This page is for the questions you actually want to ask about buying, selling, and living in Novato, Petaluma, and across Marin and Sonoma counties. I answer every one honestly, from a lifetime of local knowledge, and the real questions below are the ones clients ask me most. Send yours through the form and you will hear back quickly, day or night.
Updated October 30, 2026 · Sales Associate · 01702383 · California
Real answers, no pressure
21 years in real estate, 100+ homes sold, and a lifetime in the North Bay.
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Whether you are just starting to wonder or you are deep in the process, your question is welcome. Tell me where you are and what you need to know, and I will give you a straight answer.
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From the FAQ
These are the real questions clients bring me, with the answers I give them. Every one comes from the FAQ and articles already on this site, so you can trust it is the same straight talk you would get on the phone.
Born and raised in Marin County, I lived in Novato for 46 years before moving to Petaluma, where I have now lived for more than 16 years. This is not a territory I learned from a map: I grew up on these streets, so I can tell you what a block is really like, which schools feed where, and how a property's history should shape its value. Read the full story on my About page.
21 years, with more than 100 homes sold across Marin and Sonoma counties. Before real estate I spent about 20 years owning and operating my own automotive repair business, which is where I learned to listen carefully, communicate honestly, and spot the hidden details that inspection reports often miss. That background still shapes how I work today.
There is no universal yes or no, but the October 2026 numbers give buyers more room than they have had in years. In my current market report, Novato's median single-family closed price sat near $1.2 million, essentially flat year over year, and Petaluma's median sale price near $914,000 with homes selling in about 28 days. A flatter market means less bidding pressure and more negotiation, which rewards buyers who show up pre-approved and decisive. The right move is to run the numbers for your exact down payment, rate, and timeline before making a date with the market.
Start with pre-approval, not listings. Knowing your true budget and monthly payment keeps every later step honest, and it is what sellers take seriously when you make an offer. From there, I walk buyers through six steps from A to Z: get your numbers straight, define what you actually want, search with local intelligence, offer with a strategy, inspect with a mechanic's eye, and close smoothly. The whole path is laid out in my Buying Guide.
The inspector walks the property top to bottom, from roof to foundation, and you receive a report of findings that ranges from minor maintenance to serious structural or safety issues. This is exactly where buyers get stuck, so I take a different approach: I arrange the inspectors and the specialists, walk the property with you, and translate every report into a short list of what actually matters and roughly what it costs to fix. Nothing gets lost in a 60-page PDF.
In my October 2026 market report, Petaluma homes sold in about 28 days on average at a median near $914,000, and Novato's fastest-selling ZIP posted a median 14 days on market with citywide sales around 31 days. The pattern across the North Bay right now is simple: homes priced honestly from day one sell on normal timelines, and overpriced homes sit and get re-priced, often for less than the honest number would have brought. My Selling Guide walks through exactly how I price and prepare a home to avoid that trap.
Your home is worth what a ready, qualified buyer will pay, which in this market is very close to what comparable homes actually sold for in the last month or two. I can give you an honest, evidence-based range built from recent comps, your home's condition, and its exact location, with no pressure and no obligation. You can request a free valuation right on this site and I will send you a straight answer.
Country properties come with systems that city buyers have never managed, and I say that as someone who has lived in the country for much of my life. With a well, you want the water quality tested and a close look at the well's depth and yield. With septic, you want the age, tank, and leach field inspected, plus a clear picture of where a replacement drain field could go, because a failed system is a five-figure problem. Drainage, soils, property lines, and shared easements matter just as much. These are the details I work through with buyers comfortably, street by street, and I will walk you through every report.
Want more? The full library of questions and answers lives on the FAQ page.
Ask it directly. Call or text me, or send a note through the contact page, and you will get an honest answer fast.
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