Less Taxing

Ignoring, for a moment, the painful irony of a former school teacher choosing not to pay taxes that benefit public schools, check out an article from today's Marin IJ on how some Marin seniors can opt out of parcel taxes. In truth, the article is about a snafu by the tax collector, but the reason for this post is to bring awareness to our "boomer-ish" Marin readers (or readers with boomer-ish parents) who may not be aware of this program. We'd remind you that it's Marin's excellent schools that are partly the reason for our high property values, but we also know that when budgets get tight, this kind of relief can make a big difference.

School of Thought

If you aren't raising children in San Francisco, this story might not seem like a big deal. But if you or someone you know has young 'uns in Baghdad by the Bay, then you know that the public school selection process is one of the single most important issues in town.

What's the real estate connection? The school board's decision to grant partial neighborhood preference could well have some impact on property values for homes near the most desirable schools. Of course, if the board had granted full neighborhood preference, the impact would have been huge.

In Marin, schools are a driving force behind property values. In San Francisco, schools are often a driving force behind people moving to Marin. Will the board's decision stem this tide? Time will tell. Did the board's decision only serve to further segregate SF's public school or did they not go far enough? We'd love to hear readers' thoughts (real estate-related or otherwise) on this very divisive issue.

Private or Public

Check out this very interesting article from San Francisco Magazine about the world of San Francisco private schools. As a Realtor doing business in both SF and Marin, I can say with some authority that when it comes to buying a home, the "school question" is often as important as any feature of a particular house. And as someone who was raised in Marin and is now raising two kids in SF (not to mention that I went to school in both locations and am married to an admissions director at and SF private school), I can say with equal authority that the primacy of the school question in the minds of home buyers is utterly appropriate and legitimate. Hopefully the article provides some insight for those wrestling with this decision. If so, you might also check out the Marin public school resources in the link list on the right side of the page.