A Season of Thanks, by Carrie Benuska, San Marino Real Estate

The San Marino Real Estate Report, as seen weekly in the San Marino Tribune

This attractive Spanish at 2828 Fleur Drive, recently listed and sold with Jack Chang of Prudential California Realty, sold in just two days.

Thanksgiving is my very favorite holiday.  Without the consumer trappings of Christmas, Thanksgiving represents a wonderful time to get together with family and friends, eat a wonderful meal, and focus on our many blessings.  During our Thanksgiving dinner, each of us shared three things that we are thankful for.  With several generations present, it was so special to hear each person’s list.  From youngest to oldest, the thoughts were heartfelt and touching.  I will carry this memory with me throughout the following year.

Since I am still feeling the glow from a wonderful Thanksgiving, I thought that I would outline some of the reasons we have to be thankful for San Marino and our healthy real estate market.  Our housing market reflects the fact that our community is strong, our schools are renowned, and our reputation is known across the globe.  I know that this list could go on for pages, but the following represents some of the highlights:

• The California Department of Education announced that the San Marino Unified School District has once again earned the distinction of California’s highest performing unified school district for the year 2011.  This top ranking creates a strong draw for potential buyers who want to utilize an outstanding public school system.

• San Marino Unified School District welcomed Loren Kleinrock as our new Superintendent of Schools.  Kleinrock traded his position as principal of San Marino High School to take on this important task.  Kleinrock is not a newcomer to our district.  He has been around San Marino High School for decades, serving as a teacher, the head varsity football coach, and then an administrator.  He is a fantastic choice for the chief of our school system.

• Our effective and hard-working San Marino Board of Education just welcomed a new member, Lisa Link, and a returning member, Chris Norgaard in the November election.   Lisa and Chris are both attorneys and come equipped with ample experience, passion, and ingenuity to lead our district through the next four years.  At the same time we wave farewell to Karen Preston, a highly successful and hard-working two-term member of the board.

• Our San Marino High School athletics programs got off to a great start for the 2011-2012 school year.  So far this school year, Boy’s Cross Country, Girl’s Volleyball, and Football all made it to the CIF playoffs.  The Girl’s Tennis team even made it to the semi-finals for the CIF Championship.  These successful sporting programs are very important to the overall success of the district and draw new students to our community.

• In another important election, incumbents Dennis Kneier and Eugene Sun each won back their seats on the San Marino City Council.  Both of these fine gentlemen have been intimately involved with the running of our city for years.  Both have served as Mayor, and we are lucky to receive the benefit of their continued service.

• San Marino real estate was the subject of a January 31, 2011 Los Angeles Times article titled, “Housing Crisis Has Not Touched San Marino.”  As of this date, the Times reported that San Marino was the only Southern California luxury market which had not experienced a drop in median home price.  Although things are not quite as rosy as the Times reported, the San Marino market has weathered the economic storms amazingly well.

• San Marino real estate has been robust and active during 2011.  Good homes that were well-priced sold very quickly and often with multiple offers.

I am truly thankful for San Marino and the wonderful place it has been to live, work, and raise my family.

Carrie Benuska, Teles Properties, 210 S. Orange Grove Blvd., Pasadena