It’s Spring—Prime Time to Waylay North Las Vegas Property Damage

The birds are chirping, the flowers are blooming, noses are running (hopefully not yours)…spring has definitely arrived! It’s that time of year when, if you are lucky enough to own property here in North Las Vegas, to conduct the few simple maintenance operations that

1)      Are all too easy to overlook; and

2)      Are guaranteed to save you big money as time goes on. Sooooooo…

Clear those branches  

Termites are one of the nastiest little creatures on Earth. They can enter a North Las Vegas property undetected and immediately begin to munch through your home’s wooden underpinnings. Branches that lean up against a home provide the perfect pathway for termites and other creatures (the list includes squirrels, mice and spiders). Spring is the easiest time to trim those branches while leaves are just beginning to appear...right now the limbs probably look a lot like freeway off-ramps to all sorts of critters. Cut branches at least two feet clear of walls and roofs.

Inspect the Roof

They say that April showers bring May flowers - and the roof on a town property is the first defense against water. Once moisture becomes trapped inside walls, major problems are likely to accompany those flower. A visual inspection of your roof can catch weak spots and minimize potential damage. If it’s too dangerous to climb onto your roof, see how much you can do with a pair of binoculars from a good vantage point.

Clean and Repair Screens

Plan to keep your North Las Vegas property cool on summer nights? You’ll want the screens clean and free of build-ups which cloud your view and block breezes. To clean screens yourself, lay them on a flat surface and gently scrub with mildly soapy water. If holes have developed, a visit to one of our North Las Vegas hardware stores may be in order. 

Clean and Repair Decks

Any property in North Las Vegas with outdoor wooden surfaces like decks or swing sets will have been pummeled by the winter elements. Now is the perfect time to clean and repair them. Check for loose or missing boards, then use a pressure washer to clean the surfaces (but use a setting that doesn’t remove any paint). Rough sports can be tamed by sanding—at which point it may be time for a new coat of stain and sealer.

Taking on these small home maintenance tips in springtime saves time and money—and for some reason, it always just feels right after you’ve gotten those jobs squared away before summer. As always, I’m here to help my clients with all real estate concerns here in town–call me today if you’d like a complimentary area property pricing analysis!

Andrea Gonzalez, Realtor® "Your Dedicated Realtor for Life"Realty One Group
5550 Painted Mirage Rd, Las Vegas, Nevada 89149Serving: Summerlin, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas
Direct: 702.485.7887Search For A Home: Las Vegas Online Search

t is always an honor to assist Home Buyers and Sellers with their Las Vegas Real Estate needs. If you are searching for Las Vegas Real Estate Listings, then I urge you to utilize the valuable tools on my VERY USER FRIENDLY WEBSITE. Most important, Write, Phone or Text Me with any questions.

Schedule Ample Time for Your North Las Vegas Home Inspection

Congrats! Your offer has been accepted and you are officially in escrow. Now what?  Usually the first order of business is to arrange your North Las Vegas home inspection. When you were house hunting, you were weighing so many factors it was next to impossible to thoroughly examination of every nook and corner of every one of the serious contenders…in fact, it wasn’t necessary. But now that you’re moving forward to a purchase, you want to do more than kick the tires. It’s time to get under the hood!

Here is a taste of just some of the areas you and your inspector will be examining during your North Las Vegas home inspection:

Plumbing

You will be taking a close look at the tiles around the handles on the bath tub or shower. If they are a different color, it could indicate a plumbing problem. A look under the kitchen sink for stains beneath the pipes can also indicate leaks—something you’ll want to know more about from the seller.

Mold

HGTV’s home inspector Rick Yerger lists water as enemy #1. "Of the many homes I have inspected," he says, "water damage to the structure has been the most damaging and costly, causing foundation problems, rot and the dreaded mold."  He recommends close examination of exterior grade for sloping (or draining) back toward the home; stucco issues where they’re applicable, and roofing materials.

Inspect the Yard

If there is a yard on the property, take the time to do a thorough walkover. Look at the condition of the shrubs, grass and flowers. Check the irrigation, the lighting. You should also look closely at the fencing and gating: they can be expensive to repair.

Electricity

Exposed wires can result in a house fire or other devastating damage. Open splice wire (where wire is conjoined using only electrical tape and/or wire connectors) is a common do-it-yourself mistake often seen in attics, garages, and crawlspaces. Any issues found with the wiring should be corrected ASAP.

These are only a few of the many areas your North Las Vegas home inspection will cover, so when you are scheduling the day, don’t make other appointments that might rush the process. Of course you hope that everything will be found to be flawless, and if only minor problems are uncovered, the seller may simply volunteer to correct them. But if the home inspection reveals that a significant amount of work will have to be done to bring it up to an acceptable standard, you and your agent will probably be submitting additional terms reflecting the requirements. As always, if you’re looking for that agent—the one you will want by your side throughout the entire home-buying process—I hope you’ll give me the call!

 Andrea Gonzalez, Realtor® "Your Dedicated Realtor for Life"Realty One Group
5550 Painted Mirage Rd, Las Vegas, Nevada 89149Serving: Summerlin, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas
Direct: 702.485.7887Search For A Home: Las Vegas Online Search

Foreclosures in North Las Vegas Still Available for Careful Buyers

Despite the winter’s chilling effect on all sorts of sales, February saw single family homes, condominiums and townhomes selling nationwide at a full 7% increase over a year earlier. The opposite is true of foreclosures—no surprise, since the health of the market means fewer serious borrower delinquencies, hence fewer foreclosures.

Even so, North Las Vegas foreclosures are still available, possibly because some of the fiercest competition may be tailing off. Real estate watcher RealtyTrac finds that the institutional investor buying spree appears to be losing steam—which could be very good news for individuals interested in purchasing foreclosures.

Typically, North Las Vegas foreclosures are listed on an as-is basis -- and that means exactly what it says. Whatever is wrong with the property will remain unfixed. Unlike a traditional home sale where you can negotiate with the seller to fix problems or provide credits to counterbalance the expense to have them fixed, when you buy a foreclosed home as-is, that option isn’t available.

When you are up against time pressure to submit an offer, you do have other strategies. One is to hire a qualified home inspector to go over the property, then make your offer contingent on the results of the report. That allows you to know what you are getting into before you commit. If it turns out that the repairs needed are minor, you can choose to go forward with your purchase. If there are too many costly problems, or if there are an overabundance of unknowns, it might be in your best interest to pass. A contingency like this gives you the freedom to weigh your options carefully before you make your decision.

One other issue to keep in mind is the insurability factor. If you believe your offer represents good value even though the property has significant maintenance issues, remember that in most cases you will need to have a home insurance policy in place before you can close. Ask your insurance agent to check the property to determine whether it can be insured. If the first answer is no, you can still check with other companies—but keep in mind that in the world of foreclosures, this can become an insurmountable obstacle.

Buying foreclosures in North Las Vegas needn’t be overly risky when your approach includes careful evaluation of the target property. North Las Vegas foreclosures are still out there, and with care and patience, you should be able to find one that is right for you. Interested in discussing further? Contact me today!

Andrea Gonzalez, Realtor® "Your Dedicated Realtor for Life"Realty One Group
5550 Painted Mirage Rd, Las Vegas, Nevada 89149Serving: Summerlin, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas
Direct: 702.485.7887Search For A Home: Las Vegas Online Search



It is always an honor to assist Home Buyers and Sellers with their Las Vegas Real Estate needs. If you are searching for Las Vegas Real Estate Listings, then I urge you to utilize the valuable tools on my VERY USER FRIENDLY WEBSITE. Most important, Write, Phone or Text Me with any questions.