Value of Home Remodeling

The 2008 Cost versus Value Report for home remodeling projects is now available. It ranks various home remodeling projects based upon the expected percentage of the projects cost that could be recouped when the home is sold. Keep in mind that these are national averages. Some of these figures would not be the same in Arizona. For example, it lists the addition of a deck to a home. In most Phoenix area homes there is a patio not a deck. A covered patio is much more valuable that a patio without shade. Costs for adding a patio would be different than costs to add a deck. Features included in the patio such as a built in cooking area would also affect value.

There are many factors which will affect how much you will recoup on remodeling. If you are planning on selling within a year, consult a real estate agent before engaging in any remodeling projects. The agent can advise you as to which projects will most help the sale of your home. If you are planning on living in the home for many more years, you should not expect to recoup the same percentage as if you sold your house within a year of the remodel.

2008 Cost vs Value Report

Do You Live in a Flood Zone?

It may sound crazy but there are flood zones in Maricopa County even though we are in a desert. Most home insurance policies do not include flood insurance.

More information about flood insurance and link to Maricopa County 100 Year Flood Plain Map

There are some roadways that have washes instead of bridges. These washes may only be full of water a few hours a few days of the year when we get heavy rain and flash flooding. If you encounter a flooded wash, do not attempt to drive through it. The Flood Control District of Maricopa website indicates that many cars will float in 2 feet of water. Don't take chance, take another route or wait for the wash to be clear of water.

Amazing Photos Through History

Millions of photos from Life Magazines archives are now available on-line through a photo archive hosted by Google. The archive includes photos that we never published in the magazine. You can do a search on a particular subject by adding "source.life" to your Google search term. Or you can go to the home page and do a search there or click on a decade to view - the 1860's through the 1970's. You can also click on famous peoples names, places, events, sports, and culture. The pictures are pretty amazing.

Home Page of Life Magazine Photo Archives

"Phoenix" Search of Life Photo Archives

How Do You Cook Your Turkey?

There are several different ways to cook a turkey. For many years, I have been using the Reynolds Oven Cooking Bags. I follow the directions on the box. I shake the flour in the bag. Then, I put a lot of cut up carrots, onions, and celery in the bottom of the bag. I place my turkey on top of the vegetables in the bag. These yields some great tasting carrots and lots of flavorful juices/broth to use in making gravy. One year, I had my oven stop working on the night before Thanksgiving. I cooked a turkey in my microwave in one of these cooking bags and turned out just fine - it was even browned some.

One other thing that I do that works well is that I cook additional stuffing in my crock pot on low. I put the stuffing in the crock pot at the same time I put the turkey in the oven. I used store bought stuffing mix and add the usual ingredients on the box plus a chopped up granny smith apple.

How do you like to cook your turkey? Leave a comment and let us know.

Holiday Music

It is hard to believe that it is almost time for Thanksgiving and Christmas already. If you are ready to get into the mood - you might want to listen to a radio station such as 99.9 FM KEZ which is playing Christmas music all of the time now. I'm not ready to listen to Christmas music all of the time now but it can be fun to listen on occasion. One of my favorite newer Holiday Cd's is the Barenaked Ladies - Barenaked for the Holidays. The CD contains Holiday music not just Christmas music. I also really like a duet by Bing Crosby and David Bowie of Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy. It is available on Bing's Crosby's Christmas Classics CD and possibly on other Cd's. This music is also available on ITunes. Leave a comment and share your favorite Holiday album or song.

Savings on Holiday Lights

One of the great things about living in Arizona, is that you don't have to battle bad weather if you want to put up holiday lights on your home. If you need to purchase new lights here are some ways to save money:

SRP - Save Up to $5 on Holiday LED Light Sets (LED lights use up to 98% less electricity than the conventional incandescent strands - from SRP Contact newsletter).

Michael's - Weekly Ad & Joann's - Weekly Ad These two stores frequently have lights on sale and often have a coupon in their newspaper ad.

Other places to check ads are home improvement stores like Lowe's and Home Depot, plus Target, and Costco.

October Residential Sales Up Over Last Year

Some good news in October, total ARMLS (Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service) residential sales were up by 56% over the previous year with a total of 5,370 sales. Months of inventory was sitting at about 10.5 months compared to last October when it was over 17.5 months. Chandler and Gilbert have made the most progress in reducing inventory of active listings.

This data is supplied by the Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service. ARMLS, West USA, and Pat & Amy Monahan do not guarantee the accuracy of the data.

Deal of the Week

We have added a new feature to our websites - The Deal of the Week. There are a lot of opportunities for savvy buyers in the current Phoenix area resale market. Listed on this section of our websites are the properties we have picked out from the MLS each week to highlight. These are not our listings. We look for properties that are priced below other comparable properties. Some may be move in ready and others may need a small amount to a lot of work done. Each week a new property will be added. We have included homes that have been foreclosed upon, that are currently owned by banks, and regular resales but have not included short sales. We realize that what constitutes a "good value" will be different for each of you. As always when purchasing a new home consider your needs and wants first.

Townhome and Condo - Deal of the Week

Single Family Home - Deal of the Week

Fishing in Phoenix and the East Valley

Through a joint program with the Arizona Game and Fish Department and local parks divisions there are 16 lakes in the Valley that have been stocked with fish. If you are 14 or older, you will need a Class U license to fish in a lake that is part of the Urban Fishing Program. Licenses are available at Arizona Game and Fish departments and many fishing, hunting, and sporting goods stores. The 2008 Class U fishing license is on sale for half price in November and December.

Locations of Urban Fishing Lakes

AZ Republic article - Urban Anglers Can Reel in Fun Without Having to Leave Town

AZ Game & Fish Department

A Global and Historic Perspective on the Economy

I read an interesting article at the W.P. Carey School of Business (ASU) website. The media tend to dwell so much on all the negative things happening in today's economy. There is not question that there are some difficult things happening and almost everyone is affected in one way or another. So, it can be refreshing to take a step back and look at how far the United States and the world have come and the positive role that the United States has played and will continue to play in world economic growth. Click on the link below to read the article or listen to the podcast.

Podcast: America's Six Unstoppable Trends

Is a Credit Union Home Loan Right for You?

As a follow-up to my previous post on Credit Unions, I thought I should share this article on credit union home loans. It explains how credit unions did not get themselves involved in the subprime mortgage mess and that they do have money to lend. You do have to be a qualified buyer, don't expect a 100% loan. They can be a good option for many people.

Realty Times - Credit Unions to the Rescue

A Bargain on Electronics?

Circuit City has announced that it is closing all of its Phoenix area stores. Liquidation sales started on 11/5. Usually with these types of sales markdowns start out modest and work there way up as time passes. It is usually a how long can you wait situation. Do you buy the item you want now or do you wait to see if you can get a lower price and risk someone else buying it before you do? Some additional information is available below.

Circuit City Breaking News - includes press release and locations of stores that will be closing

AZ Republic Article - Circuit City to Begin Liquidation

A You Up for a Challenge?

You might want to consider the upcoming Urban Dare Race in Scottsdale on November 8. It begins at noon with check-in beginning at 11:00am at Scottsdale Civic Center Mall at Drinkwater Blvd and Second St. The cost is $90.00 per team.

What is an Urban Dare race? Teams consisting of two people race across a course that will require speed but also the ability to solve clues at various spots along the course. There may be some skill challenges involved too. It is recommended that you bring a digital camera and a cell phone. You may want to phone a friend for some assistance with questions. Also, some clues may require that you take a picture of yourself at specific locations.

Are you intrigued? Read the Urban Dare blog or the AZ Republic Article - Game on: Urban Dare Race Tests Wit, Athleticism.

Which Jane Austen Heroine Are You?

This is kind of fun if you are a Jane Austen fan. I'll have to say that I appreciate the books a lot more now than I did when I was younger. Her ability to understand and portray different personality types and social interactions is as true today as it was when she wrote her books. Just the settings and background have aged.

Take the Quiz here!

Bank of America to Halt Some Local Foreclosures

Last summer, Bank of America bought Countrywide. Countrywide was the nation's largest sub prime lender. As a part of a settlement agreement with the Arizona Attorney Generals office, Bank of America has suspended foreclosure notices for about 2,000 homes in the Greater Phoenix Area and many more in the rest of Arizona. The bank will work with the borrowers for these loans and try to modify the loans to make the payments more affordable so they can stay in their homes.

AZ Republic Article - B of A agrees to halt 2.000 Foreclosures

Where to Call for Help if You Are Struggling to Make Your Home Payments:

If you have a Bank of America Loan - 800-669-6607

For Anyone in Arizona - Arizona Mortgage Foreclosure Help Line - 877-448-1211

Chandler GIS Day

GIS stands for Geographic Information Systems. This is the type of system that is used by 9-1-1 to locate callers but it has other uses. Chandler is offering a seminar on the real-world applications of GIS technology. The Chandler City Scope indicates that "Residents will learn how the Police and Fire departments utilize GIS to respond to emergencies and track crime information; other City departments will demonstrate how they use GIS, and residents will learn how to view the City's GIS Data" The event is free and will be held on Wednesday, November 19 from 8:00am to noon at the Community Center rooms 109-110. The Community Center is at 125 E Commonwealth Ave. For more information call 480-782-2468 or click here.

A Different Kind of News

If you are looking for a different kind of news coverage, you might want to try NewsWatch, ASU's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication's award winning student newscast. Channel 8's Magazine indicates the show will report on stores that affect ASU, metro Phoenix, and Arizona. It will start airing on Eight World beginning Nov. 4 and will air on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights at 9:00pm. Eight World airs on digital channel 8.3 and Cox 88. I haven't been able to determine if it is available on Direct TV or other satellite TV providers. If someone knows, please leave a comment.