One of the first jobs my mother held as a teenager, besides serving ice cream at Bridgemann's, was that of a chicken plucker at a chicken factory in Saint Paul. The chickens would come down the assembly line with their broken necks and feet still attached, while factory workers would grab them and furiously pull out their down and feathers. Total yuck. I have no idea how it is done today, and I imagine the chicken factories are completely automated now, if they are even still in business. My mother's chicken plucking days were in the 1940s. In Fair Oaks, California, we have many chickens running around but nobody tries to grab them and shove the birds into a deep fryer. At least not that I know about. However, the feral chickens who live in Fair Oaks are nowhere near the numbers of wild... 01/15/2015

As long time Realtor in Fair Oaks, CA, I am asked this question a lot. What is the best neighborhood in Fair Oaks? And my answer is like a broken record. It depends on what is important to you. Do you value freeway access over tranquility? Do you want a big lot with lots of breathing room, or a small low maintenance patio home? Do you want good schools, or an area with very few rug rats screaming during cocktail hour? Are you looking to fall out your back door and be on a walking trail? When it comes to neighborhoods, beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder! Here are some of the qualities that I think make our Fair Oaks neighborhoods unique. If you want an eclectic, unique or historic home - You'll find it in Fair Oaks Village, or the surrounding neighborhoods of Old Fair Oaks. There... 01/15/2015

  Do you have the original Building Plans?     When it comes to doing repairs on apartments and residential homes, sometimes it help to have some additional information at hand. Some repairs can best be estimated if the original building plans are available to review. I needed to see what the wall detail was like, without the plans I would have to either guess or cut open a hole to explore. Having the Building Plans will help the contractor to better estimate the cost of repairs. 01/11/2015

Fair Oaks Home for Sale 95628 - 7901 Willowcrest Way Click here to see more pictures and detailed information.     Schedule a Showing What Is Your Home Worth? Avoid Foreclosure Sacramento Homes For Sale Fair Oaks Homes For Sale Elk Grove Homes For Sale Roseville Homes For Sale West Sacramento Homes For Sale Search All Homes For Sale Mike Rigley Keller Williams 916-779-6117 Questions?Schedule a Showing! MLS#: 14068538 Licensed In:California License #:01391317     L2L Virtual Tours AR     12/08/2014

  Wonder Which Came First     I am a contractor that works on older homes and apartments in the Sacramento area from time to time. I get to repair some things that you may not see everyday. Older homes will often have some modern changes that doesn't quite fit, not the same texture or even a slightly different size. I ran across this thermostat yesterday that didn't quite fit between the two door frames. So I wondered which came first, the thermostat or the door framing? They both are outdated. It's safe to say that this is not original work. It is my guess that the thermostat, though old, is not the original. The door frame was cut to fit the new thermostat. It has been this way ever since. This was not the reason for my being there and it is functioning, it likely be there for a while... 10/21/2014

  Just Sold!!! 9/29/2014 in Fair Oaks.  Congrats to my amazing seller clients for taking the bold step of selling their first home that they loved and moving onto the next phase in their lives.  You guys are such awesome clients and did an amazing job of making your beautiful home look absolutely amazing for the market to see.   Gorgeous Fair Oaks charmer w/ open & bright floor plan. Corner lot home is an entertainers dream. Spacious living area has separate family/living rms,formal dining,chef's kitchen,breakfast nook,bar area,wrap-around porch & deck. Master suite w/ open bthrm,dual sinks & walk-in closet. Beautifully remodeled plus over $50k in energy efficient upgrades: HVAC,insulation,dual pane,H2O heater,LEDs,iSprinklers, fans. Downstairs bdrm, new roof in 2012,cul-de-sac. Great ... 10/02/2014

So You Think That Retaining Wall Needs To Be Replaced?   I had to look at a retaining wall in Fair Oaks that needs to be fixed. These short walls are usually installed to hold back the soil which may create a problem in the future. Dirt can erode with the rains, building a wall will not only hold back the soil it can help level the land so that the grade is not as steep. But what about when the walls start to fail? When I went to see the walls that needed repair, I had no idea what I was going to be looking at. This photo is the view that I had as I walked toward the building. There are many things wrong with this whole idea. First the home is much too close to the retaining wall. Note that I said the house was too close and not the wall. This wall was here first, the house had a unper... 09/19/2014

  I Won't Crawl Under Your Home, You Have Animals Living Under There!   I consider myself an animal lover of sorts; pets, wildlife, humane treatment and consumption. I think we can live harmoniously the animals but there are some things that I won't do. Crawling into their home is one of these things.   I was asked to go under a home in Fair Oaks to look for the damage caused by a long term leak. This is not unusual for me, I work in dark, dirty, bug filled areas on a regular basis. But this job was a bit different then this. I noticed some things even before putting on my crawl suit.   I noticed that the access door was missing the screen, there was just a wooden frame. Sometimes the access door will be solid wood but this building was using the access door as a foundation vent for air... 08/15/2014

The buzz in Fair Oaks Village on Saturday was coming from a scissor life, a couple of guys, and a crow bar yanking the old siding off of an even older building front - 1908 to be exact. The Fair Oaks Brew Pub is coming to town! In the video below, building owner Rich Schmitt talks about the cool window and  etched "1908" date he discovered when he began restoring his building across from Plaza Park in the Village so the Brew Pub could move in. This building used to be two story (on the left of the photo), but a fire changed that. It used to house Slocum & Gore's store in the old days, then a drug store, then a pool hall, music center, and most recently a a doctor's office.  But now the medications will be dispensed from a tap! It's a bit noisy but you'll see the renovations in action...... 07/28/2014

  Tub/Shower Replacement Contractor in Fair Oaks    As an apartment repair contractor in the Sacramento Area, I have had the opportunity to replace tub/showers of all sorts. The usual enclosure is a fiberglass or rigid plastic that is pretty durable and low cost. You will see these in many apartment units in Fair Oaks.   These tub/shower units do not last forever. The most common problem is that they do crack over time. They are sturdy, with normal wear and tear they will last 20+ years before stress crack begin to appear. Once the cracks appear they can be patched but this will usually be a temporary fix.   One of the greatest benefits of is the cost. Not only is the product itself only a few hundred dollar, but if the same model is purchased, the plumbing supply and drains do not need... 06/28/2014

  Had a Wonderful Day On The American River Today     When asked what it was that I wanted to do today, I requested that our family float down the American River in Sacramento. My wife and my three sons were all able to attend, and we had a blast. As the kids get older it is more and more difficult to get together but they were all there for their father today.     06/15/2014

A charming seller called yesterday from the Monterey Bay area to talk about selling a duplex in Fair Oaks next month. We tentatively scheduled a day to meet at the property so I can shoot photos when it dawned on me that the seller will be traveling over Business 80, right through the WX Freeway mess and smack dab into the Fix50 project. It didn't seem right to not help with this, so I pulled up Google maps and gave the seller directions through Sacramento and explained why an alternate route was so important. As a Sacramento real estate agent, I will be helping my clients find alternate routes for this freeway construction a lot over the next couple of months. Of course, on another front, I'm still struggling with how to find these Liz Claiborne shorts I am madly in love with but over ... 04/22/2014

As a Fair Oaks Realtor, I hear this question a lot. What is the best neighborhood in Fair Oaks? And my answer is like a broken record. It depends on what is important to you. Do you value freeway access over tranquility? Do you want a big lot with lots of breathing room, or a small low maintenance patio home? Do you want good schools, or an area with very few rug rats screaming during cocktail hour? When it comes to neighborhoods, beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder! Here are some of the qualities that I think make our Fair Oaks neighborhoods unique. If you want an eclectic, unique or historic home - You'll find it in Fair Oaks Village, or the surrounding neighborhoods of Old Fair Oaks. There are wandering chickens, craftsman style homes, a few old adobes, a smatering of old Vict... 04/13/2014

Sailor Bar is an amazing place to walk, bike and experience the American River in Fair Oaks, Ca.  It's a 114 acre river bar that feels wild and wonderful, yet holds the secrets and scarring of 100 years of gold mining history. It's a walker's paradise! Sailor Bar extends from the Hazel Bridge along the north side of the American River, to the rise of the Fair Oaks Bluffs near Olive and Natoma Avenues. It's easy to get a 3 - 5 mile hike in by wandering around the many twisted and turning trails through gold mine tailings, along the river's edge, around the fishing pond, and under towering oaks. You can get to Sailor Bar from 4 access points.  Both Olive and Illinois Avenue have public parking.  Illinois also has a boat ramp. Additionally you can park at the ends Kenneth Avenue or Emperor... 04/05/2014

Hold on.  I gotta take off my muddy boots.  I just came in from the bar. Not the Dew Drop Inn, but Sailor Bar - the hiking & biking wonderland along the American River in Fair Oaks, CA, with miles of trails. It's not easy to know all the ways to get there, but I have just poked and prodded every street along the bluffs and have finally found all the access points. Because much of Fair Oaks is high up on the river bluffs (with awesome views) it's too steep to get to the river.  Many of the flatter parts are blocked by private property or dense foliage.  But there are ways! Most popular for walking and biking is the 32 mile paved bike trail on the American River Parkway, running from Folsom Lake to downtown Sacramento. But that is on the south side of the river (other than a short spur fr... 03/27/2014

  Schedule a Showing/Request Info Fair Oaks Homes For Sale Search All Homes For Sale Avoid Foreclosure Homes Close to Where You Work What is Your Home Worth?   David Vandermyden Keller Williams Realty 916-749-5577 Questions?Schedule a Showing! MLS#: 13059912   Information valid for the date of this posting only. Please contact us for the most current information and status of this property. 4417 Las Encinitas Dr Fair Oaks, CA Scan with your smartphone & take me with you. Description Photos Maps & Local Schools Virtual Tour Print Brochure JUST SOLD!     4417 Las Encinitas Drive $ Click for current price 3 BEDROOMS 3 BATHROOMS ( 2 full, 1 half ) 2128 Square Feet Well cared for home on a large corner lot! Beautifully landscaped front and back, this home is located in a great neighborhood ... 02/26/2014

Taxes are very different from one state to another.  In California, you are protected from rising taxes by Proposition 13.  Because of Prop 13 in 1978, you will pay a maximum of 1-1/4 % of the assessed value in your taxes, with small incremental increases allowed each year if values increase.  So, if you buy a home for $400,000, you will pay $5,000 per year, max.   Here's a little secret to figuring it out - a short cut to the amount.  If you pay $400K for a house, you will pay about $400 per month. Pay $650K, you will pay $650 a month. Cool, huh?   Let's check it... $400,000 X 1.25% = $5,000 per year which means $416 per month - close enough to my shortcut amount of $400.   WHEN DO YOU PAY TAXES: If you are "impounding" your taxes, you will be paying your tax bill monthly, right along ... 02/13/2014

Home Prices in Fair Oaks, CA  95628 for February 2014   Real estate market data for Fair Oaks, CA  95628  provided by David Vandermyden of Pacific Coast Group, KellerWilliams   Fair Oaks Home Prices  We have seen home prices flat for the past 6-7 months on home prices in Fair Oaks and don’t expect things to change for the short term.  If you are considering buying a home you can still find deals on a house in Fair Oaks but having a good real estate agent who understands the market is a must.  Don’t wait on the sidelines for too long, many of our listings are sell within a few days of hitting the market. As you can see from the graph below, listings are not selling exactly for asking price. To make sure you don't overpay for your home, you'll want to have an agent that does a thorough ma... 02/10/2014

I started walking to get in shape.  And to support breast cancer research.  And because it sounded like a challenge. BUT I thought it would take away from my business. Instead it ended up being GOOD for business!  How did that happen??? Last January I agreed to walk in the Susan G. Komen 3 Day walk in San Francisco - 20 miles a day for 3 days in a row. How will I do that, I thought.  And how will I find the time to train, while selling houses?  I work full time... and more! But I was willing to sacrifice some business, to make it work, because I knew this was important. Instead, I more than doubled the houses I sold in 2013, compared to '12 - from $6M to $13.9M!!!  WHAT????? HOW???? Maybe it's because people like to do business with people who do good things.  Or maybe it's just a coonc... 02/03/2014

Today we took our most historic hike.  #26 (of 60) started at the Confluence of the Middle and North Forks of the American River in Auburn, and looped up to the historic Stagecoach Trail - along the route taken by the stagecoach between Auburn and Foresthill in the late 1800s.  I must say they had a pretty cool view. We were hiking in 49'er country, in the historic gold fields of the American River which crawled with industrious gold miners in the 1800's, panning for their fortunes.  My great great grandfather was one - over in Coloma, a few miles away.  He'ld come over on the Oregon Trail, then panned in Coloma a year and a half, saving enough to go back and retrieve his future bride.  He then led a wagon train back, stopping a half day as his bride gave birth.  They eventually settled... 01/31/2014