Carson Valley Real Estate - Carson Valley NV

Carson Valley Real Estate - UNDER CONTRACT - 757 Raab Court

This simply gorgeous home with stunning mountain views and a fabulous open floor plan just went under contact but there are others. This home featured 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, an oversized 2 car garage. Panoramic views to the south and west out of kitchen, great room, and master bedroom. Freshly custom painted interior, loads of cabinet space, island kitchen, gas cooktop, built-in microwave, single oven. Master bedroom has shower and gardentub, huge walk-in closet. This home showed true pride of ownership.

Fabulous value in Sunburst Subdivision at end of western-most cul-de-sac. Great landscaping, fully fenced including a dog run. Washer, dryer and refrigerator all included at sale (as-is at no value with no warranty). This is a fabulous value!

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About The Author

Christianne Gordon, REALTOR®, CDPE, SFR is a Northern Nevada Real Estate Specialist that can assist you with the purchase or sale of real estate in Gardnerville, Minden, Genoa, Carson City, Dayton, and Reno/Sparks. 

To search all available homes for sale in the Northern Nevada area, please visit GreatNevadaHomes.com or contact us for a FREE ListingBook account!

Dayton Valley Nevada Homes - NEW LISTING - 942 Lakeview Dr - Asking $170,000

Have you ever heard of a diamond in the rough? Well, this is ours! This 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2 car garage home is ON the Dayton Valley Golf Course in the newest section of construction at the Dayton Valley Golf and Country Club. Built in 2004, this spacious home features a Great Room with views of the golf course.

This fantastic house just went under contract today but there are others! If you are looking for an affordable Dayton Valley home on the golf course at the Dayton valley Golf and Country Club, let us know!

This home is going to need interior paint throughout, new flooring, and a deep clean, but is priced to reflect the work required.This home is a fantastic deal for a do it yourselfer who is willing to pour a little sweat equity into a house and save tens of thousands in the process.

Would you like to learn more about the Dayton Valley Golf & Country Club? Check out the video we made detailing all the amenities of this wonderful community.

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If you enjoyed my blog post, I invite you to connect with me on social networks, subscribe to my blog, and watch my videos? 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

About The Author

Christianne Gordon, REALTOR®, CDPE, SFR is a Northern Nevada Real Estate Specialist that can assist you with the purchase or sale of real estate in Gardnerville, Minden, Genoa, Carson City, Dayton, and Reno/Sparks. 

To search all available homes for sale in the Northern Nevada area, please visit GreatNevadaHomes.com or contact us for a FREE ListingBook account!

It pays to know "who" you're dealing with when working a Northern Nevada short sale.

I have been working short sales for about 6 months now. I've spent a great deal watching the market niche evolve, and getting educated. That way, when I finally decided to throw my hat in the ring, I felt like I had a good solid foundation to serve this complex client base. Today's case study is about a Reno short sale and I'm the listing agent. The short sale approval letters are good through Monday, January 18, 2009.

As with most Northern Nevada short sales, it's been a lengthy process. There were two loans with two different lenders. Overall, it's gone rather well.

We listed the Reno short sale on September 3, 2009 and had an offer on September 25, 2009.

We received short sale approval from the second mortgage on November 20, 2009, and received short sale approval from the first mortgage on December 16, 2009. There was only one uncomfortable moment during the whole escrow up until now. It was when the buyer's agent called me and expressed her sincere displeasure about the first mortgage refusing to pay for a home warranty, even though the buyer is receiving a substantial seller credit.

I reminded her that I work for the sellers and have no control over the bank. If the buyers want to blow the deal over a $360 warranty, then they need to do what they need to do but it would be a real shame, and by the way, I have a back up offer...I decided from then on to put everything in writing, hence the email communication. The buyer then completed their inspections and their appraisal, and all was right with the world.

I sent an email to the buyer's agent on January 4, 2010, advising her of the need to complete any last minute conditions the lender will need in order to close on time because getting extensions on Reno short sales is very difficult. We exchanged communication and again, all was right with the world.

I followed up last week to be sure that the sellers were signing on time (they sign tomorrow) and the buyers are signing with plenty of time to fund the loan and close, since Monday is a holiday. I sent another email to the buyer's agent yesterday to ask when the buyer was signing, when did they want to do the walkthrough, and so forth.

I got an email this morning that states that the buyer may sign docs Wednesday, or maybe Thursday. The lender usually funds same day but it might take two days because it's a short sale, and if it doesn't go Monday, it'll for sure go Tuesday, the day AFTER the short sale approvals expire.

I replied to her with great urgency, and got all related parties to reach out to her as well (title and lender) to explain how crucial it is this transaction close Friday. I also pre-emptively asked for extensions from both banks for a few days to cover both ends. But it got me thinking...How many short sales has this buyer's agent worked on? Have they ever listed one? How many buyers have they brought to short sales?

You guessed it. No short sale listings closed (one is pending short sale approval), and only one other buyer with a closed short sale. No wonder they behaved as they did in the transaction. They didn't know what to expect. Now I know...next time I'll look up the other agent if I don't know them, and find out who I'm dealing with.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

If you enjoyed my blog post, I invite you to connect with me on social networks, subscribe to my blog, and watch my videos? 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

About The Author

Christianne Gordon, REALTOR®, CDPE, SFR is a Northern Nevada Real Estate Specialist that can assist you with the purchase or sale of real estate in Gardnerville, Minden, Genoa, Carson City, Dayton, and Reno/Sparks. 

To search all available homes for sale in the Northern Nevada area, please visit GreatNevadaHomes.com or contact us for a FREE ListingBook account!

Dayton Valley NV Homes - REDUCED - 9905 Palmetto Drive - $109,900

Your own piece of the American Dream for an incredible price is right here! Enjoy 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and a 2 car garage on an acre - horses okay - vaulted ceilings, mountain views, 1,477 square feet, for $81 per square foot! You can't build this house for the price - and - it's priced well below new construction! Complete with drapes, faux wood blinds, and decorative curtain rods, it's ready and waiting for it's new owners!

• Lot Size: 1.0 Acres
• 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2 car garage
• $2,124.89 - 2009-2010 Property Taxes
• No HOA
• All faux wood blinds, drapes and decorative curtain rods included in sale

This home is a short sale and will require third party approval, but there is only one lender. For more information or a showing on this property, please call Christy at (775) 881-8223 or Steve at (775) 690-0685.

Posted By: Christianne Gordon - REALTOR® with RE/MAX Realty Affiliates, specializing in Carson Valley Real Estate, Carson City Real Estate and Northern Nevada Homes.

Gardnerville and Minden Homes for Sale - Mid-November 2009 Update

As of November 20, 2009, there are 422 homes available for sale in the Carson Valley, which is comprised of Genoa, Gardnerville and Minden (and a small sliver of Carson City known as Jacks Valley and Indian Hills).

There are several separate and distinct parts of the Carson Valley, and different reasons to live in each one. If you like horses, you may prefer the rural feel of the Johnson Lane or Ruhenstroth areas where homes on are on larger parcels of land and horses are allowed. If you don't want the hassle of yard work, you may prefer a home on a much smaller lot like Westwood, Arbor Gardens, Winhaven Patio Homes or Sequioa Village.

In this blog post, we're going to focus on what's for sale in Genoa, the Foothills and in-town Minden and Gardnerville.

In Town Minden and Gardnerville Homes for Sale - There are 86 homes available for sale in Area 322, which includes Westwood, Winhaven, Chichester Estates, Stodick Estates, Mackland Arbor Gardens, L'Costa and Montana. It also includes older homes that were built when the towns were first founded at the turn of the 20th century.

Genoa Homes for Sale and Foothills Homes for Sale - There are 79 homes available for sale in the Genoa and Foothills area of the Carson Valley. This is by far the most expensive segment of our market. Genoa is the oldest permanent settlement in Nevada, full of history and rich in character. The homes nestled against the western foothills of the Carson Valley boast some of the most breathtaking views in our area. It's no surprise these homes often command 7 figure price tags.

For more information on Winhaven, other Carson Valley communities, or homes anywhere in Northern Nevada from Reno to Dayton to Gardnerville, call Steve at (775) 690-0685 or Christy at (775) 881-8223.

Posted By: Christianne Gordon - Northern Nevada Real Estate Agent - REALTOR®
with RE/MAX Realty Affiliates, specializing in Carson Valley Real Estate.

1503 Deseret Drive - Carson Valley Real Estate - Just Sold for $320,900

1503 Deseret Drive in Minden is a brand new, never been lived in home withing walking distance to historic downtown Minden. Enjoy the spectacular year-round views of the majestic Sierra Nevada Mountains from the Great Room and Master Bedroom. This home features 4 large bedrooms, 2-1/2 baths and a 3 car garage with room for a shop. One bay has tandem parking and would make a great workshop. There is air conditioning and a hot water circulating pump that provides instant on hot water throughout the house.

Situated on 0.18 acre corner lot and built in 2005, the home has great location and spectacular views. Originally marketed for sale by the builder, Cornerstone Construction, it was offered at $589,000. Most recently, it was offered for sale (prior to foreclosure) at $547,000.

This fabulous house is sold, but there are others in the area. Are you looking for a home in the Carson Valley? Call us and we can help you find just the right property. Please call Christy at (775) 881-8223 or Steve at (775) 690-0685.

Carson Valley Real Estate - Homes Sold in October 2009

We had 59 homes sell in the Carson Valley in October 2009, compared to 26 sales in October 2008. That means our sales volume was 126% higher in 2009 than it was in 2008. While we do not have a way to track how many of these transactions were attributed to the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit, we certainly believe it to be true. There were 45 home sales in September, making October's volume 31% higher than the previous month. Typically October is not such an active month, so it seems as though the tax credit has helped sell more homes in the Carson Valley.

Here is a snapshot of our market indicators for October:

• 59 homes sold
  
• Average asking price is $327,689
• Average selling price is $312,679
• Average days on market is 133

The average asking and selling price for Carson Valley Real Estate returned to a more reasonable and historic average in October, after being down almost $100,000 in October.Why is that, you ask? Well, of the 45 sales in September, 11 were bank owned and 9 were short sales. That means 44% of September's sales were distress sales with distressed values and sales prices. In October, 14 bank owned homes and 6 short sales sold. There were also 5 more sales that were either Subject to Court Approval or some other distressed category. That means that 25 of the 59 Carson Valley Home Sales in October were distressed, totalling 42% of the sales for the month.

So what is the absorption rate for the Carson Valley?

• There are 438 homes available for sale in the Carson Valley as of 11/4/09
• 59 homes sold in September
  
• 438/59 = 7.42 months of inventory

The absorption rate tightened significantly in October, and that is partially due to more sales closing, but also more homes in escrow essentially removing them from the "available" market. As of 11/4/09, we have 140 homes under contract in the Carson Valley. Of the 140 homes under contract, 61 are pending short sales (which are closing at a much higher success rate in the last 60 days). Banks have finally managed to get short sale departments staffed and trained so they can better respond to short sale packages. Wells Fargo is one of the best banks in the market right now with a published policy and a commitment to have an answer back to the short sale candidate in 30 days. With banks being more willing to approve short sales, it is increasing their attractiveness in the market and removing their stigma both in the eyes of real estate professionals and prospective buyers.

Of the 438 homes on the market, 33 are bank owned, 53 are short sales, and an additional 12 are either Subject to Court Approval or some other distress situation.
That means that 22% of our market is distressed.

 (Data provided courtesy of the Northern Nevada Regional Multiple Listing Service and excludes manufactured and shared ownership housing for Area 300, known as the
Carson Valley which includes Gardnerville, Genoa, Minden, Indian Hills area of Carson City, China Springs, Spring Valley, Topaz Ranch Estates and outlying areas.)

Posted By: Christianne Gordon - Northern Nevada Real Estate Agent - REALTOR® with RE/MAX Realty Affiliates, specializing in Carson Valley Real Estate & Northern Nevada Homes

Common Questions by Tenants Living in Foreclosed Northern Nevada Properties

We have had a few new Northern Nevada bank-owned properties assigned to us recently that have had tenants in place. Each time, the Asset Manager for the bank has authorized us to offer a Cash for Keys agreement to the tenant in the property in exchange for the tenant to move out within a defined period of time.

Each time, as we discuss the Northern Nevada tenant's rights and responsibilities to be eligible for the Cash for Keys, the topic of their security deposit comes up. Once the property has reverted to the bank, the previous landlord no longer holds the property. Obviously, the landlord owes this security deposit to the tenant. It should be held in a separate deposit account and not commingled with the landlord's personal deposit accounts.

Aside from suing the previous landlord, does anyone have any bright ideas to assist these Northern Nevada tenants in recovering their security deposits? I feel horrible for these folks who have dutifully paid their rent to an individual who stopped paying the bank and did not advise the tenant that the property was in pre-foreclosure. Conversely, I have a hard time believing that the tenant did not receive any notices posted on the property or was completely unaware, but either way, it's just not right.

Posted By: Christianne Gordon - Northern Nevada Real Estate Agent - RE/MAX Realty Affiliates, specializing in Carson Valley Real Estate and Northern Nevada Real Estate.

Over the last 7 months, I've made lots of friends on ActiveRain, and today I noticed I have 53 subscribers to my blog. Gosh am I flattered! Thank you!

One of my favorite ActiveRain connections is my Dad, Stephen Orear. (He's also my real estate partner.) He's slowly learning to navigate his way through the blogworld, and I'm very proud of him. I can still remember when all his leads were on 4x6 index cards. When he needed more room to make notes, he just stapled another card onto the back of the one before it! Things have changed a lot through the years.

On Saturday, August 22nd, Steve turned 60! So my Mom and I threw him a big birthday bash with a catered barbeque and a band! We had family in from out of state and lots of friends, both old and new. Here are some pictures I'd like to share with you:

My husband Dan and our younger son, Zachary, on one of Grandpa Steve's fully restored antique tractors

From Left to Right: Jana Orear, Lois Moore, Nancy Jensen, Bob Moore, and the Birthday Boy Steve Orear

For those of you who are in our office, don't be shy - be sure to hassle the guy about his birthday...and stop by in the lunchroom - there's leftover chocolate cake! We're havin' fun in the Rain in Northern Nevada!

 Posted By: Christianne Gordon - Northern Nevada Real Estate Agent - RE/MAX Realty Affiliates, specializing in Carson Valley Real Estate and Northern Nevada Real Estate.