It’s Time To Be Thankful.

Being humble and grateful is a beautiful and fulfilling manner of life, and periodically it is good to simply be thankful. It is that time of year when Americans express their thanks with, and through, the holiday of Thanksgiving. In that traditional spirit we are thankful for the opportunity to express our thanks, and, perhaps, some that you can also identify with.

We are very thankful for many, many things including: the continuing favorable interest rates; the assorted Home Retention Programs being developed and the spirit in which they are being formulated; Buyers that are boldly venturing forth and buying with confidence; our fellow real estate practitioners that are continuing to help Buyers and Sellers gain and maintain perspective to navigate in these interesting times; the high standard of the real estate practice in our area; USDA Rural Development 100% loans that provide wonderful opportunities for home Buyers in our community; the opportunity to help people with our real estate knowledge and experience.

We are very thankful for the prevalent Volunteer Spirit found throughout the Carson Valley that results in so many special things; for our friends’ conspiracy to nominate Jim so he received the Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce “Unsung Hero of the Year” award; for the generosity of our community towards worthy causes even in trying financial times; for the local business community and their continued efforts to provide goods and services; for our Tiger Family; that we live in a free country; that if we don’t like something about our life we can change it; that if we like something about our life we can keep it; that we have so much to live for.

We are very thankful for this great Valley we live in – the natural beauty and the wonderful people; the wonderful life changing opportunities for our children and families; that the Youth are still and always important in our community; that families are important as is community itself; that Values are respected and a way of life for most; that people still stop to help one another; that in our community people still say hello to strangers with a smile.

Our Advice: Be thankful and grateful for your health, your family, your friends, and your community. Be a shining example of gratitude and be thankful for what is … not resentful for what isn’t. Our wonderful Valley gives us a wonderful quality life to enjoy while the real estate market cycles … as it always has and always will. Enjoy it now… every day… and be thankful for it. These are the good old days… be thankful we can share them together.

Together lets move boldly into the future and continue to generate many things to be thankful for. Experience is Priceless! Lisa Wetzel & Jim Valentine, RE/MAX Realty Affiliates, www.carsonvalleyland.com, 775-781-5472. http://www.carsonvalleyland.com/ email us at carsonvalleyland@hotmail.com

We are announcing our version of a Northern Nevada Economic Stimulus Package!

We are announcing our own version of a Northern Nevada Economic Stimulus Package!

Prices are back in the range of where they were in 2002 and 2003! Smart Buyers are taking advantage of the best “Buyer’s Market” we have seen in the past 10 years … it goes beyond that. We all need to set up and step out!

Our advice: Shop locally and support the merchants that operate businesses in our town. They are here to serve you … if you let them. Have confidence- don’t be afraid to live and participate in this economy. Remember “Go with the flow”? … Now “It has to flow to go”. With cash flowing and homes selling, the free fall real estate pricing will stop and the stores will remain open. Together we all win! Give us a call today 775-781-5472 or visit us online at CarsonValleyLand.com

With Virtual Tours And Great Photos Do I Really Need To Look At A House Before Buying?

Our industry has certainly changed in recent years, and one of the most dramatic of all the changes is the manner in which we market properties. Most real estate agents have websites where they post the properties they have listed for sale. Most have many photos of those properties, and many have virtual tours of their listings. A virtual tour is a series of pictures stitched together so they look like a video. You can actually see the best features of a home sitting at your keyboard.

With so much visual information available it would seem like one could look at a property online and not have to take the time to physically look at it before making a buying decision. The reality is that one must beware when relying on photos. There are many things that can be done with photos that could disappoint a Buyer that didn’t visit the property before finalizing their contract. An ultra-wide angle lens can make a room seem huge, but if you really need the size you think you are looking at you might be disappointed with the real room when you get in it. Hint: look for converging vertical lines in the picture – cheap ultra-wides don’t stop such distortion in the picture.

Photos also don’t always have the detail necessary to make an informed decision. When we asked our assistant about a showing the other day her comment, “they did a really good job with those pictures”, said it all. The home looked superb in the MLS photos, but was actually creepy to walk through because of its deteriorated condition. The opposite can also be true – an agent can take marginal photos of a wonderful property. Don’t eliminate a property that suits your wants/needs based on poor visual marketing efforts – make sure it really, really won’t work for you. You might be delightfully surprised by taking the time to view the property.

What makes good and bad pictures? Lighting, subject matter (don’t you just love looking at a picture of the commode instead of the back yard?), and quantity (some only have one outside picture – no detail photos). Things you can’t see in a picture are odors, true room size, true colors, neighborhood sounds, i.e.- road noise, condition of neighboring properties and their impact on the subject property’s value, flow of the floor plan, mold, water damage, etc.

Our advice: Don’t be the victim of a Photo Shop artist. We have been told of photo doctoring that makes a property appear differently than it really is. You can get an idea of what a property consists of from a good website presentation, and you can even make an offer based on that information, but we highly recommend that you have a clause that provides for an onsite inspection before you reach the point of no return in the transaction. There is nothing like approaching a home, looking up and down the street, walking up the front walk, and entering what may be your new home. How does it feel? What are you seeing? Does the floor plan flow with your preferred lifestyle? Agents present the highlights of a home in their best light. It is your duty to find the converse aspects, if any, and how they will affect your buying decision. You will know if the home is “It” when you see it.

Shop at your desk and then go enjoy the home you found. Some things will only be discovered with a Pest and/or Physical Inspection, but you will get a good idea of what a home offers you by visiting it. Experience is Priceless! Lisa Wetzel & Jim Valentine, RE/MAX Realty Affiliates, 775-781-5472, carsonvalleyland@hotmail.com, www.carsonvalleyland.com

What Can We Do To Help The Local Economy?

Things in our area have certainly been financially impacted more than we’ve seen in a long, long time. It has been perplexing for many reasons, especially in the real estate world. Interest rates are still very good. Prices are back in the range of where they were in 2002 and 2003, but it goes beyond that. Cash flow in the community seems to have come to a relative standstill.

Now is a time of opportunity. Our youngest son bought a house this week. Instead of the 1,100 sq.ft. home he could have bought a couple of years ago, he was able to buy a 1,900+ sq.ft. home with living and family rooms, huge kitchen, two brick fireplaces, big fenced yard, great location, good condition, and the Seller paid the closing costs. All that and the payment is less than rent would be on a comparable home. What can you buy today? Do you know… or are you listening to the media convince you how bad things are?

There is a window of opportunity for home Buyers right now. Bank-owned properties have been driving the market down due to their lack of maintenance and the low selling prices they accept to clear their books. Recent efforts by IndyMac, BofA, Citibank and JP Morgan Chase will forestall and perhaps prevent many foreclosures. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac also unveiled Home Retention programs this week. With the concerted effort to slow/stop foreclosures … finally and really this time… the market should get some traction as the bank-owned properties become a scarcity.

Hoarding your cash, or saving it? The difference may be subtle, but we think significant. If you have sufficient savings and are able to carry on your commerce as usual … do it. If you are locked up socking it away then you are contributing to what has become a global problem … severely minimized cash flow. The cash must flow for the economy to sustain itself. Nobody can live in a vacuum – if you aren’t financially acting in a normal or as normal of a manner as you can, then you might find yourself without stores at which to spend your hoardings.

Our advice: Shop locally and support the merchants that operate businesses in our town. They are here to serve you … if you let them. Have confidence- don’t be afraid to live and participate in this economy. Remember “Go with the flow”? Now “It has to flow to go”. With cash flowing and homes selling, the freefall real estate pricing will stop and the stores will remain open. Buy now while the banks are desirous of clearing their inventory. The 170-plus properties in Douglas County that now have Notices of Default (preforeclosure) may not be coming on the market like you think with the new home retention programs in place.

While you watch the National effort for a stimulus package, remember to implement your own Carson Valley Stimulus Package. Smile, be confident, and help your friend and neighbor by buying what you want and need locally … and do it now. Experience is Priceless! Lisa Wetzel & Jim Valentine, RE/MAX Realty Affiliates, 775-781-5472, carsonvalleyland@hotmail.com, www.carsonvalleyland.com