Benicia, CA

Coldwell Banker Solano Pacific has a team supporting The Cancer Relay For Life. Our team is called the Cancer Buster Sole Patrol. Round Table Pizza in Benicia, CA is allowing us to take over their restaurant for an evening to help support the Cancer Relay event. 20% of the proceeds will promptly be donated to the Relay For Life fundraiser.

On Tuesday, May 6th from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Southampton Shoping Center in Benicia, California we will be taking over. Our team and supporting Realtors will be serving pizza, and clearing tables to do our part. Round Table Pizza will do their part by baking up their delicious pizzas for us to enjoy, and donate 20% of all proceeds rceived within this four hour period.

Now my appeal to all of you in our area:

Please come support the cause. All you have to do is come down, and have a pizza dinner. Bring your family and friends. Tell someone else to join you. The more, the merrier. I hope it's standing room only, and if it is; I promise to give you my seat. :-)

• Come experience 'A Tast Of First Street' in Benicia, CA on February 28th from 6 to 9 p.m.
• SAMPLE: the Cuisine of many of First Street's fine reastaurants

• Participating Restaurants

  • Captain Blyther's
  • Double Rainbow
  • First Street Cafe
  • Java Point
  • Matsuri Sushi
  • Nancy's Bake Shop
  • Petals
  • Randy's
  • Sahara
  • Sala Thai
  • Sandoval's
  • The Shoreliine
  • Union Hotel Restaurant
  • Venticello's
• ENTER: a drawing to win a prize from your favorite merchant

  Participating Merchants

  • A Faery Tale
  • Artcentric
  • Be Chir Boutique
  • Benicia Knitting Circle
  • Buttons & Bows
  • Christina S
  • Cooper's Dollhouse
  • Courtyard Customs
  • Down Famiily Lane
  • Earth Touch Wellness
  • Kinder's
  • Kindred Spirits
  • Lindsay Art Studio
  • My Girl
  • Otis Gallery
  • Pioccolo
  • Posh
  • Romancing the Home
  • Shiroco's
  • Studio 41
  • Urban Alternatives
  • Wellness Wisdom
  • Wine Miles
  • ENJOY: live music and wine tasting

Event tickets are $35. per adult ansd include a taste of all participating restaurants and two glasses of wine with glass. The drawing tickets are $5. each, or three for $10., or ten for $20.

Event tickets can be purchased at Benicia Main Street, 90 First Street or Bookshop Benicia located at 856 Southampton Road. For more information, call 745-9791 or visit http://www.info@beniciamainstreet.org/.

When Green Valley Mortgage expanded into the whole top floor of 909 First St. the managers at the time rushed to move desks and copiers and put up bulletin boards. The building's character was of little concern; the high ceilings, crown moldings, the turn-of-the-century character was just lost. Also of little concern was the enclosed outdoor patio visible to the whole office and accessed through French doors.

Despite my descriptive prose, this is not a fading monument to mortgage excesses but rather an office space that can put on more than one face. By relocating desks and better identifying task areas I was able to free up a fair amount of 'floor space' to install a rotating art gallery. (point of clarification, the art work rotates, the office doesn't, pardon my grammar)

This is a not-for-profit venture aimed to create not only a great place top park your laptop but also to fit in with the art community that is strong in Benicia, CA. Our first show opened December 7th and displayed work by fourteen artists, mostly local, some nationally and one internationally acclaimed.

This venture was met with rave reviews but alas, must come to close. We hosted two meet-and-greets and put the wheels in motion for an outdoor seminar series on the deck, weather permitting, in the spring.

I'll be replacing the works with a bunch of vintage posters I own as an interim display while I think of the next theme and begin to contact artists for participation.

If you're in our neck of the woods call or email for current gallery info and hours. The coffee pot is always on (even fresh grounds as escrows permit, lol).

Tonight is the Arts Benicia opening party for their next exhibit, The Art of a Community. Google them 'Arts Benicia' for details

So you are looking to buy a home in Benicia. 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 Benicia. 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 Benicia 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 assistance through several programs designed to help First Time Home Buyers, plus a bonus of $7,500 because Benicia is a high cost area.

Special financing may also be available, including additional Down Payment Assistance and Below Market Interest Rates. Restrictions Apply.

To see if you are eligible for assistance contact Nate Ellis.

or Call 888-808-NATE (6283)

Nate Ellis "Mr. Danke Schoen" is the Vice President of the Contra Costa Realtors in Motion(CCRIM) real estate marketing group. Nate Ellis specializes in assisting First Time Home Buyers with no money down by leveraging Down Payment Assistance in the form of grants and "silent seconds". Nate Ellis is a certified lender for the City of Walnut Creek, City of Concord and City of Pittsburg First Time Home Buyer program, as well as several other San Francisco Bay Area Cities. Nate Ellis is also the Chairman of the Mt Diablo Housing Opportunity Center(MtDHOC) steering committee. The MtDHOC acts as the central resource for Contra Costa County's housing needs and education regarding: First Time Home Buyers, Foreclosure Prevention, Senior Housing and Landlord and Tennant resources. Nate Ellis is also a Certified Money Management Volunteer (CMMV) for Money Management International and assists people with credit evaluation and financial education. Nate Ellis is a certified CalHFA, CalPERS and FHA Lender. Nate Ellis is a Loan Officer for Residential Pacific Mortgage 3201 Danville Blvd, Alamo, CA 94507. Equal Housing Lender. Any rates or programs quoted or referenced are not guaranteed and are subject to terms and conditions. All offers and programs may be withdrawn at any time. ©Copyright 2008 MrDankeSchoen Nate Ellis http://www.cahousingblog.com/ Nate@BuilditBuyitRefiit.com Help a Teacher, Cop, Firefighter or EMT be a Good Neighbor.

Foreclosures are top of mind in today's news. Neighbors, friends, relatives, clients, people in the grocery store, customers waiting in line at the bank, you name it if I wear my badge they will ask about the current market. This is an update to the foreclosure market as of January 12,2008.

What is going on in Benicia? We do not have the same degree of foreclosures/bank owned properties as some parts of the state and country. That is a fact. What is here must be sold. That is a fact. Banks are not in the business to own homes. And that is a fact!

As of 1/12/2008 the multiple listing service for Benicia listed 144 homes for sale. These include condos and single family homes. 10 are foreclosures. They range in price from $259,900 to a high of $859,900. The foreclosure median price of $494,900 compares to $552,500 for a "regular" home. This information is fluid and most likely will change tomorrow as people put in offers this weekend or new homes come on the market.

And guess what? Whether it is bank owned or not, the bottom line is... there are wonderful choices out there. In every size and price. In the hills and down by the water, single family and condos. Benicia is a wonderful place to live so come check it out!

For information about Napa or Vallejo read these blogs: Napa or Vallejo