Sylvie Zolezzi

Larkspur is a charming, small town with a population of about 12,000. I have been living in Larkspur for the past 12 years and loving it. Larkspur epitomizes the charm of small town America. It offers a range of great restaurants, including among others Lark Creek Inn (probably the most elegant restaurant in Marin County), Picco (both a restaurant and a small wine bar/pizzeria which has quickly become one the most popular spots in Marin for a great glass of wine, outstanding pizza cooked in a wood-burning oven), Left Bank (a French Brasserie with delightful outdoor eating, just like in the South of France!), the Ward Cafe (a well kept secret as it is not on the main street, Magnolia Avenue, but well worth exploring), Fabrizzio (great for Italian food and outdoor dining). Larkspur also offers an amazing array of great boutiques and galleries, considering that downtown Larkspur only spans over a three to four block area. There have been a lot of changes in the past few years in the heart of Larkspur. In addition to the old favorites which have been there for many years, like Rulli (one of Marin County's favorites hangouts patronized by people from all over the County, an Italian bakery which makes out of this world pastries and sandwiches, baked fresh daily, to rival any of the best bakeries in Italy--I speak from personal experience!), Bloomers, the cutest little flower shop, Coquelicot, a wonderful boutique offering a great selection of home accessories from Provence, Magnolia Gallery, a top-notch framing gallery, and many more including card stores, a barbershop, the Silver Peso (a great bar with a pool table), new shops and boutiques have sprouted up, enriching our community even further. A mother and daughter team, Elaine and Gala, have opened two charming boutiques named Gala right on Magnolia Avenue, my neighbor Kendra has opened a beautiful boutique named Canvas, Nicole and her sister have remodeled their Dad's store, the old Rumors, and renamed it Nicolette, Isabelle Picasso has revamped Swing, a very sweet boutique with children's clothing and accessories...What I love most about Larkspur is that all the store owners live in the area and are an integral part of what makes Larkspur so unique and endearing. It means the world to me to be able to walk in most of the stores in my community and be greeted by my first name. I have built great relationships with many of the business owners and even friendships with some of them. Finally, it is important to keep in mind that many of the small towns in Marin County such as Larkspur, Corte Madera, Greenbrae and even Mill Valley and San Anselmo are very close to each other, and that they all offer great amenities and shopping which are easily accesible within a few miles of Larkspur. There are excellent supermarkets, including Whole Foods in Mill Valley, Mollie Stones in Greenbrae, Woodlands in Kentfield, and Paradise Foods in Corte Madera where I shop regularly. Corte Madera has two beautiful shopping malls, less than 10 minutes away from Larkspur, with anchors like Nordstrom and Macy's, and a great selection of wonderful stores and boutiques such as Banana Republic, Gap, Restoration Hardware, Sharper Image, True Religion, Lucky's, Anthropology, Bebe, Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, Williams and Sonoma, etc. Basically, you have everything you can wish for right there at your fingertips! Please visit my website athttp:// www.YourPieceOfMarin.com and click on the Marin County/Cities link to find out more about the County and each of its individual cities/communities. - Mon May 19 2008, 12:37

As is the case in most areas of Marin County, the market in Larkspur has been changing in the past three months. It has evolved from a strong buyer's market (less than 15% of listings in contract) in February with only 3 out of 21 listings in contract, to a buyer's market in March (15-25% in contract) with 6 out 28 listings in contract to finally a seller's market in April (25-35% in contract) with 9 out of 32 listings in contract. While inventory has been growing steadily, the number of homes in contract has grown proportionately. Days on market have increased since last year with 71% of homes selling last year in 0-60 days compared to only 42% this year and in April we averaged 58 days on market. The median price of homes has softened a bit since last year, dropping from $1,352,500 in 2007 to $1,189,000 in 2008 at the end of the first quarter 08.
With interest rates still at historic lows, smart buyers with strong credit reports and cash for downpayments are snapping up great deals. Open houses are well attended, buyers are writing offers, sometimes multiple offers when the house is in a great location, is well priced and well presented. - Tue Apr 29 2008, 18:57