San Marino sales remain strong. There were 32 homes sold in the second quarter of 2008. Half sold below the asking price (16), twelve sold above the asking price and 4 sold at the asking price. Some of the homes sold SIGNIFICANTLY above the asking price, by hundreds of thousands of dollars. There are currently 42 homes for sale, which is a bit higher than usual. I know there are still Buyers hoping the right home will come on the market. New inventory is always welcome in San Marino.
The new chinese restaurant, called the Jasmine Cafe, had it's grand opening celebration this past week. It is in the center of town on Huntington Drive next to the Bank of America. I think the food is delicious and very convenient. They also deliver. I have a few dishes I like, but one of my favorites are the lettuce wraps. Earlene Cheung is one of the owners. She has always been one of the busiest volunteers in town, which means she will know how to run this new restaurant. Her son, Justin, won the food eating contest at the grand opening. He has won a few contests in various restaurants. San Marino is such a small town.
The 4th of July celebration at Lacy Park was enjoyed by thousands. The fireworks show was outstanding. The park was filled with families. It was a great celebration. Residents got in free and visitors could attend for $10 per person.
Monday, April 7, 2008
The San Marino housing market remains very strong, in favor of home sellersin most cases recently. For example, some of the market activity in San Marino this week:
The home at 1180 Sierra Madre received a record 28 offers. Counter offers were given to seven of the twenty-eight who made offers, and an offer was accepted on Sunday. There was a lot of interest in the property because it was priced below market value, was on a large lot of over 17,000, and had nice curb-appeal and character. The kitchen and baths have not been updated recently and there was a death on the property "from natural causes". At the Listed Price of $1,338,000, the price per square foot was only approximately $469.
The home at 1841 Sherwood Road, which may be the oldest home in San Marino, received multiple offers and is in escrow.
The new listing on Canterbury currently has four offers.
A very nice home came on the market on Oak Knoll Avenue in the lovely section of Oak Knoll that is South of Huntington Drive. It is a two story Mediterranean style home with five bedrooms and five baths plus a family room. It is on a large lot with a giant deodar tree in the front yard, and a beautiful back yard. This home has a great floorplan. For more details, call Jennifer Kelly, 626-396-3943.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
The San Marino Schools Foundation has announced their new campaign to raise $1,300,000 before June 1st to fill the financial deficit created by the upcoming state funding decreases. The new campaign is in addition to the annual campaign, which just finished it's year, and will be putting signs in donors' yards soon. The extra money raised is to be used for teacher salaries to maintain San Marino schools class size.
Don't miss the new exhibit and garden at The Huntington Library. On loan from his grandson are items from the collection of the famous California architect, Wallace Neff. The Huntington Library has a new Chinese garden that is called the 'Garden of Flowering Fragrance', which is complete after a year of construction. The garden has been carefully planned and executed to bring a bit of Chinese culture to San Marino.
Homes came on the market in San Marino this week at 1841 Sherwood Road ($2,185,000), near Valentine Elementary and Huntington Middle School and 1368 Wilbury Road ($1,825,000), N. of Huntington in the neighborhood behind Starbucks. The home at 1846 Lorain Road was just reduced from $2,098,000 to $1,950,000. This home has been updated very nicely and is near two of the schools and the new public library.
I closed (SOLD) two homes in San Marino in the past week:
2350 Montecito - Listed Price was $2,250,000 - It sold for $2,500,000. I was the Listing Agent. There were 6 offers. This 1-story Traditional home has a 15,500 sqft lot in a prestigious location.
2047 Courtland - Listed Price was $1,995,000 - It sold for $2,310,000. I was the Buyers' Agent. There were 13 offers. This Mediterranean style home has an 18,000 sqft lot and is a fixer.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Happy Easter! There are several homes that have come on the market for sale in San Marino this week. There are two that I know of that will be coming on next week, after Easter. The Listed Price for one of them is going to be $1,825,000. It is a two-story Colonial in a nice location North of Huntington. The Listed Price of the other one will be $2,180,000. It is a one-story home on very large lot of approximately 25,500 sqft. For more information, call Jennifer Kelly at 626-396-3943. San Marino continues to be a hot market for Sellers. One of the homes for sale on Ridgeway Road had recently been reduced and is now in escrow, and the new listing on Windsor Road received two offers and is in escrow. Usually there is a small burst in inventory after the Easter holiday.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Easter Egg Hunt at Lacy Park
February 23, 2008
Visit Lacy Park Saturday, February 23rd for the popular fishing derby. Of course, Lacy Park does not have a lake, so the fishing holes are created for the enjoyment of the kids. It is great fun! There will be lots of kids.
US News and World Report recently ranked San Marino High School as the 82nd best high school in the nation.
The San Marino Unified School District was declared the top public school district in California for the fourth year in a row.
A new war memorial, located in Lacy Park, was recently completed and dedicated, honoring fallen San Marino war veterans.
The new Crowell Public Library is finished and beautiful. The grand opening was January 26, 2008.
Congratulations to San Marino resident, Valerie Weiss, who was named "2007 San Marino Tribune Citizen Of The Year". Valerie has been a gracious and willing volunteer in the San Marino schools and community organizations for many years.
To compare the last three years of sales activity in San Marino, see the following for the number of units sold and the average sales price for each year:
To summarize, the San Marino housing market was one of the very strongest among the cities in the Pasadena area in 2007. The low inventory helped keep buyer demand strong and competitive, pushing the average sales price higher again.
San Marino is a beautiful, small town with wide, tree-lined streets, one of the best school districts in the state and one of the shortest commutes to downtown Los Angeles, which is the business hub for many occupations.
San Marino is noted for excellent schools. The San Marino Unified School District is consistently among the best in California. Please check greatschools.net for information about test scores, etc. A few years ago, residents approved two bonds to improve the existing school buildings, as well as build new construction. The finished product vastly improved and expanded all of the school sites. In addition, a new state-of-the-art high school football field has recently been completed. San Marino has four "Blue Ribbon Award Winning" schools: Valentine and Carver Elementary schools, Huntington Middle School (grades sixth through eigth), and San Marino High School.
San Marino's close proximity to downtown Los Angeles offers a short commute. Major attractions nearby include Dodger Stadium, The LA Staples Center, The Santa Anita Race Track and The Pasadena Rose Bowl.
There are two shopping areas within San Marino - one in the quaint "Mission District", and another along Huntington Drive. There are a few restaurants, smaller retail stores, and of course, Starbucks. Local residents enjoy frequenting places close to home where running into acquaintances is a common occurrence. San Marino is conveniently located within ten minutes of major shopping centers and restaurants and activities in Arcadia's Santa Anita Mall, Pasadena's Old Town, Paseo and Lake districts, San Gabriel, South Pasadena and Alhambra.
The city has a library that is currently being completely rebuilt and is under construction, a fire department and a city hall building for city services. The San Marino police department is known for its responsiveness and involvement. San Marino is conveniently located within ten minutes of major shopping centers and restaurants and activities in Arcadia, Pasadena, San Gabriel, South Pasadena and Alhambra.
One of the first things you notice about San Marino is how beautiful it is. The city founders had a hand in it by planting rows of trees on each street in San Marino. The result of which is a spectacular display of mature trees throughout the city today.
San Marino is home to a lovely park with paved walking trails, children's playground equipment, tennis courts, a rose arbor, mature trees and lovely grounds, called Lacy Park. There is a large, open lawn surrounded by two paved loops. Lacy Park is a wonderful place to enjoy an elaborate fireworks show on the Fouth of July, or a walk in the beautiful park any day of the year. There was once a lake in the middle of Lacy Park, but the city leaders decided to fill it in a long time ago.
From a historical perspective, the infamous General George Patton was a San Marino resident, and railroad tycoon Henry E. Huntington lived on what is now the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens, an exceptional landmark. The two men got together and decided to create the city of San Marino on the vast land mostly owned by Henry Huntington. General George Patton was the first mayor. The "Old Mill" is another site in San Marino that has been preserved for generations. There was once a trolley that ran through San Marino on Huntington Drive. Because of the trolley, there is now a beautiful, wide greenbelt that graces the center of town on Huntington Drive.
