Last week I wrote about why you should move to Montreux, and what I love about living in Reno, Nevada.

This week I want to talk about Montreux specifically. Montreux is not like any other community in Northern Nevada. It is a private golf course community, with what I consider the most beautiful homes in Nevada.

I feel so proud to be a luxury real estate agent who specializes in Montreux real estate. Every day I get to show prospects around this wonderful community. I see people enjoying where they live, kids and parents alike having fun at the pool and park, people out playing golf on our magnificent course. Loving life.

If you're reading this, you're in the market for a home. If beautiful architecture, security, playing golf on the only Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course in Northern Nevada, enjoying the pool and food at Jack's Den, finding friends who share the same life views as you are important, then Montreux is for you.

There are so many wonderful things about Montreux and Northern Nevada just waiting for you to discover! If you would like to schedule a tour of Montreux, please fill out my contact form by clicking here.

Click the link if you want to watch a video about the Montreux Golf and Country Club.

I look forward to seeing you soon.

I show property every week to buyers from all over the country... many of them from California. As a luxury real estate agent in Reno Nevada, I get asked a lot about what it's like to live in Reno.

There is no simple answer, because there are so many things I love about living in Reno.

Let me first start by saying that I have lived in a few places in my life. I went to college at CU in Boulder Colorado. I really enjoyed my time in Boulder, I love the mountains and enjoy the outdoor lifestyle. After college, I spent some time in Mexico, then Brazil. Both countries are very beautiful and offer many enjoyable things to do.

After Brazil, I moved to San Francisco where I worked in the advertising industry. San Francisco is a wonderful city, with many opportunities to pursue whatever it is you like. I really enjoyed SF, but knew it was not a place to live permanently.

I was born and raised in Genoa Nevada. I grew-up chasing lizards, running free, and buying candy at the Genoa store with money I had made selling lemonade. I always knew I wanted to come back and live in Nevada. Sure enough, after living and working in San Francisco for a few years, I moved back to Nevada. I have been in Reno Nevada ever since.

What do I love about living in Reno Nevada? (Yup, this is a question I get from almost all buyers looking at Montreux real estate).

I love having 4 distinct seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. Every season brings so much joy. I love the "smell" of Fall. October is my favorite month! Not cold enough for a jacket, not warm enough for a swim suit. The leaves changing in the Sierra's, Nevada Day Parade, Halloween, football... just some of the things I love about Fall.

Winter is great in Reno. I love skiing! I know I can drive to Squaw Valley in 45 minutes from my garage to the Squaw parking lot. I know I can drive to Mt. Rose in 20 minutes. I have the best skiing in North America right in my backyard!

Spring is fantastic too because just when I've had enough of Winter, my tulips start sprouting from the ground and the Montreux golf course is ready for play!

Summer is a great season in Reno as well. One of my favorite things to do in Summer is go to the Montreux pool with my husband and two daughters. There is a heated kid pool and a large regular pool that is perfect for me to do laps and stay in-shape. We also go to Lake Tahoe every week. Sand Harbor is a short 30 minute drive from my house. My family and I love relaxing on the beach!

I said at the start, there are so many things I love about living in Reno, 4 distinct seasons is just one. I'll take some time in the coming weeks to tell you about the many wonderful things I love about Nevada. Stay tuned!

Also, if you're starting your internet research, and found my website, take the extra step and come see me at Montreux. The pictures on my site tell a good story... but there is so much more, see for yourself!

Go to my contact page, and we'll set-up a time to visit.

Summer is in full swing at Montreux and everyone is loving it! If there is ever a time to come and see "the jewel of the Sierra", it's right now. The course is green and the flowers and trees are in full bloom. The word must be catching on because the traffic at our Welcome Center has tripled in the last month. The activity is fantastic!

Recent Montreux Sales
The summer momentum continues with four closings since our last update: two Montreux homes and two Montreux homesites have closed.

6638 Gebser (custom home) - 4,555 SF $800,000 sold price
20540 Latour (a Les Maisons model) - 3,268 SF $1,150,000 sold price
#918 De Chardin (custom homesite) - $120,000 sold price
#720 Gauguin (Renaissance homesite)- $85,000 sold price

The Reno-Tahoe Open -- July 12th-18th!
The Reno-Tahoe Open is back at Montreux! We are proud to announce some great PGA TOUR professionals have committed to play in the 2010 Reno-Tahoe Open, occurring July 12 - July 18 at Montreux Golf and Country Club.

Click here to view a complete listing of the athletes you will see at the west coast's only summer stop on the PGA TOUR.

This is the 12th consecutive year for the Reno Tahoe Open, Northern Nevada's only PGA stop.

*We would like to invite you to be our guest at this years' Reno-Tahoe Open. We have tickets for you, our valuable client! We only have a limited number of complementary tickets, so call me at 775-849-9444, before they run out!

Les Maisons Model Open During the Reno-Tahoe Open - Saturday and Sunday noon-2 pm
If you need a break from the sun and action of the RTO, then stop by the Les Maisons Model, located behind the "Fiesta Loca" hole at 20520 Latour. This beautifully appointed model is offered at $1,595,000, including all furniture. We will have the model open Saturday and Sunday 12 - 2 PM.

Montreux Open House -- Saturday July 24, 2010 1:00-4:00pm
Mark your calendars for the afternoon of Saturday July 24th from 1-4 pm. We will have a Montreux Open House, featuring three exquisite properties, with various price points. Maps and details will be at the Montreux gate house and Welcome Center. This will be the ideal way to take a closer look inside the Montreux community. For additional details contact Your Montreux Team at 775-849-9444.

Fiesta Loca on the 16th Hole
You can party on at this fiesta-themed hole with margaritas, a taco bar, even a Mariachi Band! Excellent viewing opportunities abound and amazing Mexican food make this a must-see part of the 2010 Reno-Tahoe Open. Just $5 gets you into this tent and the Loco Loop shuttle makes getting there easy!

Resales of homes in the United States rose 7.6% in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.77 million.

According to data released Monday by the National Association of Realtors, buyers rushed to complete sales before a tax credit expires.

The trend in sales prices has stabilized over the past four months. The median price is up 4% in the past year at $173,100.

It's not clear what's behind the increase in homes for sale... it could be pent-up supply from homeowners who've wanted to sell but didn't think the market was right. That would imply pent-up demand. But it's also possible that investors are putting their properties on the market because they aren't getting the cash flow they need.

Supply of foreclosures and short sales has been steady. Sales of "distressed" homes, including foreclosures and short sales, accounted for 33% of sales in April, compared with 45% a year ago.

The government has been supporting sales and home prices for about two years, providing up to $8,000 to qualified buyers. But the tax credit ends in June. To qualify, a buyer must have signed a sales contract by April, and must close the sale by June 30.

The NAR data on existing-home sales are based on closings, which usually occur a month or two after the sales contract is signed.

Most economists believe the tax credit pulled forward sales that would have taken place later. Sales of existing homes surged last fall with the first tax credit and are up 23% compared with a year ago. Sales of new homes haven't responded to the tax credit nearly so noticeably, although sales did jump 27% in March after setting a record low in February. New-home sales will be reported on Wednesday.

Sales rose in three of four regions in April: Sales increased 21% in the Northeast, 10% in the Midwest and 9% in the South. Sales fell 6% in the West.

Sales of single-family homes increased 7.4% in April and are up 21% in the past year. Sales of condos increased 9.1% in April and are up 42% in the past year.

First-time buyers accounted for 49% of sales in April. All-cash buyers accounted for 26% of sales.

Boosted by a federal subsidy to buyers, resales of U.S. homes and condos rose 6.8% in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.35 million, a real estate trade group reported Thursday.

Sales were up 16.1% compared with March 2009. Existing-home sales rose in all four regions of the country in March. "The tax credit has done its work," said Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, said in releasing the data.

Median home prices rose 0.4% in the past year to $170,700, the NAR said. Inventories of unsold homes increased 1.5% in March to 3.58 million, an 8-month supply at the current sales pace.

In this current real estate market it's very important you get a professional real estate evaluation from an experienced Realtor. Your Realtor is the only one who can provide you with an honest assessment of your home's value.

As a professional real estate agent focusing on the luxury real estate market, I base the selling price on many real estate market factors, including:

• Real Estate Market Conditions
• The Actual Condition of your Home
• Repairs or Improvements your Home Needs
• The Timeframe for Selling your Home

The sales price you set is a critical factor in selling your home. If your home is priced correctly, you should be able to sell in your alloted timeframe. If it's not, you might sit on the home for awhile.

When I evaluate the sales price for any home, the goal is to get the home priced at market value. Market value is the price at which a particular house, in its current condition, should sell within 30 to 90 days.

If your home is priced too high this will limit potential buyers. My goal is to show your house to as many potential buyers as possible. Another downside to an incorrectly priced home is time on the market. When a home is on the market too long, it may get the wrong perception. Buyers may wonder, "what’s wrong," or "why hasn’t this sold?"

If your home stays on the market longer than the average selling time, you might ultimately get a lower selling price. To sell it, you might have to reduce the asking price several times. Ultimately, you will probably get less than if you had priced the home correctly from the start.

Homes that are properly priced in the beginning always get you the fastest sale for the best price!

For more information on selling your home, please read these articles:

• Selling Luxury Real Estate
• 5 Steps to Sell Your Home
• Ten Important Features to make your Custom Home Stand Out from the Crowd
• To Remodel or Not to Remodel
• Show Off the Sizzle Not the Steak in Real Estate Sales
• The Seven Seller Sins

A short sale is a process where lenders let homeowners sell their properties for less than is owed on the mortgage loan.

In April, there will be new rules governing how lenders handle short sales. Short sales can help homeowners avoid foreclosure. Short sales also create great deals for home buyers.

Currently, the short sale process is incredibly slow. The process puts homeowners and buyers in limbo while the bank (and/or mortgage holders) decide whether to approve or decline the short sale.

The new rules coming out in April are aimed at speeding up the short sale process. These new rules could clarify the steps of the short sale process, but it's really unknown as to how much the new rules will speed-up the process.

Let's hope homeowners and buyers will see improvement in the speed and efficiency of the short-sale process!

We are seeing some great deals here at Montreux, and with other luxury real estate around the Reno area. If you would like to be contacted with information about these deals, please fill out my contact form. I will put you on my short-list of prospects looking for great deals for themselves, and for investments!

Standard 30-year fixed loan is now 4.95 percent, down from 4.97 percent

Mortgage rates held below the 5 percent threshold for the second straight week, a report said Thursday, weeks before a government program that has been keeping rates low is scheduled to expire.

The average rate on a 30-year fixed rate mortgage was 4.95 percent this week, down from 4.97 percent a week earlier, mortgage finance company Freddie Mac said.

Rates dropped to a record low of 4.71 percent in December and have hovered around 5 percent since, kept down by a Federal Reserve campaign to stabilize the housing market by lowering mortgage rates.

The central bank's $1.25 trillion program to buy up mortgage securities issued by Freddie Mac and sibling company Fannie Mae is set to expire March 31. But the Fed has held the door open to extending the program if the economy weakens.

Some analysts argue that rates could rise once the Fed's program ends, hurting both the recovery in housing and the overall economy. But government officials are optimistic that the Fed will be able to end its program without a major disruption.

Freddie Mac collects mortgage rates on Monday through Wednesday of each week from lenders around the country. Rates often fluctuate significantly, even within a given day, often in line with long-term Treasury bonds.

This week, the average rate on a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage was 4.32 percent, down from 4.33 percent last week, according to Freddie Mac.

Rates on five-year, adjustable-rate mortgages averaged 4.05 percent, down from 4.11 percent a week earlier. Rates on one-year, adjustable-rate mortgages fell to 4.22 percent from 4.27 percent.

The rates do not include add-on fees known as points. One point is equal to 1 percent of the total loan amount.

The nationwide fee for loans in Freddie Mac's survey averaged 0.7 of a point for 30-year and 15-year loans and 0.6 of a point for five-year and one-year loans.

After a week of Spring-like weather in the high 50's, the finicky N. Nevada weather has brought us a change. The snow has started to fall again and Montreux now looks like a scene from a Christmas card. It's absolutely gorgeous, although we know it won't last and the first blooms of spring will be part of our next update.

Montreux Real Estate Sales Update

Although the winter months are typically our slowest time of the year for real estate activity, we are happy to report that there have been 4 closings in Montreux since last month's report. The sold properties include one Renaissance resale, one Cottage resale, and two custom homesites in the Renaissance area.

A common thread for both new homeowners is the fact that they are leaving California and establishing residency in Nevada. The new Cottage homeowner is from Danville (N. California) and the new Renaissance homeowner is from Fallbrook (S. California). The tax advantages of the state of Nevada continue to be a driving force for the majority of our new homeowners. These sales represent some of the best deals that Montreux has ever seen!

Short List for Great Deals

If you would like to be on my "short-list" and contacted with the latest deals, often short sales or REO's, please contact me. There are some amazing opportunities that come and go quickly!

All of Your Real Estate Needs

Although I specialize in Montreux real estate, I am available to assist with any of your real estate needs outside of Montreux. If you are looking for yourself, or know of someone else looking for property, your referrals are greatly appreciated!

Step #1 – Take Re-Financing Appraisals with a Grain of Salt

Many homeowners make the mistaking of thinking that they can sell their home for the same price as a recent re-financing appraisal. More often than not, the market price of your home will be less than a recent refinancing appraisal. Lenders often estimate the home value to be higher than the actual market value of your home in order to qualify you for more money.

Step #2 – Contact a Realtor Who's an Expert in Your Specific Neighborhood or Location

Not all Realtors can be experts at everything. The majority of Realtors (at least the good ones) have a specific niche that they focus on and know inside and out. Specific niches include: high-end luxury, affordable condos, golf course communities, horse properties, ect. Find a Realtor that is the expert in your particular area and seek out their opinion on what your house is worth today. That realtor will have their finger on the pulse of the quickly changing market and will give you the most accurate information, including valuable comparables. Values are changing day by day!

Step #3 - Price Your House to Sell From Day One

The most common mistake that causes sellers to get less than what they had hoped is listing too high during the first days on the market. Listings reach the greatest proportion of potential buyers immediately after they are listed. All new listings show up as "New" for agents that participate in the Multiple Listing Service. If the property is dismissed as being overpriced, or if perceived that the seller is unrealistic, the potential buyer will then elect to wait it out and not seriously consider the property. As the number of days on the market grows, later price reductions are the result. Overpriced properties tend to take an unusually long time to sell, and they end up being sold at a lower price than they likely would have, had they been priced properly at the onset.

Step #4 – Show Off Your Homes Assets

Leave nothing to the imagination of potential Buyers. Show off your home to its highest potential. Make all necessary repairs, such as: touch-up paint, fixing dragging doors, clear out clutter, and remove everything that you can from counter tops. Don't assume that a buyer can see the "potential". If your home looks well taken care of, a Buyer will assume the home is in good repair in areas that they can't see, e.g., overall construction quality.

Step #5 – Choose the Right Realtor

Selling your home could be the most important financial transaction in your lifetime. As a result, it is extremely important that you select a Realtor who is the right fit. One who has your best interest at heart. Make sure to verify their overall experience and specialty in your particular area. In today's technology depended times, the right marketing plan must include a Realtor who is savvy on all the latest online marketing and social media avenues and a website with heavy traffic is a must.