Things To Do This Weekend In The Valley 9/12/14

Please remember those who lost their lives & those that risked their live to save others on 9/11/2001. Are you ready for the weekend? How about checking out the Pacific Islander Festival Sept 12 - 13th, 2014, 200 Water Street, Henderson, NV. Get into the aloha spirit with one of the valley’s biggest Pacific Islander celebrations. Travel to a tropical paradise and immerse yourself in the culture with the sights, sounds and smells of Hawaii, Tahiti and the Samoan Islands. Enjoy traditional island entertainment, crafts and food, as well as a health fair and seminars. Then there's the San Gennaro Feast, great Italian food & music. Carnival rides for the kids, check out their website for coupons. Movies in the park are back at Tivoli Village this Saturday it's Lego Movie or Enjoy complimentary music on the main stage at Tivoli Village during the month of September. Life music will go on every Friday evening.. Springs Preserve Autumn Plant Sale Saturday. Local “green thumbs” will have a chance to select from more than 2,500 native and water-efficient plant and tree varieties for purchase at the Springs Preserve’s annual Autumn Plant Sale, Saturday, September 13, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. BBQ at Bitter Root Ranch, saddle up for an authentic western BBQ at the scenic Bitter Root Ranch. Enjoy festive entertainment, mingle with friends, dance to live country music and of course, feast on delicious, melt in your mouth BBQ. Children welcome. All proceeds go to benefit programs for people with intellectual disabilities at Opportunity Village.For Tickets or to RSVP, call 702-880-4068. Candlelighter’s Childhood Cancer Foundation 5k and 1 mile walk . Reveal your inner superhero at the annual Candlelighters Shine for a Superhero 5K and 1 mile race with Chet Buchanan. All participants are encouraged to dress up as their favorite superhero.The Candlelighter’s Shine for a Superhero 5K helps raise critically needed funds to support those affected by childhood cancer and educate the public regarding the impact cancer has on the many children and families in the community. Registration is open online at www.candlelightersnv.org, late registration begins at 6:30 a.m. with the 5K run at 8:00 a.m. and the 5K Walk and 1 Mile stroll beginning at 8:15 AM.

What Going On This Holiday Weekend

Well it's the last weekend of August & Labor Day weekend, so it's a 3 day weekend for a lot of people. It will be a great weekend to enjoy one or maybe both of the water parks in the valley, Wet & Wild at 7055 S Fort Apache Rd or the new Cowabunga Bay at 900 Galleria Dr in Henderson. What about a trip to Lake Mead if you're a beach person or would like to take one of the paddle boat tours at Lake Mead Cruises. Have you ever been to the Spring Preserve over by Meadows Mall another great place to visit this weekend. A drive through The Valley of Fire is also a good thing. Are you into antiques, we have some great shops here in the valley. A couple of our favorites are Antiques At The Market across from Sunset Park on Eastern & Charleston Antique Mall that is now on Decatur near Alta. Maybe a trip to the Pinball Hall of Fame over by Tropicana & Spencer or one of the many museums we have in the valley. We have Lied Discovery Children's Museum, Las Vegas Natural History Museum or how about the Mob Museum. What about going to Boulder City to the Nevada State Railroad Museum & taking their train ride. Go take a ride on the High Roller but check on Groupon before you go to see if there are discounted tickets. Whatever you do be safe & have a great holiday weekend.

Looking For Something To Do This Weekend 8/22/2014

Well the kids start school next week, so here are some thing you might want to do this weekend. How about taking them to the Adventure Dome at Circus Circus. Or if your kids like the water there is Wet N Wild or Cowabunga Bay. Have you ever been to the Springs Preserve another good place that you & the family might enjoy. Into music, The Vegas Unplugged Music Festival returns for a third year with a summer event taking place in downtown Las Vegas at the Historic Fifth Street School, 401 S. Fourth St., on Saturday, Aug. 23 at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door for this all ages show. Show starts at 6pm and doors open at 5 pm. Want to be outdoors at trip to Mount Charleston might just be the thing or over to Red Rock Canyon area for some hiking. Are you into guns, if so there is a gun show at Cashman Center this weekend. Then for the adults have you been to the Container Park yet? Celebrate summer nights at the Downtown Container Park with Motley Brews. The evening starts with two and a half hours of sampling from their handpicked craft beer and cider selections and big-screen entertainment with classic movie clips and hilarious shorts. It’s the perfect chance for beer freaks and movie buffs to explore the Park, find some tasty grub and jump start the weekend. Must be 21+. If your a runner this sound like it could be a blast. The Las Vegas Dash N' Splash Family Fun Run is a fun festive 5k race. Runners armed with water shooters filled with colored water will water tag each other while running through the 5k course. Along the course will be designated areas where Spectator "Snipers" will be armed with water balloons and water guns to bombard you and your friends as you race to the finish line. SATURDAY, AUG 23 8:00 AM, Craig Ranch Regional Park, North Las Vegas, NV. How about taking in a movie at one of our valleys many theaters, or one of our many shows in one of the casinos. Well what ever you do have fun & be safe.

What Can I Expect To Happen When I List My Home

Here are some of the things you can expect to happen when you list your house. The buyer will negotiate 2-5 times during the transaction. First will be on the price. Then they may want some of the personal property not included in the listing, such as the patio furniture. Then after the inspection if there are issues with the home inspection. Then if the appraisal come back & it's less than the purchase price, they will usually want to negotiate. Then after they do the walk through if they find something that needs to be fixed or repaired. Agents will make or cancel appointments at the last minute. Agents will make appointments then be late or never show up without calling you. Or they will call 3 minutes before or 20 minutes after the appointment to cancel. Agents will call to ask if they can show your house & you'll ask when? They'll say well we are in the area & are out front right now. Some agents might knock on your door or drive by & see you in the yard & ask if they can see your house(call your agent if this happens). There will be last minute calls for appointments. Some of the showings will last for 5 minutes, others will last for over an hour. You will get low ball offers, these usually come right after you've listed the house. The buyer's home inspector will find thing that need to be fixed. The appraisal may come in for less than the price the buyers offered for your house. Then the buyer might lose or even worse, quit their job during the mortgage process. These are some of the things that could happen, but remember it could also go like this. The first person that makes an appointment is on time, makes an offer for list price, 1 hour after looking at your house. Then you close in 30 days or less, with all things going off without a hitch.

Happening In The Valley This Weekend 8/15/14

With school getting ready to start everyone get ready for the slower speeds around our valley schools. Let keep our kids safe.Super Summer Theatre plans to present “Shrek the Musical” at 8:05 p.m. Aug. 14-16 in the outdoor venue at Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, 6375 state Route 159. Bring a blanket or chair or rent a chair at the show for general admission seating. Food is allowed. The park entrance and parking lot open at 5 p.m., and parking is free with a show ticket. The meadow opens at 6 p.m. Advance tickets are $12.95 at tinyurl.com/o6xypqa. A limited number of tickets are available at the gate for $20. Visit supersummertheatre.org. The Silverton, 3333 Blue Diamond Road, is scheduled to host a wine tasting from 6 to 9 p.m. Aug. 16. The event is set to include appetizers, a silent auction, prize drawings, a disc jockey and a souvenir glass. The cost is $40. Call 702-263-7777 or visit silvertoncasino.com. The Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd., plans a water-smart landscape design series from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturdays this month. Upcoming sessions are: A Living Art, Aug. 16; Making it Happen and Selecting Plants, Aug. 23; and Constructing and Planting, Aug. 30. Members pay $90 and nonmembers pay $120. For individual classes, members pay $30 and nonmembers pay $40. Visit springspreserve.org. Dive ‘n’ Movies are scheduled at 8 p.m. Fridays through Aug. 22 at Wet‘n’Wild Las Vegas, 7055 S. Fort Apache Road. “The Lego Movie” is scheduled for Aug. 15. My favorite band ZZ Top is preforming this Saturday at the Hardrock Casino. At Tivoli Village, Salsa Under the Stars takes place on August 16th from 8pm-12am, with salsa lessons provided by Dana Delgado Dance from 8-9pm. So what ever you do this weekend make it great & as usual be safe.

This Weekends Happens 8-8-14

Hope your Summer has been a good one, here's some ideal on things to do this weekend. How about seeing Shrek The Musical at Super Summer Theater At Spring Mountain Ranch State Park. If your a thrill seeker how about the zip line at the Rio or the roller coasters at Circus Circus. Maybe a trip out to Red Rock Canyon to hike or right next door to that is Calico Springs which is also a great place to hike or Rock climb if your into that. As usual there are all of the great theaters through out the valley to take in a movie. I think the dinner cruise on the paddle boat on Lake Mead would be another great option. Maybe it time to take in one of the many shows. Looking for a weekend getaway how about a staycation at one of our locals casinos. Maybe a little trip to Valley Of Fire, which is what the photo is this week. Well what ever you do this weekend have a great time & be safe.

What To Do This Weekend 8-1-14

Welcome to the first weekend in August. That means that summer is almost over & cooler temperatures will be returning. Not a lot going on this weekend, must be the dog days of summer. There is the First Friday activities going on downtown on Friday. With the heat & possible rain that's predicted this weekend it may be a good time to take in a movie at one of the many theaters. My wife & I went to see "Tammy" last weekend we thought it was great but not for younger children. Are you into antiques, we have some great shops here in the valley. A couple of our favorites are Antiques At The Market across from Sunset Park on Eastern & Charleston Antique Mall that is now on Decatur near Alta. Maybe a trip to the Pinball Hall of Fame over by Tropicana & Spencer or one of the many museums we have in the valley. We have Lied Discovery Children's Museum, Las Vegas Natural History Museum or how about the Mob Museum. What about going to Boulder City to the Nevada State Railroad Museum & taking their train ride. Go take a ride on the High Roller but check on Groupon before you go to see if there are discounted tickets. Take the kids to the Adventure Dome at Circus Circus. Mount Charleston will be cooler for a picnic or some hiking. What ever you do enjoy, be safe & have a great weekend.

What's Happening In The Valley This Weekend

It's going to be a hot one this weekend with a chance of some rain so it may be a good weekend to take in a show or go to one of the many theaters we have in the valley. Momma Mia is back in town at the Flamingo, the first show we went to after moving here over 6 years ago. Other show the my wife & I have seen & enjoyed are Rock of Ages, Terry Fator, Donny & Marie and Blue Man Group to name a few. If your going to one of the shows don't forget to ask for your locals discount or stop by one of the discount ticket places to get a better deal. If the rain doesn't show up a trip to Mount Charleston would cool you off. Maybe it time to visit one of our 2 water parks we have in the valley.

Well what ever you do this weekend have fun, be safe and try to stay cool.

Happening In The Valley This Weekend 7/18/14

Hope everyone had a great 4th of July, sorry I missed last weekend events. This weekend a trip to Mt. Charleston would be a good thing where it is a little cooler. The farmers market is at Floyd Lamb Park / Tule Springs 10-2 Saturday & FRESH52 FARMER’S & ARTISAN MARKET at Tivoli Village 9-2. It will be a great weekend to enjoy one or maybe both of the water parks in the valley, Wet & Wild at 7055 S Fort Apache Rd or the new Cowabunga Bay at 900 Galleria Dr in Henderson. What about a trip to Lake Mead if your a beach person or would like to take one of the paddle boat tours at Lake Mead Cruises. Have you ever been to the Spring Preserve over by Meadows Mall another great place to visit this weekend. A drive through The Valley of Fire is also a good thing. Whatever you do be safe & have a great weekend.

THIS 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND'S HAPPENINGS

Happy 4TH of July to everyone. Here are a few of the events going on. Green Valley Ranch and Red Rock resorts are both putting on the “We Love Locals’ July 4th Fireworks Blast,” featuring a nine-minute spectacle in the sky. 9 p.m., free, Green Valley Ranch and Red Rock Resort. Providence Fourth of July Fireworks Show, bring picnic baskets, chairs and coolers to this Fourth of July celebration in the Providence master-planned community. Food will be available for purchase from Smokin’ Sam’s and local food trucks Grouchy John's, Sausagefest and more. The event also features live music from The Parametrics and a beer garden. 6 p.m., Knickerbocker Park, 10695 Dorrell Lane. The city of Henderson will salute America with its annual Fourth of July Celebration. The all-ages event will feature multiple stages of live entertainment, including tunes by the Randy Anderson Band and the Henderson Symphony Orchestra, concessions and a fireworks show finale. Parking will be available at Foothill High School. 6 p.m.-9 p.m., free, Mission Hills Park, 551 E. Mission Dr. Residents are invited to show their colors at The Summerlin Council Patriotic Parade taking place Friday, July 4. Celebrating 20 years, the Patriotic Parade features more than 70 entries. The escort division steps-off at 8:30 a.m. with the parade’s main body commencing at 9 a.m. The parade travels along flag-lined streets from Hillpointe Road and Hills Center, then south on Hills Center Drive concluding on Trailwood Drive at the entrance of the Trails Village Shopping Center. Don't forget about First Friday Downtown. The Free movie Saturday at The District in Henderson is Monster's Inc.The Farmer Markets for Friday are Downtown 3rd & Country Fresh Farmers Market near The District. Everyone have a safe & great 4th of July weekend.

This Weekend's Happenings 6/20/14 - 6/22/14

Free movies this weekend are Friday, June 20, 7:30 p.m. at the Centennial Hills Park Amphitheatre, 7101 N. Buffalo Drive (at Deer Springs Road).Enjoy the family film “Frozen”. Bring your blankets or folding chairs to be more comfortable. Call 702-229-6154 for more information. At Tivoli Village on Saturday it's "Monsters Inc" & at The District it's "Up", bring your blankets or folding chairs & enjoy. The farmers markets are Las Vegas Farmers Market® Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs, 9100 Tule Spring Rd. Las Vegas NV 89131 from 10-2 this market is the 1 & 3 Saturdays of the month. The Downtown 3rd farmer market is Friday 9-2 at 300 N Casino Center Drive.Country Fresh Farmers Market Fridays, 10 am to 4 pm Henderson Pavilion, 200 S. Green Valley Parkway. It would be a great weekend to pack a picnic lunch & head to Mt. Charleston to take in the beautiful view, maybe hike or just enjoy the cooler temperatures up there. If you enjoy hiking try Calico Springs out by Red Rock Canyon, or just drive through the area out there & see if you can spot any wild donkeys (one of my wife's favorite things to do). This time of the year you would have to go early in the morning because of the heat. If you're a car nut like me, try the Shelby museum they have moved to 6405 Ensworth St. Las Vegas, NV 89119. The Shelby Heritage Center is open to the public and provides free tours of its museum at 10:30 am & 1:30 pm Monday - Friday & 10:30 on Saturday. The museum is open 9-6 Monday thru Saturday. Have a safe & fantastic weekend.

Frequently Asked Buyer Question & Answers

Here are some answers for some of the frequently asked buyer questions. How often do you find the right house on the first day? It happens more than you think. A lot will depend on how specific you were when you gave your agent your search criteria. You also need to remember the 80/10/10 rule. If it meets 80 percent of your wants, you can change 10 percent & live with the other10 percent then it's a keeper. You will probable not find a perfect home unless you have it built for you. Is there anything I shouldn't do during the house hunting process? You should never talk directly to the seller, lose lips sink ships. Always ask your agent to find things out for you. How should I make an offer? One of the most imporant things is you don't want to burn the bridge between you & the seller. So when making a offer don't low ball your price so that it may make the seller upset enough that they won't counter your offer. If the market is dictating that the sellers are not helping with closing costs don't ask for them. Ask your agent for his opinion as to the best way to present your offer, his knowledge of the market will be priceless for you. How long does the buying process take? This depends on the type of transaction it is. If it is a cash sale it can be done in as little as 2 weeks. With a financed deal it generally takes 45 day or less to close. Short sales are a different story, each one is different. They can take anywhere from 90 days to over a year. What happens to our earnest money if our offer isn't accepted? Your money will be given back to you if your offer isn't accepted. What will happen to our earnest money deposit if the home inspection reveals an issue? If the issue is something that the seller won't fix then you have the right to cancell the contract & get your deposit back when you fill out the proper paperwork. Is the closing date on my contract guaranteed? It isn't, sometimes you will be able to close sooner if all things go smoothly. But sometimes things will come up in the process that will make it so that you have to ask the seller for an extention of the closing date. Can you recommend an attorney, home insector or lender? A good agent has a team of professionals that he will be able to recommend you to that he trustes. Do I need a home inspection? It isn't a required item for financing, but in my opinion a home inspection is a great peace of mind to the home buyer. Home inspectors have a checklist of different things to check for wear & tear. They also inspect things such as the roof, foundation, heating, cooling, plumbing to name a few. Then the home buyer has a good ideal of the general condition of the home and if it might need repairs before they purchase it. How long will the home inspection take? It will usually take between 2-4 hour depending on the size of the home along with things like does it have a pool or out buildings. What is the amount of money we'll need to close? Generally you will need the amount of your down payment plus somewhere between 3-5 percent of the purchase price for closing cost, unless you are getting help with the closing costs from the seller. What happen at the closing? You will get the final title report that should show that there is a clean title. If you are financing the title company will go over the paperwork from the lender & explain that to you. Be prepared to have to show your state ID & you will be signing your name quite a lot. These are a few of the things that go on. When will I get the keys? You will get the key once the property records at the county. If you close before noon & your funds are already at the title company you will generally get the keys that evening, but generally it will be the next day before you get your keys.

Happening This Fathers Day Weekend In The Valley

It's Fathers Day weekend so Happy Fathers day to all the dads out there. Here are some of the things going on in the valley. Celebrate Father’s Day with a Western-themed barbecue packed with good old fashioned fun. The cost is $7 per person (all ages). The menu will include Pulled Pork Sandwich or Hot Dogs, Picnic Fixings,Beverages. Great food is just the beginning. Dad will love the entertainment. Live Performance by Mama’s Wranglers, Line Dancing, Petting Zoo, Bounce House & Lawn Games,Heritage Park Senior Facility, 300 S. Racetrack Rd, 11:00 - 2:00. The free movie at The District is Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2, it starts at about 8 PM. The free movie at Tivoli Village is Finding Nemo starts at dusk. How about taking dad on a Champagne Brunch or Dinner Cruise on Lake Mead Cruises for Fathers Day. Sunday Brunch cruise leaves at 10:00 am & is 90 minutes, the dinner cruise leaves at 6:30 PM and lasts 2 hours, call Lake Mead Cruises @ 866-292-9191 to check availablity. Farmers Markets, Downtown Las Vegas Farmers Market is conveniently located in the middle of the Las Vegas valley off of US-95 and Casino Center Drive,Fridays from 9AM to 2PM. Henderson Farmers Market are Thursday 9am-4pm, 240 Water St. Henderson, Friday 10am-4pm, 200 S.Green Valley Pkwy. Have a great weekend.

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO THIS WEEKEND IN THE VALLEY 6/6/14

This is some of the things going on in the valley this weekend. Well it's First Friday Downtown starting at 6 PM which is always a good time. In Henderson the Country Fresh Farmers Market Friday from 9-4 at the Henderson Pavillion Parking Area at 200 S. Green Valley PKWY. For you crawfish lover there is the Straight From the Bayou Crawfish Festival with New Orleans style food, live bands and attractions, it's Saturday & Sunday at the Sports Park at 121 E. Sunset Rd. The Bark & Brew Beer Fest at the Rumor Boutique Hotel across from the Hardrock on Harmon from 5-9 on Saturday 6-7-14, for the dog & beer lovers. Free movie at Tivoli Village at dusk on Saturday is Frozen, at The District in Henderson it's Cloudy With A Chance Of Maetballs at 8PM Saturday. Sunday it's An Afternoon with the Las Vegas Brass Band at Clark County Library, 1401 E Flamingo Rd, Las Vegas at 2PM with free admission. Then there's the High Roller if you haven't tried it yet I hear it great, me I'm afraid of heights.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

TIPS FOR HOME BUYERS

Here are some of the things that all buyers should & shouldn't do when looking to purchase a home. If you are allergic to animals let your Realtor know so that they don't take you to a home that has any animals that may cause you to have a allergic reaction. When looking at home never make remarks about the home in front of the home owner, you never know what may offend them. If you decide to make an offer on the home & you have said something, it may effect how they respond to your offer. If you are working with an agent & they have been doing a good job for you, never call the agent on a sign that is in front of a home that you have drven by. Or the agent on the online ad that you have seen on the internet. Get as much information as you can from the ad or the address of the place you saw the sign. Then call your agent so that he can make arrangments to see the home. If you would like to go see new built homes or go to some open houses contact your agent & ask if they could go with you to look, any good agent will gladly setup time for you to do this. Remember it is possible to find your new home on the first day of looking,it happens more times than you think. You should also remember that the chances are that you will never find the perfect home unless you are having it custom built. It's best to use the 80/10/10 rule. If you find a home that has 80 percent of what your looking for, 10 percent of the things you can change & 10 percent of the things you can live with, it's a keeper & it's time to make a offer. You should never take advise from any one that hasn't purchased a house in the last 3-6 month as the market change quite often. Don't quit or change your job after you have gotten your loan pre-approved as this could delay your closing or even worst you could lose your financing. Another common mistake people make after getting a offer accepted is thinking it sure would be nice to have our new appliance or furniture when we close & get the keys. This is not a good ideal because you shouldn't make any large ticket item purchases, chances are that you will have to explain where the money you had in your account went & that money may have been the money your lender needed you to have as reserves in order to get your loan approved. If you think that getting it but financing it through the many free interest for a certain time period, remember that the lenders usually re-pull your credit 1 or 2 days before your closing & it will show up causing a delay or possible loss of your approval for your loan. Never making deposits into your accounts that are David Copperfield deposit as I call them, be sure that all the funds can be traced. If you are getting a gift from a person to help you make your home purchase be sure to tell them you will need a gift letter & proof of where the money came from for your lender. You should never keep any financial commitment such as child support, alimony, wage garnishments or any other payroll deductions you have a secret from your lender, they will find out about this information. Never delay any paperwork that the lender asks you for, no matter how many different times they have asked you for it throughout the proccess, underwriters of the loan want all of your information to be as up to date as possible.

Do I Really need a Home Warranty????

Being from the mid-west home warranties where not a big thing there when I left about 6-7 years ago. So when I first arrived here in the valley they were kind of a new thing to me. In my opinion I think they are a great thing. Some may ask what is a home warranty? Well it a warranty on your home that will help you pay for a repair or replacement of a cover item that breaks down or fails completly, such as your air conditioner, or furnace or maybe your refrigerator if it is cover. All home warranties are different so it is imporant to know what is covered. What do I think? One they are an added value for the seller if they are willing to purchase one for the buyer & have it in place while it is listed. If you happen to do have something that is covered break down while it is listed you will get help in paying to get it fixed from the home warranty company. This can be a great peace of mind while your home is listed, because we all know there is enough stress already, where are we moving to, can we find a new home before we close and getting things packed. Or if you are already moved having to find a vendor to make the repair, the home warranty company does that for you. Now for the buyer I also think it is a great ideal to get the warranty even if the seller doesn't pay for it or if you would like a better coverage than you are getting from what the seller has you can upgrade it the coverage you desire. In this time in the market with the foreclosures & short sales I think it is extemely important to get a home warranty. With a foreclosure you don't ever know what you getting into. Then with a short sale you are buying a home that may not have been maintained as well as it should of been due to financial reasons. You buying your new home is probably the bigest finacial investment of your life time. So wouldn't it be great that if something was to break while you had your home covered you could get help in getting it repaired or replaced. So do you need a home warranty? It's your call, but I believe it is an important peice of the home buying puzzle to have.

WHY I BECAME A REALTOR

People have asked why did you decide to become a Realtor. Well there were a few things that helped me decide. First I enjoy helping people. I truly like helping our veterans find their new homes, it's the least I can do for them for everything they have done for our country. Buying a home is one of peoples biggest financial commitments and I can help them with that by advising them in making the right choice. If they haven't yet went to a loan officer I can give them a list of lenders in the area that are very good in the area of financing. I give them my knowledge of what has been happening in the real estate market. I can give them the pros and cons of a single story or 2 story home. I research the homes in the area so that they will know what other homes have sold for. I enjoy the look in the peoples eyes when they find the right home for them, it may be the first house we look at or the 50th one.I help them by giving them a list of home inspectors to chose from to get the home inspected. Which in my opinion is a must as you can't be too careful in doing everything that you can to find out about the soundness of all the mechanical equipment in the home and the over all condition of the entire home. I help them through the entire escrow process by explaining what different paperwork is and advising them if they need other professional advisement for thinks that can come up. My number one reason is the look on their faces when they get their key, I love the big grins, smiles and the way their eyes light up.

The Reserves You'll Need To Purchase Your New Home

Most people when considering buying the first new home don't think about how much money they will really need when it comes time to close. Their big concern is their credit score. It's best to talk directly to your lender to see what their minimum amount that they expect you to have as each lender is different. It will vary with the type of loan & size of the loan to the property & even more. You will probably need good chunk of change up front for closing costs & down payment.Then lenders might want you to have a reserve of a certain number of months worth of mortgage payments. Each lender & loan type is different, that is why it is best to sit down with your lender & find out in advance what you are expected to have. Even though credit scores are important, so are income & assets when applying for a home loan.Here are a few important thing you'll need to have saved up for. First is the down payment which will vary to the type of loan you are getting. Unless it is a government backed loan such as VA and USDA rural development home loan or local or state program, you will need a down payment. Conventional loans typically require 5% down or $10,000 on a $200,000 home, with FHA having 3.5% down or $7,000 on the same price home. Closing costs here in the Las Vegas valley generally run around 3.5% of the purchase price of your home. There was a time when you could ask the seller to pay for some or all of your closing. Right now in the market that is not the norm. As for reserves neither VA or FHA have a reserve required if your buying single-family home. With a conventional loan lender typically want you to have 2-6 months reserve of your monthly income. But it could be more depending on the lender or your risk factors. A healthy reserve amount can help a home buyer who is on the the edge. They can consider this a positive factor ,which may help with a loan file on the edge with past credit or debt issues. Then comes the money you will need to have an appraisal & home inspection. While the lender will require an appraisal, home inspections are not usually required but should be considered essential. The cost of a home inspection in my opinion is a very wise investment.

Why Should I Use a REALTOR To Get My Next Rental In The Las Vegas Valley

It has come to my attention that there are people in the valley that are renting out properties that are vacant but they do not own them. Scammers essentially find homes that are on the market and then create a Craigslist ad. They are breaking off the lock boxes, then renting them out. Check out this link to 8 News Now to see their report. www.8newsnow.com/story/24919438/scam-alert. So if you're looking to rent a place here in the valley it is a good ideal to contact a licensed REALTOR to assist you, they are generally paid by the property management company that is listing the property and there is no cost to you.

Is Now A Good Time To Buy

Many people are wondering if now is a good time to buy a new or their first home, with the rising prices and interest rates. In my opinion yes it is! The rising prices have slowed down and are not taking big jumps like they were. As for the interest rates on home loans going up. Over the last 4 decades the average mortgage interest rate has been 8-9 percent. With the average interest rate of about 4 1/2 percent for a conventional loan right now you could purchase a home for $200,000 with 20 percent down or $40000, and have a monthly payment of about $811 for interest and principle. Over the 30 years of the loan you would pay $131851 total interest. Compare that to the a loan at 9 percent for 30 years your payment would be about $1287 a month and you would would pay a total of $303463 in interest over the 30 year. That's a savings of a whopping $171612. For a loan of the same amount at 5.5 percent your payment would be about $908 interest and principle with a total loan amount over the life of the loan of $167046. Along with that Fannie Mae is offering money to help with closing costs to non investors. You may be qualified to receive up to 3.5 percent towards your closing costs.

Recently Sold Las Vegas Home near Summerlin

I recently sold this 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home with a 2 car garage near Summerlin. It was listed for $195,000.00 and closed for $200,00.00 in less than 60 days. It had a solar heated pool and hot tub with a RV gate. There was a lemon, orange and pomegranate trees on the property. The back yard with the pool and hot tub had 3 raised bed flower beds

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