April 20, 2018

If you look at our website Resources tab there is a map of Lake Shastina and there are a lot of areas colored green such as the two golf courses and Zen Mountain. The smaller green ones are future mini-parks, pieces owned by the homeowner association, and some connecting walkways.

The color signals something other than grass however. The story I heard was that when the Lake Shastina development was first proposed, consideration had to be given to the fact that the area was within the winter range of a deer herd that lived around Miller Mountain, just east of us and south of Goosenest, a few miles west of Grass Lake.

We call it mitigating now and I was surprised to learn it was a functioning concept in the 1970’s. More interesting because the Lake Shastina development was all ranch land where deer from all over are free to mix with the cattle during winter weather forage months.

But there it is and here they still are. All over our yards here in Lake Shastina. So accustomed to us are they that some would eat out of your had were you foolish enough to try that. It is not just illegal to feed them it is hugely dangerous. Wild as they are, by definition they are unpredictable and will flash a sharp hoof at you with absolutely no forewarning whatsoever. I have also seen people put out salt blocks for them to lick which is bad too because it lures the animals into our personal space and leading them to get even more used to us.

It is magnitudes worse with fawns who, while their moms are off browsing, can sometimes be found curled up resting. It’s almost the mother-bear-with-cubs story when the doe sees a human trying to befriend her baby. Just don’t do it.

Our 25 mph speed limit here has something to do with all the wildlife that lives here and a local police officer once told me that an average of one deer each day collides with a car, resulting usually in the animal’s death and costly damage to the vehicle.

Bruce

 

 

April 19, 2018

If you drive in from eye 5 through the delightful hamlet of Edgewood (which you should), you will pass an unusual haystack of firewood. It belongs to a man named Gary who is a local legend here. He can’t seem to quit sawing firewood (mostly lodgepole pine) but on the other hand, does not actively sell it, either. So why?

He has row after row of split wood so neatly stacked on pallets that you can see it on Google Earth. His 77 year old cutting buddy Gene explained to me today that Gary is just a little obsessive about it and tends to “go all out” when it comes to collecting.

I have no yardstick but there must be over a hundred cords just sitting there ( a cord is 4 X 4 X 8 feet or about a generous pickup full). We ourselves burn about 5 to 6 cords each winter depending so that would last me twenty plus years.

Gary doesn’t sell the wood unless he likes you or has sold to you before so I can’t give you his last name, address, or telephone. Just Google the property and go see Gene.

Oh, two tips I picked up when I was there: 1) one of Gary’s tenants just up the road sells madrone, a very dense hardwood that is good for your overnight fire and 2) if you can split it yourself you should buy firewood in rounds because your man can get more on the truck and it costs less per cord because he will go cut and drop it off with you, no return and unload at his place to split. Less handling and hauling.

Bruce

 

 And why is it capitalized inside the sentence? A small point few sellers or buyers know but which means a lot to those of us in the real estate profession. You only get to capitalize it if you subscribe to and practice the ethics promulgated by our national association.

Really? you might say. Who would notice or care?

Well, you should.

Repeated surveys to rank consumer confidence and trust put realtors (no capital) right up there with used car salesmen. And sadly there have been far too many incidents where a realtor not only did not perform their sworn fiduciary duty but actually violated it with outright criminal acts. Two right here in Siskiyou county lost their licenses in recent years for embezzlement and fraud.

Does anyone remember Eric Estrada who starred on the TV series “CHIPS”? He sidelines as the pitchman for a swarmy real estate company that swept through Lake Shastina years ago buying up lots and then reselling them for multiple times what they paid for them. One I saw they bought for $1,000 and re-sold for $45,000!

The company looks all over for land that seems undervalued and ripe for development and swoop in with briefcases full of cash money to buy. Then, advertising in metro areas with big populations of Hispanics and Asians, they advertise those “Don’t Miss Out!” kinds of once-in-a-lifetime-chance ads. They even bussed people up here, put them up in motels, fed them, and then drove them around Lake Shastina.

So far so good (except for not disclosing real market value to the sellers), but it gets worse. People who read and speak English as their second language get slammed with heavy sales pitches and buy, usually having this same company finance the purchase. Any buyer savvy enough to ask for sale comps is shown THEIR sale comps, not the $1,500 market values. “You bet!! Look here, the one we sold right next to yours went for $50,000!”

Yes, of course many of these sales fell through and the lots were taken back to be sold yet again. There were several of these take back and sell cycles. Today there are still lot owners here sitting on $40,000 lots that are worth $2,000.

So yes, the capital R is important.

Bruce

 

 

April 18, 2018

With the internet (Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com, etc.) people wanting to list their home for sale are almost overwhelmed with data . . . national and regional sales statistics, economic housing forecasts, even how many ‘hits’ their listing is getting on the web.

This isn’t all good. Stressing out over why the home didn’t get a good offer in the first week may be misreading the reality of the real estate market. Especially the local one.

“Down Below” where homes list for a million and more, people line up to BID, usually over the asking price.

But this is Siskiyou County. There is very little tech industry here. Very little industry at all, actually. Homes and salaries are far, far below the metro areas.

But today’s seller sees the ‘down below’ picture because we are maybe too well informed. “What’s wrong with my home?” we hear a lot. It’s a personal thing of the most emotional type. We Realtors do a lot of counseling and not just financial. There’s nothing ‘wrong’ with your home, you’ve done a wonderful job and enjoyed it for all these years.

A few curb appeal things? Sure. But stay with things that show . . . light rooms (put something bright red in the furthest corner to pull the eye and make the room look larger). Fresh paint on the front door. Flowers out front. Lights on in ALL rooms (including closets, pantries, etc.).

It’s easy to spend money hoping it will come back in the sale but history disputes this. Housing statistics show that 70% of every dollar is the best you can hope to come back home in your sale price. Translated that says I’m going to invest 30% of everything I spend just to ATTRACT a buyer. That’s why the brightness thing above. Light bulbs are cheap.

Bruce

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 17, 2018

   I’m not sure if this analogy holds up, but if you are looking to buy a home you have all the choices in the world. Kind of like a trout cruising a stream looking for a suitable meal. Looks flashy, let’s go take a closer look. Maybe it doesn’t smell just right. Doesn’t come up to scratch for looks, either.  So the you pass.

Meanwhile here is the seller of that house there on shore casting out the best lure he has. Dress it up, skitter it around on the surface (internet). Who’s biting? Get a nibble? Tweak the line a bit but if it doesn’t set (a showing), try another part of the river. Switch lures (drop the price, offer incentives, etc.).

It’s eerie how much real estate is like hunting and fishing.

Bruce