Selling Reno And Sparks Real Estate Blog

Reno Homeowners ~ Brighten Up To Help Sell Your Home

According to NBC's Today Show Real Estate Expert Barbara Corcoran, if homeowners brighten up their home with vibrant accent pieces such as pillows and throw rugs,  they could potentially attract new buyers to the home.

Although I do not always agree with some of the advice Barbara Corcoran offers Today Show viewers, I do think she is right on when it comes to making a few changes to your homes decor to help it show better.

In the video below, Barbara offer's some really great advice on ways home sellers could brighten up their living spaces. If you are having trouble getting an offer on your home you may want to consider taking down curtains, adding bright pillows to your bed or changing out any dark throw rugs and replace them with vibrant colors.

So what do you think? Do you think updating color is enough to get a your Reno Home Sold? Or will it sell with just a new kitchen, a few flowers around your entrance? What ideas to have that have helped sell your home in the past?

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and

Have you updated your LinkedIn profile page in a while? The post below is a great reminder to keep out profiles current and up to date so that Google will find them! There are a few easy ways to do this. 

Read below to find out how! Thanks Janis Borgueta, Realtor from Newburgh NY!

A Reed High School student is currently competing for $30,000 in cash prices as part of the "Art of Dairy" contest.

The seventh annual Lucerne "The Art Of Dairy" contest is now underway! By voting you could help make this local student's cow design "Legen-Dairy!"

The theme for this years contest was Red, White & Moo! Student artists from across the country were challenged to illustrate what American ingenuity means to them by incorporating Lucerne Dairy produces into their Artwork.  Anne Mueller is a Junior  at Reed High School in Sparks, NV.  and designed her cow with great American Heroes in mind. 

Thousands of entries were sent to Lucerne where nine finalists were chosen. Each student artist had to transfer his or her artwork onto a life-sized fiberglass cow. They are competing for the contests grand price of $20,000 that will be given to the schools art department, plus $5,000 each for the student and art teacher. 

You could help Anne will the grand prize by voting right now. Voting takes place now until May, 15, 2012. Vote as many times as you like and then tell all of your friends to vote as well! 

Winners will be announced May 31, 2012. 

Vote Here

You can also vote via mobile phone at the Safeway located in Sparks, NV on Vista Way where the cow is proudly on display (see above). Vote on the Safeway Facebook page at www.facebook.com/safeway.  

Congratulations and best of luck to Reed High School Student Anne Mueller! We are voting for you!!

If you or your children, your friends or anyone you know for that matter, is using social media, Myrl Jeffcoat wrote the post below to help remind us all that being careful is key to keeping our identities and our children safe while exploring social media.

Read below for a few quick reminders:

Happy Easter everyone!

If you live in Northern Nevada and are looking for some Easter fun, here is a list of a few of the areas Easter Egg Hunts:

Saturday, April 7^th:

9:30am-noon

Sparks Nazarene Church is holding an Easter Egg Hunt at Oppio Park by Sparks Middle School at 2355 18^th Street. There will be games, giant inflatables, refreshments and prizes. There will also be a drawing for a boy's and girl's bike with helmets. For more information, call 358-4066

Saturday, 10am:

Garden Shop Nursery is holding its second annual Easter Egg Hunt at 3636 Mayberry Drive in Reno. The Easter Bunny will arrive by fire truck at 9:30am. The first hunt starts at 10am. For kids up to 12 years old. The event will go on, rain or shine.

10am:

Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity will pair up with Children's Cabinet for their second annual Easter egg hunt at the Hilliard Plaza at the University of Nevada campus. Admission is free.

11am:

The Bridge Church is holding a free Community Easter Egg Dash at Idlewild Park, 1805 Idlewild Park in Reno. For kids preschool through 6^th grade. There will be games, prizes, bounce houses, candy and the Easter Bunny will also make an appearance. The Bridge Church will also hold a non-perishable food drive during the Dash. Food collected will be distributed to needy families in the community.

11am - 4pm:

The Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum is holding a traditional egg decorating lab for families free with regular admission. The museum is located at 490 south Center Street in downtown Reno.

Noon:

The Verdi Volunteer Fire Department is holding an Easter Egg Hunt at the Verdi Elementary School at 250 Bridge Street.

12:30pm:

Easter Egg Hunt scheduled in conjunction with Wolf Pack-San Jose State softball game at Hixson Park. Prices are $8 for adults and $5 for children and seniors. Pup Club members are free.

3pm-5pm:

Scheels is holding an Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt at its Sparks location at the Legends at Sparks Marina. Ages 4-12 are encouraged to participate. No registration is required. Meet at the Scavenger Hunt Headquarters at 1200 Scheels Drive.

Sunday, April 8^th:

9am:

Squaw Valley USA is holding its annual on-mountain Easter Egg hunt at the moment the lifts open on Easter Sunday. One person will find a golden egg, containing a 2012-2013 Adult Bronze season pass. Clues will be provided throughout the day on Twitter, the Squaw Valley smartphone app and Facebook.

10am – 4pm:

People can have their picture taken with the Easter Bunny in the Big Chair in The Village at Squaw with KT-22 in the background. The Big Chair will be set up in the Village Events Plaza next to Rocker@Squaw

Noon:

The Pleasant Valley Volunteer Fire Department is holding its annual family Easter Egg Hunt at the Washoe Lake State Park located at 4855 East Lake Blvd. Food and prizes.

Noon:

Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe is holding an Easter Egg hunt at its Main Lodge. Brunch will be offered from 8am-2pm at Winters Creek Lodge. $11.95 for adults and $8.95 for kids. Unlimited pass holders: $9.95 for adults and $6.75 for kids.

12:10pm-

The Reno Aces is holding an Easter Egg Hunt on the ballpark field for fans 12 and younger. Gates will open at the regular time, 12:05pm. (Aces play the Colorado Sky Sox at 1:05pm.) It's also Renown Children's Hospital Family Funday featuring baseball bingo. Cards can be picked up behind Section 105. Single game tickets start at $6. Ticket office: 775-334-7000.

1pm – 4pm

The Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum is holding a traditional egg decorating lab for families free with regular admission. The museum is located at 490 south Center Street in downtown Reno.

Happy Easter Everyone! Wishing you, and those you love, the blessings of a glorious Easter!

Lakerdige Shores Open House Event happening this weekend! 

March 18, 2012

1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Lakeridge Shores ~ established in 1971 ~  the only guarded and gated community in Reno, Nevada ~  is hosting a parade of homes listed for sale this weekend and you are invited to bring your pickiest clients or stop by to see why Lakeridge Shores  this is considered one of Reno's hidden Jewels!

Lakeridsge Shores boasts 270 custom homes and townhouses.  World renowned Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed golf course rises and falls throughout the prestigious homes located here. 

Lakeridge Shores is nestled around a 34 acre private fresh water lake with catch and release fishing, sailing, kayaking where only elected motors are permitted! The lake is a perfect place to practice your Stand Up Paddle-boarding before you head up to Lake Tahoe to show off your skills! 

Living in the lakefront community of Lakeridge Shores means you will have access to 19 acres of common area that includes a marina, manicured, lush, greenbelt, beach, picnic  and landscaped areas, tennis courts, jogging or walking for miles on Private roads! It's resort living in an area that is close to work, the airport, shopping, schools. 

The Lakeridge Shores Open House Event ~ This Sunday ~ March 18th ~ 1pm to 4pm. Come join us for this one-of-a-kind open house event happening in Reno!! Stop by 2850 Lakeridge Shores to say hello! I will be happy to give you a tour of the property! 

Looking forward to see you this weekend!

Thank you Carla for sharing your buyers experience with us in this post. Sellers who receive multiple offers or an offer within days of listing their home for sale often feel they priced it wrong. Here in Northern Nevada, inventory is so low yet we have buyers and their agents who looking daily for that perfect home. When new ones hit the market, they are ready to look and write offers!

Again, thanks ~Carla Muss-Jacobs - Exclusive Buyers Agent Portland | Portland Real Estate ~ for the post below:

I am so excited the Boys & Girls Club here in Northern Nevada is hosting a sporting goods drive this week. Many if us have school aged children involved in youth sports that seem to out grow their sports attire  rather quickly and we are left with relatively new, or gently used sports attire wondering what we should do with all of it. 

 This week we have a place to donate these items and know they will be dispersed to kids who will be happy to have them and who really need them.

The Boys and Girls Club of Truckee Meadows is hosting a sporting goods drive this week.

The Give Back Like Jack Food and Sporting Goods Drive is accepting nonperishable food items and sporting goods from noon to 6 p.m. today through Friday.

Collected food items will be donated to the Food Bank of Northern Nevada. Sporting goods will be distributed to agencies that serve children in transition.

The drive is held at the club’s Donald W. Reynolds Facility, 2680 E. Ninth St. Details: 775-331-3605.

The Washoe County School District estimates there are approximately 1800 children in Northern Nevada who are living in motels, homeless shelters, or at the Kids Cottage.

Homeless Liaisons with the Children in Transition program work closely with the school district to help identify children who are homeless and need assistance. By donating non perishable food items and sporting goods you will be those who really, really need them!!

The Boys & Girls Club if Truckee Meadows is holding a Sporting Goods Drive this week. Donation details, call 775-331-3605!

Sporting Goods Drive in Northern Nevada 

Why Use A REALTOR® When Buying A Reno Home?

If you are looking to buy a home, you should consider finding a local area REALTOR® who can help find homes for sale and help you with the preparation process of home buying. A licensed real estate agent can help understand everything you need to know about the home buying process, from beginning to end.

Here are a few things that are good to know when you use a real estate agent to help you buy a home:

1) in this area, there is no out-of-pocket cost to the Buyer when using a REALTOR® to help you buy a home. It is customary for the seller to pay their agents commission and the buyers agent commission as well. 

2) Buying Power ~ Prior to looking at any homes, your real estate agent will make sure you have already spoken to a lender to find out how much house you can afford. If you do not have a preferred lender, your agent can provide a list of local lenders to interview. Once you have chosen and met with the lender, you will receive a pre-qualification letter with information indicating the type of loan you will be getting and how much you are pre-approved to borrow.

3) Getting to know you ~ The next step in the home buying process is getting to meet your Realtor! This may sound a bit trite but it is just as important as meeting your lender. This is where you tell your new agent what you are looking for in a new home. Things like neighborhood, schools, parks, size of home, bedrooms, garages, backyard area all discussed now. Likes and dislikes are discussed.  Time frames, logistics, move out dates are REALTOR® talked about. Your agent will try to find as much information as possible so the home search can begin.

4) Home Resource Center ~ Your real estate agent now becomes your guide to local real estate listings. REALTOR® have many resources to assist you in your home search. Access to the Multiple Listing Service, constant communication with other REALTORS®  to find out what homes are coming on the market, who is getting ready to sell, Agent/Broker meetings. The real estate agent you choose should have the inside scoop on active listings in your community.

5) Scheduling Appointments ~ Your agent will preview homes, schedule appoints, talk to the selling agents, find out about current offers, time frames for sellers, why sellers are selling, what are the school zones, bus lines, neighborhood information. All the details can be handled by your buyers agents.

5) Your Dream Home ~ You found the home of your dreams and now you would like to submit an offer. Prior to writing an offer, you agent will do a comparative market analysis on recent home sales in the neighborhood to help you come in with the best price. Once your offer is submitted, your agent will be negotiation price, financing, terms, closing dates, inspections, repair costs, items such as appliances  or play structures that you would like stay with the home. 

6) Inspections and Closings ~ The purchase agreement will state the time frame for getting inspections performed and close of escrow. Your agent will schedule and attend all inspections and the closing. Making sure there are no title liens, getting HOA documents ordered are all part of the buyers agents job that will help your closing go smoothly.

The items above are just a small preview of what your Reno Buying Real Estate Agent can do for you when looking to buy are Reno home. If you need additional help in finding a lender, searching the web for homes listed for sale, or would like to meet with me to discuss the home buy process, please contact me, your Local Area Real Estate Specialist, I would be happy to hear form you!

My contact information is:

Terrie Leighton, REALTOR®
Ferrari-Lund Real Estate
775-846-5424
Terrie@terrieleighton.com