Side of barn, siding is on, roof sheathing completed
October 12, like I said in my last two posts about I’m building a barn, one of my former clients is having me build them a 28′ x 42′ barn with a sheltered overhang that is 14′ x 42′ at the back of the barn. I had built their home several years ago and a workshop last year. This year they decided to get horses, so I designed a barn for them and this is a progress report.
Since a week ago Friday, we have compled the exterior framing and siding including the sheltered area. We have all the roof sheathing on, ready to roof. However it is supposed to rain tonight and for the next couple of days. So as you can so we are placing heavy duty plastic down over the roof and laying 2×4’s on top of the plastic so it won’t blow away. The roof sheathing inside the barn has an aluminum face on the inside to help keep the barn cool in the summer.
In addition, the corral fencing is being moved so the horses can stay in the sheltered area to stay dry in the coming storm. This is another reason we placed the plastic over the entire roof area.
Nailing off the roof sheathing before laying plastic over the roof for temporary protection for the next few days of rain
We’ll be ready to roof as soon as the weather breaks. Interested in having a home, garage, workshop or barn, designed and built? Call John O’Dell 530-263-1091
Foreclosure numbers continue to rise and many homeowners are at an increased risk of losing their home. While foreclosure can be prevented, many homeowners remain confused or afraid to confront their mortgage problems and take action to help save their home. “Fear often prevents many consumers from seeking help,” said Michelle Jones, senior vice president of counseling for Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS) of Greater Atlanta, Inc. “Overcoming these fears can mean the difference between staying in your home and losing it.”
CCCS counselors address some of the common fears homeowners have about seeking help:
Fear: Homeowners are afraid to let the mortgage company know they are having a problem because they think it will speed up the foreclosure process.
Contacting your lender is an important first step if you want to save your home from foreclosure. It provides you with an opportunity to explain why you have fallen behind on your payments and what steps you are taking to get back on track. Lenders have a financial interest in keeping you in your home and may be willing to alter the terms of your loan or devise a repayment plan.
Fear: Homeowners believe that if their mortgage company has already turned them down for a loan modification, there is no point in contacting a counseling agency.
Many homeowners are turned down for a loan modification because the information they provide to their lender indicates that their expenses exceed their income or that they have not provided accurate documentation and information about their loan. In other cases, the lender may have made a processing error or the investor who owns the loan will not modify loans in accordance with the Making Home Affordable program.
A housing counselor may be able to suggest alternatives that better suit your current financial situation or help you make adjustments that make you a better candidate for a loan modification with your lender.
Trees and timber will be the theme of the 2010 Nevada County Fair and the Fairgrounds is hosting a slogan contest in preparation for the event. Do you have a catchy or fun slogan that you think would be perfect for the 2010 Nevada County Fair?
Visit the Fair’s website at www.NevadaCountyFair.com and submit a slogan about trees or timber and the Fair. If the slogan you submit is selected, you win. The winner will receive $100, as well as a 2010 Nevada County Fair package that includes two free admission tickets for each day of the Fair, a 5-day parking pass for the Fair, and ride coupons.
The contest is open to Nevada County residents only. Slogan ideas must be five words or less and no trade-marked slogans will be considered. The contest runs now through October 31. For those without access to the Internet, entry forms are available at the Nevada County Fairgrounds office, or information can be mailed to the Fairgrounds at P.O. Box 2687, Grass Valley, CA 95945. No phone entries will be accepted.
Once the winning slogan is selected, there will be a contest to find a logo design to illustrate the theme. Each year, the slogan and logo appear on advertisements, t-shirts, buttons, posters, banners and the Fair’s website to promote the Fair.
The 2010 Nevada County Fair is scheduled for August 11 – 15, 2010. For a complete list of contest rules or information, visit www.NevadaCountyFair.com or call (530) 273-6217.
Banks are backing away from short sales, forcing sellers to pay extra at closing or demanding a promissory note for the amount due. One-third of borrowers owe more on their mortgages than their properties are worth, according First American CoreLogic.
When their situations were really tough, most banks preferred short sales because they were their best opportunity to get the most money back. But with an improving economy, and because the losses on many of these properties have already been written off the books, banks are increasingly reluctant to negotiate a short sale.
Today, banks demand 9.5 weeks to respond to a short-sale request, compared to 4.5 weeks a year ago, according to research firm Campbell Communications. Their reluctance is frequently stymieing sales and frustrating real estate practitioners.
“It drives me up a wall,” says Robert G. Hertzog of Summit Home Consultants in Phoenix. “[The bank is] holding my client hostage.”
The median home price in California will rise 3.3 percent to $280,000 in 2010 compared with a projected median of $271,000 this year, according to C.A.R.’s “2010 California Housing Market Forecast,” presented today at CALIFORNIA REALTOR® EXPO 2009 in San Jose. Sales for 2010 are projected to decrease 2.3 percent to 527,500 units, compared with 540,000 units (projected) in 2009.
“California’s housing market continued its strong sales rebound this year, resulting from the continued pace of distressed properties coming to market,” said C.A.R. President James Liptak. “This follows two years of double-digit sales declines in 2006 and 2007. Looking ahead, we expect sales to moderate to a more sustainable pace.”
“After experiencing its sharpest decline in history, we expect the median price to rise modestly next year,” Liptak added. “2010 will mark the beginning of the ‘new normal’ for California’s housing market. This ‘new normal’ likely will feature a steady stream of sales driven by distressed properties in the low end of the market, coupled with moderate home-price appreciation.”
“With distressed properties accounting for nearly one-third of the sales in 2010, inventory will be relatively lean, under six months during the off-season months, and a roughly four-month supply during the peak season,” said C.A.R. and Vice President Leslie Appleton-Young. “We expect the median price to decrease slightly through the remainder of 2009 and into next year, then rise before leveling off next summer. For the year as a whole, home prices are forecast to reach $280,000. The wild cards for 2010 include foreclosures, loan resets, the labor market, and the California budget crisis, as well as the actions of the federal government.”
Outraged neighbors ratted on a Wells Fargo & Co. employee who threw lavish parties at a foreclosed home in pricey Malibu, Calif. The bank said Monday that the employee had been fired.
The Los Angeles Times first reported earlier that 39 year old Cheronda Guyton, a Wells Fargo senior vice president responsible for foreclosed commercial properties and a seventeen year veteran of the bank, spent weekends at the house, hosting parties that caught the attention of neighbors.
Wells Fargo took possession last May of a 3,800 square foot beachfront mansion. The previous owner was reportedly wiped out by the Ponzi scheme run by Bernard Madoff. It was valued at $12 million when it was taken back by the bank in May.
Instead of putting the property up for sale or letting it stand empty while the foreclosure was completed, Cheronda Guyton, senior vice president in charge of commercial foreclosed properties for the bank, apparently used the place to entertain friends, including transporting guests from a yacht moored offshore.
After neighbors cried foul, Wells Fargo investigated and identified Guyton as the culprit. Monday, the company said in a statement, “We deeply regret the activities that have taken place as they do not reflect the conduct we expect of our team members.”
Malibu Mayor Andy Stern, who also happens to be a real estate agent, told Reuters that the house could lease for $150,000 a month.
Wells says the house was kept off the market under an agreement with the prior owners. “Our investigation concluded a single team member was responsible for violating our company policies,” Wells said in a statement. “As a result, employment of this individual has been terminated. We deeply regret the activities that have taken place as they do not reflect the conduct we expect of our team members.”
Malibu Colony is one of the city’s first and still most exclusive neighborhoods. It has been the playpen of celebrities going back to Bing Crosby’s days
Awards for the 23rd annual Draft Horse Classic, held September 24 – 27 at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley, have been announced. Sharon Priebe from Grayling, Michigan, judged the draft horse competitions and halter show. Dwight Gilbert from Nevada was the judge of the pulling contest; and Mark Mistler, visiting from Purcell, Oklahoma, was the horseshoe judge.
Draft horse exhibitors from California, Nevada, Oregon, Arizona and Idaho competed for more than $35,000 in premium awards. The competitions, attended by approximately 20,000 Draft Horse fans, took place during six performances over the four-day event.
Simpson Percherons, from Rio Vista, California, received the 2009 Draft Horse Classic Ultimate Hitch award – an award bestowed upon them for six consecutive years. The award is given to the exhibitor who accumulates the most points in the following competitions: Pairs – Gentlemen, Pairs –Ladies, Tandem, Unicorn, Four-Up Rail, Four-Up Driving Competition, Six-Up Rail and the Six-Up Driving Competition. The second place award for Ultimate Hitch went to Hawkes Ranch, owned by Tony and Cheryl Hawkes of Spring Creek, Nevada.
For the third consecutive year, Danielle Simpson was recognized as the outstanding lady driver, accumulating high points to win the Susan Parnell High Point Perpetual Award and contributing to the success of her hitch winning the Ultimate Hitch Award.
Excelling in farm type classes, Jeff Shinn of Placerville, California, won the high point competition for the Andy Amsbaugh Teamster Award.
The Teamster of the Year Award was presented to Mel Fischer of Big Feather Shires, an honor bestowed upon him by the voting of his fellow teamsters. The award presentation was made by Bonnie Reed of Allied Insurance Company, a sponsor of this special award.
Bill Adams of the Draft Horse & Mule Association presented their special Teamster Award to Tony Hawkes of Hawkes Ranch. Caitlen Hoey-Klick of Over Draft Ranch in Norco, California, won the Youth of the Show award.
The Supreme Champion horse was Priest Lake Miss Kelly Girl from the Parnell Ranch, owned Jack and Michelle Parnell and located in Nordman, Idaho. Priest Lake Miss Kelly Girl was also Grand Champion Mare, and Priest Lake Perfection, also from Parnell Ranch, won Grand Champion Stallion.
Rounding out the awards, Holiday Farms of Wilton, California, won the award for the most attractive stall.
The 2009 winners in the Edward Martin Perpetual Draft Horse Shoeing Competition were – Over-all High Point Winner – Don Davis; Best Speciman Shoe – Don Davis; and Best Shod Foot – Mark Paine. The remaining ribbons for over-all points went to Nick Rossi – 2nd place; and Mark Paine – 3rd place. Chad Shaw of Colorado won the scholarship from proceeds from last year’s competition, and he will be attending the 5 Star Horseshoeing School in Oklahoma.
Artwork for next year’s Draft Horse Classic poster is “Four Abreast at Rest” by Sharon O’Brien-Lykins of Penn Valley, California. Sharon’s art was chosen from more than 100 pieces of art on display at Art at the Classic.
The 2010 Draft Horse Classic will be a celebration of its 24th year and is scheduled for September 23 – 26. Tickets will go on sale on May 1, 2010. Visit www.NevadaCountyFair.com for additional information.
More than 80 percent of new single-family homes have at least two bathrooms, which occupy an average of 300 square feet of floor space, or 12 percent of the total area, according to a study by the National Association of Home Builders.
The home builder’s study reports a major return on value for extra bathrooms: “When the number of bathrooms is approximately equal to the number of bedrooms, an additional half-bath adds about 10 percent to the home’s value, and one additional bath adds about 19 percent.”
A mid-range bathroom remodel, which costs $10,500 on average nationwide, repays a home buyer at least 100 percent of the outlay when the property is sold, the home buyer study concludes.
The American Police Force, that mysterious security company that plans to take over an empty jail in Hardin, Montana, is looking shadier than ever.
Montana’s attorney general has launched an investigation into a California company’s plan to take over the city of Hardin’s $27 million jail, following revelations that the company’s lead figure is a convicted felon with a history of fraud.
Michael Hilton, who formed Santa Ana, Calif.-based American Police Force in March, came to Hardin last month promising to fill the city’s never-used jail and build an adjacent military and law enforcement training center.
Since yesterday, details have been emerging about the background of the man behind APF — a California-based grifter, who has said he’s a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Montenegro, and uses the name Michael Hilton.
Over the years, Hilton has served jail time for fraud, and had a string of arrests and other run-ins with the law. Based on reports from the AP, the Billings Gazette, and Prison Legal News, here’s a quick rundown:
• 1988: Hilton arrested in Santa Ana, Calif. for writing bad checks.
• April 1990: Hilton is again arrested in Santa Ana for writing bad checks and for grand theft.
• 1992: A civil judgment of $83,000 is entered against Hilton and Ilia Dokovich.
• March 1993: Hilton pleads guilty in Orange County court to 14 felonies, including 10 counts of grand theft. One charge involves a $20,000 real estate scam, in which Hilton persuaded an associate to give him a deed on property in Long Beach, Calif., saying it was to be used as collateral on a loan, then sold the property to someone else. According to the AP, he spends six years in prison in California.
• 1999: A small claims judgment is entered against Hilton for $3,979.
• 2000: the same plaintiff obtans another small claims judgment against Hilton in Los Angeles County, this one for $1,852.
• March 2000: Hilton is accused of fraud, larceny, and breach of contract, in connection to a venture in which Hilton and others recruited the plaintiff to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars to create collectible Super Bowl commemorative coins. According to the complaint, Hilton and the others said the money would be used for the design and manufacture of the coins and for a license to produce them from the National Football League — but the NFL never issued a license. Hilton is ultimately ordered to pay the plaintiff $200,000.
• Around the same period: Hilton also faces two similar fraud suits: In one, he’s accused of posing as a fine arts dealer to deceive a Utah couple into giving him a $100,000 silver statue. In the other, he is said to have teamed with a doctor to recruit investors for a southern California assisted-living facility that was never built.
• November 2002: Hilton files for bankruptcy, in order to avoid eviction by his landlord.
• March 2003: Hilton is arrested for DUI in Huntington Beach.
• February 2004: Hilton files for bankruptcy once more, again to avoid eviction.
• January 2006: A $5,052 judgment lien is entered against Hilton in Orange County, CA.
A Lexis search conducted by Prison Legal News turned up the following aliases used by Hilton: Miodrag Dokovich, Miodrag Djokich, Miodrag Djokovich, Michael Hamilton, Anthony M. Hilton, Michael A. Hilton, Michael Milton and Hristian Djokich, plus related variants.
I’m building a 1,176 square foot barn for a client for whom I built their home several years ago. Than last year I built a workshop for them
The progress since last week, when only the foundation was poured and the decomposed granite floor went in, is that all of the exterior walls have been framed. In addition, the trusses were delivered and are standing. Half the siding is in place and the windows have been delivered. Progress has been good and we are on schedule. Here are a couple of pictures of our progress.
Note that the trusses are “scissored” to give more volume to the barn and less chance of a horse hitting it’s head if it rears up. The walls are ten foot high. Two of the interior stable walls are framed.
Do you have barn, workshop or home to build? We design and build to your specifications. Give us a call today at 530-263-1091.
