The San Francisco real estate market is rallying rather strongly after the doldrums of the economic recession. According to an April 21, 2010 article in the San Francisco Chronicle, “Fewer homeowners in the Bay Area and California headed down the path toward official foreclosure in the first three months of 2010 compared with the prior quarter and with a year ago, according to data released Tuesday. The research findings correspond with efforts by the federal government and some mortgage lenders to help distressed borrowers with loan modifications and facilitating short sales, the process in which banks allow homes to be sold for less than what is owed on the mortgage.” The article, which was written by Robert Selna, continued to state that “In another trend, while mortgage trouble remains more prevalent in lower and moderate-price areas, it appears to be increasing in some affluent Bay Area ZIP codes. The number of notices of default, which is the first step in the foreclosure process, declined in both the state and the Bay Area during the most recent quarter ending in March, according to MDA DataQuick, a San Diego research firm.”

The prices and sales volume of San Francisco homes for sale continued to rally in the month of March, according to an April 15, 2010 article in the Contra Costa Times by Eve Mitchell. This piece stated that “Bay Area homes sales in March climbed sharply from February while the median price of $380,000 paid for a home was 31 percent higher than a year ago, a tracking firm reported Thursday. A total of 6,992 new and resale single-family houses and condominiums closed escrow in March, up 40.2 percent from February and up 10.5 percent from March 2009, said a report released by MDA DataQuick.”

This same basic good news, with a cautionary caveat, for San Francisco real estate was echoed by an April 15, 2010 article in The Press Democrat, which noted that “Bay Area home sales and prices jumped in March, but analysts largely discounted the changes as the result of the annual spring selling season and an increase in purchases of higher-end homes.”

When most people think about Californian wine country the first thing to come to mind is the world famous Napa Valley. Of course the Valley boasts many fabulously kept vineyards and wineries but it is not the only region here to lay claim to such a thing, although you would be forgiven for believing so as an overwhelming majority of tourism companies who run tours focus very heavily on it. There are a lot of reasons why exploring on your own is a positive experience, as well as many arguments why a guided tour is best.
One of the big attractions when visiting the spectacular San Francisco is it’s proximity to the world renowned wine region, so it’s good to keep in mind that a guided tour can give you more time to see more wineries and vineyards, as your tour group will arrange transportation and map our routes for you. The tours are often designed with couples traveling together who would like to experience the wine tasting sessions together, as it is quite a romantic thing to partake in for younger and older couples alike.
When you are deciding on which tour to take you should take your time and consider all of your options. Tours can last anywhere between three and ten hours, so you need to consider how your time is best spent as well as the value the tour company is offering you in its package’s price. A great many tours will take you around to see five or six wineries and vineyards all within a single day, which makes them pretty impressive value for money even if they are on the pricier side.
As well as the hours in the day and price, you will also want to decide on a manner of transport, as there are several options that will be presented to you, including buses, vans, coaches and even limousine. Of course, all of the tour companies will make sure you are picked up from your hotel in a timely fashion before the tour starts and then returned safely again come the end of the day, making sure you know exactly what time you’ll get back so that you can make arrangements for your evening around the tour’s schedule.
The other thing you should really considered is what kind of group the tour is aimed at; if it is planned with a large group in mind then will have no option other than to take a bus as it is the most economical so is favored by tour groups. It should also be noted that smaller tour groups are likely to see some more intimate wine tasting settings, so keep this in mind when traveling with a significant other.
At the end of the day you will have countless options that alter your experience here in San Francisco, but whichever tour you go with you are guaranteed a fun learning experience in a truly magical place surrounded by some of the most scenic country around and are guaranteed to have a blast.