SENIOR PROJECT

image from christina.k12.de.us

Recently I participated in an evaluation process of six Bear River High School seniors. Where I passed them with flying colors, or I should say they passed themselves. This was my first time doing this, so I walked into the room with no expectations and walked out with an appreciation.

The seniors came to the front of the classroom one by one for an eight to 12 minute speech about a profession they felt they wanted to engage in post school. I was one of three community members as well as a Bear River teacher who graded them in many areas. They all did great.

Many learned what they want to do professionally once they graduate high school and or college, but what was more important was a few learned what they did not want to do. As the teacher pointed out, "it's great you learned this before you racked up $40,000 in student loans." The soon to be graduates all laughed at the statement, but as a parent as well as a soon to be college financier, I took it to heart.

While all six of the 2012 graduates all stated they learned how to do a resume, cover letter and how to speak to adults, I learned these six graduates from Bear River High School are high quality people who will go far in life.

LOP, ALTA SIERRA AND SOUTH COUNTY PROPERTY VALUES

Over the past 12 months there were 99 single family homes which sold in Alta Sierra, Lake of the Pines as well as the South County area under $200,000. The lowest priced home was found in LOP which was 24212 Oakmont Way, the sales price was recorded at $73,000 for the three bedroom with two and a half bath 1,872 square foot home.

Currently there are 16 homes on the market in that same area with a list price less than $200,000. With the lowest price being a three bedroom, two bath, 1,448 sq. ft. home on a .37 lot located at 10969 Lakeshore North within Lake of the Pines currently priced at $126,000.

Now for the other end of the spectrum within the same area over the same time frame. There were three homes that sold with a sales price over $900,000. All three are water-front properties, with the most expensive being a 4,000 sq. ft. home on one acre on Lake Combie for $1,300,000.

Staying with water-front for a moment but looking at the lower end of the spectrum. There was a 1,796 sq. ft. three bedroom two bath home on .22 water-front lot on Lake Combie that sold within the past 12 months for $499,000.

Currently the lowest price water-front home on the market is on a four bedroom, two and a half bath, 2,276 sq. ft. home listed at $799,000.

Please feel free to contact me at 530.477.2277 if you would like for me to educate you on the current market conditions.

Scott Hopper - Realtor, 530.477.2277

BEAR RIVER LITTLE LEAGUE OUTLOOK 5/24/12

JUNIORS

On Saturday June 9 at 10 a.m. the Bear River Giants (17-1) take on BR Angels (9-6) to conclude season play, the teams were due to play on March 24 but it was called due to rain.

During the regular season the Angels did drop the Auburn Brewers in a 9-8 contest and the Brewers were the only team to defeat the Giants all season. The game will have no post season implication, but to 13 and 14 year old boys, Bear River bragging rights could possibly have more value.

The Giants who are managed by Earl Cross are expected to represent Bear River Little League in the District 11 Tournament of Champions where they will play Lincoln on June 18, 6 p.m. at Tri City Little League.

MAJORS

The Bear River Angels (15-1) look to have two tough games of their remaining three contests. First of which is the Penn Valley Padres followed by the Grass Valley Giants both games will be played on the road. The Angels look to have a lock as Bear River's top seed for the TOC. which starts June 18th.

The BR Dodgers (8-5) hold a game lead in the loss column over the BR Giants with four games to play. Of the remaining contests none look to be easy. The Grass Valley Giants may be the team that could spoil their TOC bid. The Giants are a well coached team with a very dominant pitcher, this game could go either way. The Dodgers will host the Giants after a 12 day layoff on June 1 at 7 p.m.

The Bear River Giants (9-6) can not afford to to drop another game as they attempt to play catch up to the Dodgers in the rankings. BRLL only sends it's top two teams into the post season tournament. The Giants will not only have to go through the GV Giants in one of their last four games, but their season's playoff hopes could very well come down to their very last game. The Giants are scheduled to host the Cubs of Grass Grass Valley (12-3) on June 13 at 7 p.m. The Cubs are a well coached ball team without a true standout player, they have posted 158 runs while giving up 57, with many players contributing.

The Bear River Athletics (5-6) have five remaining games to be played on their schedule and three of which are very strong teams. They will play the Nevada City Red Sox, Grass Valley's Cubs as well as the Penn Valley Padress to close out their season.

MINORS

The Yankees are the clear favorite but they do face three top minor's teams of their remaining five. Sierra Foothill A's could give the Yankees a real test on May 31 then they take on Bear River's top scoring team the Cards and then they close out their regular season schedule with the BR Giants.

Typically the Bear River TOC tournament starts right after the regular season games are over and the winner of that inter-league tournament receives the bid to to compete at the District 11 TOC.

The Giants, Royals, Tigers and Cardinals are all within a game of each other and at this point it is anyone guess who will be standing at the end of this year's tournament.

Click here  for the Junior, Major as well as Minor's District 11 TOC brackets.

HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AT NEW HIGH

Nationwide housing affordability hit a new record high for a second consecutive quarter in the first three months of this year, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HOI), released May 17. Yet tight lending conditions continue to pose a major obstacle to many prospective home buyers.

“Homes in this year’s first quarter were more affordable than they have been at any time in more than 20 years, yet many potential sales are not happening because of overly tight lending conditions that are keeping hardworking families from obtaining a suitable mortgage,” said Barry Rutenberg, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Gainesville, Fla. “Without this significant hurdle, the housing and economic recovery could be proceeding at a much stronger pace.”

Among the most affordable major housing markets in respective order were Dayton, Ohio; Lakeland-Winter Haven, Fla.; Modesto, Calif.; Grand Rapids-Wyoming, Mich.; and Buffalo-Niagara Falls, N.Y.; the latter two of which tied for fifth place.

Other major metros at the bottom of the affordability chart included San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, Calif.; Honolulu; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, Calif.; and Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, Calif., respectively.
Ocean City, N.J., was the least affordable smaller housing market on the list, with 45.9 percent of homes sold in the first quarter affordable to families earning the median income of $71,100. Other small metros at the bottom of the list included Santa Cruz-Watsonville, Calif.; San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, Calif.; Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, Calif.; and Laredo, Texas.

Scott Hopper - Realtor, 530.477.2277

BEAR RIVER SOFTBALL ARE SECTION CHAMPS

In a facebook banter I learned the Lady Bruins defeated Whitney 9-3 in the section final on Wednesday. Stephanie Ceo hit a home run in her first at bat as well as a grand slam later in the contest.

"Nice retirement gift for Zauner! Way to go Lady Bruins. Congrats "A long time supporter of the program stated.


UPDATE- The Union's full story Click here

TRUCKEE RIVER FLOWS

I'm a little Truckee obsessed at the moment and if you are as well check this video out. If you need someone to show how the, where and when, then Matt "Gilligan" Koles is the guy. If you want to go it alone, then look for land marks, There are a few.

I did stop at the fly shop in Hershdale when traveling through recently and I was told the river from Tahoe City to the Town of Truckee was low and the larger fish were congregating in the deeper pools and within the cut banks. The river changes as you move below the Boca outlet to the state line as the flows were heavier due to Boca being 90 percent full. It sounded like the conditions were favorable but who really knows unless you try. Be sure the check the river's regulations as I was told the river was being patrolled.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/05/17/4494834/fishing-line-week-of-51712.html#storylink=cpy

HOUSING RECOVERY

Home prices are projected to rise by just under 1 percent nationwide in the second half of 2012 and Nevada County should keep pace with the national average. The inventory of homes available in the foothill region is drying up and prices are beginning to make a turn.

The report, titled The Shifting Nature of U.S. Housing Demand, stated investors who buy rental properties are leading phase one of the recovery, as opposed to buyers who purchase properties as their own residence.

The rate of returns of T-bills are currently low and their prices are high and when comparing the government guaranteed bill as an investment to that of real estate, which has a much higher rate of return accompanied with beaten down values, large investment firms are seeing value.

In 2013, prices will rise by 1.5 percent and up another 2.5 percent in 2014.

For the second phase, home prices will increase 3 to 3.5 percent between 2015 and 2017.

During the first phase, the demand for rental properties will come from young people hit hard by the recession and immigrants.

The housing recovery will come in a two phase process as reported by dsnews.com, Click here for the full story.

“Over 80 percent of Americans in recent surveys still agree that buying a home is the best long-term investment they can make. What will be intriguing to watch is how their aspirations around home ownership are affected by this period of extended austerity (In economics, austerity refers to a policy of deficit-cutting by lowering spending often via a reduction in the amount of benefits and public service provided),” he said.

According to the report, about $7 trillion in American wealth was lost when home prices dropped 30 percent after the housing bubble burst.

As investors buy up the oversupply of homes to take advantage of low prices and rising rents, the report also predicts that this will lead to the absorption of the existing surplus, which will clear by the start of 2015.

Then, phase two will begin with higher home prices and a return to home ownership.

According to the report, currently, 11 percent of homeowners say they would like to sell their home, but about half of these homeowners say they aren’t listing their property because they won’t get the price they want.

It is predicted that once prices rise by 3 percent in 2015, homeowners will start to return to the market, increasing the volume of home sales.

Credit will also become more accessible as standards ease, leading to more renters to become buyers. The report stated a crash in demand for rental properties is unlikely. Therefore their is a floor in the market.

Scott Hopper - Realtor 530.477.2277