Market Economics in California - What You Need to Know

Today, Ian Kleine is bringing us a market update for the state of California.

California: Economics

by Ian Kleine

The economic state of California holds a direct influence on the monetary system of the United States of America, due to the fact that the state pays more than as to the benefits it receives from monetary funds and benefits.

There are at least four major economic regions surrounding California. Hollywood, whose movies and projects cost and create a lot of money. California Central Valley, responsible for agriculture and the produce that supplies the state and its surrounding neighbors. Silicon Valley, which deals with the production, creation and development of computer hardware and electronic devices. And the wineries of California, particularly Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley and others.

By 2002, these regions were divided and more were added to the classification system. Among these were: Trade, Transportation and Utilities, Government, Professional and Business Service Providers, Education and Health, Leisure and Hospitality, Manufacturing, Financial Services, Construction, Information, Internet Business and Marketing and Agriculture.

The state also draws a lot of its income from tourism and international trade; after all, California IS the ‘melting pot’ of cultures in the United States. The tourism department makes at least an annual income of 134 billion dollars; with one third of that only coming from exports. The 96 billion something dollars left comes from revenue from direct traveling in to California.

California also competes with the other states in terms of agricultural produce. This includes the production of wines, cheese, dairy products, fruits and vegetables. California has been known to lead in the dairy category, with milk being the number one farming commodity, and has generated jobs and employment for at least 400,000 people far across the state.

Prospecting oil, so called liquid-gold, has also been under development. So far, rich strikes have been made near the Californian Coasts, Long Beach and Los Angeles. Oil drilling is not something new, it has actually supported the state over the years, now only making a comeback due to reduced and cheaper costs in drilling for oil around these areas.

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Going for a trip to California? Why not make it worth the trip? California craft shows. Visit California craft fairs, that’s what I use to check up on mine.

Thanks for the update on the California economic climate, Ian!

If you’d like to learn more about how this affects your individual financial decisions, just drop us a line today to talk it over with a professional.

California Getaways - Where to Go Around Sacramento

I had the excellent stroke of luck to receive an article from Christopher Pyle, a Californian raft guide. He’s put together an excellent article about local getaways for the summer.

Affordable Vacations with Something to Crow About

Summer is nearer and for many of us, this means some time off: time off from packing lunches for the kids, time off of work, time off of carpool or simply some time off from the daily grind that is our routine.

Perhaps you’re not headed to Europe or off to the Caribbean but you’d still like to get a way for a while, then why not look right here in California? Tens of thousands of tourists do each year, there must be something to see, let’s have a look around.

Isn’t it always so that we forget how incredible the place we live? To remember can remind us not to take for granted those who support and love us; too often, we can take them for granted as well.

From the oldest standing redwood grove, to massive ports of call, to one of the deepest lakes in the world, some of the best rivers to be rafted and surf to be rip-curled, California is as good as it gets and tens of thousands of people flock to its land yearly.

Here are some adventures you can have in the Sierra Nevada Foothills.

We’ll start with the area responsible for the Gold Rush, The Coloma / Lotus American River Valley.

El Dorado County is host to the American River Valley and Coloma, it’s only 2-hours from the San Francisco Bay Area, 1-hour from South Lake Tahoe and thus has some excellent vacation choices. This is a good choice for a cost friendly break from the daily grind and one that offers a bounty of vacation options. Within a reasonable drive from anywhere in the State, this is a solid option rich in US history as well.

The History:

As noted on the Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park website -James W. Marshall discovered gold in 1848 on the South Fork of the American River in the valley the Nisenan Indians knew as Cullumah. This event led to the greatest mass movement of people in the Western Hemisphere and was the spark that ignited the spectacular growth of the West during the ensuing decades. The gold discovery site, located in the still visible tailrace of Sutter’s sawmill, in present day Coloma California, is one of the most significant historic sites in the nation.

It seems true that we have a tendency to not see that which is part of our everyday and thus so many Californians are missing the great offerings of their State. The very Gold Rush you studied, the very Gold Rush all Americans have to study, took place right here. The State Park is one of the most heavily visited in all the United States. The Park is replete with historic items on display, buildings still stand from the era, including a jail cell, a replica of the mill, a few building are still employed that were part of the town during it’s boom time, etc.

Before you make your way to Coloma and the Gold Rush site, you have a decisions to make. Are you making a day of this? Is it just you and the family coming into town for a little history and picnic on the banks of the South Fork of the American River or are you planning a big family get together, reunion style, and you’re planning to employ some of the built in barbeques they have available for your use. Is the family going to stay a day or multiple days?

Lodging includes campgrounds, such as Camp Lotus or American River Resort, an RV park called Ponderosa Park (please call them as they have membership requirements I’m not familiar), a local historic Hotel, The Sierra Nevada House and bed and breakfast opportunities such as The Albert Shafsky House in Placerville. After you’ve decided how you’ll settle in at night, there are a variety of daily excursions you could look into: hot air ballooning, whitewater rafting and even excellent wine tasting!

South East El Dorado County is recognized by the Viticulture Society as some of the best land for specific wine-grape varietals. Thus, some of the best wineries can be visited and tasted while you’re right here. Personal favorites are Oakstone and Windwalker wineries both in Fairplay!

Nothing wrong with enjoying the spirits of wine tasting and relaxing into the warm; however, if you want to mix it up, check out rafting. It’s a great adventure for most age ranges and fitness levels. The local river offers great excitement for a seasoned adventurist but is not so intense beginners cannot venture onto a raft. The American River is one of the most rafted rivers in all the United States, and it’s ability to accommodate such a wide variety of guests is a big reason why.

You’ll definitely have your choice when it comes to a rafting outfitter, there are some 33-companies on the river. The best way to chose which is right for you is to go with the one you feel most comfortable with when you book. There are differences between the companies but the environment is so competitive they all have to mind themselves pretty well.

You really shouldn’t pass up the opportunity to raft. The majesty of the river canyon is cathartic in so many ways. Since there are so many things to do in the area, if you do come on a large family outing, there are plenty of things to do for those that absolutely won’t raft.

Ever wonder what the oldest hardware store in the west looks like? Or perhaps you’re into newspapers and you’ve long pondered where the home of the oldest western newspaper is. Well, wonder no more, visit historic Hangtown, now known as Placerville. The main street is lined with shops, eateries and real life local businesses.

Stretch yourself a bit more by driving up to South Lake Tahoe and visit the beautiful lake, play a few games, hike through Desolation Wilderness.

Perhaps wed all love to cruise the Mediterranean for a few weeks but its simply not in our cards right now. You can head to the foothills of Northern California from anywhere in the State and be there within a days drive. Once here, with some simple planning, you can have as fulfilling and diverse holiday as nearly anywhere in the world. Tens of thousands of people a year come to visit, shouldn’t you?

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Christopher Pyle is the owner of Action Whitewater, long a river lover, Christopher has been commercially guiding for 24-years and has grown up in El Dorado County. Since 1989 Action Whitewater Adventures has offered quality rafting on the on the South and Middle Forks of the American River. Curious, want to see rafting video, then please, click on over to our home on the web.

Thanks for that excellent Californian tour, Christopher! See what you have to look forward to in Sacramento?

If you’re planning to move to the Sacramento area, you should drop us a line and we’ll put you in touch with the best mortgage brokers in the area.

Think Appreciation - Think California Real Estate

Today we’re here with Raynor James to discuss the housing market in California. In the land of rock stars, dreams, and technology, the entire world sees California as THE place to live. Raynor describes a few of the finer details of life in California.

California Real Estate - Appreciation on Steroids

For the last five years, owners of California real estate have been hitting the ball out of the appreciation ballpark. Yes, a real estate market on steroids.

California

California is heavily populated from north to south along the coastline, but they state offers significantly different ecologies. In Northern California, one is much more likely to see signs of the four seasons, get cold temperatures and more historic feel in locations such as Sacramento. Southern California, on the other hand, has an extremely moderate climate with temperatures rarely dipping below 60 degrees even in the winter. Rainfall is also scant with San Diego receiving roughly 11 inches a year. If you are considering moving to California, there are two constants throughout the state.

Traffic

So many people have moved to the state that traffic can be a real issue even on weekends. Los Angles traffic is legendary, but San Francisco and San Diego have their own congestion problems.

Earthquakes

Earthquakes are a constant throughout the state as the San Andres Fault bisects much of the state. Earthquakes happen all of the time, but they are typically very small. If you live in California for more than a month, you won’t even notice them.

Beaches, Sun and Culture

There are serious benefits to living in California. Foremost, of course, are the beaches. If the thought of spending weekends and evenings on the beach appeals to you, this is the place. You’ll pay a premium for it, but there is nothing like it. For example, the temperature in San Diego on October 5, 2005, the day I am writing this, is 79 degrees!

California Real Estate

California is an incredible place to live and real estate prices reflect it. Single-family home prices average as follows for the three major metropolitan areas - $620,000 for San Diego, $1,300,000 for central San Francisco and $750,000 for central Los Angeles. As a general rule, the closer the home is to the ocean, the more it will cost.

As shocking as the prices are, the rate of appreciation is downright impossible to believe. In the last 12 months, California real estate has appreciated over 25 percent. For a 500,000 home, that is a gain of $125,000 in 12 months. Steroids indeed!

Real estate is all about location, location, location. While this is certainly a cliché, there is no doubt it is true in California.

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Raynor James is with the FSBO site - FSBOAmerica.org - homes for sale by owner. Visit our home buying page to view and buy California real estate.

Excellent article, Raynor! I know our readers were able to glean a lot of valuable information from your write-up.

If you’re reading this and you’d like more information about how you can take advantage of the excellent appreciation in California, drop us a line and we’ll be happy to provide you with a free consultation.