Nevada Asbestos Prevention Tips & GREEN Options for Homeowners

Located in the western region of the United States, Nevada is known for its natural parks, lakes, canyons, casinos, and scenery. What home buyer would not want to call this state their home? The road to owning a home is a wonderful experience, but requires new responsibilities. Homes that are newly purchased may require additional remodeling or repairs. Having the assistance of an honest and reliable real estate agent can make all the difference in the world.

Potential Nevada home buyers or those seeking to remodel homes built before 1980 should be aware that asbestos materials may still be present. This should not make you jump out of your chair because asbestos exposure can be easily prevented by taking simple precautions. Citizens of this great state are striving to move to a green lifestyle by advocating environmentally sustainable methods to be used throughout the state.

Asbestos

In most situations, any suspected asbestos should be left un-disturbed. Sometimes the best action is no action at all. When asbestos materials become disturbed, broken down or friable, this is when it becomes a concern, as fibers can become airborne and presents a high risk for anyone in the area.

The inhalation of its fibers can cause a rare lung-ailment known as mesothelioma, which accounts for three percent of cancer diagnoses in the United States. The amount of asbestos-related incidents in the last few decades has lead to asbestos lawyer firms advocating victim rights around the U.S. The negligence involved with the asbestos scandal has been one of greed and dishonesty. Manufacturers of asbestos were aware of its toxic qualities, but repressed this information from the public.

The general rule of thumb is if the asbestos is in good shape, it's posing no apparent risk. If it's in bad shape, it could be a problem. If a home inspector suggests removal is necessary, it must be performed by a licensed abatement contractor who is trained in handling hazardous materials. At the present time, there is a growing list of green insulation alternatives which replace the need for asbestos.

Green Alternatives in the home

Combining tough research and political advocacy, Environment Nevada is a citizen run environmental organization seeking to produce real changes in tackling all of the state’s eco problems. Each and every human being would like clean air to breathe and crisp water to drink. It takes a lot of effort and political advocacy to achieve this on a macro level. That is what groups such as Environment Nevada focus exclusively on.

Recently, congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act into law. Included in this act were extensions to the tax incentives placed for energy efficiency in 2005, as well as new credits for homeowners who remodel or build using eco-sustainable methods. Some of the measures that are eligible for tax credits include added insulation to walls, ceilings, or other part of the building envelope that meets the 2009 IECC specifications, sealing cracks in the building shell and ducts to reduce heat loss. Storm doors paired with U-factored rated wood doors are also eligible.

The use of recycled building materials such as cotton fiber insulation can reduce energy use by 25 percent. The implementation of eco-construction, alternative energy solutions and energy reduction solutions has continued to play an important role in the transformation to a healthier and sustainable world.

Saturday I Experienced the "Rest Of the Story". Sharing Their New Home With Their Family and Friends!

Saturday I Experienced the "Rest Of the Story". Sharing Their New Home With Their Family and Friends!

Friday I posted a blog about the joy of getting a tough loan approved for a deserving couple, The Toughest of the Toughest Loan Just Got Approved! These Kids Are Buying Their Dream Home!

Saturday I experienced the "Rest Of the Story".

This Saturday in Carson Valley was special, it's "Carson Valley Days" ... a 99 year old tradition of celebrating our wonderful Carson Valley Life! We started with the Carson Valley Day's Parade. After that, amid the confusion of taking apart the Douglas Pop Warner Float, I met with my young home buyers to open the house and let them share their future new home with their extended family and friends!

What a wonderful joy to watch them show their parents, aunts, uncles, children and friends the home they will soon be moving into!

There are many wonderful opportunities available in Carson Valley for First Time Buyers!
1 comment • Lisa Wetzel CDPE carsonvalleyland.com • June 14 2009 11:41AM

Short Sale Update … Are They Working … Worth It?

The Short Sale has gone from something that few practitioners had ever heard of to a commonly used real estate term. When they first became popular they were nearly impossible to implement. Lenders were so hard to work with that most Short Sale efforts were for naught. Things have changed considerably to a point where they are feasible though not for the faint of heart.

The Seller must provide substantial information to prove need including a Hardship Letter, Financial Statement, bank statements, paycheck stubs, tax returns, etc. The Lender wants to know what changed the borrower’s repayment ability, and if there are other assets that could be used to repay, i.e.- cash, stock holdings, other real property assets. This takes work, but is required and worth it.

We’ve learned a lot in the past eighteen months about doing Short Sales. It used to be frustrating when the lender would say that we weren’t authorized to talk to them even though we had submitted the correct paperwork. It was frustrating when they said they had not received our FAX transmission of the documents. This was common, and done repeatedly – we would send each package, all 60-plus pages, three times. It didn’t matter who the lender was, this is what the agent encountered. We now know that they are taught how to get agents off the phone as quickly as possible and those were two of their best techniques. With this knowledge we know to stay the course on the phone, ask for a supervisor and ultimately they will find everything to be in order and we can proceed with the business that needs to be done. It is one way that agents have achieved a higher level of success in implementing Short Sales.

There are scavengers hovering over distressed property owners so be careful who you agree to work with and what services you agree to pay for. There are those that are trying to tie your property up with an option at a low price while they try to flip it in a double escrow. No, it isn’t legal, but it is a predatory practice that is presently occurring. Other services are being offered with the understanding that the lender will pay for them. The problem is that the lender won’t pay for them and the already cash-strapped Seller has to pay. Yet another scammer offered to tell the Seller how to cure her loan that was in default for $5,000. She paid – the advice, “Pay your loan current.” True story.

Our advice: Sellers can realize great benefits and Buyers can get a very good price with a Short Sale transaction if you stick it out and allow it to work. Make sure the Listing agent is Short Sale savvy. Short Sales have become an area of special expertise just like dealing with industrial properties or ranch properties. Realtors aren’t to work outside of their area of knowledge and we believe the Short Sale has become an area that the inexperienced shouldn’t indulge without a mentor. Allow enough time, and be patient. There are significant steps to each SS transaction that you want to look for to assure progress: a. The package was received. b. The BPO was received, c. A negotiator has been assigned. d. A decision to accept or Counter is reached. Short Sales are closing much to the benefit of Buyers, Sellers and Lenders.

The latest lender technique we’ve encountered – telling us the Mortgage Insurance company requires them to get a specific minimum amount on their loan. The problem it’s a second and there is no PMI. The first won’t pay more and they will be wiped out if they don’t take the payment the first authorized. They continue to play these games to get more money. When it comes to choosing professionals to assist you with your real estate needs … Experience is Priceless! Lisa Wetzel & Jim Valentine, RE/MAX Realty Affiliates, 775-781-5472. carsonvalleyland@hotmail.com, www.carsonvalleyland.com

You’re Taking Action … How To Look At A Home

You’re Taking Action … How To Look At A Home

So you’re getting off the sideline and into the game … ready to look at houses. You’ve been pre-approved, have a good agent, have your wants and needs figured out and you’re ready to go see the insides. What do you do?

Many homes are vacant these days. Vacant homes are easy to access, but will require some imagination to see how the home will work for you, your furniture, and your lifestyle. Take some time to visualize in the empty space how your life will flow. Imagine it in the condition you want it to be in and what it will take to get it to that point.

Don’t be bashful when looking at an occupied house. You are about to make a substantial purchase and you should know how it will work for you. Open the closets to see if they are big enough – many are surprising when you open the door. Open the kitchen drawers to see how they function. Visualize how your furniture will work in the house. They may have it set up right … or not. Don’t miss the right house because of decorating … and vice versa … don’t buy the wrong house because of decorating. Don’t like the color of the bedroom? Paint can be changed quickly so don’t pass up the right house because of the wrong paint. The same applies to carpet albeit at a greater expense than paint.

Be sure to look at the outside of the home. Go around the sides and look at the paint, siding, drainage, etc. Look at the roof – especially the southwest side in our area as that is where the prevailing weather comes from causing it to be the first part of the house to deteriorate. Check out the neighbors’ situations, i.e.- visual blight, obnoxious dogs, encroachment on the subject property, etc. The inspectors will find the physical deficiencies later, you must find the aesthetic ones when you view the property.

Look at the items that are included in the sale, or that you might want included in the sale. This can include the wood stove, refrigerator, lawn ornaments, etc. Make a note of what it looks like – especially it has been disclosed that something will be substituted, i.e.- they are replacing the heirloom chandelier.

Leave the house how you found it. If the blinds were closed – close them. Whether to prevent heat build up and sun fading the carpet/furniture, or simply for privacy, it’s what the owner wants. Turn off the lights that you turned on. Re-lock the doors and windows that you unlocked as you checked the home out. Don’t lock the doors that were unlocked – you might unwittingly lock an owner out of the house. Pets must be left where they were found – inside or out. They’ll make a break for the “greener pasture”, but they know they shouldn’t be there and you should know that as well.

Our Advice: Take a lot of pictures of the homes that meet your general criteria. It is easier to remember details later if you have pictures of the properties you liked. The pictures can help you if there is a problem between what was seen during your inspection and what is there at the close of escrow. Rare, but things can happen. If you forgot your camera most agents have a digital camera ready.

Be bold when looking at houses – it is going to be your home. Ask questions … get answers. Its work, but it’s worth it. Your agent will help you along the way. When it comes to choosing professionals to assist you with your real estate needs… Experience is Priceless! Lisa Wetzel & Jim Valentine, RE/MAX Realty Affiliates, 775-781-5472. carsonvalleyland@hotmail.com, www.carsonvalleyland.com