Kicking off it's 22nd year, the Santa Rosa Downtown Market begins May 26th and will continue every Wednesday evening until September 1st.  It looks like we are in for some damp weather the first night this season, but the show will go on, rain or shine. The Santa Rosa Downtown Market, also known as the Wednesday Night Market, is a popular seasonal event that brings between 5,000 to 8,000 County residents weekly to Santa Rosa for fun, eats, music and of course, shopping.  The Market provides a mid-week break from the nightly routine of cooking, washing the dishes and staring down the boob tube. This years Santa Rosa Downtown Market will feature a new bungee jumping attraction for thrill seekers called Eurobungy.  This contraption makes use of a trampoline and bungees strapped to your wai... 05/26/2010

Kammie Quinones has been selected as Top Merchant from Merchant Circle.  For More information on Kammie and her Real Estate Assistance: www.KammieQuinonesRealEstate.com 05/24/2010

OF COURSE you know who Lucy van Pelt is.  She's a famous shrink who only charges a nickel for advice.  She always promises to hold a football for Charlie Brown to kick, but always pulls it away at the last minute.  She's a fussbudget who thinks the world needs more crabby people.  And don't let her see you fly your kite into a kite eating tree, you'll never live it down. The family of Charles M. Schulz, the creator of Peanuts, and the City of Santa Rosa have placed more than 200 statues of Snoopy, Charlie Brown and Woodstock at sites all over town.  Lucy van Pelt will be the 4th and final Peanuts character to get her own statue as part of the Peanuts On Parade Celebration and Auction. At the end of the Summer, the thirty 4-foot high Lucy statues will be auctioned off to raise money for ... 05/17/2010

There is a legend, which is supported by a substantial amount of circumstantial fact, that in 1829, a Padre from a mission in San Rafael (Mission San Rafael Archangel) had rode a horse up into Sonoma County looking for native Americans to convert.  He was riding along the banks of a creek when he was attacked by a group of local Native Americans.  He fled the attacks, stopping briefly to baptize (then capture) a young indian woman whom he'd came upon along the creek.  This event took place on the feast day of Saint Rose of Lima, so he named the girl (and creek) Santa RosaThe City of Santa Rosa gives this legend enough merit that a stone and plaque were place at the location where this event reportedly took place.   View Santa Rosa Creek in a larger map 05/11/2010

Looks like we have another full day of work. Food and shelter is on the horizon.. lol. Kidding aside the 203k is coming on strong again and lots of people are wakening to find it is just what they need to make more sales. If you have a fixer and don't want to put that in your listing... let us know by putting "Perfect for a 203k" regardless of what is needed. If it only cosmetic in nature like paint, carpeting, or even a kitchen or bathroom remodel you can say "Perfect for a Streamlined k" that tells everyone in the industry that is light weight work. Remember that you can replace a roof if that is all you need to make this home move in ready. Everyone wins.  Your home can be in the right neighborhood, in the right development, and need some repair... we ran into a potential client the ... 05/04/2010

Anyone interested in hearing directly from the horse's mouth, figuratively speaking... there is a FREE HUD webinar on the Full 203k and the Streamlined "k" on May 27th, 9-10:30 am Mountain Time. I'll put it up on my website to remind you as it approaches. It will be interesting and informative as always from HUD. Another one coming up on October 19th from the Denver HOC for all you 203k followers, you should get these on a regular basis from HUD as they do change the rules from time to time and it is a great place to get tuned up with various programs.  If you are a lender or Realtor or agent and you have a favorite home inspector that you would like to use on your 203k projects please have them look into the product. They can actually make more money and add a wonderful and needed prod... 04/29/2010

Cobblestoneis a quiet little neighborhood in Santa Rosa located in the hills immediately above Sutter Hospital.  There are 57 developed lots on 3 streets, Cobblestone, Broken Twig, and Scrub Oak.  The area around these homes is absolutely beautiful.  Its all eucalyptus, manzanita, and oaks.  Most of the homes have large private lots, that back to undeveloped open space.  Some have beautiful views looking west over the city and toward the western hills of Sonoma County. The homes range in size from 1911 sq ft to 3969 sq ft.  The lots vary in size from 7,399 to over 200,000 sq ft!  The homes were built between 1982 and 1988 and come in a variety of styles and configurations.  The homes on Broken Twig are on large lots, but share a common wall in groups of two.  In 2013, only two home sold... 04/20/2010

  The Parker Hill Estates in Santa Rosa offers private townhouse living that is really close to everything!  Located in a beautiful and heavily wooded part of Santa Rosa just a walk away from Sutter Hospital, and about 1 mile from Kaiser, Agilent, and the Sonoma County Government Center (Sonoma County's largest employers).  The Parker Hill Estates are 30 townhomes, built in 1982.  Each home has beautiful views of giant Redwoods.  The east side of the development has a year round creek and walking paths. These are not condominiums, but attached homes in a planned unit developments (PUD).  Each owner owns their lot, and the home on it.  For more information on the differences between condominiums, and townhomes, click here: Condo or townhome? The homes are 1,2, and 3 bedrooms, ranging fro... 04/19/2010

        This winter was colder and wetter than we've had in the last few drought years. It kept my flowers from doing much during February and March. We've still had rain in April and unseasonably cool weather. However, the last few days of sunshine have really made my fence-top plants take off with the sort of vigor I like to see.   04/18/2010

203k talk coming to Santa Rosa area on April 29th to the Association of Realtors Breakfast meeting in Rohnert Park, CA 8:30 am. Please make your reservations early with the Association so we can be sure to have seats for you. If it fills up we can make arrangements to come to your office that same day afterwards. Hope to see you there.This talk is directed specifically at how Realtors and Agents can take advantage of the benefits of the 203k program in their everyday business.  Got a great property in a wonderful neighborhood? house is too small, make it bigger with the 203k - Perfect for a 203k. How about a home that is only 500-550 SF... too small to get financing... add to it - Perfect for a 203k. One more for now... Conventional deal is falling apart because the appraisal come in to... 04/13/2010

The Falconwood condominiums in Santa Rosa offer affordable living within a half mile of Kaiser Hospital, and the Sonoma County government center, the two largest employers in the county.  This modest development is secure with an automatic gate entrance.  The complex is situated amoung huge redwoods and other mature landscape. The development is a condominium so you are only buying the interior space of your unit.  The rest of the development is owned equally by other owners with common interest.  Each unit is assigned a covered space, and an uncovered.  There is ample uncovered guest parking.  HOA dues pay for building exterior, paint, roof, garbage, insurance, and management.  For more information on the difference between condominiums and townhouses, click here: Townhouse or condo? T... 04/11/2010

My wife and I moved into Wikiup Greens a little over two years ago. We had never thought about a 55+ senior community to live in as we matured together. I guess a combination of "just not thinking about it" plus our happiness where we were living kept it off the radar for us. Still, folks age, and our knees started to object to the 40 steps we climbed up and down every day to get to our redwood tree house. Okay, it wasn't a tree house, but the steps took us well up a hill where we were eye to eye with the squirrels and jays. One day the steps just got to be too much and we started looking for something safer. Wikiup Greens in Santa Rosa is surrounded on three sides by a golf course. It's not ours, but we get the benefit of the greenery, the fresh air, and the wildlife.  We're close to ... 04/06/2010

Stonefield condominiums in Fountaingrove are luxury living, that's close to everything.  Located in a park like setting, Stonefield is situated adjacent to the Fountaingrove Country Club and Golf course.  The complex is shaded by large oaks and redwoods. Year round creeks meander through the development.  Stonefield is situated on a hillside giving almost every unit a beautiful view westward, overlooking the city of Santa Rosa.  The units that don't get a view over Santa Rosa, usually get a golf course view which is equally splendid.Stonefield condominiums is a development of 122 units.  Stonefield was started in 1988 by developer George Michael Shipsey who ran into financial problems, which caused the development to stall.  The units were completed by the Morrison Karsten Group of Sant... 04/06/2010

Summerfield Villages in Bennett Valley is an intimate planned unit development (PUD) of 37 units, built in 1989.  The homes are townhouse style, attached single family residences.  They are frequently mistakenly listed by agents that don't know better as condominiums, but they're not condo's.  As an owner, you own the land your residence sits on, and the rights to the sky above the unit (nobody can build a bridge over your home without your permission or tunnel under your home).  This makes the residences more valuable.  For more information on the differences between condominiums and townhouses click here: Condo or townhouse. First, lets start off with Summerfield Villages location.  They are located on Summerfield Rd in the heart of Bennett Valley.  They are within a mile of one of t... 04/04/2010

  Mission Creek Condominiums in Rincon Valley offer affordable living. Built between 1972 and 1973 this was one of Rincon Valley's most affordable condominium complexes.  Built with a Spanish/Mediterranean style these units are in central Rincon Valley, and walking distance to most conveniences such as the Mission Shopping Center, Montecito Shopping Center, and Madrone Elementary school.  For information on Rincon Valley Shopping, click here: Rincon Valley Shopping Centers All units are condominiums which means you own the "space inside the walls, not the land or building itself".  The fact that the units are condominiummake the units more affordable, and relieves the owner of worrying about maintaining the exterior from damage due to weathering, infestation, paint, or re roofing.  Thes... 03/28/2010

FHA Home Loans - Santa Rosa, CA - FHA Mortgage Insurance Premiums are going up! If you are using an FHA loan to buy a house, you may have to recalculate your loan program's parameters starting April 5th. FHA has announced they are going to raise the FHA mortgage insurance premiums from 1.75% to 2.25%. On a $200,000 loan, that's an increase of $1,000 for the mortgage insurance premium! FHA will still allow the increased premium to be financed. If you are preapproved or prequalified, you should check with your lender to see if this new increase in the FHA Mortgage Insurance Premuim affects your current FHA Home loan application. It's not a huge change, but the increase of the FHA mortgage insurance Premium is significant enough to take notice. You can find more information about the late... 03/28/2010

Is this a Rincon Valley Condominium, or a towhouse?  I know most real estate agents can look at an attached home in a common interest development, and determine if it's a condominium, or a townhouse...  can't they?  Well first let me say I use the word "townhouse" to really mean an attached home in a Planned Unit Development (PUD). Do you think you can tell the difference by looking at the homes from the curb? Take a look at these two Rincon Valley residences in common interest devolpments, and guess if either is a condominium.                     Both of the above are condominiums.  Not so easy is it.  Sometimes what appears to be a townhouse, can turn out to be condominium.  Condominiums and townhomes are both referred to as "Common Interest Devolopments" or CID's.  How can we tell th... 03/25/2010

Sonoma County Real Estate Values - Santa Rosa Prices to Rise 6% in 2010? I'm backlogged on blogs right now but this story about Sonoma County real estate is something that I've got to share.  It's a report on a nationwide forecast that shows Santa Rosa's home prices will see a greater increase this year than will homes anywhere else in the country.  Check out the story in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat and please leave a comment.  Can this be true?  Would love to hear from you! 03/20/2010

     Why I Sell Vintage Homes in Sonoma County.        This is the beginning of a series on vintage homes in Sonoma County, California.   Let’s begin by defining the term “vintage home”. The word “vintage” implies age; in other words, vintage homes are dwellings built in an earlier time. The accepted cut-off by the experts today is 1980. Houses built before that date may be considered vintage.   However the term vintage implies more than date of construction. A genuine vintage home incorporates architectural features and other qualities that speak to its distinctive historical period and origins.   Vintage homes possess characteristics that reflect their time and culture in a way that makes them an American Classic. Their architectural and stylistic content will,of course, vary across t... 03/15/2010

USDA Rural Development Loans are going away! If you are using the USDA Rural Development loan program as part of your business building tool, you need to know this program is going away. According to the USDA Rural Development, the funds for this program are projected to be gone by the end of April. In order to meet the USDARD's cutoff of funds, many lenders will stop taking loan applications by the end of March. If you have a USDA loan in progress, I would highly recommend you check with the lender today about their timelines for shutting this program down. 03/12/2010