sally dunbar: Fair Oaks, CA, The Historic "Levering House".
- 04/15/18 05:53 PM
Frequently you hear the saying “If these walls could talk”. I heard the saying last week as the owner of the Levering House at 7881 Orange Ave talked about his home during his 31 years of ownership. A man with a huge heart, Doug Porter has tried to help those in need by renting out rooms in his 2 story home to those struggling to make ends meet. The cast of characters who have come and gone could populate a movie, he says. Over the years, Doug has tried to maintain the historic feel to the home through many remodeling projects, … (7 comments)
Fair Oaks has it's share of lovely historic homes. Fair Oaks grew as a community at the turn of the century along the American River, 17 miles upstream of Sacramento. As one of the early homes, the Rice Chasko home was built in 1902 by Henry and Phoebe Rice of Minnesota. Between this 5 acre parcel and another east of the Cemetery, the Rices farmed over 100 trees - pears, peach, fig, citrus, 20 almond, 40 olive, and grape vines. After Henry’s and Phoebe’s deaths … (2 comments)
sally dunbar: Why is Drainage Important to Your Home, Sally Dunbar's Monday Minute
- 01/27/17 12:22 PM
Sacramento has been in a drought the past few years, but this year the flood gates have opened up. Yes, WAY above average, finally. I always point out the possible drainage issues a home may face that are apparent when I show a home. A few years ago, a Buyer's daughter asked me to stop because "It will obviously never rain again". That so??? But I admit it is hard to think about the effects of rain when you are shopping n shorts and 110 degrees!
Here is why you don't want drainage issues. Dry rot is a fungus that grows on … (5 comments)
sally dunbar: Another Historic Home of Fair Oaks - the Alvin Heim Home
- 03/30/16 08:52 AM
The history of Fair Oaks is full of intertwining families, and so it is with this month’s Old Home feature - the Alvin L. Heim Home at 4940 Minnesota Ave. Alvin came to Fair Oaks from Indiana in 1909, buying 10 acres on Minnesota, tucked against what is now the North Ridge Golf Course. He married Vena Bishop in 1915, and had three children - Adolph, Alvin W., and daughter Thalia (born 1922). By 1929, it appears Alvin Heim had built the two story home which still stands on Minnesota, although it has been substantially added to.
Alvin developed quite an orchard … (7 comments)
sally dunbar: A Shout Out to Loomis Cabinets and Jean Woods, Designer
- 03/06/15 12:56 AM
Redesigning your kitchen is a daunting task, with many options. My best advise? Hire a Pro Designer who knows what they are doing! A few years ago I sold a beautiful charmingly rustic home in Carmichael to Debby and Mark. The only weak spot was the dated kitchen. But it is dated no more. Debby had me over to see the finished remodel, accomplished with the design help of Jean Woods, Kitchen Designer for Loomis Cabinet Sales. "Jean was so easy to work with," explained Debby. "She totally listened to our wants and ideas, and designed our new cabinets exactly as … (3 comments)
sally dunbar: Walking the Komen 3 Day San Diego - 60 miles in 3 days - What a HOOT!
- 01/26/15 09:00 PM
This Thanksgiving, I hope to give thanks for my feet and my friends. I will have just completed walking 20 miles a day, 3 days in a row, through the streets of San Diego. I picture sunny skies, 1800 fellow walkers wearing pink boas, sequined tutus, and men wearing balloon stuffed leopard print bras. I hear it is one big 3 day street party as the San Diegoites come out to cheer on the Susan G. Komen 3 Day walkers with cheerleading squads, pink ribbon stickers, dogs in tiaras, and children holding clever signs - "Save the ta-tas", "Cancer Sucks", and … (6 comments)
sally dunbar: Carmichael is Upping Its Game with New Shopping and Improvements
- 01/23/15 10:55 PM
A cruise down Fair Oaks Blvd in Carmichael CA has always been a good time to day dream. There are some pretty ugly billboards, uninspiring block buildings, funky furniture ads, and really not much to look at. I remember it has been voted the ugliest stretch of road in the area recently. Really makes you want to live there right? But big changes are coming. And I'm excited. First is the upcoming Milagro Centre - a 4 acre open air public marketplace with 20 or so unique boutiques and shops, both casual and fine dining, 3,000 sf of covered outdoor seating, fireplaces and … (2 comments)
sally dunbar: Who Bought Homes in 2014? Sally's Slice of the Market.
- 01/15/15 05:05 AM
I always love reminiscing about whose lives I touched as a Realtor the past year. I generally adore my clients - probably due to my "NO JERK" rule of axing any who is an idiot. (I call it something ruder, to be honest, but it's not suitable for print!) 2014 was no exception - what a great goup of people I helped. 24 sales in all, meaning there were 48 families whose lives I touched in some way. Who are they, you might ask? Who buys or sells, and why? There were a lot of reasons A favorite was my seller of an … (3 comments)
sally dunbar: What Happens After My Offer Has Been Accepted?
- 01/04/15 03:37 AM
The Seller just signed your offer. WooHoo! Time for the happy dance and a big high five! You are one step closer to weekend honey-do lists! But what now? First, escrow will cash your check, so be sure the funds are in that account. No bounced checks, or your Realtor will get cranky. You can also wire transfer your deposit directly to escrow, as well. Keep in mind that the process may vary from state to state, but if I am your Realtor, I will open escrow and set up the framework of the transaction with the escrow officer. Escrow acts as the … (5 comments)
sally dunbar: A bit of Orangevale CA history, and its earliest homes from the 1880s.
- 04/17/14 12:46 PM
A few months ago I sold an historic Vitorian farmhouse in Orangevale built in the late 1880s. Not 19... 18. In California, that is OLD! I know you Easterners scoff at our idea of old, but this was built as one of the first homes of the orchards of Orangevale, since it was split into manageable 10 acres parcels in the 1880s. To prepare for the sale, I did a ton of research, as the current owners knew very little about it. I really hoped to find out who built it, but that's tough to do with old homes. The records are a bit … (3 comments)
sally dunbar: Which Are The Best Fair Oaks Neighborhoods To Live In?
- 04/13/14 01:51 PM
As a Fair Oaks Realtor, I hear this question a lot. What is the best neighborhood in Fair Oaks? And my answer is like a broken record. It depends on what is important to you. Do you value freeway access over tranquility? Do you want a big lot with lots of breathing room, or a small low maintenance patio home? Do you want good schools, or an area with very few rug rats screaming during cocktail hour? When it comes to neighborhoods, beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder! Here are some of the qualities that I think make our … (6 comments)
sally dunbar: Sailor Bar, Fair Oaks - Great Walking Trails along the American River
- 04/05/14 09:58 AM
Sailor Bar is an amazing place to walk, bike and experience the American River in Fair Oaks, Ca. It's a 114 acre river bar that feels wild and wonderful, yet holds the secrets and scarring of 100 years of gold mining history. It's a walker's paradise! Sailor Bar extends from the Hazel Bridge along the north side of the American River, to the rise of the Fair Oaks Bluffs near Olive and Natoma Avenues. It's easy to get a 3 - 5 mile hike in by wandering around the many twisted and turning trails through gold mine tailings, along the river's edge, … (3 comments)
sally dunbar: Walking Trail Access from the Fair Oaks Bluffs to the American River
- 03/27/14 10:10 PM
Hold on. I gotta take off my muddy boots. I just came in from the bar. Not the Dew Drop Inn, but Sailor Bar - the hiking & biking wonderland along the American River in Fair Oaks, CA, with miles of trails. It's not easy to know all the ways to get there, but I have just poked and prodded every street along the bluffs and have finally found all the access points. Because much of Fair Oaks is high up on the river bluffs (with awesome views) it's too steep to get to the river. Many of the flatter parts are blocked … (3 comments)
sally dunbar: How much are my California property taxes, and when do I pay them?
- 02/13/14 06:22 AM
Taxes are very different from one state to another. In California, you are protected from rising taxes by Proposition 13. Because of Prop 13 in 1978, you will pay a maximum of 1-1/4 % of the assessed value in your taxes, with small incremental increases allowed each year if values increase. So, if you buy a home for $400,000, you will pay $5,000 per year, max. Here's a little secret to figuring it out - a short cut to the amount. If you pay $400K for a house, you will pay about $400 per month. Pay $650K, you will pay $650 a … (4 comments)
sally dunbar: Why Was Walking 60 Miles Good For Business?
- 02/03/14 09:50 AM
I started walking to get in shape. And to support breast cancer research. And because it sounded like a challenge. BUT I thought it would take away from my business. Instead it ended up being GOOD for business! How did that happen??? Last January I agreed to walk in the Susan G. Komen 3 Day walk in San Francisco - 20 miles a day for 3 days in a row. How will I do that, I thought. And how will I find the time to train, while selling houses? I work full time... and more! But I was willing to sacrifice some business, … (28 comments)
sally dunbar: Hike #26 - Park Headquarters to Confluence Loop, Auburn
- 01/31/14 12:52 PM
Today we took our most historic hike. #26 (of 60) started at the Confluence of the Middle and North Forks of the American River in Auburn, and looped up to the historic Stagecoach Trail - along the route taken by the stagecoach between Auburn and Foresthill in the late 1800s. I must say they had a pretty cool view. We were hiking in 49'er country, in the historic gold fields of the American River which crawled with industrious gold miners in the 1800's, panning for their fortunes. My great great grandfather was one - over in Coloma, a few miles away. … (3 comments)
sally dunbar: How to Shop for Homeowner's Insurance - What to Look For
- 01/23/14 09:12 AM
My husband's high end bike was stolen while watching the America's Cup last year. Bummer. But the $4200 check we received the following week eased the pain. He's now riding on a really cool bike, thanks to Farmer's. While a stolen bike pales in comparison to a home burning down, it did point out to me the benefits of full coverage when you have a catastrophe. So how do your choose insurance? NOT the cheapest price, that is for sure. With insurance, you get what you pay for, and a cut rate plan can be the most expensive when you try … (6 comments)
We're on a mission to hike 60 different hikes by next September, and started our first with a fingered "1". "Let's do two fingers, for our second", we cleverly thought. After 3 we were hooked. For that, my daughter twisted her lanky frame into a 3. She missed her calling as a contortionist. We are up to 25 by now, and the numbers have taken over. Now I lay in bed at night thinking … (4 comments)
You break out your dusty bike and get ready for a ride, only to find you have a low tire. Bummer, huh? But if you are lucky enough to be riding the American River Bike Trail near the Sunrise Bridge in Fair Oaks, Robin Hood has arrived! Check out the new Bike Repair Station they just installed. (This just added: when I wrote this, I assumed it was the Parkway who installed it. But no - it was an Eagle Scout Project! I am trying to find out who the Scout was, and will update as I find out. … (7 comments)
sally dunbar: Who Bought or Sold Homes in 2013 - Sally's Tally of Sales
- 01/11/14 12:24 AM
I love going back over the previous year to see who I helped buy and sell a home. There are always so many reasons, but one fact remains - we seem to be hellbent on moving! For 2013 I sold 39 homes. The biggest reason seems to be a change of home - bigger, smaller, different neighborhood, or to be closer to their kids. A few were empty nesters, were ready to downsize. Rose was preparing for the inevitable move-out of her boys and wanted them to have adjusted to the new house in the same neighborhood before they left. … (2 comments)
Fair Oaks homes for sale by Realtor Sally Dunbar, who's been hoofin' it through the homes of Fair Oaks and the surrounding areas, matching up eager buyers with ready-to-move sellers, since 1979.
While I sell homes in Fair Oaks, I venture in Sacramento, Carmichael, Citrus Heights, Orangevale, Rancho Cordova, Gold River, Folsom, El Dorado Hills, Roseville, Rocklin and Granite Bay...(and Chevron loves me!)
How have I survived for so long?... By always doing what's right for my people.... Always!
Now check out my video about why I love Fair Oaks...
Short Sale, REO, foresclosures??? ... find out the difference below...
How do you pick a listing price? See below...
What price should you offer when you've found the home of your dreams??? Find out below...
Prepping your home for sale??? Don't miss the video below...
Frequently you hear the saying “If these walls could talk”. I heard the saying last week as the owner of the Levering House at 7881 Orange Ave talked about his home during his 31 years of ownership. A man with a huge heart, Doug Porter has tried to help those in need by renting out rooms in his 2 story home to those struggling to make ends meet. The cast of characters who have come and gone could populate a movie, he says. Over the years, Doug has tried to maintain the historic feel to the home through many remodeling projects, … (7 comments)
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