| San Rafael is the oldest city in Marin County, and it | | | | interesting architecture in Marin County. Probably the |
| may be one of the most interesting and diverse as | | | | most recognizable and famous landmark is the Marin |
| well. Comprised of 30 distinct neighborhoods in addition | | | | County Civic Center, designed by internationally |
| to a lively downtown shopping district, San Rafael is an | | | | recognized architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Other |
| eclectic mix of the old and the new. Downtown you'll | | | | interesting public buildings in San Rafael include the |
| find a vibrant city plaza, full of ethnic restaurants, retail | | | | Mission San Rafael Archangel; the Boyd House, which |
| shops, art galleries, and Victorian architecture. On the | | | | is home to the Marin Historical Society Museum and is |
| 16 square miles surrounding the downtown you'll find | | | | an extraordinary example of high Victorian Gothic; the |
| California suburban life at its best. | | | | Queen Anne style Falkirk mansion; and the St. |
| Only about 20 minutes from the Golden Gate Bridge, | | | | Vincent's School's Italian Renaissance Mission-style. |
| San Rafael is a perfect base of operations for the | | | | This richness in architecture extends to residential real |
| commuter. It is out of the rat-race of the big city, but | | | | estate in San Rafael as well. No matter what you are |
| close to just about everything a family could want: | | | | looking for, whether it be a traditional home, a Victorian, |
| good schools, recreation, shopping, and entertainment. | | | | or something of contemporary design you are likely to |
| Another attractive feature is that San Rafael real | | | | find it in San Rafael. Each neighborhood has a distinct |
| estate tends to be a bit less expensive than in many | | | | flavor from hip and modern to graciously classic, and |
| other areas of Marin County. There seems to be a | | | | homes range in style from sleek minimalist to the |
| trend that the farther north you travel in Marin, the | | | | Victorian grand dame. |
| more affordable the real estate becomes. This trend | | | | To the mid-century modern home enthusiast, San |
| may not last, however, as people discover the north | | | | Rafael real estate can provide some exciting |
| county. It has a lot going for it. The area is less | | | | house-hunting opportunities. In fact, San Rafael is home |
| congested and there is more open space within city | | | | to the largest grouping of mid-century modern homes |
| limits than you'll find in most of Marin County, but San | | | | in Marin County. Most of the homes built by Joseph |
| Francisco and the other Bay Area cities are still very | | | | Eichler and the Alliance Homes Company during the |
| accessible to San Rafael. | | | | 1950's and 60's are still standing, and homeowners |
| Out of San Francisco's famous fog, but still within the | | | | today are rediscovering these ranch-style homes that |
| coastal influence, weather in San Rafael is temperate | | | | were the cutting edge of home design 50 years ago. |
| and mild. Summers are warm enough for swimming | | | | Beautiful surroundings, temperate climate, and proximity |
| and the outdoor living Californians love, but seldom will | | | | to all the conveniences of city life coupled with |
| you find the heat that makes the inland areas of | | | | interesting architecture and relatively affordable |
| California so uncomfortable. In the winter rain can be | | | | housing make San Rafael real estate one of the more |
| plentiful, as it is throughout northern California, but ice | | | | interesting markets right now. With the market leaning |
| and snow are all but unheard of, as are the tule fogs | | | | toward a buyer's advantage, it just might be a good |
| found in the Central Valley. | | | | time to take a look at what is available in this very |
| San Rafael has some of the most diverse and | | | | unique part of California. |