Real Estate Blog - October, 2019

7 Questions to Ask Before Buying a Home

You're tired of renting and want your hard-earned money to be going toward an investment, namely a home. Experienced Realtors will be able to walk you through the home buying process with as little stress as possible. However, before you start seriously looking at properties, there area seven questions you need to ask yourself, especially if this is your first home. 

1. How's my credit? If you've never checked your credit, you get one free credit check per year from each of the credit reporting agencies: TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax. When you get your report, review it to make sure the accounts and amounts are correct. About a quarter of Americans have incorrect information on their reports so the sooner you can get that removed from your report,…

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3rd Quarter 2019 Luxury Trends Report – Reno/Sparks

Click on the image to read our Luxury Trends Report for Reno/Sparks. In this report, you will find loads of information about our luxury real estate market. There is a letter from the broker, valuable market stats and insights, our active and sold luxury listings this year, and articles from Luxury Portfolio.

Click here to download a PDF version of the Luxury Trends.

If you would like any more information about our regional real estate market, please reach out.

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Northern Nevada Halloween Events

Have you made plans for Halloween in Reno-Sparks yet? Whether you're taking the kids out trick or treating or planning to enjoy a more mature crowd, it's not too late to create the perfect costume and have a great time. 

Slaughter House at Greater Nevada Field- Through November 2

2nd Annual Safe Trick or Treat at Red Hawk Golf and Resort- October 25 from 5:00-9:00

Reno Zombie Crawl- October 26 from 8:00 pm-4:00 am

The Discovery's 9th Annual Trick or Treat- October 26 from 3:00-8:00

Reno Blues Society Monster Mash- October 26 from 6:00-11:00

Reno Christian Fellowship Trunk or Treat- October 27 from 3:30-5:30

First Congressional Church Trunk or Treat- October 27 from 3:00-4:00

Harvest Days Trick or Treating- October 30 from…

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Active vs. Sold Report – Reno/Sparks – October 2019

Here’s what you need to know about the Reno/Sparks real estate market, from the experts at Dickson Realty.

There were 1,278 homes active on the market and available for purchase at the end of September, which was a 5.2% decrease from August and a 13.6% decrease from September 2018. Over two-thirds of the available homes for sale on September 30th were priced below $600,000.

Reno/Sparks area REALTORS sold 558 single family homes in September, which was a 10% decrease from August 2019 and a 21% decrease from September of 2018. It is typical this time of year to see the number of sales start to decrease.

The median sold price for single family homes in Reno/Sparks decreased by 1% to $395,000 in September. Despite the monthly decrease, our…

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Fire Prevention Month 2019

October is Fire Prevention Month and is celebrated throughout the country with fire prevention education at schools and offices, safety tips, and sharing of resources to help keep people safe in case of a fire. 

This year, National Fire Protection Association's theme for Fire Prevention Week is "Not every hero wears a cape. Plan and practice your escape." Everyone can practice small things to prevent fires and how to escape a fire. 

Experts say that you may have as little as two minutes to safely evacuate a burning home from the time a smoke alarm sounds and having an escape plan is a must.

• Make sure everyone in your home is familiar and comfortable with the fire escape plan.
• Go over the exits from each room.
• Make sure all…

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Inventory & Percent of Sales Report – October 2019

As of September 30th, there were 1,278 single family homes available for purchase, a 5% decrease from the prior month. A slightly larger decrease of 7% was realized since this time last year. Seventy percent of available homes are priced under $600,000.

For homes priced under $300,000, we have 1 month of inventory, and for homes in the range of $300,000 to $600,000, inventory is just under 2.5 months. It’s a very good time to sell a home in either of these price ranges.

Inventory of homes priced from $600,000 to $900,000 is 4.5 months, and the $900,000 to $1,500,000 price range is 6.3 months. These two price ranges represent the most balanced market between buyers and sellers. For homes priced over $1,500,000, we have a 12.9 month supply. A five…

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Boo! These Close-To-Reno Ghost Towns Will Blow Your Mind

Did you know that Nevada is home to more ghost towns than actual populated towns? With more than 600 ghost towns scattered through the Silver State, there are many places where you can explore the vestiges of history. Here are four ghost towns that are less than a day’s drive from Reno:

Ghost Towns: Berlin Ghost Town

Preserved by the state of Nevada, Berlin gives visitors a peek into what it was like to live in a turn-of-the-20th-century mining camp. A self-guided tour features signs with information about the dozen remaining buildings as well as Berlin’s history. Visitors can see a 30-stamp mill where ore was processed and an assay office where the quality of the ore was determined. Inside the wooden…

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Don't Forget These 5 Fall Yard Maintenance Tasks

Before you put away your gardening tools for the season, don't forget to tackle these five fall yard maintenance tasks. 

1. Limit Pruning. Light pruning for errant shrubs is fine, but limit major pruning for later this winter. Roses and trees should be trimmed back in late January or early February. 

2. Add Fall Color. Chrysanthemums are an excellent choice for fall flowers and are widely available. Burning bush plants turn a bright red during the fall and are fairly low maintenance. 

3. Apply Mulch. Mulch provides a layer of protection for roots from the cold. A 3-inch layers works best and natural mulch, like natural cedar is better for the garden environment. 

4. Protect Sprinklers and Hoses. Turn off the water to and drain your sprinkler…

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8 Things to do Before Selling Your Home

Are you planning to sell your home before the year ends? Or maybe you're planning to put it on the market next spring? When you decide to list your home, it's likely important you get as much as possible as quickly as possible. Many homeowners in Northern Nevada have significant equity in their homes and are planning to take advantage of the booming housing market. Before you list your home, make sure to do these eight things so your home gives the best impression to potential buyers. 

1. Remove Clutter. You don't want to lug or unnecessary boxes to your new home, so remove as much clutter as possible before (or during) packing. Consider donating gently used items to local non-profits and recycle whatever you can. 

2. Deep Clean. Cleaning the grout…

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