What defines luxury in luxury homes in Southern Marin County? Is it location, size, age, materials, views? Maybe some or all of the above.

To find a “luxury” home in Southern Marin, there are many variables and no two homes are the same.

There are young families who are willing to pay a premium to be able to walk to town in Mill Valley and stroll with the kids to the park, school or get a cup of coffee at Peet’s.

There are those who think bigger is better. And bigger is often next door to smaller homes. There are large lots (half acre by Southern Marin standards) and small which are measured by the foot.

Families seem to think that each child should have a separate room and bath. No more sharing like the kids of my generation. And then of course there is the guest room and home office and separate play room and/or home theater.

The age of the home sometimes determines the quality of the work, the layout of the floor plan or possibly, the need for current upgrades. It is possible to find a home that incorporates both the old charm and the new wants and needs of the homeowner.

Some of today’s buyers want “green” which is sometimes loosely defined by real estate agents. Finding a LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certified home is not that easy but many homes have green design elements either by choice for environmental reasons, West Elm contemporary esthetics or newly revised building requirements by cities such as Mill Valley who gives credits to the builder using green technology and building practices. Luxury could be defined by the large kitchen with granite counters and dual dishwashers and refrigerators or maybe it is sleek Italian cabinets or just concrete counter tops.

And then there is the view. To some that means trees and a quiet stream, a relaxing garden or a view of Mt. Tamalpais. Others want the dramatic San Francisco city view which command a premium. To see two Mill Valley homes with spectacular views of downtown San Francisco, see www.2TamalpaisAve.com and www.321SummitAvenue.com. Both of these homes define luxury in unique ways that are totally different from each other.

What is your definition of luxury? Contact me at jlemarr@fhallen.com or 415-380-4642 if you are looking for luxury homes in Marin County.


Posted By: Judy Lemarr