Marin County

Marin County, California is magical. First, it is located just across San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. And because of the weather, schools, lack of crime, stunning scenery, and slower pace of life it is a destination location for all walks of like, including young families (concerned about raising children in San Francisco), retirees (seeking a quiet and safe place enjoy themselves), and for those who simply prefer a less cloistered existence.

Second, in the 1970’s, Marin County adopted what was called a zero-growth policy. In reality it is a slow growth policy, but the result has been that new home construction, beyond infilling and one-offs projects, has been very limited. So, over the past 45 years, large scale projects have been fairly rare. Proposals are stringently scrutinized and surrounding communities have a large impact on the result of applications. Thus, about 80% of the land in Marin is protected open space.

Third, the quality of life in Marin is second-to-none. Unlike the South Bay (Santa Clara County) and Peninsula (San Mateo County), home prices remain relatively affordable for the region. Unlike Alameda County, crime rates in Marin are very low and one does not have to worry too much about car break-ins or random violent crime. Unlike East Bay counties like Contra Costa County, the weather remains on a fairly steady and enjoyable path year round (e.g., we do not get the extreme heat associated with East Bay communities in the Summer time).