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New Listing: Custom Cottage Along Hulbert Creek

New listing! This 3 bedroom, 3 bath home offers a natural setting along Hulbert Creek. Home has recently had bamboo floors installed both upstairs and down. Comfortable eat-in kitchen. Nice landscaping, sun, and off-street parking. A sun room and additional family room downstairs are some of the custom touches the contractor/owner has made to his long time home.

Sonoma County Happiest Place in California

A massive study released Monday determined that people in Sonoma County are happier and healthier than anywhere else in California -- and ranked fifth overall in the nation.

The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, based on interviews with more than 353,000 Americans during 2009, asked people to assess their jobs, finances, health habits, mental attitudes and communities.

People in Sonoma County assessed themselves as having especially healthy behavior: meaning they ate healthy, consumed fruits and vegetables every week, exercised weekly and didn't smoke.

Sonoma County Board of Supervisors meetings will be live on Internet

On Tuesday, for the first time, Sonoma County residents will be able to use the Internet to watch live meetings of the Board of Supervisors from their home or office.

“This will enhance the public's access to their county government,” said board chairwoman Valerie Brown. “This is a smart use of technology that moves the county closer to being paperless and also complements our sustainability efforts.”

Anyone with Internet access can visit the website http://supervisors.sonoma-county.org/meetings/ and view the proceedings as well as call up relevant staff reports and board resolutions.

Lake Sonoma drinking water supply hits 100 percent full

Lake Sonoma has recovered from three years of below average rainfall, filling up its water supply pool and hitting the flood stage Tuesday for the first time in five years.

The lake hit 245,000 acre-feet at about 4 a.m.  Above that level, the water is into the flood pool and can be released through Warm Springs Dam into Dry Creek and the Russian River.

State proposes new limits on vineyards using Russian River water

“This would have a very significant impact if something like this were to be approved,” Mendocino County Farm Bureau Executive Director Devon Jones said of the proposal, which was drafted by state Water Resources Control Board staffers.

An environmental leader, meanwhile, called the proposal “a mixed bag” in terms of its protection for endangered salmon and steelhead.

See the full story here.

New foreclosure alternatives program

The U.S. Dept. of the Treasury recently announced the Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives Program (HAFA), which provides instructions for lenders and servicers participating in the Making Home Affordable Program and Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP). The purpose of HAFA is to create an alternative to foreclosures for homeowners unable to successfully modify their troubled mortgage under HAMP.


The HAFA program simplifies and encourages short sales and deeds in lieu of foreclosure by:
.  Allowing pre-approved short sale terms before a property is listed;
.  Preventing servicers from attempting to reduce real estate commissions established in the listing
   agreement as a condition for short sale approval;
.  Releasing borrowers from future liability for the debt; and
.  Providing financial incentives to borrowers, servicers, and investors.

Borrowers not eligible for HAMP must be considered for HAFA within 30 calendar days of the date the borrower does not qualify for a HAMP Trial Period Plan; does not successfully complete a HAMP Trial Period Plan; is delinquent on a HAMP modification by missing at least two consecutive payments; or requests a short sale or DIL.

HAFA begins April 5, 2010, though servicers may choose to implement it earlier. The Directive from the Treasury only is for non-Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac owned loans up to $729,750.

More info: http://www.car.org/governmentalaffairs/federal/ustreasuryfap/