Sales have begun for Phase I of the project, consisting of 14 home sites with individual elevations, according to John Irwin of Tradition Real Estate.

“The first three homes are finished and two have already been sold. We invite Lake County residents, especially those who appreciate Victorian architecture, to come see the model homes at 1930 S. Main St. in Lakeport,” Irwin said.

“We are excited to bring our experience in community development to Lakeport and look forward to working with interested buyers in creating the home they have been waiting for at a price and quality that can’t be beat,” he said.

Phil Smoley, broker/owner of CPS Country Air Properties, said that the homes have classic elegance with a modern touch.

“Each home will be individually crafted by Tradition working with the home’s buyers,” Smoley said. “The homes are energy-efficient and feature the latest in construction techniques.”

Victorian Village is holding the grand opening celebration on Saturday, May 10, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

“The festivities begin at 1 p.m. with a traditional ribbon cutting followed by tours of the two models and an old-fashioned barbecue,” Smoley said. “There will be special grand opening pricing, so for anyone contemplating a brand new Victorian home, this is the event to attend.”

When completed, Victorian Village will have 95 single-family residences with access to Clear Lake in downtown Lakeport. The homes are all two-story in the Queen Anne style. Several lakefront and lagoon homes will be available during a later phase of the community’s development.

For more information, contact the on-site sales office at 707-264-4948, or CPS Country Air Properties at 707-236-2620.

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Dr. Kimberly Fordham, M.D.

CLEARLAKE – Middletown residents have access to a full range of family medical care and women’s health care now that Kimberly Fordham, MD, is seeing patients full-time at the Adventist Health Middletown Clinic.

“We are pleased to have Dr. Fordham in Middletown permanently to provide comprehensive care to families, from preventive health to maternity services,” said Ilona Horton, director of Redbud Community Hospital’s rural health clinic system.

Dr. Fordham is a board-certified family practice physician with fellowship training in obstetrics and gynecology office procedures.

For the past four years Dr. Fordham has practiced at the Redbud Family Health Center in Clearlake and worked part-time at the Middletown Clinic.

Dr. Fordham received her medical degree from Albany Medical College, Albany, New York, and completed her residency in family practice at Beverly Hospital, Beverly, Massachusetts. She completed a maternity fellowship at California Hospital Medical Center in Los Angeles.

“We are excited and extremely pleased that she will now expand her practice at the Middletown clinic to full-time.” Dr. Fordham succeeds Stephen Sprague, MD, who cared for patients at the Middletown Clinic for the past 8 years.

Dr. Fordham is a resident of Lake County. Her office number is 987-3311.

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“It seems like sales are dropping like a rock,” said Phil Smoley, owner broker of CPS Country Air Properties. “But like a bungee chord, the farther it drops the harder and faster it will rebound.”

There is no way to know how long this trend will continue. Some markets in the country have bottomed out, others are still plummeting. All indications in Lake County show that prices may have bottomed out however savvy buyers are taking advantage of the low prices while they can before prices go back up.

"Sales continue to be dragged down by the ongoing effects of both the credit/liquidity crunch and tighter underwriting standards that have reduced the pool of qualified buyers who can obtain a loan," said California Association of Realtors (CAR) President William E. Brown.

"It is crucial that FHA reform legislation currently under consideration by Congress includes higher loan limits for high-cost states like California," he said. "The proposed legislation also includes a reduction in the down payment requirement for FHA loans and will include condominiums in the FHA single-family program, which will make it easier for buyers in the condominium market to qualify for loans."

Closed escrow sales of homes in Lake County totaled 33 in March according to the MLS. Countywide home sales activity decreased 51.5 percent from March 2007.

The median price of a home in Lake County during March 2008 was $225,000, a 23.2-percent decrease from the revised $293,000 median for March 2007, the MLS reported. The March 2008 median price increased 4.8 percent compared with February’s $220,000 median price.

"The Federal Reserve Bank’s recent action to reduce the federal funds rate will have little near-term direct effect on the housing market," said CAR Vice President and Chief Economist Leslie Appleton-Young. "However, Fed rate cuts should result in more favorable real estate finance rates as we move through the year."

Highlights of Lake County’s housing figures for March 2008:

• Lake County’s Unsold Inventory Index for homes in March 2008 was 31.9 months, compared with 17.4 months for the same period a year ago. The index indicates the number of months needed to deplete the supply of homes on the market at the current sales rate.

• Thirty-year fixed-mortgage interest rates averaged 5.85 percent during March 2008, compared with 6.29 percent in March 2007, according to Freddie Mac. Adjustable-mortgage interest rates averaged 5.24 percent in March 2008, compared with 5.51 percent in March 2007.

• The average number of days it took to sell a single-family home was 165 days in March 2008, compared with 153 for the same period a year ago.

Ray Perry is a Realtor with CPS Country Air Properties, telephone 277-8000.

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The Blue Wing Saloon and Café welcomes Mark Linback as the new executive chef and Andréa Martino as front-of-house supervisor. Courtesy photo.

UPPER LAKE – Experienced Executive Chef Mark Linback has recently taken charge of the kitchen at the Blue Wing Saloon and Café in Upper Lake. At the same time, Andréa Martino joined the staff as front-of-house supervisor.

Both are targeting Mothers’ Day, May 11, as the “time to shine” for the Blue Wing under their leadership. They promise a great day of fine food and attentive service.

Opened in June 2005, the Blue Wing Saloon and Café has become a popular Lake County venue for good food and drink in a garden setting and for hosting a wide variety musical events.

Owners Bernie and Lynne Butcher say that the kitchen and server staff at the Blue Wing is “about the best in Lake County.” However, Bernie commented that “recently it’s been like a great orchestra without a conductor. Now we have the leadership to take the Blue Wing to the next level.”

Linback lives in Cobb, where he worked for a while at Rob Roy. He loves the area and seems to have found a home at the Blue Wing.

“We have a wonderful place here and great people,” he says. “My job is to introduce innovative food ideas that will make every dining experience a memorable one.”

Linback studied food service at Mesa Junior College in San Diego and attended the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. He has held positions at the Waterfront, Restaurant 101 and Pan-Pacific Hotel in San Francisco and, more recently, executive chef positions at the Union Hotel in Benicia and the Mayacamas Ranch in Calistoga.

Martino has similar things to say about the Blue Wing service staff. “Here, everyone seems to love their job and they really know and enjoy our customers,” she says. “We’re pretty good now but I have some ideas on how to make our service the best in Lake County.”

For the last five years, Martino has been a lead server, certified staff trainer and office manager at Cattleman’s Restaurant in Petaluma. She and her husband Tyler have just set up housekeeping in Lakeport.

The Blue Wing Saloon and Café is located at 9520 Main St., Upper Lake, telephone 275-2233 or visit www.bluewingsaloon.com.

Executive Chef Mark Linback and Supervisor Andréa Martino with (left to right) chefs Robert Bowers, Tony Chicarilli, Tone Loeding and Raul Gonzalez. Courtesy photo.

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