Sonoma, CA

Speechless Sunday by Anthony Ebright - Sonoma County Wine Country - Fall Vines

The Sonoma City Council has taken a stand against parents and other adults who provide teenagers with alcohol at parties. The Council passed a new ordinance that mimics others in neighboring counties, including Marin, where a fine of up to $750 may be imposed on those who violate the rule. For the story, click on this link:

http://www.sonomanews.com/articles/2009/11/20/news/doc4b05fe8ccd780526410984.txt

I think this is a great move on the part of Sonoma's elected officials. Does anyone want to weigh in?

As you will see in the charts below the average sales price in the beautiful wine country town of Sonoma continues to be driven by the distress sales.

Volume is picking up a little bit, but nothing to be overly optimistic about.

To learn more about this area visit my website or contact me directly.

If you have questions, just ask!

As of November 6, 2009 an encouraging 40% of available listings in the beautiful wine country town of Sonoma are in escrow.

For the month of October 2009 33 homes sold for an average final selling price of $465,276.

The average original asking price of these homes was $523,709.

The range of final selling prices was from a low of $176,000 to a high of $1,200,000.

Of the 33 homes that sold 1 sold at the original asking price and 10 sold over their original asking price. All other sold for less.

14 of the 33 homes were distress sales.

It took these homes an average of 134 days to sell.

To see everything that is currently available for sale through our MLS, click here.

To learn more about this area, visit my website or feel free to contact me directly.

I believe we can and I hope other Realtors agree, given the pressures we face from clients, developers, and our own financial needs and goals. Don't get me wrong: I also believe in property owner's rights. However, I think we need to balance those rights with enforceable guidelines for building. Who wants to see this hillside covered with homes?

I felt like I stuck my neck out today when I sent an email to an architect who will be working with new clients that are planning an addition/remodel of a home here in Sonoma Valley. I'm concealing his name and theirs but am posting the message below:

"Hi (Mr. Architect): Thanks for updating me on your discussions with (my clients.) I'm so glad you agree they are extraordinary folks. Thanks, too, for the invitation to lunch. As to "issues and sensitivities" regarding development in Sonoma Valley....and, actually, throughout the county...there are ordinances that the Board of Supervisors has adopted that clearly spell out what can and cannot be done along ridge tops...and in scenic view-sheds.

There was a recent article in the Kenwood Press that gives a pretty good overview of the issues and concerns of a significant number of valley residents. My mom is quoted and, to my surprise at the time, so was I: www.kenwoodpress.com/pub/a/3996?full=1 .

To clarify my position, it's all about doing what we can as individuals to maintain the natural beauty, and corresponding aesthetic and economic value of what we have here. I'm a bit unusual in that I'm a Realtor who looks at the very big picture rather than short-term profit. We have fragile natural resources and I think we must protect them, rather than build those "monuments to ourselves" that so many folks seem to "need." My passionate desire is to bring people into this amazingly beautiful environment who share a vision of a future Sonoma Valley that bears no resemblance to Tiburon or Belvedere. Otherwise, we lose what we have here and that would be tragic. I'm not a crusader and I'm certainly not naive about client demands and expectations but I do believe we can be influential and educational when it comes to more sensitive development. I hope you understand. I look forward to opportunities to collaborate with you and your firm to help shape the future of Sonoma Valley...and, yes, the county, too. We all need to do what we can.

Thanks, Kirsten."

I would love to get feedback on this post. Can we....should we....try to encourage sensitive development?