Tucson's Spooky Halloween

Who says it has to be cold and windy to enjoy Halloween? It may be 85 and sunny today in Tucson but there are still lots of people who get into the spooky spirit! Included are some pictures of the great decorations that several Oro Valley homeowners used to give trick or treaters a Halloween thrill.

Not sure where to take the kids to have some Halloween fun? Though trick or treating door to door isn't as popular in Tucson as it is in other parts of the country, there are still lots of activities planned for kids to show off their scary costumes. The Arizona Daily Star featured an article that included a number of Halloween events in the Tucson area.

Hope you have a safe and happy Halloween!

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Senior Real Estate Specialist Designation in Tucson

Just finished my first day of classes for obtaining the Senior Real Estate Specialist designation and I have to say I'm amazed at all the information I've learned. This is the first time that this designation is being offered in Arizona, and the class consists mostly of Baby Boomers, so I initially felt out of place (I'm a Gen X). Still I'm glad I signed up because my business focus tends to be on retirees and vacation/second home buyers. This group of classes has an incredible amount of information that will help me develop as a Tucson real estate professional that can work with a growing population of second home buyers preparing for their future. Tucson is a destination city, and the climate, abundance of activities and easy going lifestyle are big attractions for retirees and vacation home buyers. Baby Boomers are currently looking for temporary vacation homes that will eventually become primary residences in retirement. And an interesting fact; 10,000 people become Baby Boomers every day! I'll fill you in tomorrow once I finish up the class!

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Tucson's September home sales statistics by area

Sorry I'm a little late but here are the September Tucson real estate stats by area. As you'll see North, East and the extended South part of Tucson all saw price increases for the month of September, while the rest of Tucson saw more price decreases. North Tucson, also known as the Catalina Foothills, is one of the few areas in Tucson that sees consistent home price increases each month. Communities in the Foothills are more established, and situated among several luxury resorts, fine dining and expensive boutiques and galleries. All of these features and a location at the base of the Catalina Mountains makes North Tucson a popular choice for those that can afford it, so I'm not surprised at this area's consistency. I was surprised to see such a large decrease in the average sales price of homes in Central Tucson. Homes in this area are usually in high demand with college students due to the close proximity to University of Arizona. The 15% sales price decrease that Central Tucson saw in September makes me wonder if more students are renting or staying at home longer due to the many mortgage issues that are currently plaguing our nation.

Tucson Average Sales Price by Area for September

Overall the average DOM increased again for the Tucson housing market in September. Northwest Tucson had the highest number of active listings for September with 2,409; this is probably why they also had one of the higher DOM's. The only areas that saw fewer DOM were Tucson's South and extended Southwest areas.

Tucson Days on Market by Area for September

As I've mentioned before, Tucson is a popular destination spot, especially in the winter months when ice and snow storms hit the NE and Midwest parts of the country. Sunny and 75 degrees on New Years day is pretty inviting to most people, so as we move in Tucson's "busy season" it's going to be interesting to see if the Tucson real estate market pulls in more home buyers looking for winter getaways!

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What's on the blog menu for this week?

Sorry I haven't been blogging as of the last few days, but I have lots to talk about this next week. Today it's going to be short as I have a full schedule and I need to get started. Here's the blogging schedule for this week -

- I visited St Louis this past week with my husband and they're investing a lot of time and money revitalizing their downtown area. Tucson also has a downtown revitalization project in the works so I plan to discuss some of the potential issues that I saw in my visit to St. Louis.

- Halloween in the Tucson area! Since I'm from the Midwest I'm used to communities really getting into the Halloween spirit with decorations. Living in the desert we don't see as much excitement about this holiday, but there are some communities that go all out in making a spooky neighborhood. I'll highlight some of these communities and show you how Tucson celebrates Halloween.

- Home price comparison between states. Since my husband travels a lot for work I sometimes join him for short trips to get an idea of what real estate is like in other parts of the country. Many of my clients have relocated from the Midwest, so this week I'll compare the Tucson real estate market with the St. Louis market.

- This week I'm headed off for some classes at Hogan where I'll be obtaining my SRES (Senior Real Estate Specialist) designation. Since the Tucson area is a hot spot for retirees and baby boomers are attracted to Tucson's Active Adult communities, I wanted to focus on this niche. I'll let you know how it goes!

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Tucson firefighters headed to San Diego to assist

Photo courtesy of Andrew Huse/ CNN News

Dozens of Arizona firefighters are headed to San Diego to assist in the massive blazes that have taken over the area. Nine Arizona fire engines staffed with a least three people each will head to San Diego to relieve firefighters and attempt to get some control of the wildfires that began over the weekend. Sections of Interstate 8 are now closed to some trying to get into the Dan Diego area. Good luck to Arizona's brave firefighters and all the others that are working so hard to save homes and lives!

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Tucson in top ten cities with most stolen vehicles

Looks like Tucson made the Top Ten list of states with the most stolen cars! The latest survey by the National Insurance Crime Bureau puts Tucson at number ten on the list for 2006 , and Phoenix at number four. Las Vegas actually made the #1 position. The car of choice for local thieves? Surprisingly it's the 1995 Honda Civic...go figure.

Tucson and Phoenix tend to make this list on a regular basis because of our easy access to Interstate 10 and our close proximity to Mexico.

Find out more about national hot spots for car thieves and their vehicles of choice by state

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Tucson real estate; it's a buyers market!

Tucson's real estate market slowdown made front page news this morning in the Arizona Daily Star. The article discussed Tucson's current housing market , the advantages that home buyers have and the disadvantages that home sellers face as a result of our market slowdown. Tucson's real estate boom in 2004 and 2005 brought increased home sales to areas NW, SE , SW and South of the city, but these communities (Gladden Farms, Vail, Sahaurita) are now saturated with homes that just aren't selling due to availability of more properties closer to the city. On top of that the resale market is struggling to compete with new home builders that have excessive inventory and rock bottom prices.

The increased amount of home inventory had led to a steady increase for Tucson homes' Days on Market. Below is a map courtesy of the Arizona Daily Star, that shows the average days on market for a Tucson home per area.

Average DOM per area in Tucson

It's a frustrating time for Tucson home sellers that hope to sell quickly and take advantage of the market slowdown. The average days on market for a Tucson home is 73 days, with areas like NW Tucson seeing an average of 84 days because of the high number of homes currently listed. As of September Northwest Tucson had over 2400 homes listed for sale, twice the number of homes listed in Central Tucson, and more then three times the number of other areas.

The article in the Daily Star includes some great maps that provide Tucson real estate statistics by area; make sure you check them out. Find out more about Tucson's current real estate market Now may be the best time to buy a house

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Tucson yard sales; does a weaker economy mean more haggling?

My community had their annual yard sale this morning. I collect goodies all year long for this event and then rip my house apart the day before to find anything else that a potential buyer might see as a "treasure" they can't live without. October is really yard sale month in Northwest Tucson; beautiful cool mornings and sunlight by 7am, which is the general start time for yard sales. Rancho Vistoso is home to A LOT of community sales; today included the two large communities of Sun City and Copper Creek, my own neighborhood of Vistoso Ridge and lots of independent estate sales throughout the area.

I'm always amazed at how intense some of the "shoppers" are and how early begin their days. I opened my front door at 6:15 to load sale signs into my car for my husband to put out, and I saw three or four trucks cruising our streets, looking to score an early purchase of two. Once the official sale began, our streets were blocked with cars and trucks for the next three hours. I've got to say it's exciting when you have so many people checking out all your old stuff and the dollar signs begin to flash before your eyes. I did notice this year that shoppers were haggling much more then they did in the past. Is this a reflection of the state of our economy or are yard sale shoppers just becoming more wise and experienced? Who knows, but I was really devastated when nobody bought my $10 artificial Xmas tree; it was a steal!

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Ritz Carlton finds new home at Tucson's Dove Mountain

Looks like Tucson is on it's way to the big time! The Arizona Daily Star reported today that Marana's Dove Mountain will be the new home to a Ritz Carlton hotel and spa. The luxury resort will include 325 residences, two signature Jack Nicklaus golf courses and a 250 room hotel and spa. The golf courses and residences are slated for completion in January 2009, with the hotel scheduled to be complete by Fall 2009.

Dove Mountain is a master planned community in Marana that's located at the base of the Tortolita Mountains. The Dove Mountain community has really exploded in the last few years as new home and retail development continues to draw more residents to the area. A wide variety of homes are available in Dove Mountain, with starter homes from the low $200's to homes in Active Adult communities and multi million dollar estates.

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Tucson September Real Estate Statistics

Tucson's September real estate statistics were FINALLY released yesterday and the numbers look promising. The average sales price is up from the previous month, but pending contracts and active listings are down from August's numbers. Here's the low down, I'm keeping it brief so if you'd like the full stats check out the link at the bottom....

Tucson's average sales price is on the rise! September 2007's average sales price was $279,025, a 2% increase over August's average price of $273,932

Tucson Average Sales Price through September 2007

- There were 989 Pending contracts in September, down about 3.5% from August's number of 1,024. Still September 2007 did see a 32% increase in Pending contracts over September 2006

- Tucson had 9,190 active listings in September, a 2.6% increase from August's number of 8,954. When compared to September 2006, the number of active listings in Tucson is down 1.15%

- September had 2,497 new listings, a 6.8% increase over the number of new listings in August. It is however a 14% decrease in the number of new listings from September 2006.

- The number of Tucson home units sold in September was 683, a decrease of 32% from August's number of 1,019

- The average number of days on market increased to 73 during September, a 6% increase from August's number of 69.

Tucson Average Days on Market through September 2007

From what we see in the September sales statistics, it looks like buyers are getting in the game and making offers on homes! It also means that sellers are negotiating more in order to get the ball rolling. Although the number of available homes and the time they take to sell has increased, the increase in average sales price and pending contracts shows that there's growing confidence in the Tucson home market. As Tucson moves into the cooler months we generally see more interest from out of state visitors looking for the perfect "winter retreat". It's going to be interesting to see if many of these potential buyers take advantage of the Tucson sales market and how it will impact the Tucson sales statistics over the next four months.

Check out more on the latest Tucson Real Estate statistics for September

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Basements a growing demand in Tucson and Phoenix

It seems that basements are becoming a popular request with some Arizona home buyers, and a Phoenix builder is offering this option to meet the growing demand. Scottsdale-based Maracay Homes has been building homes with basements in Phoenix for about four years, and they started offering basement homes in Rancho Sahuarita last year. Home buyers that request the basement option are usually from parts of the country where basements are standard, like the Midwest and Northeast. The cost of a basement option is high; between $80K to $100K on top of the base home price. Why so expensive? If you've ever tried to plant anything in the Arizona soil then you'll understand why; the ground is full of caliche and rock, making it impossible to dig. It can literally take an hour to dig a one foot deep hole, depending on what the soil is like in your yard. That's why landscape companies are so popular in Arizona; they've got the right kind of tools to take care of the job.

I'm originally from the Midwest and I was never very partial to basements myself. Too many flashbacks to my family hovering under the stairway as the tornado sirens sounded, me with a box of RITZ crackers and my dad with a transistor radio....

Find our more about Tucson homes being built with basements

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Just being Philosophical / The Importance of Good Neighbors

Just a note regarding my personal thoughts on the importance of being happy in your neighborhood. I organize parties and events for my own neighborhood and this weekend we had a community BBQ in front of our house. As we all relaxed while enjoying our conversations in the cool Tucson temperatures, I realized how much I value my neighbors. It also made me think about the many homeowners that underestimate the importance of getting to know their neighbors. So many just go on with their daily activities, not waving to "Bob" next door as they pull out of their driveway each morning. They don't realize the impact a good "community relationship" can have for them personally or when it comes time to sell their home.

When you ask someone to list the five things that are most important to them in choosing the right home, living in a "good neighborhood" is usually on that list. What's considered a "good neighborhood" is all relative. Some families feel that a community with lots of children and top rated schools makes a good neighborhood. Others feel that having a home located close to restaurants and shopping in downtown Tucson makes a good neighborhood. I think it all depends on your current stage in life. Before I was an emotional buyer and it was all about the pretty kitchen and mountain views, but now that I've been in my home awhile it's become about so much more. Now I look for the potential to build relationships with those living in my community.

This weekend gave my neighbors and I the chance to sit down and discuss what's new in our lives. I really enjoyed hearing about Ralph's newest grandson and Bob and Sue's next trip. My husband and I have created a lot of special bonds and many of our neighbors feel like family to us. I mention this to various friends or clients and most are amazed that we like to spend time with our neighbors. Many comment "It must be nice to like your neighbors" or "I wish my neighborhood was like yours". I take it for granted now, but I think that our close knit community draws some home buyers in for this very reason. It's as simple as a resident waving to a potential buyer as he drives by or a buyer seeing neighbors casually chatting in their front yard. Whatever "it" is, it's enough for a potential buyer to say "Wow, this seems like a nice neighborhood. This is where I want to live."

Now I know there are lots of neighborhoods that aren't the friendliest and you can't change who your neighbors are. There are some people that just may not want to be friendly. But you can smile and wave when you see them. Maybe all it takes to create a friendly neighborhood is someone willing to break the ice.

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Tucson Roadtrips / Destination - Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta

Last week I mentioned that my husband and I were going to take a road trip, and boy did we! Tucson's a great city for road trips because it not too far from a lot of great places and events. Once the temperatures cool down it's fun to just get in the car and drive. We had always wanted to check out the Balloon Festival in NM, so we thought there's no better time then the present. We headed out mid morning on Saturday, our destination being Albuquerque NM. Our path took us East on I-10, where took a few short cuts before coming to Hatch NM, home of the "World's Best Chile Pepper". Hatch is a quaint little farming community, and everywhere you look you'll see chile's hanging from the roofs of the local businesses. My husband stopped to find a special chile pepper spice he needed desperately, and then we continued on our journey. After a 5 1/2 hour drive we reached our hotel in Albuquerque at about 5pm. FYI there's a one hour time change so make sure to adjust your clocks! The trip was really scenic leaving Tucson and getting into Albuquerque but the four and half hours in the middle were pretty uneventful! Just a note; I'm planning on writing another blog or two about Albuquerque as well as Santa Fe in the future. I've had a lot of clients that were considering both of these cities as well as Tucson when they began their home search, so I plan on including more detailed information and a comparison in a future blog.

The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is a week long festival that draws about 700 balloons and over 100,000 visitors each October. It's a huge event for the city, so every hotel was booked. Thanks to my husband's Hilton points we were able to get a room at a weeks notice, but if you plan on going, make your reservations early.

After arriving at our hotel we learned that the evening's balloon glow had been cancelled due to high winds, but this gave us the chance to check out the area and get some dinner. We headed out to the historic Old Town, Albuquerque's first official neighborhood. Old Town follows the traditional Spanish pattern of a plaza and church surrounded by businesses and homes. A lot of these homes have been renovated into restaurants and galleries, so it's a really fascinating place I would advise everyone to check out.

The next morning we headed out to the fiesta's mass ascension (the launch of all the balloons) bright and early. I woke my husband up at 4:30 so we could avoid the back-up of traffic at the event entrance. Even though we arrived at the event location at about 5:45am, traffic was crazy. I will say the the Albuquerque police and several hundred volunteers were incredibly organized so that traffic moved pretty quickly.

When we arrived it was still dark outside, so we headed over to several balloons that were being inflated. These balloons were the testers that head out first to check out wind conditions. It was beautiful to watch the balloons light up as they began to inflate; it's similar to the balloon glow at night but on a much smaller scale. After these balloons took off we decided the check out the rest of park and find some breakfast. The balloon park is set up to keep people occupied and fed throughout the day. A endless list of events are scheduled during the week long fiesta, and food and beverage tents can be found everywhere. You'll find everything from breakfast burritos and cinnamon roles to bratwurst and funnel cakes, all of which are available all day long ( It's funny to see a 5 year old chewing on a turkey leg at 7 in the morning).

At around 7am several balloons began taking off, signalling the start of the mass ascension. With 700 balloons participating in the event, waves of balloons would take off every few minutes. It's really "standing room only" because the balloons are spaced about 30-40 feet apart, and when they begin to inflate the crowds are pushed back into other spectators. Every balloon was beautiful, although some theme balloons seemed to draw all the attention. Kids and adults alike were in awe watching the multi color canopy on the sky.

After the last of the balloons took off (about two hours later) we went to take a nap before heading North to Santa Fe. Although driving to Albuquerque was longer then our typical weekend road trip, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. It was an incredible sight seeing all the colorful balloons suspended in the sky; it's almost overwhelming. If you can sit in the car for six hours with your spouse and not go crazy I would highly recommend checking it out!

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Arizona's September foreclosure rates decrease

Realty Trac just released their foreclosure activity report for last month and it looks like there's some good news for Arizona and the rest of the nation. In September thirty nine states showed a decrease in foreclosure activity compared to the previous month's numbers. Still the number of foreclosures nationally for September is the second highest it's been since January 2005.

Once again Arizona ranks in the top ten list of highest foreclosures. For the month of September Arizona ranked 5th with an average of 1 foreclosure filing for every 316 homes. While this number represents a 8.5% decrease from the previous month, Arizona foreclosures are up about 177% from September 2006. Nevada made it to the top of the list with an average of one foreclosure filing for every 185 homes.

Is this decrease in foreclosure activity a sign that the real estate market is turning around? If home buyers and investors are taking advantage of the current market and its distressed homeowners then this might be contributing to the decrease in foreclosures. I'll just keep my eye on the next few months of foreclosure activity and hope that this is beginning of something positive.

For more information visit National foreclosure activity decreases 8% in September

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Moving to Tucson? Food prices higher here then national average

If you currently live in Tucson then you already know this fact, but if you don't and are thinking about moving to Tucson, it's important to know that food costs are higher in Arizona. According to a study done by the Arizona Farm Bureau Federation, our state's food prices have increased about 15% over the last nine months. One reason is the high transportation costs for food products like eggs and beef that need to be transferred in to Arizona. When comparing the costs of sixteen basic grocery items like eggs, white bread and pork chops, Arizona's prices were about $6 more then the national average.

For more info on the Tucson food cost comparison visit AZ's "marketbasket" is $5.87 higher then U.S. average



For more information about Tucson food costs and a grocery store price comparison visit Tucson Foodies

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Trust and the Real Estate relationship / Tucson Home buyers

Though it's not in the forefront of our minds most of the time, trust is one of the most significant aspects of any relationship. It starts when we're young, when we trust our parents to love and take care of us. As we become independent teenagers the roles are reversed, and our parents trust us to make wise decisions. In our relationships, whether personal or professional, trust impacts every decision we make and every emotion we feel. And though it's not something we consciously think about when buying a home, trust plays a very central role in every real estate transaction. Trust and real estate are rarely discussed but often implied. That's why I felt the need to bring up the two. In this blog I'll discuss trust and the home buyer; trust and the home seller will be a future entry.

Trust in the real estate relationship begins before a potential client and a real estate professional even meet. As 80% of home buyers begin their initial home search online, they trust that the real estate agent they locate online is professional and reputable. The home buyer trusts that this agent will help them to meet their needs; to help them find the right house in the right location at the best price while protecting them throughout the transaction. Then trust moves into a more significant role as emotions take over. Often when a person finds their dream home, logic goes out the door and emotion controls their every decision. With this the individual trusts that their agent will "guide" them to make logical and rational decisions and protect their best interests. Unfortunately this is not always the case. Though building a real estate relationship with someone you trust is very important, home buyers must remember to take the emotion out of the situation and take the initiative in making decisions. Below are just a few examples of how trust has played havoc on the lives of home buyers.

• My bother in law had exponentially increased the size of his family and needed a bigger home in California. He enlisted the help of a buyer's representative and found a home that would be perfect for his family and lifestyle. This real estate professional suggested he just offer full price if he really wanted the house. Mind you this is a house that had been on the market a LONG time, so there was room for negotiation. Under the guidance of this agent he also chose not to have any home inspections; he was told that the house seemed to be in fine shape and there wouldn't be any problems. After the closing was when the nightmare began. First there were numerous electrical problems with the house. The previous owner had been a "handyman" that had made several updates and changes to the home and none were up to code. Still today there is a never ending list of issues with the plumbing and roof. Unfortunately my brother in law trusted his emotions without using his better judgement and ended up on the short end of the stick.

• After getting married my sister in law and her husband decided it was time for a bigger house in Portland. Hoping to save money, they chose not to enlist the help of a real estate agent in their home search ( I know, I know.....but my attempted guidance fell on deaf ears). After several months of looking they finally found a home in the perfect neighborhood which was for sale by owner. They decided to make an offer, and at this point they put their trust in the home owners. After negotiating and agreeing on a price, they had successful inspections and finally closed on the house. Eagerly they picked up the keys to their new home, raced over and entered to find that the sellers had left the house a total disaster. Beside being just plain filthy, there were holes in the walls, stained carpet and several other issues. Unfortunately these home buyers had placed their trust in the home seller; they assumed that since he was a corporate executive with a big company that the home would be left in good condition.

• My father decided to buy a house back in Kansas. The home was for sale by owner, but my father was wise and followed my suggestion of having a real estate agent represent him. He contacted the city's top sales agent, one he had sold a home with in the past. They sat down and determined that both the home seller and buyer would contribute towards the commission, then wrote an offer on the house. During escrow the real estate agent referred my father to a so called reputable home inspection company she had used on numerous occasions. The home inspection came back with minor issues which were resolved by the seller. My father closed on the house, received his keys and moved in. Right away he began to notice problems with the house; problems that the home inspector was responsible for but missed. After much harassment on his part my father received reimbursement from the inspection company. Unfortunately he had trusted and relied on the real estate agent to refer an inspection company that was reliable.

My point in this blog entry is not to say that real estate professionals cannot be trusted; we already get a bad rap for that. As usual a few bad apples spoil the bunch. In all the above scenarios the buyers could have been more proactive in investigating and decision making. My point is that though there are many real estate agents you can trust your life with, you shouldn't trust anyone but yourself when it comes to making important decisions. As a real estate professional my job is to help buyers and sellers make informed decisions; I give clients all the information they need to make decisions that are best for them. But I still encourage my clients to investigate every avenue before making a decision, because in the end they are the ones that will have to live with the result. My final words are just this, remember that working work with a real estate agent is just like any other relationship; at the end of the day make sure you've trusted your own judgement first.

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October events in Tucson

Since Fall is officially here in the Old Pueblo, I thought I'd mention some of my favorite October activities that occur in and around the Tucson community. Temperatures generally start to cool down quite a bit this time of the year, and some of us native Tucsonans even need jackets in the early morning hours. It's this weather that really entices folks in cold weather climates to consider Tucson for a second home. Nothing better than spending your winters in Tucson, enjoying 75 degree temperatures and no snow! Anyway, on to my list......

• Visit a farmers market - You can find a farmers market almost anywhere and on almost any day of the week in Tucson. One of my favorites is the St. Philips Plaza farmers market, which is located in Tucson's Catalina Foothills. It's great to wander thru the market under a canopy of mesquite trees as the breeze is blowing. It's even better when you eye all the breads and pastries that are available. It's worth checking out; lots of fresh goodies and the produce during the Fall months is much better in my opinion. For a full list of Tucson farmers markets visit the Arizona Daily Star.


• As I've mentioned before I'm a runner, so I love October in Tucson; cooler temperatures and a few great races that lead up to the big daddy run in December. Get Moving Tucson is a 10 mile race that's a perfect training run for the Tucson Marathon and Half Marathon. The route takes you through scenic downtown Tucson and there aren't a lot of hills so I really enjoy this run. Last year there were about 700 runners in this 10 miler, so like most races you'll want to start off at the front of the pack or you'll get stuck in the crowd and lose your time. It's a competitive race so you are provided with a chip to wear, and remember that that are some SERIOUS runners using this race to train (a 4.51 minute mile? Believe me it's possible) . There's also a 5K run and non competitive family fun walk. Great way to enjoy the cool temperatures and get fit in Tucson.

• The SAHBA Home and Garden Show is a huge event in Tucson. With over 400 merchants in this expo, you'll get ideas for a million little "household projects" that you can put on your husband's to do list. I'm really glad that this event is held in the Fall because parking can be difficult to find and the cooler temperatures make it easier to walk three blocks to the expo. Still it's worth it when you get to check out all the cool new gadgets and trends for your home and garden.
  
• Since I'm still a kid at heart and Tucson doesn't see the same seasonal changes that other parts of the country do, it sometimes hard to believe that we've transitioned into Fall. Nothing says Halloween to me like picking my own pumpkin at one of the local pumpkin farms. I like to go to the Buckelew Farm just SW of Tucson because they have wagon rides and other fun stuff. Really great for kids as well as adults who are looking to feel a little of that Halloween spirit. I also like to visit the Reid Park Zoo for their Howl-o-ween celebration. Lots of trick- or- treaters and decorations. Pretty spooky!


• I think my favorite Fall activity in Tucson actually involves leaving Tucson! We love taking road trips, which is exactly what we'll be doing this weekend. Tucson is located close to so many different scenic areas and attractions; when cooler temperatures hit it makes for great weekend trips. And most of these trips allow you to see those seasonal changes that we lack in Tucson. I'll be taking lots of photos so that I can begin my official Tucson Road Trips entry once I get back.

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Simple answers to simple questions make the expert

Just an observance on my part. A lot of my business comes from people relocating to or buying vacation homes in Tucson. One of my favorite things about these types of clients is that I get to introduce them to everything that the Tucson community has to offer. I often feel like a tour guide as I explain that you can't really get lost in Tucson as long as you're familiar with the mountain ranges that surround our city. One couple was extremely grateful when I explained that their small dog should be kept inside because of the wildlife in the area (visualize Red Hawks circling in the sky). Other clients were impressed when I could identify the plants in their potential home's yard and explain the growth cycle (they didn't want anything that bloomed or was high maintenance). It's those simple little answers to simple little questions that seem to impress some clients. I take all this "knowledge" I have for granted; it's just comes from knowing the desert lifestyle and community. If this makes me a pro, than I'll take it. I guess I'm just trying to say that I really love this part of my job.

I think the general public underestimates the knowledge a real estate professional needs to be successful. Sure we're all educated in the "rules and regulations" of our industry, and we continue to educate ourselves each year, whether it's because we're passionate about learning or because we need a few more credits under our belt. Still I think it takes a little more then knowing the legalities of real estate to be successful. Having a thorough knowledge of your community is very important, and I'm not talking about neighborhood sales statistics. A lot of people just want to know the ins and outs of daily living. When trying to decide if Tucson was the right place to relocate, many of my clients wanted information about common, everyday things;

• Where's the best place for Mexican food that's close by ?
• Do you need to worry about wild animals? Do you see very many snakes?
• How far of a drive is the airport/downtown?
• Is there a Trader Joe's here? How far away is it?
• What's a typical heating/cooling bill run?
• Does Tucson have any restrictions on water usage?
• What kind of pests/insects do homeowners have problems with? Are they dangerous and how do you handle them?

Now these are not complicated questions that only an educated person can answer. If you've lived in Tucson for any amount of time you know (hopefully) and can answer these questions. I've just found, in my experience anyway, that if you're familiar with the everyday, common aspects of your community and you can answer questions like these, clients are impressed. I guess they feel that if you can answer similar questions off the top of your head then you know your community and are an expert. Of course it's not going to do you any good if you know your community but haven't got the faintest idea of how to write and negotiate a successful contract; there's more to it then that. I just think in some peoples eyes a well rounded real estate agent tends to stand above the crowd and shine as the expert.

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Number of new NW Tucson listings appears strong

Just snooping early yesterday in the Tucson MLS and noticed that NW Tucson had the largest number of new listings to start off the month. Northwest Tucson, including Oro Valley and Marana, had 59 total new listings on October 1st, with North Tucson following in second with only 19. I say total because I'm including SFR, SFNC, Condo/TH, MSFR and MH's. Considering there were only 158 new listings on Monday, and NW Tucson made up 37% of that total, it seems that homeowners in NW Tucson may not be too concerned about the so called "housing slump". Still it's too early to tell, we'll have to see where we end up for the week. The number of new listings have been slowly declining, as Northwest Tucson had 132 new listings for the first week of September, down 10% from the number of new NW Tucson listings for the first week of August. Tucson MLS will release the September real estate sales stats early next week so we'll have a better view of market activity then.

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Check out the Tucson Culinary Festival!

The Tucson Culinary Festival starts this week so don't forget to buy your tickets! The event begins Thursday October 4th at 8pm with the Margarita Championship at Cuvee World Bistro and runs through the weekend, ending with a BBQ Brunch and lives Blues music at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort. There are several different tastings and seminars scheduled so if you already have a busy weekend planned you can just pick your favorite event and stop on by. Sample goodies from Tucson's best chefs as they're paired with rare wines , or check out a seminar and learn how to make the perfect mojito. These events are always a lot of fun and a great opportunity to meet other Tucson Foodies while experiencing incredible food that's original to Tucson. Attire is dressy casual as most of the events take place at Loews Ventana Canyon , so dress appropriately! Festival proceeds go to several local groups including the Tucson Community Food Bank, New Beginnings, and great bunch of locally owned and operated restaurants, the Tucson Originals , so make sure you try to stop by and support the Tucson community!

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Take advantage of a Tucson Buyer's Market

Tucson has A LOT of homes for sale right now; there are currently 6191 active listings (single family residence) in the Tucson area. With the abundance of homes currently for sale and interest rates still historically low, it's the perfect time for home buyers to come out of the shadows and start perusing the inventory. Unfortunately many seem to be hiding, waiting for prices to drop even further. I've heard a lot of naysayers out there preaching that "It's crazy to buy right now" and "Home prices are going to go lower so wait to buy". It's always tempting to try to predict what the future real estate market holds, but it's also detrimental. It's a great time to buy whenever everyone else is scared. That's when the inventory is at it's best and there's not as much competition, giving you more ability to negotiate with a motivated seller.

If a home is priced correctly in it's market, buyers will make offers. I search the Tucson MLS daily looking at new listings as well as those that have gone contingent, and I notice that nice homes priced correctly to the Tucson market generally accept an offer within 2-3 weeks. I explain this to my buyers, and some realize that I'm watching out for their best interests and move forward with an offer. Others remain wrapped up in the "doom and gloom" media frenzy, finding homes they like but refusing to make an offer because they're holding out for a better deal. I try my best to explain that if they find a home they really really love, it's a good idea to make an offer now and negotiate terms that are going to benefit them before they lose it to the next buyer that comes around. The home seller is most likely also trying to buy a home, so it's in their best interest to work with a potential buyer to make a successful deal. There's a variety of requests a buyer can make and negotiate into a purchase contract. This is the time to ask for what you want......

• Request a contingency, including appraisal, loan or a contingency to sell your own home.
• Ask for a home warranty
• Ask for an allowance or credit. Don't like the blue carpet? Ask for a replacement allowance. Just remember to ask the lender how the request should be worded prior so it will be accepted in the contract.
• Request that the seller pay for or contribute to buyer closing costs. They typically amount to about 2% of the sales price so it can be a significant amount of money.
• Renegotiate after the home inspection - Most any home will need some type of repair work. If the repairs are minor ask that a specific dollar amount be credited back to the buyer at closing.

Again I emphasize the word "Negotiate". There are still some out there that assume this means "low ball offer" and "stick it of the sellers". The Tucson real estate market may be in a slump, but it's going to remain strong enough that most sellers will sell their home for a price and terms that are very reasonable. So for all those home buyers out there, make your requests, but be rational about it.

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Can't beat a Tucson sunset!

Another amazing Tucson sunset. Just another reason I love living in Tucson!

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