Actually, FI, even the rental markets are soft right now. What the property you describe would rent for would depend upon location and condition. But I would say that it would certainly be under $2K per month.

I have a client with a very nice duplex near the Plaza and I can send you information on that if you are interested.

You can also go to the following link to get detailed information:

http://kelleyeling.wordpress.com/2009/02/08/marin-county-and…

I will be updating for the month of February by Monday, so check back or give me your email address and I will update you.

Here you can see how Sonoma performs historically:

http://kelleyeling.wordpress.com/2009/02/05/sonoma-ca-histor…

And, here, more details of recent sales (again, will be updated over the weekend):

http://kelleyeling.wordpress.com/2009/01/17/sonoma-ca-home-s…

On the whole Sonoma is quite safe, but there are streets or small areas that I would not choose to live in. It is not as simple as saying that the east side is safe and the west side is not, because that's not true. There are pockets or neighborhoods in all of Sonoma that are good and not so good. The best thing for you to do is come to Sonoma and have someone drive you around to show you what you could buy and in which area. Then you can decide for yourself whether it looks desirable. I would recommend having a local Sonoma Valley Realtor be the one to take you because out of town Realtors won't know the different areas of Sonoma very well. For instance, my street in Sonoma is very nice and the street behind okay, but a couple of streets over is not so great. I hope this helped.
Jane

I'm partial to Sonoma, that's where I live. $280 can be done, it'll be an REO and need work most likely. There aren't very many of those and they are usually multiple offer situations, so financing in place is a must. I think compared to Napa's lower end, we look much better on this side of the hill, and we are closer to SF & the ocean. Our community is smaller and very friendly. We pride ourselves on being more down to earth over here.

Which are nicer/safe neighborhoods in Sonoma? And which are bad neighborhoods? I'm not familiar with Sonoma and would really like to know.
Is the Boyes Springs area safe? How much would a 3BR/2Ba/1 car gar, 1400 sq ft SFR rent for? Is it easy to find renters these days?
Thanks!

I agree with Jane. Unless you are willing to put some work into the property, you will likely be happier with the property and the neighborhood if you can come up a bit in price.

Hi there,
I am not sure that you are going to be happy with a vacation home that you can purchase for $280K in Sonoma. If you could increase your price to the mid-high $300K's, you might be able to find a much more suitable property that would demand good rent and be a decent place to vacation to on weekends.
Jane

What a great question! I was just going over this topic with two buyers this week, one in the price range you are discussing. We have been looking at distressed properties up to 300K in both Napa and Sonoma and my clients decided to purchase in Sonoma because they found the best value for their money there, and more of a "wine country" feel at that price range. There were some cute houses in Napa but the neighborhoods under 300K were a bit more congested or the houses were in rougher condition. Both communities have a lot to offer. Downtown Napa has a lot of energy and a vibrant restaurant scene. Sonoma is a little smaller but has a lot going on. In each case, what is so great about the wine country are the large number of quaint communities you can visit within 10-20 minutes of your home base. In Sonoma or Santa Rosa you have Glen Ellen, Kenwood, Sebastopol, Healdsburg, Graton and Occidental. In Napa, Yountville, Rutherford, Calistoga and St. Helena are nearby. And of course the counties are adjacent to each other for mini-getaways. I am extremely familiar with the inventory in both areas if you would like to chat, feel free.

Good morning
At the price range you are looking to buy in, I feel that you would be able to get more value for a home in Sonoma than in Napa. Rentals in Somoma are booming these days and rents are at a high, so from an investment standpoint buying your income property now great. As far as your needs for a future vacation home, you have to ask yourself what your wants and needs are for the future. I think that there is no better place to live than in Sonoma - lots of great shopping, restaurants, arts, culture and a close drive out to the coast for some great ocean air. Good luck with your decision and please let me know if I can help in any way!