There is nothing on a cool or cold winter's evening like a nice cozy fire.  How safe is your fireplace and when you go to sell is it going to be in good working order?

Keep furniture, curtains, and other flammables at least three feet away from your fireplace.

Don't let children stand to close.  They might get burned or their clothes might ignite.

Never burn garbage, charcoal or coal.  Also do not burn paper or cardboard as stray embers can cause indoor fires or fires on the roof.  Wrapping paper can cause toxin fumes to come out into the air.

Don't leave the fire unattended and keep a fire extinguisher handy.  Make sure the fires is out before going to bed or leaving the house.

Gas Fireplaces  should be checked by a professional annually they will clean the fan, clear any blocked vents and make any other adjustments that should be done.

Make sure the pipes connected to the fireplace are clear.

Turn the gas off completely when fireplace is not in use.

Keep the Chimney swept and the flue open.

 Wood-Burning Fireplaces  keep your roof clear of branches and anything that could block your chimney.

Always use a sturdy fire screen to keep sparks from coming out of the fireplace.

Open the flue before starting the fire and keep it open until the ashes have cooled.

Burn only properly seasoned hardwood that has dried for at least six months and doesn't appear green.

Don't overload the fireplace.

Use manufacture directions when burning artificial logs.

Soak ashes in water and store them in a tight fitting container. 

 It is a buyers market in Las Vegas

Gone are the days of 2004/2005, the days of multiple offers and properties that were sold almost before they had been on the market a half a day.  Agents putting will accept offers until Wed. noon and after PM that day you will either have a counter offer or a rejection.  I once called on a house to see if it was still available and was told yes.  Not a half hour later I was on the road to pick up my clients.  My cell phone rings and I was told they had accepted an offer.  To get my clients in a house during this time, I searched at night and found a home I knew they would love.  I called the seller and made arraignments for my clients to see the house at AM and we wrote the offer at AM.  Lucky for me it was accepted.  It was a crazy time and I for one am glad it is over.  Prices were driven up so far that it had almost cut out the middle income people and of course lower income stood not a chance.  I really hate that as I think everyone should be able to have the American Dream if that is what they desire.

So those days are gone for right now and it is a buyers market.  We have a record number of homes on the market both new and resale.  Builders are offering unheard of incentives for buyers and agents a like. Some sellers are lowering their prices as much as 50K and offering bonuses to agents.  Unheard of for a long while.

As a buyer you need to plan your move, find an agent you feel comfortable with and research markets together.  Have your agent do a market analysis on areas you are interested in so that when the time comes you have a good feel on what to offer. You will want to know what the turn over rate is in the area and if it is a good resale area.

At the time of multiple offers buyers were waiving inspections to gain favor with the sellers.    There  are plenty of horror stories out there now because of that.  Make sure you do all your inspections.

Be in your comfort zone, get pre-qualified with thoughts to the future.  Mortgage rates are not as good as they were and they don't look like they are coming back down anytime soon.  So know in advance what you you are comfortable spending on payments, including taxes etc.

When you find that home you want, be patient.  If your first offer is countered, don't get discouraged.  Some sellers have not mentally adjusted to the new market of 2006.  If you really want the house counter back, even if it is the same amount you offered before.  This will let the seller know that it is your bottom line.  If he is serious about selling he may reevaluate his position.  Negotiating is a good thing in this market.

HAPPY HOUSE HUNTING!!!!