Dreaming of living on a golf course?

“Near the club house!”

“Lovely fairway views.”

“Walk to the pool!”

“Membership Included.”

Real estate agents often promote their golf course properties for sale by illuminating the home’s location in relation to the community and its amenities. But what does that all really mean to you over the next five years, or longer, as you create your resort lifestyle? Well that depends on the way the community is configured both geographically and demographically. Let’s look at how those influences could affect you in your dream community and property selection.

The geographic layout of a golf course community and how the homes are configured in relation to its course and amenities is the most important factor as you consider your home choice. Let’s dissect the above exclamations by the local realtor. “Near the club house” can mean getting up a few moments later for your early morning tee time, or it can be a staggering distance to your front door after a few cocktails on Saturday night. I may mean eliminating the excuse of the fitness center being too far away and creating an opportunity to keep your fitness commitments. It can also mean you may find yourself bouncing to a canned version of  “Celebrate” at 10 p.m. from weekend weddings at the club. Or, it could mean very little privacy as everyone heads toward the club for early morning tee times just as you are picking up your paper from the driveway in your robe (need I mention in ‘morning hair?). When home shopping, check out the orientation in relationship to the club house and pro shop; you may be a social butterfly and love the morning and evening interaction the location provides but keep this in mind if you want to be off the beaten path.

If you’re a swimmer, or enjoy an evening dip in the summer months , being near the pool can be a great luxury. Noise from the pool doesn’t have to be a problem either. Smart builders will orient the home correctly for peace and privacy and place garages and landscaping between you and the pool. This provides privacy and quiet while keeping your premier access to the summer cool-off spot at a premium. Be careful of front or back doors facing toward the pool or the pool’s parking lot…this can allow sound to travel right in to the home.

We all get the beauty of living on the fairway of a nice long par 4.  A cup of coffee, a morning sunrise and the endless views up the 1st^h fairway; peaceful and relaxing, until a scratch golfer misses his 2^nd shot of the morning and the nasty words fly! And how do those greens stay so lovely and green? Well, lots of sprinklers, aerators, mowers, edgers and sand trap groomers. Your romantic morning dream has just become a nightmare. It doesn’t have to be though.  A few small mitigations can ensure you will enjoy your golf course home. Some pointers to remember are; sound loves to travel up. Tall homes that line the fairway can make a tunnel of sound bouncing right into your home.  When searching for a home on the course, find one that doesn’t have homes right on the other side of the fairway. Or, find a fairway with no homes on the other side; maybe there is a green belt or band of trees on the other side to help absorb sound? Also a single story home that is lower to the ground offers more quietude. A few trees and bushes strategically placed can also buffer sound.

Then there is the placement of the home on the fairway. Play the course. Try your best shank near the home you are considering.  Can you hit it (not trying to hit it of course)? Is it in the middle or toward the end of an average drive, or is it closer to the chipping stage. Sometimes courses create buffer zones and open space between the course and the homes with generous set-backs. This is the best situation. Also, unless you love to interact with neighbors and strangers, check out the location of the cart path. Is it behind your home or across the fairway?  Fairway life is a lovely way to live so do your homework to create the environment you desire for your lifestyle.

I live on a golf course and have sold golf course homes for 12 years now. It is a fabulous lifestyle and a great way to make friends and have a sense of community. If you check out the course, the neighbors, and the placement of the homes around the course, you can ensure your new lifestyle endeavor is up to par!

Majestic Beauty and the Beast

Over the weekend of July 4th, my husband and I joined a few old friends and took off for the high country for a commemorative hike into the Stanislaus National Forest.  Located just above Bear Valley Ski resort at about 7500 ft elevation, Hwy 4 breezes through this lovely area.  The most notable portion of this popular hiking spot is Mosquito Lake, where we started our day at the trail head.

Being my first hike of the season and so terribly out of shape from working way too much this winter/spring, I was daunted by the almost immediate ascent of about 200 feet.  Heart pumping and gasping for air, we reached a summit and some one in our group wondered ” Is there a view over that granite boulder?” Well, after that much exertion, I was not about to miss a view if it was there to be had. Up I went, another 20 feet, and shouted back…”Oh, yeah!”

Needless to say, I was excited to see a downhill jaunt in front of me that led to a level soft dirt path for  about the next 1/2 mile.  We inched up, then down again, meandering along several creeks and streams that just mesmerized me with their soft, rhythmical gurglings.  Over logs, over rocks, pooling here and there; the water seems to wander purposefully with bustles and respites along the way.  Evidence of snow was also still present as we walked along the trail.  With silly curiosity, I rubbed a piece of left over snow and some how found myself surprised it felt cold! What was I thinking!

Our group was a fun one with diverse backgrounds and minds. I was instructed quickly in the ways of hiking up hill; pair up with someone talkative, ask open ended extensional questions, and enjoy the 20 minute answers as you pant your way up hill!  Instant talk radio! what a concept. This practice quickly filled our 3+ mile hike up to Bullrun lake, a 600 ft climb in elevation.  Standing at the bottom preparing for the ascent my friend Charlie pointed and said ” We are going up, there, just below that peak in the small valley behind that granite outcropping”.  Really; I thought!

The climb was exactly what I expected it to be…hard. We split into groups; the hikers, the trailers and the laggers. I was in the trailer group, keeping my eye on the lagger, my hubby,  to be sure he was still with us. Each step up was about 12″ high over wobbling, slippery rocks.  A view popped up here and there, and suddenly an Eden of a pond appeared from nowhere; just a glimpse of what was to come at our destination.  

As we topped the mountain, the trail became solid granite and difficult to follow. A slightly worn path with carns was all the clue we got.  Tired and breathing heavily, I wondered how much further. The thought of my turkey sandwich was haunting me and my feet wereburning.  Then a few last steps and the view opened up to a large glistening lake surrounded by large granite boulders, tall pines and a backdrop of snow sprinkled majestic Sierras.  We perched on a peice of the mountain, lakeside.  Off came my shoes and immediately they were submerged in the icey cold, but very refreshing high Sierra water. We sat there lakeside for about an hour and enjoyed the views, the rest, the sun, the cool breeze, our simple but yummy lunches and each other.

The trip back was a long one as well, mostly downhill, but once my legs were tired, my ankles started taking a beating.  The last part over to Stanislaus Meadows was filled with switchbacks over and sometimes through small creeks. The last vistas were breathtakingas we headed West with the headwaters of the Stanislaus river on our left. Going down into the canyon allowed us to be accompanied by smaller rivers making their way to join up the larger one.  Then all of a sudden, the meadows open up. The meadows are green, lush and the perfect place to be if you’re a cow! I think this could have been the muse for the ”Happy Cows” commercials. There weren’t any there today, but the Rasmussen family still uses it.  We ran into them in fact, fixing fences of course.

Remember “the lagger”?  Hubby starting whining about now…we still had about 1/2 mile from here. He started asking “Is the bar just around the corner?  A cold beer sounds great right about now!” My trusted friend Gail who is a much better wife than I quickly answered ‘ I have 7 beers on ice in the back of my truck…keep walking!”  The trump card! He quit whining.

Once back, to the car I must say I don’t remember the last time the seats in the truck felt so comfortable. About 20 minutes into our drive home, my husband pulled over and asked if I would get the waters out of the truck bed. I said ok, but wondered for a moment why he didn’t just pop out and get them himself. My feet hit the ground and one step toward the back of the truck and I knew why he’d asked. My 40 something bones were seizing up and my feet felt like lead weights. He was glued into one position; I don’t think he could have gotten out at that point. It was a quiet drive home after that.  I dozed off a bit here and there, and I reminisced about the day, the quips, the incredible majestic beauty I had seen and the beast of the mountain that had played havoc on my bones.  Note to self; 1. must get in better shape, 2. plan next hiking trip!

Camp Grounds in the Stanislaus Forest – Calaveras Dist. (complete list)

Camping this time of year in the Calaveras District of the Stanislaus National Forest is amazing! There are plenty of high country lakes, trails, streams and beauty. Here is a link to all the camp sites, fees, maps, elevations and all the good stuff you need to know to prepare for your trip!

LINK TO CAMPGROUNDS HERE

A life…a style…Calaveras County

Hi friends! Thanks for visiting my blog! Here I will post helpful information on the market in Calaveras County, fun and interesting things about the area, and the general wanderings of my mind..just a warning. I have lived in Calaveras County since 1996; moving here to raise my 2 now teenage children that began kindergarten then. This was the best thing I have ever done for my family and myself. Living in Calaveras County has been an adventure, an adjustment, an amazing place to raise my kids and a lesson in kindness and friendships.

When I first moved here, I had to adapt. There was no Nordstrom, very few track homes, and then, not even a Starbucks ( we have one now – 2 in fact). But the adjustment is real. Its a switching of your priorities, and how your time is spent. It is also an opening of the senses, moving from billboards and noisy cars, to cows and rustling leaves ( no really – this happens). I remember the first time I travelled to a mall after about my first year in the Foothills. The filters I had used to protect my senses had disappeared and within about 1/2 an hour I felt sick to my stomach, much like a baby with sensory overload! It’s amazing how up in the hills, your body learns to take everything in, verses shut out all the garbage that comes at you daily. Once you get over mall withdrawal, you start to see all there is to do that you may have been missing! There is hiking, and strolling, caves to visit, lakes to ski on, fish on and sunbathe at. We are spotted with golf courses, great restaurants, zip lines, ranches with real horses and cows, ice cream shops, movies, fine arts, incredible history (jumping frog story – thanks, Mark Twain) fine clothing stores, and so much more.

The lower portion of the county is below the snow line at about 500 to 1500 ft. in elevation. Above 2000ft, you get occasional snow and moving up the mountain, within 25 minutes drive, feet of snow with Bear Valley Ski resort at 7500 apprx. elevation. There is so much to do, explore and admire here. More information on this is found at www.gocalaveras.org. The community is dotted with vineyards and wineries. Just drive along the meandering Hwy 4 between Angels Camp and Murphys and you can find about 23 wineries! Each one has it’s own personality from a rubber chicken theme (Twisted Oak) to a grand estate with concerts and car shows ( Ironstone). The wines are sublime. We grow some very nice Sauvignon Blancs and the red blends are to die for! Some say Chardonnay doesn’t grow well here, but I have tasted some of the best grown in a friends back yard. We all seem to do the grape dance around here. We love our grapes, vineyards, wineries and wine. The events are filled with friends and fantastic food. The winemakers are truly artists and the marketing can be a lot of fun!

Life in this community is a wonderful mish-mash of people, nature, spirit, history, politics, fun, adventure, and quiet. The people here are some of the friendliest, loving people on the planet. They share a bond of family, freedom, struggle, and love of the hills. The natural beauty around us brings us together in parks, wineries, hiking trails, little quaint towns, lakes, open air restaurants, and hillside on the slopes of Bear Valley. We circle around the schools, raise our kids together, compete against one another, make wine together, argue over stoplights and bridges and roads, attend funerals together, party together, and enjoy the quiet together.

Selling real estate in the Foothills is a challenge. The communities are so diverse, the homes are mostly custom and each area had different attributes and concerns. The properties here range from well manicured golf course homes, to turn of the century Victorians badly in need of love, to 1960’s ranch homes on 100 acres, to hill side homes with incredible views, and all the way to mountain cabins in the snow. You can be in the open rolling hills one minute and 10 minutes later in the thick of cedars and pines or walking distance to a quaint little town and then poof out in the middle of no where. It’s fun, quirky, simple to elegant, unique and mostly peaceful. I have been serving the real estate community here since I moved here and became licensed in 1994. I started my career in Tracy, CA. You can tell by the dates, that my timing was terrible, beginning in the middle of a really bad recession. But, that taught me how to sell and how to last. The economy recently has mirrored that and although scary temporarily, I have seen it turn around before and know it will this time too. Calaveras County is located just 2 hours from San Fransisco Bay Area up Hwy 4. I invite you to come and explore this place I love and call home. It will awaken your senses, touch your heart and win your admiration.

An evening in the 1890’s

Once I decided to officially be a tourist in Calaveras County, sans the camera, sunblock  and Hawaiian shirt, the universe opened up and has put me in some places, with some people, that amaze me! This week was no exception.

Being a newly appointed Angels Camp Museum Commissioner I was cordially invited to a dinner meeting to discuss a really cool upcoming fundraiser ( more about that later). The location; the 1890’s  Adams Ranch on Pennsylvania Gulch Rd in Murphys, across from Indian Rock Vineyards, also known as Table Mountain Ranch.

Table Mountain Ranch - February 2009

This has been the home of my gracious hostess, historian Judith Marvin, for over 35 years.  The location itself is magical with vineyard views, atop a knoll overlooking the foothills, a large pond, and a huge garden. The home is a complete step back in time.  Mostly original walls, floors, rooms, and ceilings, and filled with antiques from around the world, the home invited me back in time – really I felt like I was in the  book “Little Women”.  As it turns out, the home was used to film the series “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers”.

Being a passionate historian, my hostess proceeds to tell the many stories about her home, including the knowledge that persons have lived on the site of the home for over 10,000 years!! Various homes have been built here, burned and were replaced, until this final now standing estate remains.  The photos in the home tell a story as well, a relative of President John Adams, Ethel Adams settled there to raise cattle, farm and enjoy the country life.  She even grew some grapes!  After the Adams family left, the Kinney family came until this lovely home finally rested in the hands of Judith Marvin who raised her family there and emulates its style, history and beauty.

The home is like a museum with oak walls, ceilings and doors.  The walk in pantry is still intact, pie safes, flour and sugar bins, the whole nine yards.  The kitchen is modern now, but created with wood from other parts of the home to maintain the continuity. Only 2 fireplaces adorn the home, but Judith tells of wood stoves that have been removed from some rooms. Judith’s bedroom was a treat! One of the second floor rooms with a real fireplace, her bay windows frame an amazing view of the south/western foothills and the vineyard below. Her poster bed, softly laced with tulle, is positioned in that bay,  facing out! Mornings are always good here.

We enjoyed dinner in what was Mrs. Adams bedroom, now the dining room, on the main floor with bay windows overlooking the gardens.  True to the rest of the home the room is filled with antiques, old lighting, candles and a feeling of times gone by. I could almost see us all dressed in taffeta and crinoline and the men in vests with pocket watches.

We stayed late, laughed much and enjoyed the experience thoroughly.  I have driven by that old home many times, with only a nod and a small curiosity. Now I will smile, reminisce and adore that old home with a fond memory and a grown appreciation for the treasures we have here in Calaveras County.

For more information on the History of Murphys see Judith’s book “Around Murphys” available here:  (click photo of book to order)

Around Murphys by Judith Marvin

A tourist in my own backyard

This recession has caused me to get creative for my entertainment. I love to get away to the coast for quick power breaks; like 3 days of completely relaxing. But, this year, even those are off the table. So I have decided to become a tourist in my own backyard, Calaveras County.

My first step involved learning what’s going on around me. I had no idea the number of wine related events we have on any given week! Being that wine drinking is a mini vacation in itself, I decided we would go to some of these to see how they stand up to the Power Break test. Amazingly, they are VERY relaxing. Usually they are paired with yummy food and here in the foothills you are never without a friend or two to giggle with. So far I have been to a rubber chicken barbecue at Twisted Oak , a feast at Lavender Ridge where all the food had lavender in it and a desert pairing at Tanner Vineyards .   So I am loving this new adventure into the world of wine club hopping.

Another thing I have been enjoying is taking an afternoon to tour and visit some of our historic hotels and bed and breakfasts. This year I have been to the Dunbar House in Murphys; a lovely 1880’s bed and breakfast ,with incredible grounds, the Hotel Leger in Mokelumne Hill; an 1800’s hotel, bar and restaurant in the heart of the foothills said to be haunted in room 7,  and the Murphys Hotel, an 1800’s hotel bar and restaurant in the heart of the wine country, Murphys . Ironically all of these are for sale right now… I wanted to buy all three!! But if I can’t buy one, I might just stay the night at one or two them.

Hiking isn’t something I have always done, but this year we spent some time doing it. New Melones Lake has some great trails and this spring the poppies were out in droves! Walt Disney couldn’t have created the scene we saw on the back side of the Angels Creek trail. I have heard that it gets pretty showy there every year, but nothing like it was this one. Historian, Judith Marvin, is a friend of ours and was our private guide that day. She tells stories of where the Indian dig sites were along the now flooded areas of the lake before the dam was built. She finds old cattle watering sloughs and rocks that tell stories of another era. This was a real treat. Another hike I really enjoyed was a day long private hike on the Garamendi Ranch with Mary Ann Garamendi and Howard Little. We walked a good 5 to 7 miles that day, all over the ranch, down in to caves, up on top of ridges and along the water sloughs left over from the old mining days. Trips like these really help me appreciate the beauty and history we have in the Foothills.

So I am on a quest to continue to enjoy the country side that I call home and will continue to share my journey as a tourist in my own back yard. Tell me your stories! I’d love to hear about where you call home as well.

Dunbar House Bed and Breakfast, Murphys, Ca

Poppies along New Melones Lakes Angels Creek trail spring 2009

The hotel Leger in Mokelumne Hill

Hello world!

Thanks for visiting!  Visit my about page for photos and info on my community, life in the foothills and more!