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Mortgage Relief for Home Owners

February 16, 2012 by

Attention Lake County California Home Owners!

If you are struggling with your mortgage don’t bury your head in the sand or throw in the towel without first looking into what options may be available to help you with your mortgage. The following resources are provided for you to check and see if you qualify for a program that may help you keep your home.

National Mortgage Settlement

http://www.nationalmortgagesettlement.com/

California State Attorney Generals Office, regarding the national mortgage settlement.

https://oag.ca.gov/nationalmortgagesettlement/faqs

Keep Your Home California!

http://www.keepyourhomecalifornia.org/

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Wineries and Vineyards in Lake County California

February 4, 2012 by

View from Terre Vermeille Vineyard in Clearlake Oaks CA

Wineries and Vineyards in Lake County CA

By Rick White

2-4-2012

While waiting for my real estate license in 2005 I had the fortune of working for the Kendal Jackson Winery as a Sugar Sampler.  This was not a high paying job but it was a fun job because it required me to venture through vineyards in remote regions of the county and collect grape samples to monitoring their sugar content. Some of these vineyards were spectacular like Obsidian Ridge Vineyard on the ridge of a hill near Mt Hanna along the Mayacama Mountain range and Terre Vermeille Vineyard owned by the Shannon Ridge winery and located on the south edge of High Valley above the town of Clearlake Oaks. The lake and mountain views from Terre Vermeille are breathtaking. The Red Hills and High Valley are a few of Northern California’s newest wine grape appellations.  The Lake County Wine Grape Growers have a nice website with much more information on the subject. I’m truly amazed by the wine industry growth in Lake County California over the past 6 years. Both professional and amateur wine makers and wine-grape growers recognize the value of our rich volcanic soils and temperate climate. From a cost perspective when you compare how much more affordable land values are here in Lake County to the land values in the more nationally recognized and neighboring established wine-grape regions of Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino Counties it starts to make sense why we’re having this growth in Lake County. Many wine grape varieties grow quite well here like Cabernet and Sauvignon Blanc. I am very impressed with the some of the Italian and Spanish varietals that are doing well here like the Tempranillo grape which is a black Spanish varietal and the Aglianico grape which black Italian varietal that actually originated in Greece but is grown in the Basilicata and Campania regions of Italy and now grown here in Lake County as well. There are many fun wine events occurring at various times in the county including the Amateur Wine Makers festival that takes place in March and the Lake County Wine Adventure that takes place in July.  Wineries like Moore Family Winery off of Bottle Rock road provide magnificent mountain views and outdoor concerts. Steele Winery in Kelseyville hosts a annual Harvest Festival in the fall and another annual event called “A Taste of Lakeport” places local winery booths various downtown shops giving folks a chance to taste locally made wines and mingle with the locals without traveling too far. If your investigating the possibility of starting a winery or vineyard in Lake County CA or looking for an established Lake County Vineyard for sale or a Lake County Winery for sale then please contact me. I am very familiar with the areas around the lake and I will look forward to assisting you.

Lake County Wineries & Tasting Rooms

Sorted by Region

West Lake    (Lakeport, Finley & Kelseyville)

Bell Hill Vineyards, 6725 Jacobsen  Kelseyville, CA 95451
(707) 490-4400                           http://www.bellhillvineyards.com
Tasting available at Lake County Wine Studio

Chacewater Wine Company 5627 Gaddy Lane Kelseyville, CA 95451
(707) 279-2995                            http://chacwaterwinecompany.com
Tasting room on site,  They also have a olive mill for making olive oil.

Cougar’s Leap Winery 9300 Seigler Springs Rd. Kelseyville, CA 95451
(707) 279-0651                          http://www.cougarsleap.com
Tasting Room open May-October, Friday-Sunday 11am to 5pm or by Advanced Appointment

Kendall Jackson Winery
Not open to the public

Laujor Estate Winery 8664 Seigler Springs No. Road, Kelseyville, CA 95451
(707) 279-2146                            http://www.laujorestate.com
A Boutique Winery located in the Red Hills Appellation.

Moore Family Winery 11990 Bottle Rock Road, Kelseyville, CA 95451
(707) 279-9279                           http://www.moorefamilywinery.com
Tasting Room hours are Friday – Sunday 11am to 5pm

Mt. Konocti Winery 2550 Big Valley Road, Kelseyville, CA 95451
(707) 279-4213                         http://www.pearbubbles.com
Tasting available by appointment

Robleo Family Winery 2040 Soda Bay Road, Lakeport, CA 95453
(707) 939-6903                       http://www.robledofamilywinery.com/

Rosa D’Oro Vineyards 3915 Main Street View, Kelseyville, CA 95451
(707) 279-0483                    http://www.rosadorowine.com
Tasting Room open Wed. – Sat. 10:30am-6:30 pm, & Sunday 11am-5pm

Sol Rouge P.O. Box 859 Kelseyville, CA 95451
(707) 279-9000                    http://www.solrouge.com
Tasting available by appointment

Steele Wines 4350 Thomas Dr. Lakeport, CA 95453
(707) 279-9475                     http://steelewines.com/
Tasting Room open 11 am – 5 pm except Sunday

Wildhurst Vineyards 3855 Main Street, Kelseyville, CA 95451
(707) 279-4302                    http://www.wildhurst.com/
Tasting Room open 10 am – 5 pm daily


East Lake ( Clearlake Oak,  High Valley,  Clearlake,  Lower Lake )


Brassfield Estate Winery 10915 High Valley Road. Clearlake Oaks, CA 95423
(707) 998-1895                                              http://brassfieldestate.com
Tasting Room Open 7 days a week, 10 – 5 daily; open by appt. only on weekends during winter months

Cache Creek Vineyards & Winery 250 New Long Valley Road, Clearlake Oaks, CA 95423
(707) 998-9575                                                 http://www.cachecreekvineyards.com
No tasting room but wine can be tasted by appt.

Diamond Ridge Vineyards 2485 Park Place View, Clearlake, CA 95422
(623) 935-6025                                               http://www.diamondridgevineyards.com
Cab, Cab Franc, Malbec, Merlot, Petite Sirah

Gregory Graham Wines 13633 Point Lakeview Road View, Lower Lake, CA 95457
(707) 995-3500                                               http://www.ggwines.com
Tasting Room open Fri., Sat. and Sun. 10am to 5pm

Hawk and Horse Vineyards 13048 Highway 29, Lower Lake, CA 95457
(707) 994-0910                                               http://www.HawkandHorseVineyards.com
Tasting by appt.–Demeter Biodynamic Cerfified, CCDF & Organic, Historic 900 acre ranch

High Valley Estate Vineyards 13151 E. State Highway 20, Clearlake Oaks, CA 95423
(707) 799-5523                                                http://www.highvalleywine.com
Tasting Room open 11- 6 PM

Noggle Vineyards & Winery 700 Old Long Valley Road View, Clearlake Oaks, CA 95423
(707) 998-0319                                               http://www.nogglevineyardsandwinery.com
Tasting Room Open on weekends from 11 am to 5 pm and by appointment

Ployez Winery 11171 Highway 29, Lower Lake, CA 95457
(707) 994-2106                                               http://www.ployezwines.com
Tasting Room open by appt.

Shannon Ridge Winery 12599 East Highway 20, Clearlake Oaks, CA 95423
(707) 998-9656                                               http://www.shannonridge.com
Tasting Room open daily from 10:30 am to 5 pm

Six Sigma Ranch and Winery 13372 Spruce Grove Road View, Lower Lake, CA 95457
(707) 994-4068                                                http://www.sixsigmaranch.com
Tasting Room open daily 11am – 4:30 pm. Tours by appt.

Snows Lake Vineyard P                         P.O. Box 600 View, Lower Lake, CA 95457
(707) 994-9444                                                 http://www.snowslakevineyard.com
No tasting room

Terrill Cellars 16175 Main Street View, Lower Lake, CA 95457
(707) 252-8444                                                 http://www.terrillcellars.com
Tasting Room open daily 10am – 4pm

Thorn Hill Winery 8170 Highway 29, Lower Lake, CA 95457
(717) 299-3688                                               http://www.thornhillwinery.com
Tasting room to be open soon

Vigilance Winery & Vineyards 13888 Point Lakeview Road, Lower Lake, CA 95457
(707) 994-9656                                                http://vigilancewinery.com
Sustainable farming & wines–farming for today and the future

North Lake  (Upper Lake, Nice & Lucerne)


Ceago Vinegarden 5115 East Highway, Nice, CA 95464
(707) 274-1462                                     http://www.ceago.com/
Tasting Room open daily from 10 am to 5 pm

Lavender Blue PO Box 156, Nice, CA 95464
(707) 349-2469                                     http://www.lavenderbluewine.com

Robinson Lake Vineyard 755 East Hwy 20 View, Upper Lake, CA 94585
(281) 650-2558                                      http://www.robinsonlakevineyard.com/
Wines can be tasted at Lake County Wine Studio

South Lake  (Cobb – Middletown)


Beaver Creek Vineyards 22000 Highway 29, Middletown, CA 95461
(707) 987-1069                                         http://www.beavercreekvineyards.com
Tasting Room open daily–Certified Organic

Bullion Creek Vineyards PO Box 741, Middletown, CA 95461
(707) 987-9244                                         http://www.bullioncreekvineyards.com
Tasting by appt.–Grower & Producer of fine wines

Langtry Estate & Vineyards 21000 Butts Canyon Road, Middletown, CA 95461
(707) 987-9127                                            http://www.langtryestate.com
Tasting Room open from 10am to 5pm daily

Shed Horn Cellars 21108 Calistogo Street, Middletown, CA 95461
(707) 291-3629                                           http://www.shedhorncellars.com
Tasting available mid May at new tasting room in Middletown

Twin Pine “Off the Vine” 22223 Hwy 29, Middletown, CA 95461
(707) 987-1220                                           http://www.twinpine.com/wine.php
Tasting Room open daily, Tasting Room Open 7 days a week, 10 – 5 daily; open by appt. only on weekends during winter months.

Wild Diamond Estates http://wilddiamondestates.com/about.php
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Searching for Lakefront Property in Lake County California

February 1, 2012 by

A unique feature about living in Lake County, California is actually owning property with lake front. It’s exciting for me to hand the keys over to a new home owner of lake front property because I know one of the things on their mind is to go for that first boat ride and come home to park the boat at their own boat dock.  Water skiing, sailing, kayaking, fishing and moonlight cruises are just a few of the simple pleasures of living on the Clear Lake.  

There are options and price ranges and things to know when it comes to searching for lakefront property in Lake County and I will be happy  to assist you with your lakefront search.  You can find everything from the simplest lakefront cabin or bungalow to luxury homes on large lakefront parcels.  I recommend that you first come to the area and familiarize yourself with the various venues around the lake.  Lower cost alternatives to living directly on the lake are properties in waterfront channels.  Waterfront Channel properties will still provide you with access to the lake. Waterfront Channel properties can be found in areas like the Clearlake Keys located in Clearlake Oaks and in Lakeport there is Corinthian Bay, Lands End, Pier 1900 and Lakeport Lagoons. The City of Clearlake has a waterfront channel community called Highlands Harbor. The other thing to know is that if lakefront or channel front property is still beyond financial reach then you might consider another option. There are Home Owner Associations (HOAs) like the Riviera West, Riviera Heights that have marinas on the lake for home owners that live in those communities.  More exclusive areas like Buckingham Park in Kelseyville and Paradise Cove in Lucerne also provide home owners with a place to launch boats and tie up for the day.  Most of our lakefront communities have public boat launch facilities that are free to the public.

You can start searching for lake front property from my website.  I offer open access to the multiple listings in  Lake County. To start searching just click on the Property Search tab on my home page.  Select the county, the price range and be sure to check the box that says waterfront then scroll down and click on the pull down menu that says lot features. Look for a description under lot features that says “On Lake Front”.  Once you have done this you can initiate the search by clicking on the find properties button at the bottom of the page.  If you aren’t getting any results it may mean that you need to adjust the price range and try again.

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