Carolyn Gjerde-Tu's Blog: All Categories

Downtown Davis on Halloween

Davis #1 College Town in California.

It is official, Davis has made the top spot among college towns in California.  According to Paul Shigley, author of the California Planning and Development Report, ideal college towns have a high integration between town and campus.  Other California cities that made the list included, Chico, Berkeley and San Luis Obispo.

The report states, "without the University of California, Davis would be just another valley town amid the tomato fields. But it’s impossible to imagine Davis without the university because it defines the town."  

Why Davis made the top of the list:

• Proximity to downtown.  UC Davis, unlike many west coast colleges is located next to the downtown. Downtown…

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You don’t have to wait for a possible conference next year to visit REW and I’m sure the staff would love to have a pizza day with you.  Real Estate Webmasters is located in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, just across the bay from Vancouver, Brittish Columbia.  Getting to Nanaimo takes a little more thought for us in the States than just jumping on a non-stop flight to someplace like Vegas, but with a few helpful tips it doesn’t have to be a big ordeal. 

• Get a passport:   Currently, you can fly to Seattle and take a ferry to Victoria with just photo identification and a birth certificate but this is on the way out soon. Get a passport; you will have more options. Passports are generally good for ten years.  Just think of all the trips you will be…

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Annalisa Alvarado of North American Title recently provided me with the following tax information:

 

July 1 -- The Current fiscal tax year begins

November 1 -- First tax installment is due

December 1 -- Last day to file for 80% Veterans or Homeowners exemption.

December 10 - First tax installment becomes delinquent at 5:00 pm.  10% penalty added to taxes due.  If December 10 falls on a weekend.

January 1 -- Calendar year begins

February 1 -- Second tax installment due

March 1 -- Assessment Date  Taxes become a lien at 12:01 a.m. Title must show taxes as a lien for the coming fiscal tax year.

April 10 -- Second tax installment becomes delinquent at 5 p.m. 10% penalty plus $10 administrative charge is attached. If April 10 falls on a weekend or…

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Changes may be coming for investors looking to purchase a property currently involved in a foreclosure.  California law has strict regulations in place to protect a home owner once the foreclosure process (typically when the notice of default is filed) has started.  This procedure is called the Home Equity Sales Contract Act and applies when all four of these conditions are met:

1. Residential property (1-4 units)
2. Owner occupies one unit
3. Notice of default recorded
3. Buyer does not intent to occupy the property

When all four of the above conditions are in place, the buyer must use a special purchase contract, typically the "Notice of Default Purchase Agreement" that allows the seller a five day right to rescind the contract.  The law also…

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Some of Woodland's finest historic homes will be open on Saturday, December 1st for Dickens in the Valley, a home holiday tour that is put on by the Friends of Meals on Wheels.

From 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. six homes will be open:

659 First St, The Gable Mansion (seen above)

9 Palm Ave, The Beamer Home

25 W. Monte Vista Dr, The Whittle Home

667 College St, Casa de Casas

329 Lincoln Ave, The Ramirez Home

546 First St, The Scibienski Home

Advanced tickets are $25 per person and available in Woodland at the Gifted Penguin, Corner Drug, Terry's Hallmark or at the Elderly Nutrition Office.  Tickets will be $30 on the day of the event at the information booth at the carriage house on the Gable Mansion.  There will be a free shuttle service available…

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The second annual Davis Neighbors' night out is coming up on Saturday, October 20, 2007.  This event is an attempt to bring together long time residents in neighborhoods with new neighbors and students in an informal gathering. The city will be full of neighborhood potlucks, ice cream socials and neighborhood block parties. 

I will be hosting my street's potluck and if you happen to be in North Davis or if your neighborhood is not holding an event, you are more than welcome to visit out potluck (just bring some food item to share).   

 

The city has provided a map of participating neighborhoods and all of the details about the program are also on the City of Davis site. 

The overall goal of the event is to start the school year out on a positive note…

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Dr. Randy Pausch, a Professor of Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction and Design at Carnegie Mellon University has been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer and only has a few months to live.  Last week he gave a very inspiring last lecture to students and colleagues titled "Really  Achieving your Childhood Dreams". 

Click to watch the short piece by the Wall Street Journal, but please make the time to watch the entire lecture.

 

"It's not about how to achieve your dreams, it's how to lead your life. If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself. The dreams will come to you."

-- Dr. Randy Pausch

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One question that buyers are asking  is real estate in Davis a good investment.  Here is  the year to year percentage change for Davis Residential Average Sales Price for the past 20 years.

Year                 Average Sales Price                  Percent change

1987                   $128,000                          
1988                   $154,300                           +21%
1989                   $192,200                           +25%
1990                   $234,700                           +22%
1991                   $246,600                           + 5%
1992                   $243,200                           -  2%
1993                   $205,200                           -16%
1994                  …

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