Jim Valentine: Local knowledge

Nevada is a special state for many reasons. From joining the Union on Halloween, Oct. 31, also known as Admissions Day in Nevada, to coming into the union with unequal footing having to forego receiving 87% of the land in the state that remained owned by the United States government.

Great distances between settlements, more mountain ranges (250) than any other state in the union, and a good western mindset, Nevada is special. Many people moving to the area are used to being catered to by their heavily-funded governmental agencies.

Nevadans maintain a sense of independence and do for themselves and their neighbors. With all that in mind, we thought it time to randomly review local quirks that newcomers should know. One of the first is navigation.

Many local roads have multiple names, some as many as three as they meander through a community. Even federal highways can have multiple numbering. Confusing? Thank goodness for navigational apps.

In our rural communities’ subdivisions have changed the traffic patterns resulting in rural agricultural secondary roads looking like and serving as arterials (city term). They are still secondary roads not built for the traffic volume, and not made for speed.

They are usually double lined, but that doesn’t stop the newbie from swinging out across the line, passing with a honk followed by the symbol of appreciation as they tell us we are No. 1 in their mind. There are still animals and farm equipment traveling these roads that should be respected.

Roads aren’t always maintained by the government. This is something to know when you buy in a neighborhood. Will you be paying for maintenance or will the county? In Douglas County there are no incorporated cities, so you are relying on improvement districts, town boards and county commissioners to keep things running.

Floodplains and floodways are a constant and are subject to change according to how FEMA and our local government engineer and negotiate things. FEMA mandates and the county challenges.

In the meantime, there can be flood insurance matters to consider as well as flood risk depending on where your property is and when it was built. Many residential properties are served by wells for their domestic water.

As such, it is important to remember that you are your own water system. If there is an earthquake, did your seal crack thus allowing bacteria to enter your drinking water? With all the mineralization in the region (think silver/gold history) there can be elements in the water that need filtering, i.e. - arsenic, fluoride, iron, etc.

The drinking water standards on these also change periodically so be aware when you buy on a well as to what you are drinking. We have four good seasons in Northern Nevada, spring, summer, fall and winter.

It is wonderful to enjoy the blessings of each season and their seasonal characteristics. Regardless of the time of year, the weather can change any time. We live in the mountains. There is an old saying, “If you don’t like the weather wait an hour, it will change.” Be ready for anything and enjoy the spontaneous illustrations of the power of Mother Nature.

There is a lot more to understanding Nevada. See an orange mark on a fence post? That means no trespassing. That is proper legal notice.

If you’ve moved here recently, take time to get to know about where you moved, do less to make us do it like where you came from. It’s Nevada. You might put a crease in your jeans for a formal affair, but we all understand independence.

When it comes to choosing professionals to assist you with your Real Estate needs… Experience is Priceless! Jim Valentine, RE/MAX Gold Carson Valley, 775-781-3704. dpwtigers@hotmail.com.