Repair Credit or Price Reduction: What Nevada County Buyers Should Ask For
A home inspection report almost always comes back with something on it. The question I get asked the most right after that report lands isn't whether to negotiate, it's how. Should you ask the seller to write you a check at closing, or should you ask them to knock money off the price? A repair credi
Do Solar Panels Add Value to Your Home? (The Answer Depends on This)
Does solar add value to your home when you sell — or scare buyers off? It comes down to one word: ownership. Here's what I tell buyers and sellers in Nevada County before they list a home with solar. (Watch for the mistake that slows down escrow more than almost anything else I see.)
How Much Income You Need to Afford a Home in Nevada City
If you're wondering what it actually takes to afford a home in Nevada City right now, I get some version of this question almost every week. Buyers fall for the Gold Rush architecture and the hillside views, then they see the price tag and start doing math in their head. So let's do the real math to
New Construction vs. Resale in Grass Valley: Which Fits Your Budget
Every few weeks a buyer asks me the same question: should I look at new construction, or stick with a resale home in Grass Valley? It's a fair question, and right now it has a real answer. New construction vs. resale in Nevada County isn't just about finishes and floor plans. Once you look at what's
Do You Owe Capital Gains Tax When You Sell in Nevada County?
If you're thinking about selling your home in Nevada County this year, there's a good chance capital gains tax has crossed your mind. With average sale prices sitting around $610,000 in Grass Valley and even higher in Nevada City, a lot of longtime owners are sitting on more equity than they realize
ARM vs. Fixed Rate: Which Mortgage Wins in Nevada County Right Now
If you're getting ready to buy in Nevada County, you've probably run into the ARM vs. fixed rate mortgage question at least once in a lender conversation. It used to be an easy call. Fixed rates were the safe, boring choice, and ARMs only made sense if you were saving real money up front. That gap h
What $1 Million Actually Buys You in Nevada County Right Now
I get asked some version of this question almost every month: what does a million dollars actually buy in Nevada County right now? It is a fair question, because the answer looks nothing like it did five years ago, and it looks completely different depending on whether you are shopping in Nevada Cit
How Much Equity Do Nevada County Homeowners Actually Have Right Now?
I get some version of this question almost every week: how much equity do I actually have in my home? With home equity in Nevada County higher than most owners realize, it is worth a real answer instead of a guess. A new report on California housing wealth just put some hard numbers behind what I ha
What Homes Under $400,000 Actually Look Like in Nevada County Right Now
I get asked some version of this question almost every week: what can you actually buy in Nevada County for under $400,000? With our countywide average sale price sitting at $607,801 as of the most recent Metrolist MLS data, it's a fair question, and it's one worth answering honestly. Homes under $4
