The internationally famous beauty of Sausalito, with its historic waterfront and unique art galleries and shops, has long attracted art collectors. Just north of the Golden Gate Bridge, Sausalito is located on the San Francisco Bay shoreline with breathtaking views.

The best local, American, and International Artists bring their combined perspectives, virtuoso skills, and more than 20,000 original works of art — including paintings, sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, fiber art, fine glass, woodwork, mixed media, and photography. From functional to surreal, witty to the elegantly decorative, these one-of-a-kind and limited edition Art Works form an unparalleled collection that can only be seen once a year.

Enjoy the opportunity to meet the Artists one-on-one or stretch out on the lawn in the scenic bayside park. Enjoy nonstop entertainment on three stages or gourmet delights with champagne and fine wines. The Sausalito Art Festival is the #1 Event of its kind and the perfect way to celebrate your Labor Day Weekend.

The recent economic stimulus package approved by Congress in 2008 was nearly $800 billion dollars and since the approval, unemployment has risen from 6.5% to over 10% or approximately 18mm jobs lost.

The 2006 federal budget allocates funds for 75000 Americorps personnel earning up to $5000 annually. Since the inception of Americorps in 1994 375,000 persons have served. There is no upper age limit and you must be 18 to join.

If the US Government agreed to pay Americorps volunteers a “livable wage” of $30,000 each and if we budgeted to hire the entire number of Americans who lost jobs since 2007 (18million) and if all of them signed up, it would cost the US taxpayers approximately half of the money spent on TARP. If these 18million newly employed people were put to work building highways, schools, city sewers, low cost housing, bridges, and energy efficient generating facilities like solar farms and wind farms and other green infrastructure, the economic benefits would outweigh the cost. They could assist in the cleanup of the Gulf oil crisis, they could earthquake retrofit the Sacramento San Joaquin River Delta, they could virtually double the available farm labor force. The “stimulus” of all that new spending on things like clothes and housing and cars and other durable goods would serve far greater economic benefits than giving money to banks so that they might lend it.

Why is this so difficult for Congress today when it was so evidently clear in 1932 and 1935??

California’s economy to see sluggish recovery this year, UCLA economists say

California’s unemployment rate, currently at 12.4 percent, will not return to single-digit levels until 2012 and the state’s inland areas will continue to be impaired by excess housing inventory and state budget cuts, according to a forecast released Tuesday by UCLA’s Anderson School of Business.

KEEP THIS IN MIND

• California’s economic recovery is contingent on consumer shopping behavior nationwide, as retail spending drives traffic at California’s ports and logistics centers, which are both substantial employers throughout the state, the report said. However, consumers are unlikely to increase spending until businesses begin hiring again, which many economists believe will only happen gradually over time.
• The coastal areas of the state will benefit from growth in health care, education, and technology, while inland areas will be constrained by excess housing inventory and state budget cuts, impacting rural inland areas where government workers account for a significant percentage of the workforce, according to the forecast.
• The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) recently issued its mid-year housing market forecast. Based on C.A.R.’s forecast, the median home price in California is expected to rise 9.1 percent this year compared with last year, while sales of existing, single-family homes will decline 4.7 percent. Rates on 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages will rise to 5.3 percent compared with 5.1 percent in 2009 and 15-year mortgages will average 4.2 percent compared with 4.7 percent last year, according to the forecast

JANUARY
Whale Watching on the Coast, Pt. Reyes National Seashore, Pt. Reyes
California gray whales migrate off shore south to Baja. Continues through March.
(415) 464-5100 www.nps.gov/pore

FEBRUARY
Marin Show: Art of the Americas
Marin Center Showcase Theater and Exhibit Hall, San Rafael (Marin Center has events throughout the year: musicals, dance recitals, bands, classical music, grand Fourth of July festivities, comedy, antique shows . . . )
The most substantive and extensive showcase focused on the indigenous arts from across North, Central and South America. With more than 200 noted dealers, the show is described as the “Superbowl of Native
American art collecting”.
(415) 472-3500 www.marinshow.com

MARCH
Antique Show, Marin Center, San Rafael
Over 65 distinctive dealers selling fabulous antiques and collectibles ranging from pieces of furniture to jewelry and vintage clothing.
(415) 472-3500 www.goldengateshows.com

Egret and Blue Heron Nesting
Audubon Canyon Ranch, Stinson Beach. A rare glimpse of these majestic birds. Audubon Ranch is open late March through early July, on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. For week days, please call for appointment.
(415) 868-9244 www.egret.org

Tiburon International Film Festival
This event seeks to provide a greater understanding of the world and its many cultures through the artistic medium of film, and through the top quality films from around the world.
(415) 381-4123 ww.tiburonfilmfestival.com

APRIL
Opening of Yacht Season, Tiburon, Sausalito
Pleasure craft are decorated and blessed during celebration.
(415) 435-4771

Egg Hunt on the Lawn. Falkirk Cultural Center, San Rafael
Children enjoy a romp on the grass in the shade of a Victorian mansion.
(415) 485-3328

MAY
Human Race, Marin Center, San Rafael
Benefit 10K run-walk for all Marin non-profits. (415) 479-5660
Business Showcase & Career Fair, Civic Center Exhibition Hall, San Rafael
San Rafael’s largest business-to-business and business-to-consumer trade show draws over 2,000 guests. Food tastes, gifts, prizes.
(415) 454-4163 www.sanrafaelchamber.com

May Madness Classic Car Parade and Street Dance. Fourth Street, San Rafael
The County’s oldest and biggest classic car show and parade, with live rock ‘n roll throughout the day.
(415) 720-5591 www.downtownsanrafael.org

Marin Open Studios
Art tour of over 280 studios during two Weekends throughout Marin County.
(415) 499-8350 www.marinarts.org

Grecian Festival. Nativity of Christ Church, Novato
Greek food and entertainment. Held on Memorial Day weekend.
(415) 883-1998 www.nativityofchrist.org

JUNE
Annual Home Show and Jazz Festival, Marin Center, San Rafael
(415) 456-5209 www.marinhomeshow.com

Antique Fair
Creek Park, San Anselmo
Over 200 dealers specializing in a wide number of antique areas and periods are represented within 30 establishments.
(415) 457-1266

Dipsea Foot Race: The Oldest Cross-Country Trail Running Event (and the second oldest foot race of any kind) in the United States. Starts in Mill Valley, but if you are not in the race, you can station yourself in Stinson Beach and watch contestants limp into town. 1,500 runners navigate a 7.4 mile (11.9 km) tortuous, hilly route from Mill Valley over Mt. Tamalpais and into Stinson Beach in this famed cross-country race. (415) 331-3550 www.dipsea.org

Italian Street Painting Festival: Between Fourth and Fifth Streets, San Rafael
Artists use chalks to create visually stunning works on pavement squares.
(415) 457-4878 www.youthinarts.org

Marin Art Festival, Marin Civic Center Lagoon
Elegant lawn party featuring a juried exhibit of toplevel art, a variety of ethnic foods, and music ranging from jazz to classical.
(415) 388-4836 www.marinartfestival.com

Mountain Play, Mount Tamalpais, Mill Valley
Musical performed in lovely and protected amphitheater on Mt. Tam for six weekends, through June. The ampitheater has spectacular views of the Bay.
(415) 383-1100 www.mountainplay.org

Novato Art, Wine and Music Festival
Grant Avenue, Old Town Novato
Artists and craftspeople, two dozen wineries, food and continuous free entertainment.
(415) 897-1164 www.novatochamber.com

Annual Fairfax Festival
Come for an “only-in-Fairfax” parade, food, drink and live music. (Fairfax has been described as “the beach town with no beach” because of its colorful characters.)
(415) 453-1584 www.townoffairfax.org

San Anselmo Art & Wine Festival
Buy exceptional art directly from the artists at the best prices! San Anselmo is a wonderful small Marin town and this event is a favorite among locals.
(415) 258-4600 www.sananselmoarts.com

Mill Valley Wine & Food Tasting
Sample many hard-to-find local wines, plus imports. Gourmet food tasting under the redwoods.
(415) 388-9700
www.millvalleywinefestival.homestead.com

Larkspur Flower & Food Festival
On Magnolia Avenue, an exciting daylong schedule of colorful festivities surrounding the theme of flower related arts & crafts and gourmet food exhibitors.
(415) 383-3470 www.larkspurcityhall.org

JULY
Marin County Fair. Civic Center Fairgrounds, San Rafael
Annual fair features free carnival rides, fireworks on the lagoon

Corte Madera-Larkspur Fourth of July
Festival and Parade, Corte Madera and Larkspur Hometown parade for Marin’s Twin Cities.
(415) 924-0441 www.cortemadera.org

Indian Big Time Celebration. Point Reyes at Kule Loklo
Native American celebration involving native dance, song and food.
(415) 464-5100 www.nps.gov/pore

AUGUST
Marin Shakespeare Festival
Dominican University, San Rafael
Weekend performances of Shakespeare under the stars. Amphitheater seating.
(415) 499-4488 www.marinshakespeare.org

Carrera de San Rafael. Downtown San Rafael
World-class professional competitive bicycle race.Begins and ends on Fourth Street.
(415) 485-3465 www.carrerasanrafael.com

San Rafael Food and Wine Festival. Falkirk Cultural Center, San Rafael
Come taste the wine, plus food and entertaiment on the grounds of a Victorian mansion.
(800) 310-6563 www.sresproductions.com

Annual Sand Sculpture Contest
The Sunday of Labor Day Weekend in Point Reyes at Drakes Beach
(415) 464-5140 www.nps.gov/pore

SEPTEMBER
Sausalito Art Festival
Labor Day Weekend, Sausalito
Every Labor Day weekend, stars of the contemporary art scene are showcased on the sparkling bay shores of Sausalito, California’s Mediterranean-like seaside village. Over one million visitors from throughout the world have experienced the juried art at Sausalito Art Festival since its inaugural event in 1952.

Marin Designers Showcase
Marin’s top interior designers take over a stately Marin home to create an interior fantasy.
(415-) 479-5691 marindesignersshowcase.com

Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival
Fine Art exhibit with food booths and live entertainment in a beautiful redwood grove tucked into a valley with a stream running through.
(415) 381-8090 www.mvfaf.org

Great American Blues & BBQ Festival
Downtown Fourth Street celebrates San Rafael and Marin’s outstanding heritage of great music, it’s world famous musicians and the great
American roots of the blues.
(415) 383-3470 www.proevent.com

OCTOBER
Vincenzo Food and Wine Festival
The always-spectacular fundraiser and auction raises vital funds and community awareness for St. Vincent’s School for Boys in San Rafael.
(415) 927-1239 www.cccyo.org

Mill Valley Film Festival, Sequoia and Rafael Film Centers
This eleven-day fest includes screening that draw 40,000 ticket holders, both film fans and professionals.
(415) 383-5256 www.cafilm.org

Pumpkin Field
St. Vincent’s School for Boys, San Rafael
Pumpkin patch and farm animals.
(415) 507-4214

Trick-or-Treat Down Fourth Street
Downtown San Rafael
(415) 720-5591 www.downtownsanrafael.org

NOVEMBER
Winter Wonderland/Parade of Lights
Downtown San Rafael
A candle-lit walk through downtown San Rafael. There’s even a man-made snow bank for sledding and making snowmen.
(415) 720-5591 www.downtownsanrafael.org

DECEMBER
Marin Ballet’s Nutcracker, Marin Center, San Rafael
(415) 453-6705 www.marincenter.com

Victorian Holiday Celebration, Falkirk Cultural Center, San Rafael
The evening spotlights live holiday performances, hosted by Mr. Charles Dickens himself with characters in Dickens attire, old-fashioned caroling and an authentic Father Christmas. Storytelling will take place for kids of all ages.
(415) 485-3436 www.cityofsanrafael.org

YEAR ROUND EVENTS
Marin Center, San Rafael
National and International touring acts.
(415) 499-6800 www.marincenter.org

Kanbar Center for Performing Arts
200 No. San Pedro Rd., San Rafael. Indoor and outdoor events for all ages.
(415) 444-8000 www.marinjcc.org

FARMERS MARKETS
Marin Farmers Market
Year round on Thursdays and Sundays at the Marin Civic Center. Sells farm-direct specialty foods and organically grown produce.
(415) 472-6100 www.marinfarmersmarkets.org

Downtown San Rafael Farmers Market
April through October on Thursdays from 5:00 to 8:00 on Fourth Street.
The market features food, produce, live entertainment, arts and
crafts, and more.
(415) 472-6100 www.sanrafaelmarket.org

There are generally three kinds of real estate investment available to foreigners, including commercial estate and residential property. Residential properties are further classified into single family properties, multiple units (duplex, fourplex, eightplex), or condominiums and recreational properties. Regardless of what kind of real estate you are interested in, there are all sorts of tax ramifications, financing options and legal requirements that you have to deal with.

Why Should You Invest in the U.S. Real Estate Market?

You’ve probably heard of the increasing number of foreign real estate investments in the United States. This is not surprising. With the troubles that the real estate investment market is facing in the United States, greater opportunities in real estate investment were opened to foreign investors.

With the dollar’s value in its all time low, foreign investors are finding real estate bargains all over the United States. There are no shortages of deals in this market. More and more distressed properties are being sold everywhere and foreigners are pouring in millions buying these foreclosed or distressed properties. The United States real estate has become a fairly attractive long-term investment for foreign investors.

In November of 2006, the National Association of Realtors released a report entitled “Foreign Investments in U.S Real Estate: Current Trends and Historical Perspective”. The report showed that there has been a steady increase in foreign real estate investment in the United States. This is especially after the euro and the loonie became stronger in the face of the continuous devaluation of the US dollar. Prime bargains were opened to foreigners. Many foreigners have now looked into the possibility of retiring or settling in the United States.

The financial market in the United States in relation to the real estate market is quite liberal and the restrictions against foreign investors are pretty reasonable. This is ideal for foreign companies that are seeking to invest in the real estate market in the United States in order to avoid tariff restrictions and are considering setting up an office or a company in the United States.

Furthermore, despite the devaluation of the US dollar and the wide foreclosures of a lot of property, the real estate market remains to be stable, though slightly shaky, due to foreign investors’ capital appreciation. Domestic real estate buyers may not necessarily share the same opinion, but the market has remained to be strong for foreign real estate buyers. This may be largely credited to the fact that there is minimal risk for them.

What are the Benefits of Foreign Real Estate Investment?

US state government supports foreign investments and along this line has formulated various tax breaks to encourage foreign investment on real estate. Many of these tax breaks are not available in many countries. In fact, most countries would frown at foreigners owning real properties within their territory.

Foreign real estate investment in the United States is open to everyone. As long as you can afford to buy the property or at least comply with the mortgage requirements and payments, you can secure a good piece of property in the United States. Again, with the current economic situation of the United States, this is the perfect chance for you to make an investment.

What Are My Financing Options?

There is a steady increasing rate of Canadian real estate investors in the United States; and accordingly, the government has made certain that they have attractive financing options available to them.

If you’re Canadian – or if you’re a foreigner – you’d find a lot of reasons why you should buy a piece of real property in the United States. For Canadians, the parity of the currencies or the apparent devaluation of the US dollar is a pretty good reason itself. But how do you finance your purchase?

There are various financing options available to you depending on which state you are in. If you are purchasing a property for investment, requirements may have stricter terms. For instance, you could be required to give a down payment of more than 30% and you may be required to show one year worth of liquidity reserves.

Understanding the Tax Ramifications of Real Estate Investment
The first foreigner to have ever bought a real estate property in the United States was Peter Minuit. This opened the doors to foreign real estate investors. After a couple of centuries later, foreign real estate investment has grown into huge proportions, accounting for billions-of-dollars worth of industry.

The low risk attached to US real estate market, the availability of countless properties, and the steady market liquidity attract foreign investors in droves. The initial snag, however, is the process of understanding the legal ramifications of foreign real estate investment.

Foreign investment in the United States can take a lot of forms. A foreigner has various options. He can acquire direct interest. He can acquire an interest in the real estate through a partnership, a corporation, or a limited liability company. The latter is the typical structure used by foreign investors.

Limited partnership or Limited Liability Company offers financial protection or indirect asset protection, especially in cases of bankruptcy, law suits and taxes. Foreign investors are generally taxed on the property as if they hold the property in direct interest.

Ideally, you should secure the services of a real estate accountant to help you out with the tax ramifications, but it would help if you, at least, know the basics before you actually talk to an accountant.

There are tax consequences that you have to deal with when you buy a real estate in the United States. You would need an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number which you will use with all your tax transactions. Your investment in real estates can be treated as a portfolio investment and will be accounted for as an investment income which can either be fixed or a periodic income. This is typically taxed at 30% on gross revenues. This tax though does not apply though to all foreign investors. Tax rates would vary depending on the tax personality the foreign investor opted for. For instance, a corporation would be taxed differently.

Other things that you should take note of are availability and requirements of tax refunds and state tax laws on real estate properties as they may differ from federal laws, among other things.

It is very important that you secure the services of an accountant. You’ll have an easier time dealing with the taxes ramifications. You’d also have assistance ensuring that you comply with all the accounting aspect of your investment. This is especially true if you are purchasing a real property for investment purposes.

Do You Need to Secure the Service of a Real Estate Lawyer?

You do need to work with a real estate attorney who could help you with the legal issues concerning your purchase. It is tempting to forego securing the service of a lawyer to save money, but this could cost you a lot of money in the long run. Make sure that you have an experienced and trustworthy lawyer to help you out. Make sure that you have thoroughly checked out his credentials, profile, history of successful cases handled by him, and other factors that would influence your decision. A good real estate broker should be able to provide references to you.

Functions of a Real Estate Lawyer

There is no actual distinctive function for a lawyer in a real estate case. However, you would really need the assistance of a lawyer for various tasks.

• A real estate lawyer would review the sales contract for you.
• He would also check on the title and other documents relating to the property.
• A lawyer would also review your mortgage contract and make the necessary adjustments or corrections.
• You could also get him to review with you the legal and tax issues concerning the purchase.
• A real estate attorney could also make the necessary adjustments relating to various expenses and costs involved in the purchase.
• He would assess your eligibility for tax refunds and draft the documents and statements relating to this.

Putting it simply, a real estate lawyer will be your watchdog. He would guide you through the whole process of purchasing a real estate in the United States in order to make sure that you will be legally protected. You will have a capable and trustworthy liaison to help you out with the contract. He will also face legal disputes if any arise.

Tips on How to Invest in Real Estate Successfully

To be successful in this venture, check the property value. If it sits well with you and you can reasonably afford the property, go ahead and make the purchase.

Be careful if you are considering the property for a quick flip; make sure that the property is in perfect condition and in good area where that is still a viable option. This is to ensure that you could realize a profit on your investment. If you can inspect the property yourself, do so. If not, a good and trustworthy agent can help you with this task.

Take time to carefully consider all your financing options, especially now. Foreign investors can email in their queries to various lending institutions. It is a good idea to make sure that you’ve had their terms and rates on paper because they tend to change these terms and charge you with a lot of junk. It is a lot of paperwork, but be sure to read the small print.

In the summer of 2009, NAR Research surveyed recent home buyers about their experience with the home search process, and the use of real estate professionals in purchasing a home. The results of the survey were published in the 2009 NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers.

Results of that survey show that a significant share of home buyers are single women. Indeed, the percentage of single-women buyers has increased from 14 percent in 1995 to 21 percent in 2009. These home purchasers account for the second largest share of adult households who purchase homes. Single females make up one-quarter of the first-time buyer population and 17 percent of the repeat buyer population. We look at some results below from the most recent Profile to get a better description of who single women buyers are.

Single Female Home Buyers
The median age of all home buyers was 39 years old, compared to 41 for single female buyers. Among single-female buyers, 58 percent were first-time home buyers in 2009, compared to 47 percent of all home buyers. The median household income for single-women home buyers was lower than that of all other homebuyer household types. Single females reported a median household income of $47,900 in 2008 compared to $73,100 among all home buying households.

This difference in household income should not be completely surprising as 68 percent of home buying households are couples—and so perhaps likely to have two income earners. The difference in median income for single women households compared to those for single men is less striking—single men typically made $53,700 in 2008. Additionally, single women households are less likely to have children living at home than couples. Results from the survey show that 22 percent of single women home buyers have children at home, while 38 percent of all home buyers have children at home.

What They Buy
While the majority of single female buyers purchase a single-family home, single female households are more likely than other household types to purchase an apartment/condominium or a townhouse/rowhouse. One in four single female buyers purchase a house in an urban area/central city, which is a higher percentage compared to all other household compositions except single males. Still, the majority of single female home buyers purchase a home in the suburbs, similar to all buyers.

Single female buyers are more likely to purchase an existing home than are other buyers. This makes the role of a real estate professional even more important to single female buyers. Single female buyers also tend to purchase smaller homes, typically buying homes that are 1,480 square feet in size compared to the median size of 1,800 square feet purchased among all buyers. Once single females found the home they purchased, they expect to live there for 10 years.

Why They Buy
More than one-third of all home buyers buy a home for the desire to own a home. The second most cited reason for single female buyers in choosing to purchase a home is a change in family situation—13 percent of single female buyers purchase for this reason, compared to 9 percent of all buyers.

In comparison to other household types, single female buyers are more likely to have lived with parents, relatives or friends before buying their own residence, 20 percent compared to 12 percent of all buyers.

Real Estate Professionals and the Home Search
When single female buyers first start to look for a home they contacted a real estate agent, contacted a mortgage broker or talked with a friend or relative more frequently than did other buyers. While 87 percent of single females use the Internet in their home search, a slightly larger percentage – 89 percent — use a real estate agent. Real estate agents are a trusted resource that single female buyers turn to during their home search.

Single women buyers, like all other buyers, most want their agent to help them find the right home to purchase, but they place more importance than other buyers on their agent helping them negotiate the terms of sale. Similar to all buyers, single women place a high importance on honesty and integrity in their agent and knowledge of the purchase process.

Home Financing
Single female buyers are similar to all buyers when it comes to financing their home purchase. However, there are some differences. Similar to all buyers, about nine in ten finance their home purchase through a mortgage, and the majority use savings as the source of their down payment. A higher share of single female buyers receive a gift from a friend or relative as a down payment source compared to other buyers, and a smaller share use proceeds from the sale of their primary residence.

Single females are more likely than other buyers to have cut spending on luxury items, entertainment, and clothes in order to be able to purchase a home. Nearly nine in ten single females believe their home was a good financial investment.

Interest in Owning a Home Remains Strong

Interest in purchasing a home as an investment has more than tripled in the last year, according to a survey released today by Move Inc., which operates Move.com and REALTOR.com.

More than 17 percent of potential home buyers say they plan to purchase a home in the near future as an investment, compared to just 5.6 percent in March 2009, the survey found.

Owning a residence in remains a goal for many more potential buyers:

• 21 percent of consumers report they plan to purchase a home in the next 12 months to five years.
• 7.9 percent plan to purchase in the next two years.
• 49 percent of all home owners would buy another home today if they could sell the one they currently own for what they paid for it.

Of those planning to purchase a home in the near future, 50.7 percent are first-time buyers. About 55 percent of potential first-time buyers are men.

While access to financing is important, many buyers plan to use cash to make real estate purchase:

• 12.3 percent of Americans planning to purchase investment property in the near future say they will pay for the property using 100 percent cash.
• 12.8 percent will use cash for more than 50 percent of the purchase price and finance the rest.
• 49.2 percent say they will buy the property with less than 50 percent cash down and finance the remainder.

Source: Move Inc. (04/13/2010)

Green roofs can be used in industrial/commercial/office facilities, and in residences. Throughout Europe, they are used for stormwater management and energy savings potential, as well as aesthetic benefits. Creating wildlife habitat on roofs is a new idea in this country, but research in Europe suggests that it can indeed provide living space for plants and animals, especially mobile species such as insects and birds. One of the pioneers of the movement to create living roofs as a strategy to preserve biodiversity is Stephan Brenneisen of the University of Applied Sciences of Wadenswil in Switzerland. As a result of his work in Basel over the past 12 years, green roofs have become an important component of the city’s plan to protect the plants and animals that live there.

Benefits
This attractive roofing option can reduce heat by providing shade and by releasing water from plants to the surrounding air. Green roofs can also:

• Reduce sewage system loads by assimilating large amounts of rainwater.
• Absorb air pollution, collect airborne particulates, and store carbon.
• Protect underlying roof material by eliminating exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation and extreme daily temperature fluctuations.
• Reduce noise transfer from the outdoors.
  Insulate a building from extreme temperatures, mainly by keeping the building interior cool in the summer.

Aesthetics and Habitat Restoration
Paul Kephart, executive director of Rana Creek, a Carmel, California-based company specializing in habitat restoration and living architecture, is among a growing number of biologists who see “green roofs as a way to restore biodiversity to the urban environment.” His company seeks native plant communities that survive in similar conditions and can serve as models. This type of resoration offers refuge for beleagured small insects and animals in our ever-increasing cement landscapes.

In the San Francisco Bay Area, for example, one of the world’s most imperiled butterflies may soon be flourishing on rooftops. A striking butterfly with black bands and bright red, yellow and white spots, the Bay Checkerspot is found only in equally rare and threatened serpentine grasslands scattered around the area. Recreating its habitat on green roofs may help save this butterfly, as well as other wildlife species marooned in fragmented and disappearing green spaces.

Storm Water Runoff
As impermeable surfaces like buildings and pavement replace open space and vegetation, green roofs can play an increasingly important role in storm water management. During rainstorms, green roofs act as a sponge, absorbing much of the water that would otherwise run off.

Green roofs also filter pollution from rainwater through the root systems’ bacteria and fungi, which utilize natural filtering processes. As a result, nnitrogen and phosphorus, are broken down and detoxified. This beneficial process increases over time as rooftop plants and root systems mature.

Green Roofs
There are two types of green roofs: intensive and extensive. Here are some characteristics of each:

Cost of Green Roofs vs Traditional Roofing Options
Currently, the up-front cost of an extensive green roof in the U.S. starts at about $8 per square foot, which includes materials, preparation work, and installation. In comparison, the cost of a traditional built-up roof starts at about $1.25 while cool roof membranes start at approximately $1.50 per square foot. On a summer day the temperature of a gravel roof can skyrocket to between 140 and 176 degrees F, but when covered with grass or other vegetation it is less than half as hot. The temperature inside the building stays cooler, saving energy on air-conditioning. In winter the building stays warmer, conserving energy on heating. Both of these factors will reduce energy costs.

Extensive green roofs cost more than traditional roofs because they require more material and labor for installation. Another factor affecting price is that green roof contractors are limited in number. As the demand for rooftop gardens increases in the U.S., and as additional contractors come into business, up-front costs will likely decrease.

Another factor reducing the cost of a green roof is that vegetation can extend the life of a roof. This is because less solar energy reaches the roof substrate, limiting damage from UV radiation as well as daily temperature fluctuations, which cause repeated contraction and expansion.

Green Roof Examples

• The Gap Headquarters in San Bruno, CA installed a 69,000 square foot extensive green roof in 1997.
• Ford Motor Company has installed green roofs on its corporate headquarters.
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah installed a 348,480 square foot extensive and intensive green roof in 2000.
• Contractors recently completed a 30,000 square foot extensive green roof project on the Montgomery Park Business Center in Baltimore, Maryland.
• Ducks Unlimited, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of waterfowl, included two green roofs totaling 28,190 square feet on its national headquarters.
• Private and public interests in the City of Chicago and the City of Portland have installed or are planning to install over 43 and 42 green roof projects, respectively.

Greening Your Roof
Building one isn’t simply a matter of hauling potting soil and plants to your rooftop. It’s important to consult an expert, say industry groups such as Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (www.greenroofs.org), which provides resources for professionals and consumers. Look for a landscape architect, engineer or roofing contractor who has experience in green roof installation. And, of course, check with your local planning commissions.

Europe has historically been one of the largest investors of real estate in America.

Recent figures from the National Association of Realtors, show Europeans are still one of the top five foreign investors in United States real estate. The low valued dollar and the many real estate bargains attract a stream of foreign investors who would like to profit from the housing situation in the U.S. Foreign investors also discover that buying real estate in America is a fairly easy process.

We will work with you to find the perfect property in Marin County, California. Northern California is stunning; because many cities are coastal it has the flavor of many Mediterranean towns, parts of Australia and New Zealand, Arab states of the Persian Gulf (although it is more lush in this part of the world), or, actually, any waterfront property anywhere in the world.

We will discuss aspects of buying real estate in America. It is important that you are represented by an experienced Realtor who specialized in the area where you want to buy and knows how to deal with foreign investors who are not an American citizen or resident.

Our principals have lived and worked as a Realtor in the San Francisco Bay Area for the past decade. We own own properties in California, Mexico, Nevada and Oklahoma.

We are experienced at buying and selling high-end American homes and investment real estate to individuals from around the world.

Nearly 40 million foreign born people are living here in the U.S. Through the 2000s, immigrants accounted for 29 percent of the household growth in the U.S., versus 19 percent in the 1990s and 10 percent in the 1980s, according to Dowell Myers, a professor of urban planning and demography at the University of Southern California. “The desire for ownership is profound in the Asian community,” says Jim Park, president of the Asian Real Estate Association of America.

Marin County is home to people from every country. While 83% were born in the United States, according to Marin County census records, the ancestry of Marin’s residents include:

• Arab,
• French,
• German (14.6%),
• Irish (15%),
• Italian (8.9%),
• Norwegian,
• Portuguese (2.2%),
• Russian (9.7%),
• Swedish (6.5%),
• Welsh.