Top 5 Campgrounds On The Russian River

Explore these great campgrounds on the Russian River to get a good idea of where you want to pitch your tent the next time you come to visit and reconnect with nature! There are so many amazing campgrounds in West Sonoma County but here is a small assortment of what you can find on the Russian River. 

#1 AutoCamp Russian River

The first on the list of campgrounds is AutoCamp Russian River. This is not your average pitch-a-tent and rough it in the wild kind of camping... this is official Glamping! Wifi? Check. Complementary Bicycle to use? Check. Fire pit? Check. You can also find a clubhouse  with a fireplace to relax in, a store for snacks and supplies, as well as weekly activities including Yoga and live music. They also have dog-friendly sites. Leave your tent at home, though as they spaces are full with their Airstreams, luxury tents and Suites. 

#2 River Bend Campground

River Bend is known for the lumberjack statue that stands boldly in the dead center of the park visible from River Road and is one of the best Russian River Campgrounds because of it's ability to accommodate almost everyone. They have tent sites, cabins, RV sites or you can even camp in one of their Volkswagen Buses! Riverbend is right on the Russian River and offers plenty to do. There is an arcade, sports court, dance pad?, playground, dog walking area, general store and more. They are also conveniently located next to the Russian River Pub where you can grab a meal or slip away for a quick drink. 

#3 Casini Ranch Family Campground

Casini's Ranch is among one of the most popular campgrounds on the Russian River and once a year they hold the civil war reenactment known as  "Civil War Days ". There is no shortage of activities to do and will keep your young ones (and you) busy and entertained. Movies, hay-rides, ice cream socials, farm animals to feed, fishing, swimming and seriously the list of activities just goes on forever. They offer tent & RV sites and rentals and cabins. Although you will find everything you need on site, there is also plenty of restaurants, shops and things to do in Duncans Mills. 

#4 Johnson's Beach Resort

Johnson's beach is among the best campgrounds on the Russian River because of its River access, as well as its proximity to downtown Guerneville. They have shaded tent sites available as well as cabins and a large 4 bedroom lodge. They no longer have RV sites available. The beach is probably the most popular beach in the Russian River area and has a snack bar as well as canoe and kayak rentals. You will find plenty of restaurants, shopping and things to do in downtown Guerneville. 

#5 Burke's Canoe Trips-Camping

Burke's Canoe Trips is set in the redwoods and on the Russian River giving campers beach access and lots of room to enjoy nature. They offer good-old-fashioned camping: bring your tent or RV and make your s'mores around the campfire. What sets Burke's apart from the others is they offer canoe/kayaking trips with everything you need. You can take a leisurely (or not so leisurely, if you're inclined) canoe trip down the river and they will shuttle you back. They offer group & corporate outings and can accommodate your special group or family event; they even offer group catering. Burke's is located in Forestville and is just a short drive down the road to local restaurants and stores. 

7 Awesome Tips To Accurately Price Your Home

There are so many ways that you can get the pricing wrong when you are getting ready to list you home. Here are some tips that will help you to accurately price your home the first time so you can sell quickly. Many sellers have already made up their mind on what they want for their house long before they ever decide to list it because they have checked Zillow, gotten an appraisal, or think they have a handle on the market. The problem is that only a small percentage of those sellers will be able to successfully sell their home at that price. Real estate when priced incorrectly will sit on the market until a price reduction is made however, once a house sits on the market buyers already believe that there is something wrong with it.

Tip#1 Don't Use Zillow To Price Your Home

Poor Zillow gets a lot of grief and the reality is that they are a great tool for people to use when they are looking for a home to rent or buy or looking to rent a home that they own. However, when you are listing your home Zillow is notorious for being inaccurate. The problem is that Zillow will look at bedrooms, baths, square footage, and lot size and come up with a price. Home values are rarely determined by those criteria. Your home could be ocean, creek, or riverfront and be worth more because of that and Zillow won't take that into account. There are countless other special circumstances that Zillow fails to consider when pricing a home. Bill Gassett  outlines this in a fantastic way in his article Ways Sellers Get Their Pricing Wrong

Tip#2 Don't Overprice Your Home

Real estate is like bread. If you leave bread sitting out for too long it gets stale. Well, real estate is no different, if your home is listed at a price that is obviously overpriced then you run the risk of no one wanting to buy it. Your home will sit there on the market in all of its glory getting stale! Now if you take it off of the market and you reduce the price and relist it then buyers recognize it and it's still stale. No one wants the bread that you left out on the counter for days until it got stale and then stuck in the fridge for an hour! The key is to not overprice your home to begin with and therefore have a better chance of selling. If you do overprice your home, then it is not necessarily a death sentence...if you have the right agent they should be able to sell it at the lowered price. Check out Ferris Property Group's article The 7 Deadly Home Seller Sins to get more insight into common home selling mistakes.

Tip#3 Don't List With The Agent Who Tells You They Will List At The Highest Price

This is the game in the real estate world. You will go to an agent and say you want a certain amount for your home. If they tell you that it is not plausible then you will get irritated and go to another agent and so on and so forth. Something to consider...the more your home sells for is the more commission that your agent will get. Why would they try to sell your home for less then they thought you could get for it??? That is crazy!!!! There are some agents out there that will tell you that they can sell your home at an inflated price just to get the listing and then when they get the listing they spring for a price reduction right away because they know that the home will never sell at that price! Kyle Hiscock has written a great article called Real Estate Pricing Mistakes that will help you understand why it's important to accurately price your home.

Tip#4 Review Active Homes, Sold Homes, and Pending Homes That Are Similar To Yours

Oooooh if the Price is Right then what is the right way to price it??? Lynn Pineda wrote an awesome blog on that old game show The Price Is Right and how it pertains to accurately pricing a home. To begin you are going to want to take a look at what homes that are similar to yours are listed in your area (town, subdivision, county, etc.) and what they are listed for. This will help you in accurately pricing your home because it will help you to see what the average price for your home is. Then take a look at what has sold recently in your area that is similar to your home and also homes that are in contract with the same criteria. This will give you a feel for the market and help you to accurately price your home.

Tip#5 Ask For Help From An Agent

So many sellers think that they can save themselves the money to pay a real estate agent if they just list their own home. This is NEVER a good idea. The reason is that you are not licensed to sell real estate so there is a lot about selling a home that you don't know. A good example is disclosures...do you know which disclosures are required by your state/county/city? How about the ones that are not required but are good to have to cover you against any liability for common issues? Most sellers cannot accurately price their own home, nor can they follow through with the transaction if they do get an offer because they don't know what is involved in the transaction. Anita Clark wrote an article called Selling Your Home For Top Dollar in which she states that "It is dangerous to go alone: Use a realtor!"

Tip#6 Find Out How Value Is Determined By Professionals

Asking for help does not make you weak, it makes you smart! Ask everyone you know what they think they would pay for your home; ask real estate agents what they think it's worth and finally choose an agent based on how honest you think that they are. You need to trust your agent to help you to accurately price your home. take a look at some of the advice professional real estate agents from all over the USA have to say about correctly pricing your home by reading Joe Manausa's  article How a Realtor Determines Real Estate Market Value.

Tip#7 Selling Land Is It's Own Animal...Price It Wisely

Selling land is totally different than selling a house. It has a unique set of circumstances and must be treated differently in pricing and in the rest of the transaction. DW Slater Co. does a fantastic job of breaking down how to accurately price land in their article Let's Talk Some Dirt- A Look at Land Values in Real Estate.

DIY 7 Easy Ways To Improve Your Curb Appeal

DIY easy to do ways to improve your curb appeal can help make all the difference in how quickly your home sells and why kind of offers you get on it. First of all people are going to see your photos all over the internet so you want to make sure that your home looks really good from the outside, and secondly the front of your home is going to be the first impression to any buyer who is looking to see if they want to place an offer, so it needs to make a good impression. To begin you are going to want to check out this advice from real estate agents all over the US to get a good idea of how to spruce up your home quickly and with very little cost so that your home is looking better and ready to sell.

#1 Paint Or Replace Your Front Door

RisMedia has a fantastic blog that outlines some great ideas for improving your curb appeal. My favorite piece of advice is to paint or replace your front door! The front door of a home often has a lot of wear and tear and you want to make sure you are giving a good impression when someone comes to your home whether or not you are planning on selling it. Try adding a coat of paint, sanding down and polishing the wood, or replace the door with a new one to improve your curb appeal.

#2 Clean And Repair Your Roof

This is a very simple and extremely low-cost way of improving your curb appeal. Take a hose and a brush and go up onto your roof and clean it off! Anita Clark outlines roof safety and gives some more in-depth instructions on how to clean your roof under different weather conditions. Make sure to exercise caution when you are on the roof or hire someone to do it for you if you cannot do it safely by yourself.

#3 Add Better Lighting And Decorations To Your Porch

Then there is the more obvious clean the garbage out of your yard, pull the weeds, mow the lawn yadda, yadda, yadda! Once you have completed that add some new light bulbs to your porch and decorate a little to spruce it up! Deborah Rhodes has written a wonderful article that can help you complete this task.

#4 Make Sure The Property Is Safe

Inlanta mortgage makes a good point...make sure your property is safe and accessible for anyone trying to come take a look or even just for your friends and family who visit! Add handrails and lights and remove debris including leaves, snow, branches, children's toys, etc.

#5 Plant Flowers In Your Front Yard

The best thing you can do to really make your home stand out is to go get some pretty flowers and plant them. They are very inexpensive and you can do it in a few hours. This will naturally decorate your yard while making it seem like it is worth more money. Janis Borgueta has written a beautiful blog that has a picture of an old wheel barrel with flowers planted in such a way that it looks amazing.

#6 Trim Bushes And Trees

Take my advice on this one...elbow grease is free and worth a million! Trim the bushes and trees, rake the yard, pamper your home! Take a power washer and hose the home down and clean the windows! This can severely alter the way your home looks and give you a boost of positive energy in the process. Karen Highland does a great job of breaking it down and helping you get started!

#7 Clean The Gutters

Sounds silly but often times the gutters get overlooked and can look terrible, cause your home to have a nasty smell, and can even do damage to the structure. Taking the time to clean the gutters, as Bill Gassett suggests, will not only improve your curb appeal but could also save your home from costly damages and get you better offers if you are selling your home.

Inspirational Art Galleries On The Russian River

Here in West Sonoma County we have so many amazing art galleries that have some of the richest art I have ever seen. The passion and hard work that goes into every piece is absolutely inspiring and the artists are amazing in their quests to follow their dreams. To keep this article short I have chosen 7 of the most inspirational art galleries on the Russian River. I do however welcome comments if anyone would like to post in the comment section any other art gallery that you have found inspiring lately. I wanted to give you a break down of what each art gallery has to offer and a little bit about their artist.

#1 Kuhr-Norris Studio & Gallery In Guerneville CA

This is one of my favorite art galleries on the Russian River because of the opposites attract theory. Where Katherine Norris utilizes paints with vibrant colors and shocking attention to detail, Suzy Kuhr chooses to see the world in black and white capturing the roots of photography and giving onlookers a different perspective. These two women have bound together to set up the art gallery that is located upstairs in a building on Main Street. Their art is displayed in such a way that it is almost like walking into two art galleries at once.

#2 Christopher Queen Galleries

This is another one of the inspiring art galleries on the Russian River because it features Early California and Contemporary art in an elegant fashion. The art gallery is owned by Nancy Ferreira and is located in Duncan's Mills behind Cape Fear Cafe. What makes this art gallery so special is the modern roots. The art is of a long ago time in which California was really starting to get Settlers and make a name for itself but the way the artists paint it is with a modern aire and a sense of small town charm. Even the displays are gorgeous with gilded picture frames and elaborately laid tables.

#3 Russian River Art Gallery In Guerneville CA 

This gallery is "a cooperative of local artists in Guerneville, the heart of the Russian River." It is one of the more well known art galleries on the Russian River and has many local artists that all display their art there. Since this is a collection of artists, the art tends to vary widely in such a way that no matter what type of art appeals to the visitor they are sure to find it in this adorable local gallery. They also feature a Northern California artist in their show every two months and hold mini-receptions for each of their artists to talk about their work.

#4 Fine Pottery & Ceramic Art In Monte Rio, CA

Let's take a break from pictures and paintings for a minute and focus on an entirely different type of art...Pottery! James and Kathleen Fox are local artists that have their gallery in Monte Rio and online as well. This is one of the most unique art galleries on the Russian River because it focuses on crystalline glazes which, when done with their finesse, creates an elaborate ring structure that glistens in the light.

#5 Lifvendahl Fine Art In Guerneville, CA

This is one of the most colorful art galleries on the Russian River with Mark Lifvendahl the owner and artist painting with the bright oranges, yellows, and reds of a sunshine on a spring day, as well as the shades of blue and white that you would find at the ocean. Each painting is a direct representation of Mark as an artist and I think this gorgeous art is a great representation of how inspiring nature and life can be.

#6 Oli Gallery in Guerneville

Oli Gallery is the newest edition to the Russian River art world. Oli features a wide range of artists with unique paintings & sculptures. Oli adds a visually bright and captivating flavor to Guerneville. 

#7 The Blue Door Gallery In Guerneville CA

This gallery features three talented artists: Douglas Devivo , Mary Livingston and Jesse Stimson. Each of them have their own view of art lending to a very inspirational collection of art. Everything from stitching to abstract and more! The art is set up in such a way that each artist has the space to fully show off their art and make it shine. I think this is one of the most awesome art galleries on the Russian River because when you walk in the door you get the warmest welcome full of small town charm that makes you feel special and wanting to stay and look around!

The 411 On Condos

Condos are their own animal in the real estate world. There is a whole different set of circumstances when you are buying or selling condos and it is important that you begin with all of the facts. To help you on your quest I have collected some articles from professional real estate agents that have some great knowledge about the subject.

Making Space: Save Money By Downsizing

If you are tired of barely making ends meet trying to pay your mortgage and working so hard you are never getting a break, then perhaps it is time for you to downsize to something smaller and cheaper. Condos can be a great way to downsize in such a way that you still own a home but you aren't struggling to pay the mortgage. Dan Miller explains the downsizing process and how to go about making the move to a condo from a large house. In his article Making Space: Save Money By Downsizing he says "A smaller living space does not have to be seen as a limitation. On the contrary, it can open up many possibilities that you might not have considered in your larger home. You won't have to worry about mowing the lawn, shoveling the driveway, or cleaning the gutters, and you'll have the added security of neighbors living close by. Best of all, living in a condo can help you become more financially comfortable, allowing you to go traveling more often, spend more time with family, invest more in your property, and explore your hobbies."

Should You Buy A Condo, Town Home Or Smaller House

Perhaps buying a condo is not the right thing for you or your family. Condos are not for everyone. To make sure that this is the right decision you will want to look at all other viable options. Perhaps it would be best for you to start renting a property or it may be best for you to buy a smaller home or move into a townhouse. Only you can decide what the right choice is for you and your family. In her article SHOULD YOU BUY A CONDO, TOWN HOME OR SMALLER HOUSE? Debbie Drummond shares that "Once you've decided what type of home is right for you, it's time to start getting rid of things.  You don't want to move everything to the new home just to have it clutter the place up until you can sort through it.  Keep it simple.  Start by getting rid of things that aren't worth donating.  Donate or sell things that might still be useful to someone else.  Only keep the things that will fit in the new home and that you still want."

Is Condominium Living Right For You?

Some ideas to consider to help in the decision-making process are outdoor maintenance, neighbors in the community, and the common amount of personal belongings you have. First of all the outdoor maintenance in condos is regulated by the complex so they do the landscaping and gardening. If you are an avid gardener who must have their hands in the dirt this may not be an option for you. Condo's tend to be tight-knit communities, so if you are one of those people that hates having neighbors too close then a condo may not work for you. Another thing to consider is your personal belongings...if you have a lot of stuff and you are moving into a condo then you are going to run out of space quickly. Read this article "Is Condominium Living Right for You? " by Chris Highland to get a better idea of whether or not your decision to move into a condo is the right one.

10 Tips for Buying Your First Condo

Perhaps you have never owned condos before. The first time buying a condo can be a bit of a culture shock. It is different than buying a single family residence in many ways, including the addition of an HOA in most cases. A condo is a set of units that are each individually owned with common areas that in which there is shared ownership and usage such as swimming pools, fitness centers, and tennis courts. If you are buying your first condo then Kyle Hiscock's article 10 Tips for Buying Your First Condo will give you some tips and tricks on what to look out for and how to navigate the process. His advice is "When buying a condo, it’s important you know that every condominium community is different.  It’s crucial to know each community will have their own community rules, association fees, management company, and amenities.  Depending on the community, there may only be a handful of condo communities but there also could be hundreds, so do your research!"

Are You Ready to Purchase a Home This Fall?

After you decide to buy a condo, and you have gotten some tips on how to go about buying a condo you are going to want to look at whether or not you can get the financing to buy a condo. This article by has a great outline of what you should look at if you are thinking of buying a home such as: the amount of money you have saved, your credit score, are you intending to have the new condo be your primary residence, and if have you had steady employment. This is all very important information when you are looking for a loan. Read " Are You Ready to Purchase a Home This Fall?"  to get a good understanding about whether or not you are ready to look into buying condos. In their article, they make a point that is important "Buying a home is unlike most other types of lending. The credit score requirements, income levels and need to document income are much more detailed when compared to buying a car or getting a credit card. It takes time to establish a solid work history. It takes time to build up your credit score. It takes time to show that you have lived at one residence for at least 2 years."

Should You Purchase a Luxury Home or High End Condo?

Once you have a good idea of how much you can afford to spend on a condo you will want to consider what condos cost and what type of condo you would like to buy. One of the choices available is a high end condo as outlined in this article by Anita Clark. It outlines the idea that you may be able to afford to live in bliss in a luxury condo. The article titled "Should Buyers Purchase a Luxury Home or High End Condo" shows just one of the options available to those looking to buy a condo. Whether or not luxury condos are in your price range should not dictate whether or not you buy a condo. There are more humble condos available that are pretty amazing without the large price tag. Anita highlights that "High end condos can get just as expensive as nice homes, which may not make sense at first glance. However, although you may be sacrificing square-footage with a condo, there are several benefits to going this route, that may be beneficial to your lifestyle. Whether you decide to purchase a luxury home or high end condo, following these pros and cons will help you make the most informed decision possible and aid your move into your dream property."

Tips For Selling a Condo

Perhaps you already own a condo and you are considering selling it. Depending on where you are located this could be very beneficial to you. In our marketplace there are very few condos so when a homeowner decides to sell there is a high demand. To make sure that you are getting a competitive price for your condo you will want to make sure that you have set yourself up to succeed. This article "Tips For Selling A Condo" by Bill Gassett helps to outline the best method for selling a condo. He warns that "Every condo association has a set of rules and guidelines – things you can and cannot do with your unit. This is something you are probably aware of by now, but you should know that it usually applies to your sale as well. The association may place limits on who you can and cannot sell to. You may also have to get the buyer pre-approved by the association."

The Closing Process For Buyers and Sellers

When you embark on a real estate journey to buy or sell a home you go through a series of events such as marketing, home searches, offers, negotiations, disclosure periods, and contingency releases. At the end of those events, you come to the point where it is time to close escrow...essential close out the transaction. But what exactly does the closing process entail? If you are buying a home this will mean that it is time for you to take ownership of your new home and if you are a seller then this means that the bank (or buyer) will be sending you a check for your home and you will be packing up and moving out. This is always a busy time for buyer and seller but knowing exactly what is going on will help you to make the transition smoothly in a stress-free way.

The Closing Process For Buyers

As a buyer you will need to begin by switching the utilities to your name before you close escrow. This will keep you from having to pay any of the fees that the utility companies charge for turning them off and back on. Also, you are going to want to thoroughly review your estimated settlement statements provided by your title company with your agent to make sure that everything has been documented correctly for the financing of the home.  Next, you will need to sign closing docs with the title company and do a final walk-through on the property to make sure that nothing extreme has happened ( like the house burning down). Finally, your agent will get to give you the keys to your new home and you will be all set to move in!

The Closing Process For Sellers

As a seller you are getting ready to move on with the next chapter in your life so the closing process is just a step for you on your way to something much bigger. You are going to need to review your Estimated Settlement Statements provided by your title company to make sure that everything is in place before you close. Then you will need to pack up your belongings. Using our Moving Out Cleaning Checklist may help you with that. The best part of our job here at Millar and Company is letting you know that your home sold for a great price and wishing you well as you begin the next chapter in your real estate life!