Move over Florida

There are a couple of news worthy items today that are worth discussing. One is about a new coal power plant You can click on the link and read the story but I have to agree why use an ancient technology that will foul our enviornment here that does not even provide power for us. They can not build it in California, because the regulations won't allow it. I agree use modern Technology wind or geothermal instead of polluting coal. The other story is about the growth of retirees here. I especially love the coment that you can still find affordable housing in the $300,000 range. That is affordable to someone coming from California. The no State Tax is one of the things that brought me here but let us keep in mind that us older folks require services and if you want people to provide those services you will need to do one of 2 things. Provide a much higher wage for those workers and keep cost of living within reason for them. Average workerat a Casino, fire dept., teacher cannot afford the $300,000 houses. Do not turn this into another Calfornia. Retiree's are going to Utah too but alas no job there for Old Army..... YET! End of Rant!!!

A state of growth
Steve Timko

Nevada will be the fastest-growing state between 2000 and 2030 and its senior citizen population could more than triple, according to estimates made public today.
While Nevada’s population is projected to increase 114 percent in that 30-year span, its population of people 65 years old and older is expected to increase 264 percent, also the highest in the nation, the U. S. Census Bureau said.
It’s a combination of people who live in Nevada growing old and people retiring here that contribute to the expected increase, State Demographer Jeff Hardcastle said.
Job opportunities have been spurring Nevada’s growth for more than a decade, Hardcastle said.
“So they end up aging in place,” Hardcastle said.
But many people also are selling their homes in California and moving to Nevada because it is more affordable, Hardcastle said.
“California is just such a big population base that any out-migration from there tends to affect the whole West,” he said.
Stan Pedersen of San Jose was looking at homes Wednesday at Sierra Canyon by Del Webb at Somerset. Pedersen said he and his wife are ready to move and could make the Reno area their new home by the end of the year.
“It’s becoming cost-prohibitive down there,” Pedersen said. “Everything is outrageous.”
Plus, he sees a better quality of life in Nevada.
“Traffic is getting to the point where a normal Sunday drive is stress-filled,” Pedersen said.
“You can still buy something in the 300s ($300,000 range) that are really very nice,” Pedersen said. “Price is a major attraction here.”
Cost was a major reason Cary Dyer moved to Dayton from the San Francisco area about 18 months ago.
Dyer bought 30 acres of land that overlooks Dayton Valley and that’s where he’s building his 6,000-square-foot Well of Worship Church. Dyer is pastor of the new church. He’ll start construction “as soon as I can get permits approved by the county,” Dyer said. “I hope by the end of the summer, anyway.”
It’s only by moving to a place such as Dayton that Dyer could afford to buy the land on which to build the church and live on his retirement income while he builds church membership, Dyer said.
He lived in Antioch, Calif., for 39 years, but it wasn’t for him anymore.
“Too big. Too crowded. Too much gridlock,” Dyer said.
Vince Riccabona and his wife, Nora, sold their home in Santa Cruz, Calif., and moved to Wingfield Springs in Sparks in 2001. Riccabona is retired from law enforcement and is a regular at Redhawk Golf Course. Nora Riccabona is still working, he said.
Just about all of their friends are people who moved to Nevada from California, Riccabona said.
“The big thing is no state income tax, so people who are selling (their homes) and retiring don’t have to worry about that,” Riccabona said. “They just pay federal tax.”
Riccabona said they chose the area also because of the outdoor recreation activities available. They can be skiing in an hour instead of the four- to six-hour drives they faced in Santa Cruz.
Marketing studies show recreation, jobs and the lack of an income tax are major reasons many people are moving to the Reno area, said Judy Bennett, director of public and community affairs for Del Webb that’s building Sierra Canyon.
“We have known for a good while that Nevada would be a top destination for baby boomer retirees,” Bennett said.
Of about 242 Del Webb sales in the area, 94 were to people already living in Nevada, Bennett said. The rest were mostly from California, with Placer and Nevada counties as the top counties of origin, she said.
The area needs to start planning now for the increasing senior population, said community activist Bertha Mullins.
Mullins was on the original board of directors that built the Washoe County Senior Citizen Center and also helped establish the community health center that has clients including senior citizens.
As the population ages there will be special needs for food, shelter and medical care, said Mullins, who works as assistant vice president and community development officer for Wells Fargo Bank.
With the Senior Citizens Center, seniors who are able to get around will have a place to eat, Mullins said. There’s a Meals on Wheels to deliver food to those unable to get around, Mullins said. That is a program that will need to be expanded, she said.
Mullins also named two senior citizen housing projects that opened recently and a third that just had a ground-breaking.
“There’s been more affordable senior citizen housing being built,” Mullins said. “I think we’re trying to keep up with that need.”
She had more concerns about medical needs. Many senior citizens are on fixed incomes and already their income is not keeping up with increases in the medicine costs, Mullins said. Groups are focusing on meeting the medical needs of a growing senior population, Mullins said.
“We’re all living longer because of the better quality of life that many have been able to enjoy,” Mullins said. “You don’t want to wait until the crisis. The time is now to plan for new facilities and to begin implementing those plans.”
Despite the huge growth in its senior population, Nevada will still be a relatively young state in 2030, according to Census Bureau estimates. An estimated 18.6 percent of Nevada’s population will be 65 or older in 2030, the bureau estimates. That compares with the national average of 19.7 percent.


Copyright © 2005 The Reno Gazette-Journal

Local Realtors ride the wave of a hot market!

Here is an article from the local paper. The problem is that there is usually a offer on the property before the house goes on the market. Maybe once the new housing here gets built it will get better, but I doubt it. By the time that happens interest rates will be higher making housing un affordable unless you have $50,000 or more to put down on the house. Also because much of the well water here, unless you have city water, is not up to EPA standards, you can not buy VA. So much for the buying a house here. I did come from the Mid West and it looks like people retiring from California will Ruin the housing Market in Nevada much like they did in Oregon.

Local Realtors ride the wave of a hot market
JOSH JOHNSON, jjohnson@lahontanvalleynews.com
April 16, 2005

Smokin', red hot. That's how Fallon-area Realtors describe the real estate market during the first quarter of 2005.But along with brisk home sales, potential home buyers are facing rising costs and a limited inventory of available property.
"It is so hot that there is nothing to sell," said Bobbi McDonald, a realtor for LL Realty.
The day-to-day housing inventory is so tight there's often very few home available, she said. McDonald has placed houses on a computer database and within an hour and a half offers have started to pour in.
Local real estate statistics reflect an active market with rising prices.
Between Jan. 1 and March 18, the 78 local Realtors completed 47 residential transactions of stick-built homes on 1.99 acres or less, according to information provided by Bob Getto, the Fallon-area multiple listing service director.
The average price of those homes was $163,659.
The most expensive home sold for $335,000, while the least expensive was $50,000.
Potential home buyers should watch the market closely and jump on property which suits their needs, McDonald said. "If they see something they want, they can't wait, they can't hesitate," she said. "If not, there's three or four people behind them." The first quarter of the year could've been even busier if not for cold, wet weather hampering construction of area subdivisions during the winter months, said Mike Berney, owner of Berney Realty, Ltd. Rental costs may also be on the rise, he said. Investment properties like apartment complexes are a hot local commodity, which are selling for more recently than in the past, he said. The expense could be passed on to the renter. Local home buyers seem unfazed by higher home costs, but it's a different story for out-of-area customers, he said." People coming in sometimes are amazed at what are prices are," Berney said. "But they're usually not from the West, but often the Midwest. For them, it's a sticker shock. "There's no sign of stopping for the Fallon real estate market, said Getto, a realtor with Prudential Ferguson and Getto, Inc. "I don't see any relief at all for buyers coming to Fallon in 2005," he said. "It looks like for a buyer needing affordable housing in Fallon, it's not going to be any better."The bulk of the buyers are from California or the Las Vegas area, Getto said, where higher prices make Fallon's market look appealing.
Market demand is creating inflation with selling prices of 1 to 2 percent over appraisal not uncommon, he said. Home seekers should seek prequalification for financing before placing an offer, which puts them on par with cash buyers. "You need to pay attention to the market daily," Getto said. "If something's on the market that fits your needs, you don't have time to think. You'd better buy."

More of the same old whine

Well, have been looking for a house for over a month now and nothing. There was a 3 BDM that was the right size and price but when I called I was told "Oh, that house had an excepted offer before we even advertised it!" WTF! If you had a buyer why bother advertising it. The way gas prices are I can not afford to live outside of town. Am I doomed to be a renter till I get moved into the old folks home??? I really find this strange and it seems to be just here as even Reno has stuff available. All that is available is out of my current price range and in my opinion over priced. There should be no way a mobile home on an acre or less that is 5+ years old should cost $285,000. The average wage earned by someone in this town is under $50,000 a year. I don't think that many California retirees want to move to Fallon Nevada, but wouldn't be the first time I was wrong. Ok I'm off the soap box.

Housing

Ok it has been a while but not much happens in my everyday life that I need to blog on. I must mention the passing of the Holy Father "John Paul the Great" This is the 5th Pope in my lifetime and has been the most beloved. There are no words that have not all ready been written. He did keep the Church on a steady course and helped to bridge the animosity between different Religions.

Now let us talk about how hard it is to buy a decent house in this town. I looked at 3 houses last week one was a little big, on the upper end of the price range. I walked in the house which had been vacant for a while . First thing I noticed was an oder, then the early 1960's carpet, the walls that were screaming "Paint me". the next two houses had very poorly done garage conversions and one I believe was a safty hazard if a person had kids. On Saturday evening I went out and looked at the Real Estate Web Site There was a 2 Bedroom, 2 bath at a reasonable price. Sunday morning we drove by the location. Very nice looking from the outside. Early Monday I e-mailed my realator and asked to be shown the place. She found out several things, the house had been on the market 4 days, and there were already 4 bidders on the house with at least one over the asking price. Fair enough it was a nice house and reasonabley priced and I might be willing to offer a lot more than what they were asking but I can not see the house they are not showing it any more. Well such is life, this is the 2nd time that has happened. With the prices of the new houses being over $165,000 and not being on city water (arsenic in well water) it may be a long time before I find a house.