The rural side of California

Ranching is a very popular activity in rural California, and has been going on in the area for century. The practice originated in the United States, in the 16th century, when the Spanish Conquistadors invaded the Americas, followed by settlers, who brought their cattle and cattle-raising techniques with them. As these settlers moved west, they gradually they brought cattle breeds developed on the east and adapted their management to the drier lands of the west, using special Spanish cattle-breeding techniques.

Ranching can be a good source of income for people content with rural life, and all kinds of livestock ranging from cattle to buffalo, bison to emu can be raised on a ranch. At present, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) maintains all of America’s ranches. If the land or a part of it is cultivable, it may also be used for farming. It is rather simple to gain knowledge about ranches and their working from various media like the Internet, but it is more difficult to find a person who will provide you with unbiased, first-hand information regarding real estate in California.

If you are interested in acquiring real estate in California, contact Dale Warfel. Dale has been a realtor with Keller Williams Realty for many years, and has expertise in real estate in Hollister, San Jose, Campbell, Cambrian Park, Los Gatos, Palo Alto, Saratoga, among others. He is the perfect person to aid you in your quest for the perfect property – ranch, farm, or home. Talk to Dale Warfel today and experience the difference yourself. So if you are looking for homes for sale in the communities surrounding the Silicon Valley call him at 408 624 6202 to make an appointment.

Real estate in Alviso

Located north of San Jose at the mouth of the Guadalupe River and at the end of Coyote Creek, is the small historical neighbourhood of Alviso. Named after Ignacio Alviso, the son of one of the original members of the infamous Anza expedition, Alviso was first inhabited by early settlers in the 17th century. The city itself was incorporated on March 4, 1852, and finally merged with the City of San Jose on March 12, 1968, after a referendum decided in favour of merging. However, the place name ‘Alviso’ is still in use by the U.S. Postal Service, for delivering mail to the locality.

At first, the town of Alviso was a major transportation hub for California, as it was an important seaport. However, increased use of railway in the Santa Clara Valley, led to a decline in its importance. This trend was further accentuated when the growth of the Silicon Valley began to take centre-stage in California’s developmental patterns. Frequent floods in the early 1980s, and later due to the El Nino current caused the destruction of a number of homes and businesses.

However, Alviso remains a great residential neighbourhood. If you are interested in purchasing real estate in Alviso, contact Dale Warfel. Dale has been a realtor with Keller Williams Realty for many years, and has expertise in real estate in Almaden Valley, Blossom Valley, Morgan Hill, Monte Sereno, Los Gatos, Palo Alto, Saratoga, among others. So if you are looking for homes for sale in the communities surrounding the Silicon Valley call him at 408 624 6202 to make an appointment.

Town house, row house or brownstone ?

What's the difference between a town house, a row house, and a brownstone? A town house is a multistory urban house which could be attached or detached, which basically means built close to the street and scaled exactly like the surrounding houses. A row house is a multistory urban house built in a style that is the same as, or sometimes even replicas of adjoining houses. They are often built by the same architect and developer. Brownstone could be either a townhouse or a row house but with its façades sheathed in brown sandstone. So town house is the general description, the row house is a kind of a townhouse , and the brownstone could be either.

Many townhouses have a classic bow-front or bay window row houses which looks great. Row houses give the impression of cleanliness, clean lines, matching hedges, identical facades give the whole street an ambience.. But apart from the front windows, there are many other architectural aspects that is typical of the town house/row house/brownstone triumvirate. They could have copper accents that over the years have become a rich green hue called a patina . Some have very eye catching ornamental grillwork usually painted black. Oriel windows decorate other homes. They project out from the façade but do not touch the ground. The townhouses that have interior double parlors ensure that even long and narrow space inside the house get enough light. The Italian concept of piano nobile is when the primary living space is placed on the second level above the kitchen and service areas.

Whether your interested in a townhouse, a rowhouse or a brownstone the best person to contact will be realtor Dale Warfel of Keller Williams Realty, who specializes in properties in the San Jose area and can guide you very professionally and efficiently. Keller Williams Realty has a comprehensive online tool which offers direct access to the latest properties for sale in your area. Featuring extensive community information, consumer links, school information, free reports, answers to commonly asked real estate questions, and more, you will find everything about real estate within one easy source.

Ready to buy a house?

Are you ready to make a commitment? Are you feeling the need to get grounded. Do you feel secure enough to take on a mortgage. Are you ready to buy a house? Owning is probably not for you if you can't commit to remaining in one place for at least a few years, maybe not yet. You may end up losing money if you sell any sooner with the transaction costs of buying and selling a home.

You have to make sure your credit history is good if need to get a mortgage to buy a house. Get your credit report done much before you start house hunting,. Make sure everything is clean and fix any problems if you find any. You need to make sure what kind of money you can spend on your new house. How much mortgage can you pay. Will your salary support it? There are calculators available online to get a better handle on how your income, debts, and expenses affect what you can afford You can buy housing that runs about two-and-one-half times your annual salary.You also need to do a lot of research on banks and interest rates because you need to find something that is not going to kill you. You should be able to manage it. There are a variety of public and private lenders who offer low-interest mortgages. There are some who only require a down payment as small as 3 percent of the purchase price. But of course all this rests on the fact that you need to qualify.

It is a great idea to buy property around areas that offer a lot of amenities. Good schools, good transport systems, good shopping areas are preferred. It does not matter if you do not have children who are in school or you are not the shopping type. If this is an investment , even if you plan to live there for a while it is better to think of who your buyers would be down the line. Strong school districts are very important for many home buyers. So when it is time to sell it will help to boost property values.

Whether you are a first time buyer or an experienced investor, you will find useful information about how to choose the "right" property, making an offer, negotiating, financing, mortgage rates, moving, and everything involved in making an informed real estate decision in todays market. If you’re looking to purchase properties, contact realtor Dale Warfel of Keller Williams Realty, who specializes in properties in the San Jose area and can guide you very professionally and efficiently. Keller Williams Realty has a comprehensive online tool which offers direct access to the latest properties for sale in your area.

Garlic Capital of the World

Gilroy is also called the Garlic Capital of the World. This is because it is where the annual Garlic Festival is held in July. it has also earned the moniker Gateway to the Central Coast. It is a great place to live in, quiet and serene. It is situated close to Monterey Bay, Santa Cruz, the San Joaquin Valley, and the San Francisco Bay Area and is in a very central location. It has some great parks with an urban forest which has won many awards. The golf course and museums make it a very interesting place to stay in. Some of the most beautiful parks in the bay area are situated here. They are the Christmas Hill park, Las Animas Veterans Park and the San Ysidro Park. These parks have great trails. picnic/barbecue areas, jogging and hiking paths, horseshoe pits, play fields, softball/baseball fields, children's play areas ,open grass play area.

Gilroy also has the Gilroy Museum which is located in the historic 1910 Carnegie Library Building. The library was built with a $10,000 grant from Andrew Carnegie. It was designed by well-known California architect William H. Weeks. An interesting fact is that the museum stands on a former tennis court which was gifted by local benefactress Caroline A. Hoxett. It is a classic revival style building . Gilroy also has some great golf courses for golfing enthusiasts. Eagle Ridge Golf Club has 18 holes designed by Ron Fream and David Dale. They have incorporated the undulating land, the natural water features and the fantastic views. There are six sets of tee boxes which offer plenty of options, making the course range from 7,005 yards to 5,102 yards.

Dale Warfel of Keller Williams Realty, specializes in properties in this community and also in the surrounding areas of San Jose, Willow Glen, Almaden Valley, Blossom Valley, Morgan Hill, Los Gatos, Saratoga, Campbell, Cambrian, Cupertino, Santa Clara, Milpitas, Alviso, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Los Altos, and Palo Alto. If you’re looking to purchase properties in any of these areas contact realtor Dale Warfel and he will guide you very professionally and efficiently.