June 2008

The secret must be out that Chandler is the place to be.  According to the ASU-Repeat Sales Index which compares sales over the last 3 month, Chandler was one of two cities in the Valley that saw the lowest depreciation.  (Is that like saying my dog is not as ugly as the rest?) 

This is truly good news for Chandler who, along with Sun City West, were the only 2 communities that did not experience 2 consecutive declines in home prices Jan-Feb and Feb-Mar.

Chandler’s home prices fell 9.2% from February to March of 2008, after dipping 9.4% from January to February. 

The Valley saw double digit month to month declines in March for the first time ever.   This is likely a reflection of not only excess of inventory, but also that sellers arre finally coming to terms with the fact that they have to price their homes competitively to sell. 

Tempe dropped 8.6% in February and followed that with a 12.1% drop in prices in March.  This is surprising as Tempe has historically held value better than other areas of the valley due to the market being driven by the presence of ASU’s main campus.

Mesa’s home prices dropped 13.3% in March

The ASU-RSI relies on repeat sales data for the same house and is considered a better and more reliable way to measure sales vs using the median home prices.  It breaks the sales data into 5 Phoenix geographic area: Southeast, Southwest, Northeast, Northwest  & Central.

Visit www.AmySellsAZ.com to search the Arizona MLS and for complete weekly market updates on Phoenix East Valley Real Estate.

Amy Jones specializes in residential, vacation homes & cabins, as well as retirement communities in the communities of Ahwatukee, Chandler, Fountain Hills, Gilbert, Maricopa, Mesa, Paradise Valley, Queen Creek, Scottsdale, Sun Lakes, Tempe and the White Mountains communities of Pinetop/Lakes & Show Low. 

I’ll call this week’s winners “TRUTH IN ADVERTISING”.  I can’t figure out why a photo like this would be taken.  Seems it would have benefited all parties to clean the house out prior to listing it.

Yet I must say, there’s nothing dishonest about these photos. The marketing strategy must be…”Yes, I’m ugly, but I’ve got a great personality” or more likely “a face not even a mother could love”. 

I would recommend the buyer write in a credit for a large dumpster on this one.

And it’s a Tie.  They’re both winners!  Good thing they’re both of the same house.  Wouldn’t want to make anyone jealous.

The Oakwood Dobson Gate in Sun Lakes has been a central point of controversy for a number of years.  Sun Lakes Oakwood is a guard gated community that is conveniently located right smack in the center of a major thoroughfare, Dobson Road.  If you are travelling northbound between Queen Creek Road and Riggs Road, you cannot utilize Dobson Road just past the Ocotillo intersection unless you own a home in the Oakwood Subdivision OR if you know someone within the subdivision and can call them using the Sentex System at the Dobson Road Gate to be buzzed in. 

If you are travelling southbound and manage to enter the community through the guard gate on Riggs Rd, you will still need a gate pass to exit through the Dobson Gate.

Effective July 1, 2008, the Sentex system will be removed and all visitors will have to enter through the manned guard gates at Riggs Rd.  This is sure to be an inconvenience until it becomes the norm.  I live in Oakwood and most of my visitors do come through the Dobson Gate utilizing the Telex System.  Now they’ll have to drive a few extra miles around to the Riggs Gate.  Not a big deal in the grand scheme of life..but I’m sure I’ll hear about it!

Just when I thought marketing schemes couldn’t get much wackier, I hear about The Arbors at Branch Creek in Tampa, Florida.  Sales in this condo conversion community have been sluggish, so developers thought making one of the two pools in the community “clothing optional”. 

The AP article about the community shares that  “The complex Web site shows a barebacked woman meditating next to a steaming hot tub, and promises: “You’re going to be very comfortable with our dress code. Our residents are welcome to shed more than their inhibitions as they enter the gates of Eden. Because when our residents come home after a busy day in the working world, they want to completely unburden themselves, shed the trappings of the outside world … and be totally free.” 

Uhhh… no, not really.  I can’t think of anything that would make me less comfortable than sitting around my community pool surrounding by naked people.  The model in the video aside, I’ll venture to guess that most of the “unburdened bods” who have freed themselves from the burden of a bathing suit are probably not anything I would want to see.  I know they’re calling it the “Gates of Eden”, but I’m pretty sure Adam & Eve never ate a Big Mac, Fries & a Shake.

I wonder if this idea will catch on?  There are plenty of condo communities in the valley where sluggish sales are pretty common.  If it does…maybe buying stock in sun block would be a smart move. 

I was once known as the “Scorpion Queen”. When I moved to Arizona 7 years ago, I killed over 90 scorpions in my Warner Ranch home (in Tempe) in a year.

The night I moved in I saw the first one under the sink in my master bedroom. Being the Midwestern girl that I am…I thought it was a centipede as I chased it around with a tissue. UNTIL…it stopped and raised its tail in classic scorpion fashion. What did I do then? Screamed like a 3 year old of course. My 77 year old father came running to rescue me by swatting at the scorpion with his foam slipper (I finally squashed it with a hammer).

A year and a half later I was a self-professed expert.

Where do scorpions live in the valley? Hmm.. everywhere. Do I have them in my new house now? No.

There are things you should know that can help you buy a scorpion-free home, but remember…no guarantees… They were here first and have been here longer than dinosaurs.

First, know that the Bark scorpion that lives in the valley likes wet and shady places (so why do they live in the desert? Dumb scorpion.) so they especially like the underground irrigation lines that are typical in citrus orchards. Developers have taken over many of the old orchards in the valley and built homes there so it’s not surprising to note that those communities have a higher scorpion population.

However, just because your neighbor has scorpions doesn’t mean you will and vice versa. Scorpions are territorial and don’t like to leave an area if they’re comfortable.

Because scorpions like damp places, there is usually a higher population in grassy damp areas like golf courses fairways. But, just to confuse us, they also like dry rocky areas like mountain preserves. So homes bordering those areas are more likely to include a scorpion or two with that lot premium.

And while we’re talking about a scorpion or two, I’ve found they usually travel in pairs(isn’t that romantic?). If you see one…keep looking.

So how do you know if a home has scorpions before you buy it? Well you can’t for sure. Seller’s do have an obligation to disclose whether they’ve ever seen a scorpion in their house or yard and this will be found on the Seller’s Property Disclosure Statement. But just because they have an obligation to disclose, doesn’t mean they will.

Your Realtor can be very helpful especially if specializing in a certain area, he or she will sometime have a knowledge of the areas where scorpions have shown their tails. But again, a Realtor isn’t an expert on all communties, and just because your neighbor doesn’t have them…yadda yadda.

What do you do if you see a scorpion in the house you just purchased? After you stop screaming, relax. There are ways to help reduce the population. First get an Arizona Fly Swatter (that’s a hammer) for every room. Don’t laugh…it works.

Then, get rid of the scorpion’s food supply~ Crickets, Roaches & Spiders. A good pest control company can help there.

Another trick is diatonaceous earth. This is the powder you put in pool filters. It’s said to be effective keeping scorpions out of your house if you put a trail of the powder at entry points to your home (doorways & windows sills mostly). The powder is composed of glass-like particles which slice open the soft belly of the scorpion when it crawls across it. Nice.

You will be told that scorpions are impervious to residual insecticides…however a couple that come highly recommended are Cykick Bug Spray & Delta Eight Granules.

Consider having your home professionally sealed (note~ this is different than hermetically sealed). Many pest control companies offer this service where they seal all possible scorpion entry points. It’s not cheap, but it does work.

Last but not least…because this can be fun. Get a black light and an Arizona Fly Swatter and scour your home and yard after dark. Scorpions glow yellow-green under a black light. Whack-A-Scorp. Yes, good times.

I’m happy to say I’ve never been stung by a scorpion. I’ve heard the sting is pretty miserable but they are not usually life threatening unless you are allergic, have a compromised immune system, or are under 10 years old or elderly. Take comfort that Arizona does have antivenin and no one has died from a scorpion sting in over 40 years. So if you get stung get emergency treatment to make sure you’re ok. You probably are.

Final note. I had a client who bought a home in the foothills of Ahwatukee..backing to the preserve. He got stung on the butt sitting on the toilet. Apparently the scorpion was hiding under the seat. So ladies, maybe it’s best if he does leave the toilet seat up.

Visit www.AmySellsAZ.com for complete weekly market updates on Phoenix East Valley Real Estate.

Amy Jones specializes in residential, vacation homes & cabins, as well as retirement communities in the communities of Ahwatukee, Chandler, Fountain Hills, Gilbert, Maricopa, Mesa, Paradise Valley, Queen Creek, Scottsdale, Sun Lakes, Tempe and the White Mountains communities of Pinetop/Lakes & Show Low. 

One of the most frequent questions I get asked by buyers moving to the Phoenix area is “How do you tolerate the heat in the summer time?”  I usually explain that I’m from the midwest and I compare Phoenix’s summers to the winters I survived living along the frigid shores of Lake Michigan growing up.  Basically, you stay inside.  You’re probably not going to enjoy your patio in Wisconsin in January and the same holds true for your patio here in July …. and August…and even September, when on average the last 100-degree day usually falls around September 28th!

However, let’s not forget that even though the National Weather Service is predicting temperatures will be higher than average all over Arizona this summer, we don’t have to hibernate indoors because we live in a valley..which means we are a short climb to cooler temps and the ability to enjoy nature year round, though you will have to drive at least a couple hours to find those cooler temps.

So, before I share some of the best hiking trails at higher elevations, have you ever tried a full-moon hike in the valley?  This summer we’ll experience 3 full moons from July through September (and one tonight too!).  The brightest moon dates are following but note that the sky should be bright enough for hiking the nights immediately before and after these dates:

• Friday, July 18th Full Moon between 8:10 pm and 5:35 am
• Saturday, August 16th Full Moon between 7:13 pm and 5:35 am
• Monday, September 15th Full Moon between 6:39 pm and 6:29 am

Probably the best Full Moon Hiking trail is Jacob’s Crosscut Trail in the Tonto National Forest which is only about 45 miles Northeast of Phoenix. 

Directions: Take HWY 60 East to the Idaho Rd Exit (Highway 88).  Continue East on Highway 88 past Lost Dutchman State Park.  Just past the part, turn right onto First Water Road (FR 78).  The trailhead is about a mile up the road on the right.

Even though you’ll have plenty of light with a full-moon hike, be sure and take a couple flashlights or lanterns…but make sure they’re not too bright or it will make hiking more difficult as you’ll loose your natural night vision and besides, it’s just not as fun if you’re carrying too much light.

This hike is easy and if you take the trail to the end it’s about 6.5 miles (remember you have to hike it back so make sure you have plenty of water and time).

The Superstition and Goldfield mountains will look beautiful on this hike and there will be plenty of city light views as the mountains are covered in hauntingly beautiful moonlight. 

If you’d rather take a ranger-led moonlight hike which take place year round, visit http://maricopa.gov/parks/programs.aspx or http://phoenix.gov/PARKS/hikemain.html.

See you in the moonlight!

Visit www.AmySellsAZ.com for complete weekly market updates on Phoenix East Valley Real Estate.

Amy Jones specializes in residential, vacation homes & cabins, as well as retirement communities in the communities of Ahwatukee, Chandler, Fountain Hills, Gilbert, Maricopa, Mesa, Paradise Valley, Queen Creek, Scottsdale, Sun Lakes, Tempe and the White Mountains communities of Pinetop/Lakes & Show Low. 

My daughters, Lerie & Alesha and my dad, Mac.

How do you celebrate what doctors have proclaimed will be your dad’s last Father’s Day?  That’s the question I found bumping around in my head as I stood searching for the perfect Father’s Day card for my dad. 

Dad is 84 years old and has always been an important part of my life.  My little dad (and I mean that literally…he stands about 5’2 and looks like the Lucky Charm Leprechaun) and I have grown especially close since he moved in with me after my mother passed away in 2001.  Dad was 77 years old then and had been battling prostate cancer for over 7 years. 

3 years ago, dad’s cancer had spread to his colon and lymph nodes.  He wasn’t ready to give up however, as he had a lot more golfing to do. 

2 years ago and after several rounds of chemotherapy, we learned that the cancer had spread to his liver & lung and the doctor recommended we call in hospice with a predicted 4-6 months left.   Dad giggled at that (his famous giggle which is a cross between Popeye and Woody Woodpecker) and asked the doctor if Hospice would be able to caddy for him. So Hospice was out and more chemo was in. 

Four weeks ago, we learned that the cancer is now in his kidney and spine, and the chemo has been stopped.  Dad is markedly weaker and now carries the look of someone who’s not feeling so good.  The Dr. has told dad to “get things in order” as he doesn’t have much time left.  Dad said he really couldn’t die until the Cubs won the pennant but after a slight pause said “But I guess I can’t live forever”.  That’s dad…always trying to keep things light.  Never once has he complained after all the treatments, tests and surgeries. 

Dad has taught us how to live life to the fullest, even when you’re told you’re dying.   Dad has taught us how to love life and not take anything too seriously. 

So how do you say “Happy Father’s Day” for the last time?  I found myself gravitating towards the serious and sentimental cards.  The kind of card I’ve never given dad.  You can’t giggle after a sentimental card and dad loves to giggle.  So I put the sentimental card back, the card that said all the things I felt in my heart…the card that, if you read between the lines, said “good-bye”. 

I’m not ready to say “good-bye” to dad.  I’m not ready to stop hearing his giggle.  I’m not ready to see his empty chair.

None of us are guaranteed “tomorrow” and God laughed when the doctors gave dad 4-6 months 2 years ago, right?  So, I finally selected a card for dad and we’ll celebrate this Father’s Day the way we have celebrated every Father’s Day… with funny cards, love and, of course… giggles. 

Happy Father’s Day, Dad.  I love you.