Chance Gates' Blog

By Dan Serra

RISMEDIA, September 28, 2010–(MCT)–Life is full of emotions, but fear can hurt the most. It is strong enough to change a whole community and way of life. And when it comes to money, it’s no different. Fear controls the pocketbook, and too often it gets in the way of financial success.

There are three ways fear can grip an investor.

First, there is the fear of losing money. Many people choose safe investments because they don’t want to lose money by taking a risk with stocks. Taking this approach can eliminate that fear, but in the long term it hurts the pocketbook. The safer those investments, the lower the investment gain. Then when inflation goes up 3 percent, the safe investment earning 2 percent does not provide enough to pay the higher costs, and the money runs out sooner.

Second, there is the fear of not gaining money. This type of fear is more common in younger investors. They worry what they are doing will not provide enough profit to improve their lifestyle. Younger investors often like to compare investment returns. They fear they will not gain enough to outdo a friend and therefore they would not have enough to spend on luxuries. These investors want to make a lot of money by being greedy, investing in high-risk stocks or in a new business. This fear can end up hurting if the extra risk leads to big losses. Investments that have the best potential for gain often carry the biggest potential for loss.

Third, there is the fear of running out of money. Everyone has this fear, either by spending too much or outliving a retirement stash. An income may vanish, or an investment may fail. This fear can result in damaging frugality. This fear can be overcome by saving as much as possible while young to build an adequate retirement fund and sticking to a budget to cut out unneeded expenses.

Properly diversifying those savings can improve the chances of increasing that pot. This also can eliminate the fear of losing money, because enough was saved to afford a loss, and the fear of not gaining money, because the longer it is invested properly, the more gain is possible.

Take a look at your fears and determine what action — saving more, diversifying risk or sticking to a budget — you need to take to make money less fearful.

As a Reno/Sparks real estate professional, I encourage all questions and comments on the Reno/Sparks real estate market or any of the articles posted in this blog. Please feel free to use my back door to the MLS and search the houses available in the Reno/Sparks and most of Northwest Nevada neighborhoods. I can be reached by email @ chance at ballard-company.com or  http://www.myspace.com/chancegates .  You can also follow me at http://www.twitter.com/chancegates

America is the most grandiose experiment the world has seen, but, I am afraid, it is not going to be a success.

Analogies, it is true, decide nothing, but they can make one feel more at home.

Analysis does not set out to make pathological reactions impossible, but to give the patient’s ego freedom to decide one way or another.

Being entirely honest with oneself is a good exercise.

Children are completely egoistic; they feel their needs intensely and strive ruthlessly to satisfy them.

Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.

Civilized society is perpetually menaced with disintegration through this primary hostility of men towards one another.

Dreams are often most profound when they seem the most crazy.

Every normal person, in fact, is only normal on the average. His ego approximates to that of the psychotic in some part or other and to a greater or lesser extent.

Everywhere I go I find that a poet has been there before me.

Flowers are restful to look at. They have neither emotions nor conflicts.

As a Reno/Sparks real estate professional, I encourage all questions and comments on the Reno/Sparks real estate market or any of the articles posted in this blog. Please feel free to use my back door to the MLS and search the houses available in the Reno/Sparks and most of Northwest Nevada neighborhoods. I can be reached by email @ chance at ballard-company.com or  http://www.myspace.com/chancegates .  You can also follow me at http://www.twitter.com/chancegates

Housing starts rose 10.5 percent in August to an annual rate of 598,000 homes, the most since April, the Commerce Department announced Monday.

Housing starts were up 2.2 percent in August compared to the same month last year, while permits decreased 6.7 percent.

Construction of single-family houses rose 4.3 percent to a 438,000 annual rate after declining 6.7 percent in July.

Construction of multi-family homes increased 32 percent to an annual pace of 160,000.

Housing starts increased 7 percent in the South, 34.3 percent in the West, and 21.7 percent in the Midwest. Starts fell 24.3 percent in the Northeast.

As a Reno/Sparks real estate professional, I encourage all questions and comments on the Reno/Sparks real estate market or any of the articles posted in this blog. Please feel free to use my back door to the MLS and search the houses available in the Reno/Sparks and most of Northwest Nevada neighborhoods. I can be reached by email @ chance at ballard-company.com or  http://www.myspace.com/chancegates .  You can also follow me at http://www.twitter.com/chancegates
Source: Bloomberg, Courtney Schlisserman (09/21/2010)

An Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM) is a mortgage that credits a home’s energy efficiency in the mortgage itself. EEMs give borrowers the opportunity to finance cost-effective, energy-saving measures as part of a single mortgage and stretch debt-to-income qualifying ratios on loans thereby allowing borrowers to qualify for a larger loan amount and a better, more energy-efficient home.

To get an EEM a borrower typically has to have a home energy rater conduct a home energy rating before financing is approved. This rating verifies for the lender that the home is energy-efficient.

EEMs are typically used to purchase a new home that is already energy efficient such as an ENERGY STAR qualified home. The term EEM is commonly used to refer to all types of energy mortgages including Energy Improvement Mortgages (EIMs), which are used to purchase existing homes that will have energy efficiency improvements made to them. EIMs allow borrowers to include the cost of energy-efficiency improvements to an existing home in the mortgage without increasing the down payment. EIMs allow the borrower to use the money saved in utility bills to finance energy improvements. Both EEMs and EIMs typically require a home energy rating to provide the lender with the estimated monthly energy savings and the value of the energy efficiency measures — known as the Energy Savings Value.

EEMs (and EIMs) are sponsored by federally insured mortgage programs (FHA and VA) and the conventional secondary mortgage market (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac). Lenders can offer conventional EEMs, FHA EEMs, or VA EEMs.

Conventional Energy Efficient Mortgages

Conventional EEMs can be offered by lenders who sell their loans to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Conventional EEMs increase the purchasing power of buying an energy efficient home by allowing the lender to increase the borrower’s income by a dollar amount equal to the estimated energy savings. The Fannie Mae loan also adjusts the value of the home to reflect the value of the energy efficiency measures. For more information about Fannie Mae’s EEM you can call 1-800-7FANNIE (732-6643). Visit Fannie Mae’s web site to find a Fannie Mae-approved lender in your state. A PowerPoint presentation is available with more information about Freddie Mac’s EEM .

FHA Energy Efficient Mortgages

The mortgage loan amount for an FHA EEM can be increased by the cost of effective energy improvements. The maximum amount of the portion of the EEM for energy efficient improvements is the lesser of 5% of:

• the value of the property, or
• 115% of the median area price of a single family dwelling, or
• 150% of the conforming Freddie Mac limit.

For more information on FHA EEM loan limits refer to FHA Mortgagee Letter 2009-18. No additional down payment is required, and the FHA loan limits won’t interfere with the process of obtaining the EEM. FHA EEMs are available for site-built as well as for manufactured homes. Applications for an FHA EEM may be submitted to the local HUD Field Office through an FHA-approved lending institution. HUD has a searchable list of approved lenders . Information about the FHA EEM can be found on FHA’s web site . Additional information is available from HUD’s Office of Single Family Housing by calling (800) 569-4287. There is also a fact sheet about FHA’s EEM (70KB). The Systems Building Research Alliance website has information about FHA EEMs for ENERGY STAR qualified manufactured homes.

VA Energy Efficient Mortgages

The Veteran’s Administration (VA) EEM is available to qualified military personnel, reservists and veterans for energy improvements when purchasing an existing home. The VA EEM caps energy improvements at $3,000–$6,000. Borrowers should ask their lender about a VA EEM at the beginning of the lending process. More information about VA EEMs can be obtained from the Web site for the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs or by calling (800) 827-1000. Chapter 7 of VA Pamphlet 26-7 (Revised) (1.5MB) contains lender guidance on the VA EEM.

To learn more about EEMs contact Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the FHA or the VA. Additional information about writing energy-efficient mortgages can be found on the Web sites for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) .

ENERGY STAR Mortgages

An ENERGY STAR mortgage pilot program is underway to demonstrate that financing can be a useful tool for enhancing the success of investing in energy-efficient homes by lowering borrowing costs, as well as demonstrating the importance of utilizing a network of qualified energy auditors and contractors to ensure that cost-effective energy efficiency improvements are realized.

By incorporating the costs of energy efficiency improvements into the loan itself, an ENERGY STAR mortgage allows borrowers to pay for those investments over the life of their loan and deduct the interest from their federal and state income taxes. One of the key benefits of an ENERGY STAR mortgage is that a borrower can finance and make energy-saving improvements to their homes without paying more for financing than they would for a typical mortgage. Participating lenders also offer borrowers an additional financial benefit above and beyond the value of the home energy savings, such as discounted mortgage rates, reduced loan fees, or assistance with closing costs.

Read more at http://www.energystar.gov

As a Reno/Sparks real estate professional, I encourage all questions and comments on the Reno/Sparks real estate market or any of the articles posted in this blog. Please feel free to use my back door to the MLS and search the houses available in the Reno/Sparks and most of Northwest Nevada neighborhoods. I can be reached by email @ chance at ballard-company.com or  http://www.myspace.com/chancegates .  You can also follow me at http://www.twitter.com/chancegates

A survey by Fannie Mae shows that 70 percent of Americans believe it is a good time to buy a home.

That is up from 64 percent in January 2010.

Still, 33 percent–up from 30 percent in January–say they’ll rent next time around.

About 67 percent believe housing is a safe investment, down from 83 percent of people questioned in a similar survey in 2003.

Source: Reuters News (09/16/2010)

As a Reno/Sparks real estate professional, I encourage all questions and comments on the Reno/Sparks real estate market or any of the articles posted in this blog. Please feel free to use my back door to the MLS and search the houses available in the Reno/Sparks and most of Northwest Nevada neighborhoods. I can be reached by email @ chance at ballard-company.com or  http://www.myspace.com/chancegates .  You can also follow me at http://www.twitter.com/chancegates

Aim for the highest.

All honor’s wounds are self-inflicted.

And while the law of competition may be sometimes hard for the individual, it is best for the race, because it ensures the survival of the fittest in every department.

As I grow older, I pay less attention to what men say. I just watch what they do.

Concentration is my motto – first honesty, then industry, then concentration.

Do not look for approval except for the consciousness of doing your best.

Do your duty and a little more and the future will take care of itself.

Every act you have ever performed since the day you were born was performed because you wanted something.

I resolved to stop accumulating and begin the infinitely more serious and difficult task of wise distribution.

No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself or get all the credit for doing it.

People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity, no matter how impressive their other talents.

The ‘morality of compromise’ sounds contradictory. Compromise is usually a sign of weakness, or an admission of defeat. Strong men don’t compromise, it is said, and principles should never be compromised.

As a Reno/Sparks real estate professional, I encourage all questions and comments on the Reno/Sparks real estate market or any of the articles posted in this blog. Please feel free to use my back door to the MLS and search the houses available in the Reno/Sparks and most of Northwest Nevada neighborhoods. I can be reached by email @ chance at ballard-company.com or  http://www.myspace.com/chancegates .  You can also follow me at http://www.twitter.com/chancegates

For those who are looking to do some upgrades to your kitchen here is what is trendy now.
Counter tops: Stainless steel, antiqued marble, lava stone, wood, concrete, mosaics and flamed granite with a textured, matte finish.

Cabinetry: Fewer overhead cabinets. Lift-up or sliding doors, self-closing drawers, glass-fronted cabinets and glass shelving, tracks inside doors for attaching storage accessories, pantires with multiple storage options. Fresh finishes, from smooth, high-gloss and matte lacquer, to textured, horizontal-grain laminates.

Appliances: Free-standing accent pieces and fully-integrated designs that blend with cabinets. Fridges with more crisper space, less freezer space; combination gas/electric ranges; designer range hoods; super-quiet dishwashers; specialty sink faucets; luxury items such as warmer drawers for coffee mugs.

Lighting: Combinations of soft incandescent, bright halogen and cool, energy-efficient LED bulbs.

Colors: Warm neutrals such as walnut, slate, sand, greige, celadon and magnolia.

Architectural elements: Wall niches and bump-outs for housing coffee machines, juicers, dinnerware, herbs, spices and collectibles.

(c) 2010, The Orlando Sentinel (Fla.).
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

As a Reno/Sparks real estate professional, I encourage all questions and comments on the Reno/Sparks real estate market or any of the articles posted in this blog.  Please feel free to use my back door to the MLS and search the houses available in  Reno/Sparks and most of Northwest Nevada neighborhoods.  I can be reached by email @  chance at ballard-company.com or  http://www.myspace.com/chancegates you can also follow me at http://www.twitter.com/chancegates

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Wednesday, September 22
2:00p 7:00p Vendors open at the Reno Events Center and Victorian Ave in Sparks and at Reno
Harley-Davidson, 2315 Market Street, Reno
24 hours
Free VIP Parking in the Eldorado parking garage, 4th floor, Sierra St. entrance
Free controlled outdoor motorcycle parking at the Terrible’s Sands Regency
Free VIP parking in the Circus Circus north parking garage off Sierra St.
9:00a 6:00p Reno Harley-Davidson – Motorcycle Sales and Service

12:00p 6:00p VIP participant check at Atlantis Hotel Casino, second floor
12:00p 8:00p Official Event Registration Downtown Reno Ballroom – corner of 4th and Center St.
2:00p 8:00p Big Rig Row at Victorian Square in Sparks
2:00p 5:45p Nevada Hazzurd at the Nugget outdoor main stage in Sparks
2:15p 6:45p Blues Monsters at Roy Boy’s Roadhouse at the Circus Circus/Silver Legacy Plaza
2:30p 7:00p Jason King Band at the outdoor Eldorado Plaza in Reno
2:45p Eldorado Hotel Casino presents Monte Perlin’s Globe-O-Cross Stunt Show and Bike
Games. Shows also at 4:45p and 6:45p
8:00p
Harrah’s Reno Hotel Casino presents our “Welcome to Reno” VIP Party* – Harrah’s Reno
Outdoor Events Plaza. Entertainment by “Zepparella”, a Led Zeppelin Tribute band direct from
San Francisco. Coors Light on tap.
8:00p Silver Legacy Miss Reno Harley-Davidson® 2010 & Miss Coors Light 2010 Swimsuit and
Chaps Contest in the Silver Baron Lounge. Winners receive $1,000 each.
Street Vibrations Fall Rally 2010 Events Schedule
Thursday, September 23
2:00p 7:00p Vendors open at the Reno Events Center and Victorian Ave in Sparks and at Reno Harley-
Davidson, 2315 Market Street, Reno
10:00a Closing Free VIP parking on Virginia Street (Reno), Victorian Ave (Sparks) and “E” St. (Virginia City) (free
for paid participants, $10 for general public)
24 hours
Free VIP Parking in the Eldorado parking garage, 4th floor, Sierra St. entrance
Free controlled outdoor motorcycle parking at the Terrible’s Sands Regency
Free VIP parking in the Circus Circus north parking garage off Sierra St.
8:00a 7:00p Reno Harley-Davidson – Motorcycle Sales and Service
Bands: Jason King Band – 1pm to 5pm
Coors Beer Garden
H.O.G. Pin Stop
Biker Babe Dunk Tank – 11am to 5pm
9:00a 7:00p Official Event Registration Downtown Reno Ballroom – corner of 4th and Center St.
9:00a 9:00p Bike Coral – Buy and sell your bikes at the Reno Events Center
10:00a 8:00p Big Rig Row at Victorian Square in Sparks
10:00a 6:00p Virginia City Silverland Inn & Suites vendors open for business, VIP bike parking on the “E”
Street. Coors Beer, music and lots of food, beverage and official t-shirts
10:00a 6:00p Virginia City Creamery & Firehouse Pizza open for business on “C” Street. Coors Beer, food,
beverage and official t-shirts
10:00a 5:00p Poker run sponsored by Rail City Casino* Form in registration packet. Start between 10:00a &
11:00a. Finish by 5:00p
10:00a 8:00p America’s Finest Custom Bike Builders Invitational, Silver Legacy Silver Baron Ballroom -
Free
10:00a 12:00a Tattoo Expo, Downtown Reno Events Center (corner of 4th and Center Street) sponsored by
Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum
10:15a 2:00p Blues Monsters Band Roy Boy’s Roadhouse at the Circus Circus/Silver Legacy Plaza
11:30a 2:15p Rippin Band Nugget Outdoor Main Stage in Sparks
11:30a 3:30p Poker Walk* – Form in registration packet
Noon 3:45p Nevada Hazzurd Band at Eldorado Outdoor Special Events Plaza
12:45p Eldorado Hotel Casino presents Monte Perlin’s Globe-O-Cross Stunt Show and Bike Games.
Shows also at 3:00p and 6:45p
3:00p 6:45p Audioboxx at Roy Boy’s Roadhouse at the Circus Circus/Silver Legacy Plaza
3:15p 6:00p Best of Times Band at Nugget Outdoor Main Stage in Sparks
4:45p 6:45p Easy Rider Band at Eldorado Outdoor Special Events Plaza
7:00p 9:00p Skynnyn Lynnyrd Band at Nugget Outdoor Main Stage in Sparks
8:00p Shane Dwight Band at Harrah’s Outdoor Plaza
8:00p Foghat – Legendary Southern rock band at the Atlantis Casino
9:00p Lee Rocker of the Stray Cats at the Grande Exposition Hall at the Silver Legacy Casino
Street Vibrations Fall Rally 2010 Events Schedule
Friday, September 24
2:00p 7:00p Vendors open at the Reno Events Center and Victorian Ave in Sparks and at Reno
Harley-Davidson, 2315 Market Street, Reno
24 hours
Free VIP Parking in the Eldorado parking garage, 4th floor, Sierra St. entrance
Free controlled outdoor motorcycle parking at the Terrible’s Sands Regency
Free VIP parking in the Circus Circus north parking garage off Sierra St.
10:00a Closing Free VIP parking on Virginia Street (Reno), Victorian Ave (Sparks) and “E” St. (Virginia City)
(free for paid participants, $10 for general public)
8:00a 7:00p Reno Harley-Davidson – Motorcycle Sales and Service
Bands: Idol Hands – 10am to 1:30pm / Boogie Daddys – 2:30pm to 6:30pm
Coors Beer Garden
H.O.G. Pin Stop
Biker Babe Dunk Tank – 11am to 5pm
9:00p 7:00p Official Event Registration Downtown Reno Ballroom – corner of 4th and Center St.
9:00a 9:00p Bike Coral – Buy and sell your bikes at the Reno Events Center
10:00a 8:00p Big Rig Row at Victorian Square in Sparks
10:00a 8:00p America’s Finest Custom Bike Builders Invitational, Silver Legacy Silver Baron Ballroom -
Free
10:00a 6:00p Virginia City Silverland Inn & Suites vendors open for business, VIP bike parking on the “E”
Street. Coors Beer, music and lots of food, beverage and official t-shirts
10:00a 6:00p Virginia City Creamery & Firehouse Pizza open for business on “C” Street. Coors Beer, food,
beverage and official t-shirts
10:00a 12:00a Tattoo Expo, Downtown Reno Events Center (corner of 4th and Center Street) sponsored by
Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum
10:00a 6:00p Poker Run sponsored by the Blue Agave Restaurant* Form in registration packet. Start
between 10:00a & 11:00a. Finish by 6:00p
10:30a 1:15p New Indifference Band Nugget Outdoor Main Stage in Sparks
11:00a Left of Centre Harrah’s Outdoor Plaza
11:00a 2:45p The Blues Monsters Band Eldorado Outdoor Plaza
11:15a 3:00p Best of Times Band Roy Boy’s Roadhouse at the Circus Circus/Silver Legacy Plaza
11:30a 3:30p Poker Walk* – Form in registration packet.
2:15p 6:00p Rippin Band Nugget Outdoor Main Stage in Sparks
12:45p Eldorado Hotel Casino presents Monte Perlin’s Globe-O-Cross Stunt Show and Bike
Games. Shows also at 3:00p and 6:45p
3:45p 6:45p Skynnyn Lynnyrd Band at Eldorado Outdoor Plaza
4:00p 7:00p Bikerornot Meet ‘N Greet at Eldorado Outdoor Plaza
4:00p 7:00p Rockin’ Down the Highway Band Roy Boy’s Roadhouse at the Circus Circus/Silver Legacy
Plaza
4:00p Buddy Emmer Band Harrah’s Outdoor Plaza
4:00p 8:00p Ride Vibes Competition – Best Bike Sound System* – Downtown Reno Events Center
5:00p 7:00p KOZZ Radio Live Remote with Smith & McClain at the Nugget Outdoor Main Stage in Sparks
7:00p 9:00p Easy Rider Band Nugget Outdoor Main Stage in Sparks
8:00p Original Kiss Army (Kiss Tribute) Harrah’s Outdoor Plaza
8:00p Wet t-shirt contest at the Sands Regency – $250 cash prize
8:00p Los Lobos – American Chicano rock band at the Grande Exposition Hall at the Silver Legacy
8:30p Silver Legacy presents a Spectacular Fireworks Display at 4th and Virginia Streets
Street Vibrations Fall Rally 2010 Events Schedule
Saturday, September 25
2:00p 7:00p Vendors open at the Reno Events Center and Victorian Ave in Sparks and at Reno
Harley-Davidson, 2315 Market Street, Reno
24 hours
Free VIP Parking in the Eldorado parking garage, 4th floor, Sierra St. entrance
Free controlled outdoor motorcycle parking at the Terrible’s Sands Regency
Free VIP parking in the Circus Circus north parking garage off Sierra St.
7:00a 7:00p Reno Harley-Davidson – Motorcycle Sales and Service
Bands: Redshift – 10am to 2pm / Aversion Therapy – 2:30pm to 6:30pm
Coors Beer Garden
H.O.G. Pin Stop
Biker Babe Dunk Tank – 11am to 5pm
Cathouse Poker Run – Register at the main Reno H-D store from 9am to 2pm
Lots of Vendors
9:00a 7:00p Registration/VIP Check-in Downtown Reno Ballroom – corner of 4th and Center St.
9:00a 9:00p Bike Coral – Buy and sell your bikes at the Reno Events Center
10:00a 8:00p Big Rig Row at Victorian Square in Sparks
10:00a 7:00p Free VIP parking on Virginia Street (Reno), Victorian Ave (Sparks) and “E” St. (Virginia City)
(free for paid participants, $10 for general public)
10:00a 6:00p Virginia City Silverland Inn & Suites vendors open for business, VIP bike parking on the “E”
Street. Coors Beer, music and lots of food, beverage and official t-shirts
10:00a 6:00p Virginia City Creamery & Firehouse Pizza open for business on “C” Street. Coors Beer, food,
beverage and official t-shirts
10:00a 6:00p Poker Run – form in registration packet. Start between 10:00a and 11:00a, finish by 6:00p
10:00a 8:00p America’s Finest Custom Bike Builders Invitational, Silver Legacy Silver Baron Ballroom -
Free
10:00a 12:00a Tattoo Expo, Downtown Reno Events Center (corner of 4th and Center Street) sponsored by
Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum
10:30a 1:15p Scarlet Presence Nugget Outdoor Main Stage
Noon 3:45p Jason King Band at Eldorado Outdoor Plaza
11:30a 2:30a Poker Walk* – Form in registration packet
12:15p 4:00p Boogie Daddys Roy Boy’s Roadhouse at the Circus Circus/Silver Legacy Plaza
12:45p Eldorado Hotel Casino presents Monte Perlin’s Globe-O-Cross Stunt Show and Bike
Games. Shows also at 3:00p and 6:45p
2:15p 6:00p Best of Times Nugget Outdoor Main Stage
4:45p 6:45p Audioboxx Eldorado Outdoor Plaza
5:00p 7:00p Blues Monsters Roy Boy’s Roadhouse at the Circus Circus/Silver Legacy Plaza
4:00p 8:00p Competition Ride-In Show* Downtown Reno Events Center
7:00p 9:00p Easy Rider Nugget Outdoor Main Stage
7:00p 10:00p Battle Born Derby Demons Roller Derby. Live music, food, half time show and beer garden.
Admission, $10.00. Bring the kids and a lawn chair.
8:00p Eldorado Hotel Casino Bike Giveaway – Win a Harley Fat Boy Softtail
8:00p Cheech and Chong – Dave’s not here at the Grande Exposition Hall at the Silver Legacy
9:00p Three Dog Night concert at John Ascuaga’s Nugget, $50. Doors open at 8:00p
9:00p 9:30p Controlled Burn Fire Dancers
11:00p Arlen Ness custom motorcycle giveaway at John Ascuaga’s Nugget. Arlen will be signing
autographs at 6p in the hotel lobby
Street Vibrations Fall Rally 2010 Events Schedule
Sunday, September 26
2:00p 7:00p Vendors open at the Reno Events Center and Victorian Ave in Sparks and at Reno
Harley-Davidson, 2315 Market Street, Reno
24 hours
Free VIP Parking in the Eldorado parking garage, 4th floor, Sierra St. entrance
Free controlled outdoor motorcycle parking at the Terrible’s Sands Regency
Free VIP parking in the Circus Circus north parking garage off Sierra St.
10:00a Closing Free VIP parking on Virginia Street (Reno), Victorian Ave (Sparks) and “E” St. (Virginia City)
(free for paid participants, $10 for general public)
8:00a 5:00p Reno Harley-Davidson – Motorcycle Sales and Service
Silver Legacy Store hours: 9am to 5pm
Food Court: Cheese Burger Island Style – Breakfast & Lunch
Baskin Robbins & Big Water Corn Roasters
Lots of Vendors
9:00a 9:45a CMA (Christian Motorcycle Association) service with live music and message. Nugget outdoor
main stage
10:00a 6:00p Big Rig Row at Victorian Square in Sparks
10:00a 6:00p Virginia City Silverland Inn & Suites vendors open for business, VIP bike parking on the “E”
Street. Coors Beer, music and lots of food and beverage
10:00a 6:00p Virginia City Creamery & Firehouse Pizza open for business on “C” Street. Coors Beer, food,
beverage and official t-shirts
10:00a 3:00p America’s Finest Custom Bike Builders Invitational, Silver Legacy Silver Baron Ballroom -
Free
10:00a 3:00p Tattoo Expo, Downtown Reno Events Center (corner of 4th and Center Street) sponsored by
Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum
2:00p 5:45p Rick Hammond Nugget Outdoor Stage, Sparks
2:15p 6:45p Nevada Hazzurd Roy Boy’s Roadhouse at the Circus Circus/Silver Legacy
2:30p 7:00p Jason King Band at Eldorado Outdoor Plaza
12:45p Eldorado Hotel Casino presents Monte Perlin’s Globe-O-Cross Stunt Show and Bike
Games. Shows also at 3:00p and 4:45p
3:00p Silver Legacy Bike Giveaway – Join us for our 2010 Harley-Davidson FXDL Dyna Low Rider
Giveaway!

* For registered participants only

As a Reno/Sparks real estate professional, I encourage all questions and comments on the Reno/Sparks real estate market or any of the articles posted in this blog. Please feel free to use my back door to the MLS and search the houses available in the Reno/Sparks and most of Northwest Nevada neighborhoods. I can be reached by email @ chance at ballard-company.com or  http://www.myspace.com/chancegates .  You can also follow me at http://www.twitter.com/chancegates

This information is deemed reliable but not gaurenteed.

In the local Reno/ Sparks real estate market, it takes more than painting and trimming the bushes to get noticed, to stand out, to make your home memorable.

1. Have your agent post ads  online listing sites: The more the better, I would recommend over 200 different sites at least to start.  Remember more than 80% of new buyers will start their new home search online.

2. Have a Toll Free Number: The main reason for this is so prospective buyers can get information on your house without having to talk to anyone.  It is important to remember that people love to buy things but hate having something sold to them.

3. If you or your agent are hosting an open house, be sure to serve light snacks and hand out something that attendees will remember. You want something that will be a positive reminder of your home—seasonal gifts are the perfect way to stay top of mind. Be sure to at least have pens and key chains with your agent’s name and contact information on them.

4. Create an informational flyer with all the local conveniences you can find: shopping, schools, universities, hospitals, malls, restaurants, gas stations and attractions in the area, in addition to local police and fire stations, even school bus pick up locations. Assume your open house attendees don’t know the neighborhood.

5. Hand out information pertaining to your home as well as information on the other listed properties in the area showing that your house is the best value.

6. Do some staging to make sure your home looks its best.

7. Be sure to offer incentives. Some examples include a Lowe’s gift card, paying for a year’s worth of yard care or a free session with a landscape architect, offering a $1,000 landscape allowance, paying for a years worth of homeowners fees…

8. Paint the garage floor (concrete paint). Making the garage look fresh and clean will make the whole house feel newer. Plus scrub out any oil stains that may be in the driveway.

9. Send letters to all the neighbors inviting them to “pick their neighbor,” and be sure to include information about your home and the open house. Give them an incentive to talk about your home with other individuals in their sphere of influence. (i.e. a $200 gift card if they find your buyer).

10. Put up signs in your front yard and be sure to hang up as many directional signs as the neighborhood allows. Also be sure your sign always has informational  fliers telling prospecting buyers about your house.

11. Have your agent create a video of your home and put the virtual tour on the Web. Make sure this is done by a professional with the right equipment so the screen does not bounce up and down.

As a Reno/Sparks real estate professional, I encourage all questions and comments on the Reno/Sparks real estate market or any of the articles posted in this blog. Please feel free to use my back door to the MLS and search the houses available in the Reno/Sparks and most Northwest Nevada neighborhoods. I can be reached by email @ chance@ballard-company.com or  http://www.myspace.com/chancegates .  You can also follow me at http://www.twitter.com/chancegates .  If you are behind on your house payment and looking for a loan modification, go to making homes affordable to request a modification.  If the modification fails, contact your local real estate professional to help short sale your home.  To make sure there is no deficiency judgment a homeowner might find it necessary to hire an attorney.

Nevadawolfpack.com reports

Coming off a 51-6 thumping of Colorado State, the Nevada football team stays home at Mackay Stadium for one of the most anticipated games of the year as Cal comes to Mackay Stadium Friday night for a showdown on ESPN 2 … Nevada is receiving votes in both national polls this week … Cal is receiving votes in the AP poll and the Bears are ranked 24th in the USA Today Coaches Top 25 … This is the first-ever visit by Cal to Mackay Stadium … The Bears lead the all-time series 22-1-1, with the last meeting being a 33-15 Cal win in Berkeley in 1996, which was the first meeting between the teams since 1934 … The all-time series record does not include years in the early 20th century when the teams competed in rugby instead of football … Nevada is off to a 2-0 start for the first time since 1995 …Nevada’s best start came in 1991 when the Pack won 12 in a row before falling to Youngstown State in the I-AA playoffs … This is the second of five scheduled national TV appearances for Nevada this season … The Wolf Pack returns 15 starters from last year’s team that went 8-5 overall and 7-1 (second place) in Western Athletic Conference play … Included among the returners are six All-WAC players, including a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in senior quarterback Colin Kaepernick and senior running back Vai Taua, as well as the reigning WAC Defensive Player of the Year, senior defensive end Dontay Moch … Overall, Nevada returns nine starters on offense as the Wolf Pack led the nation in rushing in 2009 …

As a Reno/Sparks real estate professional, I encourage all questions and comments on the Reno/Sparks real estate market or any of the articles posted in this blog. Please feel free to use my back door to the MLS and search the houses available in the Reno/Sparks and most of Northwest Nevada neighborhoods. I can be reached by email @ chance at ballard-company.com or http://www.myspace.com/chancegates