NEW NEIGHBORS

Welcome to Richard Routh. Moved from Barstow and closed on his home on San Jose today.
Welcome to Joe Scheinnman on his new home Wengert.

Downtown HOME PRICES

Slight improvement of inventory in the last 2 weeks. Today there are 32 homes for sale downtown with lowest price at 220,000 for a 3 br, 2 bath 1200 sf with no garage or pool. We've been carrying right around 20 homes for sale at any given time for the last whole year.

City wide median price statistics show a 10% increase since Jan. 1. 05, but I calculate a 18% increase in Downtown median price. I know this is true, because with every sale downtown, we're struggling to get the appraisals to come in. Appraisers have to use closed transaction, but the market demands higher and higher prices.

My biggest complaint is sellers asking top dollar for 50 +- year old homes that have not had the plumbing, electric, heat/air, windows etc updated. We'll get away with this for a short time more as long as buyers think they're getting more sf for the money than they can elsewhere, but as prices rise, sellers will have to have done the updating to get top dollar. Downtowns amazingly great location will carry us for a while, but not when 2br 1 bath is 250,000.

Visited the Photo Exhibit of Las Vegas History

This was my favorite photo, which happened to be on the website for the event www.ilv.com/caughtonfilm

Great photos that I'd never seen before. Most interesting to me were the ones of Las Vegas a hundred years ago before all the glitter and gambling. And to think we all complain about our struggles of day to day keeping it together. Gives a little perspective.

This is NOT YARD ART

I get my hopes up when I see a new project started, and then they trash the outside while doing the inside.

forgot I was supposed to post EVERY day

here's some more yard art from 1400 block of Jessica

Backyard tours

Disappointed that only one person ever volunteered to show off their yard. Will try again for next spring.

Winning the war on Grafitti

For the first time in 10 years, I went a whole week without spotting new grafitti. I'm sure the folks at Rapid Response are sick of me, since I call in almost everyday. Found 2 new ones yesterday.

I do give them a great big round of applause, since "rapid" seems to be an appropriate name for their team.

When I moved downtown 10 years ago, there were tags on every available inch of block wall. Who says citizen action and caring doesn't work wonders!

Changing Skyline

SOHO LOFTS just showed up out my kitchen window. From the living room window, we've been able to see the skeleton and watch the cranes for about a month... but today, it's peaked above the tallest tree on Oakey, and I can see it from my kitchen.

The Tortoises

If you haven't driven the spaghetti Bowl, you need to drive by and see the Desert Tortoises and their re created natural habitat in the various intersections of I-15 and US 95. I'm greatly impressed and in awe of their size and majesty. Go take a look. Best viewing I've had is northbound 95, both sides just as you go under the I-15.

Remodeling going on all over

Been watching with interest as homes at 5th Place and Griffin, and 8th and Oakey have been gutted to studs. They seem to be on the same track, as windows are being installed in both.