Our Real Estate Blog: What We Cover and Where to Start

This blog is a practical resource for buying, selling and owning property in Sonoma, Napa, Marin, Solano and Mendocino counties and San Francisco, plus guides to the places, food and outdoor life that make the region what it is. If you are new here, start with the buying or selling guides below, then explore the local guides for the towns you are considering.

We launched the blog in 2023 and have since rewritten many of the early posts so they reflect current rules, prices and market conditions. Every updated article carries a “Last reviewed” date and a list of the sources we used, so you can check the details yourself. Here is how the blog is organized and where to begin.

What we write about

Buying a home

Buying in wine country has a few twists that city buyers do not always expect: well and septic systems, fire-zone insurance, and contingency periods that matter more when a property is rural. Our step-by-step guide to buying a home in Sonoma County walks through budgeting, preapproval, insurance, inspections and offers, with links to deeper articles on each step.

Useful outside resources for any buyer:

• The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explains the Loan Estimate your lender must give you within three business days of your application. Compare these side by side when you shop lenders.
• Freddie Mac publishes average mortgage rates every week in its Primary Mortgage Market Survey. On October 22, 2026, the 30-year average was 7.32%.

Selling a home

Our selling articles focus on the decisions that move your net proceeds the most: pricing to recent sales rather than to the list prices around you, deciding which repairs are worth doing, getting inspections and disclosures done before you list, and helping buyers get insurance. Start with the overview on our selling process page, then read the posts on staging, pre-sale preparation and negotiating counter-offers.

Market reports

We publish regular updates on prices, inventory and how quickly homes are selling. Numbers change month to month and differ depending on the source and the type of home measured, so our reports explain where each figure comes from. The Sonoma County market report is the best place to start.

Land, vineyards and rural property

A large share of the property in our area sits outside city limits. We cover what to check before buying acreage, how wells and septic systems work, how to think about ADUs, and what goes into buying a working vineyard. See our guide to vineyards and wineries for sale in Sonoma County, which links to our full set of vineyard articles on valuation, leases and due diligence.

Investing and distressed property

Bank-owned homes, short sales and fixer-uppers can offer value, but they come with their own contracts, timelines and risks. Our hub on buying REOs and short sales covers how these sales work in California, financing, and due diligence checklists.

Local life

Choosing where to live is about more than the house. Our local guides cover what daily life is like in each town, along with hiking, farmers markets, restaurants and wineries. Good starting points:

• 21 things to know before moving to Sonoma
• What year-round life in Sonoma is like
• Sonoma County farmers markets

When we name a restaurant, winery or trail, we check that it is still operating and that fees and rules are current at the time of review. Things change, so confirm hours before you go.

Home, kitchen and entertaining

We also write about the parts of homeownership that make a house feel like yours: decorating, landscaping for a dry climate, and food and drink for hosting. Try our décor tips for every room, or one of our cocktail recipes, such as the Aperol Spritz, for a warm evening outdoors.

How we keep articles accurate

• Dated reviews. Each updated post shows when it was last reviewed.
• Sources listed. We link to the agencies and organizations behind the facts we cite, such as county recorders, state parks and federal housing agencies.
• Plain advice, not legal or tax advice. Where a decision depends on your situation, we say so and suggest talking to an attorney or tax adviser.
• Licensing you can check. You can confirm any California agent’s or broker’s license, including ours, with the Department of Real Estate license lookup.

Questions people ask

How often is the blog updated?

We add new articles regularly and review older ones, especially anything involving prices, rates, laws or local businesses. Check the “Last reviewed” date at the bottom of each post.

Can I suggest a topic?

Yes. If there is a question about buying, selling or living in our area that you would like answered, send it to us and we will consider it for a future post.

Do you cover areas outside Sonoma County?

Yes. We write about Napa, Marin, Solano and Mendocino counties and San Francisco, and about the wider Bay Area where it is relevant.

Is the information on the blog financial or legal advice?

No. It is general information to help you ask better questions. For decisions about your situation, talk to a qualified professional.

Have a question the blog does not answer yet? Contact us and we will be glad to help, or to write it up for the next reader.

Sources & notes

• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: What is a Loan Estimate?
• Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (October 22, 2026)
• California Department of Real Estate: Verify a license

Last reviewed October 2026 by Matthew Martinez.