if you go on the weekend.
Scroll to the bottom to see if you can identify the location of our first photo of 2023. As always, the winner receives a $25 gift card to a local green business, Good Earth Natural Foods.
Market Update
While we don’t have the final numbers in yet, it’s clear that the local real estate market changed considerably in 2022. The number of overall sales dropped month by month throughout 2022 as both supply and demand contracted. Rising interest rates, inflation, concerns about a possible recession and the global implications of the war in Ukraine all contributed to a sense of caution in buyers and sellers. A big exception was all-cash purchases, which jumped to the second-highest level on record (just below the all-time high reached in 1988.) Looking forward, inventory is expected to rise in the first few months of 2023 as inflation slows and sellers decide to list their homes. Interest rates appear to be stabilizing, providing savvy buyers an opportunity in a less-competitive market. While there are deals to be found, the low inventory has insulated prices from a major reversal. After all, this is still the San Francisco Bay Area. People want to live here. In an up and down economy real estate has shown itself to be one of the best investments in recent history and is, on average, the largest store of wealth for an individual or family.
2022 in Review
In contrast to the overall market slowdown, 2022 was one of the busiest years I’ve ever had in real estate! And one of the most heartwarming too. In a year with a rocky economic outlook, I’ve been especially struck by how investing in real estate can be life changing for so many people. From starter homes that gained enough value to put a dream home squarely within reach, to finding that perfect property to both build a home and showcase an architect’s skill, thereby building future business, real estate is both a home and a smart financial decision. I had the distinct honor this year of working with many people to achieve long-held dreams, whether it meant selling a long time home and moving closer to family, joining the Sausalito floating home community, or selling a conventional home to make way for a live/work artist collective space. Real estate makes all of this possible. I’m incredibly grateful to everyone for trusting me and allowing me to join you in these emotional, occasionally stressful, but ultimately joyful life transitions. I work with such wonderful people, and that makes this job extremely rewarding.
100th Birthday Project
2022 was a big year for this too. We achieved our first green certification, the Pearl Certification. Pearl is a nationally recognized certification system that allows homeowners to set up a dashboard and upload their home upgrades to achieve points toward certification. It’s easy and I love how it creates a place to keep all of a home’s green assets in one place. Pearl is better known outside of California, but growing in popularity here. The goal is for homeowners to track and manage their energy upgrades, then provide that information to future buyers in an easily understandable format. Click on the button below to learn more about it. Now that our new windows are finally IN (phew!) it should give us enough points to reach GOLD!
2022 started with a home energy audit with Energineers. Guided by that assessment, we added insulation to our walls, attic and crawl space, sealing air ducts and patching leaks along the way. Small upgrades included investing in the Rotary Lift-O-Matic for some low cost direct solar drying and testing out a portable induction cooktop before committing to changing our big gas range. Our solar panels came online in September, immediately making a positive impact on our energy bills. Finally, at long last, our new windows were completed and installed just last week. They look amazing and the difference they make is astounding. Between the insulation and new windows our house feels so snug and quiet. Perfect for these rainy winter nights. We are ready for a little break from home improvement projects, but feel excited to be on track for more green certifications before our house’s 100th birthday in 2024. Our first project in 2023 will be to remove some trees that were planted too close to the house, replacing them with fire-resistant landscaping. I’ve learned so much and I’m happy to share it all with you. Give me a call anytime!
December Photo Contest
Green Realtor News’ Artist-in-Residence, Esther Vermeer, is a Mill Valley resident with a background in branding and graphic design. Originally from the Netherlands, she moved with her family to Montreal, Canada for a while, and came to the Bay Area 14 years ago, where she has since established herself in the world of interior design. She loves to journey around California and discover the lush natural beauty the state has to offer. You can reach her at esther@prevalentprojects.com.
If you know the location email me at lucinda@lucindaotto.com. The first person with a correct guess wins a $25 gift card to Good Earth Natural Foods!
I hope you enjoyed the Green Realtor News! I wish you all happiness and prosperity in the coming year. If you know anyone buying or selling, or if you are curious to hear more about the market, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’d love to help you or your friends make moves. As one of my happy clients loves to say:
Everyone Needs A Lucinda!
