Which State pays the highest property tax? NOT NEVADA

NORTH LAS VEGAS WELCOMES FARADAY

From the Las Vegas Sun

This will bring welcome jobs to the valley and have a real effect on the housing market


http://lasvegassun.com/news/2016/apr/13/big-day-for-faraday-carmaker-to-hold-ceremonial-gr/

Does it ever rain in Las Vegas?

Dark clouds, rain, lightening, and thunder! 

Here is what it looks like when it does rain in Las Vegas. This was taken from my front door

We got a lot (for us) today.  More on its way!!

SPRING HAS SPRUNG!!

The weather is warmer; the bees are buzzing, and the housing market is very hot!

I love this time of year! The days are warm and the nights are still cool and pleasant. People are planting and upgrading their yards. I have tomato plants that are full of fruit that will be ripe in a few weeks.  Life is good!

I also like this time of year for real estate. Currently, there are 16,591 properties listed for sale (including Condos and Townhouses).  Of those, only 9385 do not currently have an offer, and of those only 7600 are SFR – Single Family Residences.  Last month we sold 2881 SFRs.  So we have approximately 2.6 months of inventory.  So what does that mean?

The National Association of REALTORS (NAR) tells us that any market that has less than 90 days of inventory based on current trends is a hot market. What this means for you if you are thinking of selling your house is that now is the time to list.  If you are a buyer, be prepared for multiple offers and make your offers as attractive as possible. While all this seems to be somewhat diametrically opposed, the truth is the market is telling you to act. 

For Sellers: If you want to sell or have to sell, get your house ready.  Just because the market is hot does not mean that you can expect top dollar if your property does not warrant it. It is a double edged sword.  There are a lot of buyers, but the competition for them is steep. Fix and repair anything that needs it.  If a buyer senses that you have deferred maintenance or have not repaired items correctly, it will deter them from making a better offer.  Those items may also come up on a home inspection, and your will either have to repair the items or grant an allowance.  Be sure to make the house available for showings.

For Buyers: Get a solid preapproval. Know your price range and payment. Sometimes it is not always about the rate, but about the payment you can afford and how that translate to the price of the property.  Be flexible on your wish list.  There are always tradeoffs in real estate. Decide what are your non-negotiables and what you may be willing to compromise on to get your new home.  If you are asking for concessions from the seller, you may have to pay more than what you thought to get those.  Listen to your lender and follow their advice and that of your REALTOR®.

This is a great time to buy or sell.  Let me show you how I can help.

Home prices in 20 US cities kept climbing in January

A very good article from the Las Vegas Review Journal

https://shar.es/1YEjfA

Locally our market is seeing a steady growth in prices.  Let me show you what your home is worth

INTEREST RATES ADJUST

CHAIRMEN YELLIN'S TALK HAD AN AFFECT ON RATES.

As  usual, whenever the Chair of the FED speaks, the mortgage rates listen.  To quote from Inman News

"Today, Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen held a press conference, indicating that the Fed would proceed “cautiously” regarding interest rates.

These aren’t mortgage interest rates, but the overnight cost of money. However, what happens to the Fed’s interest rate has repercussions for housing."

Translation - mortgage rates went down today.  The Inman article has more to say. You can check it out here. ( you do have to be a member)

http://www.inman.com/2016/03/29/2-housing-economy-babies-thrown-bathwater/?utm_source=20160329&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dailyheadlinespm

While the article in the link above does focus on the liquidy for banks and servicers, the overall effect was to have the mortgage rates take a dip.  The bottom line is that now is a good time to buy or sell.  Call me I can help

CUTTING THE CORD PART 2

ANTENNA VERSES CABLE OR STREAMING

A few days ago I had an antenna installed on my house.  I am now able to view TV for free!  This does come with some limitations.  However, I can tell you that the picture quality is outstanding. The limitations are that you "only"  have 50 channels - for free.  Yes, you do have to buy the antenna and you need to install it.  I had a local company that specializes in that - Mr. Antenna- do mine.  But overall, I am impressed.  

I  also have a ROKU 3  and subscriptions to HULU and Sling TV.  That allows me to see a ton of shows including CNN live watch current series the next day.  The one channel I cannot get that I really like is MSNBC.  So there will be trade-offs.

THE COSTS

My Cable bill for TV is over $120 a month. Like many people I have no choice as to what channels I get - they are all "IN THE BUNDLE!"  If I eliminate Direct TV and go with the antenna the ROKU 3 with all of its channels and my two subscriptions, the total monthly cost is $24.  So roughly I will save about $100 a month.  The antenna and installation was $264.  After three months I break even and I do not have to pay for all those channels I do not want.  

Is it right for you?  That is something you have to decide.  If you have questions, post them below and I will try to answer them.  But now I want to see which one of the many movies and shows that I can get for free will be on my viewing tonight!!