Weather has arrived in Nevada City California

Thinking of driving to Grass Valley, Nevada City or Rough and Ready
Is it snowing in town? Is it sticking on the roads?
Find out right away by looking on a webcam
Webcams------------------------------------------------------------------------
Grass Valley – Mill Street
www.downtowngrassvalley.com/webcam.html
Nevada City – Broad Street
www.skibonk.com/weather/camDetail.jsp?id=cam_1169403846565
This Sunday afternoon---(their date is incorrect)

Victorian Christmas in Nevada City - Snow or Shine!!!

Nevada City Commercial Street
http://webcams.highcountrynet.com/node/3
Nevada City - Via Vista and Ridge Road
Also shows current weather-if you or clients are out of town and trying to find out current weather!
www.ncweatherlive.com/mobile.htm
Nevada City – Sacramento Street Gas Station
http://webcams.highcountrynet.com/node/1
Nevada City Chief Crazy Horse
Sun-Thur 5 to midnight, Fri-Sat 5 to 2AM
http://webcams.highcountrynet.com/webcam/crazyhorse

Weather Info
www.skibonk.com/weather/summary.jsp?where=39.263,-121.021

Sierra Nevada Webcams list
www.sierravisionsstock.com/sierravisions/sierra-nevada-webcams
See interesting comments below the webcam list

Weather -----------------------------------------------------------------
KCRA Interactive Radar – you can zoom in close (like the weatherman does) on our area (or enter zip or address) and see exactly where the snow line is! Green is rain-purple is mixed and blue is snow. This is from Sunday afternoon… This tool works all over the US!
www.kcra.com/interactive-radar/index.html
Sierra Nevada Foothills
Sunday afternoon - December 14, 2008














Traffic -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Traffic Info – News 10
http://www.news10.net/travel/traffic/traffic-maps.aspx?menuid=13

KCRA Traffic Cams
www.kcra.com/trafficmap/index.html

Road Conditions CA
http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi

Live Streaming Highway Traffic Cams CA DOT
http://video.dot.ca.gov/

http://video.dot.ca.gov/photolog/

Video – driving around Nevada City – shows what our area looks like when driving around – good for someone who has never been here!
www.ncgold.com/nevada-city-movie.html

California Webcam List
www.leonardsworlds.com/states/california.htm

Weather Info
www.skibonk.com/weather/summary.jsp?where=39.263,-121.021

Search for real estate in Westerm Nevada County

Links
Click here to Search for real estate in Western Nevada County, California

Click here to search if you have an MLS# or the property Address

Click here for properties that I have for sale.
Since I have none, I will be able to devote all my resources to marketing your property.

Please email me at generalmanager@network-realestate.com
Cindy Cara
Network Real Estate

Contractors - Hiring in California

In California when you hire someone to perform work on your property...check this out--
"A contractor's license issued by the State of California Contractors State License Board is required when the work is to be performed by someone other than the property owner and is valued over $500.00 including labor and material."
http://www.cslb.ca.gov/consumers/owner-builder.asp
The State Contractors License Board" in California is an invaluable resource to protect yourself by checking out an individual or company in California.
How do you find out if someone is licensed in good standing?
Go here to check
By Personnel Name http://www2.cslb.ca.gov/CSLB_LIBRARY/Personnel+Request.asp
By Company Name http://www2.cslb.ca.gov/CSLB_LIBRARY/Name+Request.asp
By number (you might see on advertising) http://www2.cslb.ca.gov/CSLB_LIBRARY/License+Request.asp
Inquiry hours online are:
Inquiry Hours (PST)Mon-Sat 6:00 AM-1:30 AMSun 6:00 AM-8:30 PM


Are you unsure of what you should know before you hire a contractor?
What You Should Know Before You Hire a Contractor
Some ideas to help you know if your contractor measures up!
Ten Tips for Making Sure Your Contractor Measures Up
What should your Home Improvement Contract cover?
Should there be a time limit?
What if s/he wants all the money up front?
Who gets the permits?
What about insurance?
Terms of Agreement - A Consumer Guide to Home Improvement Contracts
The person I spoke with says I can save money by being an "Owner Builer".


Go to these pages and read carefully for everything you need to know!
http://www.cslb.ca.gov/contractorEd/FreeInfoPostcard.asp
http://www.cslb.ca.gov/services/guides.asp

Don't just read...be sure to follow the advice to check out licensing and all insurances by contacting (or receiving from) the insurance company itself all insurance proof.

New Duct Sealing Requirements

There are new requirements for duct sealing on certain heating and air conditioioning ducts. Details are athttp://www.energy.ca.gov/title24/changeout/This will be required on some new and also replacement units. A third party inspecter may be required to certify the ducts are sealed to allow no more than a specific amount of leakage. This will impact a homeseller's disclosures if they did not have the testing done when it was required, and a Home Warranty company may not pay for these tests if they have to replace a heater.

It is something to check out be you a Seller or Buyer.The testing will not be required by the law just because a home sells. A Buyer may require the test as part of his purchase contract, that is a negotiable item. Testing and repairs can be expensive. The Commissioner of the California Energy Commission says:"The average home’s ducts leak around 30 percent of the conditioned air outsidethe home. These leaks are taking money straight out of your pocketbook."

In the long run this can save money, but it could be costly in the short run. Consult your HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) contractor for details.See http://www.cslb.ca.gov/ for info on contracting

DISCLOSURES IN REAL ESTATE -FSBO too

For Sale by Owner transactions in California require a number of disclosures even if people do not have an agent. The forms are readily available. In fact, the California department of Real Estate publishes a wonderful document on their website to assist the public in complying with the law.
http://www.dre.ca.gov/disclosures.htm
"The California Department of Real Estate has published this booklet in response to an apparent need for information concerning disclosures required in real property transactions. This booklet is limited to disclosures required by statute and does not include disclosures required by agreement between the principals (buyer and seller; borrower and lender; lessee and lessor, etc.)."
It is important to have the latest versions because the law changes the wording required periodically. I recently saw a package purchase at a reputable office supply store which was not up-to-date!!
Be protected if you are a buyer as well as if you are a seller, by having the latest forms by visiting the State website listed above. California wishes to protect the consumer with accurate information regarding these disclosures. We are a great Do-it-Yourself state! Do it legally so problems do not occur.
California also publishes the statutes (specific laws) online at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html
For instance Civil Code Section 1102 referenced in the document above, discusses much about disclosures.

60 day Notice to Terminate requirement will be gone

The 60-day termination notice requirement for month-to-month tenancies longer than one year will be repealed at the end of this year. On January 1, 2006, residential landlords and property managers may give a 30-day Termination Notice to their month-to-month tenants (unless there is rent control, subsidized housing rules, or a contract between the landlord and tenant which applies).
The 60-day rule was originally put in place in 2002 as a trial project for helping tenants who they thought needed more time than the allotted 30 days to make new housing arrangements in a tight rental market. Opposition arose to the 60-day rule because, among other things, that length of time is too long for evicting problem tenants. Many landlords and property managers prefer using a general 30-day notice to terminate, rather than the alternative 3-day notice to perform covenant or quit which may require litigation of issues such as noise, nuisances, or illegal activities by the tenant. Waiting 60 days rather than 30 days under those circumstances places an undue burden on landlords, property managers, and other tenants in the building.

Over age 62 - living with your love

If you are over 62 and living with your love of the opposite sex, there is a new opportunity. Many folks don't marry for a number of reasons, they would lose out if they married!!! Now in California they can register and get some rights like married people have!
http://writ.news.findlaw.com/grossman/20050809.html
What does this mean? Do responsibilities come with these rights?
Since the act applies to gay and lesbian registered couples of any age, many people are investigating the meaning of it. Your registered partner may get community interest in your property. Title companies may require quit claim deeds when you sell your separately held property before they would insure title.

Mortgage Fraud

http://www.mortgagefraudblog.com/ says "Central clearinghouse for information on recent mortgage fraud schemes, indictments and prevention." Rachel M. Dollar, the editor of Mortgage Fraud Blog, represents mortgage lenders nationwide in pursuing civil recovery from the perpetrators of mortgage fraud schemes. She is a frequent lecturer at industry events and teaches in-house seminars for mortgage lenders and investors. Ms. Dollar is licensed to practice law in California and maintains offices in Santa Rosa, California. Email Ms. Dollar at rdollar@dollarlaw.com

Registered Sex Offenders in your neighborhood?

For California, go to the California Attorney General's website
http://meganslaw.ca.gov/
For a list of other states who also have online information go to:
http://www.klaaskids.org/pg-legmeg2.htm
Not all states have online lists. Some states have more info, some have less.
Each state has it's own individual laws.
Investigate to protect yourself.

Looking at the Megan's Law Database

To see if there are registered sex offenders on my street in the Megan's Law Database, what must I sign?
As of December 2004 you must agree to the following: Legal and Illegal Uses. The information on this web site is made available solely to protect the public. Anyone who uses this information to commit a crime or to harass an offender or his or her family is subject to criminal prosecution and civil liability. Informational Only. The California Department of Justice has not considered or assessed the specific risk that any convicted sex offender displayed on this web site will commit another offense or the nature of any future crimes that may be committed. Legal Limits on Disclosures. Only information on registered sex offenders allowed to be disclosed under California law appears on this web site. Under state law, some registered sex offenders are not subject to public disclosure, so they are not included on this site. State law does not allow offenses other than the crimes for which the convicted sex offender is required to register to be disclosed here. Errors and Omissions. Information pertaining to schools, parks and street map data is obtained with permission of and through a license agreement with Thomas Bros. Map Company. Other information on this web site is compiled from reports by local law enforcement. Much of that information is gathered from persons who are required to register as sex offenders and to provide, at least once a year, their addresses and other information to local law enforcement. Because information can change quickly, and there may be gaps in data received, the California Department of Justice makes no representation, either express or implied, that the information on this site is complete or accurate. Neither the Department of Justice nor the State of California shall be held responsible for any errors or omissions on this web site or produced by secondary dissemination of this information.Mistaken Identities. Extreme care must be taken in the use of information because mistaken identification may occur when relying solely upon name, age and address to identify individuals. Notice of Corrections. If you believe that any information on this site is in error, please contact a police or sheriff's department, or contact the Department of Justice by e-mail at MegansLaw@doj.ca.gov.I have read the disclaimer and agree to these terms and conditions.

Can I require cash rent payments from my tenant?

Rental Payments in Cash
SB 115 provides that beginning January 1, 2005, landlords and their agents will not be allowed to require cash as the exclusive form for payment of rent or security deposits. Cash payments may not be required in the original lease or rental agreement, or thereafter, unless the tenant has previously attempted to pay rent with a check drawn on insufficient funds or the tenant has instructed a bank to stop payment on a check. In either of these cases a landlord may give a tenant a new statutory form called the “Notice Of Obligation To Pay Rental Or Lease Payments In Cash” and after providing this form the landlord may demand payment in cash for up to three (3) months.

Purpose -

Looking for a place to keep updated on the latest issues in California Real Estate? Also learn your options, then make your own wise decisions. Find out what is going on here in the Golden State!

For many of us, the biggest investment we make is in real estate. The most important place we put our money and our debt is in our home.

All subjects related to the selling, purchase, leasing, rental and ownership of real property, business opportunities and manufactured homes in California is open for discussion.
Enjoy your discovery of these information nuggets, be they simple or complex.