Buying a Well Home in Nevada County: 3 Power Shutoff Checks
If you are buying a well home in Nevada County, there is one question I want you to ask before you ever write an offer: what happens to your water when the power goes out? A well pump runs on electricity. No power means no pump, and no pump means no water at the tap, no flushing toilets, and no wate
Nevada City Victorian Christmas Starts Dec. 6: What Living Here Is Like
If you have ever wondered what living in Nevada City is really like, pick a December evening and walk down Broad Street during Victorian Christmas. This year the event runs Sundays, December 6, 13, and 20, from 1:30 to 6 p.m., and Wednesdays, December 9 and 16, from 5 to 9 p.m. It has been a town tr
Sell First or Buy First in Nevada County? How I Decide
If you own a home in Nevada County and want to move up, down, or just move, you hit the same fork in the road: sell first or buy first? I get this question from almost every homeowner I sit down with, and the honest answer depends on your numbers, not a rule of thumb. Here is how I walk clients thro
How Much House Can You Afford in Grass Valley at 7.3%?
Every first-time buyer I sit down with asks the same thing: how much house can I afford in Grass Valley right now? With the Freddie Mac 30-year rate sitting at 7.32% as of October 22, up from 6.19% a year ago, the honest answer has changed. The same monthly payment buys a smaller house than it did l
Does Nevada County Get Snow? What Newcomers Should Know Before Moving
If you are thinking about moving here from the Bay Area or Sacramento, one of the first questions I hear is about snow in Nevada County. Will you be shoveling the driveway every week? Will you need chains just to get to the grocery store? The honest answer depends on which town you pick, and the dif
Is the Zillow Zestimate Accurate for Nevada County Homes? What I See
If you own a home in Nevada County, you have probably looked up your Zestimate. Maybe you checked it over coffee, maybe a neighbor mentioned theirs. The real question is whether the Zestimate in Nevada County is a number you can plan around. I see it come up in nearly every listing conversation, so
4 Wildfire Checks to Make Before Buying a Home in Nevada County
Here is a number every Nevada County buyer should know before writing an offer. According to Redfin, using First Street's 30-year estimate, about 85% of properties in the county, roughly 161,809 of them, have some risk of being touched by wildfire. That is not a reason to skip buying here. It is a r
Cornish Christmas in Grass Valley Starts Nov. 27: What Locals Love
Cornish Christmas in Grass Valley is the one event I tell every newcomer to put on the calendar. This year it is listed to run on Fridays from November 27 through December 18, and downtown Grass Valley turns into the best small-town holiday scene in the Sierra Foothills. I have lived in Nevada Count
4 Winter Prep Tasks to Finish in Nevada County Before the First Storm
I grew up here, and I can tell you the first big storm of the season always catches somebody off guard. If you own a home in Grass Valley, Nevada City, Penn Valley, Alta Sierra, or one of the lake communities, Nevada County winter prep is a short list that saves real money. Here are the four jobs I