Kirsten's Sonoma Real Estate Blog

Brilliant news on this grey and drizzly day here in Sonoma Valley.   Folks who live in Sonoma, Glen Ellen, Kenwood and other communities throughout the valley are making the most of our generally sunny weather by solar-powering their homes.  Check out the story published today in our local paper, the Sonoma Index Tribune: 

http://www.sonomanews.com/articles/2009/12/23/news/doc4b32cd1141ed7339920822.txt

If you want information on real estate in Sonoma Valley, please contact me when the time is right!

Here's a look at the last available sales data for Sonoma County real estate sales, courtesy of the Sonoma County Real Estate Trends Report for December 2009: 

Although the median price for single family re-sale homes fell 1.4% from October, it was up 9.3% year-over-year. That's the second month in a row the median price has been even with or higher than the year ago price.

The average price for homes gained 6.6% from October and was up 17.2% over last year.

After a strong October, driven in part by the first-time home buyers tax credit, which was set to expire October 31, sales fell in November: down 14.7% from October but off only 0.3% year-over-year. With the extension and expansion of the home-buyers tax credit, we expect sales to pick up and for the first quarter to be very strong. Year-to-date, home sales are up 11.2%.

Condo sales rebounded strongly last month by gaining 50% over October, and they were up 10.8% year-over-year. Year-todate, condo sales are up 25.5%. The median price for condos fell 86% from October, but was up 6% year-over-year. The average price fell 3% monthover-month, but was up 24.5% compared to last November.

Happy New Year Everyone!

People move to Sonoma Valley and greater Sonoma County for lots of reasons including a slower pace of living and Sonoma's world renowned bounty of locally grown foods and wines.   And then, many folks are drawn to the natural beauty we are blessed with here.   It's not just the landscapes and our stunning valley, hillside and coastal views.  We have such an abundance of plant and animal life that's it's easy to feel naturally at home or "one-with-nature" here.  So, it's only logical that there's growing interest in another upcoming holiday season event:  the Sonoma Valley Christmas Bird Count.

The bird count actually takes place on New Year's Day...from early daylight to dusk.  I participated last year and it was terrific fun, even in the rain.  The day ends with a pot luck gathering at the Sonoma Community Center where birders enjoy...yes...those locally grown foods and wines...while group leaders report their numbers for the tally.  Last year we counted 170 species including these American Goldfinch. 

There's lots more to find out at sonomabirding.org.  The deadline to sign up is this Sunday December 27th.  It's a great alternative to watching football!   Will I see you there?

I may be living and selling real estate in what we affectionately call Slow-noma but folks in Sonoma Valley are working quickly to utilize the internet and the ubiquitous I-Phone to reach out and stay in touch as reported in this newspaper story.   What's really interesting to me about this is we've got the highest median age for our residents of any town or city in the entirety of Sonoma County.  Most recently I believe it was somewhere around 45.    We are a popular second home market, though, and many of these part-time home-owners are younger and they work in the San Francisco Bay Area's technology sector.  And, we actually have a fair number of retired and very successful technology pioneers living in Sonoma, Glen Ellen, and Kenwood (all in Sonoma Valley) full time.  But, an I-Phone "App" just for Sonoma?  Are there other towns,cities that have their own "apps?"

The Jenner Headlands, a treasured and signature coastal landscape in Sonoma County,  is now protected for the enjoyment of future generations.  The word came today that the hard work and dedication of the Sonoma Land Trust made this dream for many come true:

 http://www.sonomalandtrust.org/protect/campaigns/jenner/jenner.html

What a magnificent Holiday gift for those of us who live in this incredibly beautiful place.

The Sonoma Land Trust just had its holiday party and what a feel-good time it was.  Lovely people with big hearts and kind souls shared great food and drink at Anne Teller's White Barn in Glen Ellen.  Anne's late husband, environmentalist Otto Teller, is largely credited with launching SLT in the '70's and Anne and her daughter Arden provided the barn for this year's event.

Author and Sonoma State University Professor Jonah Raskin wrote a holiday poem especially for the Sonoma Land Trust:

Trust the Land

The land knows.

The land speaks to us

if only you and I might

listen to it,

learn its language

live in concert with it,

so we might live

more harmonious lives ourselves,

so our children might

revel in green hills,

open fields, wooded tracts,

so our grandchildren

might live at all.

Hear the tale of the land today,

know that the land remembers.

Trust the land

everyday of the year,

trust the land,

trust the land.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE...

from Sonoma Valley.

Word is getting around that Sonoma County's public agencies are shutting down for 12 days...starting on Christmas Eve.  This means, among many other things, that no residential real estate transactions will be recorded during that time because the recorder's office will only be handling land sales.

More info can be found at the county's website:   http://www.sonoma-county.org/mto.htm

This leaves 8 days folks...for getting those deals done by the end of 2009!  Yipes.  Are other counties in the same mode? 

Tis the Season in Sonoma Valley.  Our wineries are gearing up for another fun holiday event featuring Gingerbread in their tasting rooms.  Read about it in the Sonoma Index Tribune and think about Sonoma wines as gifts for your clients...both buyers and sellers:

http://www.sonomanews.com/articles/2009/11/30/entertainment/doc4b14803eb261c365536320.txt

More about Sonoma coming soon!

Tis the season in Sonoma Valley and our local wineries are geting in the spirit.   Gingerbread and Chardonnay?  Pinot?  Zin?  Read all about it in the Sonoma Index Tribune:

 http://www.sonomanews.com/articles/2009/11/30/entertainment/doc4b14803eb261c365536320.txt

As I've said before, I'm not working for the Sonoma Valley Visitor's Bureau (or the Sonoma Valley Vinters Association) but ....a bottle of Sonoma wine makes a great holiday gift for clients, and prospective buyers and sellers.   Helps get 'em in the mood!