Hollister, and San Juan Bautista California real estate listings, home buying, selling and relocation information

"The Land of St. Benedict" takes its name from the meandering San Benito River, seen for the first time by Father Juan Crespi in 1772.

Geologically, San Benito County is quite young, reflecting dormant volcanism and active faulting. It is one of the most active earthquake areas in the world and gives the visitor elevation extremes from near sea level to almost 5,000 feet. San Benito County was formed in 1874 from a portion of Monterey County. Thirteen years later, the state legislature expanded the county at the expense of Fresno and Merced counties. Territorially, it has remained unchanged since 1887.

The commercial hub and center of government for San Benito County was founded in 1868. The city was named for Colonel W.W. Hollister, who settled in the fertile San Benito River Valley following a cross-country sheep drive. The coming of the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1870 spurred the growth of the new town, and when San Benito County broke away from Monterey County, Hollister was chosen as the county seat.

Primarily an agricultural community since its inception, the incredible economic growth of the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1970s and 1980s reached Hollister as well. The city became a popular relocation spot for many urban Californians looking for a simpler, more meaningful way of life.

The influx of new business and residential development blended with the century-old charm of Hollister's downtown. The Main Street revitalization program focused efforts to preserve downtown's historically significant architecture and encourage new economic ventures. This marriage of old and new added an intriguing vitality and depth to the city, strengthening its sense of community while expanding its horizons. Hollister has it all-a fascinating past, a challenging present, and an exciting future.

It was in the year 1797, with the arrival of Spanish settlers, that the history of San Juan Bautista began. A Roman Catholic pilgrimage, led by Father Junipero Serra, was to bring Christianity to the wilderness. The Franciscan Friars chose the site of the 15th and most spectacular mission at the foot of the Gabilan Mountains, which they named Mission San Juan Bautista after St. John the Baptist. They wasted little time in bringing the Catholic religion to the local Mutsun Indians.

Around the mission grew a thriving pueblo, which became a mecca of travel and commerce. In its heyday, San Juan Bautista had enough clout to sustain four newspapers and 17 saloons. Every hour, a stagecoach rumbled into town; bringing with it padres, vaqueros and banditos, as well as historical figures such as Susan B. Anthony and Civil War hero William T. Sherman.

Upon the arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad to the nearby city of Hollister, Old San Juan was bypassed, destined to become a historical landmark of what were the beginnings of civilization in California.

Downtown Hollister was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in January 1993. The district, concentrated along San Benito Street and intersecting streets between Fourth and South streets, is representative of the pre-World War II character of the city's downtown and has a period of significance that spans the years from 1880 to 1942. At the time of district nomination to the National Register, it contained 83 buildings constructed over the course of the past 120 years; however, in June 1993, some of the contributing buildings in the 400 block of Monterey Street were damaged by fires.

The district is comprised of 54 buildings (65% of total) that contribute to the historic character of downtown and 29 non-contributing buildings. The integrity of the district is high due to the concentration of resources. San Benito Street forms the spine of the district, extending north and south for more than four blocks. About half of the district's buildings front San Benito Street. All but a few of the remaining buildings face on five crossing streets, the most important of which is Fifth Street.

The design of the buildings within the district ranges in architectural styles including Italianate, late Gothic Revival, Greek Revival, Neo-Classical Revival, and Mediterranean Revival. All of the contributing buildings within the district retain original materials and design elements above the first floor. These include original cornice treatments, ornamentation and windows. Although only a few of the retail buildings have unaltered storefronts, many of the contributors not in retail use have first stories without substantial alteration.

Hollister is an attractive, historic commercial hub and county seat. Downtown contains Hollister's largest concentration of city and county government offices, library, county courthouse, and retail and other commercial activity, including a wide range of services, institutions, and new and used auto dealers. A pleasing mix of businesses and government offices, downtown is bordered on two sides by tree-lined neighborhoods of attractive single-family homes. Many of these homes and commercial buildings are part of Hollister's fine stock of historic buildings.

Only 90 miles south of San Francisco and 35 miles from San Jose, San Juan Bautista is only three short minutes off Highway 101. You will find it filled with many quaint mid-1800s buildings which have been turned into thriving specialty shops, superb restaurants, antique shops and fine art galleries. State Historical Plaza is located across from the Mission. You will experience visiting such original buildings as the Castro Adobe, the Plaza Hotel and Stable with its fine collection of buggies and wagons, and the old blacksmith shop where horseshoes were made for the stagecoach horses. As you stroll across the Plaza, you will see the picturesque Mission San Juan Bautista which was founded in 1797. It is still an active church with many activities and festivals each year. Come visit San Juan Bautista. "Shop for Today While Walking Through Yesterday."

The site of an ancient volcano which encompasses nearly 10,000 acres, the monument lies adjacent to the San Andreas Rift Zone. It is filled with spire-like formations, crags, and subterranean caverns. Flashlights are required for visitors entering Bear Gulch and Balconies Caves. The area is popular with climbers, hikers and campers.

This park is a 244-acre park located at the end of a twisting nine-mile road that affords sweeping vistas of Hollister, San Juan Bautista and the cities and towns to the north. Fremont Peak caps the Gabilan Range. From the summit, a short hike above the parking lot, the panorama of Monterey Bay is visible. The spot is reported to be the first place in California where an American Flag was raised as Col. John Fremont led a survey party to the Summit where he made a brief stand before beating a retreat. The park has camping and picnicking areas. Astronomical observatory is open to the public and offers group tours.

This area is a 3,200-acre motorcycle activity center with 800 acres set aside for four-wheel-drive vehicles. International level competitions are held there, and amateur enthusiasts flock to the park for recreation year-round. The park also offers trails for mountain bikers and hikers as well as picnic areas and campsites.

All golfers that play the game in San Benito County should realize how lucky we are. With the San Juan Oaks, Ridgemark and Bolado golf courses, we have the opportunity to enjoy fantastic golf in beautiful settings. San Juan Oaks and Ridgemark both host world-class professional golfers and events, while Bolado is an historic local jewel that just keeps getting better. These courses also bring in thousands of people per year from surrounding areas who enjoy our hospitality while boosting our economy. Even for the non-golfer, Ridgemark and San Juan Oaks offer a beautiful setting for weddings, banquets and business meetings.

Tour the scenic vineyards of the Cienega Valley and taste the wines made there. The Cienega Valley, also known as the Lime Kiln Area, has rich limestone deposits such as are found in the soil of many of the world's greatest vineyards. The early morning coastal fog, cool evenings and warm days provided the perfect climate for growing wine grapes in this region.

The Hollister Independence Gypsy Bike Rally's origins can be traced back 75 years or more when the gypsy bikers stopped for a day or two to race each other, talk and exchange adventures of the open road. Now the Hollister Independence Rally draws 50,000 to 60,000 people to check out the 80-plus vendors, tattoo contests, motorcycle games and show, photo towers and much more. Hollister bills itself now as "the birthplace of the American biker."

Truck freight access to the community is provided by Interstate 101 on the west side and Interstate 5 on the east side of the county. Highways 152 and 156 provide access on the north and south sides of the county. These highways assure local businesses that their products and services are within easy reach of their markets and customers.

Rail freight in the area is provided by the Southern Pacific Transportation Company. Service is provided both north and south through Salinas on its main coastal route between Roseville, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Hollister Municipal Airport provides excellent facilities for light planes, corporate jets and helicopters. The airport has two lighted runways; the main runway is 6,350 x 200 feet. Flying weather is exceptional, with good ceilings and visibility almost every day of the year. Ground facilities include maintenance services, hangar facilities, and fuel. Other facilities at the airport include the State Division of Forestry Aerial Tanker Base, an Aviation Mechanics School operated by Gavilan College and more than 100,000 square feet of industrial buildings. The airport is adjacent to several business parks in various stages of development. These sites offer direct aircraft taxiway access to industrial sites and planned business facilities.

The Hollister area offers a wide variety in style and prices of homes. Existing home prices are between $220,000 and $950,000. Six new suburban residential communities with lot sizes ranging from ¼ acre to 5 acres and priced from $350,000 to $1,500,000 are located in the area. The area has a residential 36-hole golf course, and several more are in the developmental process.

Rentals for one- and two-bedroom apartments and duplexes range from $475 to $900 per month. Rentals for two- and three-bedroom houses range from $900 to $1,800 per month. Two mobile home parks are also located in the area.

San Benito County's medical community offers state-of-the-art health care services to its residents. The area is served by two main hospitals, St. Louise Hospital and the Hazel Hawkins Medical Center. There are also a number of dentists, optometrists, chiropractors, podiatrists, massage therapists and physical therapists that practice in the County.

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Financing Your Home >ARMs

Here is a tip for those who are shopping for Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMs): the "margin" is almost as important as the initial rate. The margin is the percentage point above the average yields for Treasury notes on which future rate adjustments will be calculated.

Let's compare two hypothetical one-year ARMs. The first may have an initial interest rate of 7% with a 2.5 margin, while the second begins at 6 7/8% with a 2.75 margin. Both loans have rate caps of 2%. Suppose that at the end of the first year of the loan, the average of the one-year Treasury note yield has been 5 1/2%. For each loan, the lenders will add the margin to that 5 1/2% average yield. Thus the interest rate for first loan would increase from 7% to 8%, and the second would go from 6 7/8% to 8 1/4%. While the first ARM had a slightly higher initial rate, it will have lower rates in subsequent years, unless the Treasury note rates increase enough to activate the annual caps on the amount of the increase. There is a wide variance among margins in ARMs offered by competing lenders, and this should be a factor when you decide on your loan.

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Q	What are the financial benefits of having a home near a body of water?
A	The mere presence of water within 300 feet increases a home's value by 22 percent.
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