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Park County, WY Real Estate News

By Nathan Gesner, Broker / Property Manager
(American West Realty and Management)
Some people don’t think buying a home makes sense. They feel like renting is a smarter move. On the other hand, some people think renting doesn’t make any sense. For the most part, arguing it one way or another is about as useful as arguing politics or religion — whatever “side” you’re on, you have your point of view, feelings, and reasons. But there are also people who are open to debate. If that’s you, read on. This will give you some food for thought and help you make up your own mind about whether it makes more sense to buy a home or rent one.At least you have the optionPicture living back in Medieval times. Only a few people are allowed to own land, and you’re not one of them. You can live on a lord’s land, but you’ll have to give him a certain percentage of whatever you grow or ra...
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By Nathan Gesner, Broker / Property Manager
(American West Realty and Management)
Field of Honor Flags   June 10-16, 2018 Celebrate National Flag Day with the Cody Heritage Museum. Sponsor a flag in honor of an individual, past or present, in your life. A personalized tag will hang on the flagpole as the flag flies on the field. Following the event take your flag home as a permanent remembrance.   Mention this Chamber of Commerce email and receive $5 off. Call 578-7118 for more information or to purchase your flag.
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By Nathan Gesner, Broker / Property Manager
(American West Realty and Management)
Buyer's Purchasing Power Decreases As Rates RiseHow much impact will rising mortgage rates have on buyers and the real estate market?How much home can you afford? Today we're sharing a chart that helps explain. The median price of a home in Cody, Wyoming is $250,000 as of March 2018. With a mortgage rate of 3.75% the buyer would pay $1,158 for the mortgage. With a 1% increase to the mortgage rate, the same buyer would pay $1,304 a month, an increase of $146.  In general, a 1% increase in mortgage rates will reduce your buying power by around 10%. If you can afford a $250,000 home today at 4.25% then you would only be able to afford $221,000 at 5.25% and $200,000 at 6.25%.  Buyers should consider how mortgage rates impact their ability to purchase and then plan accordingly. The good news...
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By Nathan Gesner, Broker / Property Manager
(American West Realty and Management)
MOLD REMEDIATION FOR LANDLORDS AND TENANTSWhile many mold issues are exaggerated or wildly blown out of proportion, it's still important for Landlords and Tenants to educate themselves. What causes mold, what danger does it pose, and how do you remediate?Check out this great infographic for more information on mold remediation.  Courtesy of American Apartment Owners Association
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By Nathan Gesner, Broker / Property Manager
(American West Realty and Management)
How To Earn Points (and a free account) On ActiveRainLike so many others, I joined ActiveRain with a free account. I found the site while researching a subject and kept coming back to learn more. I didn't comment. I didn't ask questions. I just soaked up information and assumed I had nothing to contribute.In 2016 I was reading a great article about the benefits of blogging. Things were slow around the office so I decided to finally give it the old college try. However, I knew my blogs wouldn't be indexed by search engines unless I had a paid account so I signed up in December 2016. At that time, I had around 60,000 points.Just days later I learned Rainers are awarded a FREE ACCOUNT after earning 500,000 points. At first it seemed too far off to get excited about. But then I asked how lo...
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By Nathan Gesner, Broker / Property Manager
(American West Realty and Management)
Are you really secure?We're seeing an increase in "smart" security systems but are they really keeping us secure? Apple's HomeKit security system has some troubling flaws that expose the dangers of smart security systems. It seems the more connected we become, the more vulnerable we are.Read the original article here. 
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By Nathan Gesner, Broker / Property Manager
(American West Realty and Management)
"Accidental" SuccessHave you ever gained business "by accident"?I have . . . sort of . . . and it just happened again.We live in a small community and tend to watch out for each other. I saw one of my former tenants doing something shady to his new Landlord. I did some research, found out who the new Landlord was, and sent her a facebook message with a warning. She never responded.18 months later, I receive a facebook message from her. It had been so long that I forgot that I had even contacted her! She said everything was fine and I must have her confused with someone else. I explained that my message was 18 months old. She admitted that tenant was causing problems but he moved away. She thanked me for watching out for her. End of story.Two weeks later she calls me and admits she actua...
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By Nathan Gesner, Broker / Property Manager
(American West Realty and Management)
Should you buy or rent? It's a question we all face at some point in life: does it make more sense to buy a home or to rent? Most people believe it's wiser to buy a home and build equity rather than paying someone else's mortgage. In most cases, that would be true but there are particular times in life where it makes more sense to rent. To help you with the decision, realtor.com provides a rent vs. buy calculator that can help you calculate the net cost of buying a home versus the cost of renting over time. Net costs compare the total amount of money you would be spending over time, minus the potential value you might receive if you someday sell the property. If you view the interactive graph, you can see how the benefits change over time and the impact of keeping the home for a longer...
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By Nathan Gesner, Broker / Property Manager
(American West Realty and Management)
When Christmas Dies...Last year, one of my first blog posts was about Christmas in Cody. I shared some of my favorite lights, including this video:  Unfortunately, there was a fire two days ago that destroyed the interior of the home and the light show had to go dark. It may take 4-6 months to renovate the home. The good news is that with the help of the local community, family, and friends, the Messicks should be able to get the light show back up again as early as this week!Christmas never dies!
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By Nathan Gesner, Broker / Property Manager
(American West Realty and Management)
Book Review: Tax Strategies for the Savvy Real Estate InvestorThis book is written by two Certified Public Accountants with lots of experience investing in real estate. This seems like the perfect mix and I expected to uncover a few tidbits that could potentially lead to saving thousands in the future. I was wrong.The book is a short read with only 210 pages, 1/5th of which are blank pages, the glossary of terms, index, etc.The actual information is well presented and easy to read and understand. Each tax-saving strategy includes a real-world scenario of how it can be applied. Unfortunately, there's nothing secret in here. I've been a business owner for nearly eight years and investing in real estate for five years. I've already learned these strategies through basic online research, my...
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By Nathan Gesner, Broker / Property Manager
(American West Realty and Management)
Schools RuleWhen parents are shopping for a new home, there are two important factors regarding schools: The quality of the school district; and Proximity of the home to the school The infographic below is provided by ZipLogix and shares some interesting insight into the importance of schools and home ownership.  
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By Nathan Gesner, Broker / Property Manager
(American West Realty and Management)
4th Annual Button BashShop locally this season and look for posters at participating businesses and see if the number on your button matches the number on the poster. Match the number on your button to the number on a poster in a participating shop and win a prize at that shop! There are a limited number of winning buttons, so good luck to everyone! This contest runs until December 24th, or until all prizes are claimed, whichever comes first.Buttons can be purchased for $5 at participating businesses.Participating Businesses:Accents FloralAnnie’s Soda SaloonBig Horn Radio NetworkBuffalo Bill Harley Davidson Cody ChamberCol. Cody’s Wild West EmporiumCowboy Palace Cowtown CandyEastgate LiquorFarmTableWest Gasthaus CardiHair Affaire & 11th Street SpaLove's GiftsMonie's Pinnacle BankPizza o...
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By Nathan Gesner, Broker / Property Manager
(American West Realty and Management)
Calling all Bibliophiles! The Friends of the Cody Library will host the largest book sale in their nearly 20 year history, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Wednesday – Saturday, Nov. 29 – Dec. 2 in Grizzly Hall, Park County Public Library in Cody. Due to the enormous volume available, a $2 bag sale is planned for Saturday. Yes, you can literally buy a bag of books for $2.00!!!! This library event is free and open to the public.The library is located at 1500 Heart Mountain Street. Phone: (307) 527-1880  More Info: http://parkcountylibrary.org/   The Friends of the Cody Library will host the largest book sale in their nearly 20 year history, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Wednesday – Saturday, Nov. 29 – Dec. 2 in Grizzly Hall, Park County Public Library in Cody.Due to the enormous volume available, a $2 bag sale is ...
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By Nathan Gesner, Broker / Property Manager
(American West Realty and Management)
Jim Cheney has challenged us to share how we demonstrate thankfulness to our clients. This is an appropriate thing to consider this Thanksgiving season.Showing ThanksI think the most important way to show thankfulness to my clients is to give them the best service possible. I am careful to explain everything to them throughout the process. If they are a buyer, I'll talk to them about the importance of speaking with different lenders to find one they are comfortable with and that is reliable (not just the lowest rates). I talk to them about each step of the transaction. I warn them about hiccups that may occur along the way and how they can protect themselves. Once they are under contract, I provide them a calendar of events so they can keep track of the process and I regularly follow up...
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By Nathan Gesner, Broker / Property Manager
(American West Realty and Management)
I don't know many Thanksgiving jokes so you've probably hear this one before. A man buys a parrot, only to have it constantly insult him. He tries everything to make the parrot stop, but nothing works. Frustrated, the man puts the parrot in the freezer. After a few minutes the insults stop. The man thinks he might have killed the parrot, so he opens the freezer and takes the parrot out. The parrot is shivering. It stammers, “S-s-sorry for being r-r-rude. Please f-f-forgive me.” Then, after a moment, the parrot softly asks, “W-w-what exactly d-d-did the turkey do?” Happy Thanksgiving! 
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By Nathan Gesner, Broker / Property Manager
(American West Realty and Management)
ca·ve·at emp·tor ˌkavēˌät ˈem(p)ˌtôr/noun   The principle that the Buyer alone is responsible for checking the quality and suitability of goods before a purchase is made.   In the great State of Wyoming, Caveat Emptor is a comon law rule that basically means the buyer is responsible for inspecting and determining the condition of the property they are purchasing. If there is a problem, it is the Buyer's job to find it.   Although it's the Buyer's responsibility to discover, the Seller can not knowingly mislead or outright lie about an existing problem. If the Buyer asks about flooding problems in the basement and the Seller lies about it, the Seller could be liable for that.   If you are a Buyer, be sure to inspect the property thoroughly. Review the Title Commitment. Talk to neighbors....
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By Nathan Gesner, Broker / Property Manager
(American West Realty and Management)
Heart Mountain Volunteer Medical Clinic is located in Cody and provides free basic medical care for eligible members of the Big Horn Basin. Care is provided by licensed doctors and nurses that volunteer their time to provide for the community. APPOINTMENTSThursdays 6:00 - 9:00 pm, by appointment1735 Sheridan Avenue Suite #205 Call 307-272-1753 for an appointment Walk-ins may be served on a "space available" basis, but our clinics are often full well in advance. Please note: This is not an "urgent care" or emergency facility. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911 or get to your nearest emergency facility.   DONATIONS The Heart Mountain Volunteer Medical Clinic is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corportation. They take no federal or state funds but rely solely on volunteers ...
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By Nathan Gesner, Broker / Property Manager
(American West Realty and Management)
DON'T FORGET TO FALL BACK!Daylight Savings Time will end on Sunday, November 5th, 2017 at 2:00AM. You should set your clock back one hour. This means you get an extra hour of sleep! This is also a great opportunity to change the batteries in your smoke alarmand test each one.Smoke detectors save lives! 
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By Nathan Gesner, Broker / Property Manager
(American West Realty and Management)
How Much Does Property Management Cost?First, I want to assure you that property management fees are not standardized. What you pay can vary greatly from office to office or market to market. It's important that you read the contract carefully and understand what you are signing up for.Most property managers will charge a percentage of the rent income collected each month. An example would be charing 10% on a home that rents for $1,000 a month. Other companies may charge a flat fee so you might pay $100 whether the home rents for $1,000 or $2,000 a month. This would obviously be advantageous if your home rents for a higher price.We've seen property managers charge as low as 4% for management fees but that can be very misleading. They typically charge a low monthly management fee to attr...
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By Nathan Gesner, Broker / Property Manager
(American West Realty and Management)
Cody Halloween EventCody, Wyoming will be holding their downtown Halloween Event this year.  Sheridan Avenue will be closed from 11th Street to 15th Street so families can safely walk the downtown area and visit local stores for treats. Be sure to stop by Pizza On The Run for $1 per slice pizza and to enter their costume contest! The fun starts at 4PM and runs until 6PM. See you then!
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