Why live in Placer County, California? Here are 11 great reasons!

A strong economy and jobs. 

The economy is thriving in Placer, with a mix of 72% jobs in private industry, 17% government employees, and 10% self-employed and in service industries.  That healthy mix keeps the economy vibrant, with unemployment under 7%, much lower than the state average, and the opportunity for growth a reality.  From international biotech corporations and major medical complexes, to mom-and-pop restaurants, Placer County is a great place to do business.

It’s safe.

Placer County consistently rates lower in almost all crime statistics than other counties and metropolitan areas its size.  BestPlaces.net rated it a great 4 out of 10 (10 being the worst) for both indices of violent and property crime, at or below national averages and lower than Sacramento.  That’s in large part thanks to well-funded, professional and diligent policing, but it goes farther than that – into the core of our communities. Placer is an area where people still know their neighbors, parents can let their kids play outside, and families can feel safe walking the streets at night. 

A healthy real estate market.

Owning a home in Placer County has always been a good investment due to its desirable communities, and that’s never more true than today.  In just the last year (September 2012 to September 2013,) Placer home prices have gone up in price by 21.2%.  Due to a fantastic location, beautiful surroundings, and a strong economy, sellers are seeing their homes stay on market an average of only 22.1 days.

Our back yard is Lake Tahoe.

Drive only 40-minutes up the pass and your ears will start signaling the ascent to Donner’s Peak at 8,109 feet, and gateway to Lake Tahoe, the largest Alpine lake in the United States.  Tahoe boasts a crystal blue lake surrounded by the Sierra Mountains, so unique in its beauty that people come from all over the world to visit, and Squaw Valley was the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics.  Whether you ski its award-winning peaks in the winter, hike and mountain bike its majestic green trails in the summer, or just plan on a fun day socializing and dining on the water, Tahoe is truly one of the nation’s natural treasures.

Our front yard is Sacramento.

An easy 20-minute drive or so to the capital of California and all the restaurants, nightlife, rivers, and family fun you could ever ask for, including minor league soccer and baseball teams and the NBA’s Sacramento Kings.  Many people work and play in Sacramento because it’s such an easy commute from Placer.

History.

Placer is called the Golden County for a reason – the hills around the area yielded the first discovery of gold in 1850.  Born only a year later out of the subsequent panning frenzy, Placer played a major role in the Gold Rush and a Go-West boom that changed the destiny of America forever.  That rich history is still on display in Placer with plenty of museums and historical venues. 

Plenty of arts and culture.

You may not think of a vibrant arts scene when someone mentions Placer, but the arts are on full display year round.  Placer is a cultural mecca for symphony lovers, ballet enthusiasts, art gallery showings, museums, street festivals, local live music in the park and concerts by some of the biggest bands in the world, and of course, rodeos!

Golf.

You may ski in the winter, but when the sun comes out don’t miss the chance to tee off at some of California’s nicest golf courses.  Placer is home to 20 golf courses where you can play 18, ranging from inviting pubic courses to exclusive private resorts, Pro Am and even a Championship LPGA course    

Wine.

Nestled in Placer’s picturesque rolling foothills, close enough to the ocean but with enough sunshine and just the right temperatures, we grow best grapes and produce some of the best wine in the world. An golden autumn wouldn’t be complete without a winetasting at vineyards along the Placer Wine Trail or stopping for a picnic with friends while sharing a bottle of local vino.

Amazing schools.

If education is your aim, you’ll find that Placer County is a jewel for intellectual advancement.  In fact, national school rankings rate as some of the best in California and the country.  On a scale of 1-10, an astounding 54 of our elementary, middle, and high schools were given a score of at least 9, and 17 rated 10 out of 10.  The education system and children in Placer County’s schools earn high marks, indeed! 

Things to do with the family.

Do you want to go check out a quaint throwback Western town?  Hike through a protected natural forest to a scenic waterfall?  Go ice skating? Meet up with some friends for boating or paddle boarding on the weekends?  Hit a farmers market and then go apple picking?  Try your luck at a casino?  You can do all of that and more in Placer County, a day trip destination for so many people in the Sacramento area but right around the corner for Gold County residents! 

7 Reasons to buy a home during the holiday season.

The holidays are almost here, time to string up the lights, put up the tree, and make your house cozy for your family to enjoy.  It’s definitely not the time to be out looking to buy a home, driving all over town in the cold and the rain when everyone else is drinking eggnog in front of the fire.  Or is it? 

Are December and January, the holiday season, a good time to buy a house?  Conventional wisdom says that everyone sort of shuts it down during those months.  Sellers don’t want to show their home to strangers, vacate for open houses, and they definitely don’t want to pack up and move during that time of year.  There are less new listings on the market.  And even many buyers take a time out until well after the first of the year.  But those are the exact reasons why serious buyers – who are willing to sacrifice and put in the hard work – find amazing offers during December.

There is far less inventory on the market during December into January, as some sellers pull their listings until the new year, and far fewer new listings hit the market.

But there are also far fewer buyers out looking for homes during the holidays, so the supply/demand actually works out in the buyer’s favor.  The sellers who are still on the market tend to be extremely motivated to make a deal and get their homes sold, resulting in better deals, lower prices, and more amicable terms for buyers.

Here are 7 reasons to buy during the holidays:

Motivated sellers.

Think about it – if you have your house for sale during the holidays it’s very likely because you HAVE to sell it, not just because you want to.  Relocations, job loss, divorce, downsizing, and a distressed sale are all reasons why a seller would be super motivated and list their home during the holidays.  The few buyers who are still out there usually find great deals with much better terms.

Lower prices.

That lower competition means lower prices, as sellers have few (or no) offers to consider, but still feel the pressure to sell.  As any successful real estate investor will tell you, the best time to buy is when it’s NOT popular, because that’s when the best deals can be found.  Buying during the holidays is taking advantage of the natural lull in market cycles.

Taxes.

There is a tax incentive, as well – prepaid mortgage interest and maybe even some closing costs may be tax deductible.  By closing on the home before the end of year, the buyer may benefit from those deductions on their next tax return (in April.)  Consult your CPA or tax professional to learn more about the tax component of buying or selling a home.

Better loans.

Even mortgage lenders are motivated to lend money during the holidays season, as their volume slows, too, but they still need to hit certain performance numbers.  Due to this, mortgage interest rates commonly drop every December through January as they try to attract buyers, and the terms and ease of closing these loans is usually favorable, too.

Speedy closings.

Title companies, realtors, banks, and escrow offices all have a lower workload during the holidays, meaning it’s usually possible to close your real estate transaction within a shorter time period and with better service.  Everyone is motivated to get the deal closed before the end of the year, so it counts on that year’s books.

Investors delight.

People who are the most motivated to sell because of a distressed sale (short sale, probate, divorce, etc.) often yield the best deals for investors, who can pick and choose from inventory, make favorable offers with little competition, and even negotiate great terms, like rent backs or funds for repairs, that sweeten their investment. 

Give yourself the greatest gift.
Instead of running around to deal with long lines in stores and spending money online, how about giving your family the best gift - a new home?  A holiday season spent finding and buying a new home will be one of the most special, rewarding experiences you can have.  You'll be able to move in and fix it up during the winter and spring just as you like it, and be ready to show it off and have fun by summer - the time when most others are just starting their home buying push! 

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If you’re serious about buying a home and want to get a fantastic deal, you’ll want to consider working with the Alfano Group real estate to go out and brave those dark, cold conditions to find them.  Don’t wait until next year when all of the other buyers get back in the market and the prices and interest rates rise.  You’ll end up with the best deal on a great home and make a motivated seller very happy.  Heck, you might even get them to throw in the washer and dryer as a Christmas present to you! 

10 Companies voted to have the worst customer service.

Have you been stuck on hold for an hour when you call a companies’ customer service number, only to get hung up on?  Do you get 10 different answers from 9 different representatives?  Are they lighting fast to take your cash but impossibly slow to help you with any issues?  You’re not alone – welcome to the horrible world of customer service circa 2013.  For some cryptic reason, the premise of making customers happy and helping them has gone out the window in recent years.  Instead we get call centers of robots reciting companies policies but refusing to make a common sense decision to solve a problem, billing mistakes 100% in the companies’ favor, and an indecipherable maze of fees and charges penalizing we, the consumer, for daring to do business with them.

Dealing with the new Draconian corporate rules of customer service – namely, there is none.  Of course this isn’t always the case, and in a future blog we’ll heap praise on those companies and brands who still do value human relationships and service to their clients, but here I’ll investigate the 10 companies with the worst customer service. 

These numbers are based on a survey by MSN Money for their 2013 Customer Service Hall of Fame – and of Shame.  MSN’s researchers polled 1,500 consumers about their experience with 150 common companies over 15 industries, rating them “excellent, good, fair, or poor.”  The results tell us not only that sometimes the bigger the company, the worse the customer service, but bad service is rampant in certain industries, mainly banking and telecom.  That’s no accident, as it’s become a document facet of their business model to over promise, under deliver, lock people into long term contracts, and then squeeze every dollar out of them possible. 

Another scary fact?  Of the 10 companies voted worst for customer service, 6 gave higher CEO compensation packages than the median pay of the 200 top-paid CEOs of U.S. public companies!  We can only conclude that it’s conscious greed that’s driving this bad service, above all else.

Here are the worst 10 companies for customer service, #1 being the absolute worst.

10. American Express.  Poor Rating:  14%

Amex is a strange case, because the company is known for its high-end clients and excellent service.  In fact, it often lands on the list for top companies with good service!  But that warm, fuzzy feeling has seemed to recede in recent years, as Amex has entered and is looking to compete in the more traditional credit card market.  With that, apparently, comes bad service, felt by many long time customers, but that didn’t stop CEO Kenneth Chenault from taking home a $28 million compensation package, the highest in our bottom 10 Hall of Shame.

9.  Time Warner Cable.  Poor Rating 14.3%

TWC, the nation’s second largest cable provider reaching 15 million homes, is notorious for no-shows, missed appointments, late calls and customer service phones calls leading nowhere, and declined to be interviewed for this survey.  TWC posted a net income of $2.2 billion last year, a 29% one-year gain and up 65% from 2010.

8. Direct TV.  Poor Rating 14.4%

Direct TV has been on the receiving end not just of customer complaints, but court action based on serial improprieties meant to defraud their users.  In 2010 they were mandated to pay $14 million in fines for irregular termination fees and contractual gaffes, and again in 2005 they paid out $5 million.  Direct TV declined to be interviewed but released this statement:  "While we do our best to provide everyone with excellent service, we recognize there's room for improvement."

7. Discover Financial.  Poor Rating 14.4%

Discover’s favorite MO is to double a customer’s interest rates for no apparent reason, even when they didn’t miss a payment, a practice that led them to the courts, where they were forced to pay $14 million in fines and $200 million to more than 3.5 wronged consumers.  Among other things, Discover was offering services like payment protection, credit score tracking, identity theft protection, etc, for free, but really charging.

6. AT&T.  Poor Rating 14.7%

AT&T has taken the cake for last place in Consumer Reports three years running for its voice and data quality.  The mega-provider has 107 million wireless customers and growing rapidly, posting $127 billion in revenue last year, but consistently customers express shock and outrage how their customer service department is really a phone tree that almost never leads to a live, helpful human being.

5. Wells Fargo.  Poor Rating 16.8% (credit cards) and 15.7% (bank.)

Wells has become of pushing a customer’s issue to the next department, and the next, and still the next, until they become so frustrated they give up.  The company, posting $86 billion in revenue last year, is big on promises to get people signed up for their services, but consistently delivers on few of them.  No one can figure out their system or procedures, and customer service agents or personnel almost always contradict themselves.

4. Citigroup/Citibank.  Poor Rating 18.2% and 15.4% (bank.)

Citigroup hit rock bottom in customer service a couple years ago, when an astounding 31% of customers polled rated its service “poor.”  It’s improving, but still nowhere close to being a well-run and customer friendly organization.  For instance, despite rules set out in the $25 billion mortgage settlement, it’s failing to communicate effectively with mortgage holders.  Customer also complain of overseas transaction fees, website failures, taxing the value of airline miles, and other mysterious and erroneous practices.

3. Dish Network.  Poor Rating 19%

At Consumer Affairs.com, an unheard of 85% of reviewers gave Dish 1 star out of 5 for their overall service.  You have to try to be that bad.  Even worse, their sales agents have been reported as aggressive, rude, and pushy, practices that caused them to face two lawsuits.  Dish declined an interview, but in a written statement they said, “the company strives for excellence.”  How about starting just with mediocrity, because even that would be a huge improvement! 

2. Comcast.  Poor Rating 21.2%

Four years ago, 41% of customers polled called Comcast’s service “poor,” so it has been improving measurably.  That would be acceptable if it wasn’t providing still-horrible service to so many people, 21.9 million nationwide as the largest provider of internet-cable-phone.  They’ve lost more than a million dissatisfied customers with a three-year period, and at the same time posted a 75% increase in revenues, to $62.57 billion in 2012.  Hmmmm.

1.  Bank of America.  Poor Rating 23.4% (bank) and 21% (credit cards.)

B of A is the nation’s largest financial institution with $2.18 trillion in deposits, yet for the 3^rd year in a row they rated in the customer service Hall of Shame for both banking and credit card service.  The banking giant is also fending off lawsuits left and right and leaning on any dissenters with criminal action, like they did to a San Diego man who wrote anti-B of A messages on the sidewalk out front of their office.  He was tried on criminal vandalism charges.  He’d written the messages in chalk.  Last year, B of A posted a net income of $4.2 billion, an astronomical increase from 2011’s $1.4 billion, though their service suffered almost conversely.  

Our favorite ski resorts a day trip away from Sacramento.

As the leaves change colors and nights grew cold, some of us just turn up the heat, reach for a sweatshirt, and prepare for another chilly, rainy winter in Sacramento.  But there are others who rejoice when the thermostat drops, eyeing the gray skies with eager anticipation for the start of snow in the nearby Sierras.  Yes, skiers and snow boarders, I’m talking to you, the people who love to bundle up and surf a white mountain in their spare time.  As we all know, when it comes to playing in a winter wonderland there are few places as great as Sacramento because of our easy access to ski mountains in Lake Tahoe and Nevada.  So whether you buy a season pass and shred the mountain every week, or just want to take the family for a nice day trip, your snowy playground is not far away.

Here are 7 of our favorite ski resorts that are close enough to Sacramento for a day trip.

Sierra At Tahoe

1111 Sierra-At-Tahoe Road
Twin Bridges, CA 95735


(530) 659-7453

www.sierratahoe.com

Sierra is the closest resort to Sacramento , but just as nice as others further up the road.  Known for its glade skiing and exciting terrain parks, the family atmosphere and ease of accessibility make it an easy day trip destination for NorCal skiers and boarders. 

Number of Lifts - 12

Number of Runs - 46

Number of Acres - 2,000

Heavenly Mountain Resort

4080 Lake Tahoe Boulevard
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150


(775) 586-7000

www.skiheavenly.com

Heavenly is the favorite playground for those who like to ski by day and socialize by night, as its base village is located only one block from Nevada casinos.  Straddling the border with California, the lake shore resort contains 34 miles of groomed trails, bowls, parks, pipes and its signature Gunbarrel run,dropping 1,800 feet to lodge below.

Number of Lifts - 30

Number of Runs - 95

Number of Acres - 4,800

Sugar Bowl

629 Sugar Bowl Road
Norden, CA 95724

(530) 426-9000

www.sugarbowl.com

Sugar Bowl was purchased and built up by the Walt Disney Company back in 1938, and is known for two things that the snow crowd loves: Wide open bowl skiing and it’s proximity, sitting 45 minutes closer to Sacramento along the I-80 corridor than most other ski mountains. It’s usually less crowded than most of the area’s top resorts, but isn’t short on fun or fantastic skiing. 

Number of Lifts - 13

Number of Runs – 103

Number of Acres – 1,650

Northstar-At-Tahoe

100 Northstar Drive
Truckee, CA 96161


(530) 562-1010

www.northstartahoe.com




Northstar, sitting among golden Lake Tahoe, is known for its dense tree-lined runs, offering natural protection on bad weather days with lots of wind or rain.  If it gets too stormy out you can simply go down to base village where there are plenty of fire pits, an ice rink, bars, and restaurants to choose from.  Northstar also has a multitude of condos and resort hotels to chose from, including the high-end Ritz Carlton, with its own lift sitting mid mountain.

Number of Lifts - 17

Number of Runs - 83

Number of Acres - 2,490

Alpine Meadows

2600 Alpine Meadows Road
Tahoe City, CA 96145

(530) 583-4232

www.skialpine.com

Alpine Meadows may not be a front runner with tourists, but locals and hardcore skiers and boarders love it’s uncrowded and unpretensious slopes. The fact that that it isn’t overrun with hotels and base lodging make it even more of a local gem. It has plenty of challenging black diamond runs for experts, but more mellow hills for your average family who just wants to enjoy the snow without much fanfare.

Number of Lifts - 13

Number of Runs - 100+

Number of Acres - 2,400

Squaw Valley USA

1960 Squaw Valley Road
Olympic Valley, CA 93675

(530) 581-7225

www.squaw.com

Squaw Valley sat in relative anonymity until it hosted the1960 Winter Olympics, and since then it’s been a favorite for serious skiers from all over the world.  Its famous tram will take you all the way up the mountain amid some breathtaking views, and it offers plenty of lodging in the base village.  Even if you don’t ski like an Olympian, you’ll enjoy the best that Squaw Valley has to offer.

Number of Lifts - 34

Number of Runs - 170+

Number of Acres - 4,000

Kirkwood Mountain Resort

1501 Kirkwood Meadows Dr, Kirkwood, CA 95646

(209) 258-60001

www.kirkwood.com

This year-round resort on the southern shore of Lake Tahoe is a favorite for skiers and boarders in the winter, and then hikers and mountain bikers in the summer. Year after year, Kirkwood with its unique 2 mile ridgeline, has been voted one of the top resorts for snow, terrain challenge, and variety.  It also has one of the highest snowfall counts in the Sierras, a fact that gets snow hounds in Sacramento excited to pack up the car and make the drive! 

Number of Lifts - 65

Number of Runs - 12

Number of Acres - 2,300