Guide Me Home 2 Sonoma - Home

Santa Rosa/Petaluma: The 5th Happiest City in America

2010-03-09T13:09:00Z

Did you know that Santa Rosa/Petaluma is the 5th happiest city in America according to interviews with more than 350,000 Americans? Fellow GuideMeHome blogger Martha talked about it here– and the Huffington Post article can be found here.

The “life evaluation” for each city consisted of job opportunities, personal finances, physical health, moods, emotions, and communities. Based on my experience li ... Continued on the blog.

Nominate Petaluma for Google fiber optic and let’s improve our lifestyle! Visit www.Googleluma.com

2010-03-05T23:17:00Z

Hey, Petaluma! Last week on this blog I discussed the results of a huge national poll (353,000 people surveyed) that recognized Petaluma/Santa Rosa as the happiest place in California, and the fifth happiest in the nation. And, Sunset Magazine calls it the perfect little town. CNNmoney.com names it as one of the top places to live. Country Living Magazine jus ... Continued on the blog.

THE WONDERS OF DOG AGILITY

2010-03-05T23:10:00Z

I have been a participant of dog agility for six years (my dog is seven – I missed the first year) and am amazed at how it transforms dogs. In fact, I am so impressed that I created a dog agility arena at my house and every Saturday a group gets together (with our trainer, Ina) and we run our dogs through the paces. The dogs all know when it is “agility Saturday” and Lola (my miniature fox terrier) gets very excited when I put her special blue agility leash on as we head out to the course. There are several jumps, two tunn ... Continued on the blog.

Wine Road – 32nd Annual Barrel Tasting in Sonoma County

2010-03-04T16:49:00Z

The weather is cloudy, rainy and gloomy…. Yes, we’re grateful for the rain - all of it! However, if you’re in need of some <u>fun</u>, the next two weekends are just what the doctor ordered!

Get out of the house and enjoy the 32nd Annual Wine Road Barrel Tasting here in Sonoma County. This is your chance to sample wines still in the barrel, buy “futures” and meet winemakers. For maps, ticket information, an introduction to wine tasting, and much more visit _b ... Continued on the blog.

PETALUMA, the Happiest Place in California!

2010-02-24T19:46:00Z

A huge study released last week found that people in Petaluma and Santa Rosa are happier and healthier than anywhere in California and ranked 5th in overall happiness in the nation!

Over 350,000 Americans were polled for the Gallup-Healthways Well Being Index. Forty-two questions covered a number of areas of health and well being including jobs, finances, health habits and mental attitudes. 753 participants from Sonoma County were included in the survey. They commented on healthy habits and behaviors such as eating well, including consuming fresh fruits and vegetables each week, exercisin ... Continued on the blog.

Help for Homeowners: Obama's $1.5 billion financing plan and Home Buyer Tax Credits

2010-02-23T18:33:00Z

Friday, President Obama unveiled a plan designed specifically to help the five states hardest hit by the housing crisis, including California. The new initiative calls for state housing finance agencies to create locally tailored solutions to help keep homeowners in their homes and stabilize the housing market so home values can rise. More details here.

Several efforts have come out of Washington to help reinvigorate the housing market, including two home buyer tax credits, which are set to expire April 30, 2010. This means that while there are still about ten weeks to go, time is ... Continued on the blog.

Valentine’s Day Gifts: Think Outside the Chocolate Box

2010-02-10T19:34:00Z

Valentine’s gifts for the true love of your life...

If you are like me, Valentine’s Day poses a bit of a dilemma: I love my husband and want to show it, but hope that I do so throughout the year. So when Valentine’s Day approaches, I want to acknowledge him, but usually with something red and meaningful. Flowers and chocolate are great, but safety is a gift that keeps on giving. Here are some things I’ve given him through the years. Maybe you’ll see something here that says, “I love you.”

Preparedness is a true buzz word this year and always in vogu ... Continued on the blog.

Stay Prepared in Earthquake Country

2010-02-09T17:46:00Z

One would think that having lived in “earthquake country” all my life, that I would long ago have established a disaster preparedness plan. Well, it’s only the recent earthquake disasters that have finally motivated me to action.

As I was researching the subject, I came across several comprehensive disaster preparedness brochures on the American Red Cross website, including an informative brochure on food, water and emergency supplies.

http://guidemehome2sonoma.com/assets/2010/2/9/earthquakesmall ... Continued on the blog.

Hiking through Sonoma County’s Picturesque Annadel State Park

2010-02-04T15:29:00Z

There truly are so many great things to love about the North Bay, which encompasses Marin, Sonoma, and Napa counties. Folks travel far and wide to visit our towns and here we are with all sorts of fun things to do right in our very own backyards. I feel so blessed and each weekend my family and I try to venture outside and enjoy the beautiful landscape that surrounds us.

On a recent weekend in January, we decided even though it was cold and foggy, that we would go for a walk/hike in Annadel. Annadel State Park is located in Sonoma County, 60 miles n ... Continued on the blog.

Five more of the Top Ten for 2010 - Top Ten Reasons to buy a house- NOW (Part II)

2010-01-18T15:05:00Z

My last post illustrated the tried and true reasons to buy real estate now. For the most part, all of those reasons were norms we’ve always known about real estate. But today, there are different reasons to act now. There’s a timer on some of the following reasons – some of these will disappear soon, as soon as April 30, 2010! So tick tock.

Here we go, 5 more reasons (in no particular order) to buy real estate today:

Home Buyer Tax Credits<str ... Continued on the blog.

Top Ten for 2010 - Top Ten Reasons to buy a house - NOW (Part 1)

2010-01-14T17:53:00Z

It’s 2010. Hard to believe that we have entered a new decade. We’ve certainly learned some valuable lessons in Real Estate during the past decade – some old, some new and, quite frankly, some we hope to never learn again. But one thing it has taught us is despite the ebbs and flows, there are many great reasons to buy real estate. So moving into 2010, here are five reasons (in no particular order) to BUY NOW! Check back later for five more. You can email me at mo ... Continued on the blog.

Extended and Expanded Home Buyer Tax Credit

2010-01-05T23:25:00Z

Are you still teetering on the fence whether or not to purchase a home in 2010? Are home prices going to dip while interest rates rise? Is inventory going to increase, especially the REO/Foreclosure segment of the market that we have been hearing about for more than a year now? We do not know what’s in store for the housing market in 2010, however, The Worker, Homeownership and Business Assistance Act of 2009, signed into law on Nov. 6, 2009, extends the first-time homebuyer tax credit and expands the credit to move-up/repeat home buyers and here’s what you need to know.

The new law states that “an eligible taxpayer must purchase, or enter into a binding contract to purchase, a principal residence and close escrow ... Continued on the blog.

Santa Claus is Coming to Town - on a Riverboat! November 28, Downtown Petaluma

2009-11-24T22:16:00Z

Mark your calendars for this Saturday, November 28, because Santa Claus is coming to our town! At noon, prepare to see Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Turning Basin in Downtown Petaluma as they arrive via riverboat. We’re pretty sure his sleigh is fine, but why not arrive via one of Petaluma’s treasures—our river. Parents and kids will delight when the Claus’ disembark and stroll through downtown greeting all with Holiday wishes and candy.

Santa’s arrival is just one of the many holiday events comin ... Continued on the blog.

Wild Oak, the Hidden Jewel of Santa Rosa

2009-11-17T20:47:00Z

Nestled between Annadel State Park and Highway 12, just south of Santa Rosa and north of Kenwood, you will find Santa Rosa’s best kept secret – Wild Oak, a gated community blended seamlessly into the hillside. Formerly part of Annadel Farms, a large privately - owned ranch carved from the Los Guilicos land grant, Wild Oak is nearly 400 acres with approximately 130 residential lots and was approved by the Santa Rosa City Council as a subdivision in 1976. It has a unique blend of country isolation, gated security, natural beauty, and city services. There is direct access into Annadel Park’s 40 miles of biking, horse and hiking trails, and in less than 15 minutes by car you can find yourself in downtown Santa ... Continued on the blog.