Places to Live

YOLO COUNTY

Winters
    Quiet and small, Winters—population around 7,000—is a picture of an idyllic agricultural community, complete with its name on a water tower that dominates the landscape of this town just off Highway 5 in Yolo County.
    “Without a doubt it is the rural character that attracts people,” said Tim Ireland, a fifth-generation resident and a member of one of the families that founded Winters in 1876. “We don’t have a McDonalds or a car dealership.”
    Those things aren’t hard to find just south of Winters in Vacaville, about ten miles away. About the same distance to the east is Davis, home of the University of California, Davis. Set against the Vaca Mountains, Winters is also the gateway to the outdoor recreation at Lake Berryessa. “It’s about nine miles to the Monticello Dam that forms Lake Berryessa,” Ireland said. “But I think you have to drive about twelve or so miles to be able to launch your boat.”
    Historic Winters is centered around its picturesque Main Street, where you’ll find the original Buckhorn Steak & Roadhouse. The family-owned dinner restaurant, which has branches in Napa, Walnut Creek and San Francisco under the name Buckhorn Grill, has a companion Putah Creek Cafe, which is one of the most popular lunch spots in town, according to Ireland.
    “Winters is also attracting artists who are creating a booming art scene in town,” he said. One of the most sought-after areas of Winters for housing is the section of older homes just west of the Main Street shops. “Those houses don’t come on the market very often,” Ireland said, adding that he usually has an inventory of properties available in a wide range of prices. “Prices start around $336,000, but from there they go up into the multiple-million dollar listings.”

Davis
    There’s a price to live in desirable Davis, which combines the stimulating environment of a college community with the simplicity of the surrounding agricultural land, along with easy access to Sacramento and the Sierras.
    Properties are at a premium, however, said Realtor Chris Snow, who has lived in Davis since 1969. His mother was a real estate broker and when she retired, Snow decided to keep the family business going. His long-time knowledge of the community gives him an insider’s knowledge of the “special” neighborhoods in the college town, and one that ranks high, he said, is College Park, a loop off busy Russell Boulevard near the UC Davis campus. This older neighborhood boasts lush growth, towering trees and charming homes, from ivy-covered brick houses to Tudor style mansions—a hidden enclave with a storybook charm in this busy, bustling city. “People love the trees,” said Snow. “I had one listing that went for $920,000—because of the trees.”
    He said the Stonegate Country Club area in western Davis is also a popular residential area. A community of homes, town homes and apartments surrounding a sparkling 17-acre lake, it has wide streets, mature landscaping and diverse architecture. Two city parks and a shopping center are within walking distance, but the focal point of much neighborhood activity is the Stonegate Country Club, a 2.3-acre facility with ball fields, tennis courts, basketball courts, three swimming pools, a fitness center and a waterfront clubhouse that is the site for classes, club meetings and other activities. Every property owner in Stonegate is automatically a member of the club and entitled to use the facilities, which may be reserved for birthday parties and other events. Despite its secluded feel, a system of bike paths links it to shopping, schools, the campus and downtown Davis.

SOLANO COUNTY

Dixon
    When a new professor moving from the Midwest to teach at UC Davis experienced sticker shock at the prices of homes in the college town, Realtor Marianne McDonald had a suggestion: Consider Dixon. McDonald, who has lived in Dixon for 40 years, said this town of 17,000, located about five miles from Davis, is a town where people “still look out for each other.”
    At the entrance to the town is George’s Orange, a burger stand boasting one of the giant orange-shaped huts that used to dot the landscape in California’s agricultural areas.
    Increasingly, McDonald said, she is selling houses to people moving from the Bay Area. “One of the reasons they choose Dixon is they can walk everywhere. I just sold a house to a couple from San Jose who said it was just what they wanted, a community they could afford where they could walk.”
Dixon now has a “measured growth” policy in place, she said, but the town is getting a new high school, “something we really needed,” since the old high school was built in 1943.
    “It’s got a home-town feel,” said Realtor Rick Tully. “It’s got so much character. And its affordability is
a plus.”
    Within the small town are a range of neighborhoods. Watson Ranch, a 1970s project, has lower prices. At the other end of the price range is Brookfield Homes, a new project. Somewhere in the middle is Pheasant Run, which was built in the 1990s and appeals to families. “It’s a good time to consider Dixon,” said Tully who was showing a four-bedroom, three-bathroom house in the Pheasant Run area, on the market for $549,000.

Vacaville
    Although Vacaville is a shopping destination, for many it’s home, and residents like Barbara Adams sing its praises. The rapidly growing town of 100,000 spreads out over both sides of Interstate 80 south of Davis. From that vantage point it may appear to be mall after mall of shops and restaurants, but Realtor Adams said the small city boasts pockets of great neighborhoods that are attractive to families.
    One of these is Portofino, a new development underway at the city’s southern edge, set against the rolling hills. An innovative planned neighborhood, it’s divided into two areas: The Courtyard, a section of single family homes, and the Villas, “attached duets” or duplexes. The Villas are two- and three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath townhouses, with prices beginning at $379,000. The detached Courtyard houses are three and four bedrooms, beginning at $433,000. The prices are attracting young couples buying their first homes as well as empty nesters who are downsizing, said Steve Ko, one of the sales managers for the project.
    In addition to its appealing location close to the hills and open space, the development has another plus with its proximity to Vacaville community center—just across the street—where the city provides a myriad of recreational and cultural opportunities.
    The development will create its own park areas, Ko said, noting that the communal areas are also appealing to buyers. “They like the opportunity to get together.”

Vallejo
    A man-made waterfall marks the entrance to this community, nestled in a valley; cows graze peacefully on the hills above the homes. Although it’s completely hidden from view of those hurrying by on Highway 80, the residents are actually in the hub of the North Bay, near major roads and highways as well as the Vallejo ferry that many residents use to commute to San Francisco.
    The product of years of planning, Hiddenbrooke, which opened in 2000, is a self-contained 1,300-acre community developed by Triad Communities. Within Hiddenbrooke are 14 neighborhoods and a village center with amenities like a dry-cleaner and deli.
    “You’re close to everything, yet you really feel like you’re in your own world,” said Realtor Valerie Bechelli. “From its walking trails you can see the city.”
    The centerpiece of Hiddenbrooke is the 18-hole semi-private golf course, which winds through the development. There is also a 7,500-square-foot swimming pool complex, fitness room and tennis courts.
Homes can run from $500,000 for a condo to more than $1.2 million for the custom houses, Bechelli said. One of her current listings is a 3,600-square-foot house with a gourmet kitchen and two master bedroom suites, listed at $975,000.
    “One plus here is that the open space you see will remain open space,” she said. And there are 700 acres of open space including a four-acre greenbelt and park for residents. “It’s like the last little secret area.”

Benicia
    Fans of Benicia say the town has managed to keep its small-town charm, even as it’s growing. “We love it,” said Rose Hadaway, who has lived and worked there since 1975. “It’s a small town, yet you’re close to larger metropolitan cities. We’ve seen quite a change but we still love it.”
    The scenic location on the Carquinez Strait is also attracting artists, which is creating a lively arts scene. “We have some well-known artists, and great studios.”
    The strait provides another advantage. “Our average year-round climate is around 65 degrees,” Hadaway said. “When it’s 100 degrees in Walnut Creek, it’s 85 or so here.”
    The town, with a population of 28,000, comes together for community events throughout the year. “We have some over-the-top annual events. Our July 3rd parade is something out of Norman Rockwell: Merchants, schools, kids, everyone gets involved. I like to look at it as a fun community. When folks come together for the different functions we have, like the Waterfront Festival, the farmers market or the Jazz Festival, everyone joins in and embraces the fun, no matter which part of town you live in.”
    When her children were young, Hadaway said her family lived in the Southampton Hills area, but now that it’s just her and her husband, they have moved to the waterfront, a popular area with condos and houses. “I live right on the water. My husband and I wanted to live where we can walk. We walk everywhere, and we see people we know every morning. I walk into a restaurant where people say, ‘Oh the usual, Rose?’”
    A Realtor with Coldwell Banker, Hadaway said, “Our schools are top notch and that’s a driving attraction for families, but the nice thing is you don’t have to have a family to enjoy living here.”
    Another attraction is that homes are available in the $200,000 range. “They go up to $1.4 million for some of the new homes in the Southhampton Hills, for example, but for the high $500s, you can get a single family, three-bedroom, two- bathroom house. I believe in what I’m selling,” she concluded.

Rio Vista
    One of the fastest growing cities in Solano County, Rio Vista, is a recreation-rich town on the Sacramento River Delta. Surrounded by farmlands and rolling hills, the town of 7,000 is about halfway between Fairfield and Lodi—and only 35 miles from Sacramento. Its largest landmark, the Rio Vista Bridge, is one of the many drawbridges designed by Joseph Strauss, the architect for the Golden Gate. Rio Vista is also near the home of the popular Western Railway Museum.
    Many of its residents are attracted by the vacation-like atmosphere provided by the 1,100 miles of waterways in the Delta. Windsurfing, water-skiing, jet-skiing, sailboating and casual yacht cruising are all in style around Rio Vista, and fishing is the top leisure activity. The city is known to have some of the best sport fishing in the state and in October it hosts the largest Bass Festival and Derby in the West.
    The city’s name came from La Vista del Rio—“River View.” Founded in 1859, Rio Vista prospered by providing services and agricultural supplies to travelers on the steamships running between Sacramento and San Francisco during the Gold Rush. The town also provided fresh fish and canned salmon to San Francisco and beyond.
    Today, Rio Vista still maintains an easy-going “small town” attitude that attracts both visitors and those looking for a fun and friendly place to buy a vacation home or to live year-round. Housing prices in Rio Vista start in the high $200,000s, with an abundance of choices in the $300,000 to $400,000 range, and go up to $1 million and more for houses with acreage.

NAPA COUNTY

American Canyon
    There was a time when American Canyon was considered the affordable community in Napa Valley, but as more and more people discovered the convenient location of this “Gateway to the Napa Valley,” it has become the fastest growing community in the valley, with property values and prices to match. With a new high school scheduled to open in 2010, as well as growing commercial ventures, this area will become even more attractive to families in search of a home.
    Tim Wilkins, whose company is the Napa-based American Homes Development Corporation, is still trying to keep an affordable element part of the game plan. American Homes, which specializes in small-scale projects, has one underway in American Canyon. Valley Vista, a development of 35 homes, is part of the Oat Hill region in western American Canyon, a planned community that will have its own school, fire station, community center, trails and park. Another development is in the planning stages in American Canyon, he said.
    The company has kept Valley Vista prices between $569,000 and $639,000 for three- and four-bedroom houses between 1,286 and 1,885 square feet. One of the ways they keep costs down is by building the houses in factories and transporting the modules to the construction site where foundations have been laid. The homes, built to the same housing codes as any other house, are finished with stucco exteriors and tile roofs.
    American Homes offers down payment assistance and financing, Wilkins said, noting that nine of the homes will be sold for $220,000 to $332,000, subject to the restrictions of the Napa Housing Authority, to qualified buyers.

Silverado Resort and Country Club
    World-class is the term often used to describe Silverado Resort and Country Club in the Napa Valley. This 1,200-acre retreat has two 18-hole golf courses, tennis courts, meeting facilities and a spa. Although it attracts visitors to its luxury accommodations and restaurants throughout the year, many opt to purchase a house or condo bordering the golf course, or in the surrounding subdivisions.
    “The real attraction is the golf,” said Jocelyn Monello, a prominent Napa Valley Realtor who has lived at Silverado.
    She pointed out the wide variety available in the choice of residences at Silverado—from studios and one- or two-bedroom condos close to the clubhouse to the single-family homes and estates along the golf courses and in the adjacent foothills. Among these, Silver Trail is an older, established neighborhood of mostly ranch-style homes on large parcels. Silverado Springs is a 10-year-old neighborhood of 91 three- and four-bedroom homes, surrounding the expansive green belt areas. Silverado Crest offers newer estate homes on the hills above the club, as does Silverado Highlands, a development of cluster homes sharing a common parcel. Both have dramatic views of the Napa Valley.

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