Erin Spicer

You probably know we are living in a #sellersmarket. But that doesn’t mean you should sell fast and leave money on the table when it comes to listing your house. You made an investment, and you should get top dollar when you sell. Buyers will pay a lot more, and you will get a lot more attraction to your listing when your home is #moveinready. A home Refreshed & Refurbished by Coldwell Banker Select Real Estate shows better and will sell faster, yielding a higher sales pric...e. You don’t have the time to work on your house neither do your potential buyers. They want homes that don’t need work. That’s where I come in. I’ll help secure up to a $30,000 loan (interest free!) to make your home show ready. I’ll contact my trusted network of professionals and coordinate the refurbishing process. You pay back the loan when your home sells. If you’re thinking of selling and your home needs to be Refreshed & Refurbished, contact me for the program details. Erin Spicer, REALTOR CA 01922203 | NV S.0175590 530-577-2100 | [email protected] Erin-Spicer.cbselectre.com http://selectrefreshandrefurbish.com #homesellers #homeimprovement #refurbish #investment #fixandflip #realestate #laketahoerealestate #sellsellsell #coldwellbanker #realtorsofinstagram #laketahoehomes #laketahoeliving #tahome #liveintahoe #lakelife #laketahoeofficial #realestateagent #realtor #sellersagent #listingagent #leaveyourmark #mountainliving #househunting #homesforsale

Here to help you shop and BUY homes with confidence!

RENTER'S INSURANCE CLASS Oct 12th at 10 am on Zoom Open to ALL! FREE! To register, go to: https://bit.ly/3zulpX0 Presenter: Erik Watada, State Farm Insurance... With the recent evacuations due to the Caldor Fire, it's clearer than ever that EVERYONE needs insurance, not just homeowners! Did you know that renters may file to receive financial assistance with evacuation expenses such as lodging and food/meals? This is in addition to protecting all of your personal belongings in the event of loss due to a catastrophic event like a wildfire. It could mean the difference between getting back on your feet and setting up a new home right away as opposed to having to rely on charity and assistance to replace clothing, shoes, housewares and furniture.

Are you a Buyer with FOMO? Or a hesitant Seller? Or a confident builder? Wondering why the market is so crazy? Here's a good recap and forecast of what's going on out there.

Related to my last post - here's the inventory curve as compared to the median price curve in South Tahoe. We are looking at typical supply and demand lines folks. Home prices are directly corelated to quantity of homes available. http://southtahoe.stats.10kresearch.com/infos/s-v1/qQ2b-DLx

That median price line just keeps going up! When will it stop? I know too many buyers who are priced out of the market and sellers are struggling to find replacement homes because of tight competition caused by low inventory. Crazy times call for a crazy market. http://southtahoe.stats.10kresearch.com/infos/s-v1/qQhq-9Z8

Just Listed! Great investment property, flip, second or first home! Call me to see it.

Is your kitchen ready for a smart makeover?

Open House, Tomorrow 2-5pm! It's walking distance to the beach so why not? www.720LosAngelesAvenue.C21.com

Despite a Winter slow down in sales and new inventory over last year, the median sales price continues to creep up. Sellers - get those homes ready, this Spring is a great time to sell!

Everyone wants to know when home prices will come down. Are we at the peak?...I keep getting asked. Here's one opinion that claims, yes. Good observations to back it up.

In the thick of fire season we can use as many reminders as possible to keep our loved ones safe. Including our pets! Here are some tips to keep your fur babies protected in a fire.

JUST LISTED in the beautiful Al Tahoe neighborhood. Steps to the lake! You think your home is smart? Check this out. http://demo.fortbriggs.com

Curious how rising interest rates affect mortgage payments and income requirements? Well here's a handy graphic to help you out!

C.A.R. is issuing an URGENT Call for Action THIS MORNING on tax reform. The Congressional Tax Reform proposal continues to be detrimental to real estate and rai...ses taxes on many middle-class homeowners. Even if you’ve already sent an email to your Member of Congress, please CALL them TODAY. REALTORS stop this attack on CA homeowners! Contact your Congressmember and stop the Homeowners Tax! Click here for more details and to contact your Representative http://bit.ly/2yaO6gH and please share this post. See more

Up up up we go!

Ever dreamed of a owning a vacation condo that is a hop, skip and jump away from Heavenly's CA base? A tasteful 2 bedroom condo just listed for $217,000 is available now! CalNeva Properties manages a very comparable condo in the same area that grosses $2000/month avg. as a vacation rental. If you want to cover your costs and have a second home in South Lake Tahoe, contact me today!

HOA dues holding you back from becoming a first time home owner? CA will provide qualified first time California home buyers up to six months of HOA dues, not to exceed $2,500. You must use a REALTOR to purchase your home so contact me for more details!

From trusted mortgage partner O'Dette Mortgage Group: As expected, the Fed hiked the Fed Funds rate by .25% today. As we’ve been educating our clients & Realtor partners for the past decade+, a Fed rate hike does not move mortgage rates in lock step, or even in the same direction, and market reaction today is a perfect example. Mortgage bonds are up, which lowers mortgage rates, after today’s Fed rate hike. The greatest drivers of bond prices, which determine mortgage ra...tes, is how fixed rate of return investment vehicles such as bonds stack up against inflation & alternative investment opportunities. The Fed’s inflation target is 2%, rates hikes/cuts are their primary tool to achieve this target. While the Fed often hikes rates in the same big picture economic environment (rising inflation) in which mortgage are long trending upward, yet short term reaction to Fed rate hikes is often bond friendly, as we have seen today. Looking ahead, the Fed is indicating the economy will warrant gradual rate hikes, and we’re expecting 2 more rate hikes in 2017. Bottom line, if you are are concerned mortgage rates tomorrow will be higher as a result of today’s rate hike they will not.

Prices are higher than they've been since Spring 2008! Values are hot, but inventory is low. It's a Seller's market folks, now is the time to list if you have been holding out. Contact me for a home valuation today.

Alright Gen X, what do you think? Do 74% of you think your IQ is higher than average? Lol, I do!

As if buying in NV didn't have enough benefits already...did you know that the NV Housing Division has been giving out FREE MONEY to home buyers to help with their down payment/closing costs since Nov 2014? We are talking about up to 5% of the home's value in FREE MONEY. As long as you make less than $95K, the home is less than $400K, and you have a 640+ credit score you can qualify. And to top that off with a cherry...if you are a first time home buyer (or haven't been in 3 yrs), you can get around $2000 of tax CREDIT (not deduction) ANNUALLY for the life of your loan. Seriously...this is amazing check it out. http://www.homeispossiblenv.org/

Crazy how much you have to make to live in the Bay! Home prices have far surpassed their pre-crash peak and this bubble has gotta burst at some point in the near future. Although Tahoe real estate is more affordable than the Bay, our median sales price has increased 67% since August of 2012! (Now $385K from $230K) This is nuts. It's great for those looking to sell but it is not realistic. I did a quick calculation of "how high your salary has to be to buy a house in South Lake Tahoe" and the answer is $84,000 (Household total. This assumes you buy a $385K property, 20% down or $77K, 4% APR, AND no debt). How can our tourism-industry workforce afford that???

July 4th in Lake Tahoe is the BEST! It's been a beautiful start to the summer, and the lake is back to its rim. Perfect for enjoying the sunshine and water with family and friends. Many properties are already booked but CalNeva Properties still has this gorgeous home available for the 4th of July weekend. Let me know if you'd like to book it!

A day in the life of a Realtor showing houses...took this pic yesterday morning. It's bear season people! Make sure to take precautions to keep these guys wild. They're out in full force. http://southtahoenow.com//bear-country-practice-proper-foo

Springtime is a great time to shop for a TAhome! I am getting tons of new listing notifications daily. Did you know that TahoeSouthREALTOR.com has a handy mortgage calculator? Quickly estimate your down payment and monthly mortgage payment with the click of a button!

Personally, my favorite evolution of the home is the lack of colorful shag carpets. What's yours?

The Property Brothers break it down; every Realtor does it; when you see these phrases in a listing, this it what they really mean: Artistic = weird colors and odd decoration Lots of potential = needs a complete overhaul Natural landscaping = no landscaping Convenient to shopping = on a busy street

South Lake Tahoe home prices in February continued to tick upward likely due to a downward trend in the number of homes for sale and new listings added. This is normal for winter but it's encouraging to see a 4% increase in the median sales price over February '15. Check out more details here:

Wow. Just got word from a trusted mortgage partner that home loan rates for a 30 yr. fixed loan have dropped yet again to just 3.5%. And down to 2.875% for a 15 yr. fixed! Get your 2015 taxes done and contact me about how to get pre-qualified to buy a home!

Proud to be featured on the Lake Tahoe Television Real Estate Show again! This time we are talking about 2 of Calneva Properties listings - a home AND a business opportunity. Check it out!

Well, 2015 ended strong with the highest Median sales price since before the recession! With winter upon us, Tahoe faces a typical, seasonal slow down with less homes for sale and less closed sales. This is a great time for home owners to start making improvements to ready their homes for a market introduction this spring. Call me to schedule a consultation today!

JUST LISTED in time to see during the holidays! This adorable, 2 bedroom home has been tastefully updated and is in a great location for Tahoe outdoor enthusiasts. Situated in Meyers, this home is just steps away from popular mountain bike trails. Only 10 minutes to Sierra and 30 minutes to Kirkwood! Would also make a great vacation rental home. Let me know if you'd like to see it!

Attention Entrepreneurs! Freddie Mac has loosened guidelines to allow for the possibility of only using 1 year tax returns for self employed borrowers. The 1 or 2 year requirement will be determined on a case by case basis looking at overall risk factors. Let me know if I can help you get pre-qualified.

Check out the current South Lake Tahoe real estate market trends on TahoeSouthREALTOR.com. Prices are leveling off after steady increases for the past 3 years. There were 76 home sales that closed last month, and 47 homes were added to the market for a total of 245 homes for sale. On average, homes in Tahoe South are taking about 100 days on the market to before an offer is accepted.

Are you in an affordability squeeze? Winter can be a great time to buy from seller's that need to lower prices on homes still on the market after summer. Let me find you a deal! #realestate #laketahoehomes #homeofyourdreams

Thinking of selling but need some work done first? Or maybe you just bought a fixer-upper and need a qualified contractor. Make sure to follow these steps when working with contractors, to ensure your job gets done the way you want it, on time, and for the right price.

Just reduced by $15,000 and wide open showing availability! Call me today to see it! 530-544-2757

Curious about the South Lake Tahoe real estate market? Check out my interactive graphs with current and historical data. The median sales price has remained steady at $345K since July, and homes are selling faster with an average of 62 days on the market - down from 81 in July.

It's simple economics - as prices go up, demand goes down. In real estate, this means homes are starting to stay on the market longer allowing buyers to take more time shopping. However, the Bay Area markets (San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose) are still moving homes like crazy and top the chart as the top 3 fastest moving housing markets in America.

Experience the beauty of Lake Tahoe from your computer screen. What more reason do you need to visit this magical place? Great footage AerialOne Digital Studios!

Do you know your credit score? Best to find out in case you ever wish to buy property. There are things you can do now to improve your score that will help getting a loan much easier in the future. It only takes a few minutes to get a free report online!

Check out my featured listing on the Lake Tahoe Television Real Estate Show! I am here to answer any questions you may have or schedule a showing.

July stats show a strong market in South Lake Tahoe. Increased median sales price and solid inventory are good signs for both buyers and sellers! If you are looking for a home or would like a home valuation please contact me today.

After today's City Council meeting it was decided that effective Sept.1, vacation home rental applicants will have a much more extensive application process including home inspections and notification to neighbors of the potential permit.

See it while it's vacant for the next two days! This home is a very successful vacation rental and it's our busy season so showing availability is hard to come by. If you can't make it tomorrow or Thursday please inquire for the next available times. This is a 3900 sq ft home listed for $699,500 - That's 30% lower per square foot than all the other listings in this neighborhood.

It amazes me how far off Zestimates can be. Always make sure to trust a local REALTOR when it comes to valuating your home. Use the Zestimate as a starting point in pricing discussions. I am here to help! For an accurate home valuation in South Lake Tahoe, visit TahoeSouthREALTOR.com and click Home Valuation.

Congrats to my husband on his new website! Check it out if you are in need of legal services.

Open House TODAY July 1st, 2-5pm! Stop by on your way into town (turn right on Elks Club Dr. off Hwy 50). Refresh your thirst with some cold lemonade and check out this massive vacation home for sale.

"The bay area market is now the hottest in the country, and prices have sky-rocketed past their pre-crisis peak."

Open House today 11am-2pm! Stop by for some fresh fruit and lemonade.

RED ALERT: Vacation Rental Program at Risk! The City of South Lake Tahoe will be considering a serious limitation to its Vacation Home Rental (VHR) program on Tuesday, June 16th. Not only will this effect property values and impact REALTORS - but it will have far reaching long term ripple effects on our local economy. City staff and Council members are not convinced that this is the case and it is vital that they hear from the local business community, and not just REALTORS and Property Managers. Make sure your voice is heard!

This study shows that homeowners on average overestimate the value of their properties by about 8%. This is becoming very apparent - as prices rise, so does seller confidence. The article states, "Other than the obvious emotional attachments that color our perceptions of our homes, where do we tend to err when it comes to estimating value? Top of the list: unrealistic expectations about how much the improvements you've made to the house will add to its resale value."

Credit score myths debunked in one handy infographic :-)

Curious about the South Lake Tahoe real estate market? Check out the May stats on TahoeSouthREALTOR.com!

The summer vacation season is upon us and visitors are booking their Lake Tahoe trips like crazy! If you own a second home in South Lake Tahoe, contact me today to see how much money you can make off your home without doing any work - I'll take care of the hard stuff!

Here's an update on where we are at with the changes to the Vacation Home Rental Ordinance in South Lake Tahoe: The South Lake Tahoe City Council voted on April 21st to: 1) limit occupancy to two people in a studio, four in a one-bedroom, and then two per bedroom plus four others for two-bedroom and larger places; 2) have two ordinances one dealing with vacation rentals in neighborhoods, one for those in tourist areas; ... 3) enforce no noise after 10pm (including jets must be turned off in hot tubs); 4) not to address individual room rentals in a residence; 5) To fine renters and owners who violate the ordinance, with the fourth infraction in a 12-month period resulting in revocation of the VHR permit; 6) To hire people for more and better enforcement. STILL TO COME: Consideration of a new VHR Permit Process The City will consider a revision to its process, likely to be brought before City Council some time in June, to have FUTURE VHR permit applicants follow a process similar to getting a special use permit, which would include notifying neighbors of the desire to use the structure as a vacation rental. PLEASE NOTE: This has not passed or been implemented yet. CITY COLLECTING OPINIONS ON VACATION HOME RENTAL PROGRAM The City of South Lake Tahoe has a new method of collecting public input on items coming before the Council. - making it easier for people to weigh in and make suggestions. - Staff will use public input to draft recommendations. - City Council will have link to collect public votes. All of this will provide City Council more opportunities to collect feedback. Here’s the link to the VHR Forum. Please submit your thoughts! http://speakupslt.org/forums

Spring has sprung and the Tahoe real estate market is waking up from Winter! See the latest stats here. April median sales price is up 7% from 2014 at $348,000. There were 107 new listings, 49 closed sales, and 288 total homes for sale in last month.

Home staging research shows that buyers are more likely to walk through a staged home they find online, and are willing to offer more than a non-staged home. If the median cost to stage is $675, and you can recoup a minimum of 1% of the sales price, you will break even on a $67,500 home. With South Lake Tahoe’s median sales price at $348,000 home staging is a no brainer!

Check out this issue of my Housing Trends eNewsletter for a look a the national real estate market. Get a community report, find out your home's value, and search for properties all in one place!

Many people are shocked when I tell them their home remodels will not recoup the entire cost in a sale. Well, except maybe for a new front door (doors are cheap). BUT, upgrades and remodels WILL make your home show better and sell faster, which will save you months of mortgage payments and home expenses. Since all the items on this list recoup at least 77% of their costs, the verdict is that upgrading before selling IS a good idea.

Happy Tax Day! Getting a refund this year? As tempting as all the tax day sales are - how about saving it for the down payment on your first home? :-)

66% of Millennials prefer suburban living to city living. Where do you live and what do you prefer? Personally, I'm pretty happy in Tahoe suburbia after a 2 year stint in SF.

I attended the SLT City Council meeting yesterday morning and heard many sides to this story. Most agree that the City should take better steps to enforce the current code rather than impose more regulations. In order to accomplish this, VHR permit fees and fines will increase. While some issues regarding noise, trash, and occupancy were voted on, the most concerning issue that remains on the table is a proposed moratorium that could last up to 2 years on new VHR permits so that the City can evaluate the overall impact of vacation home rentals. As a resident, owner or visitor - how do you feel about these changes?

The March MLS data is showing signs of market recovery from a slow winter. Sellers: The median sales price is up $86,000 from 2 years ago. Buyers: The number of new listings is up 43% from March last year with a total of 106 new properties added just last month. Check it out for yourself!

Here is your March Housing Trends eNewsletter with information on what is happening nationally in real estate. Also included are articles and tips for anyone considering home ownership. Check it out!

Are you one of the 66% of Millennials who is unaware of closing costs in a real estate transaction? Closing costs can total 2-5% of the sales price so you need that much more cash on top of your down payment to close. Costs include: escrow and title fees, title insurance, lender fees, appraisals, inspections, transfer and recording fees, notary fees, prorated property taxes and utilities...just to name a few.

Getting a home loan can be a confusing and challenging process for first time home buyers, but if you know what to expect before your first contact with a mortgage broker, you will be much better prepared to start your home search.