Federal Take Over of Fannie Mae & Freddic Mac

The federal government has taken over conservatorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. It is believed that this will lead to more stability for these companies and the financial markets and economy in general. It may lead to low interest rates for mortgages. There is a lot of information available about this and I've provided links to some articles below for those of you who would like to be more informed.



Mortgage Industry Welcomes Federal Fix - Sept. 9 - AZ Republic



A Primer on Fannie and Freddie: What the Bailout Means - Sept. 8 - U.S. News & World Report



Fannie and Freddie: What You Should Know - Sept. 8 - U.S. News & World Report

New Ice Skating Rink for East Valley

Polar Ice is opening a new location in Gilbert. It is currently scheduled to be opened on September 13. There is an information trailer currently open to the public to obtain information. There will be youth and adult hockey leagues available, as well as skating classes, and open skating times. This can be a fun way to get some exercise and cool off during the hot summer months. They are located at Crossroads Park on Greenfield Road in between Ray Rd. and Warner Rd. in Gilbert. There are also currently Polar Ice locations in Chandler and Peoria. Click on one of the links below to get more information.

Polar Ice - Gilbert

Polar Ice - Chandler

Polar Ice - Peoria

Planning Your Move

We have added a button "Moving Checklist" which is just below the "Condo Search" button. This will link you to a Moving Time Table and a Moving Checklist. You can print either or both out for your use in planning your move. A few more tips are listed below.

Packing Considerations
· When obtaining boxes look for medium size ones that will be easy to lift when full.
· Compartmentalized containers (with cardboard dividers) are great for packing glassware and other small fragile items.
· Don’t use newspapers to wrap items that could be damaged if the ink rubbed off. Use tissue paper or plain paper designed for packing. Towels and linens can also be used for wrapping items.
· Empty and clean your refrigerator prior to the move.
· Be careful packing any containers of liquids that could easily leak. Seal them tightly with tape and place in plastic bags.

Small Bits & Parts
Whenever you dismantle an item for the move. Place small pieces, screws, and wires in a zip lock bag labeled with the item. Tape bag to item or place all such zip lock bags in one clearly marked box.

$1 Billion Resort- Convention Complex Announced for Mesa

Thursday's AZ Republic had an article regarding the announcement of a new hotel and conference center that will be build in Mesa at the site now occupied by the General Motors Desert Proving Ground just east of the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. This is near the intersection of Elliot Rd and Ellsworth Rd. The article indicates the development will include a hotel with at least 1,250 rooms, retail stores, restaurants, and a championship golf course. They are expected to break group in the summer of 2009 after GM moves it car testing operations to Yuma.

Articles to read for more information:

Gateway: How Hotel Deal Came Together

Megaresort May Help Jump start AZ Tourism

Market Statistics for August 2008

With the new flexmls system we are able to pull data much sooner. Above is a graph which compares the number of months of inventory for the East Valley cities, Phoenix, and Scottsdale with the full MLS for the area. Below is a slide show of graphs for each city showing the number of active listings, the number of new listings, and the number of solds by month for the last 24 months. It is encouraging to see that in a number of cities the number of active listings has decreased in the past few months.

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.

Chandler E-Newsletters

The City of Chandler has an e-newsletter service. You can sign up to receive a variety of e-newsletters including the new ones Chandler Recreation Update and Chandler Special Events Bulletin. There are also bulletins for road construction, the library, and City Council Agendas. Just take your pick and sign up for the ones you want.

Chandler E-Newsletter Sign-up