FHA Home Loans, Santa Rosa, CA - New FHA Loan Limits and Proposals for 2010 I'm not a big fan of posting technical or industry news about lending because I think it's a dry subject, but I ran across this information today on FHA's Proposals and Loan Limits for 2010 and thought it would be good to share with my Realtors and real estate agents in the Sonoma County Wine Country Real Estate Market. Based on what I've read, FHA is cracking down on the smaller brokers. I have a feeling these new rules will force many of the small brokers who currently originate FHA Home loans to either close up shop or join forces by combining their net worth in order to originate FHA Home loans. Or, the broker simply doesn't originate FHA Home loans and focuses on a nitch product. Either way, these new propo... 12/01/2009

There are a lot of you who have  money owed to you but the payor can no longer locate you.  Unclaimed money is suppose to be delivered to the state in which you reside, or in some cases, the federal government holds it.   Here is link that you can check to see if the federal government is holding any uncollected money.  It is actually several sites that can be searched from one page. There is only one search that requests a social security number.  The other searches only require a first and last name.   http://nupn.com/federal.htm I conducted a quick search for myself and my parents and came up with nothing, however on my local state site, I located about $2,000 in unclaimed money, mostly belonging to my parents who are both deceased.  The biggest chunk of money ($1500) came from Stanf... 12/01/2009

I made it on Patricia Kennedy's GOOD list! Patricia Kennedy is a Real Estate Agent at Evers and Company Realtors in Washington DC. She spends a fair amount of time posting a nice summary of all the unfeatured blogs she's read during the week and thinks are worth reading. I've been a follower ever since I read one of her postings and thought how nice it was to read some of those blogs she's mentioned. She has made a name for herself by consistently posting her summary every week. I'm amazed by her discipline! I didn't think I would ever be on one of her lists! Well, I made it on her list for November 22-29th. So, as a return to Mrs. Kennedy's generosity, I wanted to send her some google juice! Cheers to you Patricia and thank you from Sonoma County Wine Country! 11/30/2009

I took my kids on a ride on an electric street car that ran out of the Western Train Museum in Rio Vista.  There were a number of vintage ads that ran along the roof line.  One caught my attention.  I hope taking a photograph of these, and posting them are not some type of copyright violation!        11/30/2009

I can't believe as a society we get more "days off" for Thanksgiving then we do for Christmas.  Anyway, I always enjoy an extra long weekend.  We usually go to Monterey Friday thru Sunday, but we decided to stay home.  How did you spend your weekend?                 Setting up the Blowmold nativity scene.  The light inside one of the wisemen was giving me trouble.  Stupid wiseman!  (Yes I'm wearing shorts. It was a beautiful 75+ today.)      11/29/2009

We had family and friends come over for Thanksgiving who drove in from out of town.  "We love driving to the Wine County, what's with all the Peanut characters all around?" I've gotten use to seeing them around, but there are a lot of Peanut characters around Santa Rosa, and all over the Sonoma County.  Charles Schulz lived most of his life here, and had his studio on the west side of Santa Rosa.       Is the fact that our county airport is called the Charles M, Schulz any indicator of how important Charles is to our community?               Born in 1922 in St. Paul Minnesota, Charles loved ice skating.  He moved to Santa Rosa in 1970 where he built his studio.  He also built an ice skating rink so that he and other could place ice hockey.  The rink is still open today for ice hockey an... 11/29/2009

Speechless Sunday - Rainbow over Santa Rosa, California - Sonoma County Wine Country Lifestyle My wife caught this rainbow as we were driving north on 101 to Healdsburg. The sky was half sunny and half cloudy. There's something special about rainbows that don't need words so I thought I would share this photo today on Speechless Sunday. Enjoy! 11/29/2009

Thinking of relocating to Northern California?  Consider the Town of Windsor.  With a polutation of about 25,000 it is just the right size to provide all the services of a medium sized city with a small town feel.  Windsor incorporated in the mid 1990's and is quite progressive.  Wineries are a short distance drive in any direction, and a bike ride in the country is always just around the corner.    I think the highlight of the Town of Windsor is it's newly developed Town Green.  It's a work/live devolopment that is bordered by Old town Windsor, and a huge lawn/park.   In the summer the town hosts weekend movies and concerts on the lawn.  Windsor is about a 45 minute drive to San Francisco, and about 10 minutes from Santa Rosa.  For more information about Windsor, check out: http://www.... 11/28/2009

  Crab season is in full swing.  In the Wine Country, Crab feasts are a regular event!  They are a bit pricey, but if you go to one, you'll go every year.  Here is a list of up coming "All you can eat " crab feasts for this crab season. Hope to see you there!    Santa Rosa High School Foundation Jan. 23, 2010 All you can eat crab Salad Clam Chowder, dessert, beer & wine $45 545-4095 Piner High School Crab feed  Jan 29, 2010 No-host bar Silent auction Salad, bread, dessert Live band & dancing $40 836-9735 Ursuline High School January 29 & 30, 2010 Pasta, bread, dessert Wine Silent auction No-host bar $25 - $50 524-4640 Elsie Allen High Jan, 30, 2010 Pasta, salad, bread Raffles, silent auction Music $35 584-4198   Montgomery High School Ed. Foundation Jan. 30, 2010 Clam chowder No-host b... 11/28/2009

Sonoma County Wine Country, California - Cycling through the Fall Colors Cycling in Sonoma County is one of the best ways to experience the Wine Country's beautiful countryside. I love going for a nice 25 bike ride in the morning. If I'm really into it, I'll lose myself on a 50 miler through Santa Rosa, Windsor, Healdsburg, Napa, Sonoma, Petaluma or Sebastopol. Cycling is my favorite form of exercise and a great stress reliever. I wrote about this in one of my posts called Sonoma County Wine Country Top Ten Secret's Exposed. This year, I got to enjoy the added bonus of having my family join in on the fun! Whenever we get a chance, my wife and I will hook up with my sister, her husband, my cousin, his wife and several friends who've recently taken up the sport. What a wonderful experienc... 11/27/2009

  Looking for something fun to do this Christmas?   Go to Rincon Valley's own Christmas tree farm, and pick and cut your own tree.  Nothing is more fun than heading out in the cold with a saw, and picking out your own tree.  Bring the kids and a thermos of hot apple cider.   North Eagle Christmas Tree Forest 6191 Sonoma Hwy.Santa Rosa, CA 95409    538-2554 Open:7 days a week, 10:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Types of trees offered (you choose and cut): Douglas Fir Scotch Pine Monterey Pine Cedar Coastal Redwood Giant Sequoia Fresh pre-cut Noble Fir   Notes: The Christmas Tree Farm is part of the North Eagle Gallery pottery studio and shop. Handmade pottery is available for sale as are paintings, sculptures and bonsai trees. Trees vary in price from $20 to $45 11/25/2009

Happy Thanksgiving from Sonoma County Wine Country! I know it's suppose to be a Wordless Wednesday, but I want to take a moment to thank everyone here on AR for all of your support. I've learned so much from many of you and am greatful for all of the connections I've made in such a short period of time. You've renewed my enthusiasm for the real estate market and I look forward to learning even more from all of you. A special shout out to Steven Graham for all of his coaching and one on one phone calls. Steven, you and your AR family are the bomb! Thank you for everything that you've done for me! I couldn't have accomplished so much here on AR without your help!   11/25/2009

Sonoma County is home to lots of famous people, Fred MacMurray, Harry Morgan, Charles Schulz, Robert Ripley, Raymond Burr, Joe Montana and more.  Although fun to see, and claim as local residents, none have left an impact on the county as Luther Burbank. Luther Burbank was a botanist and horticulturist who came to America from England he developed a better potato call the Burbank Potato.  Burbank sold the rights to his potato and $150 and used the money to travel to America, where he settled in Santa Rosa at age 26.  He found Santa Rosa to have the perfect growing season, weather, and soils.   Burbank used his home and an experimental garden in Sebastopol to create and improve over 800 species of flowers, fruits and vegetables.  Some of his better known varieties are: The Burbank potato... 11/22/2009

I was driving down the road about a month ago and saw these  three stacks on the side of the road in a field that use to have a horse.  I thought, what the hell are those?  Underground ventilation?  State water testing?          Then a few nights later...       11/21/2009

Family friendly and conveniently located, Rincon Valley has long been one of the preferred residential areas in Santa Rosa. The schools are excellent and homes are still affordable here. I have assembled a custom search already centered on Rincon Valley that will let you jump right into your map-based home search. Whether you want an entry level home or a more elaborate, larger move-up residence, Santa Rosa's Rincon Valley is a great place to search. Once you are on the site you can choose whatever price range you are looking for or simply view all the properties. I also want to repeat the news that there is a great new iPhone App that supports active MLS listings and has great built in support for the mapping features. As you drive around Rincon Valley or any other area in the BAREIS M... 11/20/2009

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and I'm sure a lot of Sonoma County residents will be buying their birds this weekend.  All the supermarkets are packed with Butterball and other mass produced birds.  If you want to try something new this year, I highly recommend our local Willie Bird Turkeys.  They are raised in Sonoma County and shipped all over the country by mail order.  Willie Bird Turkeys are free range turkeys that have incredible taste.  Willie began raising the birds locally 40 years ago, and are a real treat. You can pick up a pre cooked, or ready cook bird at the retail store located at 5350 Highway 12, Santa Rosa, CA                  (707-545-2832)    or swing by the restaurant for dinner 1150 Santa Rosa Ave, Santa Rosa, CA 707-542-0861 11/20/2009

Rincon Valley is a lousy spot to look for REO property in Sonoma County. Strong neighborhoods and a continued demand for housing have kept bank-owned single family homes to a minimum. Still, there are the occasional listings and the map below will show REO properties in and around Rincon Valley. If you want to look around other parts of Santa Rosa, you can either navigate on the map or visit my reo.sonoma.net site for more maps and information on the foreclosed homes market in Sonoma County.   Powered by RealBird.com 11/19/2009

When people think of the Wine Country, they don't usually think of air pollution.  However... two things are hurting Sonoma County.  Our proximity to the San Francisco Bay Area, and our rural agricultural roots that allow farmers to burn their discarded vegetation. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has been authorized  to declare "Winter Spare the Air Days" between November 1, and February 28th.  This means nothing can be burned including fires inside your chimney at home not even pellets in a pellet stove.  There are a few exceptions, however most of us don't qualify for them such as: if a wood burning stove is your only source of heat.  The district is expecting to declare between 15 and 20 Spare the Air days this season.  What if you burn on a Spare the Air Day?  Well, the... 11/15/2009

 I think one of the most misunderstood titles is that of Realtor.  I know it doesn't matter to other real estate agents, but this blog is written to explain a few commonly and frequently misunderstood terms in real estate: Sales Associate:  This is probably the most common type of real estate agent the public comes in contact with.  A sales associate can also be called a Salesperson, or simply a Real Estate Agent (although this last term is deceiving).  In California, a Sales Associate is anybody who is at lease 18 years old, and takes 3 college level real estate courses, one of which has to be Real Estate Principles, and one has to be Real Estate Practice.  The third can be any other real estate course offered at the college level.  The applicant then takes the state Salesperson exam a... 11/14/2009

FHA Home Loans - Santa Rosa, CA - Top 10 FHA Loan Benefits for home buyers  I met up with a new home buyer today who asked me about FHA loans and why she should use this program instead of a standard conforming loan program. She was a first time home buyer who had meet with several lenders and was a bit overwhelmed by all of the information she had thrown at her. Since she was only putting 5% down, I felt the FHA loan was the best fit for her and gave her a top ten list of all the benefits she would enjoy. I also ran a comparison worksheet for my newly endoctrinated home buyer to show her the mathmatical differences. The lightbulb over her head kicked in within 10 minutes and she proceeded with the loan application. Ah, success! I love the lightbulb! So, in the interest of sharing with ... 11/11/2009