When I left the house this morning at 6:50am for my morning walk with my dogs I could hardly believe how warm it was outside - it felt much more like an early summer morning, with the thermometer showing 54 degrees, than a January morning. The beginning of the month was wet and a bit stormy but for a while now we've been having gorgeous sunny weather with highs nearing (and sometimes reaching) 70 degrees; one Saturday afternoon my front porch showed 73 but that I know was just a warm pocket.
January has traditionally been one of the home buying peaks of the year; people spend the end of the year thinking about changes they want to make in the coming year (typically that they'll get into shape, eat healthier, etc.) and that can include changes in where they want to live. While I didn't experience any actual sales, I did find myself showing property several times during the month; we didn't find the right place for my customers but they are still looking. I also skimmed an article in the Sunday Santa Rosa Press Democrat about selling a home in the winter. Roughly it stated that home sales are slow in the winter because there are fewer homes available to buy; however, a home priced well during this time actually has a better chance of selling because of this lack of competition. I thought this was very interesting and am curious about how that plays out here, but there have only been two sales since November 1, 2010, so that's not statistically enough to draw any conclusions. It will be interesting to see if homes listed since November sell before the summer hits.
I will be interested to see how this balmy weather plays out in our gardens and vineyards; so far, things aren't doing too much, but if this continues I wonder if we'll start to see some blooms? Speaking of blooms, though, I have noticed on my walks that the Manzanita brush is starting to flower and that the bees are all over them. At my house we're just trying to get the vines pruned and ready for the coming year.
I'm headed out to see some parts of the country where I've never been - first a stop at the Grand Canyon, then a week in Sedona, AZ, followed by a stop in Death Valley on the drive home. I'll write from the road and let you know how the trips unfolds - you'll have to check out my blog at www.annefashauer.com, though. See you when I get back!