Monthly Archives: November 2011

nevada county fair

Create A Ginerbread House And Win At The Nevada County Fair

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By Wendy Oaks

Submit your entry form by Friday, November 18

 

Now is the time for holiday bakers to think about the creation of a magical Gingerbread House to enter into the 9th annual Gingerbread House Competition at the Country Christmas Faire, held November 25 – 27 at the Nevada County Fairgrounds.

Houses, bungalows, cottages, and castles fashioned from spicy gingerbread will be displayed for holiday shoppers to enjoy at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley during the Thanksgiving weekend festivities.

Competitors may enter any of the 11 categories, including children, teens, adults, special needs, families, groups and businesses. There’s even a category for children under 8 years of age who want to enter a house made by a kit.

Prizes and ribbons abound for all. First through third place winners will receive award money, and the Best of Show will win $100. A special gift basket from Tess’ Kitchen Store will be awarded to the Best of Show winner and the People’s Choice Award.

Entry forms must be received at the Fairgrounds by Friday, November 18; the actual gingerbread house entry must be delivered to the Fairgrounds on Tuesday, November 22.  The cost is $2 to enter, and all Gingerbread House exhibitors will receive two free passes to the Country Christmas Faire.

Entry forms and a complete list of rules can be picked up at the Fairgrounds office on McCourtney Road, or downloaded from the Fair’s website at www.NevadaCountyFair.com.

The 27th annual Country Christmas Faire begins Friday, November 25, and runs through Sunday, November 27.  The hours are 10 am – 5 pm on Friday and Saturday; and 10 am – 4 pm on Sunday. Admission is $4 for adults, and children 12 and under are free. Parking is $5; however, Faire-goers will receive one free admission for each paid parking pass.

Talented artisans fill the Fairgrounds exhibit buildings with quality hand-made crafts and unique gifts, so you can get all your holiday shopping done in one location. Visitors to the Faire will enjoy strolling live entertainment, festival foods, wagon rides, and a community bon-fire. Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus will be on hand to greet children and a photographer will be available to capture the special moment with Santa.

Free babysitting will be offered so parents can drop off their children while they enjoy holiday shopping, and errand elves will be available to assist shoppers throughout the event.

The Nevada County Fairgrounds is located at 11228 McCourtney Road in Grass Valley. For more information, visit www.NevadaCountyFair.com or call (530) 273-6217.

 

 
For all your real estate needs:
Call or email

John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
Real Estate Broker

(530) 263-1091
Email jodell@nevadacounty.com

DRE #00669941

animals

Guide Dog For Blind Dog

blind-dog1

Image 1 of 4

Click on picture to enlarge, click on picture to return to normal view.

A friend of mine sent these pictures.  It’s so touching, I had to put it on this blog.

Lily is a Great Dane that has been blind since a bizarre medical condition required that she have both eyes removed. For the last 5 years, Maddison, another Great Dane, has been her sight.

The two are, of course, inseparable.

 

 

 
For all your real estate needs:
Call or email

John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
Real Estate Broker

(530) 263-1091
Email jodell@nevadacounty.com

DRE #00669941

 

Real Estate

Handling High Mortgage Costs

New York Times
Closing costs can increase the price of a home by as much as $10,000, sometimes more.  Borrowers who are “cash-poor” can ask for assistance, or talk to their lender about a lender credit toward closing costs.

  • Some lenders advertise that if borrowers agree to accept a mortgage interest rate from a quarter to a full percentage point higher than they would ordinarily qualify for, they can receive credit toward their closing costs.
  • These mortgages are sometimes called no-closing-cost loans, though the term is misleading.  The credit usually covers only fees charged by the mortgage broker or bank, like the loan origination fee, the underwriting expense, and the appraisal.  That generally leaves title insurance, mortgage-recording taxes, insurance, and escrowed taxes to cover.The amount of credit depends on total closing costs and other loan details.  Generally, for every one-eighth of a point increase in interest rate, borrowers receive a credit worth half a percentage point of the principal amount.
  • While these mortgages can be helpful to some, borrowers should carefully review all the details.  There are pluses and minuses to these loan types.  A downside is the higher rate and monthly payment remain in place through the life of the loan.
  • Doing a side-by-side comparison of loans with and without the credit can be helpful.

Read the full story

 

For all your real estate needs:
Call or email

John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
Real Estate Broker
(530) 263-1091
Email jodell@nevadacounty.com

DRE #00669941

 

Real Estate

How Long Are Loans Delinquent in Foreclosure?


Loans in foreclosure have been delinquent an average of 624 days — a record high, according to Lender Processing Services’ September report.

The time loans spend in foreclosure continues to increase. For example, 40 percent of home owners with loans in foreclosure have failed to make a payment within two years, and 72 percent of home owners have failed to make a payment in a year or more.

The time from the last payment to foreclosure sale has been found to be even longer in judicial states, in which foreclosures must be approved by the courts. The time span in judicial states is averaging 761 days, six months longer than non-judicial states, LPS reports.

While loans are spending longer in foreclosure, the number of foreclosure starts is decreasing. Foreclosure starts decreased 11.2 percent in September compared to August, and foreclosure starts are 15 percent below a year earlier, LPS notes in its recent report.

The states with the highest percentage of loans in delinquency or foreclosure are:

  • Florida
  • Mississippi
  • Nevada
  • New Jersey
  • Illinois

The states with the lowest: North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Alaska, and Montana.

Source: “LPS: Foreclosures Delinquent an Average of 624 Days,” HousingWire (Nov. 1, 2011) and Lender Processing Services

Thinking of buying or selling?
For all your real estate needs
Email or call:

John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
(530) 263-1091
Email jodell@nevadacounty.com