I had the urge today to take a closer look at San Marino Real Estate prices over the past decade, to get a firmer grasp of how San Marino has weathered the economic storm.  I was so encouraged and amazed at what I saw.  San Marino Real Estate prices  increased solidly through 2007, and then have taken a small dip in the past two years.  Compared to the figures that I have heard in other areas, our 7% drop is minimal.  As is obvious from these figures, we are selling far fewer homes since the peak in the mid 2000’s.  This tells me that our residents our wealthy enough to postpone the sale of their homes and wise enough to see that this isn’t the optimal time in history to sell a home.  This idea is supported by the large number of lease listings in San Marino.  As of today’s date, there are 26 homes for lease in San Marino, and a month ago there were over 40.  So, I say bravo to San Marino!

With the economy in such a state of flux, I sense that San Marino homeowners are not selling unless it is absolutely necessary.  Being an affluent community our residents are more apt to have the luxury of holding on to their properties rather than being forced to sell.  With this state of affairs, our number of lease properties in San Marino has really increased.  As of this afternoon, there are a total of 28 leases in San Marino.  Wow!  The leases range in price from $2,100 per month to a huge $10,000 per month, for a home on the very chic Rosalind Road.

I would like to highlight a new lease that the Benuska Group just listed today, 2965 Somerset Place.  This is the lowest priced lease in San Marino at $2,100 per month.  It is a 3 bedroom, 1 bath home, with 1,313 sq ft of living space and a 8,268 sq ft lot.  The owners of this property take excellent care of it and have recently replaced all of the windows and installed central air conditioning.  There are hardwood floors throughout the home and the kitchen and bath are clean, but not remodeled.  The back yard is nicely cared for and there is a concrete patio for outdoor entertaining.

What an excellent way to gain the benefit of San Marino schools, even if you are unable to purchase a home at the current time!  If you would like to see this property go to the Benuska Group website for contact information.

There is a pet name that many use to describe the very fabulous and expensive section of San Marino – “Super Marino”.  This section of town boasts many amazing estates on large pieces of property.  Many of these homes were designed by well-known architects and are filled with amazing architectural details and charm.  One of these homes is located at 1221 Virginia Road and is a property that I have passed by hundreds of times and always admired.  So, I was quite excited when a friend asked me to show it to her.

Designed by the famous Wallace Neff, this French Revival estate is being sold as a probate and  requires court confirmation.  It has not been tended to for awhile and is in great need of TLC.  The grounds are devoid of foliage, except for some artificial turf in the front yard.  In addition, the past owner added a plethora of statues all around the property.  These statues are out of place and detract from the home’s natural beauty.  The property sits on a sloped property, but there is a large expanse of flat land that would be ideal for a pool and a large grass area.  Also, there are some impressive patios on the property, which would be ideal for outdoor entertaining. 

The interior of the home blew my mind!  I felt as if I was entering Versailles!  The incredibly tall ceilings, the amazing moldings and the carved wood details are fabulous.  The rooms on the main level are expansive, with my favorite being a large ballroom, complete with a hand-carved loft for the orchestra.  Wow!  From the ballroom, we entered a large finished basement section, which boasts a full-sized sauna, a beauty salon and abundant additional living space.  The kitchen is very large and in quite good condition, although certainly not recently renovated.  There is an excellent guest suite on the main floor as well.

The upstairs was a bit of a disappointment to my friend and me.  Although there was ample space, we had a difficult time figuring out how to find the necessary five bedrooms that she needs.  The master suite is expansive and takes up a good part of the floor.  There would be some re-working necessary so that each room could be entered from a hallway, without having to walk through another room.  There is quite a bit of ornate stained glass upstairs and even a little chapel.  The bathrooms are large and feature wood closets with hand-painted scenes on them.  Very charming!

At almost $9.3 million, this home will still require millions of  dollars of renovation.  The finished product could be beyond amazing, though.  This home is a true piece of history, showcasing the talent of a truly brilliant architect.  My friend is going to pass on this little project, but I am hoping that someone with great taste and quite a bit of money will grab ahold of this fabulous home and restore it to its original splendor.

If you would like to see this home or have any questions about San Marino Real Estate, visit the Benuska Group website for contact information

With temperatures in the high nineties and smoke permeating the air, it certainly isn’t feeling much like fall in San Marino.  But, the city is actually buzzing with fall activity.  So much of our San Marino culture revolves around our fantastic schools, and they are back in session full tilt.  Back-to-school nights are happening, sports teams are aggressively practicing, teachers are starting to give their first tests.  I woke this morning to one of my favorite fall sounds – the San Marino High School marching band practicing their music.  Fall is definitely here!

San Marino schools are best known for their excellent academics.  All one has to do is look at the college matriculation list from San Marino High School or look at the district API scores to realize that we do academics well.  San Marino Unified has been the number one school district in California for five years straight.  Yes, we have amazing and dedicated parents who lead and guide their children to be their best academically.  But, what has impressed me the most about San Marino Schools is the fantastic teachers and the well thought out curriculum planning by our fabulous administration.  Each year builds upon itself in a very holistic way.

To ensure that our children are not one-dimensional, San Marino Unified School District has really pressed forward with our athletics programs.  Booster clubs have been formed, new facilities have been built, and new coaches have been acquired.  Thanks to a group of very involved and generous families, who have really taken leadership over these programs, we have raised a lot of money to ensure that we are making athletics a priority.  In the last years our athletes have had the honor of playing on a new artificial turf football field and track, a state-of-the-art baseball field and a renovated girl’s softball field.  The energy is fabulous!

San Marino High School, winner of the Bravo Award for arts, has poured a huge investment into their visual and performing arts programs.  As a part of the District’s Strategic Plan, they aim to provide a world class education in academics, athletics, and the arts!  My daughter, who is an actress, will have the opportunity to be on a comedy sports team, try out for plays and musicals and take excellent drama classes.  While most school districts, in these difficult financial times, are stripping away these arts programs, San Marino Unified is continuing to offer their students programs in this vital and often ignored area.

There are too many extra-curricular activities to mention, but I think it is fair to say that our San Marino students are not bored.  There are ample opportunities to grow and develop, whatever your interests and whatever your age.  I feel blessed to have had the privilege of sending my kids through the San Marino schools and look forward to an excellent year in all respects.

If you would like to join our community, I would love to help you with all of your real estate needs.  Check out the Benuska Group website for contact information!

Go Titans!

Although a lot of our residents get out of town during the summer months, San Marino is a great place to be in the summer.  Located in the San Gabriel Valley, we do get warm temperatures on most summer days, but the evenings and early mornings are amazing.  For such a small town, we have some wonderful and historic sites, which are worth coming to see.  Over the next couple of weeks, I will be talking about some of these highlights.

One of my favorite locations in San Marino, Lacy Park is an incredible destination on a summer day.  Lacy Park, located at 1485 Virginia Road in the center of San Marino, is a truly gorgeous 30 acre park with open green areas and many varieties of trees and shrubs.  Originally Wilson Lake in 1875, the land was purchased by the City in 1925 and dedicated as a park.  A fabulous place to bring kids, Lacy Park has a wonderful play area, numerous amazing climbing trees, lots of room for a good game of hide and go seek, and a large paved circle for riding bikes.  I have many a fond memory of times spent at Lacy Park with my own kids.  As the park is fenced all around and the area very safe, I could allow them a lot of freedom to explore and enjoy the varying features of the park.  My son was almost always found up a tree with his buddies.  Sometimes the getting down process was a bit hairy, but this activity is probably one of his childhood favorites.  There is ample picnic area, with clean tables scattered around the park.

Upon moving to San Marino, one of my first activities was walking a loop from my house, through Lacy Park and then back home again.  At all times of day, but particularly in the early morning, there are many people enjoying the two walking loops:  an inner loop of approximately 3/4 mile in length, and an outer loop of approximately 1 mile in length.  It is such a peaceful and scenic place to walk!

The park also boasts six beautiful tennis courts, which are run by the San Marino Tennis Association and can be used by non-members for a fee.  In addition, there is a beautiful rose arbor at the St. Albans entrance to the park.  There are numerous city events that happen at the park during the year, including our amazing 4th of July events.  Keep in mind that the park does charge a fee for non-residents on the weekends.   Visit the park website for more detailed information. 

Come and enjoy!

To learn more about San Marino Real Estate, visit the Benuska Group website.