FOR LAS VEGAS REAL ESTATE MONDAYS SOLSTICE MARKS THE SPOT
Las Vegas’s week starts off with a celestial milestone. Our grade school teachers told us to call this point in the calendar a “solstice.” There are two each year, and this is the summer one. If there had been one of those models of the solar system in the room, the teacher would have used it to illustrate the way Earth’s orbit…well, here it always got a little complicated. Especially if the teacher started explaining the difference between a solstice and an equinox. An equinox happens when the day and night are the same length: each exactly 12 hours. Monday’s solstice: well, it’s more complicated… “Solstice” comes from Latin words for “the Sun” and “standing still”: it’s when the Sun’s position in the sky reaches as far north as it’s going to get. Up until then, every noontime, the sun kept creeping further and further northward. At the equinox, its progress stops cold. At noon the next day, it will reverse course. And keep dipping southward until the winter equinox… Anyway, for Las Vegas real estate, this week is even more significant than an equinox, because the summer solstice is also the first day of summer—and that is exactly the midpoint of what is traditionally real estate’s busiest time of year: the spring-summer selling season. Take a look at Las Vegas’s listings and you’ll see both the new ones that weren’t there in May and those that are now under contract: the multiple comings and goings are why this season is so productive. The same holds true just about everywhere else in the country, too; and with the start of summer came some additional welcome news (the kind of news that we had expected). First off, the Fed’s Janet Yellen confirmed that interest rates were not going to be going up yet. This was the opposite of what had been pre-announced in April, then backpedaled last month. May’s weak jobs report was the culprit (or hero, if you are lucky enough to be applying for a mortgage any time soon). So it may be merely a coincidence, but it does seem as if the Fed is observing its own kind of solstice. They’re not moving interest rates, no matter how much they’d like to. Rates are at a standstill. Maybe the Fed Governors will decide to take a break—get out of the office to enjoy summer like the rest of the nation… Meantime, home loan rates continue to be thrillingly inexpensive—a boon for Las Vegas real estate in all quarters. Buyers and sellers all benefit when monthly mortgage payments look the way they do now. So for this year at least, the solstice marks a great time to give me a call!
FOR LAS VEGAS HOMEOWNERS ENERGY SAVINGS COULD PAY TWICE
It’s been a welcome relief for Las Vegas homeowners as the Bad Old Days of the energy crisis recede from memory. $4+-a-gallon gasoline, huge electric, propane and fuel oil bills that were the subject of national outrage have faded from the headlines. We’re now busy attending to the current challenges of daily living—and OPEC’s machinations aren’t front and center! But for those Las Vegas homeowners more attuned to what’s likely to be headed our way sooner or later, now is as good a time as any to prepare for the next spate of energy price surprises. And there are many new products—some in development, some already on the market—that soon could put a serious dent in the damage tomorrow’s energy bills might wreak. Some of the interesting innovations: Bladeless Fans. These are already out there—the weird-looking magnifying-glass-shaped electric fans that suck hot air in through the base and push a steady stream of air out via an impeller. The no-blades design promises to make them safer, and eventually less of an energy-eater. Smart Thermostats. The best new ones connect to home systems and display how much energy is being used (and how much it’s costing). Being able to see the dollars and cents result of every temperature-setting decision, these “smart” thermostats can’t help but result in measurable energy savings. Flooring Upgrades. Who isn’t attracted to the warmth of hardwood floors? That never changes, but when it comes to the cost factor, they can’t match the energy savings of radiant heat. Unlike older versions of radiant flooring, the new products like Warmboard don’t require running tubes in concrete to circulate hot water. Radiant solutions were already 25% more efficient than forced air—the newer systems allow greater control and lower water temperatures. Sprinkler Controllers. Water bills can be eyebrow-raisers anytime—but if you’ve ever found yourself rushing outside during a rainstorm to figure out how to stop your automatic lawn sprinkling system from adding to the flood, that situation needn’t reoccur. The newest “smart” systems take weather, sprinkler type—even growing conditions—into account. As an extra, mobile apps allow you to supervise from afar. Solar Shingles. They’re not yet at the price point of traditional solar panels (who would have thought that bolt-on solar panels would ever become “traditional”?)—but they are quicker to install and have the advantage of maintaining the traditional rooflines. They are becoming the renewable energy solution with curb appeal! Investments in home renovations that give Las Vegas homeowners energy savings are investments that pay off twice: right now, as the monthly operating costs are realized; and later, when those advanced features make the property more attractive to buyers. If that “later” is also a time when a future energy crunch is on everybody’s minds, it can be an important selling feature. That would also be prime time to give me a call!
TOP 5 LAS VEGAS LISTING PHOTO MISFIRES YOU DONT SEE VERY OFTEN
One good way my clients get a head start from the word “go!” is the amount of attention their Henderson listing receives. Since that listing is by far the most prominent display piece their property will be presenting to the world of potential buyers, it has to be first-rate. The details must be presented in clear and unambiguous language, laid out with the information buyers consider important right at the top. Most important of all is how the data is illustrated. If there is ever a place where top-notch photography will pay off, this is it! That’s why it’s astonishing when you come across Henderson listings where the shots appear to have been taken with casual abandon. You seldom see those when a property is represented by a licensed agent—or if you do, it’s probably the result of a client’s sudden need to sell quickly—in which case the offending specimens are usually swiftly replaced by professional substitutes. What are the most common amateur photography slip-ups that can’t help but harm a property’s impact? Here are five that seem to lead the pack: 1. Flash. Even most smartphone cameras have a flash capability for dark scenes. The problems with that kind of a flash is that, since the light provided is right next to the lens, everything that’s illuminated looks flat—it erases the depth that shadows provide. Also, things that are closest to the camera are bright, those distant are darker—making for all the appeal of a crime scene photo. As if that weren’t enough, reflective objects like mirrors and glass reflect the glare of the flash. Professionals use multiple “slaved” flashes deflected off walls and ceilings—an entirely different matter! 2. Illumination. Most Henderson listings are more inviting when they serve to emphasize a property’s open, spacious qualities. There are exceptions, but most of the time that means bright and light. Rooms look their best when their natural light is only subtly augmented by additional photo lighting. Photo lights introduce unnatural shadows unless they are skillfully placed…but when that’s accomplished, the result is a bright, clean, color-balanced shot. 3. Selection. When a listing photo portrays an area that isn’t obvious—when a shot doesn’t “explain itself”—the result is confusion for the viewer. More than one or two close-ups of architectural details without a clear indication of where they are found don’t help tell the listing’s “story.” 4. Focal length. Most “normal” lenses aren’t well suited for listing photography. Wide angle shots are almost always more appropriate. They provide more information by showing a greater area—which also conveys a more spacious feeling. 5. Clutter. Experienced listing photographers know how the viewer’s eye is attracted to details which are out of place. The personal bric-a-brac that’s part of daily living can be a show-stopper in listing photography. Amateurs leave clutter in; professionals seek to remove it before every shot! A superb Henderson listing is one that features photos that tell a story beautifully and accurately. It’s really the opening act of a presentation which—hopefully—ends with a deed conveyed and front door key presented. I hope you’ll call me when it’s time to get your show on the road!
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