Mill Valley's Appeal to San Francisco Bay Area Home Buyers

Mill Valley is a beautiful small town of approximately 13,000 people in northern California, nestled in redwood forests that surround nearby Mount Tamalpais. Mill Valley's appeal to San Francisco Bay area home buyers is easy to see once you've witnessed the beauty and pace of this small town. It is close enough to take a trip to the big city, while tucked far enough away to allow families to grow up in a more relaxed pace, quaint small town setting.

The town of Mill Valley has a fascinating history, as it was named after an old saw mill started by an Irish settler who became a Mexican citizen and started the town. That was a long time ago, and few could have imagined what Marin County, and Mill Valley, would become.

There are several reasons why a home buyer in the San Francisco area would find Mill Valley appealing.

1. Proximity. Located just across the Golden Gate Bridge in Southern Marin County, the town offers extremely convenient access to the city of San Francisco for both work and play. For beachgoers, Mill Valley offers excellent access to Stinson Beach, Tennessee Cove, and several other beaches throughout West Marin.
2. The culture. In addition to this, the public schools are excellent, crime is low, and Mill Valley is seen as a very progressive and artsy town that holds many famous annual events like the Mill Valley Shakespeare in the Old Park Amphitheatre, the Fall Arts Festival, or the Mill Valley Film Festival.
3. The climate. For those people looking for a move from further away, Mill Valley has a very pleasant climate that can be described as "Mediterranean." There are very few times where the temperature is below freezing in winter, and in summer it's mild enough that most homes don't bother with air conditioning.
4. Space. Unlike some other very crowded areas in San Francisco and Marin County, Mill Valley has space for citizens to spread out, and an incredible assortment of nature trails for outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy.
5. People. This isn't a young person's town, an old person's town, or a college town. This is a town that has a very even population, with an equal percentage in almost every decade group from toddlers to octogenarians. No group is left behind any other.
6. The price. Real estate in Mill Valley ranges from affordable condominiums and starter homes to multi-million dollar estates. While most home buyers assume real estate in Mill Valley is expensive like so many other towns in Southern Marin, there are good values to be had. Working with an experienced realtor can help you identify these unique buying opportunities.

These are just a few of the many reasons that help explain Mill Valley's appeal to San Francisco Bay area home buyers.

Renee Adelmann is a San Francisco Bay Area Realtor with Marin and San Francisco Modern who assists buyers and sellers of Mill Valley homes as well as Mill Valley condos