Loch Lomond

Looking for a low-key Marin County neighborhood with a great sense of community and easy access to San Francisco Bay? San Rafael’s Loch Lomond, which runs along Point San Pedro Road on the east side of town, is a great option.

Developed in the 1960s, the neighborhood consists of around 200 homes spread along a series of small streets with Scottish-themed names, such as Locksly Lane, Kinross Drive, and Dunfries Terrace.

Neighborhood children attend San Rafael City Schools, and the community gathers at Andy’s Local Market at the Loch Lomond Marina off Point San Pedro Road. Andy’s, which opened a second location in the city’s Sun Valley area, offers up great produce, a popular deli, and neighborhood events.

The marina itself features a charming walking path, a private yacht club, more than 500 slips – and, of course, sparkling views of the Bay.

After years of limbo, work began last year on a mixed-used development at the marina, which will include a new space for Andy’s, 81 residential units, and two parks. And a resident-driven project has improved median landscaping along a 4.5-mile stretch of Point San Pedro, beautifying the area.

San Rafael homes for sale often offer a better value than those in other parts of Marin, and between December 2012 and December 2013, the median sales price for a single-family home in the central Marin city averaged $802,000. During that same period, the average median sales price in Pacific Union’s Marin County region was $893,000, 10 percent higher than in San Rafael.

In addition, San Rafael residents enjoy excellent weather, a highly walkable downtown, and easy access to nature and U.S. Route 101. And for outdoor enthusiasts, the Loch Lomond neighborhood is just a short drive or bike ride from China Camp State Park and McNears Beach Park.

Loch Lomond is a residential neighborhood that branches out from Loch Lomond Drive right by the little marina that you can find in that area. The marina is on the southern end of the neighborhood, and it is mostly made up of sailboats. There is a big parking lot there as well.

The homes here are very nice. They are a mix of styles though the ones that I saw were mostly flat and long--mostly one-story houses with pools in the back apparently. It is a very good neighborhood with strong nearby schools and nice views.

So what does one of these houses cost?

Home prices here probably run almost a million dollars on average, with prices running between maybe $700K and $1.25 million.

If it weren’t for the long city commutes and the high cost of living, a lot of people would probably love living here. The homes are really attractive, the schools are great, there are tons of nearby hiking/natural wonder and there is basically no crime--what else could you ask for in a suburban neighborhood?

I really like the look of this neighborhood, but it seems a little bit on the dull side to me--San Rafael and the nearby areas just don’t have enough going on for a newly single gal like me. If, however, I were starting a family and could afford it though, I would definitely consider it.