Groundwater Classification Areas in Sonoma County key to Country Property Possibilities
As part of our Wine Country and Horses Country Property Series we are looking at water sources for country properties. One of the important things to know about your country property is which groundwater classification ares it is in. They range from water rich Zone 1 to very water scarce Zone 4. Sonoma County is huge but LARGE areas of it don't have adequate water to support development, which is why you see so much rugged and lightly occupied wild terrain to the west of Healdsburg for example. In Sebastopol you can go from one street to the next, one ridge to the next, and go from a reasonable Zone 2 to a Zone 3 area. Much of the Santa Rosa plain is water rich Zone 1. Take a look at the map below. [caption id="attachment_1478" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Sonoma County Water Zones range from 1 (Rich) to 4 (Scarce)"][/caption]...
Water and Country Property in Sonoma County
[caption id="attachment_1473" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="70 % of Sonoma County Homes get their water from Private Wells"][/caption] Buying a country property is not like buying a home in a city tract or a subdivision, especially in Sonoma County, where 70 percent of the homes are not hooked in to public water and sewer. Water comes from a well and your sewage is disposed of on site in a septic system. I would never have thought that this liberal arts graduate would have learned so much about well and septic systems, but it is essential knowledge for any realtor who likes to buy and sell country property, as I do. The nature of your well and septic systems and the specific country location you are interested in will impact the scope of what you can do with your property, either from a building and development standard or in terms of livestock and agriculture. The vast majority of country properties here in Sonoma County get their water from wells, although I have sold a few properties which had no well but extensive, well producing springs. I have seen some cool spring houses and catch systems for spring water and oddly they can be a few hundred yards away from properties that barely produce any water from their wells. This is really common for example, along Westside Road that stretches from Forestville through Healdsburg. When you buy a home on well water in Sonoma County you need to know about a few different topics: What is the Groundwater Classification Area for the property? How many Gallons per Minute (GPM) does the well yield? What is the condition of the well pump and related equipment and storage, if any? How is the Water quality? Now don't let this list scare you. Most of these items are treatable, except lack of water of course. If you write an offer on a country property, your realtor will be able to arrange to have qualified professionals inspect the water systems. The cost of the inspections are typically the buyer's responsibility. I think sellers should provide as many of these inspections up front as they can, these inspections especially IF THERE IS ANY QUESTION or concern or doubt about water scarcity or quality in a given location. An experienced country property realtor can also give you a heads up if any of the properties you might be considering could have water "challenges" for your use. If you are...
Sonoma County Real Estate Pending Home Sales Reach New Heights in April 2012
I generally post a whole set of statistic sheets for county wide residential sales in Sonoma County real estate, but wanted to pick one which said it all. This is it. In April 715 homes went under contract to purchase, up from 647 in March, and significantly up over last April and April 2010....
Begin with the End in Mind: How to find your Dream Wine Country Home
Over the last year we have seen a broader range of quality wine country properties for sale in Sonoma County, with sellers who are more realistic about pricing. That combination, and ultra low interest rates, have brought out of the area buyers out in force. In 2011 and 2012 alone I have worked with people from the East Bay, San Francisco, France, the UK, Idaho and Texas for a start. There is a lot of competition for the best properties, and as a smart buyer you will want to do your homework to find the best spot and country package for you! That said, it is possible to find a special property within an hour's drive of the Golden Gate Bridge (more or less) that can give you years of pleasure and rejuvenation. So where do you begin in your search for a wine country home?...
What Holiday Break? January 2012 Sonoma County Real Estate Market Off to a Fast Start
Here I sit on New Year's eve weekend--in the sunshine out by the pool writing some blog posts for the new year. What was going to be a sleepy quiet week between Christmas and New Year's has been anything but! I have written two offers this week and have two new listings coming on the market in the next couple of weeks. Am also getting good activity on some other listings! What gives? Normally this is a pretty quiet time of year in the real estate market but activity has barely taken a breath for the holidays! I am not complaining, not by any means. I think it is a good sign that the market is so active. Other agents I know are very busy, home inspectors are booked solid and there is a decided hint of optimism in the air. Now I realize that there are lots of challenges and difficulties in our economy and the real estate world. About 30% of homeowners owe more than their homes are worth. We are not heading in to a dramatic turnaround anytime soon. By the same token though buyers don't seem to be waiting on the sidelines and sellers with equity also have decided to get back on the playing field. With interest rates ridiculously low, this bodes for a busy January. Welcome to 2012! We will be back this week with a more detailed look at the market for real estate in Sonoma County. Until then, Happy New Year!...
Welcome 2012 in Sonoma County with a Guide to New Year's Celebrations
A good link for finding out the best New Year's Eve celebrations in Sonoma County on December 31, 2011. Happy New Year!...
National Geographic Travel names Sonoma County One of the Top Destinations in the World for 2012
National Geographic named Sonoma County one of the top travel destinations in the world for 2012. Here is a link to the article and a slide show of all the destinations....
Newly Pending Home Sales in Sonoma County up 65% Year over Year October 2011 vs. 2010
Home sales statistics can be an interesting way to understand the timing of a home sale or purchase in Sonoma County, but sometimes it helps to go back a few years to be able to discern trends. Pam Buda, DRE 01381495, takes a look at current market data from a few different angles....
Planning on Building or Remodelling a Sonoma County home? Check out PRMD
Meet Sonoma County's Permit and Resource Management Department,PRMD, a place you will get to know well if you are buying a home in our wine country. Useful links and tips for researching country property in Sonoma County....
The Most Beautiful Time of the Year in Sonoma County Could be Now
Typically we think of springtime or summer as the most beautiful time of the year but for all of October and now November here in Sonoma County wine country of Northern California it feels like right now is the best time of year. We had some early rain (after six typical dry months) in September. The grass has gone from golden brown to emerald green. The vines and trees throughout the county are turning red, gold and orange. The skies have been brilliant blue and the weather has been delightfully warm but not too hot. LOVE IT. Maybe that is part of the reason why the real estate market has been so active this fall. Much busier than the typically busy summer months. Perhaps it is 30 year fixed rate mortgages at 4 percent? Ten year fixed jumbo loans at 3.75%!!! Perhaps it is health of many tech companies and startups in Silicon Valley and San Francisco. Who knows for sure but it has been a great time to be showing and selling property and out and about on these beautiful days. Has kept me away from the blog for a bit. I apologize, and I am back! [caption id="attachment_1326" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="A brilliant November day and old vine zinfandel in the Russian RIver Valley appellation of Santa Rosa, Ca"][/caption]...