Not long ago, no-down-payment loans were the height of fashion for home buyers. But now that lenders have tightened their standards, borrowers once again are expected to "put some skin in the game," to use a favorite industry catchphrase. That "skin" refers to the borrower's own cash, and it means down payments are definitely back in style. The chief advantage of a down payment today is simply the ability to qualify for a loan, as only a handful of so-called zero-down loan programs still exist. Yet down payments have other benefits, too. The more money you put down to buy a home, the smaller your monthly payments will be. Buyer's down payment becomes a home owner's instant equity when the purchase closes, and that equity can be borrowed against with a home-equity loan or line of credit.... 01/25/2009

Gorgeous Rolling Hills Home 2000 Moss Valley, Fairfield, CA Wow! This home is gorgeous. Located in one of Fairfield's most desirable areas-Rolling Hills subdivision, includes views of the sprawling foothills nearby. Livingroom, formal dining, familyroom w/fireplace, kitchen has built in range,double ovens,dishwasher,compactor, breakfast bar, master has jetted tub,double sinks; indoor laundry w/sink; office;&more. Home is ready for any family to plant their roots here,move in & call home for a long time! For detailed information call the help line at: 1-800-882-0235 Details Asking Price: 399,000 MLS: 20900467 Sq. Feet: 2358 Lot Size: 8712 Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 3 # of Floors: 1 Garage Size: 3 Subdivision: Rolling Hills Year Built: 1992 Contact InfoLinda & Ken Pillard Cell 530-713-6121 D... 01/07/2009

Kaiser hospital has built a green building in North Vacaville, they have nearly finished it, and yet again this year they have delayed the opening until next year. Bad economy is not helping it, but we still like seeing our new hospital because we know they must someday open it, because there it is. Last month, November 2008, they did open up some of the medical specialty offices in the new hospital. This place is built green and it is green. SCIF, State Compensation Insurance just opened up a new, large office complex of buildings, put the solar panels up over the parking lot, shading the employees' cars, this will serve as a nice surprise in the summer when the employees get into their cars after working all day and the car is not so hot in the summer sun. Located in Vacaville Califor... 12/13/2008

Leave it to the State Compensation Insurance Fund, the quasi-public workers’ compensation insurer based in San Francisco, to bring more green building to the Bay Area. Okay, we’re stretching it a little to call Vacaville the Bay Area but what’s a few miles for a true green building. The fact that the $77 million green campus that consists of three 85,000-square-foot buildings diverted more than 20 percent of the building materials from the nasty old landfills. Much of those materials included concrete and cork and rubber flooring. Not only did the architect HOK and Milpitas-based Devon Construction reduce waste by using recycled building materials, but State Fund diverted a whopping 75 percent of construction waste away from landfills to recycling vendors. This campus which expects to r... 11/07/2008

Esparto Time Trial:  I borrowed an oh-eight Orbea Ora TT bike; picked it up Thursday, Chris helped me fit it and we had a short ride.  Friday I took it out on last year's Dunlap TT route, about 34 miles.  I felt good, although new muscles hurt due to the aggressive position. So conditions were similar to last year's TT, and I felt strong and ready.  Around the first corner and bam!  Hello, headwind.  Ugh.  I pushed but admit to feeling defeated by the wind and some of the rollers.  Couldn't maintain my speed like I did in practice, either.  After the turnaround I felt renewed and picked up the pace.  I was so focussed that my peripheral vision kind of faded away -- I knew there was stuff to look at, but couldn't be distracted.  At the 1 KM sign I kicked it up and hammered.  At the 100 m... 08/10/2008

When not showing property and writing offers and praying that one of them will stick, I'm on my bike.  Not the tandem, but on the lovely Diva. I have a time trial on Sunday and a local road race on the following Saturday.  I went on a small group training ride on Tuesday and found new pain.  I'll be re-finding that pain again tonight, possibly tomorrow, and certainly on Sunday. It dulls the pain of the business being less than stellar. 08/07/2008

Hi Everyone, It's Barrett Adams, from Prudential California Real Estate. I had a busy weekend, (and I didn't work). I started Friday off early.  Tee time at the Bing Maloney Golf Course was 7:15 am.    I did "ok."  I missed my first "birdie" on a par 5 by 2″  I need to work on my driving and putting though.   My mid range game was my strength. After the round of golf and lunch I drove back to Suisun and spent the rest of the day on my inlaw's sailboat.  We watched the fireworks that evening as they reflected off of the Suisun Marina's water.  My boys really enjoyed the show. Saturday morning we went to Bodega Bay.  It was windy, and cool.  Just what my family needed when Vacaville was nearing the 100's. Sunday morning I puttered around the home fixing things and playing junior gardner. ... 07/09/2008

Are you hungry?  Do you love Thai food?  Well....A new Thai restaurant has just opened in Vacaville, CA called the Rose Garden, and their food is absolutely delicious!  It is so good that I had to go back there a second time within 3 days.  Not only are they delicious, but affordable as well!  I ordered 3 main dishes, and 2 large Thai tea's, and I only spent $26 dollars.  Anywhere else around here and I would have payed $40.  Their customer service is awesome.  Not once did I have an empty glass. Their pitcher of water not only has a lemon in it but slices of apples ( I have never seen that before), and on the top of the straw there is a rosebud shaped cover made with the straws wrapping paper! The reason why I went a second time was because I HAD to take my friend to this awesome resta... 03/15/2008

Author: Ryan vivo SOLANO COUNTY REAL ESTATE Westgate A Foxboro Neighborhood Vacaville, Solano County Ca   Westgate  is one of the neighborhoods in the Foxboro community.  These homes were built around 1999-2000.   Floor plan numbers for homes in the Westgate neighborhood are as follows.    Bedrooms                    Baths                Square Ft. 3                                  2.5                   1,659 3                                  2                      1,708 4                                  2.5                   1,659 4                                  3                      1,861 If you are looking to live in the Westgate neighborhood, or anywhere in Fairfield, Suisun City, Vacaville, Vallejo, or Dixon please feel free to contact me at 707-384-5894. If you are looking... 03/02/2008

Author: Ryan vivo SOLANO COUNTY REAL ESTATE Westgate Village A Foxboro Neighborhood Vacaville, Solano County Ca   Westgate Village is one of the neighborhoods in the Foxboro community.  These homes were built around 2001.   Floor plan numbers for homes in the  Westgate Village neighborhood are as follows.    Bedrooms                    Baths                Square Ft. 3                                  2.5                   1,607 3                                  2.5                   1,597 3                                  2.5                   2,039 4                                  2.5                   2,039    If you are looking to live in the Westgate Village neighborhood, or anywhere in Fairfield, Suisun City, Vacaville, Vallejo, or Dixon please feel free to contact me at 707-... 03/02/2008

Author: Ryan vivo Foxboro  Villages A Foxboro Neighborhood Vacaville, Solano County Real Estate   Foxboro Villages is one of the neighborhoods in the Foxboro community.  These homes were built between mid to late 80’s.   Floor plan numbers for homes in the Foxboro Villages  neighborhood are as follows.    Bedrooms                    Baths                Square Ft. 3                                  2                      1,577 3                                  2.5                   2,040 4                                  2                      1,756 4                                  3                      2,777 4                                  3                      2,258 *Information given is deemed to be reliable but may not be 100% accurate.    If you are looking to live in the... 03/02/2008

The MeadowlandsSolano County Real Estate                If you are looking for a community with a mix of older, and newer homes then Meadowlands is for you.  Homes here are built as early as 1990 through 2001.  If your looking for safety the Meadowlands Community has a very strong neighborhood watch program, believe me I know from experience.  I was stopped while doing this neighborhood profile.  Meadowlands main cross streets are Leisure Town road and Alamo.  There is a beautiful view of a meadow/plain that runs alongside Leisure Town Road.  These homes fall under the Vacaville Unified School District. Common floor plan numbers are as follows-   Bedrooms                    Baths                Square Ft. 3                                  2                      1,614 3                ... 03/02/2008

Author: Ryan Vivo Alamo Place Vacaville Solano County, CA   If you are looking for homes with a unique architectural design, then the Alamo Place neighborhood is for you.  Alamo Place gives and expresses a feeling of invitation and elegance upon entering it. The exterior of these homes are built with stucco, most roofs are Spanish/Clay Tile, and many properties contain a “tandem garage”.   These Vacaville homes were built in 2004-2005 and the neighborhood still retains its feeling of newly built homes.  The interior of these homes are impeccable and very spacious, saying the least.  Alamo Place falls under the Travis Unified School District, and is about 5-10 minutes away from Travis Air Force Base. If you are looking for a home with a neighborhood that captures your attention, then Al... 03/01/2008

Author: Ryan Vivo Foxboro Community    Vacaville, SOLANO COUNTY REAL ESTATE INFORMATION     The Foxboro community is one of Vacaville’s established communities and is located in the southern part of Vacaville.  It’s is one of the closer neighborhoods to Travis Air  Force Base.  There are two main parks in the Foxboro Community and they are the John Arlington Park, and the Pheasant Country Park.   The John Arlington Park has 4 baseball fields, 1 Playground, and has one empty field of green for your leisure.  The Pheasant Country Park contains a full sized basketball court, 2 Playgrounds, workout stations while jogging, a cement path for jogging, barbeque pits and tables for having a party, and it is surrounded by empty fields of grass.  The neighborhoods of Foxboro are as follows, Westg... 03/01/2008

Today Feb 29,2008 Vacaville residential mls data were as follows:452 Vacaville ACTIVE Single Family residential listings99 Days on market average$438,382 Average List Price$238/sf average asking price on current active market1856sf average size of the average home on the market Dec 10, 2007 Market Stats Vacaville Active Listings 9:53 PM Stats - Averages- Bareis MLS DEC 10, 2007 9:46PM Listing $SqFtListing Pr/SqFtDOMResidential (457) $481,6211876$258107 These stats are AVERAGE statistics for single family homes in Vacaville, Ca 12/10/2007 Active LISTINGS ONLYThe same criteria for August 27, 2006:572 Vacaville ACTIVE SFR listings72 Days on market average$526,782 Average list price$297/sf average asking price1812sf Average size 02/29/2008

Date- Feb 5, 2008-It appears as if the current number of REO listings vs NOD/Foreclosure listings has now tipped toward a higher number of bank owned homes than NOD homes on today's active market, that, combined with the historically low interest rates and the popularity of Solano county as a centrally located, even climate, clean, friendly people, relatively low crime rates, beautiful area with a good steady source of local jobs and commute proximity to even higher paying bay area jobs without the high density living associated with the bay area makes Solano county real estate market's outlook look possibly a little rosier today than it did in say, September of 2007.The banks are now dealing with offers coming in on short sale homes, instead of collecting the offers and letting them la... 02/05/2008

  Bush is hailing the deal with congressional leaders on tax rebates and business tax cuts as "an effective, robust and temporary set of incentives" that will boost not only the U.S. economy, but other world markets..Congressional leaders announced the deal with the White House today on an economic stimulus package that would give most tax filers refunds of $600 to $1,200, and more if they have children.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Congress would act on the agreement - hammered out in a week of intense negotiations with Republican Leader John A. Boehner and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson - "at the earliest date, so that those rebate checks will be in the mail."The checks could be in the mail as early as June!!!While the sitmulus plan and the recent fed rate cuts have helped to lowe... 01/24/2008

So you are looking to buy a home in Vacaville.  In this eddition of Golden Nuggets we will take a look at Down Payment Assistance and First Time Home Buyer programs in the Solano County, CA City of Vacaville.  There is $68,000 in Down Payment Assistance available for the purchase of your New Home.  The funds may be in the form of grants, gifts and silent seconds with affordable housing covenants and/or equity share restrictions.  Funds may come from the City, County, State, or other Agencies and Non-Profits.Summary: The City of Vacaville does not currently have a Down Payment Assistance Program or First Time Home Buyer program available directly through them.  Assistance may be available from County, State and other resources.The State of California offers up to an additional 6% in assi... 01/13/2008

Dec 10, 2007 Market Stats Vacaville Active Listings December 10th, 2007 9:53 PM Quick Stats - Averages- Bareis MLS DEC 10, 2007 9:46PM Listing $SqFtListing Pr/SqFtDOMResidential (457) $481,6211876$258107 These stats are AVERAGE statistics for single family homes in Vacaville, Ca 12/10/2007 Active LISTINGS ONLYThe same criteria for August 27, 2006:572 Vacaville ACTIVE SFR listings72 Days on market average$526,782 Average list price$297/sf average asking price1812sf Average sizeMY LISTING at 367 Oak Valley Drive is listed at $220/sf!!!! Call today to see it! MY LISTING at 4337 The Masters Drive ON THE GOLF COURSE @ Paradise Valley is priced at only $227/sf!!!! -Barbara Adams, Realtor with Kappel and Kappel Inc. 707-673-7500 VacaHomes.com or  NapaSolanoHomes.com For your growing Solano fam... 12/16/2007

Okay . . . . Okay . . . I know its already the 8th of October and I am just now posting my market report for September, but its been a busy month already!  These statistics are taken from BAREIS MLS as of Oct. 8, 2007; Information is for the Browns Valley neighborhood of Vacaville only. ACTIVE LISTINGS: Listings: 87,   Avg sqft: 1975,   Avg DOM: 87,   Avg Price: $514,225,   Low Price: $234,900,   High Price: $849,000  PENDING HOMES:Homes: 11,   Avg sqft: 2188,   Avg DOM: 60,   Avg Price: $532,550,   Low Price: $324,500,   High Price: $769,900 SOLD HOMES:  Homes: 9,   Avg sqft: 1833,   Avg DOM: 89,   Avg Price: $437,433,   Low Price: $180,000,   High Price: $690,000  If you have any questions about this data, homes in Browns Valley, or real estate in general do not hesitate to contact me... 10/08/2007