It isn't uncommon for homeowners in Davis to move here because of the schools. One thing to keep in mind is that not all of the schools have a GATE (Gifted and Talented) strand. That means, if you by a home and your neighborhood school doesn't have a GATE program your GATE child will be directed to the assigned school. Gate testing occurs in 3rd grade and students start GATE in 4th grade. So, your child (if he/she is GATE qualified and you elect to go that route) will transfer to a new school in 4th grade. This can be an easy transition for some kids but not all. The main idea here is that if you have a GATE/GATE oriented child you might want to consider which schools have a GATE strand before making your home purchase. If you need additional information, i'm always happy to assist. PS ... 02/20/2008

Davis, California (reportedly the second most educated city in America) is all about the schools.  I have buyers contact me continuously and I ask, "why Davis?"  To me the reasons are obvious, after all I live in Davis and am in the position of being familiar with every nook and cranny of the entire valley (and foothills).  The reason I ask is to get a feel for what the clients are looking for.There are other areas that have outstanding schools as well (El Dorado Hills, Granite Bay, Pocket, East Sac, etc) but Davis is the only area that actually has a "center" to it.  You can walk around and shop the boutiques, book stores, coffee shops, jewelry stores, toys, bikes, flowers...all without trekking across a big box parking lot!  There is a farmer's market, the Mondavi Center, lots of art ... 02/19/2008

Tomorrow's stage of the Amgen Tour of California will pass through downtown Davis on its way to Sacramento.  Downtown will have streets closed off temporarily to allow the riders a clear path through town.  It is exciting to see a world-class bike race pass by your office.  Tomorrow's race will start in Santa Rosa and the riders will race all the way to Downtown Sacramento, ending at the State Capitol.  Photo taken from outside the Davis office of  Lyon Real Estate  during the  2007 Tour of California. Contributed by Carolyn Gjerde-Tu, Davis CA Real Estate Agent 02/18/2008

This Saturday, February 2 the Explorit Science Centerin Davis will be among 25 Sacramento area museums to be open free of charge.    The Explorit Science Center at the main site, 2801 Second Street as well as the Mace Park Branch will be open.  This is the 10th annual Museum day, there were 79,000 attendees to Sacramento area museums at last year's event. Explorit features hands on science exhibits, a wet lab and an array of ever changing features.  There will be shuttle service between many of the participating Sacramento museums so whether you are interested in learning more about science here in Davis or maybe always wanted to visit the Discovery Museum's Gold Rush History Center, there should be something of interest to most anyone.The majority of the museums are located in Sacramen... 01/31/2008

 Here is a quick report comparing the sales figures for single family homes in 2007 against the statistics from 2006. The first graph is for Davis and the second is for Woodland. As you can see, the two markets reacted differently to the current slow down in housing demand, with Davis doing much better than Woodland. Of course this also means that the better bargains are to be found in Woodland currently, as it has seen prices retreat further from the market highs.  DAVIS, California      20062007Change  Number of Homes Sold531507-4.50%  Median Price$569,000 $525,000 -8%  Average Days on Market5558+ 3  Average Price$596,922 $570,320 -4.50%  Total Dollar Volume for Market$633,931,400 $578,304,200 -9%       WOODLAND, CA.      20062007Change  Number of Homes Sold470324-31%  Median Price$39... 01/21/2008

    Monday February 11, 2008 there will be a blood drive at the Davis Oddfellows lodge at  415 Second Street in Downtown Davis from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm.  The drive is being sponsored by North American Title Company and the Oddfellows Lodge.  Annalisa Alvarado, Account Manager for North American's Davis office is hoping to get between 20-45 donations. Bloodsource will be coordinating the drive.  Visit http://www.givelife.org/ to see if your eligible to give blood or to get facts about blood donation.  For more information contact Annalisa Alvarado at (530) 756-0533 or aalvarado@natco.com   Carolyn Gjerde-Tu is a Davis CA real estate agent.  Visit my site http://www.discoverdavishomes.com/ to get the latest information about Davis CA homes for sale.     01/08/2008

 The Davis Senior Center in downtown Davis has a wide variety of programs available. Featured programs for January: The Armchair Travel Series on January 11th at 10:00 am where this month Cathey Barzo will talk abouth working in Kenya in a remote bushland school.  Internet Users Group, Monday, January 14th, 7:00-8:30 pm.  An open Q&A session, have questions about the internet or computers, here is a chance to get answers.Thursday January 24th ad 10:30 a.m. Woodland Healthcare will host a three-doctor pannel on nutrition, stress and heart health.For the full rundown of available program and services visit the January Davis Senior Center Newsletter or visit the Senior Center's website.Carolyn Gjerde-Tu is a SRES, a seniors real estate specialist working with seniors buying and selling Dav... 01/06/2008

Davis Farmers' Market is a certified organic market that has been held for over 30 years.  The market located at Central Park at 4th and C Streets in downtown Davis is open Saturdays from 8-1 year round and Wednesdays from 2-6 (October to March) and 4:30 to 8:30 pm (April to October).  Wednesdays during the summer is known as Picnic in the Park and features food from local restaurants and live music.  The Farmers' Market is often voted as one of the best things to do in Davis.The Market Produce at the Market  Picnic in the Park Musician at the market. For further information on Davis California real estatecontact Carolyn Gjerde-Tu. Carolyn, is a Davis California real estate agent. Her expertise is invaluable, whether you are buying or selling in the Davis, Woodland or the Greater Sacram... 01/01/2008

 Saturday, November 17th is the 20th annual Davis Turkey Trot a 5K or 10K run through Davis.  This is a fun event, I participated last year in the baby jogger division.  This is a low key race and attracts a wide range of participants from young children up through many senior runners. For more information or to register visit:http://www.changeofpace.com/ 10/26/2007

Saturday, October 27th is the City of Davis Fire Department's open house.  From 10:00 am until 2:00 pm.  the firehouse at 530 Fifth Street downtown will be open. They will have a bouncy house, food, firefighting equipment and even Sparky the fire dog.   October is fire prevention month, bring the kids and learn about fire safety. Contributed by Carolyn Gjerde-Tu, Davis CA Real Estate 10/20/2007

So you haven't had time to train, or like me, just plain forgot which weekend it was, but you still have time to go out and watch the riders in the Foxy's Fall Century Bike Ride.  Today, October 20th is the Foxy's Fall Century in Davis. This annual event allows bike riders to choose between 50 km, 75 km or 100 miles of wonderful Yolo, Solano and even Napa County roads.  This is one of the last bike centuries of the season.  The start and finish line is at the Veteran's Memorial Building on 14th Street in Davis.    To get more information or to mark your calendars for next year visit the Davis Bike Club. Contributed by Carolyn Gjerde-Tu, Davis CA Real Estate 10/20/2007

This Saturday is the second annual Davis Neighbors' Night Out.  Looking to get to know your neighbors a little better, or want to establish a positive relationship with the UCD students down the street?  There are over 55 parties planned in various neighborhoods around Davis.  The city has provided a map where all of the events are taking place.  If you live in Davis and want to participate but your neighborhood is not having an event, let me know and feel free to to visit my neighborhood in North Davis. Visit the City of Davis page for more information.  http://www.cityofdavis.org/neighbors/Posted by Carolyn Gjerde-Tu Davis CA Real Estate 10/19/2007

Existing Home sales in Yolo County remain worse than sluggish, but prices seem to be holding steady. While August saw a drop of almost 35% in the number of existing homes sold, the median price fell just 1% from where it was a year ago. Good news for homeowners in the area.The number of new homes sold in August fell 13% from last year and was actually up substantially from the low in July. This was no doubt spurred by the price cuts and promotional offers made by new home builders with excess inventory. tThe median price for new homes was also down 13%.Sellers can still find a willing buyer, but the home must be priced right to sell quickly. If buyers thinks the seller is asking too much, they move on quickly to find a more motivated seller. As Sellers came to terms with reality, they s... 10/06/2007

The Davis real estate market, while always changing is much more insulated than that in the surrounding area. Shown below are statistics taken from all closed sales in Davis, California, including for sale by owners and all brokerage houses as well. If you are interested in reviewing data from smaller,  specific areas within Davis or another city altogether, please contact me, Carmen with Lyon Real Estate, at 530.601.1003.   08/15/2007

 The City of Davis in California has made no secret that they have a moratorium on growth. There is a reason why Richards Blvd. is only 2 lanes that is their way of keeping strangers out. The laws are very explicit no smoking in their City. There was even a case that went to court over someone snoring to loudly.    Davis, a campus town, is best known for one of the highest ranking Universities in Central California, the prestigious University of California at Davis. Davis is located west of Sacramento on Interstate 80 which is a straight shot from Sacramento and approximately 15 miles away from Downtown Sacramento.   Davis University is known for agriculture and their medial division which ranks highly.  The Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts is one of the finest in the area.  Want ... 07/22/2007

If you are already live in Davis, or you will in town the weekend of July 13th, 14th and 15th, be certain to stroll through Downtown Davis and enjoy the Downtown's annual Sidewalk Sales event.Between Rikis's unique fashions, Watermelon Music's used instrument sale, or Creme de la Creme's French imports, you are certain to find something to your liking.During this event, the E Street Plaza will also hold a number of service and informational booths. I will be there Friday morning between 10:00 am and noon. Stop with your real estate related questions. see what's new on the market, or just say hello. Enjoy!    07/13/2007

Right after, "What will my home sell for?", is the question"How long can I expect my home to be on the market?"While each home sale is unique, and there are always exceptions to the rule, days on the market during the summer tend to shorten. In Davis, the average days on the market have turned out at about 50. During the normal course of the year, one can expect a home to last at least an additional 30 days on the market. That being said, even in a slow to normal market, desiribale properties, priced well, will sell quickly.Above is a Trendgraphix chart that shows the average days on market in Davis, Ca as well as the sold versus listing price for those homes. For more information about selling your home, or any questions related to Davis Real Estate in general, please do not hesitatei... 07/06/2007

Start the morning of the fourth off with the Little League pancake breakfast. This annual will take place from 7 to 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Veterans' Memorial Center, 203 E. 14th St. Admission is $3 per person; Little League players in uniform are free.Later, cool off at the Community Park with free swimming at Community Pool from 1 to 5 p.m. Fireworks will follow later that night sometime after 9:00pm.Have a safe and happy fourth!   07/02/2007