Wondering what's going on with the Davis, CA real estate market?  Every person I know asks how things are in the Davis Real Estate Market.  Let me just share some numbers taken directly from Metrolist over the past few days.  I like to look at absorption rate (among other variables) of local markets.  Absorption rate is the number of months it will take to absorb current inventory based on sales history.  This can be done looking at previous sales for the last month, 6 months, 1 year, etc.  Looking at each interval can give a person an idea of whether inventory is shrinking or growing.  In order to determine the absorption rate for a particular market such as "condos in Davis"...you 1) determine the number of condos that sold over the past year2) divide by 12 to find the average number ... 05/07/2008

Enjoy these photos of 1519 Navajo St. and be sure to check out the virtual tour. Offered for $665,000. Call Joe today for more information, and to schedule a private showing of this fine home. All photography by Joe.  04/29/2008

DOM and DOMMERDOM, or Days on Market, is a helpful gauge as to the health of the real estate market. The average DOM for residential solds in Davis for 2008 is 71, per MetroList MLS.  In 2007, solds from Jan 1 through April 29 averaged a nearly identical 70 DOM. In 2006, the figure for the same dates was an incrediblely brisk 11 DOM.  By comparison, the Woodland DOM for solds in 2008 YTD is 92. It was 92 last year at this time and a microscopic DOM of 8 in 2006 YTD.DOM can range from 0 days to a year-plus.  Most importantly, even though the average DOM has swelled since the housing bull market, 37% of all closed residential sales in 2008 sold within 30 days. (The figure was 48% in 2007 and 88% in 2006.) Even in a tepid market, if your home is priced correctly, presents well, is marketed... 04/29/2008

A lot of school districts in California are hurting with proposed state budget cuts.  Davis has one of the highest regarded public schools in this part of California and consistently has high test scores.  One of the unique features has been the focus on small neighborhood schools where children can either walk or ride their bikes to school.  There is not a city wide school bus system.  The number of students per classroom has also consistently been smaller than state averages.  There is a potential $4,000,000 dollar shortfall for funds for the next school year.  Many Davis teachers have been given notice that they may not have a job next year.  The community of Davis has rallied around this issue and in about a months time the Davis Schools Foundation has raised over $700,000 dollars t... 04/24/2008

A week from Wednesday on the 30th of April the Davis Fighters Local 3494 and the Davis Oddfellows are hosting a Tri-tip And Chicken BBQ    Every dollar raised will go to the Davis School Foundation to help make up for the budget cuts to our schools.     Where: Odd Fellows Hall 415 2nd St, Davis   When: Wednesday April 30, 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.   Cost: $25 per person/ kids under 10 are free   Tickets can be purchased at the door   Live music by Hardwater 04/21/2008

Written by Carmen Isais Digging up the Dirt on the Davis Real Estate Market: Thirty Days in Review If you stop to believe the hype, one would think the Davis Real Estate market is, like its neighbors, is inundated with Short Sales and foreclosures. But, Davis is different. I've written that enough times now that I'm certain I'll have to write a blog entry by that very title. However, until then, here's the lowdown on closed home sales for the month of March. Seventeen Homes Sold - Average Sales Price $608,059 Sold Selling Price Range Quantity Average DOM   $350,000 thru $399,999 3 79   $400,000 thru $449,999 2 143   $500,000 thru $549,999 1 60   $550,000 thru $599,999 2 96   $600,000 thru $649,999 2 108   $650,000 thru $699,999 1 48   $700,000 thru $749,999 2 31   $800,000 thru $849,999... 04/03/2008

The eighth annual Heart of Home Kitchen Tour for Yolo County will be held Saturday May 3rd, 2008.  This year will feature homes in Winters, Woodland and Davis.  Tickets are $25 per person and is the main fundraiser for the American Red Cross Yolo County Chapter.  There is also still time to become a sponsor for the event.Tickets can be purchased online at www.yc-arc.org/shopping and more information www.yc-arc.orgThe local chapter of the American Red Cross is our areas link to emergency preparedness and local disaster response. Carolyn Gjerde-Tu specializes in Winters, Woodland and Davis CA Real Estate.  04/02/2008

Since the last Pioneer PTA meeting a few weeks ago, there has been much discussion on the school budget and what can, should, and will be done.  Like any other budget we can either cut expenses, raise funds, or both.  Budget cuts will have a lasting impact on my children (in first and sixth grades), our children, and your children.What does this have to do with real estate in Davis?  You don't have to think long about that one.  A great number of Davis home owners purchase(d) here for the schools.  If the school district deteriorates, it will impact home values.  Of course, property values are insignificant compared to our children's education.  I'm just saying, there is a relation between the quality of schools and the demand for property in Davis.Many have profited over the years due ... 03/16/2008

633 Amherst Drive, Davis, CAJust listed! You must see this updated and expanded Oeste Manor home with four bedrooms, two full baths and 2,216 square feet of living area. The home boasts photovoltaic plus a geothermal ground source heat pump for energy savings. Livable indoor and outdoor spaces. The Central Davis location is stellar, with an easy walk or bike to campus and downtown. This is a truly green home in energy efficiency and use of materials.What is Solar-Geo?Plenty of homes have photovoltaic panels, and some have geothermal. But 633 Amherst is a unique combination of both clean energies. Since the owners had already completed similar projects, they remodeled the fifty-year old home to combine solar photovoltaic electricity generation with geothermal ground-source heat pump tech... 03/11/2008

  I've been beating this dead horse for over ten years.  Investing in real estate in Davis, CA is a safe bet relative to other areas within the Sacramento area due to the influence of UC Davis.  Prices in Davis have fallen 10-15% from the peak of the market in 2005, whereas in some communities like Woodland, West Sacramento, Natomas, Elk Grove, etc. home values have tumbled over 30%. It's a matter of supply and demand. A recent article in Newsweek, (Feb. 18) illustrated that as student populations continue to increase, (enrollments are increasing twice as fast as the general population), combined with the attractive lifestyles, good healthcare and employment these communities offer, it's a bright spot on the real estate radar.  "Activity around college campuses should really hold up, be... 03/11/2008

It's that time of year again.  Time for high school seniors to find out which college town they will be departing for.  Many of those teenagers will be heading for Davis, California...home of the University of California at Davis.  GO AGGIES!   Well students and parents...it is a cool little town.It happens to be pretty safe and compact.  Not the most affordable (or architecturally/topograhically scenic) town, but very nice just the same.  You can get to the campus via bike or bus from any corner of the town  (it's technically a city but you wouldn't necessarily know it when visiting).  It may have some asthetic challenges, but as for a real estate investment...it is a beauty.  This time of year, I get a lot of inquiries from parents looking at home prices and considering the cost/benef... 03/09/2008

Per MetroList MLS, in the last thirty days only two Davis condos have closed escrow (compared to a meager three  for the same thirty days last year) , and there are only five condos with pending sales. Currently Davis has 27 active condos on the MLS.  The market has perked up in other categories, most interestingly, homes over 700k.  Just an observation. 03/09/2008

CENTRAL DAVIS So here's where the tour ends, Central Davis. The most central part of central Davis is known as the core, (go ahead, picture Davis as an apple).  The core, unlike many central business districts today, is thriving. Target opponents argued that the proposed big-box to be constructed near Mace Blvd. will destroy downtown businesses, and whether that happens remains to be seen. The core has its share of great restaurants, bike shops, art galleries and boutiques. A prized landmark is the Dresbach-Hunt-Boyer House, located at 604 Second St., listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Central Park and its Farmers Market, with streets B and C, and 3rd and 5th at its borders is one happenin' place on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The price per square foot for homes in the co... 03/05/2008

 SOUTH DAVIS  South Davis, the portion of Davis which lies south of I-80, is a veritable smorgisborg of desirable neighborhoods connected by greenbelts. No one master planned community dominates, a la Mace Ranch in East Davis.  Even though separated by I-80, traveling by bike to and from South Davis is a snap. The most scenic route is the path leading from the south end of Davis Commons (Borders, etc) parking lot and the eastern edge of the UC Davis arboretum. The route, which includes a $4.5 million I-80 bike underpass, constructed in 2000, follows Putah Creek, and is arguably the most beautiful path in all of Davis. This author frequently straps on his skates and breezes along the Putah Creek path - 20 minutes round trip from Putah Creek Park to the cul-de-sac at Da Vinci Court. For t... 03/05/2008

These figures are a bit preliminary since more than a few solds may not have been reported to the MLS yet, but here's a look as of tonight.  Most striking are the length of days on the market, but these figures will decrease as the market has begun to heat up. Homes which present well and that are priced fairly are indeed selling. 13 homes sold (closed escrow). January data in parentheses-Average price = $470,704   ($549,300)Average Price per sq. ft. = $302  ($325)Average Days on the Market = 121 (92)Median Price = $510,000   ($525,750)Median Price per sq. ft. = $310  ($312)Median Days on the Market = 134  (112) 03/03/2008

The most salient feature of Davis neighborhoods is how interconnected they are. The Davis planning department excels at weaving our greenbelts, or emerald necklace (to borrow a term from Cleveland, Ohio) throughout the distinct neighborhoods, making access by bike, foot, skateboard, scooter and in-line skates (my preference) a breeze. The core area (downtown) has no greenbelts but the street bikelanes downtown are top notch. Davis has more bicycles per capita than any city in the U.S. Kids can easily navigate the greenbelt bikepaths to the nearest schools and parks. We have six parks within a short bike ride of our house, and one quickly learns which is the shadiest (Village Park) before venturing out on a 103-degree July afternoon. Davis is known for many things apart from its bikes, n... 02/25/2008

 EAST DAVIS North, West and South Davis are clearly delineated from Central Davis by Covell Blvd., Highway 113 and I-80, respectively. For East Davis, no well-defined boundary exists. However, L St. is as good a candidate as any. East Davis follows a growth pattern typical of many city neighborhoods with older sections closer to the downtown business district composed of smaller, older dwellings. A large swath of older East Davis offers production homes built by Stanley Davis in the 60's and 70's. Named for California counties, Stanley Davis built six plans, the El Dorado, Shasta, Marin, Sonoma, Alpine and Trinity. The plans differ in size from 900 to 1,600 square feet, with most in the 1,200 to 1,400 range. A few notables: the Alpine is the only two-story plan; the Trinity, the only pl... 02/25/2008

 WEST DAVIS If you're west of Highway 113, welcome to West Davis, home to the following communities: Stonegate, Village Homes, West Manor, Westwood, Aspen and Evergreen. Stonegate is the furthest west, so we'll begin there.  Stonegate has it's own Country Club, sans golf course. Its pride and joy is the man-made lake of the same name. At night the twinkling lights reflecting onto the water from the lakefront homes are a beautiful sight. The club features tennis courts, a soccer field, a fitness room, outdoor swimming pools and a community center.  Sailboats and canoes are available for use, too. Stonegate was built over a span of many decades, so the established homes on the southside near Russell Blvd. share little with the newer homes of the 80's on the north end. Stonegate includes t... 02/25/2008

The Davis Green Home and Garden show will be at the ARC pavillion at UC Davis on March 15th and 16th.  Being Davis, the home show will have a "green" compenet, ideas and companies to improve your home.  The home show website is a bit sparce but if you are looking to make improvements to your house, these tend to be a good place to get ideas. The Lyon Healthy Homes program will be there with Beutler and Allergen Safe homes.  Come check out the booth and learn how to buy or sell an allergen-safe home through Lyon Real Estate.    To learn more about the home show visit www.davishomeshow.com.   Carolyn Gjerde-Tu is a broker associate with Lyon Real Estate in Davis.     02/25/2008

I just found out that the second annual Davis Souper Bowl is later this afternoon, Sunday February 24, 2008 at the Davis Senior Center.  This is a chance for local restuarants to compete to see who makes the best bowl of soup in Davis.  The event is sponsored by the Davis Food Co-Op and the proceeds will benefit the elderly nutrition program. Restaurants expected to compete include Sudwerk, Seasons, Osteria Fasulo, Mustard Seed, Monticello Bistro, Mermaid Sushi, Farmer's Kitchen, Dos Coyotes, Davis Food Co-op and Caffe Italia.  The Davis Creamery will provide ice cream. Tickets are $15 at the door, or $10 in advance (available at the Co-op).  Kids 12 and under are free.    This sounds really inviting on this rainy afternoon. Carolyn Gjerde-Tu specializes in Davis CA Real Estate and is a... 02/24/2008