Sell everything...

Here I am behind the tables at the San Jose Toy, Comic and Record show, Saturday Dec. 1st. Selling anything and everything from Famous Monster mags at $5 per rocking issue to AC DC vinyl for only 25 cents(get it out of here!). A lot of the inventory was left over from our dear, departed music store Toon Towne Sound, which was on Grant Ave in Old Town Novato. Look for me and Frankie Vee next March 8th, 2008 at the San Jose Super Toy, Comic & Record Show, at the Santa Clara Fairgrounds. I will have plenty of early issue Famous Monster & Creepy mags along with lots of rock and roll collector items, all for sale at great low, low prices!!

Speaking of selling, 639 Plum did finally sell for the amazing price of $490K. I say amazing because that amount for a single family, 2 bedroom, 2 full bath home on a big level lot, would have been unheard of just 12 months before. As Melissa Bradley says "It is an incredible opportunity to buy, right now!" Please do keep me in mind if you have any questions about the local real estate market, I do love to help.

Our Novato Wildcats U14 soccer team hits the road on Dec 7th, playing in the 2007 CYSA Founders Cup in Morgan Hill. I'll post more very soon about the team and other fun stuff.
Take care!!

The Seasons have changed, and so have I...

I am now proudly selling Real Estate for Melissa Bradley at Bradley Real Estate. After spending 100 days at PacUnion, I realized it was time for a different office and energy.
You can write me at Steve@BradleyRealEstate.com or buzz me at 415-209-9012, if you want to talk about the local real estate market, or about the Whole Foods condo project across the street, or BBQ, or whatever, I'm always up for a chat!

So, since I last posted here, The Wildcats U-15 soccer team finished the regular season in 1st place, then swept the Novato Championship tourney, with two shutouts, awesome team. I've added a photo of the team with head coach Matt outside of Baskin Robbins. Thanks Matt for the great season and for letting me help coach the hard working Wildcat defense, Go Cats!!

And, yes the Novato real estate market is still moving, more homes going into contract and more prices still lowering. It is a great time to buy here in Marin, interest rates are getting lower and there are a lot of homes to choose from. Get off the fence, call me, and let's look at some properties!!

Take care and talk soon, Steve

Down in a cloud of dust...

After 28 years of burned out neglect, the old Northwest Pacific Railroad (NWPR) freight house was pulled down on September 26th, 2007. Having lived across from the site since 1991, we in the Ussery household where glad to see it go! Probably not quite as glad as our neighbors on both sides of us, who have stared at it daily for many, many, more years than we have. The smiling faces of the Railroad Avenue Irregulars are looking great on the big day!
The Whole Foods with condo project has been going strong for a few weeks now. I'm getting comments from friends almost daily, "Hey Steve, how's it going with the noise and dirt" and "Man, what a big project it is!" We've been living with de-construction in our area off and on for years now, what with the Pini Feed Mill burning in the middle of the night, then taking a long time to be torn down. The Depot site was also the construction yard during the rebuilding of Grant Avenue a few years ago. Remember what fun that was?? And say, how's it going finding parking for you in Old Town?? We all hope it will be worth it when the condos and the mega-Whole Foods finally do open.
Speaking of noise and dust flying, the still quiet Novato Real Estate market is...well, I don't know what it's doing. It certainly is not moving folks like it used to. As of 9/27 there where 19 single family homes for sale, under $600k. The rest of Marin has been slowing, but, not like our Novato market where sales are off 29% from 2006. Lots of well priced homes out there, and lots of sellers who would like to get on with the next phase of their lives. Loans are getting easier to come by and the rates are still historically low and, Marin homes have been a very strong investment for the last 41 years. So, please do think about buying here in Marin!!
Please take care and hope to see you on the streets or a soccer field or softball diamond soon, as we three are cheering, playing and coaching for the fun of it!!

Stick a fork in it...

We won!!

Swami Tommy's BBQ Experience was awarded Best Taste, First Place, this last Saturday at the Great American Blues and BBQ Festival in downtown San Rafael. I'm not certain how many competitors there where, at least seven teams selling and a few teams that just entered their best grilled or smoked meats. On the menu we had baby back ribs, grilled chicken(cooked by Coop and John D), and a rocking good pulled pork sando served up by the college boys from down South. The crowds where fun, the Blues music played was all top notch, if you did not make the scene, be there next year!!
Our action photo shows Caity, Dylan, Susan and the Swami his self with the award in hand.

Cooking in a town near you...

Howdy, just a quick note about our Swami Tommy's BBQ Experience hitting the road for some grilling this coming Saturday, Sept. 15th. We'll be competing at the Great American Blues and BBQ event on 4th Street, downtown San Rafael from 11am until we run out of meat!! There will be live music and up to 7 BBQ teams cooking and a dealing the sweet meats.

Please stop by and say Hi and try some of our cooking...hope to see you there!!

Steve

The Cat Days of Summer...

Hey, hoping this finds you well and still enjoying our Summer here North of the Bay...
I know it's the Dog Days of Summer, but, since we just have Misty the Cat, what's wrong with mixing it up? Speaking of Misty, the photo herewith was taken by Miss Caity, earlier this Summer.

I am still grilling, are you?? Keep getting inspired by my 'bro Swami Tommy, who has been grilling up a storm of late. We will be a rubbin and a smokin some meats in the next few weeks at a few parties in Greenbrae and Larkspur. Cooked a few racks myself on Labor Day, using my gas grill, but, I added a few chunks of pecan wood trying to get a different, smoky flavor. It sure was great stepping on the back deck with wood smoke in the air, ah...Betsy was concerned the neighbors might smell the burning wood and call 911, but there was really no visible smoke, very cool.

The other photo here abouts was taken in August at the Russian River BBQ fest. That's Dan and Sherry serving up the goods, yeah!

Continuing the saga of Novato homes sitting...We did get an offer a week ago on the listing at 639 Plum Street, but it was a "low ball" offer, as a few people have asked. Be sure to check my Plum listing out at our PacificUnion.com site. There have been a few homes priced below $600k here in Novato that did go in to contract in the last few days. First time buyers who I've been showing properties to in the last 2 weeks are no longer listening to the negative press that's been screaming lately and are getting close to buying their first homes. Very exciting times, I really do like working with first time buyers!

Please write, call or stop me and say,

Hey let's get grilling!!

Take care...Steve

Grilling on the Russian River...

This last Saturday the 18th. The fourth time that The Swami Tommy BBQ Experience smoked and grilled at the Russian River Beer Revival BBQ Cookoff. We cooked 25 racks of ribs and over 20 lbs of chicken wings. We had Winter the pork pulling girl, sister JoEllen, Sherry and her birthday boy Dan working the crowds in front of the tent.
Hard work, big fun, lot's of beer and hot sun.

Say, it seems the single family homes under $600K here in Novato are finally starting to go into contract! There is a lot of great inventory available now, but, a few are seeing some offers after a quiet Summer selling season. Other areas of Marin have been selling, but precious little here in our Valley of Gentle Seasons.

Write or Buzz, hope to see you at a grill soon...Steve

Back from Bend..

Oregon last night. Great city and area. Lots of shopping, eating and sight seeing to be done.
We were watching the Bend Elks baseball team beat on the Portland Brewers when the very entertaining PA announcer came on the system telling us that Barry Bonds had just passed Mr. Aaron. Could not have been at a better place to watch baseball. Amazing sunset over the Cascade mountain range. It was $2 Buck Tuesday, which is also hard to beat. Hot dog and a soda for $2, admission was only $2 and parking is free.
Will always remember where we were when Bonds hit 756. Within minutes of the announcement, the Elks shortstop hit a grand slam. We left in the 6th inning with the Elks up 14 to 0.
Photos coming soon of the game and our trip to Chimps Inc.
Please write if you want to, take care!!

Drag racing today in Sonoma...

Hey, I'm heading out soon to the Infineon Raceway for the NHRA Nationals; ain't never been
to the drags before, so I gotta go!
Last Saturday taping interviews with Retired Lt. Grant Bird, a WWII bomber pilot. Amazing
story of what these men went through to protect and defend the American way of life.

Real estate update here in Novato. As of yesterday July 26th, there where 22 single family homes for sale under $600K, speaking of amazing. My listing at 639 Plum Street here in Novato is still sitting at $564K. A great deal for 2 bedrooms and 2 full baths with 1400 sqft of living space. It has 3 separate yards and a big 2 car garage. No one is even looking at except during the Sunday open houses. I know interest rates are still low, and with all this inventory, it sure seems like a good time to get off the fence and buy some of these bargains.

Received an e-mail this morning from the Save the Novato Train Depot head, indicating the Freight House may soon be scraped and removed, taking an awful blight from Old Town Novato. Wouldn't that be nice?!

Reporting to you from the Valley of No Regrets, it's me, Steve Ussery. Please write, call or stop me on the street, if you want to talk more about these fun things, see ya out there!

All's Quiet on the Western Front...

and I'm not just talking about the freight trains they are not running yet. Unlike some of my Novato neighbors, I'm looking forward to their return. The other thing that's strangely quiet is the Novato real estate market. It's amazing to me that there are currently 17 single family homes with the asking price under $600,000.00. Where are you buyers? If you're out and about Sunday, July 22, come by my Open House at 639 Plum Street, Novato. I'd love to hear what you think about the market.

I'm off to Blackpoint to help in a videotaping interview of a B17 bomber pilot. I'll share more later...