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October 2018
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THE FIRST PRIME HOME GUIDE PUMPKINS AND PREPARATION Lessons From Halloween
As a new-ish father, I’m finding I get to relearn and re-experience so many aspects of life. In many ways, it’s like having a second childhood. This is especially true when Halloween rolls around and the holiday season begins in earnest. enjoyed dressing up as a family and heading down to the celebrations in Town Square. One year, we dressed up as police officers, and Lily was our little jailbreaker. Another year, all three of us went as pirates. Of course, we didn’t do a group costume last year because Marites was pregnant with Lily’s little brother, Liam. This will be my son’s first Halloween, and I can’t wait to see what kind of group costume we come up with! Ever since our daughter Lily’s first Halloween, Marites and I have
our family outfits. But this kind of forethought is something I had to relearn as a father. For much of my life, I tended to approach most things — especially the holidays — in a very off-the-cuff manor. As a kid, I never got my hopes up about festivities and occasions because I feared I’d be disappointed, so I put very little effort or anticipation into these sorts of things, thinking it would keep me from being let down. But suddenly, when you’re a parent, your perspective shifts. Rather than guarding your own expectations, you’re given an opportunity to meet and exceed those of your children and give them a truly magical experience. To rise to that challenge takes a lot of planning and forethought, from preparing birthday parties to planning out Halloween costumes. Doing this has taught me to anticipate and plan for special occasions. Experiencing this holiday through my children’s eyes has also reminded me of some of my own Halloween childhood memories. Although I’ve talked a lot about the challenges I faced during childhood, I can’t remember a bad Halloween. Maybe its because it’s such a simple, kid-centric holiday — what’s not to love about dressing up in crazy costumes and getting candy? Looking back, it was my older brother who helped make Oct. 31 feel magical.
My brother is about 10 years older than me and has always been very talented when it comes to arts and crafts. While I rarely thought too much about my own costume, my brother was more than happy to lend his creative talents to the cause. I remember one year in particular when he went all-out to dress me up as the classic fictional serial killer Freddy Krueger. The costume was all homemade, and getting Krueger’s burnt face right took a lot of research and planning on my brother’s part. He mixed a gelatin mold that could be applied to my face, and it looked really convincing! The only problem was that when I peeled the stuff off at the end of the night, part of my eyebrow went with it. You can see where I’m missing some of the hair to this day! Having kids now and helping plan out their costumes has really brought my brother’s efforts — and the joy he found in the process — into perspective. I’m reminded of a quote by Benjamin Franklin: “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Becoming a parent has really made that ring true Lily and Liam have already taught me so much in their young lives.
At the time of writing, we still have several weeks left to plan out
Happy Halloween,
Lathe Lavada
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Are You Using Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Wrong? COOKING OILS DECLASSIFIED
Not all cooking oils are created equal. Some cooking oils have distinct flavors, while others are suited for high temperatures. Every oil is unique. Here are six common oils and their best uses.
PEANUT OIL Great for high-heat cooking, frying, and deep-frying, peanut oil has a neutral flavor, so you can easily use it in just about any dish that needs a cooking oil. It’s also a more heart-healthy option than canola and vegetable oils. AVOCADO OIL When you need an oil to withstand high temps, this is your oil. It has a smoke point of 510 degrees, making it perfect for grilling and stir-frying. What makes avocado oil particularly unique is it can also be used as a finishing oil, like EVOO. It’s light yet resilient.
in place of other cooking oils — just be sure you’re using plain olive oil and not EVOO.
EXTRA-
VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
COCONUT OIL Better for baking than cooking,
An often misused oil, extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) should not be used for cooking or frying. It’s simply too delicate and cannot withstand high
the right estate plan for you takes knowledge. Here are a few factors you or your loved ones should consider when planning out a legacy. JOINT OWNERSHIP If you jointly own your home with someone else — your spouse, for example — you’ll want to see if the deed includes the “right to survivorship.” If this is the case, the property rights will seamlessly transfer over to the co-owner after your death. There’s no need for the house to go through probate. TRANSFER-ON-DEATH DEED In Nevada, you can set up what’s known as a transfer-on-death deed, which is exactly what it sounds like. You sign a deed to be transferred to a named beneficiary upon your death. Until that time comes, however, you retain full rights over your property, including the right to sell it. When you pass on, the deed will kick into effect — no need to go to court to sort out the details. CANOLA OIL/VEGETABLE OIL A good option for high-heat cooking, baking, and frying, these utilitarian oils are completely neutral in flavor, but they’re not heart-healthy. Vegetable oil is a generic mix of oils, including soybean, canola (rapeseed), and palm oils, making it the most inexpensive cooking oil. coconut oil is generally solid at room temperature. It can be used for some cooking, but like EVOO it doesn’t play well with high temperatures. Keep it at 350 degrees or below and use it as a butter substitute.
The probate process can be long, costly, and emotionally taxing for your loved ones, and having property in dispute makes things especially tense. Some estate planners will try to use probate as a boogeyman to scare you into signing up for costly wealth transfer strategies you don’t need. Finding DON’T LET PROBATE SPOOK YOU HAVE A PLAN FOR YOUR LEGACY temperatures, which can damage the flavor, ruining dishes. Instead, use it as a finishing oil — drizzle it over pasta, salad, or bread. OLIVE OIL Unlike EVOO, standard olive oil can be used for cooking and frying. It can withstand temps up to about 460 degrees. In many cases, you can use it
LIVING TRUSTS Trusts are somewhat like wills, but they allow greater control over the allocation of your assets and can help when estate taxes are a concern. These estate planning vehicles can be costly to set up, however, and they have higher yields for those in higher income brackets. Still, placing real estate in a trust is a great way to ensure your property does not get sucked into probate. TALK TO A LAWYER YOU TRUST Ultimately, the best way to understand the estate planning avenues you have available to you is by talking to an experienced Las Vegas-area estate planner. Depending on your financial and family situation, a wide variety of options may be available to you. As homebuyers, our team knows the probate process inside and out and can recommend some great estate planners who will work with you to find the plan that works best for you! Give us a call at 702-476-2000.
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IS YOUR BUYER PLAYING TRICK OR TREAT WITH YOU? 3 Ways to Spot Shady Buyers
SCARY STORIES SPOOKY TRICK-OR-TREAT ZOMBIE
HALLOWEEN HALLOWS EVE
CAULDRON COSTUME DRACULA GHOST
HAUNTED PUMPKIN
DON’T LET ANYONE TWIST YOUR ARM Another tactic that is unfortunately common in our industry is the use of alarmist scare tactics. Some buyers will look to capitalize on your financial situation, claiming their offer is your only option in an attempt to get you to sell without any negotiation. Take it from us: Don’t be bullied. The last time we checked, we don’t have debtors prisons in the United States. You will always have options ahead of you, no matter what your personal financial situation is. GO WITH YOUR GUT Something Lathe likes to point out is that we all have a sixth sense. If doing business with someone doesn’t feel right, you should probably trust that instinct. Humans are incredibly good at reading when someone is being disingenuous with us, so when all else fails, trust your feelings. We always want our dealings with customers to be a conversation. We’re not going to use tricks or scare tactics to force you to sell to us, and at the end of the day, if you don’t feel we’re the right buyer for you, we’ll understand. We only want to make a deal that both sides will be happy with. If we can’t reach that with you, that’s okay. We’ll be here if you change your mind.
We’ll be the first to admit that cash buyers in this industry can be wolves in sheep’s clothing. There are a lot of real estate agents and other homebuyers looking to pull the wool over your eyes. They do this through a combination of bait-and-switch tactics, luring you in with treats, only to break out their bag of tricks. Here are a few tips to avoid these traps. There are a lot of national buyers out there who may make you an offer over the phone without actually coming to see the property in person. While this can seem like a bad business practice for the buyer, it’s actually part of an insidious strategy. These out-of-state buyers are hoping to find something wrong with your property after getting you under contract. You might assume that after you sign a contract, you’re guaranteed to get the price the homebuyer offered you. But in reality, if the buyer finds your home isn’t up to snuff, they can turn around and slash this number considerably without breaching the contract. That’s why our local team makes it a point to inspect every house before placing an offer. The last thing we want to do is get your hopes up with an offer only to have it turn sour. ONLY ACCEPT AN OFFER AFTER THEY’VE SEEN THE HOME
SPICED PUMPKIN SEED CRUNCH
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS • 1 large egg white • 1 teaspoon light agave syrup • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala or curry powder • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt • 1/4 cup shelled pumpkin seeds • 1/4 cup shelled sunflower seeds • 1/4 cup raw cashews, coarsely chopped 1. Heat oven to 300 F. 2. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. 3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together egg white, agave, salt, and spices. Add nuts and seeds and toss until evenly coated. spoonfuls of mixture over bowl and transfer to baking sheet. Discard excess egg white mixture. 5. Bake 20–25 minutes, tossing once. 6. Let cool and serve. 4. Using a slotted spoon, strain • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper • Nonstick vegetable oil spray
Inspired by Bon Appétit magazine
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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
9550 S. Eastern Ave. Ste. 253 Las Vegas, NV 8923
702-476-2000 www.lathelavada.com
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
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What I Learned From Halloween Understanding Cooking Oils and Their Uses Overcome Your Probate Fears Trick or Treat? 3 Ways to Spot Shady Buyers Spiced Pumpkin Seed Crunch The Surprising Origins of Trick- or-Treating
WHY THERE ARE KIDS ON YOUR PORCH ASKING FOR CANDY
The History of Trick-or-Treating
As Halloween looms and you load up your grocery cart with candy, you may ask yourself, “Why do I provide these spooky gremlins with a sugar high every Oct. 31, anyway?” Well, when your doorbell starts ringing around 6 p.m. this All Hallows’ Eve, you can thank the Celts for this tradition of candy and costumes.
Halloween itself is a kind of mishmash of four different cultural festivals
Celts believed that Samuin marked an overlapping of the realms of the living and the dead. To trick the spirits leaking into our world, young men donned flowing white costumes and black masks — a great disguise when ghosts were about. The Catholic Church was never a big fan of these pagan traditions, so they renamed it “All Saints’ Day” and gussied it up in religious garb. By the 11th century, people were dressing up as saints, angels, and the occasional demon instead of spirits. Eventually, costumed children started tearing
through town begging for food and money and singing a song or prayer in return — a practice called “souling.” But when did they start dressing up as Minions? Starting in the 19th century, souling turned to “guising,” which gave way to trick-or-treating in mid-20th- century America, and the costumes diversified. So put on some clown makeup and a big smile, scoop up a handful of sweets, and scare the living daylights out of ‘em — ‘tis the season!
of old: two Roman fêtes, which commemorated the dead and the goddess of fruit and trees (not at the same time); the Celtic Samuin or Samhain, a new year’s party thrown at the end of our summer; and the Catholic All Saint’s Day, designed to replace Samuin and divorce it from its pagan origins. Long before there were young'uns on your porch dressed as Thanos with candy-filled pillowcases in hand, the
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