Home Buying Strategies: Lease Option?

One of the hardest problems for a buyer to overcome is moving up. How do you successfully sell your current home, get the funds, and then turn around and buy something new, all when inventory is so tight?  It can be quite a daunting maneuver.

One idea to consider is a lease option. A lease option will reverse that process. Basically you find the new property, lock it in with an option, move in, then sell your current home. We are in the middle of a deal right now like that, and so far, everyone is happy.

Here is how it works in Marin County. The Buyer puts an offer in on the new home, with an option agreement. The option agreement requires funds be put down, usually 5% of the sale price, and given directly to the Seller. The funds are non-refundable, but applicable to the purchase price of the home. At the same time, the Buyer also executes a lease agreement to move into the home and pay rent to the Seller. Once in the new home, the Buyer sells their current home, then uses the proceeds to close on the new property.

For example, let’s say the Buyer finds a willing Seller at $1,000,000, with a lease price of $5000 a month. The Buyer puts down $50,000, which goes directly to Seller. They move in at $5000 a month; often a portion of the rent may also be applicable to the purchase. They then sell their home for $700,000, and use the funds to complete the purchase (which is now only $950,000, because the option payment has been deducted from the sale price.)

There are risks, of course, as the Buyer may get less for their home than anticipated. It also requires a Seller who is willing to wait a little while for their proceeds. But occasionally the stars line up and it can work for everyone involved.

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Marin Market Balance Returning? Depends.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness.” That’s the opening to “A Tale of Two Cities”, and maybe that’s the best way to illustrate what is happening with the Marin County real estate market.

New Larkspur listing this week: 11 Ward Street, a two bedroom, 3 bath walk-to-town townhouse in downtown!

Real estate is moving more towards a balanced market, which we have been predicting for some time. It is, however, still very localized, with major differences between towns and price points. Areas where buyers still perceive there is value, as well as better entry level pricing, are still doing quite well. At higher price points though, it is well into a balanced market, with inventory growing higher.

So let’s look at two cities in Marin County. Fairfax….aka “The People’s Republic of Fairfax.” Former home of Van Morrison and the Grateful Dead, known for tie dye and alternative lifestyles, right? How about this: family friendly, vibrant downtown with thriving shops and restaurants, and great trail access where there are only fourteen homes available for sale, and half are already in contract?

Tiburon, on the other hand, a place where everyone wants to live with perfect weather, outstanding views, and great proximity to the City has 77 homes for sale, and only 29% are in contract. As gorgeous as Tiburon is, the small town local atmosphere of the Twin Cities (Corte Madera and Larkspur) and Mill Valley, along with San Anselmo, Fairfax and parts of San Rafael are often at the top of the young family buyer’s list.

But the big difference in this tale of two cities is median price.  The median priced home for sale right now in Fairfax is $1,100,000; the median price for active homes in Tiburon is $3,444,000. Other luxury-priced markets have a similar story. In Belvedere, 29% of homes are in contract, and in Kentfield, 23%. In the slower moving luxury end of the market, these are  good numbers.

In Novato, 46% of listings are in contract, with a median active price of $899,000. Corte Madera has 35% in contract, with a median of $1,195,000. San Anselmo is very similar, with 39% of listed homes in contract.  As always, there are pockets where it is still crazy, especially close to town locations. The Rose Lane condominiums for seniors (55+) in Larkspur sold out all of their phases in the first weekends. In Mill Valley, a new condo development right downtown, 33 Lovell, sold their first two units in the first week, at $1000 a square foot.

Pending sale in Inverness (approx $1m) this custom built contemporary is located just across from the road from a beautiful community beach. You will love crossing the road to get to Chicken Ranch Beach!

Homes that are for sale near downtowns are in particularly high demand. Call me, Bob Ravasio at 415-378-1414 if you would like more detailed information about the market or any of our listings. If you are a buyer, call either of us tand we’ll share our best strategies and timing for buying in Marin.

And please follow Marin Real Estate Insider!  Learn all about the real estate markets in some of the most amazing and beautiful communities on United Spaceship Planet Earth! (And yes, that’s a bow to the Republic of Fairfax).

Is Marin market too good to be true?

Bubble is a word we are starting to hear more and more as we approach the end of another year of double digit appreciation. The memories of the crash in 2008, when Marin real estate prices dropped 15 to 45%, are still fresh. When prices rocket upward as quickly as they did in 2013, and again as they did through the first three quarters of 2014, the question has to be asked, “Is this another bubble?

Is something going to trigger more foreclosures and short sales sometime in the near future, or maybe even just around the corner? Are we about to have a big fat deja vu?

Not so fast — at least that’s how it seems to us. This two year run up seems like  a legitimate housing recovery, funded by real money and real jobs. Unemployment has declined dramatically in both Marin and San Francisco, and all of those new workers now want to own real estate and maybe even start a family, which is what usually brings people to Marin County.

Real estate always moves in boom or bust cycles, but there are two major factors separating this recovery from the last one in Marin County.

1. Down payments. The financial strength of Marin buyers today is unprecedented. There are still some FHA loans, which require as little as 3% down, but the majority of  homes are bought today with a minimum of 20% down. Oftentimes, the percentage is much higher than that as buyers pull from other assets to make their offer stronger and more attractive, showing they can cover the difference if the home does not appraise at full value. There is also a startling amount of all cash buyers at all price levels, as buyers will go all cash to make their offer more attractive, then put a loan on the property later.

2. Better lending standards. If you’ve gotten a loan in the last two years, you know how difficult it is. Banks are very demanding not just in their documentation, but in what they demand from clients. The last years of the real estate boom in 2005-2007 was fueled by tactics like 100 % financing, interest only loans, and stated income. Now tax returns, W2’s, employment history and ability to pay back the loan are all carefully reviewed.

3. Rising rents. Next we’ll do the math on this – but as crazy as it sounds, it still makes sense to buy vs. rent, at least in most markets in Marin.

Marin’s recovery has been built on strong market fundamentals and sound lending practices. Barring some major national economic calamity, we predict a solid end of year for 2014, and a equally reliable market in at least the first half of 2015. Keep in mind, we do not own a crystal ball, and even if we did, we would not reccommend you trust it.  Nobody knows for sure what the future holds, but taking a good guess is an important part of any good buying or selling strategy.

Are Larkspur and Corte Madera Marin’s Sweet Spots?

Marin County home sellers have had a phenomenal year so far. Maybe it’s the new elementary school, the worsening traffic to the north, the nicer weather, and for a myriad of reasons, but the Twin Cities market is as hot as Marin gets right now. Which is pretty hot. Well priced homes in many areas have been flying off the market. But if the real test is how much people are willing to pay per square foot for a home, then the year to date the two of the strongest markets in Southern and Central Marin are Corte Madera and Larkspur.

In Corte Madera, homes year to date are selling for $672 a square foot, a 21% increase vs. a year ago. In Larkspur, homes are selling for $766 a square foot, a 25% increase vs. last year. That does not mean these are the most expensive markets in Marin- that would still be Ross, where this year buyers are paying an astonishing $1,042 a square foot for homes. Well, actually they are more similar to estates, with an average size of 3,034 sq feet.

Mill Valley also saw a big jump, with price per square foot rising 19% to $731 a square foot.

Why the big increases in these two towns? In a word, value. Relative to neighboring towns prices have historically been much lower there than in the neighboring communities of Mill Valley, Tiburon, and Kentfield. Yet commute times to the city are similar, school districts are also excellent, and many believe the weather is better on the Corte Madera-Larkspur side of the ridge, with less fog and warmer temperatures.

Our candidate for value right now is Greenbrae, where price per square foot is actually down slightly from last year at $577 a foot. But the Bacich School District is excellent, proximity to the freeway and the Larkspur ferry outstanding, and Bon Air Shopping Center provides most of the amenities anyone needs.

A close second would be San Rafael. School district scores there are lower, but there are so many young families moving in to the area we expect that trend to improve. And we love the corridor north of San Pedro Road. Country Club, Loch Lomond, Glenwood, and Peacock Gap al have great weather, commutes, and communities!