Happy New Year from Century 21 Sierra Properties Vacation Rentals

New Year's Countdown

What to Expect if You're Coming Up

See Photos of Road Conditions


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The White Stuff Has Arrived

Time to Ski at Bear Valley This Weekend!

This weekend Bear Valley Mountain is opening the slopes for the 2008-09 Season! This weekend, the resort will offer lift tickets for just $39 ($20 off regular) for visitors 13 and older, $16 for children 6 to 12 and free for kids 5 and under. Conditions permitting, the resort will open three lifts including Kuma, Supercub and Panda, providing access to four intermediate and beginner trails. The resort will also offer intermediate and beginner terrain park features. Early season conditions currently exist....

This weekend only, all visitors looking for snow gear will get 40% off last season’s gear in the Mt. Reba Sports shop in the day lodge. Guests will also find great deals on last year’s demo skis and snowboards starting at just $100.00 from the rental center. All food, beverage services are also available including Hungry Bear Café, Espresso Bar and Monte Wolfe Saloon.

Bear Valley Mountain is conveniently located on scenic all-weather Highway 4, regionally located between Lake Tahoe and Yosemite. Just one tank of gas and 3 hours or less from the Central Valley and Bay Area. At press time, no traffic restrictions are reported for the area. Access to the resort from the surrounding area is also available on Calaveras Transit on the Bear Valley Ski Bus. The shuttle will begin operations Saturday Dec. 13th and run every weekend through the season (except Christmas Day. For more Ski Bus info, pick up locations and times or to book a reservation, please visit: http://www.calaverastransit.com/skibus.htm

About Bear Valley
Bear Valley is one of California’s premier winter recreation areas, offering diverse terrain for all ages and abilities. New product offerings this year include Snowplay program for ages 3-6, Snowcat Backcountry tours for advanced skiers and riders and a brand new terrain park on West World. Access to Bear Valley Mountain has never been easier, thanks to Direct-to-Lift (DTL) Day tickets that allows guests to go straight from the car to the ski lift. Discount DTL day tickets can be purchased at any one of Bear Valley Mountain’s retail partners such as REI, Sports Chalet, Sports Basement, Mel Cottons, and Helm of Sun Valley and more, check bearvalley.com for all ticket outlets.

New Vacation Home: The Q's Nest

Available Jan 5, 2009


Prepare to have your expectations exceeded! This beautiful log home is hidden from the public's eye and yet located a quick drive from Arnold. The Q’s Nest is spacious, well designed, and was hand-crafted. The large grand room will comfortably accomodate your entire group -- be it enjoying the stone fireplace, or having a meal together. You will be impressed with the high quality granite, stone, and woods that stand out in the home.

The 3 bedrooms are spread out and offer privacy. The spacious wrap-around deck is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the peace and quiet of this beautiful forest setting. The large outdoor hot tub offers beautiful views from its own private deck. In addition, there is a charming tree house separate from the main house for the kids. You'll have to see it to believe it!

Be Safe-Be Sure-Let People Know Where Your Are

The Calaveras County Sheriff's Volunteer Unit Reflective Address Signs

According to the American Heart Association over 100,000 people die needlessly each year because professional help did not arrive fast enough. These reflective house numbers have proven to reduce rresponce time in most emergencies, especially at night.

The Sheriff's Department 911 Emergency Signs are made from heavy duty 040 aluminum. These signs are coated with engineering grade reflective sheeting on both sides for long-lasting high visibility color performance and durability. Lettering in white reflective on both sides. They are 6" by 24" tall with 4" numbers and two 1/4" holes along one side for easy mounting. One-sided are $16 and two-sided are $20.

Order Your's Today at the Arnold Substation

2182 Hwy 4

Meadowmont Shopping Center

209-795-0473

Happy Thanksgiving from Century 21 Sierra Properties

The Dorrington House Snow Globe

Mason’s in Arnold-By the PineTree Pedaler, Brett Loring

Got a thing for homemade tortillas? Pozole? Tamales? No need to go south of the border…or even south of Highway 4! On your way to work or as your last chance “on-the-way-to-ski-food,” or even for après-ski appetizers, Mason’s is convenient for uphill or downhill travelers on the Ebbetts Pass Scenic Byway.

Right along my “commute” to work is this new little place where I can get a fresh cup of coffee or a warm muffin. On a cycling day, I might break for one of Mason’s protein shakes. For lunch, my “usual” has been the chicken burrito – warm rice, whole beans and crisp salsa wrapped in a hearty homemade tortilla…until today…this afternoon Stephanie (“Sugar”) prepared me a savory batch of nachos with fresh chile verde, one of Mason’s Hispanic specialties. Blended to a smooth, tasty consistency with tomatillos from Big Trees Market, the chile verde adds a fresh, succulent topping to Mason’s tacos, burritos, tostadas and nachos.Owned and operated by Kristen and Emerick Flores who now live in Arnold, the café is named for their 7-month old son. In fact, a Mason jar labeled “Mason’s College Fund” sits on the counter near the register, welcoming spare change. Other family members that help out or “inspire” at Mason’s are Kristen’s dad, son Darrion, and toddler Brayden.

The ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Flores opened Mason’s Café on October 20 after a fast and furious refurbishing of the old Honey Bear Donuts shop. Nestled along Highway 4 next to Sarafina’s Italian Kitchen, Mason’s menu includes a variety of Hispanic dishes, coffee drinks, protein shakes and pastries. Other specialties include breakfast burritos, tamales, pozole, and traditional menudo which has been a hot seller. Coming soon: taco salad with a twist, “migas” or chilaquiles, buñuelos, whole-wheat tortillas, and espresso! Kristen is taking orders for Thanksgiving pies - choose from pumpkin, apple or peach cobbler. Customers can sidle up to the counter along the wall to enjoy their Mason’s meal, eat on the patio, or take out their provisions. With years of culinary, coffee shop, deli, and grocery store experience, Kristen reports that her family came here to Arnold to relax. So far, between the non-profit group home they run in Stockton and the start-up of Mason’s, the couple’s 17-hour days have not afforded them an abundance of leisure. Kristen and Stephanie reminisced of a recent midnight madness frenzy of making tamales to fulfill an order. This week they are preparing for a catered event for 60 at Bear Valley. Yet their friendliness and hard work allow them to enjoy serving a varied and unique cuisine to the community and to visitors, and they are still hopeful to squeeze in some R & R. At least for 11 year-old Darrion, hitting the slopes is on his winter menu.

Mason’s Grand Opening celebration will be on Thanksgiving weekend and will feature a burrito and a pie-eating contest. The $25 entry fee will benefit a local wildlife program. Open seven days a week from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Mason’s menu features breakfast, lunch and dinner items. Tortillas are going like crazy! If you want tamales, you’ll need to give Mason’s about a 2-week notice. Watch for daily specials and Mason’s winter menu which will feature added items and a change of hours to 5 days a week, including later hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Mosey on over to Mason’s for a traditional tortilla-wrapped taste treat or a warm bowl (32 ounces!) of a Mexican-style soup. Then delight in a delectable dessert such as Brayden’s Oreo Dream (Yum! Had to try it since this IS investigative reporting, you know!) or the unique Blueberry Pie Burrito! For the health conscious diner, slurp down a savory protein shake made with special powder by Dr. Gregory, Kristen’s dad.

Mason’s is at 810 Highway 4, on the “uphill side” of Arnold. Call for catering, or phone in your to-go order for convenient pick-up, 795-5111.

Honor our Vets Today

Thank you for serving our country- we are honored to honor you.

The History of Veteran's Day
Both a federal holiday and a state holiday in all states, it is usually observed on November 11. However, if it occurs on a Sunday then the following Monday is designated for holiday leave, and if it occurs Saturday then either Saturday or Friday may be so designated.

It is also celebrated as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other parts of the world, falling on November 11 it is the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice.

U.S. President Woodrow Wilson first proclaimed an Armistice Day for November 11, 1919. The United States Congress passed a concurrent resolution seven years later on June 4, 1926, requesting the President issue another proclamation to observe November 11 with appropriate ceremonies. An Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U. S. Code, Sec. 87a) approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday; "a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day'."

In 1953, an Emporia, Kansas shoe store owner name Al King had the idea to expand Armistice Day to celebrate all veterans, not just those who served in World War I. King had been actively involved with the American War Dads during World War II. He began a campaign to turn Armistice Day into "All" Veterans Day. The Emporia Chamber of Commerce took up the cause after determining that 90% of Emporia merchants as well as the Board of Education supported closing their doors on November 11, 1953 to honor veterans. With the help of then-U.S. Rep. Ed Rees, also from Emporia, a bill for the holiday was pushed through Congress. President Dwight Eisenhower signed it into law on May 26, 1954. Congress amended this act on November 8, 1954, replacing "Armistice" with Veterans, and it has been known as Veterans Day since.
Above information from wikipedia.org.

I Vote for Century 21

From The Chico Record Nov 5, 2008

"I understand the anger over political signs being removed from yards since my vote is completely motivated by who has the most signs. That's why I always vote for Century 21."

We love that quote!

The economy is changing, and so are we!

With all of the concerns and turmoil over the economy these days, I thought you might be interested in an update on what we are doing for our owners to keep income up and costs down, especially during these times of economic uncertainty.

We are very excited to announce that we are moving forward with new software capabilities with our software partner, Escapia. They are now enabling us to do a whole lot more than ever before.

Our industry is becoming more and more driven by technology, especially with the increased influence of the Internet. Escapia’s software has been built completely on the Internet, with capabilities that have never been possible before. Our belief is that using the new capabilities in the Escapia platform will enable us to generate more bookings, give our units much greater visibility across the web, and enable us to improve our service to our owners and our guests in many ways. In addition to their comprehensive management software, here are just a few of the things we are excited about:

Visibility of our vacation homes across the web
Getting our vacation homes in front of as many “eyeballs” as possible is key to getting the most bookings possible. Escapia has a growing network of over 30 booking partnerships where we can display our vacation homes, and guests can book them. All of the information on our vacation homes are kept current up-to-the-second (i.e. pictures, availability schedules, etc.), and constantly updated automatically 24 hours a day.

Online Bookings on Our Website
Not only does Escapia provide the tools to help us make our vacation homes look fabulous on our web site, Escapia also enables our guests to book online. With online bookings growing at over 40 percent per year, Escapia will help us take advantage of that growth opportunity, especially since guests can now do business with us online 24 hours a day!

Ratings and Reviews
Escapia enables us to collect guest reviews from past guests and post them to our website, so prospective guests can learn from the experiences of others including Overall Satisfaction, Property Condition, Location, and Cleanliness. Let’s say you’re making a decision on your vacation accommodations. You have the choice of staying with a company that touts great service and fabulous homes, or you can choose to stay with a company that actually let’s its customers tell you about their services and products. Who are you more likely to trust your vacation with?

The best part of Escapia is that their software allows us to serve our owners and our guests better, and respond quickly to the changing needs and expectations of vacationers, which is exactly what we need today given the unknown nature of this “new economy.”

We’re working hard for you!

Virtual Tour Extravaganza

The Murphys Loft


The Bushwood Home


The Dorrington House

"I NEED FOOD NOW!"

We won't let you go hungry. From Murphys to Bear Valley-we have good eats.

Here are the phone numbers for some of our local restaurants.
Area Code (209) for all.


Arnold Chinese
795-6368

Tallahans
795-4005

Sarafinas Italian
795-9858

Just Delicious Café
795-5100

Snowshoe Brewing
795-2272

Sequoia Woods CC
795-1000

Blue Coyote
795-2872

Snowflake Lodge
795-2357

Giant Burger
795-1594

Bistro Espresso
795-5656

Round Table Pizza
795-0193

Subway
795-4966

Dorrington Hotel
795-5800

Lube Room Grill
795-1140

Bear Valley Bar& Grill
753-2327

Big Trees Mkt Deli
795-3868

Chevron Deli
795-1301

Alchemy Murphys
728-0700

Grounds Murphys
728-8663

C21 Sierra Properties Wishes You a Safe and Happy Halloween

Halloween (or Hallowe’en) is an international holiday celebrated on the evening of October 31; today it is often celebrated in the morning and afternoon as well. Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, ghost tours, bonfires, costume parties, visiting haunted attractions, carving jack-o'-lanterns, reading scary stories, and watching horror movies. Irish and Scottish immigrants carried versions of the tradition to North America in the nineteenth century. Other western countries embraced the holiday in the late twentieth century. Halloween is celebrated in several countries of the Western world, most commonly in the United States, Canada, Ireland, Puerto Rico, Japan, Australia, United Kingdom, and at times in parts of New Zealand. In Sweden, the All Saints' official holiday takes place on the first Saturday of November.
Source: Wikipedia

Because You Never Know What Might Happen on Your Vacation...

Even the best-planned travel can be impacted by the unexpected. Illness...medical emergencies...severe weather...delayed flights…lost passports or luggage. Troubles can occur when you least anticipate them forcing you to cancel or interrupt your trip, lose your vacation investment, and incur unplanned expenses. And when you're away from home, things like medical emergencies and illness are even more difficult to manage.

That's why we've partnered with CSA Travel Protection to offer travel insurance and convenience, security and assistance services to keep you and your family protected before, during and after your trip.

Protect Your Investment
Coverage for trip cancellation or interruption, trip delay, or a missed connection.
Protect Yourself
Coverage for necessary medical, surgical, or emergency dental care during your trip. Includes emergency transportation to the nearest suitable medical facility.
Protect Your Stuff
Coverage for loss, theft, or damage to your baggage during your trip.
Protect Your Rental Car
Coverage if your rental car is damaged due to collision, fire, flood, theft, vandalism, windstorm or hail.

Call us to see how we can help protect your travel investment 800-523-8758

CSA Travel Protection website

How We Screen Our Guests

Screening our guests is a responsibility that we take very seriously.

How do we do it? We talk to each potential guest on the phone before taking their booking. It's amazing how much information about a person we can get from a short phone conversation. By asking the right questions, we're able to discern a lot about our guests.

What's the purpose of their trip? Have they stayed in a vacation rental before? How many adults and how many children will be staying? What attractions are they interested in?

We are always on the lookout for any red flags. If we have a bad feeling in our gut about a potential guest we trust it. It's better to pass on a booking if it doesn't feel right.

Time for Some Leaf Peeping

It's a great time to come up to the West Slope of the Sierras to view the Fall Colors.

The leaves that create the glorious riot of fall colors are many but the principal ones are:
Yellow poplar - these leaves turn a deep yellow.

Red maple - these leaves turn scarlet.

Quaking aspen - These leaves turn a golden color.

White ash - These leaves turn purple and pale yellow.

Beech - These leaves turn golden orange.

Buying a Hot Tub For Your Vacation Rental Property

Many vacation rental property owners benefit greatly from having a hot tub on the premises. Investing in a hot tub can help you draw more renters, especially during the off-seasons.

Many guests inquire during the months of November and December about our homes having hot tubs.

As for managing and cleaning, we can help you to hire a qualified spa specialist to come and clean your hot tub after each guest leaves. The jury is still out as to whether or not you should empty, clean and refill the water after each guest. If you already have a hot tub, we will add a clause to your rental rules regarding hot tub safety.

If you don't have one already think about Installing a hot tub. It's a big draw for potential guests.

Announcing The Murphys Loft

This beautifully decorated loft has two bedrooms with luxurious queen beds along with a queen sized sofa bed in the spacious, well-appointed living room. With a fully equipped kitchen it has all the amenities you’ll need for entertaining your family and friends. All linens are provided, as well as quality bathroom toiletries in each of the two full bathrooms.

Located right on the historic Murphys Main Street park your car in the reserved off-street parking and you are only steps away from the many great shops, restaurants, and wineries. Rich in charm and character, Murphys provides visitors a glimpse of the past while offering first class food, wine and shopping. You can't beat staying in the heart of “One of the Top 10 Coolest Small Towns in America”.

After a fun day wine tasting in the numerous nearby wineries, return to The Murphys Loft and relax on the outdoor balcony overlooking Main Street. A perfect fit for both romantic couples or a family with children. You will simply love the comfort and the personal touches of The Murphys Loft.

Call 800-523-8758 for pricing and availability or visit our website to learn more.

View The Murphys Loft Virtual Tour

How to make your vacation home friendly to green travelers

If you’re looking for ways to attract more travelers, consider going green. With the explosion of greener vehicles and interest in alternative energy sources, now is the perfect time to get in on the green market. People who are willing to spend extra to make environmentally friendly changes in their own lives are also willing to spend the money to rent an eco-friendly vacation home.

By making small, relatively inexpensive modifications to your vacation homes, you will attract these travelers. Offer easy recycling by providing separate bins for plastics, glass, and cans at each home. Use eco-friendly appliances (such as those labeled with the "Energy Star" and replace all your old, inefficient filament light bulbs with newer, longer lasting, economical bulbs. Another easy way to make your vacation homes more energy efficient is to set your water heater at the lowest effective setting, especially when unoccupied. Provide filtered water systems and thorough guides to area public transportation. For more ideas about easy ways you can modify your vacation homes for eco-conscious travelers, check out this article on the top 10 ways to make your home green.

Once you make your vacation homes green, it is equally important to employ a good marketing campaign so that travelers are aware of your efforts. Not only will you gain business by offering green options; you will continue to reap the benefits of the eco-friendly appliances, lighting, etc. that you have installed as they save you energy and money over time. The newer light bulbs commonly advertise 75% energy savings, and can last up to ten years.

To attract repeat business from people who are not already living green, educate them about the changes you have made to your homes. Stock your homes with materials such as books and pamphlets which inform travelers about what you are doing for the environment, and they will likely feel good about returning. Also include information on your website; you might just convince some travelers that an eco-friendly vacation home is what they’re looking for.

By Parag Vaish, Vice President of Marketing Escapia

A Rockin' Restaurant Recommendation

If you want a great meal at a reasonable price then look no further than Sarafina's Itailan Kitchen right here in Arnold CA.

Open Wednesday-Sunday

Sarafina's Italian Restaurant
794 Hwy 4 Arnold, CA 95223

(209) 795-9858

This place is so good you'll need to call for reservations!

Travelocity Tracks Summer Travel Trends

Worth a quick look is the recent release from Travelocity of how Americans' travel plans this summer (given all the economic changes) have matched what they said they would do in January.

Quick takes:

• 55% of Americans are still planning a summer trip despite gas prices and economic weakness


• Average length of stay for a summer trip has gone from 7 to 6 days.

Travelers are booking 4.3% earlier than they did in 2007.

Wondering what fuel prices have done to airfares? Less than you might expect. According to Travelocity, summer fares are up 13% versus 2007 -- diesel fuel prices are up 39% over the same time frame.

Bear Valley Music Festival Special

Come up and celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Bear Valley Music Festival. This Blue Lake Springs Arnold vacation home would make a perfect home base for the upcoming Bear Valley Music Festival.

This spacious home has soaring ceilings and is well appointed. It offers two queen size beds, a twin, along with a loft with 2 twins. The spacious rec room loft has a pool table, dart board, air hockey, PlayStation with games, large screen TV, VCR, DVD and movie collection, as well as a stereo sound system with CD player. You can stay connected with computer and internet access.

Special Bear Valley Music Festival Offer
$40 off the rental rate per night

Only $275 per night for the duration of the Festival
July 26-August 10, 2008

Call us at 800-523-8758 or visit Century 21 Sierra Properties Vacation Rentals
to book the Bushwood home

Just Another Reason to Come Up and Visit

Kayaking at Union and Utica

These scenic small, twin reservoirs are located off the Spicer Reservoir Road. The setting is more rustic than either Spicer Reservoir or Lake Alpine. No developed recreation facilities exist at either lake; however, the area is popular for day use, dispersed camping and paddle sports such as canoeing and kayaking. A primitive boat launch is available at Union Reservoir. Maximum boat speed is 5 mph. Utica Reservoir is managed for non-motorized boating. Open June to October.

Come Up and Celebrate the Fourth

Arnold Independence Day Parade

Saturday July 5th 10AM

The Arnold Independence Day Parade is scheduled for Saturday, July 5th beginning at 10AM. Highway 4 will be closed at 9:30 AM so make sure to get there early for the best viewing. The Parade Route will begin at the lower end of the Arnold Byway just east of town and end at Cedar Center. The Parade Theme is 'Remembering the Past' and the Grand Marshal is Betty Ann Prescott. For more information, contact Bunny Firebaugh 209-795-4305

If you need a place to stay...Our Dorrington Home is still available. Book Online today.

Check out the newest home on our rental program

The Bushwood Home

This spacious home has soaring ceilings and is well-appointed. It offers two queen size beds, a twin, along with a loft with 4 twins. A wood stove keeps it toasty and the spacious rec room loft has a pool table, dart board, air hockey, PlayStation with games, large screen TV, VCR, DVD and a movie collection. You can stay plugged-in with a computer and high speed internet access. There's also a well-equipped kitchen, a gas BBQ on the peaceful private deck and a hammock to relax in.

This home comes with guest privileges to the Blue Lake Springs seasonal Recreation Center and Sequoia Woods Country Club and Golf Course (guest fees apply). Both are within walking distance.This home is perfect for a girls weekend wine tasting, a guys golf get-away or a family get-together.

View the Bushwood Home Virtual Tour

Beautiful Vacation Home Still Available for July 4th

Come up and enjoy the Fourth of July Holiday.

Our Dorrington Vacation Home is still available and awaiting your arrival.

BOOK NOW

Flags are flying in Arnold in Honor of Our Vets

If you have driven up and down the Ebbetts Pass Corridor the last few days you have no doubt seen the new patriotic eye fest. The Ebbetts Pass Veterans Memorial District and Scout Troops from Arnold & Murphys have festooned the area in Honor of Memorial Day.

The district helped with the funding of the project and the Scout Troops from the respective areas were in charge of mounting & display. We hope the flying of the flags become a preferment part of the holiday landscape. Thanks to everyone involved for doing this in honor of everyone who has served our county. Courtesy: ThePineTree.net

Happy Memorial Day Weekend from CENTURY 21 Sierra Properties

It's Frog Jump Weekend!

Calaveras County Fair & Jumping Frog Jubilee

Fair Dates: May 14-18, 2008
Theme: Heard it through the Bovine

The world-renowned Calaveras County Fair & Jumping Frog Jubilee has a rich heritage dating back to the 1800’s. In the early Gold Mining Days, the Mother Lode Country was very prosperous. It attracted many industrious individuals looking for adventure. One such individual was Samuel Clemens who regularly made the trip from San Francisco to a small mountain cabin near Angels Camp. It was during one of Mr. Clemens’ trips that he heard a tale that inspired his first published work, “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”. The story records the antics of a character named Jim Smiley and his frog Dan’l Webster. Mr. Clemens first published this story in 1865 and used his pen name, “Mark Twain”, and so the legend began.

Today the adventure continues, we still jump frogs as part of the Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee, which is held annually the 3rd weekend in May. This “Old-Fashion County Fair” features exhibits, entertainment, rodeo, horse events, livestock exhibits and the best little carnival in the west. Everyone is your neighbor and you are hosted by the friendliest people on earth.

Visit the Official Website

Let us know if you need a place to stay!

Hwy 4 Clean-Up Day

Today we cleaned up our stretch of Hwy 4 from Meadowview through the town of Arnold and up past Moran Road. We wanted it to be nice and tidy for when you come up and visit on Memorial Day Weekend!

Stunning Dorrington Home

View the Virtual Tour of our Vacation Rental in Dorrington, CA

Our New Vacation Rental Website

If you've noticed, we haven't been making any posts during the month of March. That's because we have been furiously working on our new CENTURY 21 Sierra Properties Vacation website. It's now live so check it out at www.c-21sierraproperties-rentals.com

Angels Camp Bypass Construction to Commence

By John Hamilton thepinetree.net

Angels Camp, CA

Calaveras County Council of Goverments Director, Timothy J. McSorley has announced that the construction phase for the New Angels Camp Bypass will begin on April 14, 2008. All right of way issues have been resolved and should be wrapped up soon. The first phase will be construction of the bridges. Once the bridges have been completed then the focus of construction will shift to the roadways.

This project has taken almost 30 years to get to this point. Once it is completed it should have numerous benefits to the area. It will speed the flow of traffic up and down to Murphys & the High Country and it will also allow for enhancements to downtown Angels Camp. With the reduced through traffic the historic area of Angels Camp can focus on becoming a shopping and tourist mecca. The City has already held several meetings and hired an outside consulting company to guide them on the best steps they can take make the area even more alluring.

Good Tax News for Vacation and Second Home Owners

Revenue Procedure 2008-16 - Safe Harbor for Exchanges of Vacation Homes and Conversions to or from Personal Residences

This revenue procedure, which will be effective for exchanges occurring on or after March 10, 2008, establishes a safe harbor regarding when a vacation home can be considered investment property and traded in a 1031 exchange. The ruling states that a vacation home qualifies for a 1031 exchange if the investor owns the home for at least 24 months, rents it for at least 14 days for each 12-month period, and uses it no more than the greater of 14 days per year or 10 percent of the number of days during the year that the home is rented. These requirements apply to both the relinquished and replacement properties.

For purposes of this revenue procedure, a vacation home, also called a "dwelling unit" in the Revenue Procedure, is real property improved with a house, apartment, condominium, or similar improvement that provides basic living accommodations including sleeping space, bathroom and cooking facilities.

Read the IRS Procedure and consult your Tax Professional
Rev. Proc. 2008-16 on Safe Harbor for Like-Kind Exchange of Dwelling Unit

Featured Property: Quaint Fieldstone Home

237 Fieldstone Drive, Murphys CA 95247
MLS: 080163
Price: $399,000
Many Great Features

Happy Presidents Day Weekend

Enjoy the Presidents Day weekend!

Snow Removal Story From The PineTree.net

Arnold, CA...The Calaveras County Public Works Department really did a great job over the last wave of winter storms. With the low snow levels their crews were spread from Tamarak all the way down to and below Murphys for a long, long stretch of days. One of the great new additions the last couple of years is the new small snow blowers they have been using to clear the residential neighborhoods.

The difference between the blowers and the old road graders is comparable to a surgical knife vs. a sledgehammer. With the small blowers they can position the output so it doesn't fill up the driveway that the owners worked so hard to clear. They are also much less destructive to the roads and property.

The crews are owed a debt of thanks as well. They worked tirelessly for days and days to stay ahead of the storms. They drove and worked in very cold and wet conditions for days on end. Sometimes it seems we look at our county government as a glass half empty. This time the glass was clear full. Great job Public Works!!

http://thepinetree.net/index.php?module=announce&ANN_user_op=view&ANN_id=5542

Visit our Arnold Office

Drop by our Arnold office anytime you are up in our area.

7 days a week 9am-5pm

We would love to see you!

CENTURY 21 Sierra Properties

2075 Hwy 4

PO Box 840

Arnold, CA 95223
(209) 795-4485
c-21sierraproperties.com

View Larger Map

Sheriff's Phone Number and Road Plowing Hotline

The Calaveras County Sheriff's Department and the Calaveras County Office of Emergency Services is prepared to respond to requests for assistance relating to the ongoing stormy weather. Residents may contact the Sheriffs Department at (209)754-6500 for storm related issues (non-emergency) or dial for 911 emergency situations.

The Calaveras County Public Works Department has developed a hotline which can be called to leave a message regarding snow removal and ice sanding. This number is (209) 754-6017, and also contains information regarding the status of snow removal on county roads.

Winter Snow Advisory

Issued at: 3:48 PM PST 1/24/08, expires at: 4:00 AM PST 1/25/08

Snow advisory remains in effect until 4 am pst Friday.

Snow showers will continue to increase tonight and Friday. Snow levels will range between 1500 and 2000 feet tonight, as cold air remains trapped along the eastern foothills. Snow levels will gradually increase tomorrow to near 3000 feet. Additional snow fall totals up to 3 inches will be possible through tonight. Gusty southeast winds may create areas of reduced visibility at times in blowing snow. A snow advisory means that periods of snow will cause primarily travel difficulties. Be prepared for snow covered roads and limited visibilities, and use caution while driving.

We're Getting a Ton of Snow

It's currently snowing at our Arnold office and more is on the way.

“To appreciate the beauty of a snow flake, it is necessary to stand out in the cold.”

Driveway Slope Issues

Our current County building code for roads and driveways states, "Maximum grades permitted: below 3,000' elevation is 16%. Above 3,000' elevation is 12%." In either case the code then states, "Any driveway with a grade exceeding the maximum permitted shall be provided with an asphalt or concrete surface." Thereby allowing all slopes with a finished surface to be approved. This has been the way we have done business since these County codes were enacted in 1992. In just the past approx. 60 days building permits were not being approved on driveways exceeding 16%, based on recent Cal Fire objections that the County code was not in compliance with State codes enacted in 1991.

Representatives of fire departments, Realtors, builders, engineers and key county department staff are meeting to discuss public concerns and confusion over driveway slope issues. CENTURY 21 Sierra Properties is one of the key stakeholders and when we have more information we will be updating you on this important issue.

C21 at BVXC: Nature… Family… Fitness… It’s all good in Bear Valley

A few CENTURY 21 Sierra Properties Agents took some time out of their busy day yesterday to take on learning a new sport: Cross Country Skiing! Carolyn Petersen, Kathy DeGraef and friend Pat braved the windy conditions and took a lesson from Paul Petersen at Bear Valley Cross Country Ski Area. A few falls and a few glides later everyone was zipping right along.

Bear Valley lies in the heart of the Central Sierra between the Mokelumne and Carson Iceberg Wilderness Areas. You will enjoy an extensive trail system of over 3,000 acres. Amenities include 35 trails carefully groomed for track and skate skiing and snowshoeing, the Meadow Cafe, a complete rental, demo and retail facility, 4 Trailside Huts including the new Osborne Ridge Hut, picnic tables, park benches, two kids' trails, a new waxing hut, groomed downhill practice area and a sledding/tubing facility. Trails are open from 9am to 4:30pm daily. The elevation of 7,000 to 7,800 feet guarantees first to open (usually mid November) and last to close (usually mid April) status among Sierra cross country centers.

Bear Valley Adventure Company
Phone: 209-753-2834
Fax: 209-753-2669
E-mail: bvcc@sonnet.com
Website: http://www.bearvalleyxc.com/

New Bakery in Town: Susie D's Cafe & Bakery

The next time you are up in our area check out the new bakery and cafe in town. It's been getting rave reviews. It's located in the same shopping center as the Outhouse and Ebbetts Pass Sporting Goods.



Tell 'em that CENTURY 21 Sierra Properties sent ya.

Hours of Operation:
Tuesday–Saturday
6:30 a.m.–2:00 p.m.

15% Off Coupon on their website:
http://www.susiedscafe.com/

Susie D's Cafe & Bakery
925 Highway 4
Arnold, CA 95223-0000
Phone: (866) 443-9485
Fax: (209) 754-5676
info@susiedscafe.com

Beware of Big Berms

Your berm may be big so you may need a one-shot snow plow:

If you are in the Arnold area you can call Everett Cockshot at 209-795-7410

If you are in the Big Trees area you can call Justin Dollar at 209-795-5191

or email Justin at jgdollar@yahoo.com

Weekend Weather Forecast Clear This Weekend

We've received plenty of snow and more is on the way this week. This weekend should be the perfect time to come up.

Keep an eye on the weather:

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sto&smap=1&textField1=38.357355&textField2=-120.20025

Heavy Winter Storm Conditions

We're getting some wicked weather up here. Rain and snow and wind. Be careful if you are heading up our way.


Here are our favorite links for weather, traffic, snow conditions and live webcams:

CHP Incident Reports
http://cad.chp.ca.gov
Areas=Stockton
Searches > Custom Region=Stockton-San Andreas

Road Conditions:Current Chain Restrictions for Hwy4
http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/sr4

Weather:NOAA
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sto&smap=1&textField1=38.357355&textField2=-120.20025

Forecast Discussion
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecasts/display_special_product_versions.php?sid=sto&pil=afd

The March of the Green Blob
http://www.intellicast.com/National/Radar/OneKM.aspx?location=USNV0076

Live Webcam Pictures
http://ourbv.com/index.cgi/Webcams

Happy 2008!

Our 2008 Goals for our

NEW CENTURY 21 Sierra Properties

Vacation Rental Department:

1. Build a Vacation Rental website that is professional, easy to use and highly functional.
2. Build a portfolio of quality homes that are super clean and have many attractive amenities.
3. Treat our guests to the best.
4. Create a loyal group of repeat guests.
5. Over deliver.
6. Revisit these goals frequently.

New Years Prediction: '08 will be Great!