Jane's Blog

Free Buyers Seminar in Sonoma Wednesday Night

Jane Hansen (Coldwell Banker DeAnza Realty) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:22:28 -0500

Please come by if you're in the area. I am hosting a Buyers Seminar on the Plaza in Sonoma from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. at the Coldwell Banker office (9 E Napa). Refreshments will be served. The seminar is free and for informational purposes only. There will be a lender on hand to conduct the seminar and provide useful information about tax credits, available mortgages, interest rates etc. I would love to meet you!

Jane

Top 10 Reasons to Live in Sonoma

Jane Hansen (Coldwell Banker DeAnza Realty) — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 13:57:07 -0500

Reason #10

The terrific coffee shops on the Plaza. Enjoy coffee and a pastry or award winning breads at the Basque Boulangerie or go to the Sunflower Cafe and sit in their awesome garden for breakfast or lunch (bring your dog if you want or your laptop because they have free high speed wireless internet). I have enjoyed many a morning at these 2 spots. You can spend hours chatting with friends in the back garden at the Sunflower Cafe and forget about the world outside or sit outside the Basque and watch the world go by.

Sunflower Cafe

Basque Boulangerie

Next time you come to Sonoma, forgo your Starbucks and try one of these local spots. You'll be glad you did. See you in Sonoma sometime. :)

What a difference the sun makes

Jane Hansen (Coldwell Banker DeAnza Realty) — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 00:44:30 -0600

Isn't it amazing what the sunshine can do to lift the spirits? A couple of sunny days in the 60s and I'm feeling good in Sonoma, CA. What's the weather where you are now?

Feeling "Blogged up" in Sonoma

Jane Hansen (Coldwell Banker DeAnza Realty) — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 12:58:00 -0600

When I first heard about Active Rain and blogging I thought I would blog right away and on a regular basis. I hit the blocks running and ...then...phew....that was it. So, here is my attempt to get through the blog clog and flow once again. I am sitting in our office on the Plaza in Sonoma, CA watching the cars and people go by. Even though it is somewhat chilly the door is ajar to invite all the home buyers into the office. Any second now they will all come pouring in and I'll have to abruptly end this blog. There are actually some great deals to be had on Sonoma homes, but the buyers have gone underground. I don't blame them for being cautious, but they have so much power right now.

I was on the other side of the equation when I was a buyer in 1998 here in Sonoma. My husband and I started looking for a home in April of 1998. Each time we found something relatively in our price range and acceptable we had to put an offer on it the same day. We lost 3 homes to overbidders and finally ended up getting our house in December of 1998. We were lucky because it had just had a price reduction and fallen out of escrow that day. Wouldn't it be nice to have been a Realtor back then. ...Pause for daydreaming...

So anyway. buyers who would like to live in Sonoma, come have a look now. Once things start rolling again you won't have the power that you do now.

Wine Country Kitchen Tour in Sonoma, October 14th

Jane Hansen (Coldwell Banker DeAnza Realty) — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 13:21:59 -0500

If heard that this is a good time for anyone who might be in Sonoma October 14th. A great place to get ideas, enjoy the wine country and have a delicious lunch.

Wine Country Kitchen Tour
Sunday, October 14, 2007 9:30-3:30pm

Tour six Sonoma Valley kitchens, selected for their architectural significance, decor, style, creative use of space and innovation, as well as their uniqueness.

This year's selection includes a 'green' home built using sustainable materials, a newly remodeled Craftsman-style kitchen that maintains its vintage charm, a showcase Italian beauty and more!

Chat with the homeowners, designers or docents, many who are local real estate agents with extensive knowledge, to learn details about the kitchens, their history and interesting remodeling processes, including information about architects, designers and contractors.

An al fresco luncheon will be hosted at one of the homes on the tour in a spectacular setting amongst vineyards, a pond and a beautiful flagstone patio shaded by oak trees. The menu will be prepared by two chefs from Whole Foods, Ben Mohan, the Whole Foods Regional Chef and Matt Murray who is based in Sonoma.

Sonoma Kitchen Tour tickets:
$35 if purchased by September 30th,
$40 after September 30th, and on the day of the tour.
Luncheon buffet tickets are $20. Please reserve by September 30th.

Tickets are available at the Sonoma Community Center office,
276 East Napa Street, Sonoma.
Please contact the SCC office at 707-938-4626 x1

A benefit for the Center's own planned kitchen makeover.
Sponsored in part by Whole Foods, Dacor and Standards of Excellence.

New Barrier Free Playground Ribbon Cutting in Sonoma, CA

Jane Hansen (Coldwell Banker DeAnza Realty) — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 19:40:12 -0500

Yesterday the ribbon was cut on a new, barrier free playground in Sonoma, CA at the Sonoma Charter School. The school needed a new playground and began talking about ideas. A parent expressed an idea to replace the existing structure with a playground for children of all abilities. Principal, Nora Flood, ran with this idea and the result is the Harmony Playground for children of all ages and abilities. School parents and volunteer community members spent countless hours organizing and erecting the playground. The playground is used by the school during normal school hours and is open to the entire community at all other times. Come play in Sonoma!

Can you help me spend my money?

Jane Hansen (Coldwell Banker DeAnza Realty) — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 23:50:32 -0500

I would love some feedback from the seasoned pros on Active Rain as to which is the smartest way they've used their money to promote themselves. Was it ads in the local paper, Internet, shopping carts, giveaways? I am at a place right now where I want to use some money for promoting myself, but being new means I don't have tons to throw around. I know that I have to spend money to make money. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Closing day for escrow, or is it?

Jane Hansen (Coldwell Banker DeAnza Realty) — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 22:14:30 -0500

Well, today I was suppose to close escrow on a property. All the paperwork had been completed when I got a call this morning from the other agent saying we need an addendum taking one of the buyers off of the contract! What?! Apparantly the lender didn't want one of the 2 buyers listed on the contract because he was not essential to the loan. And they waited until today because...? So instead of enjoying a nice glass of wine and putting up my feet, I am in limbo hoping that this sale actually does go through tomorrow and not fall victim to the list of failures that seem to be taking over the lending world. Cross your fingers for me.

Jane

Any Recourse for Buyers in Sonoma?

Jane Hansen (Coldwell Banker DeAnza Realty) — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 00:01:11 -0500

I have friends who bought a house that just closed last week. It was an "as is" sale that was a foreclosure. This week when they ripped up the carpet to replace it, they found that the subfloors were mostly ruined by urine saturation and need to be replaced. Do they have any recourse or do they just have to deal with it?

Waiting to Exhale in Sonoma

Jane Hansen (Coldwell Banker DeAnza Realty) — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 01:30:34 -0500

Two days to go until the close of escrow on a property I listed. Crossing my fingers that all the hard work will come to fruition. With the way the banks are reining in loans and tightening policies, I won't breath a sigh of relief until it records. Anyone else feel the crunch?

Jane

Sonoma Barrier Free Playground Starting to Take Shape

Jane Hansen (Coldwell Banker DeAnza Realty) — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 00:16:12 -0500

The parents and community members who were working on the new barrier free playground at the site of the Sonoma Charter School could see their efforts start to take form. A lot of progress was made yesterday on the main structure. This project, named the Harmony playground (for children of all abilities and ages
), has been funded mostly by donations and erected by parents and volunteers from around the community. All Sonoma Valley residents and residents from other cities will be able to enjoy the benefits of this park during non school hours. Ribbon cutting is set to take place August 30th. Here are some pictures of the progress.

Sonoma Salute to the Arts

Jane Hansen (Coldwell Banker DeAnza Realty) — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 00:57:01 -0500

Locals and tourists flocked Sonoma to enjoy a weekend of art, wine, music and food in the Sonoma Plaza this weekend. The 22nd annual Salute to the Arts was held in the Sonoma Plaza, offering artwork from local artists, wine tastings, live music, food booths and local chefs giving cooking demonstrations. Salue to the Arts raises money for local non-profit art and sultural organizations and funds scholarships for graduating seniors. As a local, I always enjoy these weekends for strolling through the Plaza, running into friends and soaking up the culture of Sonoma. Good times. Come and join me sometime!

Barrier Free Playground in Sonoma, CA

Jane Hansen (Coldwell Banker DeAnza Realty) — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 23:54:59 -0500

Today my husband and I were part of the construction crew helping to erect a new "barrier free" playground going in at our daughters' school, the Sonoma Charter School. A barrier free playground is inclusive of chidren of all abilities. It is ramped to allow wheel chair access. It will be a place where children in Sonoma can converge and play together, no matter if they are running around or in a wheel chair. One of the students at SCS who is going into first grade is so excited at the prospect of being able to play with his friends. Last year he had to watch from the sidelines in his wheelchair while his friends ran up and down the play structure. This year he will get to participate in all aspects of play on the playground. Shouldn't all parks be this way? More to come as playground progresses.

Sonoma Home

Jane Hansen (Coldwell Banker DeAnza Realty) — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 01:06:44 -0500

I returned today after spending 3 invigorating days in San Francisco for the Real Estate Connect Conference. What a fabulous experience to be around so many of technology and Real Estate's forward thinkers and innovators. Very inspiring and exciting envisioning how the new products and innovtions will affect my life as a Realtor in Sonoma. Being in SF was like a shot of adrenaline for me, gaping up at all the thousands of shops as fashionable people bustled past. I felt like a "playa" (player)!

As I headed north across the Golden Gate Bridge, peeling layers of clothing as I emerged from the fog into the sunshine, I began to plan my evening with my family: swimming, BBQ, ice cream cones, playing with dog. While I was at the swimming pool conversing with other families and watching my husband clown around with our kids, I had the feeling, "life is good" (and I wasn't even wearing my hat with the stick figure on it). Sonoma may have some drawbacks when compared to a San Francisco, but tonight I am feeling that all is well in Sonoma.

Trust me, I am not always such a proponent of our little town. I sometimes become frustrated by having to drive 30 minutes to get to a Costco or Target, or any really big store for that matter. When I first moved here 11 years ago, I found out that nowhere in town sold sheets for my new Queen mattress freshly out of its plastic. Not 1 place to buy sheets. But, I'll take the inconvenience of driving 30 minutes in exchange for not having to endure strip malls and superstores and the hustle and bustle surrounding them. Everyone rushing around to the next store, intent on buying, buying, buying. When I need or want those experiences I can find them not far away. The pace is much slower here in Sonoma.

Sonoma has survived in a protected little bubble, sheltering in some of the wonderful qualities of yesteryear. We still have local harware stores where the owner knows you and will help you pick out paint colors and find the right brush size. We have a local children's librarian, Clare, who greets all the kids in town by their first names. We have a farmer's market on Tuesday nights during the summer where the community gathers on picnic blankets to connect with each other. We have a 4th of July parade where local community groups proudly march around the Plaza, waving to all the people in the crowd they know, myself included.

So, even though being in the City and brushing up with the real players of the industry, like Criag Newmark of criaglist.com, was exciting, in Sonoma everyone is a "playa"!