Steve Carnes, serving your Real Estate needs in The Sea Ranch

Steve's monthly notes on
The Sea Ranch Real Estate Market
January, 2012

Early in the morning in January the mist sometimes creeps in on cat's feet...

Past & Present Home Sales in The Sea Ranch

3 homes have been sold to date in The Sea Ranch this year.
The average sale price for these homes was $628,333.
The average time on the market was 234 days.

Winter in The Sea Ranch is a very Special Season

January came and went with the usual mix of blustery storm, bright sunshine and spectacular sunsets. It is a very special season that I particularly enjoy. It is just chilly enough for a good coat, a warm hat and some sensible walking shoes, but not cold enough to get in the way of an hour or two walk on the bluff. Stand on an outcropping and watch huge emerald waves crash into the dark rock cliff below. Look down below your feet, alabaster surf churns where land meets ocean. You can taste salt in the air. Sometimes in a real storm, the soundscape is deafening with the thunder of the waves and the howl of the wind blending with the mournful call of a gull just offshore.

The morning mist frequently transforms views up and down the coast into visions of fantasy. Closer in, next to the path, myriads of yellow rump warblers flit through lupin and myrtle. Stop for a while in one of the secret alcoves carved into the hedgerows and sit on the log bench and let your mind roam. Watch a robin or a rabbit shelter alongside of you in the lee of the storm. None of the wildflowers are out yet, of course, but the fresh green of new grass lines the path beneath your feet. You can sense that the seasons are about to turn. Winter in The Sea Ranch is a wonderful time and place to go for a walk and one of the best parts of it is the warm libation next to the fire when you get back home.

For years now, I have been advising folks who are thinking about buying a home in The Sea Ranch to come up, rent a vacation home for a week or two, and get a feel for the place. This will remove much of the pressure involved in looking at the homes that are being offered for sale. Instead of blitzing through the homes on a tight schedule, you will have time to really look at each of them, to think about them, and be absolutely certain that you have asked all of the right questions. By staying here for an extended period of time you will also get a better sense of place than you can during a quick trip. We can even go for a walk on the bluff. (If you're lucky and come during a storm so much the better, but I assure you that it is a great experience even if the sun is shining.) There are homes for rent in every single part of the Ranch so you can thoroughly experience the section of the Ranch where you are considering buying. Oceanfront, Oceanside Meadows, Hillside, or Forest - your choice. Not only will you learn a lot about this wonderful place, but I guarantee that you will also enjoy the experience tremendously.

Needless to say I will be happy to fit my schedule with yours so that you can not only view the homes that interest you, but will also have the time that you need to learn more about the area first hand. If you'd like, I'll even help you meet some of the people who will be your neighbors.

CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ABOUT OUR FEATURED HOMES