Sun Lakes Citrus Sharers seek "Pickers" - 01/30/10 03:11 PM
The Sun Lakes Citrus Sharers is a group formed in 2007 in an effort to help the hungry by picking citrus from Sun Lakes homes. 
Everyone knows if you have a citrus tree in your yard, the likelihood of being able to use all the citrus is small and lots of it goes to waste.  The Sun Lakes Citrus Sharers organize volunteers to pick fruit from Sun Lakes citrus trees.  The fruit is then donated to area food banks.
Last year 70 volunteers picked over 11 tons of fruit from homes in Sun Lakes which was donated to United Food Bank in Mesa.  United … (1 comments)

One size does not fit all...but if you're going to be a shoe, you better have a "soul" - 01/29/10 02:00 PM
Ok, time for my rebuttal, after a cumulative 438 comments on 2 of my recent posts Don't bother me, I'm a REALTOR and Prequalifying a Short Sale ~ Are you doing it? followed by Tony Marriott's post Different Strokes.
What I learned from these posts is this (in no particular order):
1. Everyone reads their own biases into a post and their eyes skim over the rest so they may not have the complete picture.
2. There are agents who are taking on too many clients to be able to service them.
3. There are listing agents who are not providing complete details in … (3 comments)

Selling your Chandler or Sun Lakes AZ home? Don't be a needle when you can be the haystack! - 01/29/10 11:21 AM
If you want to sell your Chandler or Sun Lakes Arizona home in today's real estate market, you have to be visible. A sign in your yard is not going to make your "home for sale" visible enough (especially if it's a For Sale By Owner sign)!
Your home has to be glowing all over the Internet like a neon sign. So before interviewing agents to list your home, run a few Google searches on the Internet first.  Here are some suggested search phrases for sellers in Sun Lakes or sellers in Chandler, AZ.  If you're a seller in another city, you get the … (0 comments)

The Power of Active Rain ~ Are you plugged in? - 01/28/10 12:24 AM
Have you plugged into the Power of Active Rain?  Here's a few signs that you're feeling the surge~
Your website is on Page 1 of Google because of a Blog you posted this morning..on Active Rain.
A seller across town calls you on Tuesday and a buyer from Canada calls you on Wednesday because they  both found you.... on Active Rain.
You're being interviewed on the evening news for something locally relevant you wrote 2 days ago...on Active Rain.
You've just received your 4th agent referral this month because of your presence....on Active Rain.
A colleague on the other side of the country has just answered a question you posted...on … (12 comments)

Prequalifying that Short Sale Listing before showing...are you doing it? Questions you should be asking. - 01/27/10 10:59 AM
We qualify our buyers before showing them a home, right? But are you qualifying the short sale listings you're showing them? If not, you may be wasting your time. 
By contacting the listing agent and asking them a few basic questions prior to showing their listings you'll  accomplish 2 things.
You'll save you and your buyers some and frustration time by not showing or writing an offer on a property that's not going to qualify as a short sale and consequently will never close. Some Listing Agents will finally start doing their homework before taking any listing and slapping "short sale" on it. When … (151 comments)

Ironwood and Oakwood February 2010 Events - 01/26/10 05:43 PM
February is my favorite month in Arizona.  Temps are warming and it's great to be outdoors!  Here are just a few of the February events planned in Oakwood and Ironwood Country Clubs in Sun Lakes, AZ.
February 5, 2010  The 2010 Minnesota Dinner Dance5:00 pm - 10:00 pm in the Oakwood Dining RoomA Night in Tuscany - Italian BuffetEntertainment by Route 66$28/Person 
February 7, 2010 SuperBowl XLIVEnjoy the game on the BIG Screen!Ironwood Country ClubHappy Hour begins at 3:00pmKickoff at 4:25pm
February 10, 2010 Artist SeriesRobert Shields (Comedian)Oakwood Ballroom 7:00 pm$18 & $20/Person
February 12, 2010 Tubac Festival of the Arts8am - 6pmBus departs at … (2 comments)

Why Rain and the Phoenix Desert are a bad mix - 01/23/10 02:58 PM
Not quite 40 days and 40 nights of rain...4 days and 4 nights to be exact...but the damage from the storm will leave a lasting reminder to many.
Outside of a few uprooted trees (wind and rain are not the friends of shallow rooted desert trees, by the way) I didn't notice much damage to homes in the Chandler and Sun Lakes area.
But when it rains more in one day than it did all last year, there's bound to be some repercussions.
Building your home bordering a creek is not much cause for concern in dry Arizona. After this last … (1 comments)

Don't bother me. I'm a REALTOR. - 01/23/10 02:29 PM
I tried to set up an appointment today to show a short sale in Maricopa, AZ.  The Realtor Instructions on the listing went something like this:
"Listing agent office hours, Monday-Friday 8-4. Do not call me with any questions about the home unless you have seen it and are going to write an offer. Do not call me. Please email or text me. Do not call me on Sunday"
Are you kidding me?  My Buyer and I both decided we didn't want to deal with this agent now OR during escrow, so we didn't bother to see it.
One question, Mr "Don't Bother … (336 comments)

Showing property during a Phoenix "Tornado" - 01/23/10 02:06 PM
First let me say the best time to show a new listing that will be snatched up due to a low price and desirable location, is during a rainstorm when everyone else is afraid to leave their house.
That wasn't the case for my buyers and me on Thursday.  As rain pelted the city and the wind took your breath away...we were out there and my buyers got the house of their dreams!
The best part was when the "weather guessers" kept announcing that the Doppler Radar showed strong signs of a tornado.  There was a Tornado Watch in affect and the public was … (2 comments)

Yes, there are stupid buyer questions...I stand corrected. - 01/21/10 10:16 AM
I've always told my clients there are no stupid questions...but I think my opinion may have changed after spending some time on certain real estate websites (that will remain nameless).
I'm amazed when I see posts that say something like "I want to buy this house. Please call me at (123) 000-1234?" 
Buyers please understand that the best way to be represented in a purchase is to find a real estate agent you are comfortable with to help you with your purchase.  Secondly, it could be dangerous posting your phone number for the entire world to see. 
Also understand that the … (3 comments)

A Most Embarassing Real Estate Moment - 01/20/10 12:25 PM
Real Estate may be many things, but boring isn't one of them. 
One sunny Saturday, I was happily showing homes in Chandler to a couple with 2 small children and had made appointments to show several homes. 
After ringing the bell at one home, no one appeared to be home so I used the key and we all entered. But what to my wondering eyes did appear...but a middle aged and not so slender woman standing there stark naked which resulted in what I'm convinced to this day was an out of body experience for me. 
Each of us stood there, paralyzed with perfect … (12 comments)

Apache Trail ~ One of Arizona's most scenic drives - 01/20/10 11:51 AM
One of the most scenic drives in the Phoenix area is along the Apache Trail the drive President Theodore Roosevelt described as a road that "combines the grandeur of the Alps, the glory of the Rockies and the magnificence of the Grand Canyon".
The Apache Trail from Mesa to Globe offers some of the most spectacular canyon views in the State of Arizona.  If you have the opportunity to drive it in the Spring, you'll have the added bonus of seeing the terrain covered in spring flowers.
The hairpin turns will lead you through Tortilla Flat, a fun little town with a population 6 and … (1 comments)

If The World Doesn't end in 2012 Phoenix may host the GOP or Dems Convention - 01/19/10 07:03 PM
I didn't know Phoenix was up to bat to host the GOP or Dems Convention.  Interesting to note...thanks Paul!

Via Paul Guenther- Chicago Title- Chandler, AZ (Chicago Title Insurance Company):
Actually the Mayan calendar ends on December 21st 2012, that would be after the convention.
 Last week (Jan 14)  Phoenix submitted its initial bid to land the Republican National Convention. (2012) 
Mayor Phil Gordon also notified the Democrats that he is going to try for their National Convention too. (2012)

The Convention in Denver where Obama accepted the nomination generated $266 MILLION for the city.
If we win either of the conventions it will be … (0 comments)

Average Sales Price of Homes in Sun Lakes, AZ - 01/19/10 06:35 PM
What is the average home sales price in Sun Lakes, AZ and where are prices going?  The average sales price in Sun Lakes is $237,325 which is slightly above where it was at this time in....drum roll please...2005.
Winter visitors are in town escaping the harsh winter weather and are picking up some great deals on homes for sale.
It's easy to see where home prices have been...but your guess is as good as mine as to where they're going.
 
 
 
 
 
For a full report of the history of home prices in Sun Lakes, AZ, visit http://www.amysellsaz.com/East_Valley_Home_Prices/page_1966960.html
 
 
… (0 comments)

A House ~ The Newest Arizona Souvenir - 01/18/10 11:41 PM
Visit Arizona ~ See The Grand Canyon ~ Take home some Cactus Jelly and a House! 
That's seems to be what's happening as our prices have fallen to ridiculous lows in many areas.  Seems many of our visitors to the state are coming with an agenda to find a home. They been told by ALL their friends that they shouldn't come home without one.
Canadians in particular are again flooding the Phoenix area as our dollar is again close to par with theirs and our homes are quite a deal as a vacation home investment.
I just have one word of advice for … (4 comments)

Phoenix Anxiously Awaiting RAIN ...Bring it on cuz I'm tired of sunshine - 01/17/10 09:34 PM
The weather in the Phoenix area is boring. Sunny almost every day. But look what I see on the weather report today. RAAAIIINNN!!  YEEEESSSSS!  Up to 10 inches to be exact. 
Rain freaks people out here in the desert.  All the news reports show puddles when we get a quarter of an inch of rain.  10 inches may just shut down the city.  This girl from Wisconsin is Oh So EXCITED and I apologize in advance to all the tourists in town.  Now, where did I leave that Ark.

… (3 comments)

FHA Waives the 90 Day Flipping Rule! But make sure you read the fine print. - 01/16/10 08:49 AM
Beginning February 1, 2010, FHA will allow financing on homes that have been flipped.  This is great news for the Phoenix Real Estate Market where a large portion of the inventory of homes for sale are homes that have been purchased by investors for pennies on the dollar, fixed up and sold in a matter of a month or less.
Up until now, a buyer using FHA financing could not purchase a home that had been owned by the seller for less than 90 days.
There are some rules that go along with this change:
#1 - The transaction must be arms-length … (5 comments)

Sun Lakes AZ Average Home Sales Prices Rise! - 01/15/10 07:01 PM
It's been a LONG time since we've seen and increase in the average sales price per square foot on a home in the Greater Phoenix area.  However, I have just recorded stats showing an increase of $1.25 per square foot (on the average annual sales price) for homes sold in Sun Lakes, AZ.  This is certainly encouraging news!
The chart I compiled below shows the average annual sales price of homes in the East Valley in order of price per square foot.  I've also included the change as realized over the second week in January of 2009.
While all areas have suffered a significant decline in … (0 comments)

Chandler Homes for Sale Near Intel and Orbital Sciences and the Price Road Corridor - 01/14/10 03:38 PM
The Price Road Corridor in Chandler, Arizona is home to several of Chandler's largest employers. Located starting at the North end of Price Rd at the intersection of the Loop 101 /202 and extending South to Ocotillo Blvd. Employers include: Air Products Americredit Financial Services Amkor Technology Boeing Irridium Satellite Bank of America Freescale Hanjin Intel Isagenix Isola Marvel Technologies Microchip Technology Orbital Sciences Pearson Rogers Corporation Space Data Toyota Finacial Services Wells Fargo There are currently 317 homes for sale in the 85248 and 85286 zip codes of Chandler where the Price Road Corridor is located. Prices range from $109,900 … (0 comments)

Real Estate Update for Sun Lakes, AZ ~ January 2010 - 01/13/10 02:44 PM
Real Estate Market Update for Sun Lakes, Arizona
There are currently 288 homes for sale in Sun Lakes. Here are some facts about those homes currently for sale:
266 Single Story Homes22 2-Story Homes56 Golf Course Homes3 Homes with Private Pools151 Average Days on Market15 homes priced under $100,00086 homes priced between $100,000 - $199,999108 homes priced between $200,000 - $299,99951 homes priced between $300,000 - $399,99917 homes priced between $400,000 - $499,99910 homes priced between $500,000 - $599,9990 homes priced between $600,000 - $699,9991 home priced between $700,000 - $799,999
List prices in Sun Lakes, AZ range from$61,900 for a 1680sf 3 bedroom, … (0 comments)

January 2010 Ironwood & Oakwood Sun Lakes Events - 01/10/10 10:30 PM
January 12, 2010  Cracking the Color Code 10:30 - 12:00 in the Oakwood Dining Room$6/Person 
January 12, 2010 High Tea1:30-3:30pm in the Oakwood Dining Room$20/PersonReservations at the Oakwood Front Desk or call (480) 895-7275
January 13, 2010  Artist SeriesSuzanne Goulet & Julie Sheppard as "Judy & Liza Together Again"Oakwood Ballroom 7:00 pm$18 & $20/PersonFor more information call (480) 895-7275
January 16, 2010 DJ Barry6:00 - 9:00 pmIronwood Clubhouse
January 27, 2010 Artist SeriesDoug Mattocks & Deborah OffenhauserOakwood Ballroom 7:00 pm$18 & $20/PersonFor more information call (480) 895-7275
January 28, 2010 Phoenix Suns vs. Mavericks8:30 pm game, bus departs Oakwood at 7:15 pm$50/person includes ticket, transportation and driver gratuity
January … (0 comments)

Handwashing for Dummies - 01/09/10 05:08 PM

Enlightening. 
 I took this photo in the Ladies Room at EPCOT on a recent vacation.  I wonder if this same sign was placed over the sinks in the men's room.  Feel free to copy this photo and place it above any sink in your home just in case someone's not quite sure how this handwashing thing works.
I'm just glad Brawny didn't provide instructions above the toilets or urinals.
… (6 comments)

It's tough to be a couch potato in The Valley of the Sun - 01/09/10 04:48 PM
I will admit, one of the things I love about going to my mountain cabin is the opportunity to be a slug. Hanging out by the fireplace, reading a good book or watching a movie. But down here in Chandler (aka the Valley of the Sun) it's tough to do. Breaking my toe a couple days ago has forced me off my feet for a few days so here I sit. Outside the sun is shining and the temps are in the 70's while much of the rest of the country shiver under subzero windchills and mounds of snow. I guess … (3 comments)

A pinky toe derails my weekend - 01/08/10 05:44 PM
Never paid much attention to my pinky toe.  The tiniest of all the toes and it's never served much purpose to me and it was never going to win any beauty contests.  BUT I now know it has great control over your life when you walk into a door barefoot and break that pinky toe all the way through. 
I never even saw the door coming and if I'd only moved over about an inch, it never would have smacked into my pinky toe. (Notice how I'm not claiming any responsibility for this incident)
But alas, contact was made and when I looked … (6 comments)

Just Listed ~ Short Sale in Gilbert, Arizona - 01/08/10 05:15 PM
I just listed this short sale in Gilbert Arizona. All documentation is ready to submit to the lender so all we need is an offer. Great opportunity to purchase this home which originally sold for almost $250,000. Just a block from Houston grade school and 3 blocks from Gilbert Junior High. Huge culdesac lot with RV gate for your toys. Check out the virtual video~ … (0 comments)

Home for sale in Ahwatukee ~ Just listed in Ahwatukee's premiere active adult community - 01/05/10 01:12 PM
Home just listed in Ahwatukee's premiere Active Adult Community. Near shopping, restaurants, hiking and golf. Residents enjoy membership in members only Ahwatukee Recreation Center which includes, 2 heated pools (one indoor, 1 outdoor) and spa, fitness center and tons of activities and classes. Just minutes from Phoenix's Sky Harbor Airport in the Ahwatukee foothills.
Check out the virtual tour and contact me for more information.   What more could you want?
… (1 comments)

2009 in Review ~ Just how good was the Phoenix Real Estate Market? - 01/01/10 12:38 PM
Ok, maybe good isn't the right word.  Foreclosures were at an all time high and prices tumbled steadily throughout the year.  However, based on the annual totals for Maricopa County that I ran off the MLS, at least homes were selling.  In fact, almost 30,000 more homes sold in 2009 that sold in 2008.  So that's good, right?
The bad news is only 30% of homes sold were traditional sales (which means they weren't being sold as lender owned or as short sales).  That is a lot lower than the 65% that were sold "traditionally" in 2008.  So that's not so … (4 comments)

 
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Amy Jones

Amy Jones - RE/MAX Chandler - Sun Lakes

Chandler, AZ

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