It’s finally here! The storm over the weekend brought 3′ of new snow to Diamond Peak Ski area in Incline Village, NV.  This is a blessing for those who enjoy groomed powder runs and some of the best views imaginable. Come one, come all!  Take advantage of all that is beautiful about light drifting clouds, blue skies and downhill days that will put you in a downhill daze.  Lake Tahoe beckons…I’ll see you up here.  Weekdays are wonderful if you can manage to take time off for the freedom of the slopes.

Protecting the integrity of one’s home is imperative, not only if one expects top dollar at resale, but also to live there safely and joyfully – and at the least overall expense.  Here are some observations.

Have you ever been in someone’s home, and your feeling was that it looked just a bit shoddy?

For instance, a closer look might reveal that nobody’s checked for tiny drips under the sinks or tested seals at the water faucets.  Over time, such issues can cause water damage and mold and stains.  Most people are not real fond of mold…

If breaker switches pop off too frequently when you turn your favorite coffee maker on, it may have to do with an overload of an archaic electrical system.  You have choices; upgrade the system before the home burns down, or, get a hand-drip coffee pot, and encourage your spouse to get up earlier to make the brew (and good luck with this one).

Paint more frequently than every 30 years!  You many not be aware of the loss of color, brightness, and hints of grime because you’re used to seeing them every day; you’re growing older with them, and you feel the comfort and security of knowing them. But…It’s time to paint!  What a difference it’ll make in the amount of light the rooms receive and the heightening of everyone’s mood.  It’s almost as though you bought a new home.

And do you remember the last time the hanging rod in the closet started to look like a U?  Here’s a subtle indicator that your closet is either overloaded, or you are making boomerangs.  It’s easy to put up another support bracket or, better yet, put up a metal pole made of piping.

Your bookshelves are no different.  When the shelf above touches the shelf below, or is being supported by the tallest book in between, you again have a couple of choices; you can add more vertical supports, get thicker shelving, or start using e-readers.  They, however, are not good for holding up shelving.

Tattered screens are the items that often stand out the most.  You can see them from inside or outside the home.  While some of you may be talented in repairing screens, this is one area where I ask for the help of a professional.  While I might unintentionally destroy something when doing other repairs, I know my limits with screening already.

I hope this helps.  At least it might help you see your place as others might.

Good luck from Incline Village, Nevada on Lake Tahoe’s north shore.

Architectural design in the mountains is a specialty unto itself. Yet, not all architects and designers respond to the unique needs required for mountain living (and what does he mean by that?)

Well, snow, for instance…I’ve seen many, and I mean many, homes with design problems:

Roofs that shed snow onto the front of the garage, back deck or main entry, adding time and, often money, to the snow removal process along with  the structural damage caused by sliding snow. Life can be easier than this with some forethought! Then there’s the problem of uncovered exterior stairs which ice-up or get way too much snow for easy removal. Windows and heater vents can get “snowed up”, and you really don’t want to see this happen – things break!

Electric power in the mountains can go out -whether we like it, or not.  The electric panel should be designed for a back-up generator.  They are small, relatively inexpensive and fairly quiet to run. If the power fails, you wouldn’t have to get out the candles or read your book by flashlight…

Too, mountain homes need a transition area from the outside to the inside, such as a vestibule or mud room. Snow-covered boots and coats can be placed there, and the heat loss inside the home is lessened.

Then, there’s the need for daylight. With the evergreens, the snows, etc, the home can feel cave-like if enough light is not considered.

How the home is placed on the site is also important. A south-facing driveway is often needed on a sloping lot so the sun can reach the pavement. Otherwise, you might have an unintended ski run, and your downhill neighbors will be seeing your sliding car parked in their yard – they may charge you a parking fee…

Radon gas is a factor, especially where granite is present (the Sierras are granite…) Radon is toxic, colorless and orderless. Radon mitigation is easy, and a knowledgeable designer can take care of this very easily. Still, many are not aware of it.

Lastly, for this blog anyway, we still have beautiful black bears around Tahoe. Folks leave their garbage in places that are convenient to these intelligent and strong critters. So, we need to require bear-proof, steel garbage can containers at every property.  I’ve seen well-built wood ones shattered and shredded because someone smelled garbage.

Enjoy Tahoe and all that Sierra living can bring to your life. But start with a good design. You’ll be so much happier for it.

Kurt Carlstedt

Most people think of “Market Value” when the word “Value” comes up.  By loose definition, that’s the value that a willing buyer would pay and a willing seller would sell for -neither of these being a close friend or relative; that’s why the transfer is termed an arms-length transaction.

There’s another value, though, that may make a difference in how a property is perceived. It’s called “intrinsic value”and has more to do with the value a thing has to an individual.  It could be sentimental or emotional value (seemingly redundant) that brings special joy or significance to the owner.  Where am I leading you with this?

Well, sometimes in a real estate market, when properties are not priced quite right for sale, it’s because the seller thinks the value is greater than buyers in the market are willing to pay (Oh, really).  The seller adds the unmeasurable intrinsic value to the market value because the property has “been built by my grandfather” or “was where my children grew up”…You get the idea.  This kind of pricing by the seller is largely at an unconscious level, but it can cause a listing to stagnate for much longer than would have been necessary had the property been priced right in the first place.  And the loss of the use of the money from the sale earlier on may be incalculable.  An opportunity may have been lost forever.

So, when it’s time to sell a property, remember to take the emotion out of it! If it’s priced correctly, the likelihood of it selling in a reasonable period is greatly advanced.

If you have any questions on Incline Village homes or the local surrounds, it would be my pleasure to answer them.

“If you’re so Inclined”,

Kurt

Happy New Year to those looking forward! As I do the same, I have a very good gut feeling about 2012.  In looking at Incline Village real estate markets, I’m reminded that Congressman, Tip O’Neill said, “All politics is local”.  Real estate markets are no different.  While a broad brush will explain things generally, real estate markets are much better defined in small geographic neighborhoods.

In my 36 years in real estate appraisal, 19 of which have also been as a Realtor, I’ve come to prove this countless times.  Where some markets sag, others are vibrant – go figure.  Where does this missive lead?  To Incline Village, Nevada!  Having survived the economics winds of the last few years, our specific markets are showing signs of recovery.  I believe it will be a slow but reasonably steady one.  This trend is much healthier for those who invest, and much less stressful than what the public has come to expect in the recent past.  It would appear that we’ve finally hit the trough in the graphic wave curve -  this represented by stable prices for a period of time.

So where does this leave you?  Again, you get my gut feeling (not from too much holiday food), things are looking up. It’s time to take a hard look at North Tahoe if you’re wanting a vacation or second home!  Pay attention to our real estate prices and values now that they’re closely aligned; I think you’ll be happy that you did.  And you won’t be telling a friend in five years time, “If only I’d purchased back in 2012,  when prices were down, I’d have my dream home today”.  You have a real opportunity to live that dream!  Don’t be hasty,  but you need to be tuned in.

Good luck and good hunting. This address will help…http://www.mlsfinder.com/nv_ivbor/kurtcarlstedt/index.cfm

Kurt