What Permits Do I Need To Rent My Home In Sonoma?

If you are considering purchasing a home in Sonoma you may plan to offset the cost by renting the property on AirBnB.

To do so, you will need either a vacation rental permit or a hosted rental permit.

  1. Vacation Rental Permit.

    You will need a vacation rental permit if you will be renting a private residence for 30 days or less.

    You will be required to have a Certified Vacation Property Manager. In addition, you will need to meet performance standards to ensure compatibility with the surrounding residential uses.

  2. Hosted Rental Permit

    You will need a hosted rentals permit if you will be renting a single room or a sleeping area within a single-family dwelling and the property owner will remain in residence.

    It is important to understand that the zoning permit expires upon the sale of the property.

And so even if you purchase a property with a zoning permit you will need to obtain a new permit.

You can learn more here and here on how to obtain a zoning permit. The FAQ page here is helpful as well.

Please contact us at Doug@BLGProperties.com if you would like our assistance finding a great rental home in Sonoma.

The Best Ways To Keep The Ownership Of A Home Private In California

In California, whomever holds title to a property is public record. 

Often high networth individuals or celebrities want to keep their ownership anonymous to help prevent frivolous lawsuits and to increase their privacy.

If you want to keep your ownership of a property private, you can add up to three layers of privacy:

(i) Have The Property Owned By An LLC

First, the property could held by an LLC with a general name such as 123 Main Street, LLC.

(ii) Have the LLC Owned By A Trust.

Second, the sole Member of the LLC could be your trust.

(ii) Have A Third Party Be A Manager Of The LLC.

Third, California LLCs are required to file a Statement of Information every two years.  On the Statement Of Information you are required to disclose either the Manager or the Members aka owners of the LLC.

Instead of disclosing the trust as the owner of the LLC, you could list a third party as the Manager of the LLC.

Some examples of third party managers include:

A. A property management company might agree to be the Manager of the LLC as part of their management fees. 

B. A personal assistant.

C. A close friend.

D. Someone in the family office.

E. A CPA.

or

F. A lawyer.

If you add this third layer of privacy, we recommend the operating agreement for the LLC narrowly tailors the powers of the Manager by required the prior written consent of the Member aka the owner of the LLC before the Manager can act on behalf of the LLC.

Please do not hesitate to reach out if you’d like to chat about the best ways to help keep your ownership of a property private.

The Transformation Of A 1910's Farmhouse To A Vineyard Estate

In 2002, our client purchased a run down 1910's farmhouse in the Russian River area of Sonoma county and began the 14 year journey to restore it to an amazing wine country estate.

Here is a photo of the front of the farmhouse when they purchased the property:

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This was the back of the farmhouse:

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This was the backyard before they put in the 60-foot solar heated lap pool and the neighboring house, which they also purchased and renovated:

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A large portion of the back of the home was removed and a 1,000 square foot terrace was installed.

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All of the windows were also removed and replaced with custom wood windows to retain the farmhouse look:

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This is an aerial shot of the refurbished home, lap pool, pool house and jacuzzi:

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Nanowall doors were installed to provide a seamless transition from the inside to the outside of the home:

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Ambient heated flooring was also installed:

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A carpenter beefed up the entry and the columns:

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A second floor with an additional bedroom was added to the guest house:

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Lastly, a big red barn was built that is not only scenic but also functional as it includes an elevator and an in-law unit with a bathroom and kitchen. 

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It also includes a temperature controlled 1,500 bottle wine cellar:

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As you can see, the transformation of the property is nothing short of astounding.

$5.25 Million Sonoma Farmhouse Serving As A Respite For Fire-Displaced Families

Our client is opening their home to serve as a respite for families impacted by the Northern California Wildfires until their property is sold.

Several families have stayed at this remarkable one-of-a kind property at low cost, or no cost to help in their recovery as they find new homes and rebuild fire damaged homes.

You can read more about our clients efforts to help their neighbors while also selling their property on
Curbed and SF Gate.

If you would like to learn more about this property, please contact me at
Doug@BLGProperties.com

Sonoma Vineyard Estate

We could not be more excited to help sell what is nothing short of an enchanting 6+ acre vineyard estate at 5250 & 5310 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, CA 95472.  

The estate is an immediate neighbor to some of the world’s most celebrated and iconic wineries ... Kistler, Merry Edwards, Dutton-Goldfield, Paul Hobbs, Emeritus Vineyards, Dehlinger and Iron Horse. The property has achieved a recent top rated Robert Parker wine rating through its vineyard designated grapes.

Classic Estate Vineyard And Farm

You enter this breathtaking property through a private gate that opens onto a majestic 2-acre biodynamic vineyard with a big red barn and palm trees in the distance.

At the bottom of the private drive, is a recently renovated and romantically designed main residence that blends stylish spaces for entertaining and living with modern amenities.

In the back is a small pool house, a Jacuzzi and a 60-foot solar heated lap pool with sweeping westward facing views of vineyards.

Just a quick stroll past the pool is a large organic vegetable garden that yields a variety of bountiful crops that supply nearby upscale Italian restaurants.

The main garden includes flowers and dozens of plants, including at risk medicinal herbs. In 2015 this part of the garden was designated a North American botanical sanctuary by United Plant Savers (www.unitedplantsavers.org).

To the right of the main house is a charming 1910s guest house perfect for hosting family and friends or for generating revenue from its 8-year perfect five-star Airbnb and VRBO profiles.

Rounding out the buildings is a classic red barn, along with a roadside berm planted with flowering shrubs and decorative flowers indigenous to Northern California wine country, and is a well-known iconic landmark.

Main Residence

The first floor of the main residence includes:

* a beautiful dining room, a living room, salon, office, a mudroom with a contemporary custom stone sink and countertop and a guest bedroom;

* A bathroom with an elegant chandelier, a mirror paneled wall and a stunning free-standing tub;

* a dining room that naturally extends to the outdoor patio overlooking the pool and gardens through floor-to-ceiling folding Nano doors and

* a professional grade chef’s kitchen that is perfect for preparing a true farm to table gourmet meal from the vegetables and fruits from the property’s lush gardens and orchard.

Beautiful hardwood floors with ambient flooring flow to the upstairs where there are two bedrooms and a bathroom with a glass enclosed rain shower, floor-to-ceiling tile and a marble counter.

The master bedroom has a high-peaked ceiling with a skylight and large windows overlooking the manicured grounds below. 

Not a single detail has been overlooked as one-of-a-kind accents and contemporary lighting fixtures create modern elegance in this classic country residence.

Pool House 

The pool house has a guest suite and a ½ bath for overnight guests and an outdoor shower to rinse off before jumping into the pool. 

Guest House

Recently remodeled, the 1910s farm house is a throwback to another time, but with the modern conveniences. As you enter, you are greeted by a gas fireplace and cozy, sunny rooms with sky lights.

Gorgeous views of the gardens and vineyards amaze from every window while the arched entry ways from room to room add to the country feel of this warm cottage.

The home has two bedrooms, a full bath and a wrap-around porch overlooking the property’s extraordinary scenery. The charming kitchen overlooks a vineyard with a napping loggia in the garden that is perfect for afternoon siestas, massages and entertaining.

Vineyard

Surrounded by world class vineyards, the farm’s 2-acre biodynamic vineyard generates not only a fabulous view but also revenue from the seasonal selling of its grapes to VML winery.

Recently the farm’s Russian River Chardonnay was rated 94 points by Robert Parker and described by VML as “nothing less than transcendental.”

Barn

The big red barn is not only scenic but also functional as it includes an elevator and an in-law unit with a bathroom and kitchen.  It also includes a temperature controlled 1,500 bottle wine cellar. What better place to store the award-winning wine grown on the property?

Imagine a day spent soaking in the sunshine by the pool while sipping the amazing Chardonnay grown in the vineyard and preparing a meal in your chef’s kitchen from the fruits and vegetables from the organic gardens.

The vineyard estate truly is a place to reconnect with the earth while embracing the solitude that comes from owning such a unique wine country vineyard.

If you’d like to learn more about this remarkable one-of-a kind property, please contact Doug Bend at Doug@BLGProperties.com.

The Plaza Has Opened At The Lumina!

One of the final pieces of the Lumina is now open, a plaza between Main and Beale Streets which separates the Lumina from its neighbor.

The plaza has urban landscaping and is the perfect place to enjoy food and drink from the Woodlands Market that also recently opened around the corner.

If you'd like to learn more about the Lumina, please contact us at (415) 295-6370.

The "Sexy" Lumina Is Featured In The SF Chronicle

The SF Chronicle has a story featuring the Lumina describing the 656 unit condo building as "sexy" and says it "wins points for visual pizzazz." 

The story features the "[t]wo essential pieces" which were added in the last month. The 9,500 square foot Woodlands Market, featuring many delicious grab and go food items, and a new park between the Lumina and the Bay Area Metro Center. 

If you'd like to take a tour of the Lumina to see how it "has real ambitions", please contact us at (415) 295-6370.

The Woodlands Market Has Opened at the Lumina!

The Woodlands Market has officially opened at the Lumina!

The 9,500 square market is full of fresh flowers, organic produce, a coffee bar, ice cream, sushi and other delicious food.

Residents of the Lumina are particularly excited about The Woodlands Market as it is a short elevator ride away.

Please contact us at (415) 295-6370 if you'd like to learn more about the Lumina.

More Details On The Twisty Tower

The 400 foot Twisty Tower is expected to be built on the corner of Folsom & Spear beginning in the 1st or 2nd quarter of 2017 until mid-2020.

In addition, there will be an 8 story building on the corner of Main and Folsom and a four story townhome complex on Clementina Alley between Spear and Main Street.

The project will have 391 condos and over 10,200 square feet of retail space.

You can read more about the Twisty Tower development here. You can also contact us at (415) 295-6370 if you'd like to learn more about the Twisty Tower or its neighbor, the Lumina.

Lumina Condo Seeks to Flip In Less Than A Year For $885k Gain

A condo at the Lumina has been listed for $3,395,000, which is $885,000 more than than what it was first sold for in 2015. You can view the condo's listing here and read more about the Lumina here.

Are you looking to buy or sell a condo at the Lumina? Please contact us at (415) 295-6370 if you'd like to learn more about the Lumina, where Doug has his home.