MARIN COUNTY HEALTHIEST FOR KIDS

  by  davidyuweb 

California has always been touted for its culture of progressively green and health-focused habits, a mentality that seems to bleed into the policies and initiatives that shape the Californian lifestyle. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the title of healthiest county in the country has been handed to Marin county in California, home to the cities of Marin, San Rafael, and Mill Valley.

According to the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute’s County Health Rankings and Roadmaps program, the county topped the list based on its robust birth weights, low rates of teen pregnancy, and low percent of children in poverty, among other factors.

Other California counties that made the list include San Francisco County (#6) and RealSmart’s home turf, San Mateo County (#11).

Here is the full list of America’s top 50 healthiest counties for kids:

1. Marin County, CA
2. Norfolk County, MA
3. Hunterdon County, NJ
4. Chittenden County, VT
5. Nassau County, NY
6. San Francisco County, CA
7. Middlesex County, MA
8. Somerset County, NJ
9. Morris County, NJ
10. Bergen County, NJ
11. San Mateo County, CA
12. Hampshire County, MA
13. Howard County, MD
14. Ozaukee County, WI
15. Westchester County, NY
16. Santa Clara County, CA
17. Placer County, CA
18. Johnson County, KS
19. Olmsted County, MN
20. Montgomery County, MD
21. Waukesha County, WI
22. Johnson County, IA
23. Grafton County, NH
24. Orange County, CA
25. Monmouth County, NJ
26. San Luis Obispo County, CA
27. Montgomery County, PA
28. Santa Cruz County, CA
29. Loudoun County, VA
30. Yolo County, CA
31. Fairfield County, CT
32. Middlesex County, CT
33. Fairfax County, VA
34. Washington County, MN
35. Barnstable County, MA
36. Sonoma County, CA
37. Cumberland County, ME
38. La Crosse County, WI
39. DuPage County, IL
40. Delaware County, OH
41. Douglas County, CO
42. Napa County, CA
43. El Dorado County, CA
44. Tolland County, CT
45. Alameda County, CA
46. Washington County, VT
47. Contra Costa County, CA
48. Rockingham County, NH
49. Washington County, RI
50. Hamilton County, IN

REAL ESTATE MARKET COOLS ON THE PENINUSLA

  by  nate2b 

The past several weeks have seen a subtle but noticeable change in the real estate market on the Peninsula. A cooling trend has slowly hit the brakes on a previously white-hot market, and sellers aren’t getting the action they were in the first half of 2014.

“For the past month or so there’s been a slight shift away from the trends we were seeing towards the end of 2013 and the beginning of 2014. Namely, we aren’t receiving the types of responses to homes that we were getting used to – multiple offers, over-asking sales prices, and lightning-fast sales. We’re leveling out a little, and I think that’s good news for buyers.” – Bryan Jacobs, RealSmart Broker

Homes on the peninsula aren’t selling as quickly as before, with the average time on market in Redwood City currently at 24 days, compared to 19 days in March of this year1. We’re also seeing a reduced number of multiple offers, with homes that might have gotten 10+ in the early months of 2014 now getting half of that or less.

  by  sling@flickr 

Part of the cooling trend stems from a rush of inventory in the area. Zealous sellers continue to flood the market with new homes, pushing the months of inventory to 3 compared to just 1.9 in January of this year. That means more supply, driving down the previously skyrocketing demand.

So what does this mean for real estate as a whole? Basically, what we’ve got is neither a “sellers” nor a “buyer’s market,” strictly speaking –  it’s hovering somewhere in between. However, according to the experts here at RealSmart, it might be leaning just slightly in the favor of buyers.

“My advice to those looking to buy is to act now. The market is favoring buyers, but we can’t tell how long it will stay this way. Your best bet is to take the plunge and make that offer, there really hasn’t been a better time in several years.” – Camilo Perez, RealSmart Realtor

If you’re a potential buyer, or even just curious about the buying process, reach out to any of the seasoned realtors here at RealSmart on our contact page.

1 – Data from MLS deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

COMEBACK KITCHEN

Open floorplans are wildly popular, but do we need to revisit the closed-off kitchen? 

According to a recent New York Times article, the closed-off singular kitchen is making a comeback.  These 4-walled cooking sanctuaries have gone out of fashion for the most part, and been replaced with  those airy, open floor-plans that have taken over most home designs over the past 20 years. But why the sudden throw-back to pre-war kitchen and dining trends? Well, there’s something to be said about nostalgia – a longing for childhood homes where mom or dad cooked meals and presented food in a designated dining area and family meals were formal, sit-down events.

Citi Habitats Broker George Case told The New York Times, “so much new construction features open floor plans that there’s a pent-up desire for apartments with separate dining rooms and kitchen.”

 

by  Wonderlane 

Cozy kitchens with only one entrance may no longer be a thing of the past.

With today’s fast-paced lifestyle, an open-concept home provides the benefit of one-stop spaces for cooking, eating, and conversing all at once. However, those preferences may be waning with the growing resurgence of separate kitchens and formal dining rooms in new constructions.

Home-buyers point to a variety of factors for choosing to close-off their cooking spaces, including the noise and smell, and the dirty dishes factor: “People appreciate a separate space, especially when it comes to cleaning up, and the benefits are both visual and aural. You don’t see what’s going on, and you don’t hear the clanking of pots and pans,” Macklowe architecture and design director Lila Smith tells The New York Times.

It seems that a particular demographic of people really do want those boundaries back. It deliniates “your” space from your guests’ space, and provides a quiet retreat for cooking in private.  A recent Slate article by J. Bryan Lowder explains a lot of buyer’s frustrations about open-concept kitchens:

“In fact, having one’s kitchen quite separate from the dining and lounging areas (as mine is) brings with it a host of benefits. For one thing, no matter how careful your mise en place, cooking requires some amount of mess-making…I have never known a skilled home cook who could engage in sparkling conversation while also properly attending to his work. “

  by  jenschapter3 

We can’t all be star chefs in our home kitchens.

However, there is a middle-ground in the closed vs. open kitchen wars. For those of you who don’t want to commit to the tight boundaries of a designated kitchen, you can consider pocket doors instead of walls that slide open or closed depending on what kind of environment you’re establishing that day. It’s a good compromise that keeps spaces versatile and easy to transform.

REDWOOD CITY - A BRIEF PHOTO HISTORY

It’s been a while since we talked about Redwood City, RealSmart’s home hub, so we thought we’d share a few photos from the city’s historical archives. As you may know, Redwood City got its name from its beginnings as a logging town that brought lumber down from the mountains to the west, but did you know that Simon Mezes, who owned most of the land in what is now the downtown area, opted to call it “Mezesville” in 1853? The name didn’t stick around for long, and when the town established its first official Post Office, they called it Redwood City.

The following is a set of photographs from the Local History Collection at the Redwood City Public Library, with the original descriptions written by the Redwood City Public Library.

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1. Simon Mezes – 1854
Simon Mezes, the attorney for the Argüello Family of the Rancho de las Pulgas, was paid for his services in land. On his largest piece of property, Mezes founded the town that became Redwood City.

2. Oxen Team – 1878Redwood City was named for the giant redwood trees which were logged from the forests in the hills to the west. Cut lumber was dragged by oxen teams down to the wharves at the Redwood embarcadero.

 3. Turning Basin – 1892Redwood City developed rapidly due to the discovery of a deep-water channel that extended off of San Francisco Bay. Settlers established a series of wharves for shipping lumber and other products along what became known as “Redwood Creek.”

4. Courthouse – 1883
When San Mateo County was created in 1856, Redwood City was selected as the county seat because of its large population, its extensive commercial base, and the availability of land for a courthouse. Built in 1882, the courthouse pictured here was the second courthouse.

5. Railroad Depot – 1884
The railroad line reached Redwood City in 1863, causing both land values and population figures to rise. The first train station, which included a passenger depot and storage shed (on the opposite side of the tracks), was built in 1872.

6. Pioneer Store – 1901
Support businesses for the shipping industries formed along Redwood Creek, with storefronts facing what are now Broadway and Main Streets. The original Pioneer general store building, built in 1859, still stands on Main Street.

7. Sequoia High School – 1930
Originally developed as a preparatory school for Stanford University, Sequoia High School (bottom of picture) opened in 1895. The present-day campus is located on the grounds of the former estate of Horace Hawes, author of the legislative bill that created San Mateo County.

8. Ampex – 1963
Many large industries located in Redwood City after World War II, including world-renowed Ampex Corp., the developer of magnetic tape and recording equipment. Ampex was named for the initials of its founder, Alexander M. Poniatoff (right), plus “ex” for excellence.

Source: All images and descriptions taken from RWC Public Library’s Local History Collection. 

SILICON VALLEY REIGNS IN LUXURY REAL ESTATE

Pictured Above – RealSmart’s Upcoming Hillsborough Listing

The Silicon Valley has topped yet another real estate list, this time coming in first in a survey of the luxury home market. A recent industry report1 found that the town of Woodside, California had the highest index rating, suggesting that that it’s the best-performing market in US luxury real estate. What makes the Silicon Valley’s real estate market so hot? Well, it’s a mix of a booming tech industry coupled with low inventory.

“With such low inventory, and so many buyers chasing few opportunities, luxury home sellers are able to command top dollar for their home. Multiple offers are common, even in the $2.5 to $5 million price range.” – Bryan Jacobs, RealSmart Broker

The luxury market is strong in 3 other Silicon Valley cities that also made the top 10 – Portola Valley, Hillsborough, and Atherton. Here’s the list:

1. Woodside, Calif.
2. Bal Harbour, Fla.
3. Portola Valley, Calif.
4. Hillsborough, Calif.
5. Thousand Oaks, Calif.
6. Glenbrook, Nev.
7. Arcadia, Calif.
8. Southport, Conn.
9. Incline Village, Nev.
10. Atherton, Calif. 

Coincidentally, RealSmart has a listing coming soon in Hillsborough. It’s an expansive & gorgeous 4bed/4.5bath rebuild – get in touch for more details! Contact Bryan or Camilo.

1 – RealtorMag