Subdivision map of Maricopa. Many folks ask about the locations of the subdivisions in town. This is the best map that I have found. http://www.vestar.com/newsite/Assets/PropertyAssets/MaricopaTC/MaricopaTC.pdf Please note: The brochure is that of a shopping center coming to town. It has 3 anchor stores and a movie theater.
Friday October 02, 2009 & Saturday October 03, 2009
Time:
8 am - 6 pm
Builder:
Taylor Morrison - 3 Models ( 2 Locations )
Community Name:
Premiere & Encore @ Crossriver
City:
Sun City - 85373
Cross Roads:
Pinnacle Peak Rd & 117th avenue
Directions:
West
on 101 Freeway to 75th Avenue make a right (north), to Deer Valley Rd
make left (west), to Lake Pleasant Pkwy.(99th Ave.) make a right
(north). Follow to Happy Valley Rd make a left (west), to 115th Avenue
make a left (south). Encore model: to Daley Lane make right, model on
left. Address: 11727 W. Daley Lane. Premiere models: to Williams Dr
make a right (west), to 120th Lane make a right (north) to Candelaria
Ct. make a right, models on the right. Addresses: 12031 and 12037 W.
Candelaria Court.
Inventory:
Premiere - 2 Models
Encore - 1 Model
Date:
Friday October 02, 2009 & Saturday October 03, 2009
Time:
8 am - 6 pm
Builder:
Richmond American Homes - 1 Model
Community Name:
Classics @ Laveen Ranch
City:
Laveen - 85339
Cross Roads:
Baseline Road & 51st Avenue
Directions:
West
on 1-10 Freeway to 51st Avenue make a left (south). Go pass Baseline
Road to Beverly Road make a left (east) to 50th Lane make a right,
model on the right. Address: 8014 S. 50th Lane.
Up until last week, if someone purchased a home using an FHA loan, they were unable to resell the property to someone using an FHA loan for 90 days.
Many 1st time homebuyers choose FHA loans because of the minimal down payment involved.
This would significantly reduce the number of prospective buyers. That has all changed!
On Friday, FHA
announced the suspension of the anti-Flipping 90-day waiting period.
Prior to September 14, 2009, FHA products were denied to buyers
purchasing homes from investors that buy homes, rehab them, and sell them within
a 90-day period. Previously, the only option to purchase these homes was through
conventional financing (which requires a higher down payment) or a cash-only
purchase.
This revision allows homebuyers to expand their market when
searching for a home and gives them the opportunity to secure a much lower down
payment. More investors and buyers will be encouraged to purchase homes due to
this major change.
Take a look at the
revision:
Section 203.37a(b)(2) of the FHA regulations, 24 CFR, is hereby
waived for a period of one year, September 14, 2009 through September 13, 2010,
with regard to sales of previously foreclosed or abandoned properties acquired
and resold by for-profit and non-profit entities using funding from and
performing under agreements with state and local government agencies under the
NSP program.
Pinal County Assessor Paul Larkin warns of offer to "reduce property taxes" Received article
Friday, August 14, 2009
8/07/09 – FLORENCE, AZ – Pinal County Assessor L. Paul
Larkin has joined Attorney General Terry Goddard in warning residents
to be wary when receiving a notice offering them a chance to reduce
their property taxes.
“First of all,” Assessor Larkin stressed, “the time to appeal 2010
property taxes passed nearly three months ago. Second, when the time is
appropriate to appeal, residents can file for free. There is never a
fee to appeal.”
A press release from the Arizona Attorney General’s office said the
notice will arrive by mail claiming a property has qualified for a
“property tax reduction review.” The mailer comes with a “notice
number,” along with a deadline for filing. The press release also said
the solicitation does not come from a government recognized entity.
“We have received a few calls about the notice,” Assessor Larkin said.
He went on to add that once an appeal is filed, an appraiser will
personally visit the property. If the property owner has any questions,
the appraiser will be happy to answer them.
“We pride ourselves on the service we provide to the public,” the Assessor said.
If you have any questions about property taxes or the notice, please
contact the Pinal County Citizen Contact Center at (520) 209-3555 or
1-888-431-1411.
To contact the Attorney General's Office in Phoenix you can call (602)
542-5763, in Tucson (520) 628-6504, or outside the Phoenix and Tucson
metro areas at 1-800-352-8431. Pinal County citizens may call the Pinal
County Citizen Contact Center at (520) 509-3555 or 1-888-431-1311. You
can also visit the Attorney General’s website at www.azag.gov. A copy of the mailer can be found on the website.
Yes, I am a buyers agent. Every $3000 you spend on a home will make me $90. I can assure you $90 will only but me a couple of cases of beer.
My goal is to make my clients very happy and earn MANY extra cases of beer 2 and 3 years down the road with referrals.
The market is slightly turning. Every person that sees snow in the winter wants to buy a home in Arizona.
Heres the trick:
Multiple offers. Please note that if you are looking for a specific home, at a specific address.. Make your highest and best offer. In this multilple offer market,cross your fingers and hope for the best.
If a summer home is what you are looking for than keep your options open. Pools can be installed for $15,000+ (by the way if you are snow bird and will be coming down Nov-March, you will want a heater for the pool). Its hot here, not that hot though!
Best thing to do is throw out multiple offers on homes. We can cancel any offer before it is accepted. We just need 1 right? Worst case scenario is that we use a loop hole to get out of a second home which is easy within the first 14 days
I can write up an offer in approx 15 minutes, so thats easy. I can take pictures. I can do whatever it takes!
This is an email that I received from one of the builders. They are trying to increase buyer confidence.
Just between us.. I dont see the prices in 5 years being any lower than they are today. 5 Years is a long time!
xxxxxxxxxxxxx Total Assurance Unveils in Just 3 Days!
In just three days xxxxxxxxxxxxx will announce a unique program for your buyers and we wanted you to be the first to know!
At xxxxxxxxx, we believe in the quality and long-term value of our
homes. That’s why for a limited time beginning August 8, 2009, we’re
offering a program unique to xxxxxxxx home buyers to assure them that
they are making the right purchase decision at the right time.
Buy a new home from us today. If after five years, you choose to
sell your home and your value has decreased, we’ll refund your down
payment up to 10 percent of the original purchase price.
We call it the xxxxxxxxxxxx Total Assurance program. Your buyers
will call it peace of mind! The xxxxxxxxxxxx Total Assurance program
allows your buyers to take advantage of today’s competitive pricing,
low interest rates and our award-winning communities right now!
Remember, Total Assurance is being unveiled to the public on August
8th! See our website and sales associates this weekend for more details
including the terms and conditions of the program.
There is some fine print to the program, but pretty standard.. not
transferable, primary owners only.. as always, other conditions apply
East
of the 202 Freeway to Gilbert Road make a right (south). Follow to
Queen Creek Road make a left (east). Follow to Lindsay Road make a left
(north) to Layton Lakes Blvd East make a right (east). Follow to
Merriman Way make a left (north), then left on Wimpole Avenue, models
on the right. Addresses: 872 and 880 E. Wimpole Avenue
Inventory:
2
Models. These models are BEAUTIFUL. Very colorful.
1st Model (two story) Soft blue and green with melon accents. Antique
ivory finish furniture pieces. Several area rugs. Beach motif with
textured accents. Beautiful high end outdoor patio furniture. All
coordinating pieces with charcoal finish and soft green cushions. 2nd
Model - Warm tones with highlights of pumpkin color. Dark espresso
finish furniture. Large art with other unique wall decor pieces. Area
rugs. Patio furniture. Not open for viewing but may look through
windows. Don't miss this sale.
Market Analysis - Well, there is good
news and bad news: The bad news is that pendings and closed sales dropped
slightly since two weeks ago; the good news is that it only dropped slightly. Active inventory was almost
stagnant, not really moving much in either direction. I’m going to chalk it up
to the holiday and the heat and hope that the rest of the month improves!
The media is currently mixed with
positive and negative news surrounding the housing industry and the economy as a
whole ~ so it is up to you, the Knowledgeable Real Estate Agent, to get out
accurate market data to educate your clients! Pass these graphs along to your
buyers, sellers and sphere of influence!
by Catherine
Reagor - Jul. 8, 2009 12:00 AM The
ArizonaRepublic
Here are
some more positive signs from metropolitan Phoenix's housing
market, which may not be recovering but doesn't appear
to be deteriorating any more.
Home sales
climbed again in June to reach 9,614, according to the Information
Market/Cromford Report survey. That's an 11 percent increase from May's home
sales. June is the sixth straight month home sales have climbed in the
Valley.
The median
Valley resale-home price also climbed in June, the first monthly price increase
since late 2007. Last month, the median ticked up to $125,000 from $122,000 in
May.
Foreclosures also climbed in June after dropping off for
a few months. There were 5,149 trustee sales or foreclosures in the Valley,
compared with 3,809 in May.
Pre-foreclosures, or notice of trustee sales, continue
to hover around 8,700.
But, so
far, the additional foreclosures aren't creating an oversupply problem for the
housing market.
Mike Orr,
publisher of the Cromford Report,
said the number of lender-owned properties listed for sale in the Arizona
Regional Multiple Listing
Service fell to 5,150 in June from 5,475 in May.
"So, the
supply was huge, but the demand was even greater," Orr said about Valley foreclosure
homes.
Also, the
average price per square foot of foreclosures sold by lenders during June
climbed to $65.64 in June from $63.77 in May.
HUD-fund changes
First-time
home buyers trying to purchase Valley foreclosure houses through a federal
program should now find it easier.
In April,
Arizona
received $121 million in Neighborhood Stabilization funds from the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development. But for people to receive the funds
to help them buy foreclosures, the federal agency was requiring lenders to
discount their foreclosure properties 15 percent off the appraised value.
That was a
major sticking point for many lenders, particularly in the Valley where
investors are willing to pay cash and the full-appraisal price.
So, HUD
recently changed to 1 percent the discount required by lenders.
The Arizona
Housing Department recently launched its Neighborhood Stabilization program for
home buyers to purchase foreclosure properties in Maricopa and Pima counties.
Qualifying
buyers can receive up to 22 percent of the purchase price on certain foreclosures
homes.
The state
agency reports more than 20 families are in the process of purchasing a
foreclosure home through its Neighborhood Stabilization
program.
Check out
the Web site YourWayHomeAZ .com to see if you qualify for the money to buy a
foreclosure home.
South
on Higley Road pass Ocotillo Road, follow to Marabella Blvd. make a
left (east), follow to Wilson Way make a right (south), follow to Aris
Drive make a left, model on the right. Address: 3373 E. Aris Drive.
HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER NEW MEXICO WILL STRENGTHEN AND EXPAND FROM NOW THROUGH
THIS WEEKEND. COMBINED WITH RELATIVELY DRY AIR IN THE LOWER LEVELS OF THE
ATMOSPHERE THIS WILL LEAD TOEXCESSIVELY HOT TEMPERATURES BEGINNING
FRIDAY AND LASTING THROUGH MONDAYWITH THE HOTTEST DAYS BEING SATURDAY
AND SUNDAY.
AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES OF 112
TO 117 DEGREES WILL BE COMMON ACROSS THE LOWER DESERTS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.
THOUGH THE HEAT OF THE SOUTHWEST UNITED STATES IS OFTEN CLASSIFIED AS A DRY
HEAT.HEAT INDEX VALUES
WILL BE ABOVE 110 DEGREES IN THE MAJOR POPULATED DESERT AREAS OF PHOENIX,YUMA,AND EL CENTRO THIS WEEKEND. NOTE THAT
THE HEAT INDEX IS A MEASURE OF HOW HOT THE AIR FEELS WHEN ACCOUNTING FOR
HUMIDITY. EXACERBATING THE HEAT WAVE WILL BE OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES THAT REMAIN
IN THE UPPER 80S TO LOWER 90S. THE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL BEGIN TO WEAKEN ON
MONDAYALLOWING
TEMPERATURES TO EASE SOME.
EXPOSURE TO TEMPERATURES THIS
WARM CAN BE UNHEALTHY AND DANGEROUS TO YOUR WELL BEING EVEN DURING SHORT PERIODS
OF TIME.ESPECIALLY IF
STRENUOUS ACTIVITY IS INVOLVED. IF YOU PLAN ON BEING OUTDOORS ALWAYS REMEMBER TO
REMAIN HYDRATED BY DRINKING PLENTY OF WATER NOT ONLY WHILE OUTSIDE BUT PRIOR TO
BEING OUTDOORS. WHEN POSSIBLE CHECK ON THOSE THAT NEED ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE
SUCH AS YOUNG CHILDREN AND THE ELDERLY. REMEMBER THAT PETS/ANIMALS CAN ALSO
SUCCUMB TO THE HEAT.
South on Higley Road pass Ocotillo Road, follow to Marabella Blvd. make a left (east), follow to Wilson Way make a right (south), follow to Aris Drive make a left, model on the right. Address: 3373 E. Aris Drive.
Inventory:
1 Model
Cash and Carry - (No Checks) - All Sales Final
To answer your frequently asked questions, see our FAQ's Page!
Once a poster-child for housing bust, city seeing a turnaround
by Lindsey Collom - Jun. 28, 2009 12:00 AM The Arizona Republic
Maricopa
arose out of the desert in Pinal County almost overnight, in time for
the Arizona housing boom and the painful crash that followed.
Now, it's showing signs of rising again.
The area once consisted of an Amtrak depot, farms and miles of feedlots for cattle heading to market.
Then, thousands of people priced out of the Valley's housing market sought refuge 16 miles south of Phoenix at the end of a lonely highway.
Rooftops began to sprout around the feedlots in 2000 and continued
to spread as the county issued building permits at a breakneck pace.
Maricopa's population exploded from about 1,500 in 2002 to more than
35,000 in less than five years, spurred by subprime loans and
affordable housing. Maricopa was a picture of everything that was
booming about real estate: big, new houses, low mortgage payments, prosperity.
But then came 2007.
Across the country, the mortgage industry began to collapse. In Arizona, Maricopa was among the first to implode.
An epidemic of foreclosures spread across the community. Suddenly,
Maricopa was a picture of everything that was wrong with real estate.
Houses were abandoned. Home values were in free fall. The closest jobs
were miles away. There was hardly anywhere in town to go shopping.
A series of nicknames followed. ABC's "Nightline" called it the "the
poster child for the housing crisis." "Boomtown mirage," quipped the New York Times in 2008.
"Some of the negative perceptions in Maricopa just aren't accurate," said Danielle Casey, economic development manager.
Or at least, they are out of date.
Housing starts, home purchases and a smattering of new retail stores
are green shoots of an economic recovery. To many in Maricopa, they
suggest there is a future, that after the bust, a real town may emerge
from that boomtown mirage.
Housing comeback
Once again, Maricopa is the home of affordable housing.
Armed with low-interest mortgages and an $8,000 federal tax incentive, people are buying foreclosures and starter homes.
Nearly 1,000 homes sold in Maricopa in the first quarter of 2009,
the highest first-quarter sales total since 2006. Combined resales and
new-home sales for last year were higher than in 2007. Maricopa
officials are hoping that the pace continues picking up this year.
"If you're interested in a house in Maricopa, this is the ideal
time," said Mike Orr, real-estate analyst with the Cromford Report,
which tracks the residential resale market in greater Phoenix.
In May alone, 295 home sales went through, compared with 155 during the same time last year.
Banks sold the most homes in May. About 75 percent were
lender-owned, and nearly 13 percent were short sales or homes on the
verge of foreclosure. The rest were normal sales.
Maricopa is also offering the cheapest housing prices in the
southeast Valley. The current average sale price is $99,633, or about
$49 per square foot.
In comparison, the average price in Chandler is $105 per square foot, or about $167,190.
"These homes are selling well below what they cost to construct,"
Orr said. "A lot of people are starting to say these are great
bargains."
Slightly fewer than 450 single-family homes in Maricopa were for
sale the final week of May. That's the lowest active-market inventory
since July 2007.
"Maricopa seems to be a really nice, burgeoning community," said
Robert Hill, 42, who rents a home in the city's Meadows subdivision but
wants to buy. His family moved from San Diego this year.
Hill called Maricopa a community where his family "can be a part of building instead of being a part of something established."
Business rising
Not every community sees Walmart as a savior. But for Maricopa, the
image of the future is cast in the blue glow of a sign that reads
"Always low prices."
When the store opened May 20, it created 320 jobs and gave Maricopa
the chain retailer it needed to keep more money, and sales-tax revenue,
in the community. Studies suggest that Maricopa residents spend
four-fifths of their money outside the city.
"We've been so excited just waiting to get it," said Kat Grover, 52, one of the first customers at the 24-hour supercenter.
Maricopa issued 135 business licenses in 2004, the year after its
incorporation. By the end of 2008, 970 companies were doing business
within city limits.
The majority of them are home-based, while a few are storefronts such as Poco Loco Home Decor & Unique Gifts.
Sonja Templeton and her daughter, Dareece Rosales, opened the store
on a main drag in 2006 with an inventory of mostly home decor. When the
housing market went bust, the mother-daughter team decided it needed a
different business model.
"People are walking away from their houses; they're not fixing them
up to make them look good," Rosales said. "So they'd rather make
themselves look better."
The women reinvented Poco Loco as a boutique in 2008, selling
purses, jewelry, apparel, accessories and shoes. The shop still offers
home decor and design consulting services but on a smaller scale.
Templeton thinks Walmart will help expand her customer base.
"It's really going to benefit us because people will stay in
Maricopa to shop," Templeton said. "If they stay here, they're going to
shop here more and they're going to eat here more."
Cleaning up
When Molly Farabee's children go on walks with the neighbors, they
play a game: Each one carries a trash bag. They compete to see who can
pick up the most trash from the lawns of empty houses.
The casualties of the housing bust are as easy to spot in Tortosa,
the subdivision where Farabee lives, as they are across Maricopa. But
while the weeds grow tall in places, some say local activism will keep
these neighborhoods from ruin.
As the bust arrived, more and more houses fell to foreclosure and
went dark. The 2005-07 U.S. Census American Community Survey found that
20 percent of the homes in Maricopa were vacant. The current vacancy
rate is thought to be between 15 and 25 percent, according to a
city-commissioned report by Elliot D. Pollack & Co.
At the same time, tax revenues fell and the city downsized. It used
to employ two code enforcers. Now, Brian Duncan, the city's senior
code-compliance officer, is the only one left to patrol for overgrown
lots and other problems.
"When you're dealing with hundreds of these properties, you just can't get to them all," Duncan said.
That's where neighbors step in.
Residents in the Acacia Crossings subdivision started volunteering to manicure lots and clear weeds.
The Community Services Department took it as a model and launched a program in 2008 called Copa Cares.
Several subdivisions in Maricopa have taken advantage of the free
yard-cleanup programs. Homeowners associations need only to gather
volunteers, while the city frees up dumpsters for yard waste. ACE
Hardware Maricopa provides tools, rakes and shovels to get the job done.
The Villages at Rancho El Dorado, a subdivision of about 1,850
homes, has hosted two Copa Cares events since April 2008. "It inspires
neighbors," said Peggy Chapados, president of the Villages HOA.
On Farabee's street in the Tortosa subdivision, she said people help each other with their yards.
"I think we all want to live in a beautiful neighborhood," said
Farabee, 30, an eight-year resident of Maricopa. "Regardless of where
the economy stands, we want to feel pride in our homes and where we
live."
Obstacles remain
City officials are well-aware that Maricopa faces obstacles as it
rises from the ashes of the housing bust. The city needs to overcome
budget issues, attract employers and improve transportation.
Meanwhile, the city is trying to expand its services. The first
public building, a library, is opening this month, and city officials
are still planning on an aquatic center and a permanent City Hall.
Maricopa officials and other leaders say new residents such as Hill
continue to move in, and they cite the Maricopa Unified School
District's growth.
An estimated 40 new students are added each month.
The city isn't out of the woods yet, warns Jay Butler, director of
Arizona State University's Real Estate Center. Butler said time will
tell whether Maricopa can truly thrive.
"Do you have the resources to survive?" he said. "Is it getting the
revenue needed to supply the services to its citizens at a level that
will attract new residents?"
Butler also cautioned that home sales are not a good indicator of growth.
"Just because a house has sold doesn't mean somebody moved into it."
City Manager Kevin Evans said officials have re-evaluated city code
and "cleaned up" or simplified processes - such as building permits -
to make it easier for people and companies to do business in Maricopa.
"For a down economy, we're busier than heck," Evans said. "Now, it
ain't all come to fruition yet, but it will. The economy will turn
around. We've positioned ourselves to be one of the first that starts
back up."
The City of Maricopa invites you to celebrate America's Independence Day at the
Great American BBQ.
The event will be full of family fun and events, and
will end with a fireworks display.
Where: Pacana Park, 19000 S. Porter
Rd.
When: Saturday, July 4, 2009, 6 p.m.
The festivities, which
are free* and open to the public, include:
Fireworks at approximately 9pm
Water zone
Food vendors of all kinds
Dance performance
Beer Garden
Live DJ
Whiffle ball tournament
Short films/cartoons on the big screen
Don't worry about
parking either. Arizona Shuttle and the City of Maricopa have provided eight
park and ride locations to help get you to the event quickly and safely. The
shuttle begins at 5:30 p.m. and will pick up passengers at the following
locations:
City Hall
ACE- ADA access
Pima Butte Elementary School
Santa Rose Elementary School
Butterfield Elementary School
Tortosa (H & H flag stop)
Maricopa Wells Middle School
Maricopa Elementary School
If you have any questions about the
event, please call 520/316-6816, or email
press@maricopa-az.gov.
Maricopa's Great American BBQ is sponsored by
Great Western Bank, Orbitel Communications,and Suz's Cruise. Special thank you
to DVD Game Depot for providing the movies and cartoons.
If you are considering moving to Maricopa, then I strongly suggest you look
up Brian. We are from Idaho and planned a trip there in April to look at
Short Sales and Foreclosers. Brian was prepared, he showed us homes in the
price range we suggested, knew exactly where the houses were and didn't have
to fumble with a GPS to find the correct address. All along he was asking us
questions about what we wanted. I would say after 12 to 15 homes HE
suggested that he knew of a new home under construction that he thought would
make us happy. And boy was he right. My wife fell in love with the home
immediately, and it more than met my expectations.
Now I would
suggest that if you find that perfect home and are ready to make an
offer--let Brian negotiate for you. He got the builder to not only give us a
great price, but he got them to pay our closing costs, threw in a
refrigerator, washer and dryer and the window coverings. Brian truly does
represent the buyer. He has even sent us pictures by email to keep us posted
on the construction progress. We close in July and couldn't be happier.
Thanks Brian !!!!!
East
on I-10 Freeway to Baseline Road make a right (west), continue to 38th
Place make a left (south), continue to Branham Lane make a right (west)
to 38th street make a left (south) to Constance Way make a right, model
on the left. Address: 3733 E. Constance Way.
Inventory:
2 Models. The furniture at this sale is being moved from a different location. The second model address will come.
Cash and Carry - (No Checks) - All Sales Final
Date:
Friday June 19, 2009 & Saturday June 20, 2009
Time:
8 am - 6 pm
Builder:
Beazer Homes
Community Name:
STARLIGHT-BELMONT - 1 Model
City:
Avondale
Cross Roads:
Avondlae Blvd. & Maricopa Rd.
Directions:
I-10
west, to 99th Ave. exit & turn left. Follow that to Van Buren &
turn right. Follow to Avondale Blvd & turn left. Follow to Maricopa
Rd. & turn left. Starlight will be on your right. 11421 West Hadley
St. Avondale 85323
Monsoon season started today, on June 15th and goes until September 30th.
The word monsoons sounds pretty scary, but for those used to rain and thunderstorms, it shouldn't be. A monsoon is a storm which can be either wind/dust storm of a large thunderstorm with high winds.
While the monsoon season is less than 1/4 of the calendar year, the Phoenix area gets over 1/3 of the annual rainfall these months.
Dust storms and high winds can cause damage, but the one to watch out for is flash flooding in the Phoenix Valley. Not all areas are prone to it, but the ground here is hard, not easily permeated with water.
Of course water will run to certain designated areas, but during some torrential rains, the water may be flowing on the street to quickly to drive through.
Truth is... I am a good ol' country boy from the South, and I miss the pitter patter of rain on my ceramic tiled roof . I do enjoy listening to the rain and thunder of the monsoon nights!
City celebrates first new-from-the-ground-up public
library. The highly anticipated
opening of the new Maricopa Public Library, the first public building built from
the ground up, takes place on Saturday, June 13, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony
at 10 a.m., followed by events for all ages.
"Maricopa's new library will
offer programs of interest to the Maricopa community, and we invite those who
live and work here to help us build a welcoming place to learn, share and
connect with each other," stated Nicole Dailey, Acting Community Services
Director.
Where: Maricopa Public Library is located at 41600 W.
Smith-Enke Road
When: Saturday, June 13, 2009, 10 a.m. - 2
p.m.
The day's festivities, which are free and open to the public, begin
with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the entrance to the library from 10 a.m. to
10:30 a.m. Library doors will open after this and there will be events inside
the library through 2 p.m. Events include:
Maricopa Police Department Honor Guard
Maricopa Fire Department Pipe and Drum Corps
Special readings by local dignitaries and citizens (children's readings,
adult readings)
Historical displays and storytelling
Free book totes and book marks
Bookmark-decorating activity for children
Regular library
hours will begin on Saturday, June 13: Sunday and Monday - Closed Tuesday,
Thursday, Friday, Saturday - 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Wednesday - 12 p.m. - 8
p.m.
East
on US 60 - Superstition Fry into Gold Canyon go 4.5 miles east of
Peralta Road. The exit after mile marker 208 is El Camino Veigo make a
left (north), travel approx. 1 1/2 miles to El Buho Pequeno make a left
in to the community. Address: 18485 & 18469 E. El Buho Pequeno.
West
on I-10 Freeway pass 91st Avenue to 99th Avenue make a left (south) to
Lower Buckeye Road make a right (west) to 103rd Avenue make right
(north) to Toronto Way make a left (west) them left on 103rd Drive and
right on Toronto Way, models on the right. Addresses: 10328, 10324 and
10320 W. Toronto Way.
Inventory:
3 Models
Cash and Carry - (No Checks) - All Sales Final
Date:
Friday June 05, 2009 & Saturday June 06, 2009
Time:
8 am - 6 pm
Builder:
Beazer Homes - 3 Models
Community Name:
Montesano @ Sierra Montana
City:
Surprise
Cross Roads:
Greenway Road & Verde Vista Drive
Directions:
West
on I-10 Freeway pass Dysart Road to 303 Freeway make a right (north).
Follow all the way to Greenway Road make a left (west).Follow to Verde
Vista Drive & turn left (south).
Follow to Spring Lane & make a right. Follow to Lisbon Lane &
turn left. Models on the right, TUSCANY, MONARCH & STERLING Models.
Inventory:
3
Models. Go to www.beazerhomes.com, pull up state of AZ, you will see a
map of valley showing their subdivisions. See viewing of the models in
Surprise- Montesano @ Sierra Montana.
These Models are not open for viewing. Very large homes. Beautiful
furnishings!
Cash and Carry - (No Checks) - All Sales Final
Date:
Friday June 05, 2009 & Saturday June 06, 2009
Time:
8 am - 6 pm
Builder:
Engle Homes - 3 Models
Community Name:
TownSquare @ Sierra Verde
City:
Surprise
Cross Roads:
Greenway Road & 142nd Avenue
Directions:
West
on I-10 Freeway pass 91st Avenue to 101 Freway make a right (north) to
Bell Road make a left (west) to Litchfield Road make a left (south) to
Greenway Road make a right (west) to 142nd Avenue make a left (south)
make a right (west) into the community, pool straight ahead, building
just north of pool. Address: 15240 N 142nd Avenue, Building 23, Units
1064, 1065 and 2066.
Thanks to my friend Bruce for sending me this email. Bruce is a pretty analytical guy.
Yes sir, I have also notice the CAD creeping up. I hope you dont mind me blogging about the email sir! If you do, just call or email me!!
Hey Brian,
Hope you had a great holiday.
Sounds like you put a lot of miles on.
I have just been scouring
properties and commodities and currencies etc. Kind of dry first thing in the
morning, but it's what I do. Lol
The market has never been better
for Canadians wanting to buy in Arizona. The Stock markets are recovering and on
the rise, housing prices have fallen 18% from this time last year and the
Canadian dollar is up over 90 cents US.
The CDN dollar is 10% lower than
it was at this time last year, but house prices being 18% lower makes it an even
better deal than last year. Plus mortgage rates are at such a low rate ........
Gotta be a gift from heaven for those that missed the first round last year. As
you know the CDN dollar fell to around 76 cents US and that really hurt. But now
it's heading up again and should attract folks back down your way.
Just a thought,
Bruce
I agree 100%. 1 part of the equation is still tough though. I am running into multiple bid situations all over the place. those listings that have incredible descriptions and pictures on the mls are highly sought after. Looking for the "sleeper" is where its at!
Beers at the local sports bar when you get back sir?
I had this all set to post about 2 days ago, but mindlessly deleted it before posting!
It is always good to hold onto old paperwork. I generally hit the builders about once a week. Some of them even send me spec sheets on Mondays.
I noticed that some of the spec sheets had an awful lot of SOLD banners on some of the spec homes. I also noticed that some of the prices seemed a little different.
I have 2 spec sheets in front of me. 1 is dated 6/2/09, the other is dated 5/06/09. (All figures are for the same builder)
Please note this is NOT an entire view of the area market. While looking over the spec sheets, I also noticed that some of the prices have actually dropped from 5/6/09 to 6/2/09.
This is just to show that even though everyone says the market is still bottoming out, there are some companies that know which homes are selling and are adjusting for supply and demand!!
More homes are selling than at any time since 2006. Buyers find themselves in bidding wars over low-end properties. It's what a national housing recovery could look like. By Nicholas Riccardi May 18, 2009
Reporting from Phoenix -- After four years of renting because they were priced out of the real estate market, Jamia Jenkins and Scott Renshaw concluded the time had arrived for them to buy.
They saw that home prices had dropped so fast here -- faster than in any other big city in the nation -- that mortgage payments would be less than the $900 they paid in rent. The city is littered with foreclosed houses, so the couple figured they could easily snatch up something in the low $100,000s.
Three months later, they're still looking.
They have submitted 13 offers and been overbid each time.
"It's just pathetic," said Jenkins, 53. "Investors are going out there and outbidding everyone."
Phoenix's housing bust has turned into a quasi-boom, a sign that its market may have hit bottom and a sneak preview of what a national housing recovery could look like.
More homes are selling than at any time since 2006. Prices are slowly stabilizing. Buyers are once again finding themselves in frantic bidding wars -- only this time over foreclosed houses selling at deep discounts rather than ranch homes listing for vast sums.
"The free market is at work," said Shannon Hubbard, a real estate agent and blogger here. "Prices got driven down so much that people said, 'I'm going to come out and play.' "
Home prices continue to plummet or tread water in much of the nation, but there have been tentative signs of life. Pending home sales rose 3.2% nationally in April, the second month of increases after a record low in January.
John Burns Real Estate Consulting in February identified Phoenix as "the most unique market in the nation," where affordability was better than at any time since 1981 and buying a house was once again cheaper than renting.
Since then, said Chris Porter, a manager at the Irvine-based firm, there have been signs of life in the Sacramento and Washington, D.C., housing markets.
"You'll start to see some markets emerge, and it'll be the ones that went into the downturn first," Porter said. "But it's going to be a slow recovery."
Phoenix experienced one of the most dramatic real estate crashes in the nation. Median home prices for resold homes peaked at $268,000 in June 2006. Now the median price is $120,000. It is the biggest decline in the top 20 metropolitan areas tracked by the Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller home price index.
The collapse was devastating in a city that has long depended on housing to power its economy. In the last year, Phoenix lost 41,000 construction jobs and 136,000 overall, accounting for 7% of its workforce.
Home building came to a halt. Many illegal immigrants, discouraged by the sudden lack of jobs, returned to Mexico. Realtors cut staff. Home prices dropped faster and faster each month for two years.
Until March. For the first time in two years, the decline in home prices slowed -- from 37% in February, compared to the previous year, to a still-painful 36%.
Arizona State University business professor Karl Gunterman noted the incremental slowing in a report last month, saying it could be signs of the market bottoming out.
"Once this thing turns, it may turn slowly," Gunterman said in an interview. "But at some point I think it's going to pick up because prices are so low."
Mike Orr, a Phoenix real estate analyst, thinks the market already has hit bottom. Among the signs: As recently as January, a year's worth of homes sat on the market; in March, that dropped to seven months' worth of inventory.
"It's a dramatic change in just three months," he said. "I never imagined it'd get this crazy this quickly."
Orr thinks mid- and high-priced properties still will lose value in the coming months.
"I wouldn't be investing in luxury right now," he said. "But if you're looking for inexpensive homes, you're going to have a fight on your hands."
In a throwback to the boom, real estate agents and investors are swapping stories of brutal competition for bottom-end homes.
Orr called on one property to find it had already received 14 bids. Realtor David Thomas recalled getting a client in a $60,000 foreclosed home in the suburb of Avondale, on a street lined with vacant properties. He recently returned to find almost all the for-sale signs gone.
Jenkins, who has looked at more than 80 houses, said she was being cautious not to get caught up in the frenzy.
"It's going to create the same damn situation we had before," she said. "You're going to buy a house and it's not going to be worth what you paid for it."
Skeptics of the turnaround note that the competition for foreclosed homes may be artificial. They argue that the number of bank-owned properties has shrunk because some lenders held off on foreclosures early in the year as they waited for President Obama to unveil his plan to aid distressed homeowners.
Some warn that a potential flood of new bank-owned properties could drive down prices further.
"Good salespeople are optimistic, generally, and since I'm a good salesperson I'm optimistic we've hit bottom," said real estate agent Rob Call. "But when I look at these numbers there's a lot of uncertainty. . . . I think we're going to scrape bottom for the next two to three years before we see any significant appreciation."
Nonetheless, real estate veterans say they are encouraged that prices, rather than speculation, are pulling buyers into the market.
That's what got Brandon Bumford and his fiancee, Kristin Phipps, looking for their first home. The rent on their two-bedroom apartment, $1,050, is more than the mortgage they would pay on a median-priced house in Phoenix.
"Why waste money putting it in someone else's pocket when you can put it into your home?" said Bumford, 23, who works in document control for Charles Schwab.
But for weeks, every house they looked at was sold before they could put in a bid. "Like all of our friends, we thought there are a million houses for sale, there must be one we can get," said Phipps, 20.
Last week, they found a place that hadn't been spoken for -- a four-bedroom home in the exurb of Buckeye. Built in 2004, the house was originally purchased for $133,000, refinanced at $180,000 and then unsuccessfully put on the market in 2007 for $292,000.
The couple's offer was accepted and they expect to close at the end of the month -- for $110,000.
I think I mentioned it before. The market is pretty crazy right now.
Doesn’t matter what the experts say. They may be looking at the country
as a whole. I am concentrating on the Phoenix Market only.
These are numbers straight from the MLS. The numbers do not include
FSBO’s or “For sale by owners” and some spec homes arent listed on the
MLS, but you will still see the trend.
The following graph is months of inventory currently on hand!
Dont care what the media says, there are buyers.. and they are
snatching up homes. Some are primary residents, some are snowbirds,
some are investors. I have never worked so hard for so few closings.
The issue is primarily the multiple offer situations. Some of these homes are going quickly with many offers.
Here is a report that I subscribe to, with hard numbers.
West
on I-10 Freeway pass Litchfield Rd. to Estrella Parkway make a left
(south) continue south to the Estrella Mountain Community, pass Elliot
Rd. to Westar Dr. make a right (west) to Verdin Rd. make a right,
models on left. Addresses: 18330 and 18336 West Verdin Rd.
Prolouge: We mad a great offer for a home. Prices were the same, but the other client had 30% to put down.
We are hard warkinhg Americans..Many of us dont have that much cash on our hands.
Our offer was turned down for about 4 days, then I get this email "Hey Brian,
Is your buyer still interested....the accepted offer just
bailed this morning. Thanks," They want a little more money upfront, but not really an issue for that house
1 client viewed multiple foreclosures and decided that Maricopa was not for him. 2 clients viewed several homes, and decided that the deals couldn't be beat.
It is a preference. Yes, we are 17 miles from a large city, but heck, saving tens of thousands of dollars, some folks are ok with it.
People that are commuting daily may have an issue, but those coming for a few months a year are ok with it!
The City of Maricopa invites you to celebrate America's Independence Day at the
Great American BBQ.
The highly anticipated
opening of the new Maricopa Public Library, the first public building built from
the ground up, takes place on Saturday, June 13, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony
at 10 a.m., followed by events for all ages.
