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MAY 2018 MARKET NEWSLETTER EASTERN PLUMAS & SIERRA COUNTIES Graeagle, Portola, Loyalton, Chilcoot and Golf Course Communities
TABLE OF CONTENTS Dickson Realty Portola Office Information
“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” — John Steinbeck
1st
Quarter Market Statistics
PAGE 2 3-5
Guild Mortgage Corner
6
Making Your Home More Saleable
7
Five Tips for Selling Quickly For Highest Price
8
The Listing Agreement
9
May Calendar and Events
10-12
Public Golf Course Information
13
Memorial Day – Did You Know?
14-15
Dickson Portola Team 289 Commercial Street | Portola, CA 96122 | 530.832.1700
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MAY 2018 MARKET NEWSLETTER EASTERN PLUMAS & SIERRA COUNTIES Graeagle, Portola, Loyalton, Chilcoot and Golf Course Communities
Plumas County's only city built by Western Pacific Railroad at the turn of the 20th century, the little company town of Portola has become the hub of eastern Plumas. Both the railroad and the wild and scenic Feather River pass through the middle of this small city, and a classic arched bridge spans the two and connects the north to the south side. Older homes are enjoying new facelifts, and new homes are being built in wonderful older neighborhoods, giving you housing opportunities that are almost unheard of anymore. Portola is the civic center for the east county where you will find outstanding medical services, including trauma and cardiac care, schools, a library, parks, shopping, and more.
The Dickson Realty Portola Team is always available to provide excellent and dedicated client service whether you are considering buying or selling a home. Our team of seasoned professionals, all RealtorsÂŽ, possess the most current and comprehensive market information and, combined with their knowledge and experience, they are uniquely qualified to be expert guides in your real estate venture. Call, e-mail, visit our office, or access us on the web. We are here for you 24/7. Office Phone: 530-832-1700 Email: portolainfo@dicksonrealty.com Web: www.DicksonRealty.com
The following pages provide Residential Sales Statistics for the areas of Graeagle, Portola, Loyalton, Chilcoot and the Golf Course Communities of Whitehawk, Grizzly Ranch, and Gold Mountain The sales statistics are a quarterly comparison of sales activity for the months of January through March 2018 compared to the same period in 2017; Median and Average Prices, Lowest and Highest Sales, Number of transactions and the % change in the categories. The sales shown are for Single Family Residential, Condominiums and Townhouses in each of the market areas. (Time share and/or shared ownership are not included in the statistics presented.) The data source is the Plumas Multiple Listing Service for quarterly period January 1st through March 31st 2017/2018 with the data pulled on April10, 2018.
Dickson Portola Team 289 Commercial Street | Portola, CA 96122 | 530.832.1700
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MAY 2018 MARKET NEWSLETTER EASTERN PLUMAS & SIERRA COUNTIES Graeagle, Portola, Loyalton, Chilcoot and Golf Course Communities
Overall Market
YTD MARCH 2017
YTD MARCH 2018
$ $
$ $ $ $
Graeagle, Portola, Loyalton and Chilcoot Median Sales Price Average Sold Price Average Days on Market Homes Sold
177,000 257,156 306 16
% Change
250,000 254,447 161 19
41% -1% -47% 19%
When the market is viewed overall, the Median pricing has increased by 41% and the Average pricing is stable. The average days on market have been reduced by a significant 47%.
OVERALL MARKET Graeagle, Portola, Loyalton, Chilcoot
$400,000 $200,000 $-
$177,000
$257,156 $254,447
$250,000
Median Sales Price YTD MARCH 2017
GRAEAGLE * Median Sales Price Average Sold Price Lowest Sold Price Highest Sold Price Average Days on Market Homes Sold
Average Sold Price
YTD MARCH 2018
YTD MARCH 2017
YTD MARCH 2018
$ $ $ $
$ $ $ $
336,000 447,000 128,500 950,000 286 9
% Change
366,000 328,562 175,000 445,000 169 8
9% -26% 36% -53% -41% -11%
The Graeagle market had positive growth in Median pricing for 1st quarter 2018 when compared to the same time period in 2017. The average sold price shows a decline caused by the effect of the highest price home sold in 2017. The lowest sale prices demonstrated a good increase and the average days on market were reduced by 41%.
Graeagle $500,000 $400,000 $300,000 $200,000 $100,000 $-
$447,000 $336,000
$366,000 $328,562
2017
2018
YTD MARCH
YTD MARCH
Median Sales Price
Average Sold Price
Dickson Portola Team 289 Commercial Street | Portola, CA 96122 | 530.832.1700
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MAY 2018 MARKET NEWSLETTER EASTERN PLUMAS & SIERRA COUNTIES Graeagle, Portola, Loyalton, Chilcoot and Golf Course Communities
PORTOLA * Median Sales Price Average Sold Price Lowest Sold Price Highest Sold Price Average Days on Market Homes Sold
YTD MARCH 2017
YTD MARCH 2018
$ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $ $
92,500 94,000 27,000 157,000 311 6
% Change
125,000 166,000 87,000 330,000 183 7
35% 77% 222% 110% -41% 17%
The Portola market has seen significant positive growth in both Median and Average pricing for 1st quarter 2018 when compared to the same time period in 2017. The highest and lowest prices demonstrated considerable increases while the average days on market were reduced by 41%.
Portola
$200,000 $150,000 $100,000 $50,000 $-
$166,000 $92,500
$94,000
2017
2018
YTD MARCH
YTD MARCH
Median Sales Price
LOYALTON * Median Sales Price Average Sold Price Lowest Sold Price Highest Sold Price Average Days on Market Homes Sold
$125,000
Average Sold Price
YTD MARCH 2017
YTD MARCH 2018
$ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $ $
179,000 170,500 92,500 240,000 175 3
% Change
305,000 298,000 190,000 399,000 89 3
70% 75% 105% 66% -49% 0%
The Loyalton market has seen significant positive growth in both Median and Average pricing for 1st quarter 2018 when compared to the same time period in 2017. The highest and lowest prices demonstrated considerable increases while the average days on market were reduced by 49%.
Loyalton
$400,000 $300,000 $200,000 $100,000 $-
$305,000 $298,000 $179,000 $170,500
2017
2018
YTD MARCH
YTD MARCH
Median Sales Price
Average Sold Price
Dickson Portola Team
289 Commercial Street | Portola, CA 96122 | 530.832.1700
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MAY 2018 MARKET NEWSLETTER EASTERN PLUMAS & SIERRA COUNTIES Graeagle, Portola, Loyalton, Chilcoot and Golf Course Communities
Golf Course Communities
YTD MARCH 2017
YTD MARCH 2018
$ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $ $
Whitehawk, Grizzly Ranch, Gold Mountain
Median Sales Price Average Sold Price Lowest Sold Price Highest Sold Price Average Days on Market Homes Sold
460,000 460,000 440,000 480,000 381 2
% Change
367,000 621,666 365,000 1,133,000 246 3
-20% 35% -17% 136% -35% 50%
The Golf Course Communities market has negative growth in Median pricing for 1st quarter 2018 when compared to the same time period in 2017. The Average Price sold increased significantly based on the the highest price home sale this quarter. This market remains stable and the average days on market were reduced by 35%.
Golf Course Communities $700,000 $600,000 $500,000 $400,000 $300,000 $200,000 $100,000 $-
$621,666 $460,000 $460,000
2017
2018
YTD MARCH
YTD MARCH
Median Sales Price
CHILCOOT * Median Sales Price Average Sold Price Lowest Sold Price Highest Sold Price Average Days on Market Homes Sold
$367,000
Average Sold Price
YTD MARCH 2017
YTD MARCH 2018
$ $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $ $
165,000 165,000 165,000 165,000 188 1
150,000 150,000 150,000 150,000 158 1
% Change -9% -9% -9% -9% -16% 0%
The Chilcoot market shows a slight decline in both Median and Average Pricing. This market is fairly consistent. The days on market were reduced by 16%.
Chilcoot $170,000 $165,000 $160,000 $155,000 $150,000 $145,000 $140,000
$165,000 $165,000
$150,000 $150,000
2017
2018
YTD MARCH
YTD MARCH
Median Sales Price
Average Sold Price
Dickson Portola Team
289 Commercial Street | Portola, CA 96122 | 530.832.1700
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MAY 2018 MARKET NEWSLETTER EASTERN PLUMAS & SIERRA COUNTIES Graeagle, Portola, Loyalton, Chilcoot and Golf Course Communities
5 things you need to know about turning an investment property into a rental: 1) Financing An Investment Property
● Down payments vary depending on the type of loan ex. jumbo vs. high balance vs. conventional ● Rates vary depending on the program and property type ● Investment appraisals can take longer if we need a rental survey completed 2) Insurance ● Most vacation rental companies consider a short term rental to be 30 days or less, some will allow up to 3 months, just depends on the carrier. ● Vacation rental and full rental or landlord policy are completely different insurance policies. 3) Start Up Costs ● Average $1500 ● Proposed Purchases (Occupancy vs. Entertainment) ● Rental Dwelling Insurance Upgrade ● Cleaning Fee ● Professional Photos ● Contingency Trust Fund - Refundable Deposit 4) Fees (inTruckee/North Lake Tahoe) ● 25-35% Property Management Fee ● Supplies ● General maintenance or repairs 5) Income ● You can expect to make, on average, 4% gross of home value If you have any questions regarding loan limits, refinancing or purchasing a home, please feel free to reach out to The Rice Team. 11050 Pioneer Trail Suite 201 Truckee, CA 96161 Phone: (530) 582-9991 Fax: (530) 582-9995. Web:wwwTheRiceTeam.com
Dickson Portola Team 289 Commercial Street | Portola, CA 96122 | 530.832.1700
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MAY 2018 MARKET NEWSLETTER EASTERN PLUMAS & SIERRA COUNTIES Graeagle, Portola, Loyalton, Chilcoot and Golf Course Communities
Making Your Home More Salable Before you put your home on the market, take an impartial look at your property, inside and out. You may have only one chance to pique potential buyers' interest when they view your home, so don't let easily correctable flaws stand in the way. The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® suggests that sellers spend as little as possible on pre-sale repairs and improvements. While new tile might really spark up your kitchen, potential buyers probably won't increase their purchase off ers enough to compensate your expenses. Instead, focus on the small, relatively inexpensive touch-ups that will give your house a polished, well-maintained appearance. A fresh coat of neutral paint in your bedrooms and new cabinet knobs in the kitchen and bathrooms are small changes that buyers will appreciate. Thoroughly clean the insides of appliances and wash and deodorize carpets. In addition, clean out closets and cabinets; this gives your home a more spacious appearance. Check for and repair cracks, leaks and other damage to walls, floors, paint and attic. You also need to ensure that your home's exterior curb appeal is attractive to buyers. Maintain the upkeep of your existing landscaping, but don't plant new shrubs or trees. A few well placed potted plants add a nice touch. Examine doors, windows and the overall exterior for peeling paint. Repair loose or damaged roof shingles, siding and caulking. Your REALT OR® can assist you in recommending specific renovations and touch-ups that will make your house stand out to buyers. He or she should be able to explain expected returns on investments you make to enhance your home's salability.
Dickson Portola Team 289 Commercial Street | Portola, CA 96122 | 530.832.1700
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MAY 2018 MARKET NEWSLETTER EASTERN PLUMAS & SIERRA COUNTIES Graeagle, Portola, Loyalton, Chilcoot and Golf Course Communities
FIVE IDEAS TO HELP SELL YOUR HOME QUICKLY FOR THE HIGHEST PRICE
Spring has sprung with longer days and copious sunshine. The roads are nearly free of snow and ice, melting into the forest and filling reservoirs. Wildflowers are beginning to pop up amongst the rocks, and the pine trees are spewing yellow pollen. People are talking about enjoying spring mountain activities like biking, hiking, boating, and concerts. If you are considering selling your mountain home, it never hurts to mention all the activities you enjoy and what you love about the mountains. Getting your home on the market requires many decisions. One of your most important jobs is to stage your home for all the realtors, potential buyers, and even the home inspectors that will be coming through to evaluate, price, and submit an offer to buy your home. Here are Five staging tips to sell your mountain home quickly to get top dollar as you put your home on the real estate market. # 1 - Hire a Stager
If interior decorating and design is not your talent, strongly consider hiring a professional home stager, as they have an eye for these things that most do not. You’ll be amazed at their talent in moving things around, editing out clutter, adding an eye-catching decorative item or two, and generally putting your home in the best light. Statistics show that for every $100 spent on staging, you will get $400 back in sale value. What a great investment! #2 - Clean and Clean Out Clean your home like you’ve never cleaned it before. A clean, fresh, tidy home gets more attention and higher offers. Decide what you will move and what you won’t be taking. Sell or give away what you don't intend to move now. Holding a spring garage sale lets neighbors know you’re moving, plus makes you quick cash for moving supplies like boxes, tape, storage, and truck rentals. Charities resell donations of the things that you don’t sell, and while you are donating your old things and getting a tax deduction receipt. You can pick out just a few specific items to stage your home. Some ideas for cheap, but cool, thrift store finds to help to stage your mountain home include mountain-themed artwork, a canoe, old skis, snowshoes, a sled, gardening equipment, hiking maps, hiking boots, taxidermy or mountain animal paintings, books or magazines on mountain related subjects, fireplace tools, and cozy accessories like rugs and throw blankets. If you hire professionals, be sure they are licensed, insured and/or bonded. Get references whenever possible. #3 - Pack up Now Pack up everything you’ve decided you want to move with you but don't use every day and get it out of the way. The garage or a storage unit is helpful as a place to store things you don't need while your home is selling, and it keeps your valuables safe while strangers are poking around your home. A full storage unit makes loading a moving truck easier later, plus storage facilities generally rent moving trucks and packing supplies. #4 - Rearrange and Set the Stage Stage your home with that mountain stuff you bought from the thrift store. The things placed around your home do not need to resemble your personality or the activities that you enjoy. In fact, it’s best to remove your personal flair and personality entirely, and make your home as generic as possible. People searching for their slice of the mountains have their own fantasy in mind. Give them visual space to imprint their mountain dream in your home. Appeal to any mountain fantasy with equipment and gear for a variety of activities. Capture the idea of enjoying mountain wildlife and nature up close. Cozy up your place to offset the cool mountain air, and make room for a new family to call it home. Arrange furniture by task, and make it look like a magazine spread. #5 - Freshen the Air Add a few houseplants or flowers to freshen the air and to add freshness to the home. Be sure to open the windows on a warm day to air out your home and remove any lingering odors. Ensure no pet or cooking odors are noticeable. Don’t overdo air fresheners, but a light scent can be pleasant. Bags of 1000g of Activated Charcoal are natural air fresheners and odor eliminators and can be place strategically in closets, mud rooms and pet areas. Think clean and fresh.
Dickson Portola Team 289 Commercial Street | Portola, CA 96122 | 530.832.1700
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MAY 2018 MARKET NEWSLETTER EASTERN PLUMAS & SIERRA COUNTIES Graeagle, Portola, Loyalton, Chilcoot and Golf Course Communities
Listing Agreements Once you've selected a REALTOR® to market and sell your property, you and the agent will enter into a written, legally binding contract called a listing agreement. The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® offers its own official agreement for California REALTORS®, the Residential Listing Agreement (Exclusive Authorization and Right to Sell) (LA-11). This standard form stipulates all agreement terms, including the listing price, the listing time period, the broker's commission and more. It also informs the seller of issues and legal requirements that may be involved in the process. The Exclusive Agency Listing Agreement (EA-11) is another C.A.R. standard form providing generally the same provisions as the LA-11. The primary difference between the two standard forms is that the LA-11 specifies that the seller's REALTOR® will receive a commission on the home's sale regardless of how the buyer is located, whether it be through the seller's REALTOR®, another REALTOR®, the seller's own initiative or any other means. By contrast, the EA-11 requires that the seller's REALTOR® will only be paid if the buyer is procured by the seller's REALTOR® or any other REALTOR®. Before you enter into a listing agreement, you'll want to thoroughly understand all the terms and each party's respective roles -- informatio n that your REALTOR® can provide.
DICKSON REALTY has all experienced REALTOR® agents. Please consider interviewing our company if you make the important decision to sell your home. Truckee Office Office Info:Phone:530-587-7444Fax:530-587-8064Email:truckeeinfo@dicksonrealty.com Address:11836 Donner Pass Road T ruckee, CA 96161
Dickson Portola Team 289 Commercial Street | Portola, CA 96122 | 530.832.1700
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MAY 2018 MARKET NEWSLETTER EASTERN PLUMAS & SIERRA COUNTIES Graeagle, Portola, Loyalton, Chilcoot and Golf Course Communities
MAY 2018 SUN
MON 29
TUES 30
WED 01
THUR 02
FRI 03
SAT 04
05 LORD’S GYM ANNUAL MUD RUN CINCO de MAYO CELEBRATION
06 LORD’S GYM ANNUAL KID’S MUD RUN
07
08
09
10
11
12 LIGHT THE FIRE fundraiser Western Pacific RR Museum
13 MOTHER’S DAY
14
15
16
17
18
19 GRAEAGLE ANNUAL JUNIOR FISHING DERBY
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28 MEMORIAL DAY
29
30
31
01
02
SAVE THE DATE: Opening of Sierra Valley Farmer’s Market
ANNUAL SHOP HOP EVENT GRAEAGLE 03
04
05
06
07
08
SAVE THE DATE: Lost and Found Grinder’s Bike Race 09 SAVE THE DATE: RECYCLED RELICS CAR SHOW LOYALTON
“Being a mother is an attitude, not necessarily a biological relation.” —Robert A. Heinlein
Dickson Portola Team 289 Commercial Street | Portola, CA 96122 | 530.832.1700
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MAY 2018 MARKET NEWSLETTER EASTERN PLUMAS & SIERRA COUNTIES Graeagle, Portola, Loyalton, Chilcoot and Golf Course Communities Date and Event MAY 5TH LORD’S GYM MUD RUN ANNUAL CHARITY FUND RAISER
MAY 6TH LORD’S GYM KID’S MUD RUN
Where Held
Time
Cost Contact Info.
Feather Falls Lodge 3 Alverda Dr. Orovile, CA 95966
8:30 AM 4:00 PM
$65.00 per person info@lordsgymoroville.org OR CALL (530) 635-4260
The Lord's Gym Mud Run is an annual, military-style obstacle race in Northern California that challenges the endurance and mental toughness of beginners and experts alike. Crawl through mud pits, jump over walls, run across lakes, swing, climb and hang from your fingertips to overcome over 20 obstacles across a grueling 5 mile course. Take on the Mud Run as a team or individually. Plus, all proceeds go to charity! The Lord’s Gym Mud Run is open to everyone above the age of 13. Kids ages 4-12 can enter the Lord's Gym Kids Mud Run.
Feather Falls Lodge 3 Alverda Dr. Orovile, CA 95966
2:00 PM 7:00 PM
FREE info@lordsgymoroville.org OR CALL (530) 635-4260
Special obstacle course, lots of mud! The race is split into heats with three age groups, 4-6, 79, and 10-12, with a longer, tougher race for the oldest kids. We also run a special The Lord's Gym Kids Mud Run is a special obstacle race open to all kids ages 4-12. The race course is under a mile long with 20+ obstacles involving climbing, crawling, running and, of competition between schools known as the Superhero School Bell, in which students win points for their schools by wearing costumes or dressing in their school colors.
$25.00 Per Person NO HOST BAR 5:00 pm DINNER START 6:00 PM LOCATION: GRAEAGLE FIRE HALL
The Mohawk Community Resource Center will present a celebration of Cinco de Mayo, the third annual, at the Graeagle Fire Hall. Doors open at 5 pm and a buffet style meal will be served at 6 pm. The cost is $25.00 per person, with tickets only available at MCRC, at the corner of Hwys. 89 and 70 in Blairsden. The meal is being catered by the Ricochet Cafe, located in Clio. This event is a fundraiser for the Resource Center. It is a popular event, always sold out, so attendees should get their tickets as soon as possible after April 2nd.
MAY 5TH CINCO DE MAYO CELEBRATION Benefit for Mohawk Community Resource Center
CALL (530) 836-0446 FOR TICKETS AND INFORMATION
May 12th LIGHT THE FIRE! Fundraising Event
Details
Western Pacific Railroar Museum 700 Western Pacific Way Portola, CA 96122
6:00 PM 9:00 PM
$100/full course dinner For more information call 530832-4131 or wplives.org
Community Effort Can Return the WP 165 Steam Engine Back to Operation in Portola Join the Feather River Rail Society for an evening of special presentations, live auction, and guided museum tours. Dinner will be provided by Longboards Bar & Grill. Tickets $100 per person, and seating is limited. All proceeds will go to restore and support the 165 Steam Engine.
Dickson Portola Team 289 Commercial Street | Portola, CA 96122 | 530.832.1700
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MAY 2018 MARKET NEWSLETTER EASTERN PLUMAS & SIERRA COUNTIES Graeagle, Portola, Loyalton, Chilcoot and Golf Course Communities Date and Event
MAY 19TH ANNUAL GRAEAGLE JUNIOR FISHING DERBY
MAY 28TH Graeagle Merchants Memorial Day Weekend Shop Hop
JUNE 2ND ANNUAL LOST & FOUND GRAVEL GRINDER BIKE RACE
Where Held MILL POND, GRAEAGLE
Downtown Graeagle
Time
Cost Contact Info.
Details
7:00 am
FREE
Feather River Chapter of TROUT UNLIMITED sponsors Junior Fishing Day for participants 16 years and under. No fishing license required. Limited tackle and bait available.
ALL DAY
FREE
Once again the Graeagle Merchants’ Downtown Graeagle Shop-Hop returns Memorial Day Weekend. You can pick up your passport at any participating downtown Graeagle Merchant shop, and get your passport stamped to win a prize in the drawing. Shop hours vary, and no purchase is necessary to play. So just pick up your passport and play. For more information about this event visit www.graeaglemerchants.com for more details.
7:00 am 6:00 pm
For more information visit
The Lost and Found Bike Race - a great event that features a route of 100 miles with 7,000' of elevation gain and is 80% dirt. Or opt for the shorter course of 30 miles or 60 miles. The big route starts at Lake Davis, located 15 minutes north of Portola, and takes racers on a rolling tour around the lake, up into the surrounding mountains and then sends them through some of the most beautiful and empty alpine valleys California has to offer. Participants can choose to race or simply ride the route and take advantage of the quality aid stations. Racers and riders from around the world will be invited to lose themselves and find this two-wheeled paradise.
www.lostandfoundbikeride.com
for details.
The race happens from 7:00 am to - 6:00 pm at Coot Bay in Lake Davis.
Dickson Portola Team 289 Commercial Street | Portola, CA 96122 | 530.832.1700
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MAY 2018 MARKET NEWSLETTER EASTERN PLUMAS & SIERRA COUNTIES Graeagle, Portola, Loyalton, Chilcoot and Golf Course Communities
Public Golf Courses Plumas NAKOMA OPEN
18 HOLE, PAR 72 Nakoma Golf Resort is a scenic wonder that will help golfers realize what's so special about Reno and the High Sierras as a golf destination. Challenging play team with unbelievable scenery , giving players a day on the links they won't soon forget. Playing to more than 7,000 yards from the back tees, Nakoma will challeng e even scratch golfers with an imposing slope rating of 147. With five tee settings, however, Nakoma Golf Resort has proven to be a golf course that will delight all levels of golfers.
WHITEHAWK RANCH OPEN
18 HOLE, PAR 71 Set in the scenic Mohawk Valley, Whitehawk Ranch Golf Club was designed by Dick Bailey and has been ranked as one of the 20 best golf courses in California by Golf Digest. Just a short drive from the golf destinations of Reno and Tahoe, Whitehawk has gained a well-earned reputation as one of the must plays of the High Sierra region.
GRIZZLY RANCH GOLF CLUB OPEN
18 HOLE, PAR 72 Nestled between the Sierra Nevada and the Cascade ranges , Grizzly Ranch Golf Club is surrounded by over a million acres of national and state forest. The landscape consists of rolling hills, native wetlands, and wildflower fields with ponderosas and Jeffrey pines sprinkled throughout. Grizzly Ranch Golf Club's terrain is mountainous with dramatic elevation changes and numerous valleys lined with trees. Grizzly Ranch terrain is forgiving enough for beginning and intermediate players.
RESERVATIONS: (877) 462-5662, (530) 322-3333 348 Bear Run, Clio California, 96106
RESERVATIONS: (530) 836-0394 768 Whitehawk Drive, Clio, CA 96106
RESERVATIONS: (530) 832-4200 250 Clubhouse Drive Portola, CA 96122
Dickson Portola Team 289 Commercial Street | Portola, CA 96122 | 530.832.1700
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MAY 2018 MARKET NEWSLETTER EASTERN PLUMAS & SIERRA COUNTIES Graeagle, Portola, Loyalton, Chilcoot and Golf Course Communities
Eight Things You May Not Know About Memorial Day For nearly 150 years, Americans have gathered in late spring to honor the sacrifice of those who have given their lives in service to their country. What began with dozens of informal commemorations of those killed in the Civil War has grown to become one of the nation’s most solemn and hallowed holidays. From its earliest incarnation as “Decoration Day” to its modern-day observances, check out some surprising facts about the history of Memorial Day.
-1Memorial Day and its traditions may have ancient roots. While the first commemorative Memorial Day events weren’t held in the United States until the late 19th century, the practice of honoring those who have fallen in battle dates back thousands of years. The ancient Greeks and Romans held annual days of remembrance for loved ones (including soldiers) each year, festooning their graves with flowers and holding public festivals and feasts in their honor. One of the first known public tributes to war dead was in 431 B.C., when the Athenian general and statesman Pericles delivered a funeral oration praising the sacrifice and valor of those killed in the Peloponnesian War—a speech that some have compared in tone to Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.
-2-
One of the earliest commemorations was organized by recently freed slaves. As the Civil War neared its end, thousands of Union soldiers, held as prisoners of war, were herded into a series of hastily assembled camps in Charleston, South Carolina. Conditions at one camp, a former racetrack near the city’s Citadel, were so bad that more than 250 prisoners died from disease and were buried in a mass grave behind the track’s grandstand. Three weeks after the Confederate surrender, an unusual procession entered the former camp: On May 1, 1865, more than 1,000 recently freed slaves, accompanied by regiments of the U.S. Colored Troops (including the Massachusetts 54th Infantry) and a handful of white Charlestonians, gathered in the camp to consecrate a new, proper burial site for the Union dead. The group sang hymns, gave readings and distributed flowers around the cemetery, which they dedicated to the “Martyrs of the Race Course.”
-3-
The holiday’s “founder” had a long and distinguished career. In May 1868, General John A. Logan, the commander-inchief of the Union veterans’ group known as the Grand Army of the Republic, issued a decree that May 30 should become a nationwide day of commemoration for the more than 620,000 soldiers killed in the recently ended Civil War. On Decoration Day, as Logan dubbed it, Americans should lay flowers and decorate the graves of the war dead “whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land.” According to legend, Logan chose May 30 because it was a rare day that didn’t fall on the anniversary of a Civil War battle, though some historians believe the date was selected to ensure that flowers across the country would be in full bloom. After the war Logan, who had served as a U.S. congressman before resigning to rejoin the army, returned to his political career, eventually serving in both the House and Senate. When he died two years later, Logan’s body laid in state in the rotunda of the United States Capitol, making him one of just 33 people to have received the honor. Today, Washington, D.C.’s Logan Circle and several townships across the country are named in honor of this champion of veterans and those killed in battle.
Dickson Portola Team 289 Commercial Street | Portola, CA 96122 | 530.832.1700
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MAY 2018 MARKET NEWSLETTER EASTERN PLUMAS & SIERRA COUNTIES Graeagle, Portola, Loyalton, Chilcoot and Golf Course Communities
-4-
Logan probably adapted the idea from earlier events in the South. Even before the war ended, women’s groups across much of the South were gathering informally to decorate the graves of Confederate dead. In April 1886, the Ladies Memorial Association of Columbus, Georgia resolved to commemorate the fallen once a year—a decision that seems to have influenced John Logan to follow suit, according to his own wife. However, southern commemorations were rarely held on one standard day, with observations differing by state and spread out across much of the spring and early summer. It’s a tradition that continues today: Nine southern states officially recognize a Confederate Memorial Day, with events held on Confederate President Jefferson Davis’ birthday, the day on which General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson was killed, or to commemorate other symbolic events.
-5-
It didn’t become a federal holiday until 1971. American’s embraced the notion of “Decoration Day” immediately. That first year, more than 27 states held some sort of ceremony, with more than 5,000 people in attendance at a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. By 1890, every former state of the Union had adopted it as an official holiday. But for more than 50 years, the holiday was used to commemorate those killed just in the Civil War, not in any other American conflict. It wasn’t until America’s entry into World War I that the tradition was expanded to include those killed in all wars, and Memorial Day was not officially recognized nationwide until the 1970s, with America deeply embroiled in the Vietnam War.
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It was a long road from Decoration Day to an official Memorial Day. Although the term Memorial Day was used beginning in the 1880s, the holiday was officially known as Decoration Day for more than a century, when it was changed by federal law. Four years later, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968 finally went into effect, moving Memorial Day from its traditional observance on May 30 (regardless of the day of the week), to a set day—the last Monday in May. The move has not been without controversy, though. Veterans groups, concerned that more Americans associate the holiday with first long weekend of the summer and not its intended purpose to honor the nation’s war dead, continue to lobby for a return to the May 30 observances. For more than 20 years, their cause was championed by Hawaiian Senator Daniel Inouye, a decorated World War II veteran, who until his 2012 death reintroduced legislation in support of the change at the start of every Congressional term.
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More than 20 towns claim to be the holiday’s “birthplace”—but only one has federal recognition. For almost as long as there’s been a holiday, there’s been a rivalry about who celebrated it first. Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, bases its claim on an 1864 gathering of women to mourn those recently killed at Gettysburg. In Carbondale, Illinois, they’re certain that they were first, thanks to an 1866 parade led, in part, by John Logan who two years later would lead the charge for an official holiday. Only one town, however, has received the official seal of approval from the U.S. government. In 1966, 100 years after the town of Waterloo, New York, shuttered its businesses and took to the streets for the first of many continuous, community-wide celebrations, President Lyndon Johnson signed legislation, recently passed by the U.S. Congress, declaring the tiny upstate village the “official” birthplace of Memorial Day.
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Memorial Day traditions have evolved over the years. Despite the increasing celebration of the holiday as a summer rite of passage, there are some formal rituals still on the books: The American flag should be hung at half-staff until noon on Memorial Day, then raised to the top of the staff. And since 2000, when the U.S. Congress passed legislation, all Americans are encouraged to pause for a National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m. local time. The federal government has also used the holiday to honor nonveterans—the Lincoln Memorial was dedicated on Memorial Day 1922. And, while its origins have little to do with fallen soldiers, the Indianapolis 500 has certainly become a Memorial Day tradition of its own.
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