Lifestyle
by Mary Cornell
Whether you are an avid hiker or a daily walker there is no shortage of amazing trails and places to walk in Nevada County!
Being a walker myself, some walks that include my dogs, other days a friend or two, or just a solitary walk to get my thoughts together, walking is a great way to stay healthy, strong, and stress-free.
Wolf Creek Trail Map Courtesy Bear Yuba Land Trust
One of our latest trails in Grass Valley that has opened within the past two years is Wolf Creek Trail. It is convenient, close to town, paved, and is wheelchair, and stroller-friendly. Meandering along the Wolf Creek and amid the North Star Mine, it has not only beauty but history. There are 4 trailheads for this trail. One is off of the mine museum’s parking lot, one-off Freeman lane by the Animal Shelter, one-off Freeman Ln, with a path down our “sinkhole” and the other at the Wolf Creek group housing.
I love to walk my dogs at The Nevada County Fairgrounds or around the Lyons’ lake. The fairgrounds are open again for dog walkers, the walk is level, paved and they provide doggie bags. I love that the fairgrounds encourage us, dog walkers, with even a bowl of water for our furry friends.
The Empire Mine State Park trails are awesome, as there are many trails to take, and are popular not only for walkers and joggers but also for horses. Many ways to enter this area and one time we even got lost and came up on Highway 174 without knowing where we were!
There is a trail that comes off of Litton Rd in Grass Valley that meanders up crosses Sierra College Blvd, up around the high school, and ends up at Eskaton off of Ridge Rd. That is a fun, short, and surprising walk.
There are many trails that run alongside a NID ditch (Nevada Irrigation District).
One of the longest and most beautiful is the one that starts at Gracie and ends up at Red Dog in Nevada City. This trail is 4 miles if you take it and double back to the car. It’s level and calming as you walk near water the whole time.
Hirschman’s Pond is just a short scenic walk, starting off of Cement Hill Dr in Nevada City. I love the rock outcropping and the serenity of the pond. You can continue past the pond and walk another couple of miles on this trail, but it does run near the highway for a while, so you have some road noise.
The Independence Trail was once a stunning and awesome path leading to a waterfall and creek where salamanders are abundant. The trail had been built through and using the wooden flumes that were once there for the gold miners to direct the water floor. Unfortunately, in 2020 the fire that swept through also destroyed the flumes and walking bridges.
The Deer Creek Tribute Trail in Nevada City is a little more challenging but well worth it! The trail memorializes the early contributions of the native Chinese people. It’s complete with the Chinese Tribute bridge that highlights the walk.
Alta Sierra has a trailhead at the corner of Dog Bar and Alta Sierra Dr. It is a short uphill trail that crosses the NID ditch, skirts the golf course, and has an amazing large tree that is unique and makes a great photoshoot. If you’ve walked the trail, I’m sure you know the one!
If you head on down the hill towards Penn Valley, you will find the Buttermilk Bend Trail at the Yuba River near Bridgeport. This is a great springtime hike, as there are beautiful wildflowers all around and labeled for you to see their names. It rambles above and follows the beautiful Yuba River. It is a breathtaking hike.
Further down the road on the way to Beale’s Airforce Base, there is a trail leading to Fairy Falls. This trail is best taken in the spring as you are walking through large open fields among the cows and very little shade. Finally getting to the waterfall, you will find it a great spot to picnic.
These are just a very few of the great hikes and walks in Nevada County that I have enjoyed. There are plenty more that I’ve yet to mention!
So get out there, explore our beautiful Gold Country and breathe the mountain air!
Lifestyle
What a year it has been and especially for small businesses in Grass Valley and Nevada City.
🎄As you start your holiday shopping think about supporting local businesses. As a business owner in the area I know this year has hit small businesses and restaurants the hardest.
So take a trip to a local store and find Christmas presents or purchase gift cards to local restaurants as this too will help them during this “Purple tier shutdown”.
So shop local and support those small businesses.
Real Estate
Nearly a Third of Home Sellers’ Top Stressor is Buying, Selling at the Same Time
Written by CRISSINDA PONDER
Edited by DEBORAH KEARNS
Published on: July 27th, 2020
For many home sellers, the most anxiety-inducing part of the home-selling process is trying to simultaneously sell their current place while buying their next dream home.
That’s according to findings from a new survey commissioned by LendingTree, which also found that sellers are planning to spend an average of more than $10,000 on repairs and upgrades to sell their home.
Key findings
The No. 1 stressor for nearly one-third (29%) of home sellers is buying and selling a home at the same time.
Another 16% of sellers report that costly repairs and upgrades are the most stressful part of selling a home, and 15% stress most about failing to sell their home.
More than 1 in 5 (22%) of home sellers have felt pressure from their agent to accept a lower-priced offer.
Another 22% felt their real estate agent pressured them to spend a significant amount of money on repairs and upgrades before selling their home. Still, 31% of sellers reported not feeling any pressure at all.
When broken down by age group, millennials (70%) were more likely to feel some sort of selling-related pressure than older generations such as Gen X (49%) or baby boomers (14%).
More than 4 in 10 (43%) strongly agree that the home-selling process is more expensive than they anticipated.
Another 43% of home sellers somewhat agree that they’re spending more than expected on their home sale. Meanwhile, more than half (51%) of millennials strongly agree with that sentiment, compared with just 28% of baby boomers.
Other takeaways
Nearly 1 in 5 (18%) millennials said the top stressor of selling a home is deciding on an asking price, compared to just 10% of Gen Xers and 6% of baby boomers.
More than 1 in 5 (21%) baby boomers are most stressed about making costly home repairs and upgrades to sell their home. Another 22% of baby boomers fear that their home won’t sell, compared with 15% of Gen Xers and 10% of millennials.
When asked how long they think their home will stay on the market before it’s sold, more than 4 in 10 (44%) sellers said one to three months. More than 1 in 4 (27%) think it will take four to five months to sell their home.
Home sellers expect to spend more than $10,000 on average for repairs and upgrades in order to sell their home. Millennial sellers anticipate spending $13,727 on average, which is the highest amount of all age groups.
After removing decorations and decluttering, the top three repairs and upgrades home sellers have made are:
- Fresh interior paint (48%)
- Bathroom upgrades (45%)
- New kitchen appliances (45%)
4 factors to consider when selling your home
The cost to sell a home can reach more than $20,000, depending on your home’s sales price. Keep the following factors in mind as you prep for a home sale:
- Be mindful of your timeline. If you’re buying a home while selling your current one, it’s important to bake in enough time to find your new home. The average time close on a home purchase is 47 days, according to Ellie Mae’s June Origination Insight Report.
- Get a home inspection. Before you list your home for sale, pay for a home inspection to identify issues with your home’s condition that may need to be addressed right away. If the buyers discover the issue during their inspection, negotiating repairs could postpone or derail the sale.
- Negotiate your selling costs. You’ll have to pay several closing costs, including commissions for both your and the buyer’s real estate agent. It’s in your best interest to negotiate these fees, as they can cost several thousand dollars.
- Reduce your mortgage debt. Your mortgage will need to be paid off first before you receive any sales proceeds. In the months before you begin the home-selling process, consider dedicating any bonuses, refunds or windfalls to paying down your outstanding loan balance.
Methodology
For this survey, LendingTree commissioned Qualtrics, an experience management firm, to gather responses from 964 home sellers, with the sample base proportioned to represent the overall population. The survey was conducted April 24-30, 2020.
Generations were defined by the following age ranges:
- Millennials are ages 24-39
- Generation X are ages 40-54
- Baby boomers are ages 55-74
Our survey also included responses from members of Generation Z (ages 18-23) and the silent generation (ages 75 and older). Their responses were factored into the overall percentages but excluded from the generational breakdowns, due to the low sample size among both age groups.
Sierra Lifestyle Team Note: A good Real Estate Team on your side is essential to reducing your stressors as you prepare to sell your house and go through the process. Your agent(s) should be prepared to discuss their value proposition to assist you in selling your home, maximize your offer price, and minimize the time frame for selling.
Real Estate
Market Observations
September 2020
Lack of inventory in Nevada County continues to be a feature of the current real estate market.
The numbers are nearly identical to previous months. 641 houses for sale August 2019 vs 265 houses for sale August 2020. That’s a reduction from 4.6 months of inventory to 1.3 months of inventory. A very strong SELLER’S MARKET continues, especially considering Nevada County’s attractiveness as one of the premier work-from-home communities.
The average SOLD price per square foot is up 6% year to year ($233 vs $239). Average price sold is up 13.4%, from $463,000 to $524,000. Higher list prices are prevailing.
Nevada County continues to be strongly attractive to buyers looking for safer havens, especially coupled with the myriad lifestyle opportunities and community connections the foothills offer.
We are seeing multiple offers for good listings here, with a number of houses going for over asking prices. If you are contemplating selling a property, we have rarely seen a better time!
Don’t hesitate to call us for evaluations of your home’s value or to tour homes on the market you have interest in. We are here for you, and Alisa always answers her cell phone, 530-559-4871.
ON SOCIAL MEDIA
by Karissa Johnson
Social Media has many benefits, especially for businesses.
It is a tool that many people tend to overlook. Having a good social media presence is especially important as we move further and further into a world dependent on technology. Perhaps the best way to get business is by word of mouth and advertising, social media combines those. When a business posts something on social media, not only is it being spread to more people than you can reach with typical advertising, but it also creates a personal connection between the business and the consumer making them more likely to pick that business over any other. Social media can help businesses grow immensely in size, and reach new younger customers that are essential to keeping a business alive.
Overall, Social Media is only a positive for businesses looking to grow, reach more customers, and to create more personal connections with customers.
The Sierra Lifestyle Team utilizes our robust Social Media skills to benefit the sale of your home, reaching thousands of qualified buyers on Facebook. We don’t rest on our laurels…and are pleased to announce a new INSTAGRAM manager, Karissa Johnson.
Karissa will head up our new Instagram program to highlight your properties to thousands of interested buyers, giving you significant new exposure to interested real estate buyers.
Brought to you by Johnson’s Sierra Lifestyle Team!
Sellers Are Calling the Shots, But for How Much Longer?
September 11, 2020
The housing market continues to outperform historical standards as prices accelerate to new highs and homes sell faster, according to realtor.com®’s latest Weekly Recovery Report.
“Sellers are calling the shots in today’s market,” says Danielle Hale, realtor.com®’s chief economist. “Prices are rising and housing inventory is vanishing almost as fast as it appears.”
However, Hale points to two housing indicators that may hint at a turn in the market.
Housing demand from buyers has cooled slightly, while new listings showed a smaller decline than previous weeks, Hale says. “This could be a hiccup in weekly activity, or, if these trends continue, they could signal a shift in market dynamics leading into the fall when political, economic, and health-related uncertainties abound,” she says.
Realtor.com®’s Housing Market Index reached a reading of 107.7 for the week ending Sept. 5. That’s 7.7 points higher than its pre-COVID-19 baseline in January. Buyer demand dropped 3.3 points since last week, and inventory showed improvement, rising 3.2 points higher—though it still remains below its pre-COVID-19 baseline.
Meanwhile, home prices continue to escalate.
Median listing prices are up 10.8% annually, which is the fastest pace of growth in more than two years, realtor.com® reports. Time on the market is now 12 fewer days than a year ago. “Buyers are moving much faster than this time last year to beat out competition and lock in low mortgage rates,” realtor.com® reports. “This means homes are sitting on the market for much less time, despite notably higher price tags.”
Important News and Info
Living where we do in the foothills, among the trees and beauty of nature means that we may at some time be faced with the threat of wildfire. What can we do to be prepared if that time arises?
Well, let’s think about your situation. Do you have pets, medications, pictures, and important documents? Of course, you do! We all have something we couldn’t bear to lose or at the very least would make life difficult if we did. Let’s make a list and prepare a bag now. My emergency checklist may be different than yours so really think about it and make changes as needed so you don’t have to think about it when under the pressure of evacuation. Get your emergency go bag ready, NOW. Here is a sample checklist. Print the PDF and hang it up where you can easily see it. Place items in a bag or laundry basket where they are easy to grab on your way out the door.
Pack your go bag so you can grab it and go!
Emergency Go Bag Checklist
Important documents
Supplies
Medications- prescription and non-prescription
Pets
Personal items
Items that cannot be replaced
Special photographs
Family Recipes
Other items to consider adding to your emergency go bag
Eyeglasses, contacts, contact solution
Infant formula, wipes, bottles, diapers
Sleeping bags or blankets and pillows for each person in the household
Feminine hygiene items
Paper plates, bowls, plasticware, cups
Paper and pen
Books, games, puzzles
Let’s make a list and prepare a bag NOW.
Click here for a printable version
