Dry Creek Valley Land

Dry Creek Valley Open Houses

davesonoma — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 18:38:28 +0000

Healdsburg Sotheby’s International Realty is planning open houses in April, 2012 at some of their wine-related Dry Creek valley listings as well as wonderful vineyard property in Alexander Valley, the Russian River Valley and Chalk Hill. If you are interested in fine wine country real estate, this will be a great opportunity to combine a drive in the country with a look at some of Healdsburg’s most beautiful properties. Send me an email to be added to the open house list.
We are featuring land for home sites, vineyards, and several potential tasting room sites. Unfortunately for the general public, some of my favorite sites like the cover photo from 8500 Dry Creek Road, are already under contract and not available to show. We are seeing more of that in the real estate market of early 2012.

Dry Creek Valley near Healdsburg

Buyers are sensing an upturn in the market and they are trying to grab bargain properties before the inevitable return to rising prices. Nobody is certain about the timing of the market recovery, but there are a lot more properties selling with multiple offers and overbids.
Even if your buying horizon is several years in the future, you should start getting acquainted with the details of current offerings.

Permaculture in Dry Creek

davesonoma — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 18:29:33 +0000

Dry Creek Valley Views

A steadfast and visionary early adopter of sustainable land and building practices has created a five acre permaculture homestead in the southern hills overlooking Dry Creek Valley. Over thirty years of planning and development have produced water, shelter, energy, and food resources that are wonderful examples of sustainability and site-based development.
The end results of thinking about water on this site is one of the most impressive aspects of the property. There are two wells on the site and many owners would have relied on the relatively abundant water from the main well to handle their domestic and agricultural needs. The underlying principles of permaculture call for a more balanced approach, however, and the owner has made full use of his site. One key principle was to maximize the water retained on the hillside.

Meditation/Dance Dome

To do that, a series of gabions, ponds, swales, and berms was constructed to slow water from rain runoff. These elements work together to keep water on the property and in the ground. Over time, this water retention has recharged the second well on the property and increased its maximum output by over two gallons per minute. This is an area where 1.5 gallons per minute is considered sufficient to build a house. He has exceeded that amount just in the difference between before and after his water retention efforts.
Another effort to make better use of water has been the installation of rain catchment systems on both sides of the roof. Water flowing during rains is diverted to two holding tanks which contribute to domestic and agricultural needs as required. Thousands of gallons of rain water per year are captured and stored.
Overall, the combined systems of slowing runoff, capturing rain water, and careful use of groundwater resources has made this one of the most sustainable water using sites in northern California. Additional improvements including gray water use and introduction of aquaculture in the small ponds are possible for new owners to undertake as their contributions to expanding the aquatic permaculture uses of this property.

Dry Creek Valley in the window

The structures here are as diverse as the approaches to water management. The main house is a 2,200 square foot, Tahoe style home built with renewable Canadian cedar. There are extensive decks on several levels and the main window wall of the home features dramatic views of the Dry Creek Valley’s vineyards and the mountains in the distance. The kitchen has been recently remodeled and the siding has been upgraded with sustainable and low maintenance Hardi-Shake siding. To the east of the main house is a white dome that can be used as a meditation studio, dance room, or whatever use new owners desire. It has power and water available.
There are multiple small storage and agricultural buildings on the site as well. That includes food storage for the llamas and chickens, a pump house, and a storage space adjacent to the downstairs office and bedroom.
Permaculture doesn’t exist without integrating animals into the equation. Their waste is important for compost and soil enrichment purposes and they can help maintain the health of meadows and pasture lands by keeping the grasses cropped. Chickens and ducks are great bug foragers and work in the gardens to keep insects at bay and keep the soil open. There is an extensive network of fences and gates to keep the domestic animals where they are supposed to be. There is additional fencing around the core areas to keep out the deer and other wildlife that might cause problems for the farm. Deer are still free to roam in the forested areas on the perimeter of the property.

I don’t have this listing, but I would be happy to show you this property if it’s the kind of perma-nent home you might want to live in.
email me or call 707-869-1884.

Dry Creek Valley Slideshow

davesonoma — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 17:23:58 +0000

These raw land and developed properties in the slideshow in the right corner of your screen represent some of the finest opportunities to acquire prime Healdsburg wine country properties we have seen in several decades. There are several wine country luxury estates of very high quality, both with vineyards. There are multiple home sites close in to Healdsburg with spectacular views. There’s even a very affordable modular home on the Dry Creek Valley floor with half a dozen acres of grapes included. Click on any of the pictures or links to get more details.

You can always send me an email or call at 707-869-1884 to get more details on these Healdsburg wine country estate properties.

1720 Chiquita Road–Sold

davesonoma — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:38:51 +0000

SOLD
This 7 acre parcel is beautifully situated on Chiquita Road with decent views of surrounding vineyards, hills to the east and the range of hills separating Dry Creek Valley from Alexander Valley to the west. The parcel is just within the limits of the Dry Creek Valley Appellation and has been planted in the past. A new will in a proven water area is planned. The perc test for a five bedroom system was done in the past, but is being renewed with current standards. This is an excellent opportunity to build an estate home in an area of proven vineyard success.

Dry Creek Valley

davesonoma — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:02:32 +0000

This narrow, sun-drenched valley extends north-west from Healdsburg, roughly parallel to Highway 101, but one range of hills to the west. The valley follows Dry Creek as it emerges from Lake Sonoma, the largest recreational lake in Sonoma County. The valley floor is dotted with small vineyards and wineries that include Ferrari-Carano Winery, Dry Creek Vineyard, Lake Sonoma Winery, Lambert Bridge Winery, and many others (also here). The most famed varietal from this appellation is Zinfandel, but a wide variety of varietals are harvested and made into award winning wines.

The hills defining the valley are a mix of different forest types. In some areas, valley oaks dominate the habitat. In other spots, redwoods are the primary tree species that cover the hillsides and keep them green. Small roads wind into the hills and provide access to the ridges and the residences that are typically on from five to hundreds of acres. Views of the valley are treasured and add to the value of the land. Forested valleys without views are more affordable and provide privacy to those who prefer a quiet retreat.

Dry Creek Valley Appellation extends eastsward as far as Chiquita Road which runs from Healdsburg to Lytton Springs Road. Two nice vineyard and estate homesite parcels are available off Chiquita Road for buyers who are looking for an estate property with views that is only five minutes from Healdsburg. There is also an agricultral property close to town that is right off Dry Creek Road with one modular unit in place. This land is currently planted and has great water and soil. It’s an excellent opportunity for a buyer looking to rebuild a small parcel close to town. Dry Creek Valley Land for Sale Map