Marin County Real Estate Market Report
January 2021

Marin real estate market report January 2021

Here’s to a Bright 2021… Happy New Year!

Marin County Real Estate Market Report: January 2021

Happy 2021! While the year is off to a start that reminds me a lot of 2020, let’s hope things calm down and we can return to a sense of normalcy. In December we continued to see significant price appreciation in the Marin real estate market, with the median home price up almost 12% and the supply of homes for sale down 41% compared to the same time last year. The average price per square foot was up to $830, just shy of the record of $835 set in October 2020.

Given our uncertain times, it is difficult to forecast what will happen this year in the Marin real estate market. If early activity is any indication, it looks promising at least for the first part of 2021. I am aware of several homes that just came on the market that are getting heavy buyer traffic/interest and are poised to receive multiple offers in the coming days. 

Below I’ve included excerpts from the housing year-end report published by the respected Wells Fargo economics group. For the TLDR (too long didn’t read) crowd — their forecast is positive for the year.

Marin Real Estate: My World

December was a busy month for me as I continued to close properties up until New Year’s eve. After a complete lockdown for months after the pandemic began, the market roared back to life and I ended up being the top 4 Marin real estate agent at Golden Gate Sotheby’s for the year. I am in very good company and am very proud of this honor. I have included my December sales in photos below.

If you are thinking of selling your home in what promises to be a very active spring season, let’s talk ASAP. Now is the time to begin some of those home prep items, especially with the lack of precipitation in the long-term forecast. 

What Are The Current Restrictions on Marin Real Estate?

The restrictions on real estate in Marin County were reduced but there are still some restrictions for everyone’s safety:

  • No open houses or broker’s opens are permitted 
  • Homes (both occupied and vacant) may now be shown after prospective buyers review disclosures and sign COVID-19 affidavits
  • Seller may not be at home when it is shown
  • All involved in showings must wear personal protective equipment (masks, gloves, etc) and avoid touching anything (railings, doorknobs, etc)
  • Only two buyers plus one agent may attend showings

How Can I Help?

These reports are a great place to start, but let’s continue the conversation. I am always happy to discuss the market and the best way to approach buying or selling a home in Marin County or the greater Bay Area. Call or text me anytime at 415-847-5584.

Wishing you and yours a very happy, healthy and prosperous 2021!

From the Wells Fargo Economics Group…

Housing Flipped the Script on COVID in 2020. What Will Happen in 2021?

The pandemic wreaked havoc on most of the economy in 2020, with the notable exception of housing. The onset of lockdowns as well as the rise of remote work and remote schooling flipped the script on COVID by strengthening demand for single-family homes, townhomes and suburban apartments. Pandemic-driven job losses, however, also led to a spike in the number of people behind on mortgage and rent payments. Moreover, many homeowners have taken advantage of expanded forbearance options to put off mortgage payments. With vaccines now rolling out, questions are arising as to how long lasting these shifts will be. We address a few of these questions in this report and provide our insights into where we believe housing is headed in 2021.

Is There Another Housing Bubble?

One of the most frequent questions we get is what is the risk that the red-hot housing market will turn into a bubble? Most of the housing bubble worries stem from the resurgence in home prices. The median price of an existing single-family home has surged 15.1% over the past year. The price spike, however, is the result of the sudden increased demand for housing rather than increased speculation. The pandemic has unleashed some unusual supply and demand dynamics. The surge in remote work and remote learning combined with the increased proportion of time that people are spending at home has set off a race for more living space. More apartment renters are looking to buy and more homeowners are looking to enhance their current homes or buy larger homes. This change in preferences results in an outward shift in housing demand that by itself drives home prices higher.

The supply of housing has also been disrupted. While more people want to buy homes, fewer want to sell them. The supply curve has shifted inward and the inventory of homes for sale has fallen to an all-time low. Folks that were thinking about downsizing are now holding onto their current
homes because they need them for workspace or to house their adult children returning from school or urban apartments. Rather than selling, many homeowners are investing in upgrades, increasing demand for remodelers and driving up sales at home improvement centers.

Perhaps the greatest difference with what was seen in the bubble years is the greater discipline on the part of lenders. Mortgage underwriting tightened at the onset of the pandemic and remains fairly tight today. The average FICO score for conventional mortgages originated for the purchase of a home was 758 in November, according to Ellie Mae. Fewer than 10% of mortgages were originated by buyers with FICO scores of 655 or less. For refis, the average FICO score was 765 and cash-out refinancing’s are nowhere near as prevalent as they were in the bubble years. Homeowners also have substantially more equity in the homes today. Federal Reserve data show single-family home equity at record $20.4 trillion, or nearly two-thirds of single-family housing values. Moreover, with lower mortgage rates, many homeowners have been able to refinance their mortgages at lower rates, reducing their monthly payments and enhancing their creditworthiness.

Please click here to read the full report from Wells Fargo.

Marin-Real-Estate-Market-Report-January-2021-summary-chart.

Just Sold

94 Deer Park Avenue | San Rafael

just sold 94 deer park avenue san rafael

Spectacular Country Club Gated Retreat with Resort-Style Pool & Panoramic Mt. Tamalpais Views

1469 Sandpiper Spit | Point Richmond

just sold 1469 sandpiper spit

Magnificent Custom-Built Home with 55-Foot Dock with Deep Water Access and 360-Degree Views

53 montecito avenue san rafael just sold

Marin Real Estate Market Stats: November 2020

Marin county real estate sales by town November 2020
Marin county market trends real estate November 2020

Marin County Real Estate Market Report Dashboards

Marin County Real Estate Dashboard:
Home Prices vs. Same Month Last Year


For sale prices increased by 3.4%


Average sold prices increased by 54.5%


The median sold price increased by 11.5%


The average price per square foot sold increased by 15.1%

All information courtesy of and copyright by BAREIS MLS and TrendGraphix.
Dashboard compiled by Thomas Henthorne, all rights reserved.

Marin County Real Estate Dashboard:
Inventory Compared to Same Month Last Year


Number of homes for sale increased by 3.4%


Number of homes sold increased by 54.5%


Months of inventory decreased by 41.3%


The average days on market decreased by 44.4%

All information courtesy of and copyright by BAREIS MLS and TrendGraphix.
Dashboard compiled by Thomas Henthorne, all rights reserved.

Marin County Real Estate Market Report Charts

(click any slide to enlarge & launch slideshow)

“For Sale” vs. Sold Home Prices vs. Median Home Prices

marin home prices chart Marin real estate market report January 2021

Marin Home Prices List Price vs. Sold

days on market chart

Marin County Months of Inventory Based on Closed Sales

Marin real estate market report January 2021 months of inventory chart

Average Price Per Square Foot

price per square foot Marin real estate market report January 2021

Marin County Number of Homes on the Market

number of homes for sale in marin county chart Marin real estate market report January 2021

I hope you have found my Marin County Real Estate Market Report informative. Please feel free to add your comments, questions or suggestions in the comments section below. If I may be of any assistance in helping you attain your real estate goals, please call or text me at 415-847-5584 and I will be in touch right away.

Would you like to see this data for your town only?

I am also excited to announce that my website now has new real estate market reports by town with more coming soon. Please check these out:

Belvedere Real Estate Market Report

Corte Madera Real Estate Market Report

Fairfax Real Estate Market Report

Kentfield Real Estate Market Report

Larkspur Real Estate Market Report

Mill Valley Real Estate Market Report

Novato Real Estate Market Report

San Anselmo Real Estate Market Report

San Rafael Real Estate Market Report

Tiburon Real Estate Market Report

These are all accessible from the “Market Reports” menu item here on my website at any time.

0 replies

Leave a Comment

What do you think?
Please leave your comment below!

What Do You Think? Please Leave Your Comment Here....