Get Your Docs In A Row? What does that mean? Don’t you mean get my DUCKS in a row? I do not even have a pond, so how is that possible? Get your DOCS in a row silly…have all of your financial documents ready to share with your mortgage broker.

Getting Your Docs In A Row reminds me a little of Jerry Maguire. Remember when Jerry is telling Row Tidwell to lose the chip on his shoulder and be more a team player…pleading with him..”Help Me Help You…Help Me Help You!” Well even if you do not remember, it all comes down to helping your mortgage broker or lender help you. Once they have all of your necessary paperwork, they can tell you how much you qualify for, what rate you qualify for, and this information coupled with your income, down payment, credit score, anticipated closing costs, etc. will tell you how much you can spend on your new home.

The items your mortgage broker / lender will likely need are as follows:

• Pay Stubs – w-2’s, 1099’s, anything that proves your income
• Tax Returns – Your LAST 2 YEARS of tax returns
• Any Other Loan Or Credit Line Information – lender information, loan numbers, balances, monthly amounts owed, interest rates, payoff information)
• Bank Account Statements – The most recent statements showing available funds (this will prove your ability to make a down payment and pay for closing costs)

So if you have recently started your Sonoma County Home Search, or are already looking and have not yet spoken to a Mortgage Broker / Lender…what is your next order of Business? Get Your Docs In A Row and speak to a lending professional to find out how they can help you. The lending professional will help you find out what price range you should focus on, and help you figure out when is the best time to lock in a mortgage rate.

Fountaingrove is receiving increased attention as there was a lot of construction during 2004 – 2007. Many of the loans that were taken out on Fountaingrove Homes were Interest Only Adjustable Rate Mortgage loans, and as these loans readjust to including principal as well, there are many High End short sales and High End Foreclosures that are coming on the market NOW. These well priced homes are making a well known name is the Sonoma County Luxury Real Estate market more affordable. Do not get me wrong, even though there are foreclosures in Fountaingrove, this is a high end area, and one that should be considered if you want Sonoma County luxury homes.

Mayacama Country Club is the highest priced neighborhood in all of Sonoma County. The lifestyle here is amazing…European Style Spa, Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, and sweeping views from most homesites, are just the beginning. This neighborhood was designed around the laid back Tuscan lifestyle that most people only read about; however we are able to experience right here in Sonoma County. If the price tag of Mayacama is too high to purchase, they do offer a lodging club, similar to a 5 star hotel experience, with 35 night stays in intimate casitas and villas. Mayacama is a name synonymous with Sonoma County Luxury Homes…ultra luxury to be more specific.

For others, their Luxury Real Estate experience is defined by peace and serenity. We have regular inquiries regarding upscale homes with acreage. The goal for this set of buyers is to be away from it all, and have a place without the noise or disturbances of the outside world. There is a market for the secluded estate lifestyle, and there are a number of properties from which to choose. The prices have come down in this market segment, and vary greatly as the homes amenities and amount of land vary.

There is yet another set of luxury home buyers who see a Petaluma Farmhouse as their ideal home choice. The majority of the price and value here is in the large tracts of land available, and sometimes the Business of a small working farm holds considerable value as well. The rolling hills of Petaluma are certainly beautiful, and the farm lifestyle is the ultimate happiness to some.

Petaluma Victorian Homes are another example of some people’s view of Sonoma County Luxury Real Estate. These vintage gems are certainly a rare commodity, most are in a great location (walkable to fun and lively downtown Petaluma), and most are highly sought after. We have written about Petaluma Victorians in the past, and these tend to be some of the higher priced homes in Petaluma, in many cases these are the choice of many luxury home buyers. There is a niche market of buyers who want a unique vintage property, and a Petaluma Heritage Home offers a unique vintage charm that cannot be duplicated.

Sonoma County Vineyard Estates are another popular home choice of luxury buyers. We do have different types of buyers for this property; from people who want to work with their hands, to people who love agriculture, and others who see it as a Business venture. Many choose to purchase a home with an existing vineyard, as it does take time and money to set up vines, irrigation, and the time it takes to see the first fruit of the first harvest can be more than some are willing to wait for. Some do purchase raw land and build it all, but this is the exception, as the land fertility may be in question.

We also have people who have heard the call of the ocean, and want to live in Coastal Sonoma in areas such as Bodega Bay, The Sea Ranch, etc. Most choose homes with 180 degree views of the Pacific Ocean. We agree that there is definitely something calming about the Ocean, and the sunsets in Western Sonoma County. Prices can easily be in the 7 figure category on the coast, however, we are finding many great opportunities starting in the $500,000 range, as the current economic conditions have changed the vacation home market.

As we stated, Sonoma County Luxury Real Estate usually means one of the above home types, however there are certainly other options from which to choose.

If you have any questions regarding Sonoma County Luxury Real Estate, please do not hesitate to ask us. We look forward to hearing from you.

Luxury Real Estate, as defined by Wikipedia, is a niche of Real Estate dedicated to the highest economic group of property buyers. I suppose I cannot argue with that definition, however, when I tend to think of Luxury Real Estate, I think of the durable good itself (luxury homes) and not necessarily the economic group of those who purchase it. After all, I know many people who are in the top 1% of all American wage earners who are currently buying up entry levels homes, duplexes, and fourplexes as diversified investment vehicles. They have noted that one can purchase a property, rent it out for more than the mortgage would be, and cash flow each month. Some will “get paid to wait” until prices return, sell the properties for a gain, and then buy bonds…as you know, you do not buy bonds to get rich, you buy them to stay rich. Anyway…the fact that high wage earners can by any type of properties, is the reason why I tend to think of the homes themselves when thinking of Luxury Real Estate. Going with that thought, I usually associate the term luxury with home of at least $500,000, and much higher in some areas.

Sonoma County Luxury Real Estate comes in all shapes and sizes. Whatever your view of Luxury Real Estate is, we are sure that Sonoma County offers it. Whether it is a hilltop estate in the Fountaingrove hills, a luxury golf course home at the Tuscan inspired Mayacama Country Club, a gated home, maybe a French style villa, on acreage away from neighbors, a Petaluma farmhouse with plenty of land, an estate with land for a small vineyard, or a contemporary Bodega Bay Home overlooking the Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County really does offer it all.

When buyers talk to us about Luxury Real Estate, they usually speak about one of the scenarios above, and I will talk about each in limited detail….In Tomorrow’s Article!

FREE Sonoma County Foreclosure Lists are a great asset for all buyers, included the investment monded buyer. Many of our clients had paid for this same exact service from other sources, and realize how much money they would have saved just by talking to us. Even better is the fact that we can customize your list to show you exactly what you want to see, not every single foreclosure or short sale…if you want to see all of the properties…great, we can provide that, or we can save you time with a customized list.

Many people look at foreclosures as the best way to buy the best priced Sonoma County Real Estate. We like to think a great Real Estate agent on your side is also essential.

We Offer Free Lists Of:

• Bank Owned Homes
• Bank Owned Luxury Homes
• Bank Owned Condos
• Bank Owned Townhomes
• Bank Owned Investment Properties
• Bank Owned Commercial Properties
• Bank Owned Land

We offer free foreclosure and short sale lists for Sonoma County, Napa County, Marin County, Solano County, and Lake County as well. If you need these lists beyond those areas, be sure to ask for a list of our contacts in other areas…we have a trusted network of Real Estate professionals in many areas.

Foreclosures and short sales are not just limited to low priced properties. There are many foreclosures in all price ranges, from properties under $100,000 to well over $1 million dollars, and include areas such as Rohnert Park, Sebastopol, Santa Rosa, Fountaingrove, Petaluma, Cotati, Penngrove, Sonoma, etc. Contact us via this website (contact info at top right of this page) or at WineCountryMoves.com to sign up.

So once you have the free list of Sonoma County Foreclosures and Short Sales, what do you do when you have found a house? Call us to set up a showing of the home and discuss details of writing any offers. We have years of experience helping people buy and sell foreclosures and short sales and we can help you navigate the process with ease. We will give you an objective view of the market, keep you up to date all all relevant items, and advise you of offers that will give you the best chance at saving money and getting the home of your dreams.

Visit Foreclosure Buying Tips to learn more about buying foreclosures. Should you have any questions regarding Sonoma County Foreclosures or Sonoma County Short Sales feel free to contact us; we look forward to hearing from you and helping you save money.

There are many buyers, and so few homes on the market, it makes things tough for those who want to purchase a home. There are many reasons to buy RIGHT NOW…the $8,000 Home Buyer Tax Credit (disappears on December 1st), extremely low Sonoma County Mortgage Rates, and the fact that a mortgage payment right now is less than rent on a similar property in many cases.

All of Sonoma County is experiencing a shortage of homes for sale. From entry level homes in Santa Rosa, to mid range priced homes in Rohnert Park, to Petaluma, the new affordable San Francisco escape, and even to the high end  Fountaingrove and Mayacama Country Club, supply is nowhere to be found. Well priced homes are selling in days, no longer months.

We have the buyers, the buyers have the motivation, and now all we need is the supply of homes.

Fountaingrove Village makes high class living more convenient. With access to the basics (if you call gourmet food and wine, espresso, and the salon the basics) then Fountaingrove Village is the place to go for local residents.

Fountaingrove is a large area, and “The Village” is one of the central hubs of activity. Fountaingrove Village is located right across from the entrance of Fountaingrove Golf And Athletic Club.

Fountaingrove is a luxury area, certainly one of the nicer areas in all of Sonoma County. With the introduction of Fountaingrove Village, it will surely remain one of the nicer areas with added convenience and upscale establishments.

The shops at Fountaingrove Village include the following stores:

• Traverso’s Gourmet Foods Wine & Spirits
• Fountaingrove Cleaners
• The Loft Salon
• PINK – A Boutique
• Centro Espresso
• Bell Investment Advisors
• North American Health Care, Inc.

Fountaingrove Village is located at 2055 – 2097 Stagecoach Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95404, right across from the entrance of Fountaingrove Golf And Athletic Club.

Foxtail Golf Club right here in Rohnert Park is a great place to play. Foxtail is located near the Doubletree Hotel, right near The Golden Bean.The setting is nice, the grounds are relatively well maintained, but the sand could use a little work. A round there can be very inexpensive…especially for resident seniors who can golf for $17.00 on the South Course during the week.

Fountaingrove Golf Course is an amazing place to play. This is a private course, so you will need to know and be invited to play with a member in order to play the 6,940 yard work of art. The Fountaingrove Golf Course was designed by Ted Robinson Senior, and is a challenging course set in the oak lined hills of northeast Santa Rosa. Golf here is not cheap, ranging from $70 to $85 per round for guests, weekdays and weekends/holidays respectively, and $125+ for reciprocals. Membership is not too expensive, currently at $30,000 for full golf equity, and there are varying levels of membership as well. Fountaingrove is one of the best areas of Santa Rosa, and the Fountaingrove Homes are true showpieces of Fountaingrove Real Estate. Fountaingrove Golf Club is one of the prettiest and best maintained golf courses I have seen.

Now we come to Mayacama Golf Club. Does it get any better than this 6,761 yard Jack Nicklaus Design? Not in Sonoma County. This course is consistently ranked in Golf Digest’s Top 100 Courses. The sourrounding neighborhood is inspired by Tuscan villages, and the designers certainly hit their mark. Who knew Italy was so close to Santa Rosa? Is it tough to get on this course…YES! There is no public golf, only golf if you are a member or guest of a member. Membership is also by Invitation only. This place is truly magical, make it there if you can. The way the shadows dance in the half lit canyons at dusk is really remarkable, however it won’t help you make a 15 footer to save par. The landscape is graced with mountains and valleys that are cut by streams and rivers. The location is truly magical.

Sonoma Golf Club At The Fairmont Mission Inn And Spa - Sonoma County Golf

Another place we have discussed before is the Sonoma Golf Club at the The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn And Spa. The Sonoma Golf Club course plays 7,100 yards from the championship tees. This is a premium course, and with that comes a premium cost. The cost is $215 per round…which includes range balls and a golf cart…the included range balls and golf cart do not really soften the $215 price to be honest. I have played at a lot of nice courses, from Pinehurst to Trump National West (formerly Ocean Trails) and none came with a price tag that even approached $200. The setting is beautiful though, and the course is forgiving. This would not be my first choice of places to play in Sonoma County, mainly due to the cost, but it is definitely a great place to play, stay and relax at the spa.

See you on the course.

“I am looking for a home in the million dollar range and am curious about foreclosures. Do foreclosures go up to these price ranges? Do foreclosures in the million dollar price range offer better deals than homes that are sold by individual homeowners? Can you provide a list of high end foreclosures?”

Excellent questions!

Foreclosures come in all shapes, sizes, and price ranges. There are currently a number of high end foreclosures from which buyers can choose, even million dollar foreclosures.

High end foreclosures are currently available from Petaluma to Rohnert Park and from Sebastopol to Santa Rosa. There are even foreclosures located in such elite neighborhoods as Fountaingrove and Mayacama Country Club. You heard correctly, some Fountaingrove Homes that are for sale are foreclosures and offer great buying opportunities.

In many cases, high end foreclosures do offer better deals than homes that are sold by the homeowner, however the real answer comes down to equity. The more equity in the home, the lower the price can go before the seller really starts to feel the pain. In the case of a foreclosure the bank may end up selling the home for less than they are owed, hurting company performance. In the case of a homeowner selling for less than they owe their bank or lender, they may need to come to the closing table with cash, just to close the transaction. The seller can also try a short sale, however short sales require lender approval, and may depend on the owners other assets. If the owner has other substantial assets, the bank might not approve the short sale, and the owner, if really wanting to sell, may need to liquidate other assets to have cash funds to bring to the closing table in order to close the transaction.

Foreclosures come in all shapes, sizes and prices. Foreclosures offer Real Estate buyers the opportunity to buy assets for prices that are largely discounted relative to the market. I believe that in a few years, people who did not purchase a property in this market will wonder why they did not buy a foreclosure, and those who bought one will wonder why they did not buy more. Home buyers in all price ranges should consider foreclosures as they can offer some great values. In the past, some people have been wary of foreclosures because they feel the property condition may be lacking…that may have been the case in the past, however, with so many foreclosures on the market today, many appear to be in very good condition.

And to answer the last question, Yes, we can provide a list of high end foreclosures, as well as foreclosures at all price ranges. This is the same information many people pay for from outside services, however we provide this service for free…with daily email alerts as well…how great is that?

Visit us at WineCountryMoves.com to search all available homes, including high end foreclosures.

Interested in looking at the different fountain grove home styles to choose from? Click on this link for more details.

Interested in finding out your fountaingrove home value ? Call me directly, 707-771-0338 or fill out the form here .

If you haven’t noticed already there has been a change of scene to Fountaingrove. If you have been waiting for the moment to buy a home in Fountaingrove the moment may well have arrived. At one time, not too long ago, you couldn’t even think of purchasing a property for less than the $900,000 range. Now, we are finding some Fountaingrove Homes priced in the mid $550,000 range. Let me repeat…THERE ARE HOMES IN FOUNTAINGROVE IN THE $550,000 RANGE.

If you want the ultimate mix of luxury, big views, and convenience in Sonoma County, Fountaingrove may be the place for you. Check out some Fountaingrove homes for sale by clicking here or call me directly, 707-771-0338.

See Some Fountaingrove Home Styles Below: