The GREENS Local Newsletter

Volume 1 Issue 10                                                         October 2010

Check out our new newsletter format. We're always looking for new ways to interest and engage our clients and we thought it would be nice to add some fun into our newsletters. So enjoy, and please let us know if there are any topics you would like to have us include in our next newsletter.

Don't miss our 3rd QUARTER 2010 MARKET REPORT at the bottom of this one!

Your Realtors,
Linda & Garrison Green

In This Issue. . .

Trick-or-Treating? Safe Halloween

National Window Covering Safety Month

WINTERIZING YOUR MOUNTAIN HOME

Caramel Apple Cake

3rd QUARTER 2010 MARKET REPORT

Trick-or-Treating?

Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible.

Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.

Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you.

Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them.

Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you.

Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before bedtime to prevent skin and eye irritation.

Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established crosswalks wherever possible.

Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses.

Only walk on sidewalks or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe.

Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls.

Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats unless you know the cook well.

Enter homes only if you're with a trusted adult. Otherwise, stay outside.

Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes.

www.cdc.gov/family/halloween/

October is National Window Covering Safety Month—Kids…Cords…Caution

The Window Covering Safety Council is urging parents and caregivers to make the right choice and only use cordless window products in young children's bedrooms and sleeping areas. Owners and renters should replace all window coverings in the home made before 2001 with today's safer products.

Always Follow These Basic Window-cord Safety Rules:

1. Install only cordless window coverings in young children's bedrooms and sleeping areas.

2. Move all cribs, beds, furniture and toys away from windows and window cords, preferably to another wall.

3. Keep all window pull cords and inner lift cords out of the reach of children.

4. Lock cords into position whenever horizontal blinds or shades are lowered, including when they come to rest on a windowsill.

www.windowcoverings.org

The Green's Tips: Winterizing Your Mountain Home

It's Time To Prepare Your Mountain Home For Winter

A good rule of thumb: When you change your clocks back for the fall Equinox, it’s also time to prepare your home for winter. We have some great tips on securing any home for the harsh and not so harsh winter months. For example, did you know that you should consider using extra insulation in the attic if temperatures fall below 32 degrees to keep the heat from escaping? How about keeping the thermostat set to at least 55 degrees, even when you leave for vacation? Read more tips on our blog about how to winterize your home in these cool upcoming months.

Truckee – Lake Tahoe Market Trends 3rd Quarter 2010

This report provides 3rd Quarter 2010 data for the North to West Lake Tahoe areas, *Truckee areas, and Tahoe Donner area.
 

* - Data and references to "Truckee Areas" do not include properties in the ski areas, the Tahoe Donner community, or Donner Summit.

Inventory Steady. The inventory of single family homes and condos for sale on the market seems pretty steady right now. But, we expect to start seeing the usual decrease in inventory for this time of the year as homes are taken off the market to be ski leased for the winter season.

REOs (Bank Owned) and Short Sale properties update: In the 3rd quarter of 2010 distressed property sales represented about 27% of the sales in the North and West Shore Lake Tahoe areas and only about 19% of sales in our Tahoe Donner community. Our Truckee areas (Truckee, Donner Lake, and Truckee River – not including Tahoe Donner) were the hardest hit with distressed property sales representing about 43% of single family and condo home sales. But, when you look at the properties currently on the market for sale, distressed properties only represent about 13% - 14% of the total inventory of single family homes and condo homes.

Lower priced homes are continuing to sell the best. The median selling prices for single family homes and condo homes has continued to decrease in all of our Truckee and North to West shore Lake Tahoe areas. This basically tells us that homes are selling best in lower price ranges. The Lake Tahoe areas median selling prices have decreased about 21% as compared to the median selling prices in the same period last year. However, the Truckee areas only show about a 9% decrease in median selling prices and the Tahoe Donner community only shows a 4% decrease in median selling prices as compared to the same period in the prior year. We have lots of buyers looking for homes in the lower price ranges.

Market Activity increase. The number of single family and condo homes sold in the Lake Tahoe area jumped from 64 homes sold in the 2nd quarter 2010 up to 98 homes sold in the 3rd quarter 2010. However, the number of home sales in the Truckee and Tahoe Donner areas remained relatively steady, with a slight increase in the number of homes sold in the Tahoe Donner community as compared to the number sold in the 2nd quarter of this year. It is pretty normal to see an increase in home sales in the 3rd quarter of each year, over the number sold in the previous quarters of the year.

Homes are selling at about 90 - 96% of their asking price. Single family homes in Tahoe Donner sold at an average of 95.7% of their last listed price, during July 2010 through September 2010. However, the Lake Tahoe area homes (single family and condo homes) and the other Truckee area homes sold at an average of about 90-91% of their last listed price. But, as a buyer, you must remember that many homes do sell closer to their asking prices depending on the location and condition of the property.

Our Truckee - Lake Tahoe Market Trends 3rd Quarter 2009 report shows graphs and data. If you would like information about a specific area please contact us, we'll be happy to provide you with the data you would like to see.

Repair, Replace, Relax with Fidelity National Home Warranty (FNHW). A home warranty from FNHW provides both the home buyer and seller with “peace of mind” when it comes to repairs and/or replacement of a home’s major systems and appliances. FNHW prides itself on superior customer service, including quick response time and efficient solutions for homeowners’ problems and needs.

This is not intended as a solicitation if your property is currently listed with another agent. These materials contain information and articles obtained from third parties. The Greens do not endorse the recommendations of any third party nor guarantee the information provided is complete or correct.