7 Reasons You Should Buy Your Next Home Right Now

Get off the fence. This might be the best time to buy a home you're going to see for a while. Here's why.

Less competition for homes

Tired of having to duke it out for available homes and then losing out to higher offers? That's a reality in many of today's hot real estate markets, where bidding wars are the norm. In some micro-markets, all-cash offers are king. It's hard to compete in that kind of environment, which is what makes the holiday season attractive to home buyers. Less activity during this season diminishes the competition, and can also help you get a deal.

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NEW YEAR’S EVE EVENTS IN THE SACRAMENTO AREA

We can hardly believe that 2016 is almost over. There is no better way to celebrate the successes, memories and events of 2016 than with family and friends at a local event or special dinner in the city. And of course, this is also an opportunity to make a toast to 2017 and look forward to a fresh start at the beginning of another new year.

Celebrate all of the above at a special New Year’s Eve event or prix fixe dinner served at one of Sacramento’s best restaurants!

Noon Year’s Eve at the Crocker Art Museum has become a beloved Sacramento annual tradition as families gather to count down to the new year at noon. This free event features live music, dance performances, and festive art activities throughout the museum. You can even explore the museum after the party, as it will be open for free from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on New Year’s Eve!

The Sky Spectacular in Old Sacramento is one of the region’s biggest New Year’s Eve celebrations, with two sky concerts, live entertainment, balloon artists, face painters, and lots of treats. This free, family-friendly event is something you don’t want to miss this year! Gather in Old Sacramento from 6–9 p.m. for a myriad of activities, then watch the incredible fireworks light up the sky with musical hits from 2016 at 9 p.m. and midnight.

Spend your New Year’s Eve at Topgolf in Roseville for a night of neon featuring live entertainment, a chef-inspired menu, and lots of music and dancing! Reserve a bay for up to six people — either the regular bay for $225, or the VIP bay for $450. Check the event page to see what each reservation entails!

Cruise into the new year on the Sacramento River as you enjoy the Sky Spectacular fireworks show onboard a one-hour river cruise! Watch the 9 p.m. or midnight fireworks show on the boat, complete with a complimentary champagne toast and access to their cash bar. Book your reservation for the 8:30 p.m. ride or the 11:30 p.m. ride!

THIS presents the Midtown Mountain Get Down, a party for all ages featuring live performances, a fashion show, a beer garden with cocktails, amazing food, and much more. Head to Low Brau Lodge and Block Butcher Bar for the party of a lifetime on New Year’s Eve!

Casinos sure know how to throw a party — especially on New Year’s Eve! Head to Thunder Valley to hear Kool & the Gang perform their legendary hits to kick off 2017. Tickets cost $94.75 and this event is only open to those 21 and over.

Get the last laugh of 2016 with friends and strangers alike at “2016’s Last Laughs” at the Punch Line Comedy Club. This hilarious night will feature a set of talented comedians performing at either 7:30 or 10 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.

Plus a lot of choices in restaurant's. To name a few;

Ella Dining Room and Bar
Esquire Grill
Hack Farm Craft and Provisions
The Kitchen
La Provence
Rio City Cafe
Skool Restaurant
Town House at Wine and Roses
Zinfandel Grill

Fire Safety

Residential fires take their toll every day, every year, in lost lives, injuries, and destroyed property. The fact is that many conditions that cause house fires can be avoided or prevented by homeowners. Taking the time for some simple precautions, preventive inspections, and concrete planning can help prevent fire in the home - and can save property and lives should disaster strike. Check holiday lights for fraying or broken wires and plugs. Follow the manufacturer's guidelines when joining multiple strands together, as a fire hazard could result from overload. Enjoy indoor holiday lighting only while someone is home, and turn them off before going to bed at night.   Candles add a welcome festive feeling, and should be placed in stable holders and located away from curtains, drafts, pets, and children. Never leave burning candles unattended, even for a short time.   Live Christmas trees should be kept in a water-filled stand and checked daily for dehydration. Needles should not easily break off a freshly-cut tree. Brown needles or lots of fallen needles indicate a dangerously dried-out tree which should be discarded immediately. Always use nonflammable decorations in the home, and never use lights on a dried-out tree.   All electrical devices including lamps, appliances, and electronics should be checked for frayed cords, loose or broken plugs, and exposed wiring. Never run electrical wires, including extension cords, under carpet or rugs as this creates a fire hazard.   Fireplaces should be checked by a professional chimney sweep each year and cleaned if necessary to prevent a dangerous buildup of creosote, which can cause a flash fire in the chimney. Cracks in masonry chimneys should be repaired, and spark arresters inspected to ensure they are in good condition and free of debris.   When using space heaters, keep them away from beds and bedding, curtains, papers - anything flammable. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for use. Space heaters should not be left unattended or where a child or pet could knock them over.   Use smoke detectors with fresh batteries unless they are hard-wired to your home's electrical system. Smoke detectors should be installed high on walls or on ceilings on every level of the home, inside each bedroom, and outside every sleeping area. Statistics show that nearly 60% of home fire fatalities occur in homes without working smoke alarms. Most municipalities now require the use of working smoke detectors in both single and multi-family residences.   Children should not have access to or be allowed to play with matches, lighters, or candles. Flammable materials such as gasoline, kerosene, or propane should always be stored outside of and away from the house.   Kitchen fires know no season. According to the U.S. National Fire Protection Association, 46% of reported home fires in 2015 were caused by cooking. Grease spills, items left unattended on the stove or in the oven, and food left in toasters or toaster ovens can catch fire quickly. Don't wear loose fitting clothing, especially with long sleeves, around the stove. Handles of pots and pans should be turned away from the front of the stove to prevent accidental contact. Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher within easy reach. Extinguishers specifically formulated for grease and cooking fuel fires are available and can supplement an all-purpose extinguisher.   Have an escape plan. This is one of the most important measures to prevent death in a fire. Visit ready.gov for detailed information on how to make a plan. Local fire departments can also provide recommendations on escape planning and preparedness. In addition, all family members should know how to dial 911 in case of a fire or other emergency. Pillars to Posts

Keep Your Sewers Clean

For all you Mommy's and Daddy's out there this is for you; Utility workers caution that ...Wipes in the pipes are clogging sewers
Sewers everywhere are stopped up and there is plenty of blame to go around from personal carelessness to faulty products.

For one thing, people think that any thin cleaning wipe or baby wipe can be flushed down the toilet. How wrong they are.

Non-flushable cleanup wipes, baby wipes, and sanitary products must not be flushed down the toilet.

The reason is simply that, unlike toilet paper, these other materials do not dissolve. Instead they clog up the sewers, damage equipment, and cost cities and taxpayers a lot of time and money.

In one city, they had to hire a contractor to vacuum out a lift station and remove a truckload of cloth material. It's happening all over the country.

The Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry says researchers collected and analyzed materials from wastewater pumps and found that most items clogging equipment are not labeled flushable.

These items, experts suggest, should be more clearly labeled Do Not Flush.

Kimberly-Clark's flushable Cottonelle cloths undergo extensive testing to ensure they are compatible with home and city sewer systems. However, some flushables do not comply.

Some companies have heavily promoted bathroom wipes, while some cleaning product manufacturers have also advertised sponges they say can be disposed of in a toilet.

A Consumer Reports test showed that toilet paper disintegrated after about eight seconds, but some wipes still hadn't broken down after 30 minutes. They should never have been classified as flushable.

Realtor.com projects that Sacramento will be the fourth hottest residential real estate market in the country next year.

Javier Vivas, the site’s manager of economic research, said job growth and population growth are the primary factors for the region, where prices are expected to rise by an average of 7.2 percent.
In a familiar pattern, proximity to the expensive Bay Area is also a factor. Even with strong price appreciation in recent years, Sacramento area homes are still half as expensive as comparable homes in San Francisco and San Jose, Vivas said.

Realtor.com’s forecast for 2017 also saw the number of sales in Sacramento growing by 4.9 percent. Even so, Vivas said, a local and national trend of limited inventory is expected to continue.

“We’ve been waiting for supply to come in and quench thirsty buyers, but that’s not going away in 2017,” he said. “There will be plenty of competition and lots of eyes on listings.”

Vivas said Realtor.com is telling its members to keep an eye on interest rates, which are expected to rise, and how they affect buyers' ability to make offers. In Sacramento particularly, larger down payments than the national average are also a factor for Realtors.

“And also understand your local market,” he said. “For Sacramento, understand why they’re moving there.”

Sacramento also ranked fourth in Realtor.com’s 2016 projections for the hottest national markets. For 2017, Phoenix, Los Angeles/Orange County and Boston take the top three spots, followed by Sacramento and Southern California’s Inland Empire. Sacramento is the only metropolitan statistical area to rank in the top five both years, and with Boston the only to also rank in the top 10 both years.

Ben van der Meer covers real estate, development, construction, water issues and the business of sports

Get Your Home Ready To Sell In Fall and Winter

Many people feel the fall and winter are not the best time to sell, I however question that. You may not have as many buyers out there, but the ones that are tend to be serious buyers. During the spring and summer months people get spring fever and want to make changes, sometimes driven by kids being out of school. We tend to get a lot of "lookie-loos" in the spring and summer, in the fall and winter not so much. If your home is in good condition and priced correctly it will usually sell anytime of year. Below are some tips to make your home more appealing during the fall and winter months;
1. In the fall and winter it is just as important to keep the yard work up, rake fallen leaves, keep gutters cleaned out and make the front of the home present itself well.
2. The simple wreath on the door, welcome mat, or just a warm glow from the front windows invites people in out of the cold.
3. Dark and dull lighting can be a problem in the fall and winter months, so opening up blinds and curtains, turning on some table lamps, a fire place with a warm cozy fire a glow in the rooms can also make the home inviting.
4. Add fall and winter colors, oranges, reds, yellows etc. Easy to do with flowers, throw blankets on chairs, fruit baskets, and pillows.
5. Inviting smells, cookies baking, coffee brewing, scented candles, fire place burning, can all add to a welcoming feeling. DON'T OVER DUE IT!!!
6. As with any time of the year keep clutter down, if your furniture is big and bulky you might want to remove some pieces to the garage or storage to make rooms look bigger. Remember less is more.

For questions or ideas on how to make your home more appealing just give me a call (916) 544-2066. Let's get your home sold

Should you buy property for your college student to use while in college? College is expensive, here's one way you could possibly save

You’re already helping pay for your kid’s expensive college education, so the idea of also buying a house on top of that might sound crazy. But according to one real estate agent, buying a property for your kid to use while in college could have some real financial benefits and possibly turn into a profit if it’s right for you.

Room and board is the second-highest expense for college students. Room and board on campus for a private, nonprofit, four-year college or university can average $11,516 a year. Going a little cheaper, on-campus room and board for an in-state public four-year college or university can average $10,138 a year, which isn’t much cheaper, according to the College Board’s website.

This can quickly add up after four years.

To help explain the benefits and risks of buying a home for your college student to use,Orlando Regional Realtor Association President John Lazenby, with the Colony Realty Group, lists the facts, pros, cons and tips when it comes to making a decision.

“When purchasing a home for your student, it’s vital to understand that owning a rental property is a business, and problems are likely to arise,” said Lazenby, who bought a home for his son to live in while he went to college.

“Like most business ventures, a full understanding of the arrangement by everyone involved is key, even if your child’s friends are also tenants – it can be great, but it can also create some uncomfortable situations. It’s something we would do again.”

Facts

• Purchasing real estate is a long-term investment, and typically it takes about seven years for the investment to increase in value enough to exceed the costs associated with buying and selling the property, so you’ve got to be prepared to stick it out for a while.  
• Although the purchase process (buyer-seller contract negotiation, inspection, closing, etc.) is similar for primary and secondary residences, you’ll find major differences in getting a second-home mortgage.

Pros

• Money that would typically go toward renting an apartment or dorm instead goes to an investment in homeownership.
• Income from roommates or tenants after graduation can meet or even exceed the home’s mortgage and related maintenance costs.
• The house can provide you student with increased responsibility and real-life experience.

Cons

• It’s not possible to control the local housing market or economy, so an increase in value can’t be guaranteed.
• Second-home loans usually require more money down and better credit scores, and lenders take an in-depth look to ensure that a second-home buyer is financially capable of paying two mortgages – they even have formulas for calculating shortages in expected rental income.
• Property tax rules and possible deductions for second homes are very complicated and vary widely, so it’s important to talk with a tax professional before buying a second home.

Tips

• Carefully consider your current financial position and be sure you can fully support the extra mortgage and maintenance costs of a second home for an extended period of time, even if rental income will be provided by the students’ roommates.
• Whether you’re familiar with the area or not, consult with a Realtor. A Realtor can provide extensive information about the current conditions and history of the local housing market and are also usually well-versed in the idiosyncrasies of a college’s location/population.
  • Will the house sit empty a few months during the summer? Is it in an area that students like?
• To best ensure the house retains its own value, maintain it with proper upkeep inside and out, as well as landscaping and major systems.
• Since it can take a while to see an increase in value that’s enough to offset the costs of buying and selling the property, be prepared to hold on to it for a while – purchase the property before a student starts school, and hold on to it for a few years after graduation (or through graduate school or siblings).