Mount Tamalpais in Marin 

     In Politics and Real Estate Perception is everything.  For the last couple of months the Marin real estate market has lagged along as Politicians and media pundits on the right have hammered the notion (and fear of) of "Uncertainty."  The right has lashed out at the Obama administration claiming it's economic policies (Financial Reforms) has Wall Street , the large Banks, and Corporations worried and uncertain about the future.  It appears that since the mid-term elections that mantra has been replaced by a robust stock market, and the feeling that the possibility of significant job creations could be forthcoming.  Economist have been saying that until we see a recovery in jobs, will be see a recovery in real estate.
     So, where are we? How will this effect the sales of homes here in Marin County? For most of 2010 buyers have acted cautiously, wondering where the bottom of the market is?"  The line I continued  to hear all year has been, "We're bouncing off the bottom."   My question is, "when will the bouncing stop? Looking foward, optimistically,  it might be now...
     For those in the know, San Francisco's real estate market is and has been the epicenter for what's happening in Bay Area real estate. As San Franisco goes, so does the City's neighboring counties. As the real estate market in San Franciso begins to recover history has shown that the City's neighbors begin to recover also, albeit it can take more time for those areas to catch up.
     This morning's San Francisco Chronicle reported that, "A developer has agreed to pay several million dollars for property inherited by the city of San Francisco when the Central Freeway came down, suggesting the area's real estate market is heating up again following a recessionary slump."  The Chronicle also reported today, "With a mild economic improvement in San Francisco during the past year, the apartment vacancy rate has continue to decrease and recently was estimated at just above 2 percent.  San Francisco and Washington DC are leading the nation in vacancy rates falling fast, and rent increases are on the horizon."
     This past week stock indexes reached new highs, a day after the Federal Reserve announced a $600 Billion plan to boost the economy.   All three stock indexes closed at their highest level of the year.  The Down Jones industrial average rose 219 points, or 2 percent, to close at 11,434 last week.  Has the bouncing stopped?