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

Bargain Buying 101: Things to Look for In a Deal when Buying a New Home

Great you and your family have decided to purchase a new home along with the New Year. It’s not uncommon to face a little bit of sticker shock when it comes to price. This can often lead buyers to try to find a good balance between what they want and what they can afford. However, if you’re smart and maybe a little lucky, you may be able to find some really great deals if you know what to look for. Plus having a great Realtor can help a lot.

There are some key things to look for in finding a good deal. Look for properties that have qualities that might seem unappealing at first but that can be corrected fairly easily. Some of these things can drive prices down significantly but won’t require a major renovation to fix. If you’re hoping to find a bargain, here are a few things to look out for.

Ugly Paint – There’s a lot of damage that can make your paint look ugly, however sometimes the paint is just ugly because someone chose to bring together colors that should never coexist. It could be awful colors, it could be cheap paint that’s faded over time or it could even be an amateur paint job that never got touched up. Regardless of the reason for the ugly paint job, it can drive the price of the property down by thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars. It doesn’t even have to be the entire house; one ugly room can give you an opportunity to find a good deal on an otherwise nice property.

Landscaping Issues – A property’s front yard is one of the first things that a potential buyer sees. If it’s obviously been neglected or has bald patches and overgrown flower beds, this can make a negative first impression since it suggests that the house itself might not have been taken care of either. That isn’t always the case, though. Even if the house is in good condition, a yard that needs some TLC can usually trim off some money from the asking price and help you to net a great deal.

Fixtures and Accents – There are a lot of cosmetic elements in houses that can start looking rough over time. Handles and knobs can come loose or become tarnished, shutters can get loose, and bathroom tiles can become cracked… the list goes on. While updating these issues won’t break the bank, many sellers will drop their asking price quite a bit due to how these little things make the house look.

Bathroom Concerns – A lot of buyers shy away from houses that have obvious bathroom problems, causing those sellers to bring the price down significantly in many cases. Depending on the extent of the issues in the bathroom, there could be a real opportunity here. If the problem with the bathroom is mostly cosmetic, then you may be able to fix it on the relatively cheap side and save a lot of money in the process. Just be sure to keep an eye out for signs of water damage or mold, since that could indicate problems that would be much more expensive to fix.

All of the issues I have made you aware of are cosmetic and are easy fixes. Some of you might be very handy and can do what needs to be fixed by yourself. Others might want to find a great handyman (or woman) to do this work. I have lists of people to recommend to you that are good at fixing up, painting and landscaping. They are all trustworthy and reliable.

Do you have a need for commercial / industrial / retail buildings or land? Are you ready to buy or sell a home? Do you want 3 cash offers? We can help you with all of 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

6 Great things to do with the Family between Christmas and New Years in Las Vegas

So the kids are on holiday break and you might have family or friends visiting – what is there to do in Las Vegas during the 6 days between Christmas and New Years? There are many activities that can keep everyone busy. Here are a few ideas to help you make plans for every day over the holidays this year.

The Las Vegas Christmas Town is billed as “A holiday experience for all ages.” It’s located at the Cowabunga Bay Waterpark and admission is $25 per person. This festive event runs through December 31st, it’s a wonderful way to pass the time in between Christmas and New Years. Take the Polar Express Train Ride, play Yuletide Laser Tag, visit Santa’s Cozy Cottage and much more at this family-friendly attraction.
One of the best things to do in Las Vegas is to explore the beauty of the Las Vegas area. The surrounding nature is truly spectacular if you know where to go, and everyone can benefit from a quick escape from the Strip. Take a ride to Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, Zion National Park (weather permitting) and you can even go see the Grand Canyon.
Why not visit an escape room? The Trapped! Escape Room Las Vegas features a completely unique experience and it’s conveniently located right off the strip. You and your group can choose from three different puzzles. Then, you get locked in the room and must solve the mystery to escape before time runs out! Push your creativity, problem-solving skills, and teamwork to the limits in the room of your choice, and then come back to try the rest!
The Magical Forest at Opportunity Village is one of the most festive attractions in Las Vegas. This family-friendly event “is a winter wonderland with millions of sparkling lights, nightly entertainment, great food and endless holiday cheer.” Open from November 23 to December 31, it’s a perfect place to visit between Christmas and New Years in the Vegas Valley.
The Bellagio Fountains are one of the most popular free attractions in Las Vegas. Stop by every thirty minutes to catch the daily shows and you’ll quickly understand why: the water is choreographed with music and lights and soars up to 460 feet in the air. After looking at the water go inside the hotel and see the magnificent holiday display that has horses and polar bears, Santa’s chalet and all sorts of presents – all made of millions of flowers. It is really breathtaking.
Go Ice Skating -The ice rink at The Cosmopolitan is a perfect thing to do in between Christmas and New Years. Every year “The Cosmopolitan transforms into a winter wonderland high above The Las Vegas Strip.” It’s the only outdoor rink in the city and with s’mores, open fires, and even the occasional snowfall, a visit to The Cosmopolitan should not be missed during the holiday season. If you want to avoid the Strip – there is the Rock Rink in Downtown Summerlin. After skating you can find lots of restaurants and retail stores to add another gift or two that Santa might have missed.
Do you have a need for commercial / industrial / retail buildings or land? Are you ready to buy or sell a home? Do you want 3 cash offers? We can help you with all of 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

The 10 Most Promising Real Estate Markets

The National Association of Realtors just released a report identifying the top 10 metro areas it expects to appreciate in the next 3-5 years; taking into account several variables, including domestic migration into the area, housing affordability for new residents, attractiveness for retirees, consistent job growth outperforming the national average, age structure of the population, and the area’s home price appreciation.

In alphabetical order, the markets are:

Charleston, South Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Columbus, Ohio
Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Collins, Colorado
Las Vegas, Nevada
Ogden, Utah
Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Tampa-St. Petersburg, Florida

Click here for the full report: Top Ten Outperforming Metro Markets Report (takes you to another website)
Click here for data reports for all metro areas (takes you to another website)

Do you have a need for commercial / industrial / retail buildings or land? Are you ready to buy or sell a home or investment property? Do you want 3 cash offers? We can help you with all of 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

A Knight of Skating at the City National Arena

As we all know the holiday season is hectic – decorating your home, buying presents for your friends and family and a host of other things to prepare to make the holiday special.

Why not take a break for a few hours and spend time with the family – kids included and go to A Knight of Skating on Saturday December 21 from 5 p.m. -8 p.m. at City National Arena – home of the best team in hockey the Vegas Golden Knights.

This is a free event with ice skating, photos with Santa, cookie decorating and hot cocoa – a great family activity. Your kids will love being in the Arena with all the Golden Knights pictures and who knows you might want to look in the gift shop and buy a Golden Knights tee shirt or sweater – there are lots of items to purchase for all the people on your list.

You can go and walk around Downtown Summerlin across the street to grab a bite to eat or do more shopping – or go to the movies. There is so much to do there. There is also a holiday parade in Downtown Summerlin on Park Centre Drive at 6:00 p.m. that night so if you time it correctly you can watch some of the parade and attend the Knight of Skating. You kids will be thrilled.

Choose to have an amazing day….Jeff

No More Loan Limits for VA Loans: What This Means for Veterans (Hooray!)

There is a lot to be thankful for this holiday season especially for members of the military on active duty and veterans hoping to buy a home a more expensive home.

Starting next year, they’ll be able to take out Veterans Affairs–backed mortgages as large as their bank accounts will allow.

This is thanks to the Blue Water Navy Veterans Act of 2019; -veterans will be able to buy larger homes in pricier communities without having to put down a cent. However, they must still qualify for their mortgage and be able to afford the monthly payments.

Kyle Reed, an Austin Texas based Realtor stated “It gives the veterans the opportunity to buy homes in the areas they want to be in. It opens up some areas in cities to VA loans … that maybe veterans didn’t have access to before without putting a bunch of money down.”

VA loans up until now, were capped at different amounts across the country. For example, borrowers could take out more in ultra -pricey cities like San Francisco than in Detroit, where homes cost a whole lot less. As long as they stayed within those boundaries they could get a mortgage with a 0% down payment. But if they exceeded those limits, they had to put down 25% of the difference. The change goes into effect Jan. 1, 2020.

Mike Villano of the Veterans Lending Group near Seattle Washington stated “There’s not a lot of VA buyers who are buying these very high-dollar homes, but there are some; however there’s a lot of places where these folks go and serve, and it’s very expensive.”

The problem is that not all lenders are likely to be comfortable making huge loans without imposing a few restrictions of their own. The VA typically backs up to 25% of a VA loan. So banks, credit unions, and other loan makers are likely to set up some internal rules (usually called layers) to protect against defaults. Some lenders require higher credit scores or debt-to-income ratios to qualify for the loans. And some lenders may even impose their own caps on how much money borrowers can take out.

In addition, mortgage lenders pointed out that the limitless loans will apply only to a borrower’s primary home. That can be problematic for those on active duty, who might buy a home near their base, get stationed somewhere else, and then choose to buy a second home in that location while renting out the first.

Plus if they already have a VA loan on another property, they can’t get the full perks of the loan on a second one. This means they may be on the hook for a down payment or can qualify for only a smaller loan for their new abode. “It would really help a lot of families if they could retain their current home and still be able to purchase at their new duty station with no cap,” says Villano. Maybe down the road the rules will be modified to include second homes.

If you want a VA loan (or any kind of mortgage), I have a few great lenders I would be happy to introduce you to!

Choose to have an amazing day….Jeff

A Christmas Tradition – The Nutcracker

The ladies in my home have been attending this show annually for over 10 years. I have attended myself a couple of time. The Nutcracker Ballet is based on the story “The Nutcracker and the King of Mice” written by E.T.A. Hoffman. Although what is seen on the stage today is different in detail from the original story, the basic plot remains the same. The story of a young German girl who dreams of a Nutcracker Prince and a fierce battle against a Mouse King with seven heads.

It is Christmas Eve at the Stahlbaum house — A large and grand house with the most beautiful tree imaginable. The Stahlbaums are hosting their annual Christmas party, welcoming the arrival of their family and friends. The children, Clara and Fritz, are dancing and playing as they welcome their friends too.

The party grows festive with music and dance as godfather Drosselmeyer arrives. He is a skilled clock and toy maker and always full of surprises. Drosselmeyer draws everyone’s attention as he presents two life-size dolls. They are the delight of the party, each taking a turn to dance.

The children begin to open gifts when Drosselmeyer presents his to Clara and Fritz. Although his gift to Fritz is quite nice, he gives Clara a beautiful Nutcracker that becomes the hit of the party. Fritz becomes jealous and, having a lot of spunk he grabs the nutcracker from Clara and promptly breaks it. Clara is heartbroken looking on as Drosselmeyer quickly repairs the Nutcracker with a handkerchief he magically draws from the air.

As the evening grows late, the guests depart and the Stahlbaum family retires for the evening. Clara, worried about her beloved Nutcracker, sneaks back to the tree to check on him, falling asleep with him in her arms.

As the clock strikes midnight strange things begin to happen. Clara begins shrinking as her beautiful Christmas tree grows high above her. The toys around the tree come to life while the room fills with an army of mice, led by the fierce Mouse King. As the Nutcracker awakens, he leads his army of toy soldiers into battle with the mice. The Mouse King corners the Nutcracker and battles him one-on-one. The Nutcracker seems to be no match for the Mouse King.

The Nutcracker and his army can go on no longer and are captured by the mice and their King. Clara in a final daring charge throwing her slipper at the Mouse King, hitting him square on the head. The Mouse King drops to the floor and the mice run away, carrying off their leader’s lifeless body.

Then begins the dream sequences – The Nutcracker turns into a Prince and takes Clara on a journey to the Land of Snow, an enchanted forest wonderland where they are welcomed by dancing snowflakes. After the Land of Snow, Clara and the Prince go to the Land of Sweets where they are greeted by the Sugar Plum Fairy. The Prince tells her about their daring battle with the army of mice and she rewards them with a celebration of dances. At a finale, the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Cavalier dance a beautiful Pas De Deux.

The Nevada Ballet Theatre version is choreographed by James Canfield is a magical trip through a larger than life world filled with waltzing flowers, nimble fairies, and moonlit snow. The music is by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The ballet is at the Smith Center from December 13, – December 24, 2019. For tickets click here http://bit.ly/344KPdR

Choose to have an amazing day….Jeff

Deadline Approaching –The Summerlin Annual Toy Drive Needs your Help (sooner than you might think)

We all want to put a smile on a kids face especially during the holidays. So now is the time to do just that. The annual Summerlin Toy Drive is back this year – giving toys to underprivileged kids for the holidays and bringing a little joy to everyone. The unwrapped new toys must be dropped off by the end of the day on December 13.

Before you read any further, to ensure that we get the most donations possible, here are 2 ways I will make it even easier for you to help;

If you bought toys at the grocery store or online, and you live in Summerlin, I will pick up the toys from you.
If you want to help financially, and don’t have time to shop, then I will accept donations of money and or gift cards and I will go shopping on December 12^th and deliver those as well!

Or… the community will be accepting UNWRAPPED new toys at the following locations:

Downtown Summerlin Concierge – In the breezeway of One Summerlin from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Las Vegas Ballpark: 1650 S. Pavilion Center Drive (main office on Oval Park Drive under the “K” in Ballpark); 702-943-7240; open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Summerlin Corporate office: 10845 Griffith Peak Drive, Suite 160, 89135; 702-791-4000; open Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Summerlin HOA South: 2115 Festival Plaza Drive, Suite 220, 89135; open Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Summerlin HOA North: 2120 Snow Trail, 89124; open Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

The Ridges Custom Homesite Sales Center — 11277 Marble Ridge Drive, 89135; 702-255-2500; open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m

This toy drive is organized by the Howard Hughes Corp. – the developer of the master-planned community of Summerlin. According to Tom Warden, senior vice president of Community and Government Relations for Summerlin stated “Our community’s response to this effort is historically strong and we expect this year to be no different”. Summerlin’s toy drive is in conjunction with Clark County Commissioner Lawrence Weekly’s initiative to ensure every child living in Southern Nevada has a gift for the holidays.

So don’t be a Grinch and if you can only afford ONE toy just think of the smile you will be bringing to one kids face. I love supporting the Summerlin community and especially organizations that help kids, and I hope you’ll join me this year.

Choose to have an amazing day….Jeff

How Long Will It Last? – Life Expectancy of Major Systems & Appliances

The following list of appliances and major systems and their life expectancy comes from a respected home inspector NOT a manufacturer. A home inspector sees hundreds of appliances and systems like a heater system or an air conditioning system and will tell you the realistic life of your systems and appliances. Of course, home inspectors do not have a crystal ball and there can be unforeseen circumstances that occur so the life expectancy just that… what we expect.

1. Smoke detectors and Carbon monoxide detectors: Most smoke detectors should be replaced every ten years and carbon monoxide detectors are replaced every seven years. Of course batteries should be replaced every 6 months.

2. Refrigerators: The rule here is: If your refrigerator is more than 15 years old, it is so inefficient compared to modern day refrigerators that it should be replaced. A 10-year old refrigerator consumes twice the amount of energy as a modern day Energy-Star rated model.

3. HVAC: In Las Vegas we don’t have separate furnace (heating) and air conditioning systems. Its all-in-one: Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning. A well-maintained HVAC system will last many years. Well maintained includes changing filters in a regular, consistent, and timely manner and having the units serviced semi-annually. Air conditioner components will fail long before furnace issues occur. The average life expectancy for air conditioning systems is 10 – 15 years. Heating systems will generally last 20 – 30 years. Newer units with SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating) of 14- 16 SEER are more than 25% more efficient and consume more than 25% less electricity than a 10 SEER unit.

4. Water Heater: A water heater maintained in accordance with manufacturer’s recommendations is supposed to last 8 – 12 years. This generally means that the tank is drained and flushed of sediment twice a year. People rarely do this. Sediment build-up in the tank causes uneven heating in the tank, metal fatigue, and that’s what often causes premature failure. Lowering the temperature reduces the effects of the uneven heating and can prolong life.

5. Water Softeners: The life expectancy of water softeners varies greatly. The general life expectancy is 8 – 10 years. The less expensive off-the-shelf units often don’t last long and the high end models can operate well for over 20 years.

6. Clothes Washers: When maintained and cleaned in accordance with manufacturer’s recommendations, washers generally have a life expectancy of 8-12 years.

7. Clothes Dryers: Clothes dryers have a life expectancy of 8 – 10 years. Excessive heat greatly contributes to failure of dryers. Excessive heat is often the result of inadequate airflow. Inadequate airflow occurs when the vent becomes clogged. It’s very important to clean the dryer vent no less than biannually.

8. Dishwashers: A well maintained and cleaned dishwasher may last – 10 years. When they do need to be replaced, replacement Energy-Star dishwashers are often more energy efficient and consume less water.

9. Refrigerator and Reverse Osmosis (RO) Water Filters: The life expectancy of water filters and RO cartridges varies dependent on usage. Refrigerator filters should be changed no less than every 6 months. RO filters should be changed once per year at a minimum.

10. Roof’s: Concrete tile roofing is designed to last 50 years. This does not mean that the roof is maintenance-free. A licensed Roofing Contractor should review the roof every 3 – 5 years to repair / replaced wind-damaged tiles and to renew the mineral flashing. A well-maintained composition shingle roof has a life expectancy of approximately 20 years.

11. Range / Oven: Life expectancy of these components differs depending on whether it is gas or electric. Gas ranges / ovens seem to have a slightly longer life expectancy, one of the longest life expectancy appliances in the home. Gas range ovens typical last 15 – 18 years. Electric ones typically last approximately 9 – 12 years.

12. Microwave ovens: With microwave ovens, built-in microwave ovens seem to have a longer life expectancy, 9 – 12 years, than the countertop units, 5 – 7 years.

Of course, the life expectancy of any appliance is greatly influenced by the amount of use it receives and how well it is maintained. To achieve maximum life expectancy of any appliance or component they should be maintained in accordance with manufacturer’ recommendations. You may fully expect to have maintenance costs along the way. These figures provided are generalities and should not be considered set in stone.

Do you have a need for commercial / industrial / retail buildings or land? 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