Marin County real estate is managing to keep its head above water in a sluggish real estate market, but it is a struggle. Long considered a real estate hot spot, the Marin market has slowed, although a few areas are still in what can be considered a seller's market. Other communities, including Novato and San Rafael have definitively entered the buyer's corner. In truth, Marin's housing market is all over the map and the prospective buyer will need a knowledgeable realtor to help navigate these rocky shoals.

The interesting thing about listings in Marin County is that sales can be difficult to predict and generally need to be taken on a case-by-case basis. The luxury home market remains strong, but more modest homes sometimes languish for a variety of reasons. Some are quite simply overpriced. Others went into escrow and subsequently fell out due to financing issues (Again, might the sellers be thinking their homes are worth more than the market will bear?). There have also been situations where the buyers and sellers locked horns and couldn't come to an agreement regarding credits for defects discovered upon home inspections. This shouldn't scare you off if you are looking to buy a home in Marin. Just be cautious and wise.

In the current Marin real estate market, the first step is to find a good real estate agent. It would be sheer folly to try to go it alone. And remember, not all realtors are created equal. You need to hook up with a knowledgeable and experienced Marin realtor. An agent who knows the market can guide you through the intricacies of real estate transaction and help you to make informed decisions.

One very important tool that your realtor will rely on is the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) that services Marin County. The MLS is a database, available by subscription, and contains information that is invaluable to prospective buyers, including pricing, photos, amenities, size, and the number of days the property has been on the market. The MLS database is updated constantly, it is a dynamic tool. It will even indicate when the price of a property has dropped ? something useful to know when it comes to making an offer!

Accessing listings in the Marin MLS is easy for both real estate agent subscribers as well as consumers. For consumers, access to the MLS database that covers Marin County is typically achieved thru use of an online database search tool called the IDX (internet Data eXchange) that can be found on some Marin real estate agent and broker websites. Rather than sifting through hundreds of property listings you can enter your search criteria ? your price range, the number of bedrooms & bathrooms you require, the communities you are interested in, etc. and the database will give you a concise summary of what is available within the parameters of your search. Many of these consumer-friendly MLS search tools also enable homebuyers to sign-up for email listing alert notifications when new listings hit the market that match their unique search criteria.

With an experienced Marin realtor by your side, you can make that perfect home in Marin County a reality. By working closely with you, a good realtor can help you define what you need and want in a home, then use a variety of tools, including the Marin MLS database search tools, to help you to identify potential properties. Once you have narrowed the search, your realtor's knowledge of the Marin market will help you decide what a reasonable offer for the property is, and guide you every step of the way as you wind your way toward owning that home you've always dreamed about.