Monday, December 12, 2011

This KB Home in Las Vegas was built CHEAP AND SLOPPY!

I've just spent the past several months remodeling a KB built home in Western Las Vegas.  I am appalled at the number of short cuts taken in construction and the general sloppy workmanship throughout.  A couple of quick examples, just from the past week:

1.  Sheet vinyl flooring did not adhere to the substrate and was installed after fixtures and base moulding.  (hence, it was peeling up everywhere -- which did make it easy to remove)

2.  Door hinges were installed upside down.

3.  Tile floors were installed over massive amounts of duct tape on the concrete substrate (not sure why the tape was there -- but the tiles didn't bond).

4.  Holes cut in the subfloor for plumbing lines were in the wrong spot (not repaired) and covered over with vinyl flooring.

5.  I have yet to come across a single window that is level or plumb, including the framing around it.

More to follow as I keep working on this one.  Maybe some pics too.

Monday, October 10, 2011

New Southern Oregon Residential Real Estate Stats

Southern Oregon Residential Stats

This just came out a couple of days ago.  Get it while its hot.  Stats are courtesy of Southern Oregon Multiple Listing Service and Rogue Valley Association of Realtors.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Music from Easter 2009


See the entire article here on page 19.


This year, the music department presented three
seasonal concerts in addition to our weekly Sunday
ministry. We have moved away from the “celebrate”
theme we have used the past 10 years, i.e. Celebrate
Easter, Celebrate Christmas, as it seemed good to
make a change and the timing was right. The Easter
theme this year was “Discover Hope.” We presented a
rock opera of sorts entitled “Abba Father” written and
arranged by our own Gary Rowles and transcribed by
Erik Nelson. It was a wonderful re-telling of the
passion week and resurrection of Jesus in music,
narration and drama. We added our first ever “Living
Lord’s Supper” and I believe our congregation and
community were inspired and changed during each of
the three Easter services.


Excerpt from Music Ministries Report
By Pastor Mike Kinney
Albany, OR

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Friday, September 23, 2011

Sold Comparable in NW Las Vegas

 This beautiful home just sold today, September 23, 2011 located on Armada Ridge Ct.
 The home features approximately 3200 square feet of living space, a 3 car garage, 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and a wonderful open, flowing floor plan.  It is also located on a 1/2 acre lot.
This playground is also part of the gated community.
This home was listed for $389,900 and sold in 3 days for $389,999 CASH.

Just Listed for Sale in Albany, OR -- The Merrill House


Friday, September 2, 2011

Fire Burns Just North of Las Vegas

Taken from the intersection of
Grand Canyon & Alexander
Smoke Visible from Mountain Wildfire

Take a look at the smoke coming off of this wildfire north of Las Vegas, NV.  Given the location, it does not appear that there are any homes in the near vicinity.  Hopefully this fire does not spread and will not jeopardize any lives or further damage to any real estate.

Taken from the intersection of
Grand Canyon & Alexander

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Closure from Bethany’s last president

This is very sad. Rev. Lew Shelton is a good friend of mine and it very unfortunate to hear about the closing of this University.
Closure from Bethany’s last president: When Rev. Lewis Shelton joined Bethany University as interim president in 2008 to replace Max Rossi, he knew the small Christian college was struggling financially.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Housing Market Update

  • Friday Five: Housing Market Update

    Is home ownership poised for dramatic change? As Washington addresses the fallout from the housing bust and tries to put the country’s fiscal house in order, our legislators are debating proposals that will affect home values, who can own a home, the cost of home ownership, and how long it’ll take to become a home owner. How can you keep up on these shifting issues? Each week, check out our Friday Five — a roundup of housing news and views from K Street to Main Street. Read

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Copyright 2011 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

Friday, August 26, 2011

FHA Loan Predictions

  • Is This a Joke? FHA Loan Limits Set to Fall, Down Payments to Rise

    Batten down the hatches, because the U.S. housing market is headed straight into another storm. That’s because limits for Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans are set to shrink significantly on Oct. 1, 2011, and the only people who can steer this ship to safety are off enjoying a long summer holiday. Read

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Copyright 2011 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

Home Improvement Apps

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Copyright 2011 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

Thursday, August 25, 2011

13 Tips for Selling

13 Tips for Selling Your Home
By Tara-Nicholle Nelson from ReadersDigest.com

We’ve all heard about how “bad” the real estate market is. But what’s bad for sellers can be good for buyers, and these days, savvy buyers are out in spades trying to take advantage of the buyer’s market. Here are 13 things you can do to help sell your house.

1. Audit your agent’s online marketing. 92% of homebuyers start their house hunt online, and they will never even get in the car to come see your home if the online listings aren’t compelling. In real estate, compelling means pictures! A study by Trulia.com shows that listings with more than 6 pictures are twice as likely to be viewed by buyers as listings that had fewer than 6 pictures.

2. Post a video love letter about your home on YouTube. Get a $125 FlipCam and walk through your home AND your neighborhood, telling prospective buyers about the best bits – what your family loved about the house, your favorite bakery or coffee shop that you frequented on Saturday mornings, etc. Buyers like to know that a home was well-loved, and it helps them visualize living a great life there, too.

3. Let your neighbors choose their neighbors. If you belong to neighborhood online message boards or email lists, send a link to your home’s online listing to your neighbors. Also, invite your neighbors to your open house – turn it into a block party. That creates opportunities for your neighbors to sell the neighborhood to prospective buyers, and for your neighbors to invite house hunters they know who have always wanted to live in the area.

4. Facebook your home’s listing. Facebook is the great connector of people these days. If you have 200 friends and they each have 200 friends, imagine the power of that network in getting the word out about your house!

5. Leave some good stuff behind. We’ve all heard about closing cost credits, but those are almost so common now that buyers expect them – they don’t really distinguish your house from any of the other homes on the market anymore. What can distinguish your home is leaving behind some of your personal property, ideally items that are above and beyond what the average homebuyer in your home’s price range would be able to afford. That may be stainless steel kitchen appliances or a plasma screen TV, or it might be a golf cart if your home is on a golf course.

6. Beat the competition with “condition”. In many markets, much of the competition is low-priced foreclosures and short sales. As an individual homeowner, the way you can compete is on condition. Consider having a termite inspection in advance of listing your home, and get as many of the repairs done as you can – it’s a major selling point to be able to advertise a very low or non-existent pest repair bill. Also, make sure that the little nicks and scratches, doorknobs that don’t work, and wonky handles are all repaired before you start showing your home.

7. Stage the exterior of your home too. Stage the exterior with fresh paint, immaculate landscaping and even outdoor furniture to set up a Sunday brunch on the deck vignette. Buyers often fantasize about enjoying their backyards by entertaining and spending time outside.

8. Access is essential. Homes that don’t get shown, don’t get sold. And many foreclosures and short sale listings are vacant, so they can be shown anytime. Don’t make it difficult for agents to get their clients into your home – if they have to make appointments way in advance, or can only show it during a very restrictive time frame, they will likely just cross your place off the list and go show the places that are easy to get into.

9. Get real about pricing. Today’s buyers are very educated about the comparable sales in the area, which heavily influence the fair market value of your home. And they also know that they’re in the driver’s seat. To make your home competitive, have your broker or agent get you the sales prices of the three most similar homes that have sold in your area in the last month or so, then try to go 10-15% below that when you set your home’s list price. The homes that look like a great deal are the ones that get the most visits from buyers and, on occasion even receive multiple offers. (Bidding wars do still exist!)

10. Get clued into your competition. Work with your broker or agent to get educated about the price, type of sale and condition of the other homes your home is up against. Attend some open houses in your area and do a real estate reality check: know that buyers that see your home will see those homes, too – make sure the real-time comparison will come out in your home’s favor by ensuring the condition of your home is up to par.

11. De-personalize. Do this – pretend you’re moving out. Take all the things that make your home “your” personal sanctuary (e.g., family photos, religious décor and kitschy memorabilia), pack them up and put them in storage. Buyers want to visualize your house being their house – and it’s difficult for them to do that with all your personal items marking the territory as yours.

12. De-clutter. Keep the faux-moving in motion. Pack up all your tchotchkes, anything that is sitting on top of a countertop, table or other flat surfaces. Anything that you haven’t used in at least a year? That goes, too. Give away what you can, throw away as much as possible of what remains, and then pack the rest to get it ready to move.

13. Listen to your agent. If you find an experienced real estate agent to list your home, who has a successful track record of selling homes in your area, listen to their recommendations! Find an agent you trust and follow their advice as often as you can.

Tara-Nicholle Nelson is the Consumer Educator for Trulia.com – the most comprehensive real estate site on the web.

Home Remodeling Magazine

I just came across this online home remodeling magazine. It looks to be quite interesting. Check it out.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Mortgage Interest Rate Deductions

  • Mortgage Interest Deduction Future Murky in Super Committee

    Unless you slept through the month of July, you probably picked up on the federal debt ceiling debate that dominated headlines. Although much of the press and punditry subsided after the White House and Congressional leaders reached a resolution, the legislation signed by President Obama on Aug. 2 did little to settle the deficit dispute. Read

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Copyright 2011 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

Properties for Rent in Oregon



Maintaining Your Garage

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My Website

Please take a look at my personal website.

Storage Solutions for Fall

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Copyright 2011 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

Guide to Great Outdoor Appliances

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Copyright 2011 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®