All posts by jd

Real estate broker, civil engineer and general contractor.
nevada county fair

Nevada County Fair Announces 24th Annual Horse Classic Awards

Meadowlake - Belgians
Meadowlake - Belgians

Awards for the 24th annual Draft Horse Classic, held September 23 – 26 at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley, have been announced.  Larry Honsberger from Elmore, Ohio, judged the Draft Horse competitions and halter show. Dwight Gilbert from Nevada was the judge of the pulling contest; and Austin Edens, visiting from Dripping Springs, Texas, was the horseshoe judge.

Draft horse exhibitors from California, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Idaho competed for more than $35,000 in premium awards. The competitions took place during six performances over the four-day event.

The winner of the Six-Up Ultimate Hitch Championship was Danielle Simpson of Simpson Percherons, from Rio Vista, California. The second place award for Six-Up Ultimate Hitch Championship was Norman Yoder, driving for Laurelbrook Belgians, owned by Larry and Sally Harris of Camarillo, California.

For the fourth consecutive year, Danielle Simpson was recognized as the outstanding lady driver, accumulating high points to win the Susan Parnell High Point Perpetual Award.

Excelling in farm type classes, Mel Fischer of Big Feather Shires in Lincoln, California, won the high point competition for the Andy Amsbaugh Teamster Award.

The Teamster of the Year Award was presented to Norman Carman of Carman Ranch, 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 Jeff Shinn of Placerville, California. Tara Covell of Covell’s California Clydesdales in Cambria, California, won the Youth of the Show award.

The Overall Supreme Champion horse was Land Cliff Master, owned by Arlin Wareing of Blackfoot, Idaho.  Simpsons Addison was Grand Champion Mare and Simpsons Hammer Time was Grand Champion Stallion. Both champions are from Simpson Percherons.

The Overall High Point Winner in the 2010 Edward Martin Perpetual Horseshoeing Competition was Nick Rossi. The remaining ribbons for overall points went to Matt Fatchen – 2nd place, and Robbie Mederos – 3rd place.

A complete list of 2010 Draft Horse Classic awards has been posted on the Nevada County Fairgrounds’ website at www.NevadaCountyFair.com.

The 2011 Draft Horse Classic will be a celebration of its 25th year and is scheduled for September 22 – 25. Tickets will go on sale on May 1, 2011.  Visit www.NevadaCountyFair.com for more information.

By Wendy Oaks
Publicist, Nevada County Fairgrounds
(530) 273-6217
wsoaks@gmail.com

Construction, Real Estate

Buying a Home, Beware When Home Lacks Permit

How about this house, think it was built with a permit? :-)
How about this house, think it was built with a permit? :-)

By Paul Bianchina

It’s an all too common situation. You find a perfect home for sale in an ideal neighborhood. It’s been beautifully remodeled, and it has everything you’ve been searching for. Even the price is right. Something tells you it might be too good to be true, but you put in an offer anyway, and it’s accepted.

You start doing all the paperwork, and sure enough you discover the catch that you always somehow suspected was there. The sellers did all of that remodeling work without any building permits.

So now you’re faced with a dilemma. You really want this house. The sellers insist that all the work was done by licensed contractors, and that they have full documentation and photographs of all the work as it was being done.

The sellers also tell you that they’re willing to allow any type of inspection on the home that you’d like — except for one by the city.

They explain that they had a bad experience with a building inspector on a previous home, or that they have an ongoing feud with the city over their water bill, or they’re protesting the fact that the city hasn’t fixed the pothole on Main Street yet, or some other reason that they refuse to become involved with the local municipality.

Continue reading Buying a Home, Beware When Home Lacks Permit →

Real Estate

Some of the Wealthiest People Just Don’t Get It in Real Estate

There is a very interesting article in the Wall Street Journal recently. It seems that some of the wealthiest people are caught up in their emotions and will not lower the price on their mansions. For example here’s an excerpt:
“Some holdouts and their brokers defend their prices, arguing that their estates would be difficult, if not impossible, to replicate today. “I feel the property is worth every penny—and probably then some,” says Tommy Hilfiger co-founder Joel Horowitz, who has been asking $100 million for his 210-acre estate in Zephyr Cove, Nev., since July 2006, when the National Association of Realtors’ then-Chief Economist David Lereah said that housing appeared to be headed for a soft landing in most markets.

Mr. Horowitz notes that he and his wife Ann spent a year designing the home and three years building it and bought items for the home on their travels before it was even built—including lighting fixtures, fireplace mantels and 400-year-old flooring from French châteaux.”

I’ve heard that argument for not lowering the price on a home so many times. Sad to say, the market does not care how much love, care or money you have put into a home, the market still dictates what a home will sell for. Until one comes down to reality, and lowers the price to meet the market, the home just will not sell.

To read the full article in the Wall Street Journal, Click Here.

John J. O’Dell
Real Estate Broker
General Contractor
Call today – 530-263-1091 for you real estate and construction needs

Real Estate

Short Sale Fraud Cases Rising

SACRAMENTO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The California Department of Real Estate (DRE) has reported a sharp increase in the number of cases involving short sale fraud. In response, the Department has issued a new consumer alert detailing the perils and pitfalls of short sales and has begun posting its administrative actions filed against violators on the DRE web site to help consumers avoid the short sale culprits.

“Hopefully with the new Consumer alert and other educational efforts we can curtail the fraud”

One year ago, DRE investigated fewer than 10 cases involving short sales. Today the case load has increased to over one hundred and the number is growing.

“We saw a similar ground swell with the loan modification scams,” said Real Estate Commissioner Jeff Davi. “Hopefully with the new Consumer alert and other educational efforts we can curtail the fraud,” Davi added.

A short sale transaction involves the sale of a property that is less than the amount of the mortgage loan(s) on the property. In order to complete the sale, the seller requests the lender accept less than what is owed in order to allow the transaction to close. While short sales are a popular alternative to foreclosure, like all real estate transactions, they are complicated and sellers need to lookout for the pitfalls and red flags.

Consumers need to take particular care with the representatives they hire to negotiate short sales and be especially leery of any upfront fees. With limited exceptions, short sale negotiators need to be a licensed real estate broker or salesperson working for a broker. Before engaging the services of a person or entity to negotiate a short sale, check out their license status on the DRE’s web site. In addition, consumers should not pay anyone wanting an advance fee without checking with the DRE.

Again, with limited exceptions, demanding payment upfront for short sale negotiation services is illegal. Finally, sellers and buyers should be cautioned that any payments that are not clearly disclosed in the escrow and closing documents is a red flag and an indication of fraud.

A few of the key elements a homeowner should look out for are the following:

* Do not pay an advance fee to a short sale negotiator without checking with the DRE.
* Short sale negotiators must be licensed real estate brokers (or a licensed real estate salesperson where that person is working under the supervision of his or her broker).
* Any and all payments must be fully disclosed and made part of the escrow documents. If there are any fees to be paid “outside” of escrow, this may be the red flag that the payment is illegal.
* If your agent explains that the buyer is a fictitious person or entity, or your buyer is purchasing the property under a power-of-attorney or is a limited liability company (LLC), this may be a red flag that fraud is involved in your transaction.
* If you are told that an unlicensed processor, negotiator or facilitator is handling your short sale, this is a red flag that unlicensed activity is taking place. Only real estate licensees, California lawyers acting as lawyers and investors acting on their own behalf can engage in short sale negotiations.
* Be wary and cautious when thinking about retaining the services of people or companies calling themselves “specialists”, “experts”, or “certified” in the area of short sales. View the claims of expertise, certification, and specialization with a critical eye, verify the claims, and ask specific, detailed questions.

For a copy of the alert and list of actions involving short sales and other consumer tips, visit Department of Real Estate and click on the Consumer Tab.

Business

Six Secrets to Shortcut Moneymaking

Lisa J. Lehr

by Lisa J. Lehr

Want to make money in business? As much as possible, and as fast as possible? If you’re in business, of course you do. Here are six secrets to shortcut moneymaking.

1. The first secret is…there is no real shortcut. There is, however, a shortest distance between where you are now and where you want to be, and everyone knows the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. The straight line in business success is a plan that includes no unproductive use of time or money.

2. Figure out your USP—your unique selling proposition. Especially if you’re a local business with some competition, you’ll need to stand out from the crowd. What makes you different? Spend some time figuring it out.

3. Advertise your product or service. Do all that your budget will allow. If your budget is small, start with inexpensive (and free) forms of advertising. As you begin making sales, roll as much as you can back into your advertising. This is where your highest ROI will come from.

4. Ramp up your marketing as your budget increases. Always stay in front of your target market. Even as your product or service takes hold of the market, and word-of-mouth advertising spreads—unless you’re getting so many orders you just can’t keep up—continue advertising. (And if you are getting so much business you can’t keep up, you can do one of two things: increase your prices, or narrow your offerings to the most lucrative products or services.)

5. Upsell. It’s a basic principle of selling that there are three ways to make more money: get more customers, get your customers to buy more often, and get your customers to buy higher-priced products and services. The third one is the most cost-effective. If your customers like your product or service, and if they trust you, they are more than happy to spend more money with you.

6. Work with a professional copywriter. Many companies have tried to crank out their own marketing programs, and even as that tactic has failed, have continued to try. You’ve probably heard the definition of insanity: doing the same thing and expecting different results. Give your business the competitive edge by letting a professional take charge of your marketing program.

There you have them: six secrets to shortcut moneymaking. The truth, however, is that they’re not really secrets—most smart marketers already know them. And they’re not really shortcuts—they’re just the shortest possible route to where you want to be: making money with your product or service.

Lisa J. Lehr is a writer and copywriter living in Grass Valley. She can help you promote your business with a full range of online and offline marketing pieces. A member of Empire Toastmasters, she’s available to speak to your business or professional group. Click Here to visit her website for more information, opt in for the message series, and receive a free Marketing Guide.

—
Lisa J. Lehr
I write words that make you money–just ask me how.
Visit my website and sign up for my fr~ee marketing tips.
JustRightCopy.com
New! No~cost Marketing Guide now available at my website.

Business, Nevada County Information

Nevada County Airport

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buYZzj-ORmA
Note: if you cannot view this video, you need Click here to download Adobe Flash

Nevada County Airport is home base to over 140 aircraft with over 30,000 take-offs and landings occurring each year. 

Nevada County Airport was built in 1932 by Errol McBoyle, owner of the Idaho Maryland Mine, to fly gold to Mills Field (now San Francisco International Airport). In 1956, Charles Litton of Litton Industries, gave the airport land to Nevada County as a gift. Later, Nevada County invested over $5 million in upgrading the air park.

Pilot information is at AirVav:KGOO Nevada County Airpark

Nevada County Airport
Manager: Greg Marshall
13083 John Bauer Avenue
Grass Valley, CA 95945
530-273-3374
Fax 274-1003
Email: gregory.marshall@co.nevada.ca.us

By: John J. O’Dell
Real Estate Broker
Call for any of your real estate needs or questions
530-263-1091


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Real Estate

California Home Sales Drop in August Compared with Last Year


The median home price of an existing, single-family home in California rose 1.2 percent compared with July and 8.6 percent from a year ago, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) reported this week.  Following two months of consecutive month-over-month declines, California home sales edged up 1.8 percent in August compared with July, but were down 14.9 percent compared with August 2009.

  • According to C.A.R. President Steve Goddard, home buyers who are waiting on the sidelines should consider the opportunities available in today’s market.  Favorable home prices and interest rates at or near historic lows make housing affordability the best in recent years.  Anyone who is in a position to buy a home should do so before either of these key factors rise.
  • The statewide median home price posted its 10th consecutive year-over-year gain in August, according to C.A.R.’s report. The median price of an existing, single-family detached home sold in California during August 2010 was $318,660, an 8.6 percent increase from the revised $293,400 median price recorded in August 2009. The August 2010 median price was up 1.2 percent compared with July’s $314,850 median price.
  • C.A.R. Chief Economist Leslie Appleton-Young says California’s housing market is transitioning from the conclusion of the federal home buyer tax credit and that home sales are strongest in the higher-price range.  The strength in the upper-end market combined with inventory levels that are higher, but still lean by average, has led to home prices holding steady.
  • To hear more from Ms. Appleton-Young, please visit http://videos.car.org/mediavault.html?menuID=1&flvID=10.
State Parks

Empire Mine, Nevada County

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLsSzr0qOn0
This is a video prepared for the California Preservation Foundation and was also a history project.

Brief History: The Empire Mine was the richest hard-rock mine in the State of California producing 5.8 million ounces of gold in its operating history of 106 years (1850-1956). George Roberts, the original discoverer of the gold soon sold his interest and by 1869 William Bourn Sr. owned controlling interest. The Bourn family maintained control of the mine until 1929 when it was sold to Newmont Mining. It ceased operation in 1956. In 1975 the State purchased the surface property as the Empire Mine State Historic Park. The Park continues to draw thousands of worldwide visitors each year and is noted for its historical tours of the Bourn Cottage, the mineyard and “living history” events.

Park Attractions: In addition to the tours noted above, the Park museum has a scale model of the underground workings of the Empire/Star mine complex, a “gold room” which displays ore samples from local mines,an Assay Office, and an extensive mineral collection. A video entitled “Tears from the Sun” depicting various gold mining techniques is shown on a regular basis. On Mother’s Day Weekend a Springtime Open House is held .It features the “Living History” programs,food service, and entertainment. As an added bonus the Gardens are in bloom!! The annual Miner’s Picnic is scheduled for late summer and over Thanksgiving weekend the Park sponsors a “Holiday Open-House”. For groups of 25 or more a Miner’s Luncheon is available. For additional information on these events click on the appropriate heading on the “Site Index”. For details on schedules fees click here

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Center for the Arts, Community Events

Martin Sexton Coming to the Center for the Arts, Grass Valley

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kzxRdeA-74

Martin Sexton is coming to our local Center for The Arts in Grass Valley this coming weekend, October 1, 2010. Tickets are $30 for information they are located at 314 West Main Street, Grass Valley, California 95945, telephone 530-274-8384.
Box Office hours: Noon to 5:00PM, Wednesday through Saturday

Martin Sexton is one of the most talked-about arrivals on the “new folk” acoustic music scene. The guitarist, singer, and songwriter has an amazing vocal range and makes effective use of it on his recordings and in his live shows. His vocal style can be described as truly soulful, combining the best qualities of singers like Van Morrison, Al Green, Aaron Neville, and Otis Redding.

Sexton, a self-taught guitarist and singer, was raised in a family of 14 and formed his first rock & roll band in eighth grade. In high school he was in a profusion of garage bands, playing the music of the Beatles, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and Led Zeppelin. He left his home in Syracuse, NY — and the rock & roll life — in 1988 and headed for Boston, encouraged by what he’d heard about the coffeehouse scene in that city. Despite the ultra-competitive nature of the Boston scene, with too many folksingers and too few coffeehouses, Sexton quickly rose through the ranks. He began playing his brand of soul-filled folk music around Boston’s open-mike nights and street corners in 1989.

His 1992 collection of self-produced demo recordings, In The Journey, was recorded on an old 8-track in a friend’s attic. He managed to sell 20,000 copies out of his guitar case busking. From 1996-2002 Sexton released Black Sheep, The American, Wonder Bar and Live Wide Open (mixed by Jon Alagia – Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer). The activity and worldwide touring laid the foundation for the career with an uncommonly loyal fan base, selling out venues from Nokia Theatre (NY) to LA’s House of Blues.

In 1994, Sexton won the National Academy of Songwriters’ Artist of the Year Award. By 1996, Sexton was sharing stages with Art Garfunkel, Jackson Browne, and John Hiatt on tours. His songs are featured in film and television including recent placements on NBC’s Scrubs and Showtime’s hit series Brotherhood. His latest studio release, Sugarcoating, finds this one-of-a-kind-troubadour doing what he does best: locating larger truths within the specific details of the life he’s living.

John J. O’Dell
Real Estate Broker
Call 530-263-1091