Why Nevada County FAIR Plan Insurance Is Going Up 29% This Fall
Every fall I get a wave of calls from homeowners staring at a renewal notice that looks nothing like last year's. This year the number behind those calls is 29.1 percent, the average increase state regulators just approved for Nevada County FAIR Plan insurance starting October 15, 2026. If you own a
Which Home Improvements Actually Pay Off Before You Sell in Nevada County
A new garage door can return close to 270% of what you spend on it at resale. A full kitchen remodel, the one most sellers assume is the safe bet, often recovers barely more than half its cost. If you are weighing home improvements before selling in Nevada County, the gap between those two numbers i
Will Selling in Nevada County Reset Your Property Tax Base?
I get some version of this question almost every time I sit down with someone who has owned their Nevada County home for twenty, thirty, even forty years and is starting to think about selling. They want to know if moving means starting over on property taxes, paying today's rate on today's price in
Grass Valley Brew Fest 2026: What Downtown Living Feels Like
Every October, downtown Grass Valley shuts down Mill Street for an afternoon and fills it with craft beer, live music, and a few thousand of my neighbors. The Grass Valley Brew Fest is back on Saturday, October 3, 2026, from 1 to 5 p.m., and if you want to understand what it actually feels like to l
5 Hidden Gems in Grass Valley Most Newcomers Never Find
I've called Nevada County home for more than 40 years, and Grass Valley still surprises me. Most people who move here get to know Mill Street, grab coffee at a downtown café, and figure they've seen the town. But the real hidden gems in Grass Valley are a few blocks and a few habits away from that,
Should You Buy a Nevada County Home With a Solar Lease?
I had a client this summer who found the perfect place in Penn Valley, made an offer, and then almost lost her financing over something nobody had warned her about: a solar lease on the roof. If you are house hunting in Nevada County right now, there is a good chance you will run into a home with a
What Nevada City's Constitution Day Parade Says About Living Here
This Sunday, September 20, Nevada City closes down Broad Street for its 60th annual Constitution Day Parade, the oldest and largest Constitution observance in the western United States. If you have ever wondered what living in Nevada City actually feels like day to day, this weekend is about as good
Buying a Home in Nevada County? Here's What the Days-on-Market Data Shows
If you're buying a home in Nevada County right now, you've probably noticed something has changed since last year. Homes aren't sitting on the market nearly as long as they were. I pulled the latest MLS numbers for Grass Valley, Nevada City, Alta Sierra, and Lake of the Pines, and the pattern shows
What Happens If There's a Boundary Dispute on Your Nevada County Property?
I get a call almost every year from someone who assumed their fence, their driveway, or their shed sat exactly where their deed said it did, and then found out during a sale that it didn't. A boundary dispute in Nevada County can stall a closing, spook a buyer, or turn two friendly neighbors into tw
