Important News and Info, Real Estate
Avoid these costly mistakes!
The kitchen is one area of the home that sees the most wear and tear. All the water, heat, and food spills add up quickly so it’s important to focus on quality and lasting appeal when you’re choosing materials for a kitchen remodel. Here are a few things you should avoid:
Cheap Laminate Countertops: The bottom rung of laminate is extremely susceptible to wear and tear. It can melt if you forget to place a hot pad under a pan that’s fresh out of the oven and the edges can chip off from repeated exposure to moisture and heat.
Flat Paint: A flat or matte finish is great in rooms with lower traffic, but it’s a bad idea in the kitchen where the walls are regularly exposed to splatters and spills. You need paint that can withstand an occasional heavy scrubbing, so opt for gloss or semi-gloss finishes.
Trendy Backsplash: If you watch any home remodeling show, you’ll certainly see kitchens with expensive, elaborate backsplash designs and materials. Those trends can be pricey to pursue and can look dated in a hurry. Subway tile is a cheaper, classic option that you’ll never regret, plus you’ll have more room in your budget to purchase quality materials to be used elsewhere.
Cheap Flooring: Just like the countertops, your kitchen floor needs to be strong enough to take some abuse. Cheap flooring easily scuffs and peels (especially from moisture). Quality flooring is worth the investment.
Nevada County home buyers are accustomed to quality and can spot the above quickly. You don’t have to purchase top of the line materials, but be sure to purchase durable ones. Always go neutral and avoid loud bright colors as your buyer may not have the same tastes in decor.
If you would like a comparative market analysis for your home, please contact us! We have buyers actively searching for homes in Nevada County and we would love to show you our marketing plan!
Community Events, Events In Nevada County, Important News and Info, Lifestyle
Summer…my favorite time of the year for fresh fruit and vegetables! And Nevada County offers a huge selection of farmers markets to choose from. Grass Valley, Nevada City, Penn Valley and other
surroundings area host farmers markets where we can gather great fruit, vegetables and other food items to enjoy. Farm to table at it’s purest and best.
Farmers from around California come to sell their farm fresh items. Here is Nevada County we are blessed to have farmers markets available to us on several different days of the week, and a variety of locations make it convenient. From South Nevada County to Penn Valley the farmers market are sprinkled through out the week in various locations.
My favorite is Thursday Night Market in Downtown Grass Valley. This event takes place On Thursdays evening 5:30pm to 9pm in Historic downtown Grass Valley. Similar to other events downtown Grass Valley throughout the year, Mill Street is closed to traffic and all sorts of vendors set up booths selling everything from fresh fruits to homemade bath soap and more. They are also offer street concerts for your listening enjoyment. Thursday Night Market takes the usual farmers market to a whole new level, supported by Grass Valley’s Downtown Association.
So take a peek below at all your choices. I encourage you to check out the various markets. We are so lucky to have in our back yard so many talented, hard-working local farmers committed to bringing fresh-picked food to out tables!
Local Nevada County Farmers Markets
Tuesdays:
Nevada County Horseman (Nevada County Certified Growers Market)
May 2 – September 26, 2017
Tuesdays, 9:00am – 1:00 pm
10600 Bubbling Wells Road, Grass Valley
Thursdays:
Western Gateway Park (Nevada County Certified Growers Market)
May 4 – November 16, 2017
Thursdays, 9:00am – 1:00 pm
18560 Penn Valley Drive, Penn Valley
Thursday Night Market
June 29, July 6, 13, 20, 27 & August 3, 2017
5:30pm – 9:00pm
Downtown Grass Valley
Saturdays:
Historic North Star House (Nevada County Certified Growers Market)
Saturdays, April 15 – November 18, 2017
8:00am – 12:30 pm
12075 Auburn Road, Grass Valley
Downtown Nevada City Summer Farmers Market
Saturdays, June 3rd – November 18th 2017
Hours 8:30am – 1:00pm
Contact information for farmer’s markets
Foothill Farmers Market Association
Lake of the PInes Farmers Market
Nevada City Farmers Market
Nevada County Certified Growers Market
Important News and Info, Lifestyle, Real Estate
Selling your home in Nevada County can feel like a daunting task. With the right agents, and by following a few “rules” it can be not only easy, but pleasant as well! The info graphic to the right is an excellentstarting point for what some turn-offs for sellers are.
Stained and/or damp patches on ceilings and walls.
Painting is one of the most affordable updates you can do for your home. Clean walls in neutral colors can not only make the home feel new, but it helps buyers envision their possessions in this space.
It’s important to resolve any leaks prior to painting. If you need a referral for a repair service, let us know.
Odors
Odors can also be mitigated by painting. Cleaning or replacing carpets may be necessary as well depending on the strength and source of the odors. While this seems like an expense, it can not only be the difference on if your home sells, but how quickly, and for how much.
Dull Lighting
Dull or dim lighting can be a huge turn off for buyers. Even a dark house can be well-lit with the right wattage of bulbs. The new LED style bulbs are excellent as they save money while providing the same, or even more light than a standard incandescent bulb. Also, make sure drapes and blinds are open in all areas to bring in more natural lighting as well.
Outdated Bathrooms
Out dated bathrooms with stained sinks, bathtubs, showers and floors are a huge turn off. Sometimes something as simple as new faucets and a new light fixture can be all that is needed to update and beautify this space. Also, make sure there is plenty of light in the bathroom as well. Also, install a nice smelling scent dispenser like a plugin or essential oil diffuser to help with unpleasant odors.
Cluttered Rooms
Cluttered rooms can kill a sale very quickly. A potential buyers needs to be able to not only comfortably walk through your home, but also not be distracted by too many photos, knickknacks and decor. If they can’t see the floors and the walls because of too much stuff, they cannot envision how they would use the space. Counters and tables should be cleared, art work should be kept neutral, and to a minimum, and corners need to be cleared. Put the shoes in the closet, and keep throw blankets out of sight as well. Less is more!
Over The Top Decor
This also falls in with clutter. Even if orange is your favorite color, cover the walls with a more neutral shade of paint. Keep the cheetah prints, furry rugs and pillows and things of that nature tidied away. Too many distractions will chase a potential buyer out the door very quickly!
Thinking of selling your home in Grass Valley, Nevada City, Penn Valley or the surrounding areas?
Give us a call and we will be happy to not only meet with you, but share more secrets on a quick sale! We have buyers waiting for homes to come on the market, so give us a call today! We would love to show you what our Sierra Lifestyle Team can do!
Community Events, Events In Nevada County, Important News and Info, Lifestyle
Empire Mine State Park
50 countries around the world celebrate Mothers Day each year. I think you’d be hard pressed to find a more lovely way to spend the day celebrating mothers than right here in Grass Valley at the historic Empire Mine State Park.
Gold Rush History
The Empire Mine is the oldest, largest, deepest, longest and richest gold mine in the state of California, producing 8.5 million ounces of gold from its opening in 1850 until closed to operations in 1956. Hard rock miners, brought in from Cornwall, England to work the mines settled in Grass Valley. You can still purchase Pasties in Grass Valley, a lunch item well suited to work in mines. Mine owners and managers settled in Nevada City and gave the town it’s Victorian character that still abounds.
Mother’s Day in Nevada County
When I first moved to the area we stumbled on this amazing Mothers Day event while trying to find a California historical site for my daughter’s 4th grade school project. Wow, did we hit a jack-pot right here in Nevada County! The stunning grounds are nature at their finest, historical buildings and characters in full dress eager to share the gold rush history, live jazz musicians play and local vendors sell tasty treats. Bonus – it’s one of only two days a year you can bring food into the park. My family can’t imagine a better way to spend Mother’s Day…we go back every year with family of all ages. Bring a blanket, picnic and your favorite mom(s)
Activities at Empire Mine State Park
The Empire Mine State Park is located at 10791 E. Empire Street, Grass Valley, CA 95949. it is open 7 days a week from 10 AM to 5 PM. Miles of trails are open to hiking, biking and 
horseback exploration on its 853 acres. Most visitors plan a two hour visit to see the mines grounds, buildings and sights. Docent tours are available.
Call 916-653-6995 for more information. See you there!
Visit http://www.empiremine.org/events/spring-open-house
Important News and Info, Real Estate
This is home that has something for everyone. This Grass Valley home features 4 bedrooms, one of which is attached to the garage with privacy and it own bath. This is perfect for hosting guests with privacy or to use as space for office, hobby room or more (Includes murphy bed).
This home offers a 2 car attached garage plus an additional garage/shop in the back that was set up complete with piped air compressor, wood stove and more!
RV parking and a circular drive leaves lots of parking options for entertaining and family gatherings.
A huge back deck great for grilling, relaxing outdoors and entertaining. The back deck offers easy no stair access into the homes main living and dining area. Relax on the large covered front deck and enjoy tree top Nevada County views.
This is a rare opportunity to own a Nevada County home at a great price! This listing is sure to go quickly. If you are looking to vacation where you live, Grass Valley is the place to be!
To view this home, or any other homes for sale in Grass Valley, Nevada City, Penn Valley or surrounding areas, please contact us. We look forward to helping with all of your real estate needs!
Important News and Info, Real Estate
Selling Your Home in a “Low Inventory Market”
With low inventory in many markets throughout the country, many homeowners are afraid of selling their homes in Nevada County because they’re concerned that they may not be able to find a new one. This can be a real problem, but if you are seeking to sell-whether to upgrade or find a new neighborhood-there are a few ways to combat the low inventory.
Look to buy first!
In most markets it is a real mistake to put your home up for sale before you start looking for your new property. Identify the geographic area where you are interested in buying. Even if you don’t see anything on Zillow, it doesn’t mean you can’t or won’t find the right home. We have a lot of properties for sale in Grass valley, Penn Valley, Nevada City, Rough and Ready and Lake Wildwood and Lake of the Pines. There is a mistake I’ve seen time and time again, where people make a statement of wanting to live in Nevada City, and only searching there, not realising their “perfect home” is right on line between Nevada City and Grass Valley, so they miss out on buying their dream property in Nevada County. Expand those searches!
Think outside the box!
Be proactive! Keep in mind that there are probably many people like you who want to make a move but are afraid of not finding another wonderful home in Nevada County as well. Let us know the area you would love to live, be it Cascade Shores, Peardale Chicago Park, Morgan Ranch, The Cedars or any of the other fantastic neighborhoods we have here in the gold country! We can canvas the neighborhoods in the geographic areas where you want to live, and sometimes find homes that may not be quite listed yet, giving you a first look! We could find a home for you to buy that may not even be currently listed or for sale.
What if you can’t find the perfect home?
It’s rare, but from time to time, you just simply can’t find the perfect home for you. Have you considered building? There are some AMAZING lots available for sale in Nevada County. Perhaps it’s time to create your own home? Building can be an excellent way to get just what you are looking for. There are lots of different styles of loans available, and many options for those looking to build. It should definitely be a consideration as there is nothing quite like planning and creating your brand new home.
You should always have a REALTOR®!
Not only do REALTORS® have access to tools and listings that the general public doesn’t have access to, but we have a vast network of colleagues, past clients, brokers, and others to put the word out to as well. Not only that, but we know the ins and outs of real estate laws. It’s important to make sure everything is done correctly to ensure your transactions are completed correctly. This can save you from costly mistakes with years of repercussions.
The Sierra Lifestyle Team
We make YOU our top priority and will always go the extra mile for you. Even if you are just thinking of selling or buying, give us a call with any questions you may have. We’re here to help! In the meantime, be sure to search for property here, and sign up for new listing notifications so when a new property comes on the market, matching your parameters, you’ll be emailed the details automatically!
