Don't Go It Alone! Take A Realtor® With You!

Why should you choose a  Realtor® to represent you? Here is why……...

Buying a house is, for most people, the most important financial transaction they will ever make. There are loads of important choices that go into that most important decision. A few of these choices are obvious, location, size of home, design options, financing, the list goes on and on. But one of the most important choices any homeowner will make, is selecting someone to represent them. Choosing a Realtor® as your representative is, in my perhaps biased opinion, is the best way to ensure you get the best person on your side. There are many reasons why any homebuyer or seller should select a Realtor®, here is a list of 6.

1. Fiduciary responsibility. When you work with a Realtor®, their fiduciary responsibility is to you. That means you have an expert who is looking out for your best financial interests, an expert who’s contractually bound to do everything in their power to protect you. That’s big — the value of that commitment cannot be overstated. “For more than 100 years, Realtors® have subscribed to the NAR’s strict Code of Ethics as a condition of membership,” says National Association of Realtors® President Gary Thomas. “Realtors® have the expertise and experience to help sellers protect their investment and help buyers build theirs.”

2. Complex, ever-changing real estate regulations. Buying or selling a home is not like purchasing a plane ticket. Every home is different, and laws change every year and vary from state to state. Generally speaking, people purchase a new home every 7-10 years, and a lot can — and usually does — change between transactions. Realtors® are immersed in real estate, and they must stay current with all the updates in regulations, laws, contracts and practices. Once you retain your Realtor®, they put that knowledge to work for you.

3. Help finding the right home, beyond square footage and baths. Browsing online is a terrific way to start a home search — in fact, almost 90 percent of people start their home search online.1 But when it’s time to buy, knowing all the pros and cons of a property can help you make the right decision. Realtors® live and breathe real estate, and they can share information about a home that you wouldn’t otherwise know. For example, they can tell you about the perils of polybutylene piping (a plumbing material that’s prone to bursting), or the concerns with FRT plywood (a roofing material that can spontaneously combust in higher temperatures, like those in attics). Your Realtor® can go beyond the aesthetics and tell you important details about homes you’re considering.

4. Pricing and selling a home. There are lots of sites where you can view price estimates for your home before you list it for sale, but you take a risk using them. In some markets online estimates can be off by as much as 35 percent, and they often rely on tax records and data that can be as old as 6-12 months. Realtors® know the local market, have access to the freshest sale data, and can price your house in line with the market to maximize your earnings. In 2012, sellers using an agent got $40,100 more: The median sale price for the 88 percent of sellers who worked with an agent was $215,000, versus a median sale price of $174,900 for the 9 percent of sellers who didn’t use an agent.

5. Contracts and negotiations. Finding the right home is the fun part. Then the real work begins.: Today’s contracts can be 50 pages long — not counting addendums and riders. Realtors® can help you navigate these complex documents and craft an attractive offer that makes sense for you. Plus, when it comes to negotiation, your Realtor® is your advocate and can bring an objective voice to a very subjective situation.

6. Following a code of ethics. When you work with a Realtor®, you’re partnering with a professional who operates according to a strict code of ethics. In place for over 100 years, the Realtor® Code of Ethics ensures that consumers who work with a Realtor® are treated professionally and ethically in all transaction-related matters.

For more information follow this link to the original article on realtor.com: http://www.realtor.com/advice/why-use-a-realtor-6-important-reasons/

Before You Remodel Read This!

Thinking about remodeling your home? Before you do, find out which remodels add the most value to your home!

If you are looking for the top ten mid range remodeling projects ranked by the percentage of dollars returned, then you are in luck! I’ve just happened to compile a list from Remodeling magazine’s 2014 Cost vs. Value Report and have listed them below:

1. Entry Door Replacement (steel)

Job Cost: $1,162                                      

Resale Value: $1,122                                          

Cost Recouped: 96.6%

2. Deck Addition (wood)

Job Cost: $9,539

Resale Value: $8,334

Cost Recouped: 87.4%

3. Attic Bedroom

Job Cost: $49,438

Resale Value: $41,656

Cost Recouped: 84.3%

4. Garage Door Replacement

Job Cost: $1,534

Resale Value: $1,283

Cost Recouped: 83.7%

5. Minor Kitchen Remodel

Job Cost: $18,856

Resale Value: $15,585

Cost Recouped: 82.7%

6. Window Replacement (wood)

Job Cost: $10,926

Resale Value: $8,662

Cost Recouped: 79.3%

7. Window Replacement (vinyl)

Job Cost: $9,978

Resale Value: $7,857

Cost Recouped: 78.7%

8. Siding Replacement (vinyl)

Job Cost: $11,475

Resale Value: $8,975

Cost Recouped: 78.2%

9. Basement Remodel Job Cost: $62,834 Resale Value: $48,777 Cost Recouped: 77.6% 10. Deck Addition (composite) Job Cost: $15,437 Resale Value: $11,476 Cost Recouped: 74.3% Remodeling Magazine's 2014 Cost vs. Value Report, Copyright 2014 by Hanley Wood, LLC. Republication or re-dissemination of the Report is expressly prohibited without written permission of Hanley Wood LLC. "Cost vs. Value" is a registered trademark of Hanley Wood, LLC.

Give Back! Three Great Charities for Las Vegans

Las Vegas has so much to offer us. Here are some wonderful ways to give back!

Whether you are a transplant or a Native, here are some great ways to contribute to our community!

S.A.F.E House

S.A.F.E. House was established in 1994 by a group of community leaders concerned about the needs of battered women and their children. Today, through safe shelter, support, advocacy, counseling and community education, the organization provides a comprehensive approach to working with families to Stop Abuse in the Family Environment.

S.A.F.E. House is committed to stop violence and abuse in the family environment by providing safe shelter, support, advocacy, counseling and education

The goal of S.A.F.E. House is to  provide quality crisis intervention, shelter and counseling services to domestic violence victims and their children and accredited treatment services for those who choose to abuse.

In addition S.A.F.E. House provides comprehensive advocacy services to victims of domestic violence and abuse and follow up and transitional resources and support.

S.A.F.E. House aims to  be a leader in domestic violence education and prevention; raising the awareness of the seriousness and devastating effects of family abuse and violence; promote women’s strengths, competencies and abilities; holding batterers accountable for their violent and abusive behavior; and advocating for community involvement and social change.

For more information or to volunteer visit their website: http://www.safehousenv.org/ or call (702) 451-4203

Variety

Variety – The Children’s Charity is an enthusiastic group of business leaders who donate their time, resources and energy to positively impact the lives of children in their own communities and around the world.

Variety strives to meet the needs that empower Southern Nevada children who are sick, disadvantaged or have special needs to live, laugh and learn.

Here is a list of Variety’s Programs

Compassion Care Fund: The Compassion Care Fund pays for unmet medical and life necessities for families who have no other way to pay for the needs of their special child.

Kids at Play: Provides adaptive equipment and playgrounds for children with special needs, including ADA accessible playgrounds with wheelchair-accessible swings to help children with disabilities interact with their peers.

Sunshine Coaches:  Provides specially equipped passenger vans to local nonprofit organizations for transport of children with physical limitations to and from medical facilities, schools and community enrichment programs.

Learning for Kids: Provides experiential learning tools for children with special needs. This may include adaptive computers or convert-a-tables which encourage sensory gross and fine motor skills development.

Kids in Need: Funding permitted; this program is available to children’s agencies dealing with families in crisis. It has been able to underwrite hot lunch programs to schools located in economically challenged communities.

For more information or to volunteer visit their website:http://www.varietysn.org/ or call          (702) 702-8486

Opportunity Village

Opportunity Village is a not-for-profit organization that serves people in the Southern Nevada community with intellectual disabilities, to enhance their lives and the lives of the families who love them. Opportunity Village is dedicated to helping people with severe intellectual and related disabilities become the very best they can be. Through vocational training, community employment, day services, advocacy, arts and social recreation, citizens with severe disabilities are able to find new friends, realize future career paths, seek independence and community integration and unleash creative passions.

Opportunity Village was founded in 1954 by a small group of local families seeking to improve the lives of their children with intellectual disabilities. Since then, Opportunity Village has grown to become Nevada’s largest private, not-for-profit community rehabilitation program, serving more than 3,000 people annually through vocational training, community job placement, art & life skill enrichment, advocacy, and social recreation programs.

More than just a charity, Opportunity Village operates three employment training center campuses and a Thrift Store in Southern Nevada. It also operates a vehicle donation program, trains and places hundreds of adults in jobs throughout the community, and hosts some of the most popular special events in all of Las Vegas, including the annual Magical Forest and the Las Vegas Great Santa Run. The entire community is affected by the organization as businesses not only contract with Opportunity Village to fulfill assembly and packaging, mass mailings and other business to business services but numerous companies and organizations hire our clients as regular employees.

Through hard work, sweat, and a little luck, Opportunity Village has helped Southern Nevada’s most vulnerable citizens integrate into society while earning a paycheck, a feeling of achievement, and a renewed sense of independence. It’s no wonder why Opportunity Village has earned the distinction of “Las Vegas’ Best Community Organization.”

Almost entirely self-funded, Opportunity Village is possible because Southern Nevadans realize the value in supporting their neighbors with intellectual disabilities. In our society, people with intellectual disabilities live their lives constantly being told what they can’t do. Opportunity Village strives to break that stigma, encouraging its clients to follow their dreams, whether they include community or sheltered employment, social recreation, music, art or just the chance to be independent.

For more information visit their website:http://www.opportunityvillage.org/ or call (702) 259-3741

All of the information in this post has been taken directly from the organizations.

Cheapest Condos Near the Las Vegas Strip!

Can you buy a condo walking distance from the Las Vegas Strip for under $40,000? (of course….that’s why I wrote this)

Here are a few great opportunities to own a home in one of the most exciting places in the world for less money than a use Lexus!

Whether you are looking for an investment property or vacation home, the Las Vegas market has some great, relatively inexpensive options.

1. 3720 Royal Crest Street Unit #21 List price $35,000                       This condo is one bedroom and one bathroom less than a mile from the strip
2. 3718 Hazelwood Street Unit #3 List Price $37,000

3. 3727 Hazelwood Street Unit #24 List Price $38,900

4. 3726 Hazelwood Street Unit #14 LIst Price $39,900

These three condos are all in the same complex. There are all one bedroom and one bathroom. Located just minutes from the strip.

There are a plethora of options priced just above these homes. Feel free to contact me for more info on these homes or for a full list of condos in the area!

Leonard Hanks

Coldwell Banker Premier Realty

10120 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 300    

Henderson, NV 89052

(702) 458.7070 Business

(702) 757.8524 Mobile

(702) 458.6253 eFax

Mobile Apps to Help You Move!

So, you’ve found the home of your dreams! Congratulations!! It is not an easy task to go through the home buyer or renting process. However, once you make it through all of the viewings, meetings, and paperwork, there is only one tiny thing left to do….MOVE!

As someone who has moved quite a bit, I can attest to the stress and hard work required to have a successful move. Once the physical move is over, you have to get used to a new area it can be daunting. Whether it is across town or across the country, the apps below can help make the moving and settling in a bit easier.

  My Move (Android/iPhone)  

Are you about to move? Are you looking for reliable moving companies?

Keep up with your moving progress straight from your phone.

Here are some of the basic features:

- Find Reliable Movers near you.

- Read Moving Tips, Guides & News.

- Keep Notes while Moving.

- Free Moving Cost Estimator (for USA, UK, Canada, Australia and International).

- Read Moving Reviews & Ratings on US and Canadian movers.

- Look-up a moving company from a huge  database.

- Look-up moving license information.

- See the best moving companies by state.

- Interactive moving checklist to stay prepared during the move.

Researching your mover just got easier!  Get the app here: My Move

Moving Day (iPhone)

When you're moving your home or office, it can be tough to keep everything organized. Boxes all the look the same, no one knows what's inside them, and who knows where they should go at the next destination?

And what if something breaks? What if something goes missing? How can you prove that a box is gone or that damage is new?

Moving Day can help make moving across town or across the country a simpler process.

Features include:

- Easily catalog all your things as you pack

- Built-in bar code scanning and label-making

- Quickly identify what's missing and damaged as stuff is delivered

- Simplify insurance claims with value tracking, photos and damage reports

- Easy-to-print item labels include bar codes and to which room it belongs

- Print or Email reports directly from the app

- Fully integrated, contextual help guide

- No Internet connection required

Get the app here: Moving Day

 Paint My Place (iPhone)

Paint My Place is your design and editing DIY tool. Simply capture or upload a photo of any aspect of your property and decorate with the best paint colors in the World to create a magical effect!  The intuitive and responsive user interface makes Paint My Place easy and fun to use. The must have editing tool for everyone looking to remodel -  whether they own or rent their own house or commercial property, and in their professional capacity as painters, realtors, interior decorators and landscape designers.

The Paint My Place app has some wonderful features. Here are just a few highlights:

• Easy to use interface and slick design.
• Intuitive bucket fill tool to quickly slap on paint (‘unlocked’ version)
• Pre-loaded with thousands of digitally replicated paint colors from the world’s best brands (‘unlocked’ version).
• Share your ideas by downloading and emailing them to others.
• Share color schemes on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.
• Help feature ensures that you find the answer you need quickly.
• Add touch ups to roofing and fencing.
• Share exact paint color numbers with others for quick purchasing.

Get the app here: Paint my Place

 Around Me (Android/iPhone)

Hungry and looking for inspiration? Meeting friends at a bar close by? Or just need to find the closest ATM? AroundMe allows you to search for the nearest restaurants, banks, gas stations, book an hotel or find a movie schedule nearby.

So whether you’re home for the weekend, in New York for work, or vacationing in Seville, Nice, Milan or Tokyo, AroundMe provides simple access to local information. We’ve integrated the coolest Augmented Reality features and provide GPS-driven directions to your chosen destination. AroundMe is the most used local search application globally – and is available in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Japanese and Chinese.

Get the app here: Around Me

Realtor.com (Android/iPhone/Windows Phone)  

Ok, so this app isn’t really going to help you during your move, but it should've been the place you started the process!!

Here are just a few reasons why:

-Realtor.com listed as one of the best apps for house and apartment hunting - Apps Gone Free 2014

-Realtor.com named one of the best personal finance apps - Kiplinger's Best of Everything 2013

"Makes searching for homes with schooling in mind a little bit easier..." --James Zahn, The Rock Father

"Great schools in the area? Now you're talking a parent's language" --Terrence Gaines, PCMag.com

Why realtor.com®?

• 90% of listings updated every 15 minutes. All the rest updated at least once a day.

• Quickly swipe to see rich and detailed photos of real estate properties, apartments for rent and homes for rent that interest you.

• The only true search of homes for sale and rent by school or school district - make sure your next house is near your dream school!

• Property listing details now include property tax, sales history and more school information including ratings for each house.

• Draw your own custom search area right on the map!

• Search nearby schools, homes for sale, open homes, recently sold homes, apartments for rent, and houses for rent with just one tap.

• Use Area Scout to see results and average values update as you move.

• Stay updated on the true status of real estate and apartment listings, including foreclosures, just taken off market, and price-reduced homes for sale.

• Sign-in to save searches and listings. Access them again on your mobile phone or online at www.realtor.com.

Get the app here: Realtor

Those are a few of the great options out there. Please check my blog often for more tips to help make your real estate experiences better!