The real estate market in Reno and Sparks is still very much a seller's market. We're finding that many homeowners don't realize the equity they have built up in their home. Others are planning to downsize, move into another neighborhood or purchase a larger home. If you find yourself house hunting on your favorite real estate website and making plans to sell your home in the future, there are some steps you can take now to make the process easier. 

Find a Realtor- Check reviews. Ask the agents you're considering if they've recently sold a home in your neighborhood. Are they familiar with that specific area? Do they have experience marketing your type of home? Do you like them? 

Have a home inspection. Most buyers have their own inspection…

714 Views, 0 Comments

In the fall and winter, it's easy to ignore your home's curb appeal. The sprinkler system is winterized. The trees have lost their leaves. The vegetable gave up the good fight months ago. 

But if you're selling your home, your yard and home's exterior still make the first impression on potential home buyers. Don't leave them wanting more from your curb appeal. There are several ways to make your yard and entry look great, despite what Mother Nature may throw at it. 

1. Keep it clean. Storms and winter weather can wreak havoc on a well kept yard. Make sure broken tree limbs, fallen leaves and muddy areas are picked up and cleaned up immediately. 

2. Plant seasonal color. Check out your local garden center for seasonal plants that will make it…

665 Views, 0 Comments

Reno's first restaurant week!One of the things we love about living in Reno is all the excellent restaurant choices. There really is no end to the types of culinary fare to enjoy and Reno Bites Week features some of the best. If you haven't participated, you definitely need to try it out. 

Reno Bites Week is October 9th through 15th. This year is the 6th anniversary of the famed restaurant week in Reno celebrating local eats and local chefs. There are many Reno Bites Week veterans on the list as well as some new additions. Check out the list of participating restaurants here. 

Find Reno Bites Week Schedule of Events here. Enjoy exploring Reno's restaurant scene! 

 

708 Views, 0 Comments

Fall is here! There are so many events going on in Reno and Sparks this month from annual festivals to the Zombie Crawl to Nevada Day Celebrations. Check out this list of Reno-Sparks October events. 

Fall Fish Festival- October 7-8

Reno Celtic Celebration- October 7-8

El Dorado Great Italian Festival- October 7-8

World Championship Outhouse Races in Virginia City- October 7-8

Reno Bites (Restaurant Week)- October 9-15

Lake Tahoe Marathon- October 13-15

Animal Ark Harvest Festival- October 14

Science Saturday at the National Automobile Museum- October 14

Reno Zombie Crawl- October 21

Pumpkinpalooza- October 22 

Trick or Treat at Discovery- October 28

Nevada Day- October 31

673 Views, 0 Comments

Fall is here! There are so many events going on in Reno and Sparks this month from annual festivals to the Zombie Crawl to Nevada Day Celebrations. Check out this list of Reno-Sparks October events. 

Fall Fish Festival- October 7-8

Reno Celtic Celebration- October 7-8

El Dorado Great Italian Festival- October 7-8

World Championship Outhouse Races in Virginia City- October 7-8

Reno Bites (Restaurant Week)- October 9-15

Lake Tahoe Marathon- October 13-15

Animal Ark Harvest Festival- October 14

Science Saturday at the National Automobile Museum- October 14

Reno Zombie Crawl- October 21

Pumpkinpalooza- October 22 

Trick or Treat at Discovery- October 28

Nevada Day- October 31

641 Views, 0 Comments

Most people compromise on at least something when they purchase a home. Maybe the paint is too vibrant for your taste or you don't love the landscaping. Most cosmetic things you can change. Other features of a home are more permanent and if you don't love those permanent features today, there's a good chance you won't love them three years from now. Before you purchase a home, consider if compromising on these five things will be deal breakers. 

1. The Budget. Working closely with your mortgage lender before looking at homes can help you avoid falling in love with a home you can't afford. Your financial adviser may be a great resource to help you plan on purchasing a home. 

2. The Floor Plan. Would you be sacrificing a room, settling for a small…

763 Views, 0 Comments

Let’s take a look at Median Price and Days on Market trends over the past 6 months for single family homes in the greater Reno-Sparks area. These statistics exclude Condo sales and focus only on single family home activity in the region.

According to the Reno-Sparks Association of Realtors, the Reno-Sparks area experienced a 2.2% decrease in median price from $357,500 in July to $349,500 in August. This price was 12.7% higher than August of last year, and 20.5%, or $59,500 higher than August, 2015. These year over year increases underscore the strong demand for housing being driven by low housing inventory and continued low mortgage rates. We anticipate the median price will continue to increase, especially…

2064 Views, 0 Comments

Before making an offer on a house, there are some things that may be helpful to know before signing on the dotted line. Everyone's needs and situations are different, but the following are specific questions you may want to ask your real estate agent before making an offer. 

1. Have there been any other offers? Multiple offers can drive the home price up. If you are really interested, and it's within your budget, you may want to increase your offer. 

2. How long has the property been on the market? Sometimes homes stay on the market for unusual reasons. Your agent be able to tell you the home's listing history and they may have information as to the circumstances. 

3. When was the house last updated? Often, the listing agent will include extra…

752 Views, 0 Comments

Market activity in the Reno/Sparks area for Single Family homes was as hot as the weather in August. Let’s take a look at the details.

There were 1,965 homes available at the end of August. This a decrease of nearly 3% when compared to July, and down 21.8% when compared to this time last year. It is important to note that these statistics include homes that are active and available for purchase, as well as homes that are in contract but not yet closed. Next, we will look at the number of units sold.

Reno/Sparks area Realtors sold 678 single family homes in August, which was an increase of 6.4% over July. The number of sales in August was also up 13.8% from the 596 sales in August of 2016. With year over year inventory down and more sales year over…

661 Views, 0 Comments