Just stuff

More than just being an eyesore, residents of Arizona Estates subdivision cite the unknown perils of radio waves as one of the reasons they oppose the installation of a Verizon cell phone tower 2 blocks away from their subdivision Northeast of Cooper Rd. and the San Tan Freeway. 

The cell towers are proposed to be about 50′ in height and camouflaged to look like palm trees..otherwise known as a “monopalm”.  Cute..unless you’re living under one.

Property devaluation also comes into play.  I don’t think anyone will be fooled into thinking a cell tower is a 50′ palm tree and if it’s in your direct line of sight sitting on your patio…probably won’t help your property value at all.

A petition signed by 74 members of the Arizona Estates neighborhood resulted in the Chandler City Council’s decision to delay a ruling until September 25th, giving residents hope.

I read a blog this morning on Trulia and then again picked it up on Jay Thompson’s Blog.  Seems a buyer was concerned the agents he had been interviewing do not do open houses.  The debate that ensued was quite entertaining from an Agent’s point of view. 

Outside of the obvious differences of opinion on the “open house theory”, it never ceases to amaze me how a supposed Real Estate “PROFESSIONAL” can act so UNPROFESSIONAL as to bash a colleague with comments like “an agent who does not sit opens is in my opinion lazy”

I once sold one of my listings while I was standing at the pump filling my car with gas.  The couple behind me noticed my 1CASA4U license plate and told me they were looking for a home.  After a short conversation I mentioned that I had a home listed that might fit the bill. 

No, I’m not an idiot…I didn’t have them follow me to the home, but instead they followed me back to my office where they were prequalified etc. 

Long story made short they did buy the home. 

On the theory that 2% of homes might just sell at an open house…I guess we could all just start just hanging out at the gas pumps with our listing flyers.  Makes about as much sense.

What sellers have to understand (as well as some agents) is times are changing.  Some activities to sell a home are antiquated and not a good use of time.  Doesn’t mean they don’t ever work…

Before the internet, open houses were a great way to give a home visibility.  Time marches on and communication mediums improve.  TV antennas on the roof worked just fine too, until Satellite & Cable expanded the viewing area.  Doesn’t mean you can’t have an antenna on your roof.  Oh wait…those aren’t going to work much longer either.  Yes, time marches on and technology keeps getting faster.  We just have to keep up…kicking and screaming… we just have to keep up.

It’s true, some granite counter tops are emitting concerning levels of Radon, a radioactive gas which is the second leading cause of lung cancer, claims about 20,000 lives per year and is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.  Granite which leans toward the red, pink and purple variety tend to emit higher levels than other types of granite, but homeowners are encouraged to get a radon testing kit just to make sure. 

Radon levels of less than 4 picoCuries per litre of air (pCi/L)is considered “safe” with 4 pCi/L have the same risk factor of smoking a half pack of cigarettes per day.  I’m wondering, would a number higher than 4 pCi/L require some sort of Surgeon General’s label on the counter…or maybe a protective suit to wear around the house?

Marble manufacturers flat out deny there’s any problem with radiation in granite (isn’t that like tobacco growers saying cigarettes are safe?), however the Marble Institute of America is planning to develop a testing protocol for granite which will hopefully eliminate “hot” granites from entering the marketplace.  Hmmm…. call me crazy, but that doesn’t sound to me like there is no problem.

Health officials and radiation experts agree that most granite counter tops emit very low levels of radiation  which is nothing compared to the amount of “background” radiation we absorb from cell phones, x-rays, luminous watches and smoke detectors…not to mention the radiation that rains down from outerspace and seeps out of the earth’s surface daily.

I guess the jury’s still out as to whether granite counter tops are truly a health issue.  I mean, it takes time for the powers that be to determine just what exactly IS bad for us.  Just like the good ‘ol days when your doctor could endorse his favorite cigarette brand, our homes and offices were filled with lead based paint & asbestos…oh, and don’t forget the joy of chicken fried in bacon grease.  Ahhhh yes…the good ‘ol days.

Let’s just hope that selling a home in the future does not involve ripping out those radioactive granite counter tops and signing a Radon Disclosure Notice.  Maybe Formica really isn’t so bad.

I just heard about the Heart Attack Grill and was intrigued by the name.  Thought it might be a place my husband & I might check out. 

I’ll admit, when I go out to eat, I don’t usually order “just a salad, please”.  I like those good stick to your ribs (and your thighs) kind of meals and especially love a good burger.  BUT…The Heart Attack Grill on the corner of Ray & Kyrene in Chandler is not being added to my have- to-go-to” list. 

Why?  Well….aside from the limited menu which consists of 4 ”heart attack burgers” (from 1 patty up to 4 pattys), “flat line” fries (fried in lard), unfiltered Lucky Strikes and buckets of beer… this restaurant makes Hooter’s feel like a fine dining experience.

The mostly male clientele is probably due to the mostly busty waitresses dressed in barely there nurses costumes.  As for me, the only breasts I want to see in a restaurant are of the chicken variety, prepared on a grill and served over rice.  My husband knows this…right…honey?  Where did he go?

The Riggs Road Worm

Every year about this time you’ll see a herd of what look like fat worms scurrying (do worm’s scurry?) in a wide marching band formation (up to 2-3 feet wide) across Riggs Rd just west of Sun Lakes.  Don’t start looking for the mother ship, this is not a sci-fi invasion.  These little creatures are actually moth Larvae (eww…let’s call them caterpillars) that morph into the largest flying insect in the desert, the Sphinx Moth which can have a wingspan between 5″-8″!

I’m not sure why these caterpillars decide to migrate from one side of the road to the other.  (I mean, why did the chicken do it?  We may never know.)  Could be the rains have flooded their neighborhood. Maybe they’re looking for new dining opportunities or maybe they’re just bored. 

These caterpillers burrow underground to begin their metamorphosis into the adult Sphynx Moth and emerge from the ground in all their mothwing glory to begin the mating process.  Females can lay up to 1000 eggs on the undersides of food plants (another good reason to wash those veggies!)  Eggs hatch is just a few days and the female AND MALE moths die after their reproductive process has been completed.  How’s that for gratitude. 

So, next time you come upon the “March of the Worms”, check them out. Pick one up with a stick and put it in a large jar with holes in the lid and some leaves for it to eat and then….oh..uh…sorry, I regressed to my childhood for just a sec.   Anyway, as I was saying, these caterpillars won’t hurt you.  BUT BE WARNED…if you make them mad they’ll raise up their itty bitty horned heads and spit a thick green gunk at you.  They’re not poisonous…so go ahead…spit back!

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For more Information visit  Sun Lakes Arizona Real Estate.  This information was provided by Amy Jones, a multi-million dollar top producing Realtor with RE/MAX Elite. Amy 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/Lakeside & Show Low.  Search the Arizona MLS.

As the october 1 deadline for the elimination of Seller Assistance programs approaches, FHA Buyers in the Phoenix area are scrambling to secure a home.

I’ve heard some lenders are actually sending out the word that they will write no FHA loans that require seller assistance after 9/1/2008, due to the fear of a backlog of loans awaiting funding and the risk of these loans not closing by the 10/1 deadline.

I’ve also heard many conventional loan buyers are actually waiting to purchase their home until after 10/1 because they feel many homes priced under $300,000 have been priced to include the anticipated seller contributions. They’re hoping the prices will fall after 10/1. I personally don’t think this is going to happen…but time will tell.

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

Amy Jones of the Amy Jones Group is a top producing Chandler Realtor specializing 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/Lakeside & Show Low.

Weird? Yes.  Honest? Brutally. 

 

 

Before agreeing to run the unusual obituary, the Times-Herald took the unusual step of requesting a copy of the death certificate, just to ensure that what it was being asked to publish wasn’t a hoax. It wasn’t: Dolores had passed away on August 7, 2008.” 

Parents, you had better behave or instead of tears…your children may just share the last laugh~

 Dolores Aguilar 1929 - Aug. 7, 2008

Dolores Aguilar, born in 1929 in New Mexico, left us on August 7, 2008. She will be met in the afterlife by her husband, Raymond, her son, Paul Jr.,and daughter, Ruby. She is survived by her daughters Marietta, Mitzi, Stella, Beatrice, Virginia and Ramona, and son Billy; grandchildren, Donnelle, Joe, Mitzie, Maria, Mario, Marty, Tynette, Tania, Leta, Alexandria, Tommy, Billy, Mathew, Raymond, Kenny, Javier, Lisa, Ashlie and Michael; great-grandchildren, Brendan, Joseph, Karissa, Jacob, Delaney, Shawn, Cienna, Bailey, Christian, Andre Jr.,Andrea, Keith, Saeed, Nujaymah, Salma, Merissa, Emily, Jayci, Isabella, Samantha and Emily. I apologize if I missed anyone.

Dolores had no hobbies, made no contribution to society and rarely shared a kind word or deed in her life. I speak for the majority of her family when I say her presence will not be missed by many, very few tears will be shed and there will be no lamenting over her passing. Her family will remember Dolores and amongst ourselves we will remember her in our own way, which were mostly sad and troubling times throughout the years. We may have some fond memories of her and perhaps we will think of those times too. But I truly believe at the end of the day ALL of us will really only miss what we never had, a good and kind mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. I hope she is finally at peace with herself.

As for the rest of us left behind, I hope this is the beginning of a time of healing and learning to be a family again. There will be no service, no prayers and no closure for the family she spent a lifetime tearing apart. We cannot come together in the end to see to it that her grandchildren and great-grandchildren can say their goodbyes. So I say here for all of us, GOOD BYE, MOM.

When you hear Arizona, your mind conjures images of cactus and red rock, but some of Arizona’s most beautiful attractions are it’s waterfalls.  Most Arizona waterfalls are seasonal and run during the spring snow melt and fade to just a trickle in the summer heat.  However, there are several waterfalls in the state that are fed by rivers and streams and are active year round, especially magnificent during the monsoon rains.  Unfortunately, those monsoon rains have caused flooding in the area and the falls areas have been evacuated.  So make sure you check the website for updates if you’re planning on visiting.

Here is one of the most beautiful collections of waterfalls in the state.

HAVASU FALLS

Havasu Falls consists of 5 waterfalls on the Havasupai Indian Reservation near Grand Canyon National Park.  It’s a little tricky to find as there are no roads leading to Supai Village which is the starting point known as “Waterfall Row”  The only way to get to the village is on foot or by mule on the Havasu Trail.  Camping is available north of the village at Havasu Campground. 

Located about 350 miles northwest of Phoenix. Take Interstate 40 west from Flagstaff to exit 123 in Seligman.  Follow old Rte 66 northwest for 33 miles to Indian Route 18 (between mileposts 110 & 111).  Follow Rte 18 for 63 miles to the trailhead at Hualapai Hilltop…Note…the last services are in Seligman.

Reservations and permits are required and pets are not allowed.  For more info visit www.havasupaitribe.com

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

Amy Jones of the Amy Jones Group 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/Lakeside & Show Low.

Where have all the cows gone?  Chandler, AZ, which has grown from less than 30,000 residents in 1980 to more than 250,000 this year, is no longer a sleepy little farming town.  Recently released governmental studies predict “exploding” job growth and higher density housing in the Chandler city center.

Really?  It’s hard to even picture high density housing in the “city center”.  Where exactly is the “city center”? 

The Price Road Corridor, Chandler Airport area and West Chandler are considered the city’s main employment areas where acres of land have been set aside as half of Chandler’s land filled with homes.  Apparently a plan that has paid off as construction and job growth is expected to “explode” over the next 20 years.

The best news is the predicted rise in Chandler property values as people tire of living on the outskirts spending hours behind the wheel of their car driving to work every day and homes in Chandler become a more desirable commodity.

Promising news for Chandler…but I still miss the cows.