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The History of Winship Park in Ross
Thanks to the Marin History Museum I was able to examine a copy of one of the original sales brochures for the Winship Park tract in Ross. The sales literature touts the great weather (no fog and no wind), schools, churches, availability of food and produce, and the 55 minute combined train and ferry ride to and from San Francisco. The fact that the train stop for Winship Park was Bolinas Avenue tells me that the brochure was likely written in 1912 -1913 since the Bolinas Avenue stop was not completed until 1912. The brochure proudly goes on to describe the high class of improvements in the development such as Macadam streets (a type of road construction in which single-sized crushed stone layers of small angular stones are placed in shallow lifts and compacted thoroughly), concrete sidewalks, gutters, sewers, water, gas, electricity, and telephones.
Winship Park, long considered one of the most desirable and prestigious places to live in Marin County, was the original home of a number of prominent and wealthy individuals that grace Marin’s history books. Among those was William Barber who owned 71 acres in Ross Valley and built the first home in this subdivision at 1 Garden Road in 1866 . William Barber was born in London, England in 1819 and came to the US when he was 18. He studied law in New York then moved west to California in 1851 where he established one of the first law practices in San Francisco. He married Elizabeth Bartlett Jackson from Massachusetts. Elizabeth was a descendant of Abraham Jackson one of the early Plymouth colonists. In 1892, the Barber’s built a second home in Winship Park at 73 Winship Avenue (still there and currently being renovated) in response to great demand by wealthy San Franciscans for summer rentals. The adjacent Barber tract in San Anselmo is named after him.
Unfortunately, the Barber’s original home was destroyed by a fire in July 1896 and a new home designed by architect Maxwell Bugbee was completed while the Barber’s camped in their backyard. The 1896 Victorian “Stick-style” home has undergone many changes over the years but the house’s exterior appears much as it did when the Barber’s lived there.
(Pictured above is Barber’s second home at 1 Garden Road, Ross)
In 1905, the second owner Kate Winship, a wealthy San Franciscan (who the tract is named after), bought the then 9 year old home and surrounding 61.5 acres from William Barber’s widow (William Barber died in 1901) and lived in the home for 6 years. In 1911, Winship sold 61.5 acres to the Century Investment Company which ultimately developed the Winship Park tract and sold off the home sites. G. H. Umbsen & Co. of San Francisco were the selling agents.
And the rest as they say in show business is history!
Do You Live in an Area that is Susceptible to Liquefaction?
1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake – SF Gate
Curious about the impact that liquefaction could have on our homes should we experience a major earthquake I felt compelled to research this topic and identify the areas in Marin that are most susceptible to this phenomenon. What triggered this question was the extensive rainfall we received this year that led to flooding, landslides, and generally soggy and unsafe conditions, and the knowledge that many marshes and creeks that historically flowed throughout Marin have been filled over the years to enlarge cities, create subdivisions, and build homes. To assist me with this project I consulted the ABAG Resilience Programs website and studied the detailed color coded maps that pinpoint those areas most susceptible to liquefaction and shaking. These maps highlight the different potential levels of shaking severity and liquefaction susceptibility.
Here is the link to the maps: http://gis.abag.ca.gov/website/Hazards/?hlyr=liqSusceptibility
What is soil liquefaction? The USGS defines liquefaction as follows:
Soil liquefaction, also called earthquake liquefaction is a phenomenon that occurs in water-saturated unconsolidated soils affected by seismic S waves (secondary waves), which cause ground vibrations during earthquakes. Poorly drained fine-grained soils such as sandy, silty, and gravelly soils are the most susceptible to liquefaction. When earthquake shock occurs in waterlogged soils, the water-filled pore spaces collapse, which decreases the overall volume of the soil. This process increases the water pressure between individual soil grains, and the grains can then move freely in the watery matrix. This substantially lowers the soil’s resistance to shear stress and causes the mass of soil to take on the characteristics of a liquid.
The famous 1937 mural painted by Oscar Galgiani hanging in the San Rafael Post Office is a good reminder of just how far inland the San Rafael Creek once flowed and why we should have concerns about liquefaction. This mural is of a circa 1851 trading post on the San Rafael Creek near the present day location of the San Rafael Post Office. The mural shows just how large this body of water really was and how far inland it flowed!
In fact, the map below shows that the San Rafael Creek originated near the border with San Anselmo and flowed through San Rafael south of Fourth Street and out through the channel which still exists on the east side of Highway 101. In the color coded maps at the end of this article you will see that there are areas to the North and South of the Miracle Mile near Greenfield Avenue in San Rafael and San Anselmo are very high susceptibile to liquefaction and shaking because the creek likely flowed through this area. Who knew?
Another great example of land filled areas that once contained a lot of water is found in this early 1900’s photograph of Tamalpais High School. Notice how the water originally went right up to the steps of the school. Back in those days you could actually take a boat to school!
A Note to Homeowners
In 1998 California passed a law mandating that sellers disclose to buyers whether their property is located in a special flood hazard area, dam failure inundation area, earthquake fault zone, seismic hazard zone, high fire severity area or a wildland fire area (Natural Hazzards Disclosure Statement – NHDS). This disclosure requirement applies to all real estate transactions, including residential resales, new subdivision sales and commercial property transactions. So if you bought your home after this law was passed you would have received a NHDS from the seller disclosing potential hazards in your area. If you don’t remember seeing it or are concerned about your particular situation you can order a report for approximately $100 from one of the service providers (contact me and I will help you).
I encourage you to do your own research. You may find the results as surprising as I did. Click on the link below, enter the name of your city, then compare the legend to the color coded map.
http://gis.abag.ca.gov/website/Hazards/?hlyr=liqSusceptibility
Tips for Upsizing or Downsizing in an Inventory Constrained Market
Our real estate markets have recovered nicely from the 2007 economic collapse, a forgettable time when family, friends, and many of us experienced job loss, ruined credit, short sales, and foreclosures. To put things in perspective, at market bottom in July 2010 when most people were unwilling to risk purchasing a home, Marin County’s inventory of single family homes for sale stood at an astounding 1,144 units, and by the time some of the excess inventory was sold off and prices stabilized home values had fallen by as much as 35% to 40%. Today property values stand at approximately 25% above the market peak reached in 2007, buyer demand is strong but inventory levels are extremely low. Our high point for homes available for sale in 2016 for example was 370 (June), 68% below the July 2010 inventory peak. In a balanced market which we hope to see again one day, Marin inventory levels for single family dwellings should reach 600 to 700 during the summer months.
The reason for low inventory levels is not just that buyer demand is strong but that sellers have anxiety about upsizing or downsizing in a market where there just aren’t enough homes for sale, worried that they are going to sell their home and not find a suitable replacement. Sellers that have cash or can be approved for two mortgages control their own destiny. But for the rest of us it’s a bit trickier! What I am here to tell you is that with good planning and execution and by employing one or more of the following strategies it can be done!
- Seller in possession after close – Seller rents back from buyer for 60, 90, or even 120 days after close of escrow to allow time to locate a replacement home. Often times we successfully negotiate that all or a portion of the rent back period is at zero cost to the seller. Seller can now make an all cash offer on their replacement home, an enormous advantage in today’s market.
- Sale subject to seller finding a suitable replacement property – The seller makes it known when the property is listed that they will move forward with the sale of their home on the condition that they locate, enter into contract, and remove contingencies on their replacement home.
- Sell then move into temporary living quarters – Moving twice can be stressful but with this strategy sellers maintain strong leverage with buyers, have time to locate a replacement home, and are in position to make an all cash offer on their replacement home, an enormous advantage in today’s market.
- Seller locates a replacement home and enters into a contract that states that seller will move forward with the purchase of the replacement home after close of escrow. The success rate will be lower if the seller’s home is not on the market when this offer is made or if there is a lot of interest (multiple offers) on the targeted replacement home. This strategy is more likely to work when the targeted replacement home has been on the market for an extended period of time and that seller is running out of time and options.
- Bridge Loans – Bridge loans are temporary loans that bridge the gap between the sales price of a new home and a home buyer’s new mortgage in the event the seller’s home has not yet sold. The bridge loan is secured by the buyer’s existing home. Underwriting is based on “make sense” underwriting approach rather that FICO or debt to income approach. Some lenders who make conforming loans (needed to close the transaction on the target home) exclude the bridge loan payment for qualifying purposes.
- Security backed line of credit (margin loan) – This arrangement with your brokerage firm allows you to borrow from 50 to 95 percent of the value of the assets in your investment account depending on the value of your overall holdings and types of assets in the account. A margin loan may also allow you to avoid potential capital gain taxes because you don’t have to liquidate securities for access to funds. Plus you might also be able to continue to receive benefits of your holdings, like dividends, interest and appreciation.
- Borrow against your 401k account – There are two types of 401 K accounts. Under an employer sponsored plan you may be able to borrow funds from your 401k account for a 5 year period at a moderate interest rate (your monthly payments are automatically deducted from your checking account and are credited back to your account). With a self-directed 401k account you can withdraw and use funds for up to 60 days and not be charged with a fund distribution or incur taxes and penalties for early the withdrawal of retirement funds as long as the money is redeposited into your account within the 60 day period.
- Home Equity Line of Credit – Useful for down payments on your target replacement home. Works best if you already have a HELOC set up before you list your home for sale since most banks will not approve a HELOC if your home is on the market.
Please contact me if you are considering selling your home and have questions about the strategies outlined above. I am happy meet with you to discuss these options in more detail and work with you to create a plan to help you meet your goals and objectives!
Marin County’s Fifty-Three Oldest Historic Structures!
As a life-long learner, lover of history, and Marin County realtor, I recently became curious about the oldest structures that remain standing in our County. Thinking that this list would be relatively easy to compile given the number of books and articles that have been written about Marin’s history I set off to research the topic. It didn’t take me long to realize however that such a list does not in fact exist because as I learned it is very difficult to compile! So amazingly, what started out as a simple goal of identifying Marin’s ten oldest structures, morphed into a list that is perhaps the first list of its kind: Marin County’s fifty – three oldest structures built between 1776 and 1879! And please don’t ask me why it’s fifty-three. I guess I got carried away and had to stop somewhere!
Point Reyes National Seashore Lighthouse built in 1870
So immediately after my initial discovery I shifted gears and I began the lengthy process of poring through books and documents about Marin’s history. I visited the Marin Civic Center Planning Department where I interviewed the County Planner. She provided copies of the original tract maps from the Mexican land grants and directed me to the Anne T Kent California Room at the Civic Center Library to speak with the reference librarian who was very helpful and was quickly able to select a number of useful books and documents to get me organized. I rounded out my research by studying websites maintained by Marin’s various cities and historical societies, reading through articles on the internet, examining property records available to me as a realtor, and studying the list of Marin’s historic landmarks maintained by the Federal Government. I personally visited at least 25 buildings to verify their existence and satisfy myself as to when they were constructed. Even with all of this work I cannot say that my list is 100% correct as I am likely a missing a few structures here and there particularly in West Marin where there exist today a number of properties (homes, ranch buildings, & commercial buildings) that were built prior to the Civil War. Additionally, I found conflicting dates of construction but did my best where possible to err on the conservative side. What I can honestly say is that I believe that I’m close and because of this I’ve decided to make this an ongoing hobby until I get it right!
Old Mahon Hotel Built in 1859 located at 1330 Fourth St San Rafael
Before I share the list let’s take a moment to go back in history to when Europeans first arrived since until that point Marin was inhabited by the Miwok Indians. The earliest Europeans to reach San Francisco were Spanish explorers in 1769, led by Don Gaspar de Portolà and Juan Crespi. The Spanish immediately recognized that the San Francisco Harbor and surrounding areas were of great strategic significance. Subsequent expeditions in 1774 laid plans for the establishment of military and religious settlements. In 1776 the Presidio of San Francisco was established for the military and Mission San Francisco de Asís was founded to begin the cultural and religious conversion of some 10,000 Ohlone Indians who lived in the area. Eventually, the mission became known as Mission Dolores.
Saint Raphaels Roman Catholic Church at 1104 5th Avenue in San Rafael
Not long thereafter, the Spanish moved into Marin County and on December 14, 1817 founded Mission San Rafael Arcángel, as “sub-mission” of the San Francisco Mission to treat their sick population (now known as St Raphaels). St. Raphaels incidentally recently celebrated its 200th anniversary and although little remains of any of its original structures I feel it has earned its place as the second oldest structure in Marin County (see list below). In 1822 Mexico defeated the Spanish, earned their independence, and assumed governance of California. It was after this momentous occasion that a large number of European Settlers migrated to Marin. Mexico’s land grant system rewarded loyal and industrious citizens with large swaths of Marin’s lands to develop and govern. It was these land grants that placed Marin’s lands into the hands of such well known Marin historical figures as John Reed, William Richardson, Timothy Murphy, James Ross, James Miller, Domingo Sais, and others. It is this group of men that are largely responsible for the subsequent establishment of Marin’s cities, neighborhoods, and commercial businesses.
Tomales Presbyterian Church built in 1868
Hans Iverson House – 614 E Street San Rafael built in 1871
So it is with great pleasure that I present you with the first list of the fifty- three oldest structures still standing in Marin. Incidentally, this is a good place to say that this is a very fortunate group as I can’t tell you how many interesting properties burned to the ground over the years that would have easily made this list!
Your input, clarifications, and contributions are greatly appreciated!
Olema Lime Kilns built in 1850
Marin County’s Fifty-Three Oldest Structures
| 1) Old Adobe House – Olompali State Park – 8091 Redwood Highway | 1776 |
| 2) Mission San Rafael (rebuilt 1870 and again in 1919 after fire) | 1817 |
| 3) John Reed’s Sawmill – Old Mill Park Mill Valley | 1830 |
| 4) W. T. Coleman House – 1130 Mission Avenue San Rafael | 1849 |
| 5) Olema Lime Kilns – 300 ft. west of State Hwy 1 (P.M. 22.1) | 1850 |
| 6) Smiley’s Saloon Hotel – 41 Wharf Road Bolinas | 1851 |
| 7) San Quentin Prison – San Quentin | 1852 |
| 8) Parks Ranch Home – Tomales | 1853 |
| 9) St Vincent’s School for Boys – San Rafael | 1855 |
| 10) Pierce Ranch – Home and other structures – Inverness | 1856 |
| 11) Site of Hotel Marin (Mahon Hotel) – 1330 Fourth Street, San Rafael | 1859 |
| 12) Olema tiny commercial building at 10045 Sir Francis Drake Blvd | 1859 |
| 13) Olema Farmhouse Restaurant – 10005 Shoreline Highway | 1860 |
| 14) Angel Island – Camp Reynolds officer’s quarters | 1863 |
| 15) Bradford House – 333 G Street San Rafael | 1863 |
| 16) Octagon House – Art and Garden Center – Ross | 1864 |
| 17) Dixie School House – Marinwood (San Rafael) | 1864 |
| 18) John Sims Home (originally located at Fifth and Eye San Rafael, moved to 5th and B in 1883 then moved to current location at 21 Main Street in 1903 | 1865 |
| 19) The Horn House/Iroquois Village – 215 South Street Sausalito | 1865 |
| 20) Old St Mary’s of Nicasio Valley | 1867 |
| 21) Burbank Ranch Home – Tomales | 1867 |
| 22) Tomales Presbyterian Church | 1868 |
| 23) Michael J O’Connor Home (on grounds of Marin Academy) | 1868 |
| 24) Sais Family Home – 10 Olema Road Fairfax | 1868 |
| 25) The Bower/Gardener House – 47 Girard Street, Sausalito | 1869 |
| 26) Original Sausalito School House – West and Main Streets Sausalito – now part of a private residence with considerable renovation | 1869 |
| 27) St Pauls Episcopal Church – San Rafael | 1869 |
| 28) San Francisco and Northern Pacific Railroad Station House – Tiburon | 1869 |
| 29) James McMillan Shafter House – Olema | 1869 |
| 30) Wildcare Building 76 Albert Park Lane San Rafael – moved from St Paul’s Episcopal Church in San Rafael | 1870 |
| 31) Richardson’s School House – Between Bridgeway and Filbert St in Sausalito. Now a private residence | 1870 |
| 32) Tiburon Art & Garden Center – 841 Tiburon Blvd | 1870 |
| 33) Rancho Olompali – Novato | 1870 |
| 34) Point Reyes Light Station | 1870 |
| 35) Boyle Mansion – 10 Manor Terrace Mill Valley | 1871 |
| 36) Nicasio School – Nicasio | 1871 |
| 37) Hans Iverson House – 614 E Street San Rafael | 1871 |
| 38) First Richardson School – 1709 Bridgeway Sausalito | 1871 |
| 39) Rety/Domerque House – 323 Pine Street Sausalito | 1871 |
| 40) Tellinghast Estate – 168 Harrison Avenue Sausalito | 1873 |
| 41) Green Brae Brick Yard – Larkspur | 1874 |
| 42) Burdell Frame House – Novato | 1874 |
| 43) Wosser House – 574 Pine Street Sausalito | 1874 |
| 44) Ritchie House – Madrona Cottage – 76 Cazneau Sausalito | 1874 |
| 45) McCabe Home – 255 D Street San Rafael | 1875 |
| 46) Griswold House – 636 Main Street Sausalito | 1875 |
| 47) Fashion Shop & Stephen Porcella House – Novato | 1875 |
| 48) Benjamin and Hilarita Lyford House – Tiburon | 1876 |
| 49) James Moore House – 2 Lagunitas Road, Ross | 1876 |
| 50) Olema Hotel – Olema CA | 1876 |
| 51) Pt Bonita Light House | 1877 |
| 52) Robert Dollar Estate – 115 J Street San Rafael | 1879 |
| 53) Boyd House – 1125 B Street San Rafael | 1879 |
Four Marin Museums Sure to Entertain This Holiday Season!
The month of December is here and another holiday season awaits us, a time traditionally spent with family and friends. With children out of school and the potential for out of town visitors it’s good to be armed with a wide assortment of entertainment options, particularly those that are nearby, easy to get to, offer plenty of parking, and are reasonably priced. The Bay Area of course has an exceptionally long list of fun, family oriented things to do but did you know that here in Marin we have some very interesting museums that are sure to entertain people of all ages? I have to admit that I wasn’t fully aware of many of these museums before researching and was pleasantly surprised by what I learned. Here are four Marin County museums to consider visiting this holiday season. Happy Holidays to you and yours!
#1) The Bay Area Discovery Museum, http://bayareadiscoverymuseum.org/ is a one-of-a-kind indoor and outdoor children’s museum at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge, serving over 300,000 visitors per year on its 7.5 acre Sausalito campus. The Museum is recognized as the leading children’s museum dedicated to developing childhood creativity, nurturing future generations of creative thinkers and innovators. With this emphasis on creativity through play, the museum encourages children ages 6 months to 10 years to develop into curious, creative, adventurous lifelong learners and explorers. The Museum’s unique programs feature hands-on art, science and environmental exhibitions, performances, special events, cultural festivals and ongoing educational curricula… all with a focus on fun! From navigating wind tunnels to develop physical and mental risk-taking skills to feeling the rush of cold-water tide pools that surprise and awaken curiosity to tapping their imaginations to transform into a spider, a ship captain, or a bridge builder, children expand their creativity at every turn.
#2) Hamilton Field History Museum, http://www.novatohistory.org/hamilton-air-field/ features permanent and rotating exhibits exploring the history and stories of Hamilton Army Airfield and Air Force Base and the life of the field after decommissioning. Featured exhibits include the development of Hamilton Air Field 1932 – 1975, Model Airplanes and Link Trainer, Maps of Hamilton Field, photos of planes and crews, oral histories about the base, and videos of base and interviews. There is also a docent available to help you with research.
#3 Marin Museum of Contemporary Art, https://www.marinmoca.org/default.aspx connects art, community, and artistic expression. It is a unique non-collecting museum that is for artists, about artists, and by artists. MarinMOCA seeks to present art in an environment that provides a supportive venue for artists and exhibitions that inspire the community. It is located at the beautiful Novato Arts Center at historic Hamilton Field in Novato, California. The museum has a main gallery as well as the Ron Collins lobby gallery, a museum store, a classroom, and artist studios. Over 40 artists have working studios in 3 buildings that provide an atmosphere of creative energy in which contemporary art flourishes.
#4) The Museum of the American Indian, http://www.marinindian.com/ seeks to provide the people of Northern California with programs and exhibits that deepen understanding and appreciation of Native American cultures. The Museum promotes accuracy, sensitivity and respect for the heritage and history of our continent’s earliest inhabitants. The Museum engages diverse audiences in the exploration and preservation of the history, languages, art and traditions of Native Americans through the growth of its permanent collections, its exhibitions and the vitality and diversity of its educational programs. The Museum’s exhibitions provide an educational resource for children’s cultural enrichment programs, a repository for artifacts, photographs, drawings and books, a forum for the objective examination of Native American cultures, and an archive of information and data, available for inquiry and consultation.
North Bay Real Estate Market is Showing Signs of Fatigue
A discussion about Marin would be incomplete without some conversation about real estate since we happen to live in some of the most beautiful real estate in the world! So as we approach the end of 2016 I thought it important to share information about interesting changes we are observing in our market. No, I don’t see it crashing, but I am witnessing it slowing, and I am possibly seeing the beginnings of a shift to a more level seller/buyer playing field. I recently participated in a study of Marin, Napa, and Sonoma real estate market trends sponsored by my company, Terra Firma Global Partners which resulted in a well written report that was shared with local Bay Area publications and is now starting to appear in print articles. I researched and provided the information regarding the Marin market place, while two of my colleagues provided the same information for Napa and Sonoma counties.
In summary, the residential real estate markets in the North Bay counties of Marin, Napa, and Sonoma are decelerating and showing signs of fatigue after five consecutive years of growth which could signal the end of the current real estate cycle. Statistics show that sales of single family dwellings and condos are lower year to date in all three counties with Marin sales being off 15% year over year. Additionally, inventory levels remain at historically low levels, sales velocity is slowing, and buyers are growing weary of the dizzying heights the markets have reached and are moving more slowly when it comes to making offers. We are also seeing:
- An increase in the number of homes on the market that are overpriced
- An increase in the number of days the average home is on the market before it sells
- We continue to see correctly priced updated homes sell quickly with multiple offers although the percentage of multiple offers is declining
- More intense negotiations between buyers and sellers
- An uptick in price reductions
- Sellers accepting offers that are subject to the sale of the buyer’s property
- A large group of potential sellers that fear selling their homes and not finding a replacement home in Marin
- Rising mortgage rates
The complete article is available here: http://news.theregistrysf.com/north-bay-residential-real-estate-market-decelerating-showing-signs-fatigue/
Please feel free to share this information with family and friends and contact me if you have any questions!
Why I Love Marin
I really love living in Marin! In fact, I’ve lived here off and on since 1960 when our family first moved to Tiburon. Hard to believe but true
How Did Marin County Get Its Name?
Do you know how Marin County got its name? Legend has it that this was the name of a well-known Indian chief of a tribe of Coastal Miwok Indians who was born in what is now Mill Valley in 1781.
Marin County Free Library System
I want to take a moment to give the Marin County Free Library system a big shout out for the amazingly painless system they have created that gives Marin residents a tremendous tool with which to continue learning.
