Labor Day weekend may be behind us but there are still festivities planned for September.

Make plans to attend the 39th Annual Mountain View Art & Wine Festival. An annual crowd-pleaser, there is something for everyone at Silicon Valley’s World-Class Art & Music Festival.

The festival features a variety of venues, which include 600 professional artists and craftmakers displaying their creations, entertaining live music with headliners The Groove Kings and Department of Rock, the new Comcast Pigskin Party Lounge with giant screen TV, tasty food and drink including premium wines, microbrews, mojitos (yummy) and margaritas.  There will also be health and wellness displays, a green products showcase, home and garden exhibits and a special memorial ceremony to honor the heroes from 9/11. And they haven’t forgotten about the kids; your little ones will find an action-packed Kids’ Park with the School of Rock Stage, climbing wall, amusements and decorative body art to keep them entertained.

So much entertainment that we hope 2 days is enough time to cover all the festivities.  And the best part…admission is free.

Mountain View Art & Wine Festival
when: September 11-12, 2010 – 10 AM to 6 PM
where: On Castro Street between El Camino Real and Evelyn Avenue Downtown Mountain View, California

Event map to help you get around the festival.

A trusted builder with a proven track record has become an important part of the homebuying process. That is why we are proud to share that Regis Homes of Northern California was  ranked as one the top Residential Real Estate Builder by the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal Top 25 List (April 30, 2010). The list is a compilation of the top residential real estate builders, ranked by number of home sales in the Silicon Valley in 2009. Regis Homes of Northern California ranked #2 in Townhouse Sales and #3 in Overall Total Sales! The list can be found here: Silicon Valley Business Journal Top 25

Learn more about the builder behind Gables End.

Regis Homes of Northern California, Inc., is one of Northern California’s leading home-building companies, specializing in well-designed, well-located, high quality homes. Regis Homes has built more than 1,000 residencies throughout Northern California and has earned a reputation for employing sustainable land use, innovative design, quality construction and attention to detail. The firm’s new communities tend to be smaller, smart growth, urban infill projects close to city centers that are also nearby work, public transportation and commute corridors. The communities are also close to desirable amenities such as parks, shopping centers and services. The Regis design approach has garnered many industry awards together with respect of its homebuyers.

If you are considering a purchase at Gables End, you can be confident in the quality of construction and competence of the builder of your new home.

Back in December 2009, we posted a short entry summarizing the I Love Mountain View Site.  At that point the website was still relatively new but we saw great potential for the site becoming one of the better local resources for all who live, work  and play in Mountain View.

Well, almost a year later, the website has exceeded our expectations. The site is actually a blog site sponsored by the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce. Well vetted, with an attention for local vendors and activities, it is an excellent resource and one that should not be missed.

“I Love Mountain View” blog covers a variety of topics regarding life in our exciting community. It’s rare to find a site that addresses multiple age groups and a variety of topics.

They have categorized and tagged the posts so searching their site is very easy.  A RSS feed and an easy-to-read community calendar round out the site.  The site is sure to have  something for every member of the family:

Regis Homes of Northern California and Wells Fargo are offering another compelling reason to buy now! Limited time NEW 2.875% rate with a min down payment of 3.5%, restrictions do apply (see disclosure).* You could be in your home this summer, but you have to act fast as there are just a few homes remaining at Gables End. Join us this weekend for a tour of our most popular plan – The Glencoe! With over 100 happy owners already calling Gables End “home”, come see for yourself why we are Mountain View’s best selling residential community.

Now Selling Model Homes Loaded with upgrades at Gables End.

Glencoe- 3 bed/ 2.5 bath, great for entertaining, granite counter tops in kitchen, high ceilings, patio/deck, extra storage, 2 car garage, and skylight.

Gables End is on Facebook and Twitter, follow along for specially priced homes, community events, local business spotlights and incentives!

Living at Gables End is much more than just owning a home.  Home ownership is a lifestyle purchase and Gables End embraces the best of functional and spacious floor plans which encourage outdoor living and community spirit…. all in a wonderful and convenient location.

Gables End’s enticing active outdoor lifestyle starts at your own front porch. Richly landscaped streets, meandering walkways, mature trees, quiet sitting spaces, the Central Lawn with its grand arbor, and especially the adjacent Mountain View City Park, are all wonderful places to enjoy the great outdoors. There’s even a charming recreational building for community gatherings or special events.

The community is punctuated with peaceful fenced courtyards, charming seating areas and colorful planted arbors. Expansive windows and cozy nooks inside add variety and interest. Gables End recreates the kind of comfortable, congenial and intimate spaces so familiar to traditional neighborhoods. Everything at Gables End is designed to make life easy and to allow neighbors to enjoy one another.

If you haven’t had a chance to visit Gables End and see what our community is all about, take a look at the slideshow and the video below. Or better yet, visit our website and make an appointment to have a personal tour of our community.

photo credit theshanksband.com

Thursday, August 5 The Shanks will play from 6:30-8:00pm at downtown Mountain View’s Thursday Night Live. Castro Street will be closed to traffic from Evelyn to Mercy Street and attendees will be able to enjoy restaurant dining, shopping, kids’ activities, farmer’s market, live music and custom/classic cars on display.

“The Shanks are a classic rock cover band in the San Francisco Bay Area. We play all sorts of venues from opening act for big concerts, to festivals, private parties, corporate parties, and pajama parties (no kidding, we played one!). We were honored in December 2008 as winners, and again in November of 2009 as runners-up, of the KFOX 98.5 “Last Band Standing” competition hosted by Greg Kihn. This competition seeks to identify the best cover bands in the SF Bay area.

We play songs from Van Halen, Pat Benetar, Foreigner, ZZ Top, Heart, Fleetwood Mac, Santana, Bad Company, The Pretenders, Queen, Journey, The Rolling Stones, Clapton, and Elvis (both of them!) just to name a few. Drop us a line and let’s get your party started!!”

Life is good in Mountain View. We have the benefits of a small town lifestyle with added urban, cultural and entertainment activities within easy reach. Our commutes are short and our living spaces have the extra elbow room we desire. Experience Downtown Castro Street at Dana without the cars!  Pack a picnic dinner and join the fun at Cuesta Park and Rengstorff Park.

Join Gables End on Facebook for Mountain View news, events and more!

image credit findingstella.com

Thursday, July 22 Finding Stella will play from 6:30-8:00pm at downtown Mountain View’s Thursday Night Live. The music of Finding Stella delivers the classic rock and pop spirit of the 70’s and 80’s and throws in a newer, warmer rock quality that draws huge crowds. Castro Street will be closed to traffic from Evelyn to Mercy Street and attendees will be able to enjoy restaurant dining, shopping, kids’ activities, farmer’s market, live music and custom/classic cars on display. There is plenty of free parking and “Kwick Cart” pedi-cabs will be giving people rides up and down the street. Enjoy the fun and meet your neighbors!

Life is good in Mountain View. We have the benefits of a small town lifestyle with added urban, cultural and entertainment activities within easy reach. Our commutes are short and our living spaces have the extra elbow room we desire. Experience Downtown Castro Street at Dana without the cars!  Pack a picnic dinner and join the fun at Cuesta Park and Rengstorff Park.

Join Gables End on Facebook for Mountain View news, events and more!

image credit albertos.com

Let’s face it…we “SV techies” spend too much time in front of computers and not enough time mixing it up, socializing (the old fashioned way) and letting loose! We are grateful that Mountain View offers such a diverse range of cultural activities, venues and events. Watching Spain beat Germany at The World Cup left us feeling like doing the Tango and lucky for us Alberto’s is just several dance steps away on Dana Street, downtown. Looking for a fun way to spice up your weekly workouts? How about a great Sunday date night idea? Viva Espana… Meet a neighbor and do The Tango- Sundays and Mondays @ Alberto’s!

Read about the history of Tango here

Argentine Tango Sundays
Hosted by Dorcas
MILONGA every Sunday, except the 2nd of the month
From 7:00 p.m. until late.
Afternoon workshops with visiting teachers for intermediate/advanced level
For more information:
espiritulibretango.blogspot.com
Check Calendar for Times
Tango Mondays
Hosted by Marcelo Solis
Lessons All Levels
7:00 pm Tango Fundamentals
8:00 pm Intermediate
9:00 pm Practica
For more information:
marcelosolistangoargentino.blogspot.com
Check Calendar for Times

It is official. Mountain View first-time buyers this is an amazing opportunity!
Homebuyer tax credits will be continuing, adding a powerful incentive for those considering purchasing a new home. If you’re interested in purchasing a new home at Gables End, be in contract by April 30th to qualify for both California and Federal Housing Tax Credits!

The legislation, signed by the Governor Schwarzenegger today, allows first-time buyers in California  to begin claiming up to $10,000 tax credits starting May 1. Details regarding the legislation were posted in this recent Sacbee.com article (link)

In order to take advantage of this credit, Buyers needs to abide by certain criteria including:

• Must purchase the home between May 1, 2010 and December 31, 2010 and purchase date is the date escrow closes.
• This credit will be equal to 5% of the purchase price or $10,000, the lesser of the two.
• The tax credit must be taken in equal installments over three consecutive years.
• Purchasers will be required to live in the home as their principal residence for at least two years or forfeit the credit.

*California Association of Realtors Article about the Homebuyer Tax Credit (link)

The legislation allocates $200 million for more state tax credits – twice what was offered last year to 10,659 buyers of new, unoccupied homes. The state’s newest housing stimulus will grant $100 million in tax credits to first-time buyers of existing homes and $100 million to anyone who buys a new, unoccupied home. *

The state Franchise Tax Board is estimating that nearly 32,000 homeowners statewide might take advantage of  the tax breaks.

What about the Federal Housing Tax Credit?

Even better news for well-timed first-time purchasers! It may be possible to combine this credit with the Federal Tax credit (up to $8,000), enabling a home buyer to potentially capitalize on up to $18,000 in tax credits!  The catch is that you would need to be in contract by April 30, 2010, and close escrow between May 1, 2010 and June 30, 2010.

Federal Housing Tax Credit Summary (link)

*Restrictions apply, please contact a preferred lender for additional details.