New Sonoma Listings & Some Re-Runs, Too. Spring is in the air and the seasonal crop of new Sonoma listings has begun to appear, fresh-faced and eager to be shown. This week's homes on broker tour include a couple of properties that have been remodeled---and one almost totally redone.  My favorite is a home in Sobre Vista built in 1952.  I recently wrote a post on a historic Spreckels' home for sale in Sobre Vista.  This new listing is just up the road from the Spreckels' house.  It's a 3-bedroom/3-bath 3000+/- square foot house on 4+/-acres with a guest unit, a dipping pool, and big Sonoma Valley views.   The asking price is $2,795,000.   Two other listings caught my camera lens today.  One is a cottage in Glen Ellen, priced at $879,000 that reminded me so much of the cabin on my grandp... 02/10/2011

Will There Be Enough Sonoma Inventory? We've just had several days of record breaking temperatures and brilliant sunshine.  Buyer activity has picked up significantly.  Calls and emails are coming in from buyers seeking wine country getaways and second homes in Sonoma.  I've also had several internet leads about Sonoma retirement properties.  Trouble is---there's just not much inventory right now.  While this incredible weather has brought us blooming shrubs and dancing daffodils, there are signs we may see stunted growth when it comes to new listings for our Spring market.  Our current listing inventory totals 259 properties---a low number as we head into the hottest selling season. Sellers are wary of listing because of an expected new crop of distressed properties.  In Sonoma, we've ... 02/07/2011

Sonoma Condos and Country Properties. Sonoma real estate buyers have appeared en masse with the amazing mid-winter weather we've had recently.  Sunny days with record high temperatures into the '70's seem to have kicked Spring buyers into action much earlier than usual.  We are still low on inventory, though.  Our new or back-on market listings this week included: Two condos in the same development, Sonoma Meadows.   This is a great complex very close to Sonoma Plaza and centrally located for shopping, dining out, library visits, and a quick trip to a couple of great health clubs.  The 2 bedroom/1bath  condo is a short sale priced at $199,900.  The other condo is a 2bedroom/2bath unit priced at $235,000. A 3bedroom/2bath single family home being sold as a short sale priced at $415,000. ... 02/05/2011

Historic Sonoma Country Home for Sale. I remember those red and white Spreckels Sugar bags that we bought at the grocery store when I was a kid.   Mom and Gram would use boxes of Spreckels powdered sugar to make frosting for yummy cakes.   Back then I didn't know anything about the company or the family that built it.  That changed after I took a look at a grand Sonoma country home listed on the Sonoma MLS.  It was once the glam get-away of the late San Francisco socialite Alma Spreckels, widow of Adolf Spreckels, the son of the company founder Claus Spreckels.  Intrigued---and a confessed sugar addict---I took my camera with me to shoot some pictures on broker tour. The house was once part of a sprawling ranch called Sobre Vista that included 3000 acres on the western slopes of  Sonoma... 02/04/2011

A Sonoma Walk-About. The Australians are luring tourists down under by promoting the concept of a relaxing walkabout.  It's a rite-of-passage of  the Aborigines but the definition of the word has morphed over the years.  These days a walkabout means to get away from it all.  Even the word has a soothing sound it if you say it out loud.  Wahhh-kuh-bout.  It sounds especially lovely if you gently ennunciate both the "k" the "t" in the last two syllables. I started my day with a 7am walk with a friend from my office.   We've been sporadic about what we thought we'd make a daily routine.   You know the excuses.  Some of them are good ones.  "It's too cold."  "It's pouring out there!"  "Got a meeting early this morning---no time today."  And there's always, "I'm sorry...I overslept!!!" Today... 02/02/2011

  I ran across this photo when organizing my personal picture library.  I just love it.  This was taken in Sonoma County, on a Wine Road weekend. I was reminded of the fabulous time we had there, when I recently got an email announcing an event coming up in March.  I live in the Livermore Valley, already a wine region.  But sometimes it's nice to get away for a weekend and experience something different. So, we've now made plans to go with another couple and attend the March Wine Road Barrel Tasting. Here's another shot taken during the last trip there.   01/30/2011

Sonoma Second Homes and Sonoma Vacation Rentals.  When I'm working with Sonoma buyers, I frequently hear that they want to buy a property they can rent out as a vacation rental to help cover their costs when they are not using it.   Fact is, many Sonoma County homes can be used as vacation rentals but there are county-wide regulations to be aware of.   And there are rules that vary from town to town....and community to community....that prospective vacation home owners need to know about, too.  For example: Vacation property owners everywhere in Sonoma County are charged a tax known as TOT --- the Transient Occupancy Tax --- for every night their home is booked.  If you don't pay the TOT you can get into trouble.  The county also requires you to register as the owner of a vacation prope... 01/29/2011

Every picture tells a story...  And this picture shows that the real estate market in the beautiful wine country town of Sonoma fluctuates wildly from month to month.  From entry level homes to fabulous estates, Sonoma has it all. Sonoma Home Sales Charts 2001 - December 2010, by Kelley Eling, Realtor   To learn more about this area search more around this blog, visit my website or contact me directly. 01/26/2011

Are You Looking at ME?!? Camouflage is hard to come by during the winter in Sonoma Valley when our deciduous Oaks have lost their leaves.  Some residents, like this lovely doe, find it hard to keep a low profile at this time of year when there aren't many places to hide.  We met eye-to-eye while I was showing a Glen Ellen country property.  She wasn't happy to see me---the pleasure was all mine.  If you like the out-of-doors, January is a wonderful month to watch and enjoy Sonoma wildlife. 01/26/2011

Looking For Sonoma Foreclosure?   If you're looking for foreclosures in Sonoma Valley you might want to take a look at the statistics I've put together as of January 25, 2010.   Essentially, you'll find Sonoma foreclosures only among the lowest priced properties---those listed at $400,000 or less.  In general, we have fewer distressed properties in Sonoma than you'll find elsewhere because people who buy here tend to be highly qualified second home seekers or retirees.  Sonoma buyers often pay cash or ante up a hefty downpayment when they do get a loan.  We are quite light on inventory right now.  That said, here's the current break-down. These are statistics pulled from our Bay Area Real Estate Information Service---our local MLS.  If you want more Sonoma foreclosure information or upd... 01/26/2011

White House Music in Sonoma County Sonoma County's Santa Rosa Symphony is gaining international attention and drawing world-renowned artists.   Last night, symphony-goers were given a special treat---a performance by classical guitarist Sharon Isbin.  Isbin, who was raised in Minneapolis and trained with Andres Segovia, has performed with the NY Philharmonic and dozens of symphonies around the globe.  Not long ago, she was invited to perform at the White House.  This video runs 11 minutes.  If you have the time I'm sure you'll enjoy it.         Season tickets are reasonably priced and performances fall on Saturday and Monday nights.  Sunday perfomances are matinees.  My savage beast has been soothed by the Santa Rosa Symphony for the past three seasons and I will be reserving my seats f... 01/23/2011

Sonoma Valley View. My Sunday morning view looking down Sonoma Valley toward San Pablo Bay.   With Mount Diablo in the distance, those wispy clouds in the brightening sky, and a light mist floating over the water, it's a view of Sonoma Valley that seems to say, "Look closer...look closer...and never look away!" 01/23/2011

A Brighter Picture for Sonoma Sellers. When five hundred people gathered on Tuesday January 19th in Rohnert Park to hear about the 2011 economic outlook for Sonoma County, I was there.  I went as a board member of a non-profit organization but I also got an earful about real estate.  There was one very big take-away that should make Sonoma sellers happy. Sonoma County housing prices are stabilizing while new home construction is nearly flat.  Given these two factors, it appears that property values are poised to begin rising rather than declining any further.  Even if there continues to be a stream of bank-owned homes entering the market, the stabilizing of median prices seems to show that demand has been keeping up with supply.  An increase in interest rates could result in lower media... 01/20/2011

Slim Pickin's for Sonoma Homes. Our Sonoma broker tour for Thursday, January 20th, is puny---just three new listings in all of Sonoma Valley!   We've got one Sonoma REO listed at under 300K, another single family home priced in the mid-500's, and a new Sonoma home at $1.5 Million that I wrote a post about last week.    Depending on your point of view, the listing shortage is either dismal or delightful. It is dismal if you are a buyer or a buyer's agent looking for new Sonoma listings---some fresh inventory to get excited about.  I'd like to see some new offerings.  We've got less than 160 homes on the market here right now in all price categories....about 25% of these are distressed properties. The shortage of non-distressed properties is delightful news if you are a Sonoma seller.  He... 01/19/2011

Great Deals on Sonoma Foreclosures?!? It's a question Sonoma agents get a lot these days'''Where are all the great deals on Sonoma Foreclosures?"  Here's a look at some charts on the Sonoma foreclosure market provided by ForeclosureRadar:   If you want more detailed information on these Sonoma foreclosure charts here's the link to that page on ForeclosureRadar.  We are heading into the Spring market and, as ususal, we expect demand for Sonoma real estate to exceed supply---especially when it comes to nicer properties.   If you want to talk about our market, contact me soon. 01/18/2011

Friends on Sonoma Plaza. On Sonoma Plaza....new friends and old (er) friends. My Sonoma real estate office is conveniently located at 109 East Napa Street just off our charming, inviting, and historic eight-acre Sonoma Plaza.  This picture reminds me of my childhood and the many times my grandfather Ernie Smith brought us here----to get us out of Grandmother's hair---to run around the lawns, visit the playground, and feed the ducks.  In those days the poor birds got crumbs of Wonderbread!  Today, I don't think we should feed them at all but the Sonoma ducks are a story I'll save for another day. 01/16/2011

Bones in your Sonoma Backyard? Old Sonoma homes are much more common than new Sonoma homes.  When you live in Sonoma or buy a home in Sonoma Valley you are living with the ghosts...or as my mother says...the "Tinkerbells" of others.   Whenever I visit an old home in Sonoma, a turn-of-the century farm house in Kenwood, or a Glen Ellen home built many years ago, it's fun to wonder about the skeltons that were once stashed away in closets --- what we'd hear if the proverbial "walls could talk."  Thanks to Sonoma sleuth Arthur Dawson we can now find out about the history of Sonoma real estate.  Arthur has a business called Baseline Consulting and, while his passion is historical hydrology, he's also got a niche business investigating old homes.  It's created a lot of buzz. For as little as ... 01/16/2011

Just for Fun - Here's the Word.      This one's for my Sonoma friends who love words!     Got another good one?? 01/14/2011

Better Than Girl Scout Cookies?  I hope this post doesn't hurt sales of Girl Scout Cookies.  That would be downright un-American.  In some parts of the country I think it might even be criminal.   I'm simply suggesting another way to support the Girl Scouts of Sonoma Valley.   If you've got a Chirstmas tree you need to dispose of in Glen Ellen or Sonoma, the Girl Scouts will do it for a small donation.  Details and photographs of these hard-working young women can be found in the Sonoma Sun and Sonoma Index Tribune. The last day for pick-up is tomorrow---Sunday the 9th.  The local Girl Scouts have been at this for two weekends and this weekend is the last for Christmas tree pick-up. This might be a great way to support the Girl Scouts if you've decided your Girl Scout Cookie buying days... 01/12/2011

Stunning New Sonoma Home Near Golf Course. It's not on the market yet but will be soon---a new home in Sonoma near Sonoma Golf Club and smack dab in the middle of Sonoma Valley.  I've previewed it for some clients and have created a collage (on a cloudy day) to show some of the features of this the 2100 square foot 3 bedroom/2bath stunner. It's one of the nicest new homes in Sonoma I've seen since the Great Recession began. The listing agent is in my office and she says there's a great spot for a pool, tennis courts, or small vineyard.  There's a wonderful patio overlooking a beautiful creek.  This place is amazing.   It's located between the town of Sonoma and Glen Ellen and just a few minutes to the world famous Sonoma Golf Club.  I think this one will sell quickly.  It's all new cons... 01/11/2011