LivingInTheEastValley.com

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Mortgage Rates at 52 year low

Mortgage rates have come down this year to levels not seen since 1956. This makes it a good time to refinance or to buy a home.

Read more about it at CNN/Money.com - Home Mortgage Rates at 52 Year Low

Free Pass to Phoenix Museums and Zoo

A new program begins on April 1 at the Chandler, Glendale, Mesa, Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Tempe libraries. Patrons will be able to check out a free Culture Pass at the circulation desk. The patron will then be given a voucher good for admission for up to four people which will be good for seven days for the museum of their choice. At the end of seven days, the voucher will expire and another patron can check out that pass. There are a limited number of passes available at each library.

The museums that are participating are: Arizona Museum for Youth, Arizona Museum of Natural History, Arizona Science Center, Bead Museum, Cave Creek Museum, Children's Museum of Phoenix, Desert Botanical Garden (starting June 1), Heard Museum, Mesa Contemporary Arts, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix Zoo, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, and Taliesin West.

More Information regarding The Culture Pass

Fix a Leak Week

Did you know that this is Fix a Leak Week? The EPA launched its program with a demonstration in Phoenix. They set up two demonstration toilets, 2 facuets, and a shower head in a Phoenix residents driveway to demonstrate how much water can be wasted from leaks.

Fix a Leak Week in Phoenix

The EPA's Watersense site has lots of information on how to save water including information to consider if you are purchasing new toilets, faucets, or showerheads.

Real Estate Market Statistics - February 2009

Some good news! Months of inventory of homes (includes single family homes, town homes, and condos) in the Greater Phoenix area has dropped from 17.3 in February 2008 to 9.6 in February 2009. Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Phoenix, and Queen Creek all had significant decreases from the year before. Tempe has about the same number of months of inventory as last February. Scottsdale did have an increase in the months of inventory. When a real estate market has an average of about six months of inventory it is considered to be "normal".

Months of Inventory: 2009, 2008
ARMLS: 9.6, 17.3
Chandler: 11.0, 14.6
Gilbert: 8.4, 13.3
Mesa: 9.4, 13.9
Phoenix: 8.0, 21.7
Queen Creek: 5.8, 14.5
Scottsdale: 21.6, 19.0
Tempe: 14.0, 14.0

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.

When Will The Real Estate Market Hit Bottom?

Here's a take from Andrew Waite of Personal Real Estate Investor Magazine - he sees an increase in title insurance policies ordered this year as a sign that the market is scrapping along the bottom. Read more - Great News More Market Bottom Evidence

We think the First Time Home Buyers Tax Credit will bring more buyers back into the market. We probably won't start seeing the affects of that until April and later months sales are posted. Buyers are just now hearing about the tax credit and will need time to find a house and purchase it.

Chandler Police Open House and Car Show

Come on out and see the 2009 Police Department Open House and Car Show. It's Saturday, March 7th from 10 am til 2 pm. at the main station downtown.

Not only will you see some awesome cars, but there's a SWAT team Display, VIN etching, a Bike Rodeo and K-9 demos.

Win a $500 Gift Card and I'll add $50 to it.

We all have pools here in the valley and we spend boat loads of money maintaining them. Enter to win $500 at Shasta pools.

And I'll add 10% or $50 to the gift card. To win, just enter the Shasta Pools contest and leave a comment below with the date you entered. If Shasta Picks your name as the winner and you've entered here, I'll add $50.

The Cactus League

Baseball spring training has started a week early. You can see your favorite major leaguers from now until the end of March.



The best deals are down in Tucson where you can catch the Arizona Diamondbacks for as little as $5. The most expensive seat is $16. Or you can see the Colorado Rockies for between $4 and $17. The lower prices are lawn seating, so no chairs included. But, you might just get a home run ball.



The rest of the teams will range from $6 up to $80 per seat. The average price looks to be in the $23 range. I'm not sure why Cactus league baseball is more expensive than the regular season, but it is.



Want to know more? Go to the website of Major League Baseball and either click on today's schedule or on your favorite team. And have a hot dog and beverage for me.



Schedule for the next three days



Today's scores



Your Favorite Team

Robert Body's East Valley

Tempe Town Lake at Sunset

(click photo to enlarge)

I wish I could take photos like this. Robert Body is a local photographer that has taken some beautiful photos of the East Valley. He has been gracious to allow us to showcase some of his photos. I could probably do one a day for the next 5 years and not showcase all his work. So, here's my plan.

Every other week on Wednesday we will have "Robert Body's East Valley". Starting today. You can click on the labels to see all his work or you can visit his website to see his Arizona photos and photos from all over America. Enjoy them online or you can even purchase pictures from him to give as gifts or to hang on your own walls.

RobertBody.com

Create Your Own Cookbook

Do you have a folder of some type filled with assorted pages of recipes you have been given by friends or cut from magazines and newspapers? Would you like to have one cookbook with all of your favorite recipes? This is not a sales pitch; however, I have discovered that Better Homes and Gardens sells a personal cookbook that they call a Taste Book. You can select the book design, select from the many recipes already available, or add your own. Then you can have the book printed and sent to you for yourself or a gift. I haven't tried this yet - but it seems like it could be a good gift idea or way to organize recipes.

First Time Buyer Tax Credit for 2009

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was signed by the President on February 17, 2009. It contains a first time home buyer tax credit that is somewhat different from last year. Here is some basic information about the credit.

What is a tax credit?
A tax credit differs from a tax deduction in that the amount of the credit is deducted from the amount of tax you owe. A deduction reduces that amount of income which is subject to tax. In the case of this first time home buyer tax credit, if the amount of the credit is greater than the amount you owe, then you will be sent a refund check for the remaining amount of the credit.

Who is a first time home buyer?
Someone who has not owned a principle residence, a home they have lived in, for at least three years previous to the purchase of a home this year.

What type of home can I buy?
Single family homes, town homes, and condominiums all qualify.

What is the amount of the credit?
The credit amount is 10% of the cost of the home up to a maximum of $8000. Income limits do apply. The credit phases out for individuals with an adjusted gross income over $75,000 or a couple with an adjusted gross income over $150,000.

When do I have to purchase to get the credit?
You must purchase a home between January 1, 2009 and December 1, 2009.

Does the credit have to be paid back?
This credit does not have to be paid back for people who purchase between January 1, 2009 and December 1, 2009 unless the home is sold within three years and then the entire credit us due upon the sale of the property.

People who purchased a home between April 9, 2008 and December 31, 2008 will have to pay back their credit over a 15 year period. If they sell the home within 15 years, then the remaining balance of the credit will be due upon the sale of the property. (Rules for last year’s credit were different and the maximum amount was $7500.)

When do I get the money?
This is a tax credit. You will not get the money when you buy the house. Instead the credit will be applied to the taxes you owe for 2009. This will occur when you file your 2009 taxes in 2010.

Consult an Accountant
Tax laws are complicated and each year there are new changes; therefore, we always recommend that you consult your accountant or the IRS regarding any tax questions that you might have including whether or not you qualify for this tax credit.

Source: National Association of REALTORS®.

Does Your Dog Need a License?

If you live in Maricopa County and your dog is at least three months old, it needs a license and it must be vaccinated against rabies. If you fail to license your dog, you can be fined and charged with a misdemeanor. When purchasing a license for your dog you must present a certificate of rabies vaccination. It costs less to license a dog which has been spayed or neutered.

• Altered Dog (Spayed/Neutered) = $16.00 (Note - "altered" is the county's term not mine)
• Unaltered Dog = $40.00
• Senior Citizen Household (Altered Dog/limited two dogs) = $6

Maricopa County Animal Care & Control offers programs with low cost for vaccinations and to assist with the care of your dog. For more information: http://www.pets.maricopa.gov/.

To apply online for a dog license - Maricopa Dog Licensing

Certified Negotiation Expert

It's a funny story. REALTORs need to get 24 hours of continuing education every two years. I need some hours before May. I saw this class that would get me over the minimum and it was near my home. I signed up, expecting nothing more than getting my hours and maybe learning one or two useful things.

George Will said, "The future has a way of arriving unannounced."

I walked into Tom Hayman's class on becoming a better negotiator. By taking this two day course I can become a 'Certified Negotiation Expert' and I can only say 'Wow!'

I've come away with over a dozen ways to help my clients make more money when they sell their homes, save more money when the buy a home and make the whole process less dramatic for buyers, sellers and REALTORs too.

As I go through my notes and all the additional charts and graphs I have been given I will blog about it and let you know how our real estate operation will change.

This new knowledge, on top of my existing knowledge of negotiating will benefit my clients immensely.

Credit Card Bills - Need Help?

The major credit card companies have gotten together to provide help to people having trouble paying their credit card bills. VISA, MasterCard and Discover are all participating. They have launced a new site - HelpWithMyCredit.org and a toll-free number - 866-941-1030.

They recommend that you first talk with a representative of your credit card company to see if you can negotiate lower fees or modify your payment plan. They can also refer you to a consumer credit counseling service.

Arizona Republic article - Credit-card Companies Offer Help

Just Published

I just published an article at ezarticles.com.

Foreclosure Real Estate Purchase Contract - What to Expect

Can You Buy Happiness?

I just read about some research that has been recently done regarding happiness and purchases. The assumption going in was that experiences would generate more happiness than material purchases. However, it seems this is not always the case. A positive experience such as an enjoyable vacation, concert, or day at the amusement park seems to generate more happiness than a material purchase such as a sofa. However, experiences don't always turn out to be positive. Negative purchases of experience or material goods seem to be about equal.

This seems like it could be a pretty complex issue. For example, if you buy materials for a hobby, are you buying an experience or material goods. What about if you buy a painting? And one person's dream vacation might someone else's nightmare.

We want to know what you think - take the poll on the right side of the screen, leave a comment, or do both.

For more information from Discovery @ Olin, Washington University Business School - Happiness for Sale: Do Experiential or Material Purchases Lead to Greater Happiness?

Arizona Cornhole

February in Arizona is a great time to get outside and play. These guys are taking a lunch break and getting in a game of Cornhole.

The object is to get the beanbag in the hole or at least on the table.

You know you need to change the air filter when?

Or it could be titled, "What you might see when you are looking at homes for sale." Yeah, that's dust or dirt on the ceiling fan and the ceiling.

When to change your air filter or clean it.

Tempe Town Lake

Is the drought over? The reservoirs are at capacity and we are starting to release the extra water. This is Tempe Town Lake with it's rubber dam lowered allowing water to escape down the usually dry salt river.

News, is that the Salt River will be wet north and south of the lake and that McKellips Road will be closed until spring. It runs along the river bottom for about 500 yards.

If you want to see more pictures of life in Arizona, visit my daily photo blog.

Arizona Daily Blogs

Want to see a daily photo for your favorite Arizona town? These bloggers post one photo each day about their town or Arizona. On the fifteenth of every month they collaborate and do a common theme.

Phoenix Daily Photo

Chandler Daily Photo

Flagstaff Daily Photo

Prescott Daily Photo

Scottsdale Daily Photo

Tempe Daily Photo

Scottsdale Daily Photo

Chandler Daily Photo

Four Peaks and Snow

The winter months in this part of Arizona will give you sunny days in the 60's. With chilly mornings and the occasional freeze warning. This is a view of downtown Phoenix from Tempe Town Lake.

But, as you look northeast, you might just catch a glimpse of the 'other Arizona', one that is 5000 feet in elevation and covered in snow. This is Four Peaks, the closest mountain range to the Phoenix metro area that gets any significant amount of snow.

The Bisbee Cave House

Are you looking to live in a cave, Batman? Here's a solution down in Bisbee and it's for sale.

The Bisbee Cave House $1,950,000

What Would You Take to Antiques Road Show?

This is the item that I have always thought about taking to Antiques Roadshow. It belonged to Pat's grandmother and originally had electric candlesticks and the glass fruit in the boat also lit up. I've always been curious about it. I'll have to admit that it is not really my style however, I enjoy things with a family history. So, we'll continue to hold on to it and maybe someday our grandchildren will be curious about it too.

Antiques Roadshow Coming to Phoenix

January Market Statistics

First the good news - total active listings, properties for sale, in ARMLS are lower than they have been in 20 months and the number of sold properties was 65% higher in January of 2009 than in January last year.

Total January ARMLS inventory represents about 11.5 months of inventory. When a real estate market has an average of about six months of inventory it is considered to be "normal". Listed below is the months of inventory by city. You can see that there is a fairly wide variation by city. The same can be true of neighborhoods within cities.

Months of Inventory
Chandler - 11.3
Gilbert - 9.5
Mesa - 11.8
Phoenix - 9.7
Queen Creek - 7.1
Scottsdale - 23.4
Tempe - 16.7

December Market Statistics

November Market Statistics

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.

Antiques Roadshow is Coming to Phoenix

Have you always wanted to bring something from your home to Antiques Roadshow to be evaluated? Now is your chance. The show will be in Phoenix on August 1. You will need a ticket. The tickets are free but there are a limited number available. You need to apply for tickets. The Antiques Roadshow website says that applicants will be accepted at random to be given tickets.

Goodreads

Do you like to read? Whether you read a lot or just a little, I have a website for you. It's called Goodreads. A place you can search for the perfect book. But, also, a place to keep track of those you've read, rate them and write a review. There's so many good things in Goodreads, you're better off visiting the website and seeing for yourself.

Below is a book I read late last year. I was able to copy and paste this from Goodreads right to this blog.

Bowerman and the Men of Oregon: The Story of Oregon's Legendary Coach and Nike's Co-founder by Kenny Moore

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Running, history and a biography. What more could I want.


View all my reviews.

Joe's Farm Grill

Looking for a unique dining experience, visit Joe's Farm Grill at Agritopia. It's on Ray Road, just east of the 202.
Joe's is in Agritopia, a subdivision with it's own farm. I can't explain it better than the website, so go check it out. It might be a perfect place for you to call home. Or it might be a great place to have lunch. Joe's offers burgers, chicken, pizza and ice cream in a picnic like setting.

The food is served fast, but the line is usually long. If you've been to the other Joe's - Joe's Real BBQ, than you know why the wait is worth it.

And this Joe's has BBQ too!

Huge Used Book Sale

The 53rd Annual VNSA Used Book Sale is scheduled for February 14 and 15. This is one of the largest used book sales in the country. It is held at the Arizona State Fairground Exhibit Building located at 1826 W McDowell Rd in Phoenix. They accept donations of books prior to the sale.

For more information about the sale or for information regarding book donation - vnsabooksale.org.

VNSA = Volunteer Nonprofit Service Association

Home Tour in Historic Phoenix Neighborhood

The annual Willow Historic District home tour is scheduled for February 8 from 10:00am to 4:00pm. You can purchase tickets in advance or on the day of the event. This neighborhood tour features homes dating from the 1920's to the 1940'2 and includes examples of Tudor, Spanish, and Bungalow style homes.

For More Information - WillowHistoricDistrict.com

D'Arcy Ranch, Cottonwood, SunRise

Just north of the Chandler Fashion Center are three neighborhoods built in the 1990's. All three are within walking distance to the mall, employment and all kinds of restaurants.

The houses are stucco one and two story homes. From 1300 square feet up to 4000. There might be one or two near 5000. Average size yards, most lots are from 5000 square feet up to 13,000.

To the north of these communties are three large office buildings. Some could walk to work or to Firehouse Subs, The Spicy Pickle and a japanese restaurant.

To the south is the fashion center and P.F. Chang's, Olive Garden and other chain restaurants. Or you can take in a movie at Harkin's Theatre.

These communities are serviced by Kyrene del Sureno, the local elementary school that's right next to Harter Park with it's ball field, sand volleyball, basketball and playground.

How Does the East Valley Stand Up?

Those of us who live here know that the East Valley cities are a great place to live. Some other people agree with us. Click on a city name to get more information about the city and ranking information.

CNN/Money Rankings of Best Places to Live in 2008:

Gilbert, AZ - 28
Chandler, AZ - 30
Scottsdale, AZ - 47

Sustainability Rankings 2008:

Mesa, AZ - 50

Best Sports Cities Ranking - Sporting News 2008:

Phoenix/Tempe - 6

Features Buyers Want

Here are the five kitchen and bath features buyers want the most:
36% want a separate shower enclosure in the master bath
31% want an eat-in kitchen
24% want high-end appliances
23% want granite counter tops
21% want a kitchen island

Source February 2009 issue of REALTOR® Magazine - Source: NAR 2007 Profile of Buyers' Home Feature Preferences

Impove Your Odds of Getting Your Home Sold

When you are selling your home what it looks like on the inside matters. Buyers will look at photos of the inside of your home on the Internet and will decide based upon these photos whether or not they want to see your home. Don't think that if the inside of your home is a mess that you can still get buyers by not having interior photos of your home posted on the MLS. Many buyers browse only those homes that have multiple photos.

Once you get them interested enough to come view your home, it is important that the home look clean and clutter free when they arrive to view it. Potential buyers should be able to picture themselves living in your home. This means that you need to pack up or give away items that are cluttering up your home. To get an idea of what this means, look at a few model homes in new built subdivisions and see how they are decorated. Look in some home decorating magazines and count how many personal items are displayed. Limit yourself to a similar number. Homes with clean and spacious (uncluttered) interiors tend to sell faster.

For more information - Realty Times article - Clutter Free Helps Sell Homes

Insulate for Savings

According to SimplyInsulate.org 60%of homes in the United States are under insulated. Their website contains information on determining the correct amount of insulation for your home, how to calculate potential energy savings, how to install insulation yourself, and how to hire a contractor.

Click here to learn about financial incentives available for installing insulation in Arizona.

Before you buy a newly built home

Before you buy a newly built home, check on the financial health of the builder. You want to make sure they will be able to complete the community in a timely manner. This applies whether you purchase directly from the builder or from a current owner of a property in that community. If the builder is having financial difficulties it is likely that the HOA for that community is as well. How do you check? Click on the link to the AZ Department of Real Estate listing below. There is also a current article from the AZ Republic with a listing for Chandler. You may still decide to buy in one of these communities but you should make sure you have done your homework before you do.

Also, for those of you that don't live in this area, please realize that most of the Phoenix area cities are very large and with the expection of outlying areas new build communities represent a very small portion of the cities housing. The Phoenix area is a great place to live with lots of great communities.

Unfinished Subdivisions Create Problems - AZ Republic

AZDRE List of Home Builders in Financial Trouble

Sky Harbor - America's Healthiest Airport

Health Magazine's December 2008 issue had an article about America's Healthiest Airports. They ranked Phoenix Sky Harbor as number one. The judges felt that there are a lot of healthy eating options available and the very clean bathrooms got high marks. Did you know that there are two parks for exercising pets within the airport?

Read the article to find out more - America's Healthiest Airports

By the way, there are a lot of comments following the article. Not everyone agrees with rating Sky Harbor number one.

Scuba Dive in Chandler

Well, not really. But, you can meet up with scuba enthusiasts at the Chandler N Depth Scuba January Meetup on the 21st (6 pm) at
Chuy's Mesquite Broiler
4623 E Elliot Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85044
(480) 496-0775

Is the Sun Peaking Out Behind the Clouds?

Kenneth Harney wrote an article for Realty Times about the possible changes that could come about in the real estate market depending upon what actions the new administration and Congress take in the near future. He indicates that if foreclosures are greatly reduced then the real estate market is likely to start returning to normal. The article is pretty interesting and you can read it by clicking on the link below.

Real Estate Outlook: Change Anticipated

By the way - those of you who are looking for the market bottom should know that we are starting to see multiple offers on some well priced properties. We called for a client to get information regarding a short sale property and learned that they already had 10 offers. Remember, we will only when the market bottom is until we have passed it.

Standin' On The Corner

Are you an Eagles fan or maybe you just like the song "Take It Easy". Well, if that is the case, you can go to Winslow, Arizona and visit the Standin' On The Corner In Winslow Arizona Park. There is a statue of a young man holding a guitar and a mural of a girl driving by in a truck. There is no cost to visit the small park.

For more information: standinonthecorner.com or winslowarizona.org.

Chandler Residents?

I'm looking for the resident that has lived in Chandler the longest. With no gaps, except for military service and/or college. So, if you've lived in Chandler for over 30 years, let me know.

If you know someone that might qualify, let me know.

What Kind of Deals Are Out There?

It seems like people are always asking us to tell them what good deals are out there in the housing market. So, since October, we have been posting a "Deal of the Week" property on our websites. These are properties which are not our listings and are not short sales. They may be bank owned properties that were foreclosed upon or owned by an individual. We look for properties that we think represent a lower price than similar properties in the same area. Others must agree with us because many of these properties have sold or are under contract. When that happens, we removed the property from the website.

Please realize that a property is only a good deal if it meets your needs. That should be your first consideration. Secondly, we look for properties that represent a good value. We do not guarantee that they are the best value available. There are lots of properties out there and we only pick one new condo/townhome or single family home each week.

So if you don't see something that sparks your interest, send us an email telling us what you are looking for and we'll do a search for you, or use the search buttons in the upper right of this blog to do your own search. (Email us at Pat@RealtySecrets.net)

See what you think of this week's deals:

Townhome - 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2 car garage in Tempe for $164,900

Single Family Home - 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2 car garage in Tempe for $184,900

Sunday is going to be HUGE

Looking for some fun this weekend? I suggest you head out to the Rock N Roll Marathon on Sunday morning. Watch 35,000 runners run from downtown Phoenix to ASU in Tempe. There's live bands about every mile on both the full marathon (26.2 miles) and the half marathon (13.1 miles). I'm doing the half this year, so look for bib #32622. Then, head on over to Glendale to either buy tickets to the game or just enjoy the atmosphere at all the bars and restaurants right outside the dome.

It's the Cardinals and Eagles fighting to be a Super Bowl team. This is a first for the Cardinals and for Arizona. Go Cardinals.

Then after the game, head back over to Tempe Town Lake to see Smashmouth. If you have a race bib, it's free. I can just see smashmouth fans begging for the race bibs at the finish line.

December 08 Real Estate Statistics

Above are graphs of local real estate statistics for the Phoenix area. Some of the East Valley cities seem to be doing better than the greater market area. Both Chandler and Gilbert saw significant reductions in the number of listings available for sale. Chandler went from 2714 in December of 07 to 2140 in December of 08. Gilbert went from 2712 in December of 2007 to 2260 in December of 08. Queen Creek has gone from about 16 months of inventory in January of 2008 to approximately 6 months of inventory in December of 2008. This was partially due to the large number of homes sold in Queen Creek in December 2008 - 346 versus 159 sold in the 12/07.

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.

Baseball Exhibit at Mesa Historical Museum

Do you love spring training baseball games? The Mesa Historical Museum has a new exhibit which commemorates 100 years of professional baseball in Arizona - Play Ball: The Cactus League Experience. The exhibit will include interactive children's games and never-before-seen memorabilia. Their website - playballexperience.com - includes a history of the Cactus League. It even allows you to share your favorite Arizona spring training memory.

The Mesa Historical Museum is located at 2345 N Horne St. Call 480-835-7358 for more information.

Got Citrus?

It seems that 2008 was a good year for lemons. I can hear many of you making up jokes already. We had a bumper crop on our dwarf lemon tree. We will of course be making lemonade and perhaps lemon pie.

If you are one of the many Valley home owners with too much citrus, please consider donating it to St Mary's Food Bank Alliance. For a $10 per tree donation, volunteer gleaners will pick your citrus for donation.

For more information or to schedule a citrus pick-up call 623-344-2158.

A New Year - A Fresh Start

The Federal Housing Administration has a new website page full of information that will help you get your financial house in order. The page is titled My Money, My Home, My Future. This is for anyone wanted to review their finances and finacial plans not just home owners.

FHA - My Money, My Home, My Future