|
Real Estate Agent |
RAINER 2,077 |
| Al Swan | ||
| Ranch & Land Specialist | ||
| location_on Redding, CA — Real Estate Professionals GMAC | ||
| insert_link http://www.californiamountainproperties.com/ | ||
| web Al Swan's (alswan) Blog | ||
Whenever I have the opportunity to talk to someone who has never been to Shasta County and the surrounding areas or has only been here briefly while passing through the area on Interstate 5 motoring their way to destinations far and beyond, my excitement curve turns sharply upward.
My first comment to them is: "If you have a minute....I would like to tell you a little about the area.....it actually will take two days to have the time needed to brag about everything this area has to offer". Unfortunately, however, this topic is usually with my first phone conversation with the interested party and it often is on their dime. So I say "OK....let me try to be brief." Then...with my excitement going into afterburner.....I launch into my one minute dissertation (by now I have it memorized....because I have done it so long...and I want to tell them as much as I can in the time allotted).....and so I begin...."Within approximately a 75 mile radius of Redding (largest town in Northern California....north of Sacramento) you can find one of the nation's finest recreational environments. We have it all.....activities for all four seasons. We have national and state parks; national forests, parks and recreation areas, numerous crystal clear blue lakes and rivers; wilderness areas. You can enjoy the Winter sports including downhill and cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, ice fishing, tubing; Fall sports including hunting and fishing; Summer sports including water skiing, wakeboarding, house boating, sailing, camping and hiking; river rafting, hiking and fishing. In the Spring there is awesome white water rafting in many of our rivers. Some of the nation's finest salmon and steelhead fishing can be found in the Sacramento River in downtown Redding! You can go camping and hiking in thousands of acres of wilderness areas. We have just about every recreational activity available....except the ocean...and that is only 3 1/2 hours away.
"Taking a breath....I continue...."We are unlike many places in the US, in that our area offers such a wide variety of geographic features.....one can live in flat fertile areas with great soil....to rolling hills and beautiful oaks....to alpine settings with pine and fir forests....to mountain tops with terrific views. In addition to the town of Redding, there are several smaller communities that offer more of a rural lifestyle. One of the most fun things to do if you are new to the area....is to take a few days to explore the area and experience the wide variety of lifestyles that are available".
"If you opt to be associated with a large community...Redding... is truly a great place. It is big enough (90k pop.) to provide great shopping and cultural activities....yet small enough that we do not have to deal with gridlock traffic, pollution, lousy water and crowds of people. We are blessed with lots of excellent water....both for drinking and playing! Redding is a terrific place to live and raise a family. There are excellent schools including colleges and high schools; the city provides excellent recreational activities for kids and adults." By now my one minute is up....and I encourage them to come and visit and see for themselves. They usually do.... and from my experience....they all become very impressed with the area!
Having been born and raised in the area and now working here as a realtor for over 22 years....I have watched it grow. As a result.....I know the area fairly well! While I enjoy working with people and watching the joy of them purchase a home....my real passion lies with ranches, large land, resorts and special properties. "Special properties" have included gold mines, hot springs, airstrips, fishing lodges, special event facilities, group centers, campgrounds and other unusual....but fun things.
Since our area is blessed with such a wide variety of topographical and geographical features and terrain, no two ranches or pieces of land are the same. Ranches can range from "ranchettes" which are usually a home and building....such as a horse barn....typically on 3 to 5 acres. These are very common and allow a family to experience a "4-H" type lifestyle such as raising horses and other livestock, farming activities, etc. Larger ranches in the area can range up to a couple of thousand acres and be involved in horses, cattle, crops, orchards and forests. Several of these can have terrain ranging from level to rolling to steep and have soil types ranging from river loam to rocks. Although a few of these ranches may have a sustainable income.....most do not. Many of my clients who purchase a ranch just want a change to a better quality of lifestyle.
As I have mentioned before, our area is blessed with an abundance of excellent water. Many ranches and land are associated with some sort of water features that may included seasonal and year-around creeks, rivers, lakes, ponds and springs. An added benefit to some of these properties is water rights....which I will discuss in a later format.
Much of the acreage in Northern California is either owned by the federal government such as the Forest Service or BLM or by large timber companies. This of course.....provides lots of natural space tens of thousands of acres to recreate on. Many ranches and land are near or adjacent to these properties. This can be very beneficial to you as a property owner. For example....if you are into horses or hiking....these lands often have numerous trails and roads available to horseback ride and hike on.
Over 24 years of experience......specializing in the marketing of premier ranches, land, resorts and special properties in scenic Northern California.
