jim valentine: Saturday I Experienced the "Rest Of the Story". Sharing Their New Home With Their Family and Friends!
- 06/14/09 04:41 AM
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 … (1 comments)
jim valentine: The Appraiser Needs Three Good Sale Comps "Within" 1 Mile Of The subject Property!
- 06/11/09 10:38 PM
The Appraiser Needs Three Good Sale Comps "Within" 1 Mile Of The subject Property! Sounds easy enough, right? Well those underwriting guidelines just don't cut it in rural Nevada. Our subject property is a lovely new bank owned home on 28 acres. It is situated in a rural subdivision of 20 acre home sites. The back property line is over ¼ of a mile long and there aren't three homes within that proximity ... let alone three closed sales in this market! New appraisal regulations are certainly putting a different spin on selling real estate. It will be very interesting … (15 comments)
jim valentine: Check With The Neighbors If You Want To Know What's Going On
- 06/09/09 05:45 PM
Not only can the neighbors tell you about the house you are buying, they are actually an important component of its value. A home doesn't stand alone, even if you are on 5 acre parcels. Most people live in a neighborhood - what's it like? Are they open, caring, friendly, but non intrusive... or are they overbearing and delving into your life. Or vice versa, a reclusive. Who has the out of control kids, dogs, etc. - or is all peaceful in the 'hood? Build enough rapport with the neighbor and you could learn all kinds of things about the house … (7 comments)
jim valentine: The Neighborhood Looks Rough ... Should We Buy Anyway?
- 06/03/09 03:08 PM
Many neighborhoods in Carson Valley and Carson City just don't look the same anymore. With families having to move on an involuntary basis, foreclosure, the landscaping has transitioned to "REO Landscaping", dead or dying. When driving through a neighborhood with several homes featuring REO Landscaping it can look rough to the home Buyer, but keep your eye on the potential. Your home purchase is a long term investment, and it is important to look at what the neighborhood will be like during the course of your home ownership or when you go to sell. The current economic situation, serious as it … (4 comments)
jim valentine: OMG! Ever Been Undermined By An Underwriter?
- 05/30/09 01:10 PM
I'm nearly bald from pulling my own hair! What in the wide wide world of business is going on? And ... Who died and made them boss? First we work our buns off finding a house and getting the customers into escrow, next we slug though the negotiations and get an escrow open, then we sweat the inspections and the appraisal! Almost there ... closing in sight ... then ... out of left field ... here comes the underwriter! Yesterday, after days in underwriting, we finally got "conditional" approval. We got Loan approval conditioned on the buyer's employer writing a letter … (14 comments)
jim valentine: They Didn't See The Cloud Sneaking Up On Them
- 05/30/09 05:51 AM
My husband was irrigating our back pasture yesterday and took this picture of two of our horses, Ninth Calvery - known as Calvin and Highbar, they didn't see the giant cloud sneaking up on them. Being the little gluttons that they are, they wanted a last minute snack before they left the watered field.
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jim valentine: You're Taking Action ... How To Look At A Home
- 05/29/09 02:40 AM
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 … (8 comments)
jim valentine: Clouds Again ... Finally
- 05/26/09 03:57 PM
We've had a long drought and we've missed our normal cloudscape that comes with normal precipitation. Had a wonderful thunderstorm the other day, and are starting to get clouds popping everywhere ... finally. Ansel Adams had a famous picture of a huge thundercloud over Lake Tahoe - actually east of Tahoe and over our valley. We haven't seen them for awhile. We usually get them in June, but haven't seen them in a few years as we've had a drought. The rain is nice and we're hoping for more. In the meantime, the abundant clouds make our landscapes gorgeous. Beautiful … (6 comments)
jim valentine: Stay In Your Realm Of Expertise - Short Sales and Bank-Owned Niche Markets
- 05/25/09 07:12 AM
Staying within your realm of expertise is challenging these days, but nonetheless still very important. Agents know they shouldn't get involved in a commercial transaction without the proper knowledge. The same goes for all other specialty areas of real estate, i.e.- vacant land, subdivision land, farms & ranches, etc. How about short sale and bank-owned transactions? The agent that has no knowledge or experience in these areas shouldn't venture forth without assistance from an experienced agent or they will not only be violating the NAR Code of Ethics, they may well find themselves embroiled in litigation should anything go wrong. What … (0 comments)
jim valentine: Show the Listing If You Want To Get Paid
- 05/22/09 11:03 AM
We're pretty flexible and like to help other agents any time we can. We had a weird one the other day, however, and we drew the line. We had an agent call us from Fernley for code to bank lock box. Fernley is about an hour and fifteen minute drive. Our assistant told her that it was on an MLS lockbox and she could access that way. She insisted on getting the bank box code. When our assistant declined she admitted that she wanted to give them her customers the code so she didn't have to drive to our town to … (11 comments)
jim valentine: This Is Why I Do What I Do!
- 05/15/09 11:44 AM
Today was a really good day! Very satisfying in many ways and the epitome of why I continue to do what I have done for over 30 years! I started the day by meeting buyers for a final walk thru on the exciting new home that they are about to close escrow on. They were like kids on Christmas morning! Looking at and admiring their new home ... planning the arrangement of the new furniture and deciding if the new flooring they want to buy will really be exactly right. As we were getting ready to leave they even took time … (3 comments)
jim valentine: Let's Leave The Head-Butting To The Goats
- 05/12/09 03:13 AM
Goats like to butt heads ... like some agents we know. Check out the picture of our niece and nephew playing with one of our goats. They were on the teeter totter when the goat came over to play. The nephew is a bit antsy around farm animals so he started crawling up the teeter totter as the goat approached. His cousin did the same and soon they were in the middle. As they continued to make the teeter totter go up and down the goat got in to the action. Goats being goats, Angel, the goat, butted the one end … (7 comments)
jim valentine: OPPS! There's a $100.00 Per Diem Penalty ... But ... The Asset Manager Failed to Return the Seller's Docs!
- 05/09/09 04:00 AM
OPPS! There's a $100.00 Per Diem Penalty ... But ... The Asset Manager Failed to Return the Seller's Docs! After two extensions and many admonishments from the Asset Manager about closing on time ... The buyer is ready to close but the Asset Manager failed to return their signed docs. The funds are in the account ... the buyer is ready to move in ... NO CLOSING! Yikes! Can it get any more confusing? … (10 comments)
jim valentine: It's An Emotional Rollercoaster! Lately I'm looking At "Short Sales" In A Whole New Light!
- 05/07/09 01:21 PM
It's An Emotional Rollercoaster! Lately I'm looking At "Short Sales" In A Whole New Light! It's really heart breaking to speak with some of the homeowners that are facing a foreclosure or ... at best ... a "Short Sale". Got a call from a young engaged couple, actually from the future husband ... the wife was too upset to talk! They had just been to see a lender to see about a refi of their existing mortgage to save their home. The stumbling block? Their home is worth about 60% of what they owe on it! The future Mrs. Is just … (11 comments)
jim valentine: When Marketing Your Home Put Your Valuables Away When Selling!
- 05/05/09 12:07 PM
An agent will do everything she can to protect your assets, but if you have a new agent and a thief that has been a thief for 20 years - who has more experience? Remove the temptation - put it away. After all, they aren't buying your jewelry - they are supposed to be buying your house. You are moving anyway... pack some of your special things a bit early to play it safe. You'll appreciate them more when you unpack at your new house ... and you'll still have them. Well priced homes are selling these days so your security … (6 comments)
jim valentine: WOW! 40% of What It Sold For Two Years Ago!
- 05/02/09 12:57 PM
We just took a look at a home in Smith Valley, Nevada in preparation for an "Interior BPO". What an interesting experience! The subject house was listed for $849,000 and sold in 2007 for $825,000.00! This beautiful home was recently listed for $354,800.00. It's been listed twice as an REO with two different offices and hasn't sold in over 6 months! WOW! 40% of what it sold for two years ago! This has been an eye opener of us! We have gotten used to the reduced sales prices and lower values ... it's become common place. Even at that ... this … (14 comments)
jim valentine: I Had a Wonderful/Terrible Experience Yesterday!
- 05/02/09 05:30 AM
My Old Time Friend from High School called me recently ... her son wants to buy a house and she'd like me to help him! Awesome! I'm all over this! That is exactly what we love and we are so happy to help! Old friend, referrals, first time buyers, it doesn't get much better than this! I met the two of them to look at a few homes and chat! They are getting prequalified and this will be a rewarding experience! I'm totally looking forward to helping my friend and her son. Then ... The Bomb! My friend mentions that I can just … (5 comments)
Lisa Wetzel and Jim Valentine have been selling real estate in Northern Nevada over 33 years. They work at RE/MAX Realty Affiliates in Gardnerville, Nevada. All blog entries are based on their combined experience working daily as top producing real estate agents in their market. Feel free to post your questions or comments.
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! 
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