July 2019 | Jeff Howard's Las Vegas Area Real Estate blog

Don’t Freak Out if You Find a Crack in the Foundation of Your House

Yes cracks in the foundation can be signs of a problem; however it doesn’t mean you should automatically think of worst case scenario. Believe it or not, there are a few perfectly normal reasons why cracks can appear in your foundation.

Of course you should have the issue looked into but hold off on assuming the worst until you determine whether there’s a problem worth worrying about.

There are several things that can cause cracks in your foundation. In some cases, the cracks are simply caused by the settling of your home over time or soil expansion if your home is built on land with a lot of clay in the soil. Other potential causes of foundation cracks include:

Drainage issues around the home
Insufficient reinforcement to support the weight of the house
Major home renovations or add-ons such as adding a second story
Tree roots under the soil
Earthquakes, sinkholes or landslides that have affected the area
Deep soil freezing during the winter

Despite the wide range of possible causes, it’s important to not freak out and get excited and worry over the cracks until you’ve figured out whether they actually indicate a serious problem.

When you first notice cracks in your foundation get a good look at them and where they appear. Taking photos may help with this since they’ll give you an easy-to-access reference later on. If possible, include an object of known size in the pictures to give you a sense of scale; coins, ink pens or other common objects are easy to use.

When looking at the cracks in your foundation, take note of the direction of the crack, how wide the crack is and whether it has a uniform width. If there is an obvious point of origin (a crack that starts at the corner of a basement window or foundation vent) then you should take note of this as well. If you have a crawlspace or basement under your home, go in and examine the foundation wall from the inside as well to see if the crack is visible. The more information you have about the crack, the easier it will be to determine whether there’s a problem.

Small, thin cracks in the foundation usually aren’t much to be concerned about; they typically form as the house and the soil beneath it settle into place. Likewise, small cracks that appear after a particularly harsh winter shouldn’t be a major concern since they are easy to seal before the next bout of cold weather comes around.

There are some cracks that you need to watch out for, though. Horizontal cracks, straight vertical cracks and cracks that are wider at one end than the other are all signs of potential problems. These can indicate that the foundation is cracking due to a much larger problem than just settling or bad weather. Check the depth of the crack, especially if you have a crawlspace or basement; a crack that goes all the way through the foundation wall can be very bad indeed. You should also see if there are multiple cracks forming around the same area or if any of the cracked areas correspond with cracks or other issues inside the house.

If the cracks seem recent, clean up the area and place marks on the wall beside the cracks. This will let you look for new debris or changes to the crack length over the next several days. Large cracks or cracks that seem to still be growing need to be repaired before they can cause significant issues.

Even if you’re handy around the house, you might want to call a professional to examine the situation and foundation and take care of what is wrong. Having a pro to do the work will certainly give you piece of mind. Just give me a call I have a list of professionals that I can highly recommend to you. I am after all your Realtor for life!!

Do you have a need for commercial / industrial / retail space? Are you ready to buy or sell a home? We can help you with that… just call us at 702 SELL NOW or click on this link to my website http://www.702SellNow.com

Choose to have an amazing day…..Jeff

Properly Mounting Things on the Walls of Your Home (pictures, decorations, etc)

Ok so you are in your new home or just adding a picture or mounting a television – anything that goes on your wall needs something to anchor it in place. Sometimes there is a stud in the wall that you can attach it to and you are good to go. You have well-supported wood to drive a screw into which will hold whatever you’re mounting in place. However if you can’t find a stud where you need one, if the item has any real weight to it, you need some help. That’s where drywall anchors come in.

What is a drywall anchor? Drywall anchors are small pieces that are slightly larger than the screws you are using for this project. Depending on the type of anchor you’re using it might be made of plastic or metal, with small fins sticking out from the outside of the anchor body and a hole in the middle that runs the length of the anchor. You first put the anchors into the wall and then your screw goes into the hole. As you screw it in the screw digs into the anchor body in much the same way it would with wood to ensure that the screw won’t slip out.

The drywall anchors are designed to provide a tight fit for your screws. As the screw goes in, the anchor is forced to spread out and open up a bit. This pushes the body of the anchor against the sides of the hole you put it in, causing those little fins to dig into the surrounding drywall. The fins are positioned to go in easy but resist coming out, giving you a solid mounting even though there isn’t any wood or other solid material for your screws to secure to.

There are multiple types of drywall anchors. Choosing the right one for the project you are working on helps to reduce unnecessary damage to your drywall and ensures that the mounting is strong enough for what you are hanging on the wall. To ensure that you have the right drywall anchor for what you need to support you should try to estimate of the weight of the load and check the packaging of different drywall anchors to find an anchor that can hold that much weight.

If the load of what you are hanging is relatively light you’ll most likely only need a plastic anchor. The most common of these are known as expansion anchors and are essentially plastic sleeves that you hammer into a drilled hole and that simply spread out as you insert a screw. There are also threaded plastic anchors that look like oversized screws -they work similarly, except you screw them into place instead of hammering them. Regardless of the type of plastic anchor you use, the purpose is still to dig into the drywall and hold a screw in place.

For heavier loads you will need a metal anchor. Though you may see some threaded metal anchors, the most common metal anchors are known as molly bolts and feature a metal sleeve with a screw already inserted into them. You hammer these into place as you would with an expansion anchor and then remove the screw. Once you are ready to mount you place the screw back into the anchor and start tightening – this causes a portion of the metal sleeve to pull toward the screw, expanding metal arms on the other side of the drywall to create a much more secure fitting.

For seriously heavier loads you’ll need to use a toggle bolt instead. These anchors consist of a metal bolt with foldable metal wings that the bolt screws into. You have to fold the wings so that they lie over the bolt and then insert them into a hole large enough that they can fit through to the other side. Once on the other side the wings will expand, preventing the bolt from coming back out. Make sure that there is a washer or something else that’s large enough to cover the hole, though, or the bolt head could slip through the hole and you’ll lose your toggle bolt into the wall.

If a drywall anchor fails then it simply wasn’t the right type of anchor for the job. Trying to use smaller or weaker anchors for heavier loads will often result in failure because they simply don’t achieve enough grip on the surrounding material to hold the load. In some cases, though, the drywall itself may be too weak or the anchor you use may have been intended for a different material. Be sure to match the anchor to the weight and the material to minimize your chances of anchor failure.

If you are still having issues, or just not comfortable doing it yourself, you’ll probably want to hire a professional. I always keep a list of reliable professionals around in just about every category that pertains to your home, so feel free to reach out to me for recommendations. After all, we’re neighbors.

Choose to have an amazing day…..Jeff

Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame Meet & Greet/Fan Experience

Before they roll out the red carpet for the NVBHOF 7th Annual Induction Ceremony and Dinner the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame will start the weekend off with this Epic Meet & Greet/Fan Experience.

On Friday August 9, 2019 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Red Rock Casino, Resort and Spa you can meet some of the leading boxers before the weekend induction into the Boxing Hall of Fame. This Meet and Greet will be held in the Charleston Ballroom. Last year they had over 40 Past and Present Champions, along with boxing vendors on hand to meet and mingle with boxing fans and supporters!

Tickets are $50 plus $1.99 fee at http://bit.ly/2SxymLD If you wait to pay at the door the tickets are $75. Ticket includes entry into the WBC Greenbelt Challenge Saturday 8/10 at 11am in the Charleston Ballroom. Buy your tickets today, last year the tickets sold out and they had to turn 100’s of people away.

The NVBHOF is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization and your support is tax deductible.

Are you ready to buy or sell a home? Do you have a need for commercial / industrial / retail space? We can help you with that… just call us at 702 SELL NOW or click on this link to my website http://www.702SellNow.com

Choose to have an amazing day….Jeff

Your Kiddos Might Be the Next Wolfgang Puck

Let the fun begin! I saw this event and just had to share! On Saturday August 3 from 9a.m.to 11 a.m. take you future chef for a fun-filled class at Maggiano’s Ristorante in Downtown Summerlin.

All children ages 5-11 are welcome and will enjoy a hot breakfast buffet and work with Maggiano’s chef to create a Chef Specialty. Each $40 Ticket includes admission for one adult and one child. Tickets are all-inclusive of food, non-alcoholic beverage, tax and gratuity. Additional tickets for either an adult or another child are $20 each. Every guest must have a ticket in order to attend.

At least one parent must accompany children in attendance and will be offered complimentary coffee, hot tea, iced tea and sodas.

For more information or to purchase tickets go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/kids-cooking-class-tickets-65327310745

Choose to have an amazing day….Jeff

Kitchen Fire Safety

Do you realize that a good amount of the fire hazards in your home are in your kitchen? Lots of heat sources are in the kitchen like your oven, stovetop and a toaster oven. Most of the time your kitchen is usually a pretty safe place as long as you keep an eye on things and follow fire safety rules. Knowing how to handle a kitchen fire can mean the difference between a scare and a tragedy.

There are several potential causes of kitchen fires. There are the usual fire hazards such as electrical shorts; however you also have kitchen-specific risks such as splashing oil or something falling onto a heating element. Your safety measures in the kitchen area should be a bit wider reaching than the rest of your home.

A smoke detector is vital in the kitchen and so is a fire extinguisher that you can access easily. Make sure you choose the right fire extinguisher – opt for an ABC fire extinguisher if you can. These can be used on Class A (trash/wood/paper), Class B (oil and liquids) and Class C (electrical equipment) fires. These can be found at Home Depot, Lowes or another hardware store.

Set aside an area in the kitchen where you can put oven mitts, cookbooks and similar materials that are far enough away from the stovetop to prevent any of them from falling onto a hot surface. Inspect kitchen appliances regularly for damaged cords or other fire hazards and replace anything that could present a danger.

If a fire breaks out in your oven, your first instinct is likely to open the oven and try to put the fire out. That’s one of the worst things that you can do, though; opening the oven provides much-needed air to the fire and can make it significantly worse. Instead, turn off the oven and leave the door closed. This will limit the availability of oxygen, causing the fire to die down and eventually go out on its own. Keep an eye on the fire, though, if it doesn’t start dying out or seems to be getting stronger, you should call the fire department to deal with it.

Stovetop fires come in several forms such as if something falls onto a hot burner that can cause a fire. If oil or other flammable liquids get too hot or splash out of a pan that can also cause a fire. Even letting a pan boil dry can cause a fire. Fortunately, the majority of stovetop fires are preventable by keeping an eye on the stove whenever there’s at least one hot burner.

If a fire breaks out on the stovetop, there are a few things that you can do. If the fire is very small fire such as a grease fire in a pan, simply putting a metal lid on the pan and that may be enough to put the fire out. Slightly larger fires can be doused using baking soda, but do NOT use flour… though you may have heard that flour is okay to use, flour is finely ground dried plant material and is actually very flammable. Your fire extinguisher is a great option, as is calling the fire department before things get too far out of control.

The main points to remember regarding fire safety is to ensure that your smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and other fire safety equipment stay in good working order, in case you need them. It’s recommended to change the batteries in the smoke detectors in your home every six months, and replace smoke detectors every 10 years (I just replaced all of mine).

Choose to have an amazing day….Jeff

Go back to Chicago during the roaring 20’s

“Chicago”, by the incredible Bob Fosse, was the longest running American musical on Broadway and now will be performed at the Super Summer Theatre at Spring Mountain Ranch from July 31 to August 17.

The story takes place in the 1920’s and tells the story of chorus girl Roxie Hart. She murdered her faithless lover and convinces her husband to take the rap for the crime. He then finds out that he was duped and turns on Roxie. Of course she is convicted of the crime and sent to death row where she meets Velma Kelly. The two Merry Murderesses vie with each other for the spotlight and headlines until they decide to join forces.

Chicago is filled with songs and dance numbers that you will be tapping your feet to, however this play is rated PG-13 since it has some sexual content & dialogue, plus some violence.

Go see Chicago or one of the other shows playing this season – and bring the entire family. Bring a blanket or chairs plus some food and refreshments and maybe a sweater (it’s much cooler there than down in the valley). In my opinion, it is the best live-theatre venue in our valley.

The rest of the summer season will continue with 2 more great shows; ”Annie” and “Noises Off”. All the information you need is at the web site, https://supersummertheatre.org/current-season/#.

Choose to have an amazing day….Jeff

What is an ADU and Why You Should Be Interested?

ADU is short for Accessory Dwelling Unit – you might know them as a granny-flat or grown child’s apartment and they might just be your next edited home. They are dwellings–either attached or detached from the main house and they exist on the same lot as the main house. Many ADUs are built above the garage. In Las Vegas you usually see them as a casita or a part of the main home away from the main part of the home for privacy issues.

ADUs have numerous benefits such as creating a secondary rental home, increasing the occupancy on a given plot of land, creating a more communal living, while providing autonomy and privacy for both homes.

People who may have once needed a large home filled with lot of kids and are now empty nesters can move into the ADU and rent out the main home.

ADUs are not lean-to’s – they are real homes that require building permits and some investment. A great resource is accessorydwellings.org, which goes into the ins-and-outs of ADU construction, financing, zoning for every state and other issues.

For those looking to install an ADU on their property, but who don’t want the headache of designing a custom home, there are many prefabricated options like from developers like Blu Homes. Most of these ADU homes come with many features you would have in the main homes and you can be creative with how you design the rooms to get the most of the space.

The wonderful things about ADUs are that they provide a way of optimizing the traditional American home, when the lot size is considerably larger than its home. We realize many people who want to live an edited life live in traditional American homes; moreover they neither want to move into a micro apartment in the city or a tiny house in the country. The ADU provides a great way of working with existing resources, while providing extra income, increasing the efficiency of a property and creating a more community-oriented lifestyle.

Do you have experiences living in or building an ADU? Tell us about it.

Choose to have an amazing day….Jeff

Fourth of July Fireworks

Here is Las Vegas we have a tendency to do everything in a big way and Independence Day is no exception. There are several places to go and watch professional fireworks put on by different hotels and some neighborhoods. The following is a list of some of the places to go.

The Red Rock Resort will shoot off about 10 minutes of fireworks starting at 9 p.m. from its rooftop. Here’s the funny thing: there are no public viewing areas on property (although hotel guests may be able to catch a glimpse from the pool deck). Your best bet is heading next door to the Downtown Summerlin, where guests are welcome to bring chairs and blankets to The Lawn, a grassy gathering spot on the northwest end of the outdoor shopping plaza. You can also view the fireworks from the shopping center parking lot across Charleston Boulevard.

Green Valley Ranch -Just like its sister property Red Rock Resort, Green Valley Ranch will also show a 10-minute firework show from its rooftop starting at 9 p.m. However, guests can view the display from the expansive backyard pool deck. Just purchase a pool pass wristband for $20 (or $10 for kids). You can also be able to get great views from The District — a neighboring outdoor dining and retail village.

Fourth of July Celebration at Skye Canyon Park – Bring the family to enjoy DJ music, live performances, food, beverages and a wonderful fireworks display. Free refreshments while supplies last. The first 500 people in the park will receive a free American flag. You can bring a blanket to enjoy the festivities.

Henderson Hosts Fourth of July Celebration – The City will host its annual Fourth of July celebration on of course Thursday, July 4. The family-friendly event at Heritage Park, 350 E. Racetrack Rd., will feature live music, activities for kids and lawn games, and will conclude with a 22-minute fireworks display at 9 p.m. Admission to the event and parking is free. Gates open at 4 p.m. A blanket is recommended. Food and beverage vendors will be on site for the event.

M Resort Spa Casino lights up the sky with a festive firework display choreographed to music in honor of Independence Day Thursday, July 4 at 9 p.m. Guests can view the fireworks from the M Pool deck after enjoying a special Fourth of July holiday menu at Studio B Buffet and holiday-themed casino promotions throughout the resort.

Go to the Devine Café in the Springs Preserve for a July 4th Celebration – Bring the whole family to celebrate Independence Day at our extended July 4th Happy Hour! Live music by Frankie and the Infernos and a special menu are the perfect patriotic accompaniment to fireworks viewing from the Divine Cafe – one best views in the valley. Thursday, July 4, 4 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. No reservations required – first come, first served.

The only fireworks display downtown is at the Plaza Hotel– starting at: 5pm the resort is promising its biggest exhibit yet, with fireworks shooting off from multiple towers. Guests can hang out in the water during a free pool party with burgers (Impossible and otherwise) and party grub served by a food truck. There will also be a Coney Island-style hotdog eating contest and $3 Jell-O shots (or three for $5 — better deal!). If you happen to be hanging out on Fremont Street, you can also check out a free concert by the Eli Young Band from 9-10:30pm on the 3rd Street Stage.

On the Strip – Caesar’s Palace and Mandalay Bay will have fireworks.

Caesar’s Palace fireworks will start at: 9:15pm. While several casinos join together for one massive fireworks show on New Year’s Eve, Caesars Palace does most of the heavy lifting on Independence Day. Take in the elaborate fireworks show from the Garden of the Gods pool deck. Aside from neighboring resorts, the best views will be from the Spanish Steps and other pedestrian areas near the front entrance of Caesars Palace.

Mandalay Bay starts at: 9pm- Celebrate America with the island sounds of Jamaica. Reggae-pop band Mystic Roots will take the stage at Mandalay Bay Beach, leading up to a fireworks show at 10:30pm. Ticket holders can swim in the wave pool, lounge on the sand, and booze it up holiday-style. Admission starts at $20.

Earlier in the day don’t forget to go to Summerlin for the 25th Annual Summerlin Council Patriotic Parade. Bring the family and see fantastic floats, marching bands and crazy balloons floating above. The parade starts at 8:30 a.m. and is expected to be over at 11a.m.

I want to wish everyone a happy and safe 4th of July. And please be careful if you will be handling fireworks.

Choose to have an amazing day…..Jeff