About Douglas County, NV

It's 3:45 AM and here I sit ... thinking, thinking, thinking! Thinking too much no doubt! Yesterday I got a call from a friend, another agent, she called to tell me that a mutual customer of ours shot himself ... dead ... couldn't take the stress anymore. He left behind a wife of many years, grown children, and grandchildren.

This gentleman and his wife were two weeks away from completing their dream home. Apparently they lost money in the stock market, probably retirement accounts, and lost equity in their real estate, (like everyone else in the whole nation) and he couldn't take it any more so he decided to check out. Why?

In our small community there is a young boy who suffered an extreme head trauma from a wood cutting accident a couple of days ago. He's lying in the hospital fighting for his life and the whole community is rallying to support him with the slogan "We Believe" being plastered all over car windows, homes and the internet.

Both of these situations are very tragic ... my heart goes out to each family and my prayers are that the both find comfort.

The lesson I've gleaned from the last 24 hours is that, "I Choose Hopeful!"

Faced with the reality of making the decision, "Hopeful" is better!

As we enter this Holiday Season ... Let's All Choose "Hopeful"!

Let's all "Believe"!

Let's direct our thoughts toward "Renewal and Recovery"!

Let's make a conscious decision to change our collective course toward the brighter and higher path.

Let's decide to make a change for the better!

Being humble and grateful is a beautiful and fulfilling manner of life, and periodically it is good to simply be thankful. It is that time of year when Americans express their thanks with, and through, the holiday of Thanksgiving. In that traditional spirit we are thankful for the opportunity to express our thanks, and, perhaps, some that you can also identify with.

We are very thankful for many, many things including: the continuing favorable interest rates; the assorted Home Retention Programs being developed and the spirit in which they are being formulated; Buyers that are boldly venturing forth and buying with confidence; our fellow real estate practitioners that are continuing to help Buyers and Sellers gain and maintain perspective to navigate in these interesting times; the high standard of the real estate practice in our area; USDA Rural Development 100% loans that provide wonderful opportunities for home Buyers in our community; the opportunity to help people with our real estate knowledge and experience.

We are very thankful for the prevalent Volunteer Spirit found throughout the Carson Valley that results in so many special things; for our friends' conspiracy to nominate Jim so he received the Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce "Unsung Hero of the Year" award; for the generosity of our community towards worthy causes even in trying financial times; for the local business community and their continued efforts to provide goods and services; for our Tiger Family; that we live in a free country; that if we don't like something about our life we can change it; that if we like something about our life we can keep it; that we have so much to live for.

We are very thankful for this great Valley we live in - the natural beauty and the wonderful people; the wonderful life changing opportunities for our children and families; that the Youth are still and always important in our community; that families are important as is community itself; that Values are respected and a way of life for most; that people still stop to help one another; that in our community people still say hello to strangers with a smile.

Our Advice: Be thankful and grateful for your health, your family, your friends, and your community. Be a shining example of gratitude and be thankful for what is ... not resentful for what isn't. Our wonderful Valley gives us a wonderful quality life to enjoy while the real estate market cycles ... as it always has and always will. Enjoy it now... every day... and be thankful for it. These are the good old days... be thankful we can share them together.

Together lets move boldly into the future and continue to generate many things to be thankful for. Experience is Priceless! Lisa Wetzel & Jim Valentine, RE/MAX Realty Affiliates, www.carsonvalleyland.com, 775-781-5472. www.carsonvalleyland.com email us at carsonvalleyland@hotmail.com

Douglas Pop Warner President Jim Valentine was named the unsung hero of the year by the Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce on Saturday night.

Valentine has participated in the program for more than 20 years. "Working with the Pop Warner program, Jim is in his element," Chamber Executive Director Bill Chernock said in introducing him. "Jim focuses on what the Pop Warner program can do to help families. He as the vision and knowledge that recognizes that we can only change the world if we change our own small portion of it in any way we can."

Valentine received at least 40 nominations from people all over the Valley in the annual Carson Valley Community Awards.

He was honored at the Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitor's Authority's annual gala.

Jim and spent over 20 years as a tireless leader locally for Pop Warner Little Scholars in Carson Valley. He has also spent an equal amount of time serving Northern Nevada football players and cheerleaders league wide as Vice President of Sagebrush Empire Pop Warner.

It's true that there are many of us who have also devoted time and energy over the years to build the wonderful model program that DPW has become.

This is definitely a team endeavor; we teach team we are team! Yet, from the early early days Jimmy had a vision and a goal to create a value driven organization that would inspire our young athletes to always do their best ... on and off the field.

His enthusiasm and burning desire to make Douglas Pop Warner the best youth sports organization ever has set a standard that has literally catapulted our small town community football league onto the radar screen statewide, conference wide, and nationwide.

Our boys and girls have competed with the best of the best academically and athletically and gone right to the top. Our program has been the model for similar organizations all over the western conference. Our coaches are admired and ranked as the best of the best - for their winning records yes, but most importantly for the integrity and sportsmanship they impart on our young charges.

Over the past 20+ years Douglas Pop Warner has served 5,000+ boys and girls. We like to say that we not only help the kids but that we help families too. We all know story after story about people whose lives have been touched through our "Tiger Family".

This has truly been a sustained effort for us all ... we all should be proud! I believe that it's all been made the better by the inspiration and commitment to excellence that Jimmy has held us to through his lofty ideals and the pure love he has for what we all do.

Jim deserves to be recognized and thanked for his tremendous dedication and leadership. We are all the better for participating in Jimmy's great passion.

Screaming Deals in the Genoa Nevada area

With an average sold price of $265 for the 20 residential properties that have sold in the last 8 months in the Genoa area- the best deal going right now is 2858 Voight Canyon Road in the Montana Subdivision at the Genoa Lakes Golf Resort. Listed at $659,000 for 3893 square feet, 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, on .28 acres built in 2007. That brings the list price of this home to $169/ foot which is almost $100/per foot less than the average sold price in the last eight months.

Another screaming deal in the Genoa NV area is 940 Foothill Road. Currently listed for $899,000 this home has 4846 sq ft of living space with 4 bedrooms 3.5 baths and 6+ car garage plus it sits on 1 acre. That brings this property to $185/ ft.

Finally- it is apparent that the local real estate market is still favoring buyers and great deals are out there. For more information on the above properties of any other properties please contact Chad Coons (775) 720-2115 or Gina Gillmor Coons (775) 721-3988.

Genoa NV & Foothill NV Residential Sold Properties & Active Properties

Since January 1^st 2008 there have been a total of 28 sold homes in the Genoa Foothill area. $265 per foot was the average sold price per foot. The highest price property that sold was in the Jobs Peak development in Gardnerville- 255 Forest Hill Way for $2,650,000. The lowest price property to sell was located in the Sheridan Acres development in Gardnerville- 866 Sheridan Lane for $345,000.

Currently there are 98 active listings for sale with only 2 pending. The average list price per foot for the homes for sale is $330/ft. The highest price property currently for sale is located in Genoa at 380 Genoa Lane for $3,475,000. The lowest price property currently for sale is also in Genoa- 452 Genoa Lane for $349,000.