nevada county fair

Enter Your Exhibits in the Nevada County Fair

There’s Still Time to Enter

Want to enter something in the Nevada County Fair? There’s still time! The deadline for submitting paper entry forms is July 10 at 1 pm. To enter on-line using the Fair’s on-line entry system, the deadline is Friday, July 16 at 5 pm. There is no entry fee if you enter your still exhibit on-line – just log-on to the Fair’s website at www.NevadaCountyFair.com, and follow the step-by-step process.

Join the thousands of Nevada County residents who enter exhibits each year in the more than 300 available categories. If you can make it, bake it, grow it or show it, we have a category for you! Don’t delay – enter now!

Complete descriptions of all categories are available online in the Fair’s Competition Handbook. The handbook is also available at the Fair office, area libraries, chamber of commerce offices, and various sponsoring merchants.

The 2010 Fair is August 11 – 15. For more information, call (530) 273-6217 or visit www.NevadaCountyFair.com.

Real Estate

Nevada County Residential Sales, Dramatic Increase From June 10, 2008 to June 10, 2010

By John J. O’Dell

The number of residential sales  from June 8, 2008 to June 10, 2010 increased 77 percent, a dramatic increase in the last  two years.  In June of 2008, 64 residential properties sold. In June of this year, 113 residential properties sold. The average number of days for a residential property to sell in June 2008 was 88 days compared to June 2010 which was 113 days.

Comparing this year to last, in June 09, 2009, 95 residential units sold compared to June 10, 2010 of 113 units, an increase of 16 percent, indicating that overall, sales have increased in Nevada County for the last two years.

The median price dropped from two years ago, in June 2008, the median price was $339,500, and in June 2010 the median price was $280,000 a drop of 18 percent.

However, the median price for residential property in June 2009 was $278,900 and in June 2010 the median price was $280,000 a slight increase, indicating a positive trend, with sales up and an increase in the median price.

Inventory of residential properties have remained about the same, with a 15 month supply in June 2008 compared to a 14 month supply in June of 2010. Inventory of units for sale in June 2008 were 1,149 compared to 1,003 in June of 2010.

Overall, the market outlook seems positive, with increased sales and the median sales price appearing to have stabilized.  I like to look at things like the glass is half full rather than half empty. After all, if we have an unemployment rate of ten percent in California, there are still ninety percent of the people working.

Source of data: Clarus MarketMetric®

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

Real Estate

Home Buyer Credit Extension Signed by Obama



Congress passed a bill last week extending the deadline to close escrow and qualify for the federal home buyers tax credit.  President Obama signed the bill on July 2, 2010 according to reports.

The bill doesn’t help anyone currently shopping for a home. Buyers must have signed a contract by April 30 to qualify for the tax break. At issue is when the deal must be finalized. Qualified existing homeowners also have until Sept. 30 to close on new homes and receive a tax credit of up to $6,500.

Some details:

  • The bill extends the deadline to close escrow for home buyers who entered into a home purchase contract by the April 30 deadline.  First-time buyers may be eligible to receive up to $8,000 and qualified existing homeowners may receive up to $6,500 if the home buyer closes escrow by Sept. 30.
  • Home buyers entering into sales contracts May 1 or later are not eligible for the federal tax credit, but they may qualify for the California home buyer tax credit.
  • The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) and the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® worked closely with members of Congress to extend the deadline.  Estimates from NAR show nearly 180,000 home buyers nationwide would have missed out on the tax credit if the deadline was not extended, including nearly 17,700 home buyers in California.
  • Many of the home buyers who would have missed out on the tax credit are in the midst of purchasing a short sale or foreclosure, which generally take longer to close due to the amount of paperwork involved in the transaction.

Thinking of buying or selling

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

nevada county fair

2010 Mother Lode Horse Show Results


The Nevada County Fairgrounds was filled with horse enthusiasts this past weekend as exhibitors competed in the 2010 Mother Lode Horse Show. This annual three-day event gives spectators an opportunity to observe participants work with their horses as they compete in Driving, English, Halter and Western Shows. At the conclusion of each class, competitors are awarded their placing, which is a demonstration of achievement in horsemanship.  The results of the Mother Lode Horse Show are listed below.

The Mother Lode Horse Show is the official horse show of the Nevada County Fair. This year’s Nevada County Fair starts Wednesday, August 11 and runs through Sunday, August 15. For more information about the Fair, visit www.NevadaCountyFair.com.

2010 Mother Lode Horse Show Results

I. High Point Winners:

  • Beginning English Youth: Emily Freeman, Riding Midsummer Knight
  • 17 & Under English: Macy Wilson, Riding Rendezoux
  • Walk-Jog 10 & Under: Claire March, Riding Mr. Flashman
  • Western 13 & Under: Sunny Gorba, Miss Gracie Undercover
  • Western 14 & Over: Erin Hastey, Riding Thunderous Praise
  • Performance Mule: Lack of Entries – No Award Given
  • American Morgan Horse Award: Spencer Prouty, Riding Black Horse Cassandra

The Mother Lode Fairs Circuit High Point Awards will be presented at the end of the circuit.

The final horse show will be at the Amador County Fair, July 29 – August 1.

II. Awards and Trophies:

Continue reading 2010 Mother Lode Horse Show Results →

Real Estate

Five Steps to Take Before Buying a Home

As the housing downturn has shown, homeownership is about more than buying a home – you have to make sure you can keep the home over the long term. If you’re thinking about buying a home, these five steps can help ensure you get the right house for you and the affordable financing that helps make homeownership a long-term success:

1.  Get Educated. A little mortgage know-how goes a long way toward ensuring you get an affordable mortgage

Before you hire an agent or find a lender, get educated on the loan process and key factors that make a loan affordable.  You’ll  want to know about loan types – fixed-rate mortgages, adjustable-rate mortgages, FHA and VA loans – and the full range of line items that contribute to the total cost of securing the loan, including discount points, appraisals, and real estate agent commissions.

If you would like more in-depth information, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) can put you in touch with the nearest housing counseling professional in your area. Visit www.HUD.gov for more information. You can also check with local government, neighborhood associations and neighborhood bank branch offices for information sessions on home buying as well as homebuyer-education programs.
Continue reading Five Steps to Take Before Buying a Home →

Real Estate

1 In 5 Default on Mortgages They Can Afford to Pay

A new report estimates that nearly one in five mortgage defaults through the first half of 2009 were “strategic,” where borrowers who appeared to have the capacity to pay their mortgages stopped doing so.

The research follows on an earlier report by Experian and Oliver Wyman that first aimed to quantify the share of mortgage defaults that are “strategic.” Strategic defaulters are defined as those who miss six straight mortgage payments without missing multiple payments on auto loans and other consumer debts for the six months after they first fell behind on mortgage payments.

The report finds that the share of borrowers who strategically defaulted through the first half of 2009 is unchanged from the end of 2008. Still, the absolute number of strategic defaults in the first half of 2009 increased 53% from the year ago period.

Government-sponsored mortgage purchaser Fannie Mae is trying to encourage distressed homeowners to find alternatives to foreclosure by banning those who walk away from getting new loans for seven years.

Troubled borrowers who do not try in good faith to work out a deal, but have the capacity to pay, are targeted by the policy announced June 23, 2010.

“Walking away from a mortgage is bad for borrowers and bad for communities and our approach is meant to deter the disturbing trend toward strategic defaulting,” said Terence Edwards, executive vice president for credit portfolio management.

A strategic default occurs when a homeowner stops making payments on a mortgage despite being able to do so. It has become increasingly common in communities where housing values fell sharply and homeowners are “underwater,” or owe more than their houses are worth.

Fannie Mae said that in locations where the law allows, it also plans to take legal action to recoup outstanding mortgage debt from borrowers who strategically default. The company plans to instruct its servicers to monitor delinquent loans facing foreclosure and recommend cases to pursue for such judgments.

animals, Local Writers & Contributors

Irish Wolfhound, Logan, A Dog Taller Than His Owner

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4HrgcbUIUc

By Jeff Toff

This is Logan who was born on St. Patrick’s day!  5 years ago.  He was a champion show dog, winning every show he entered except one.  He retired from the ring and became my hiking buddy. Logan is the gentlest giant around.  When other dogs–big or small–growl at Logan, he just wags his tail and gets excited.  When another dog tries to bite Logan, he merely jumps out of the way and comes back for more.  Despite the fact that Logan is still “intact,” has never growled or shown any male dominance or aggressive behavior.  As a matter of fact, he ran at full speed away from two “attack” cats and one kitten.  He chases anything that runs, but then again, doesn’t know what to do when he catches up with his prey.  When another dog comes into Logan’s dog room, Logan watches patiently as the other dog eats all of Logan’s food.

Logan sleeps on a full size mattress.  To create a dogie door, we had to remove the entire bottom of the door, up to the door knob.  Even though he is unfenced at home in the woods, he never leaves the house unless I am there to take him for a walk.  On hikes in the high country, he runs around and explores the sites and sounds but never ventures too far from me.

He is quite shy with strangers.  When riding in the car down to San Diego, an 11 hour trip, Logan never makes a sound or becomes anxious.  He watches the view from the back of the van, drools on my shoulder when it gets too warm and generally relaxes during the trip.  He loves to hike as long as there is a lake or stream in which he can cool down.  He prefers water not more than 2½ feet deep so that he can lie down and keep his head out of the water.

When playing with other dogs or people, he lopes like a big lion.  However, at times, when he decides to chase something, he gallops on those long legs like a gazelle.  It has been reported that Irish Wolfhounds, part of the greyhound family, can run up to 30 MPH–when they want to.  When he goes to a dog park in San Diego, he gets intimidated because immediately, almost every other dog in the park run over to Logan and begin sniffing and nuzzling him like he is royalty.

He eats about 6 cups of dry food per day but drinks gallons of water.  Many times he won’t eat his food or dog bones unless someone is next to him while he eats.  A string or ribbon tied across the hall keeps him from exploring the rest of the house.  When it snows, you would think he was just served ice cream.  He runs and jumps and rolls in the snow.  Many times he would prefer to lie in the snow rather than come into the house.  He almost never barks.  He thinks he is a small, lap dog.  He is the perfect companion.

Jeff Toff
Jeff is a local attorney in Grass Valley, CA

Education, Local Writers & Contributors

Swimming: For Fitness, or Just For Fun?

by Lisa J. Lehr

It’s been a long, cool spring, but it’s bound to get hot one of these days. And when it does, human bodies will be heading for water bodies in droves.

There’s no question that swimming cools you off, provided the water temperature is lower than your body temperature—which it is, unless we’re talking about a hot tub or a hot spring. But is swimming the equivalent of a glass of lemonade: cools you off, but has no real health benefits? Or is it really good for you?

Well…it depends.

First, the pluses of swimming as exercise:

1.      It uses all your major muscle groups.

2.      It can provide a good workout for your heart and lungs.

3.      It’s easy on your joints.

4.      The buoyancy factor (you weigh about one-tenth as much in water as you do on land) makes it a good exercise for people who are pregnant, have injuries, or need to avoid high-impact types of exercise.

5.      It’s appropriate for people of all ages and ability levels.

Now the minuses:

1.      In order to count swimming as exercise, you’ll need to swim a good number of brisk laps (floating and splashing won’t do it), and some people find that monotonous.

2.      Swimming puts no stress on your bones, and weight-bearing exercise is essential for maintaining bone mass and strength.

3.      Swimming makes you hungry, so the calories you consume after a swim may exceed those you burned during the swim.

4.      Unlike with other types of exercise, your body does not continue burning calories at an increased rate after your workout. This is because you don’t heat up as much exercising in water as on land; you lose body heat faster to water than to air because water is denser, so your body doesn’t have to work to cool you down post-workout.

5.      Finally, if swimming is to be your workout of choice, you need convenient access to a pool. The “inconvenience factor” may become a convenient excuse not to exercise.

So if you like swimming, find that it meets your exercise needs, and is convenient and not too boring, go for it. But if you’ve been swimming for a while and wondering why you’re not seeing the results you expected, now you know why! You may want to explore some other type of exercise.

And if you’re heading for a natural water body, especially the fast-moving, snowmelt-fed rivers of Nevada County, remember that humans (and other land creatures) and cold, white water are a dangerous and often deadly combination. Especially when alcohol is involved.

Lisa J. Lehr is a writer, copywriter, and fitness enthusiast 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. Visit her website www.justrightcopy.com for more information, opt in for a message series, and receive a free Marketing Guide.

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

Travel

Hitler’s Eagle Nest, Berchtesgaden, Germany

2 Comments
Elevator to top of Eagle's Nest
Elevator to top of Eagle's Nest

A place of great beauty, in which a residence was built for the devil reincarnated, Adolf Hitler. Situated upon a mountain top in the Alps, at an elevation of 6,017 feet above sea level, it has breath taking views of the mountains and valleys below. Since then, the idyllic setting and remarkable architecture of the Eagle’s Nest on the Kehlstein have been overshadowed by its close connection with the Third Reich. Although Hitler rarely stayed in the building himself, his wicked tyrannical image still hangs over it today.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrHYUlWNm1k

Given this background, it is not surprising that a plan to demolish the Eagle’s Nest was very nearly approved in the 1960s. Just as Hitler’s command centre on the Obersalzberg had been destroyed by the bombs of the liberating Allied forces, so, it was hoped, would the Eagle’s Nest be wiped forever off the face of the beautiful Bavarian landscape. As it turned out, however, history took a different course, and the building has been administered by the Berchtesgaden Regional Tourist Office since 1960. Today, the Eagle’s Nest is leased out to private operators who run it as an alpine restaurant. The engineering feats and mighty architecture of the building leave many visitors speechless. Even the approach from the carpark is imposing: a tunnel of 124 metres in length, lined with panels of natural rock, runs through the mountain massif. At the end of the tunnel there is a grandiosely designed brass-plated lift. The lift ascends to the interior of the Eagle’s Nest in just forty-one seconds. Inside, visitors are surrounded by metre-thick walls and mighty bulwarks. At 1,834 metres above sea level, the Eagle’s Nest commands a breathtaking panoramic view.

The Kehlsteinhaus was commissioned by Martin Bormann, with construction proceeding over a 13-month period. It was completed in the summer of 1938, prior to its formal presentation to Hitler on his 50th birthday on April 20, 1939. It is situated on a ridge at the top of the Kehlstein Mountain 1,834 m (6,017 ft), reached by a 6.5 km (4.0 mi) long and 4 m (13 ft) wide road that cost 30 million RMs to build (about 150 million euros in 2007, adjusted in line with inflation). It includes five tunnels but only one hairpin turn and climbs 800 m (2,600 ft).

The last 124 m (407 ft) up to the Kehlsteinhaus are reached by an elevator bored straight down through the mountain and linked via a tunnel through the granite below that is 124 m (407 ft) long. The inside of the large elevator car is surfaced with polished brass, Venetian mirrors and green leather (the elevator is still used daily). Construction of the mountain elevator system cost the lives of 12 construction workers.The main reception room is dominated by a fireplace of red Italian marble, presented by Mussolini. Much of the furniture was designed by Paul László.

The Eagle´s Nest itself and the unique Kehlstein road were constructed in an extremely short period of time despite the difficulties of wartime: the fortress-like residence took one year to build, the Kehlstein road thirteen months. The unique design of the road has no counterpart anywhere in the world. It makes no more than a single bend in its ascent of the towering 700 metres between the Obersalzberg and the Kehlstein carpark, traversing the steep north-west face of the Kehlstein twice as it does so. The road is now closed to normal traffic; it can only be accessed by a bus service.


View Larger Map