Wishing you and yours a Joyful holiday season and a happy New Year

“Yosemite Gateway Properties and Lifestyles”

A Locally Focused Newsletter for Property Owners, Residents, Visitors, Home Buyers, Home Sellers, Real Estate Professionals, and Others, Interested in Mountain Homes and Lifestyles in the Southern Yosemite Communities of Oakhurst, Bass Lake, Ahwahnee, Coarsegold, Mariposa, Midpines, Bootjack, North Fork, Spring Valley, Raymond, Yosemite Lakes Park, and Other Nearby Places

December 2006

Coming in March, 2007

Southern Yosemite Automobile Festival

March 21 – 25, 2007

Go to: www.southernyosemite.com for more information

Features

• Ed Note
• Some Sound Home Advice
• Property Listings Wanted
• A Mountain Treasure
• A Mountain Hospitality Spot
• The Mountain Real Estate Market
• Our Business of the Month
• Home for Sale of the Month
• A Place of Worship
• Art in the Mountains
• Did You Know?
• What’s Happening
• Share with Us
• Gateway Links

Ed Note

Years of experience, study, and research have given professional realtors® some knowledge and insights that I hope will be of some help to the typical home seller or buyer:

• Overpriced properties (above market value) take longer to sell and usually sell at a lower price than similar properties that were priced at market value to begin with.  At any one time approximately half the homes on the market are priced above market value.
• Buyers who call real estate agents in response to a newspaper ad usually don’t buy the home they called about, but are more likely to buy a higher priced home.
• Residential properties listed at a commission rate lower than the customary 6 percent, take longer to sell, and sell at a lower average percentage of the original asking price.  The difference is typically five to six percent. 
• Properties sold by owner sell at a lower average selling price than similar properties sold through a broker.  The average difference is about twice what the real estate commission would have been. 
• Professional investors buy most of their properties from “For Sale by Owner” (FSBO) ads, yet they almost always do their selling through a realtor®.
• Sellers and buyers alike are likely to get a better price when served by local agents who understand the market where the property is located.
• More than 80% of home buyers do some research on the internet before contacting a real estate agent.
• Multiple Listing Services are the most effective, least expensive tools available for marketing real estate.
• The agent who lists your property is not likely to be the selling agent.  Hundreds of agents in the Multiple Listing Services will be competing to sell your property.
• Most buyers can qualify for a larger loan than they think they can.  Most Mortgage companies will pre-qualify you and help you determine what you can afford for free.
• A home seller is required by law to make more than two dozen specific disclosures and disclose any other information that will materially affect the value of the property.

Property Listings Wanted

HAS YOUR HOME FOR SALE BEEN ON THE MARKET TOO LONG?

The good news is that the market is recovering and if your property is priced right and marketed effectively, it will sell

List your Property with me for Better, Faster Results - I Will:

• Feature it in this Newsletter (See "Home for Sale of the Month" below)
• Post it immediately for more than 100 Century 21 Ditton Sierra Realtors Agents and Broker Associates in our twelve locations.
• Post it with Valley and local Multiple Listing Services and Century 21 international listings
• Send letters to all nearby property owners inviting them to help choose their new neighbors
• Arrange a "caravan" viewing and price evaluation by Yosemite Gateway Association of Realtors
• Expose your property to my prospective buyers list and incoming transferees referred through Century 21 international referral system
• Hold open house showings
• Help your buyer arrange financing
• Provide you with regular progress reports and be available to you on your schedule
• And more

My targeted marketing strategies are designed to reach identified prospective buyers. Call 559-313-1081 or 888-683-5193

Disclaimer:  If your property is listed with another company, please do not consider this a solicitation.

A Mountain Treasure

Ride back into history by driving a genuine Model T Ford on a “T Tour” of Yosemite.  For more information go to: http://www.driveamodelt.com/

The Mountain Real Estate Market

Yosemite Lakes Park holds on to its property values

Like most of our mountain area, Yosemite Lakes Park has not experienced the declines in property values that have hit some other areas in California.  Residential home prices (median) on sales closed during the past six months, June 1 through November 30, were virtually the same as the for same time period in the banner year of 2005.  The average selling price dropped by only $500 from $325,500 to $325,000 for a decline of a mere 2/10 of one percent!

Yosemite Lakes Park, commonly known as YLP, is a subdivision in the south of the unincorporated area known as Coarsegold, California. Established in the early 1970's as a "vacation area," YLP grew slowly until the 1980's. YLP has about 2250 lots suitable for building. More than 1900 of these currently have homes. YLP has a minimum size requirement of 1 acre. Only single family homes are allowed. The largest lots are more than 15 acres.

The elevations in YLP vary from 1200 to 2700 ft, creating views in all directions. Like most of Coarsegold, YLP considers itself "Above the fog, and below the snow." YLP is located 3 miles west of Hwy. 41, on Yosemite Springs Parkway. Many a visitor has driven past Yosemite Springs Parkway to the downtown area only to find they should have turned left 7 miles back.

The Yosemite Lakes Owners' Association directs activities within YLP. Board officials are elected annually and serve on a volunteer unpaid basis. Members are defined as property owners. Others living in the park are considered Associate Members and have the same privileges as Members except voting rights.

YLP has its own golf course, swimming pool, tennis courts, basketball court, club house, restaurant, cocktail lounge, and other amenities. The facilities are Members and Guests Only except the Fairview Café located by the golf course. Commercial facilities such as the Trading Post (gas, food, beverages), Hardware Store, YLP Video ( TV rental), dentist office, Real Estate offices, Chinese Restaurant, Storage Rental, Beauty Shop, etc. are also in YLP and open to the public. Just outside YLP are a Community Church, Real Estate Offices, a grocery store, liquor store, beauty shop, and other stores.

Home for Sale of the Month

A Dream Home in the Mountains

A beautiful and unusual custom farm house, in a great mountain setting.     It is of the highest quality construction with the touch of an artist’s added.  It has an in ground pool, orchards, landscaping, great view, privacy, house setup with barn and tack Two  bedrooms, 2 ½ baths, a separate studio/storage/office building.  Asking price $565,000.

See more pictures of this special house at www.comehome2stay.com .

A Place of Worship

Welcome to Sierra Vista Presbyterian Church!

We are a growing congregation of Christian people enthusiastically committed to Jesus Christ and His Great Commission. Our personality is warm, inviting and joyful. We are only 20 years old as a congregation, so we're flexible, open and on the move. We invite you to join us at Sierra Vista.   Read more at:  www.sierravistachurch.org

For information on other mountain area churches, go to:

http://www.emccc.net/resultsMemberCat.php?catName=Churches&Submit2=Find+by+Category

Art in the Mountains

By Joan Brumley

(Editor’s note. I am happy to announce that Joan Brumley has agreed to write this column each month.  Joan is one of the area’s most talented artists and an outstanding art teacher, who has helped many students to become successful in their own right).

Watch this site for articles of interest to everyone about the local art scene.  I will try to put anything into this column about any event of interest, and will be telling you all of the secrets about all of the other artists.  Please, all artists, let me know of anything you want published—if I don’t get news about you, I will make it up and you might not like that.

If anyone does not know me, I am an artist who has been in the mountain area for many years and I have been involved with the art activities, here, in many ways.  When I first moved here, I was a registered nurse, working in the Fresno area.   I have painted since I was a child, and never had the slightest idea that I would make a living at it.  However, by the grace of God, I have evolved from a nurse to an artist, and have had a pretty successful career.  I started teaching in Yosemite Lakes Park with only two students.  I hung out with Don Stockdale and Diane Astier for quite a while in the YLP clubhouse, and taught them while they taught me.  I then taught a small class in Fern’s Craft Shop, until I opened my first studio in Oakhurst.  After 6 years in Oakhurst, I bought the little Church building in Coarsegold.  God really blessed me there, with my art school, gallery and framing businesses, and I stayed for 6 more years at that location.  Then, at the request of the Pines resort, I moved to Bass Lake.  For health reasons, I sold the gallery to Chuck and Sharon Nugent, and got out of the gallery business and back into teaching for fun and (not much) profit.   But it is my real love, and I am teaching at my home, and in Fresno and in Madera.  It gives me time to paint, and to share what has been given to me.      

My studio is open and you may call to make an appointment to come and see what I teach and what I paint. For area artists, please send me information about you, if you would like to share information with the public.  This column would like to profile each artist in our area.  There are many people out there with new homes and a need for art for their walls.  This could be a great venue for both art lovers and artists.  I will try to put information about art shows and events as I receive it.

You can e-mail me at jbart@sti.net.  My web site is http://www.sierratel.com/jbart. And you can call to come to my studio at 6587983.

Did You Know? 

The Yosemite Gateway Association of Realtors®’ 2006 Monster Rummage Sale raised more than $7,000 which was donated to for Mountain Hope.  The Association selects a charity each year to benefit from this special event.  It is a volunteer effort by local Realtors® as a way of giving something back to special organizations in this wonderful community that we all enjoy so much.  All local charities are invited each year to submit their requests to be beneficiaries. .

You can get Ed’s California Homeowners Guide Newsletter sent to your in-box each month free. It has lots of helpful information for homeowners.  Just send me your e-mail address and you're in.  You can also view it on live at:  http://www.realtydirect.net/news/?PUB=13067

Moving?

If a move is in your near future, let me make it a little less stressful for you.  I will be happy to send you a free 39 item checklist of smart things to do; (1) before the move, (2) on moving day, and (3) after the move.  Just give me a telephone call at 559-313-1081 or send an e-mail request to: edb@EdBaileyRealtor.com

You can find out how much your home is worth on the current market FREE.  Get a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) with no commitment on your part.

Just go to:  http://www.edbaileyrealtor.com/sellers.html and fill in information.

Are you or Your Friends Looking for a “Home for Sale” in the Oakhurst, Bass Lake, Ahwahnee, Coarsegold, North Fork, Raymond, Mariposa Area? You can find listings of all properties for sale in our mountain area at:  http://www.edbaileyrealtor.com/search.asp

Dining out in the Mountains

You can read customers’ Reviews and Ratings of Oakhurst area restaurants at: http://oakhurstrestaurants.com/

You can get free help with your “For Sale by Owner” (FSBO).  I’ll mail you a copy of the “For Sale by Owner Manual,”   It will give you helpful pointers on how to go about preparing and selling your home.  I will also be happy to provide you with comparable sales information and help you arrive at the right asking price. 

What’s Happening

Courtesy Oakhurst Area Chamber of Commerce

Share with Us

Do you have a question about our Oakhurst area?  Do you have a real estate question?

Do you have a suggestion for additional features in this newsletter?  Send me your thoughts and your ideas.

Also tell us, in 50 words or less, what you consider the most interesting of our Mountain Treasures, and why.  Examples of Mountain Treasures:  Timberline Gallery; Sierra Mono Museum; Mariposa County Courthouse; the Wild, Wonderful, King Museum (vintage clothing);  the Children's Museum of the Sierra; Fresno Flats Historical Park; the California State Mining and Minerals Museum in Mariposa; Sierra Scenic Bypass; the Little Church on the Hill; the Talking Bear; Sierra Art Trails; the Elegant Auction; Heritage Days; the Fall Arts and Music Festival; the Loggers Jamboree; the Coarsegold Rodeo; the Christmas Tree Auction; the Honorary Mayor Contest; the Wild, Wonderful Chocolate Festival; Jazz on the Lake; the Bass Lake Fishing Derby; the Mountain Bear "Angels Amongst Us" Annual Awards Dinner; The Wall of Heroes Annual Awards Dinner; or name your own Mountain Treasure.  E-mail it to: edBailey@sti.net. You may call us at 559-683-5193 or toll free at 888-683-5193.

Gateway Links

Oakhurst Area Chamber of Commerce:  www.oakhurstchamber.com

Bass Lake Chamber of Commerce:  www.basslakechamber.com

North Fork Chamber of Commerce:  www.north-fork-chamber.com

Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau:   www.yosemitethisyear.com

Mariposa Chamber of Commerce:  www.mariposachamber.org

The Pines Resort:  www.basslake.com

The Sierra Star:   www.sierrastar.com

Valley Views Magazine:  http://www.valleyviews.biz/

Yosemite National Park:   http://www.yosemite.national-park.com/

Coarsegold Chamber of Commerce:  www.coaresgoldchamber.com