Captain Bill's Blog

WHAT DOES ZILLOW THINK IT'S DOING???

Bill Travis, Broker/Owner (Captain Bill Realty, LLC) — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 06:37:26 -0700

WHAT DOES ZILLOW THINK IT'S DOING???

My client sent me an urgent email saying that the first thing tomorrow, they want to see this house that just came on the market - on Zillow. It's exactly what they've been looking for. They included the address.

If it just went on the market, then it must have been a few hours ago after the last time I checked the mls. So, I dutifully responded that I would check it out and make an appointment.

I went to the mls, and the home is not Active. It's a home I'm familiar with because I live in the area, and had sold the home to another buyer in 2011, but the buyer walked after the inspection. The home finally sold in February, 2012.

Since it wasn't showing on the mls, I telephoned my client to get more information from them. They said they had driven by the home, so I asked if there is a sign in the yard. "No, there is no sign," they said.

"Well, you are aware that Zillow keeps homes on their site long after they close."

"Yes, we're aware of that, but it says Days on Zillow (1), so we figured it was a new listing."

I went back to the mls to double check. Did I miss it? If it had been on Zillow for only (1) day, then Zillow must have just gotten it from the mls.

Or did they?

I checked the house description on Zillow and compared it with the house description on the Februay, 2012 closed listing. Sure enough, the description was the same.

This morning I checked the mls listings again. The home is not Active. I drove over to the home, and there is no sign in the yard. I went back to the Zillow site, and this morning it shows the Days on Zillow (2), which confirms that Zillow had just put that home on their site two days ago - one year after the home had sold.

Apparently, the low national housing inventory has affected Zillow so that they have a lower number of pages in which to get paid advertising from agents paying for ads to attract buyer leads. It appears that Zillow may have come up with the disengenious idea that if they place homes back on Zillow that have been closed long ago, that they could build more pages for advertising to gullible buyers who don't understand that Zillow is not the place to search for a home to buy.

Personally, I think it's outrageous. That deceptive advertising practice wastes the time of everyone concerned. It cost about one hour of my time, an hour of my client's time, and it will cost about 20 minutes of the time of each of the three Zillow premier agents that I contacted about the property.

You can see the listing on Zillow.

What can be done to stop this egregious practice?

UPDATE:

I searched the listing more, and found this at the bottom of the listing:

Listing provided by

Contact Office, Congress Realty, (888) 229-2009, source: VLS Homes

Report problem with listing

So I reported the problem.

Since the "Listing provided by" information is hidden at the bottom, and almost never seen by a consumer, then it was, in my opinion, a Zillow premier agent hoping to increase his/her odds of getting a call from a buyer.

Isn't Zillow bad enough, with their outdated listings, without having Realtors contribute to the problem by the practice of putting up listings that were sold one year ago?

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A few FREE copies of my book "Pan Am Captain, Aiming High,"are still available.

It's an inspirational book that deals with how you can improve yourself and reach your goals by using Visualization and Goal setting, plus stories of exciting and dangerous events from the cockpit.

What Reviewers are Saying about the Book:

Bill Travis brings life to the famous song “Come Fly With Me” by taking the reader along on his many flights with Pan Am. His words beautifully encourage the reader to pursue their personal dream with visualization as a positive partner in that pursuit. You will “want more” from this talented writer who will motivate you to also aim high. Claire K. Connelly, Author - Books by Claire Connelly

I found the book both informative and inspirational, not to mention very well written. I particularly appreciate the underlying message that having a dream isn't enough, that it takes work and perseverance to achieve one's goals. I think your message is especially important in an era in which there seems to be a growing sense of entitlement. I also enjoyed your accounts of encounters with celebrities and your confrontations with troublesome passengers.
Geoffrey Gomes

Pan Am Captain, Aiming High, is a story told with love – love of family, love of fellow colleagues, love of careers pursued. Each chapter exudes Bill's care and concern for the many people in his life who assisted him along his career paths. It is evident on each page that Bill told his story in such an enthralling way because he was blessed throughout his life by the vast experiences his jobs afforded him.

He set out to do what he felt he had to do to be successful and attain his goals. No obstacle was going to be insurmountable no matter how long it took him to reach his goal. Bill Travis tells his life story in an enjoyable, warm style with page after page of interesting and often exciting moments. Through dedication to doing the best job possible, Bill describes the importance of seeing or visualizing whatever path he was to embark upon.

This story is solid in its story line and can be inspirational for anyone of any age, especially if pursuing a dream is a goal.
Susan Anderson, Teacher

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Captain Bill Realty, LLC is not associated with the government and our services have not been approved by the government or your Lender. If you stop paying your mortgage you could lose your home and damage your credit. Your Lender may not agree to the change of your loan and/or a Short Sale. With a Short Sale there are no guarantees offered and we cannot provide tax or legal advice. Please seek tax and legal advice before beginning a Short Sale process.

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Pan Am Captain (Captain Bill's Upcoming Book)

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FREE BOOK, Pan Am Captain, Aiming High - to First 50 Responsers

Bill Travis, Broker/Owner (Captain Bill Realty, LLC) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 06:11:08 -0700

FREE BOOK, Pan Am Captain, Aiming High - to First 50 Responsers

Follow the positive thinking, visualization, and goal setting techniques that Bill describes in his book, and utilized most of his life, and you can improve yourself, whether it's realizing your real estate goals, or any other goal in your life.

This is the Reviewer pdf Draft of the book, Pan Am Captain, Aiming High. There will some minor edits before publication in May. However, the book is almost ready for publication.

Pan Am Captain, Aiming High

Hear from the cockpit of a Boeing 747 what really goes on behind the scenes: the banter, the problem passengers, the celebrities, the scary moments.

Take a flight with Captain Bill Travis. From Tennessee farm boy to high school dropout working in the Detroit car factories to professional pilot and captain for Pan Am. This is not a story of how one man got lucky and achieved his dream; Bill had a method and in this book he shares it with the reader alongside the fascinating story of his life.

Through vision, goal setting, visualization and sheer hard work, Bill literally aimed for the skies and as a result spent 35 years flying all over the world with the world’s biggest and most glamorous airline.

Much more than just a reminiscing retiree, Captain Bill shares the secrets of his success; a success that continues to this day. Not a man to slow down, Bill followed up his piloting with a career as a professional musician, running his own 17-piece dance orchestra in San Francisco.

Now living in Phoenix, Arizona, Bill divides his time between managing his own real estate business and writing. Read his first book, “Pan Am Captain: Aiming High” and be inspired by Captain Bill’s journey so far.

Thank you for downloading my FREE book draft

Be among the first 50 persons and you will have access to downlad the pdf reviewer draft version for FREE.

Click on the Add to Cart button below for your FREE copy.

Enter the Coupon Code - free50

If you would like to provide us with a review of the book,

email the review to

Book@PanAmCaptain.com

Publication of both ebook and softcover book is scheduled during May

REVIEWS

I found the book both informative and inspirational, not to mention very well written. I particularly appreciate the underlying message that having a dream isn't enough, th

at it takes work and perseverance to achieve one's goals. I think your message is especially important in an era in which there seems to be a growing sense of entitlement. I also enjoyed your accounts of encounters with celebrities and your confrontations with troublesome passengers. (Judging from press accounts, it would seem that sometimes the celebrities are the troublesome passengers.)

Geoffrey L. Gomes

Through dedication to doing the best job possible, Bill describes the importance of seeing or visualizing whatever path he was to embark upon. This story is solid in its story line and can be inspirational for anyone of any age, especially if pursuing a dream is a goal.

Susan Anderson, Teacher

Read excerpts from "PAN AM CAPTAIN, Aiming High"

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PAN AM CAPTAIN, Aiming High

Bill Travis, Broker/Owner (Captain Bill Realty, LLC) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 04:12:38 -0800

PAN AM CAPTAIN, Aiming High

Whether one wishes to become a top producing real estate agent, or rise to the top of another profession, this book is living proof that the seemingly impossible goals can be accomplished if one uses very simple techniques.

Pan Am Captain, Aiming High, will show, by example, how anyone who is in a rut and thinking negatively, can use the techniques of visualization, goal setting, improving self image, thinking positive - along with a lot of hard work - to realize their wildest dreams.

Pan Am Captain, Aiming High, is an inspirational book. It is based on an autobiography and will take you on the journey of a boy who was raised on a small farm in Tennessee, migrated to Detroit with his parents, dropped out of high school, went to work in the factories; then realized he needed to get out of that factory environment in order to have a better life.

By using visualization and goal setting, which programs the subconscious mind, Captain Bill was able beat the overwhelming odds and get out of the factories to eventually get his education and achieve his major goal of becoming an international airline pilot.

During the journey you'll get to ride along in the cockpit and see some of the serious problems that occured and how they were dealt with; how, after an aircraft accident, one FAA examiner, without justification, tried to call it "pilot error" and attempted to have Captain Bill fired, but failed; how a couple of problem passengers were dealt with. Well over half the book will have interesting stories from the cockpit; some humorous and some harrowing, including the near head on collission of a 707 and a military jet at 35,000 over Ireland.

The writing of the book, "Pan Am Captain, Aiming High," is finally complete; all but the editing.

All 29 chapters have been written, and the book is now in the hands of the content editor. When he's finished, it will go to my daughter who will do the grammar editing. This work is expected to be completed by the middle of March.

Then I will do a final review/edit and prepare the book for publication. It should take two weeks for that review and preparation, which means the target date to get to the printers for both the ebook and the soft cover book is May 1, 2013

The soft cover paper book and ebook download should be available on Amazon by the middle of May.

A pdf download version will be available on the Pan Am Captain web site by the first of May.

Read book excerpts

PAN AM CAPTAIN, Aiming High

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Direct: (480) 226 1630

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www.CaptainBillRealty.com

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Pan Am Captain (Captain Bill's Upcoming Book)

All content and photographs on this blog are Copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced in whole or part without the express written permission of the author.

PAN AM: FREE BOOK OFFER; "PAN AM CAPTAIN, Aiming High"

Bill Travis, Broker/Owner (Captain Bill Realty, LLC) — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 06:37:34 -0800

PAN AM: FREE BOOK OFFER;

"PAN AM CAPTAIN, Aiming High"

A FREE pdf version of the book is being offered to a select number of people willing to read the book and write a brief Review to be placed on Amazon.

" Pan Am Captain, Aiming High"

by Captain Bill Travis

The Pan Am book is expected to be ready for final editing by April 1, 2013.

Target publication date May 1, 2013.

Read brief excerpts at Pan Am Captain web site.

My family helped me select the book title, and the cover design,

now

Thanks to my family, the cover design is complete.

To participate:

Send an email to Captain Bill

All you're asked to do is read the book PAN AM CAPTAIN, Aiming High and write a brief review that you will place on the Amazon dot com web site when the book is published and available on the Amazon web site. The back cover is not designed yet. If there is time, we may select a couple of the reviews to be placed on the back cover (with the reviewers permission).

If you wish to participate in this Pan Am book review project, let us know as early as possible because we can only select a limited number of reviewers.

To participate:

Send an email to Captain Bill

PAN AM: FREE BOOK OFFER; "PAN AM CAPTAIN, Aiming High"

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CAPTAIN BILL REALTY, LLC
Certified Negotiation Expert

Direct: (480) 226 1630

Click Here to See my Virtual Tours

Mortgage Assistance Relief Services Disclosure

www.CaptainBillRealty.com

Val Vista Lakes and Gilbert AZ Blog Posts

www.ValVistaLakesLuxuryHomes.com

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Pan Am Captain (Captain Bill's Upcoming Book)

All content and photographs on this blog are Copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced in whole or part without the express written permission of the author.

PAN AM: The book "Pan Am Captain, Aiming High"

Bill Travis, Broker/Owner (Captain Bill Realty, LLC) — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 06:19:33 -0800

PAN AM: The book "Pan Am Captain, Aiming High"

My book is making excellent progress. The title of this blog could be the name of the book. The decision has yet to be made, but Pan Am Captain, The Vision Goals and Experiences, sort of tells what the book is about and is a contender for the title.

(Update: The name "Pan Am Captain, Aiming High" has been selected)

The book is about how I used Visualization and Goal setting that programmed my self conscious mind to lead me in the direction of an airline career, without me knowing anything about Visualization or Goal setting or the sub conscious mind. I didn't know what I had been doing until I read some books on the subject much later in life.

It was above all odds that I was able to become a Pan Am airline pilot, and the purpose of the book is to help anyone who thinks they may be stuck in a rut, to understand that they can work to get our of that rut.

So the first third of the book will be on the Visualization and Goal setting and how it guided me through life up until I went with Pan Am. Then I talk about many of my experiences with Pan Am that I think may be interesting to anyone having an interest in aviation in general, and in Pan Am in particular

What do the Pan Am Pilots and Flight Attendants do when they get together? Are there romances? Well, if you read the book you'll find out! You'll even learn what a 2 percenter is!

One of the stories I'll tell is when we got caught in the Great Storm of 1987 on landing at London's Heathrow Airport when weather forecasting techniques and computer models needed some improvement, because what we ran into as we approached London was not forecast, and we had no other place to go.

Read excerpts from "Pan Am Captain, Aiming High"

Hopefully the Pan Am stories I tell will be interesting to some, and I've also tried to tell some stories that I think some may find humorous.

Half of the book is complete and has been sent to the content editor who will rearrange the sequences of events to make them flow better, and to smooth out any rough spots in my writing. He expects to be finished with that in one month, and I'm hoping to have the rest of the book finished by that time so he can work on the last half.

The original goal was to have my Pan Am book complete and ready for ebook publication by the end of July. We're ahead of schedule and if we can stay ahead, it may be ready by the end of May. Here is the newly designed book cover:

PAN AM: The book "Pan Am Captain, Aiming High"

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All content and photographs on this blog are Copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced in whole or part without the express written permission of the author.

Pan Am -- Gentlemen I Need a Screw in the Galley, About This Long

Bill Travis, Broker/Owner (Captain Bill Realty, LLC) — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 07:35:21 -0800

Gentlemen I Need a Screw in the Galley, About This Long

Pan Am had many foreign national Flight Attendants because we flew all over the world, and that required Pan am to hire multi-lingual Flight Attendants. Most of the European countries have English as their second language, and people in many of those countries speak several languages. The English language is a fairly difficult language because there are many different ways to say the same thing, and many words have different meaning, depending on the phrase and the context.

I'm in the process of writing a book about my aviation days, and my experience as a Pan Am pilot. Yesterday I was working on a section of the book that discusses my first two years with Pan Am where I had to start out as a Flight Engineer before moving up, by seniority, to the First Officers seat, and finally to the Captain's seat.

While writing this section, I was reminded of an incident that happened on one of the long flights from San Francisco to Tokyo. I had a good laugh thinking about it, and decided to add the story to my Pan Am book. It is a true story, and this is the first draft.

________

...The Pan Am Flight Engineer will also assist the Flight Attendants if they have any galley malfunctions. On a Pan Am flight 845 to Tokyo one day we had a relief crew because of the long duty day. There was one relief pilot and one relief engineer. It was time for my break and I had just left the engineer seat, being replaced by the relief engineer, when a tall beautiful Pan Am Flight Attendant came into the cockpit to ask for assistance. She was Scandanavian and spoke very good English with a heavy Swedish accent.

She said "excuse me gentlemen but I need a screw in the galley, about this long", indicating about eight inches in length with her hands. Of course the Pan Am crew is always eager to please, so the Pan Am Captain turned around and quickly said "that's a job for the Captain", and the Co-pilot and relief engineer both quickly uttered the same thing.

When there is a relief engineer on board, the primary engineer is referred to as the First Engineer, and the relief is referred to as the Second Engineer. So, with me being the First Engineer, and standing near the cockpit doorway preparing for my rest break, I naturally volunteered, "any screw job in the galley is the responsibility of the First Engineer", and out the door I went to see what her needs were. I took my job very seriously!!!

There are several ovens in the Pan Am first class galley, and one of the ovens had a couple of screws come loose at the back of the oven, causing the oven to be unstable. These ovens were narrow, about ten inches wide by thirty inches high, and they were still warm. What she needed was a long screw driver so as to reach to the back of the oven and tighten the screws. So I went back to my Pan Am flight bag to get my eight inch screw driver and took care of the screw job in the galley.

One very important thing that all Pan Am pilots needed to understand, and unfortunately many didn’t, is that the Flight Attendants control the food, and if the pilots piss the flight attendants off, they can very quickly be placed at the bottom of the food chain.

And if your pissed off Pan Am Flight Attendent accidentally drops the pilots steak on the floor, not to worry, they’ll brush it off before serving it to you. In fact it’ll be so clean you will never know it was on the floor!

Treat them with disespect, and they will run out of desert before the cockpit is served.

Treat them well, with the respect they deserve, and you’ll eat almost as well as the First Class passengers. So anytime a Flight Attendant needs a screw in the galley, I’ll be there to assist...

_________

My book will be an inspirational type book which is meant to help anyone to understand how they can use Visualization and Goal Setting to achieve results that have seemingly unsurmountable odds. I was born on a farm, then migrated to Detroit with my parents, and later began working in the Detroit automobile factories, an environment extremely difficult to get out of. Not realizing at the time that I was programming my sub conscious mind to guide me to a career, I visualized myself in different situations and one day in the early 1950's I set a Goal of having a white collar job earning $10,000 per year. This was when I was earning $1,100 per year in the factories.

That type of Visualization and Goal Setting continues until this day, and helped me to realize my dreams. Later I read books on the sub-conscious mind, such as Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz, and others, which helped me to understand what I had been doing all my life.

This autobiographal account will also talk about many experiences I had as an airline pilot both during 7 years with Zantop Air Transport, 27 years with Pan Am, and finally 1 year with Delta Airlines before retiring. It's a look into a part of the daily life of a pilot, and of the airline operation from a pilot point of view. The goal is to have the ebook version ready for publication by July.

I'm always interested in suggestions from people on what they would like to see in the book.

Gentlemen I Need a Screw in the Galley, About This Long

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All content and photographs on this blog are Copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced in whole or part without the express written permission of the author.

PAN AM, by Captain Bill Travis, Pan Am Retired

Bill Travis, Broker/Owner (Captain Bill Realty, LLC) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 05:42:40 -0800

PAN AM, by Captain Bill Travis, Pan Am Retired

It took a long time to make this decision, but after my wife and friends kept telling me I should write a book about my life with Pan Am, I've finally decided it's time. Recently, I told a story about Pan Am to one of my daughters and she also said I should write a book. My daughter Connie is very grammar conscious so I'll be enlisting her to do some of my copy editing prior to sending it to a content editor.

My feeling has always been that, while some of the experiences were interesting to me, I don't see how they would be interesting to others, and that has kept me from making the decision to write about my Pan Am experiences. However, recently on a public forum someone made a statement that "if a person works for minimum wage, they should only give 50% effort". That didn't sit well with me, because I believe everyone should give 100% effort if they agree to work for pay. If one wants to advance, they need to give 110%, plus continue to study and look for ways to improve themselves.

That's what I did, and it worked for me. I was born on a farm in Tennessee, and my family migrated to Detroit to work in the factories. Later, I ended up dropping out of high school to work in the factories, and at that time I was destined to remain in the factories the rest of my working life.

However, I wanted something better, so I began to set goals and visualize myself doing something else, and that caused my sub conscious mind to guide me toward making decisions that would help me on the road to success. I left the factories and worked different types of jobs while trying to find the work I was suited for, (I had no idea what that was) and in each job, no matter how menial, or how little the pay, I gave 110%, and that served me well.

I didn't know it, but every job was guiding me down the road closer to being an airline Captain for Pan Am. I finally got the education, and started aviation training. After a two year stint as a light airplanes instructor, I got a job with Zantop Airlines where I remained for seven years until the opportunity to go with Pan Am came along. I enjoyed a 28 year career with Pan Am.

When I began to look at how I got out of the factories and into an aviation career with Pan Am, it dawned on me that if I can do that, anyone can. It took Visualization, Goal Setting, Hard Work and Dedication, which are techniques that affect the sub conscious mind. I didn't realize I was using these techniques until I began to take a look back in time.

So I felt that if I write a book that talks about how my life progressed from the farm, to the factories, to other jobs, along with the decisions that were made, and the reasons for the decisions, that it could be an inspiration to some who may feel they're stuck in a dead end rut somewhere. It can let them know that if a poor farm boy can dream and succeed, then they can too.

Approximately half of the book will be about the non-aviation phase, and the rest will be about the aviation phase of my life, and I'll tell as many stories as I can recall that I hope people will find interesting.

I'm requesting that if anyone wishes to make any suggestions about what should be in the Pan Am section, or in any other section, that can make the book more interesting, I'm open to all suggestions.

For information or to offer suggestions, send an email to Pan Am Captain Bill Travis

My goal is to have the book completed in ebook form by the end of July 2013.

Other Blogs about Aviation and Pan Am:

Secret Sex Life of a Pan Am International Pilot

Pan Am, Most Exciting and Dangerous Approach and Landing

Pan Am series, First Airline Pilot Job Interview

Pan Am series, My First Flight as an Airline Pilot

Photo of Zantop C-46 on Zantop Ramp at Detroit Metro Airport

Pan Am series, Hong Kong Victoria Harbor Photo, 1986 by Captain Bill Travis

Pan Am series, Greenland and Nick Nolte

Pan Am series, Marlon Brando, the Celebrities

Pan Am series, Pan Am Pilot Photos, 1 Don Rees

Pan Am series Pan Am Pilot Photos 2 Bill Spence

Pan Am series Pan Am Pilot Photos 3 Dick Mayer

Pan Am series Pan Am Pilot Photos 4 Keith Woodmansee

Pan Am series Pan Am Pilot Photos 5 The Nude

Pan Am series Squaw Valley

Pan Am series Famous Pan Am Pilots

Pan Am series Get Ants Out of Her Pants

Pan Am series Yo! This is Your Captain Speaking, Listen Up

Pan Am series The End of a Career

PAN AM, by Captain Bill Travis, Pan Am Retired

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CAPTAIN BILL REALTY, LLC
Certified Negotiation Expert

Direct: (480) 226 1630

Click Here to See my Virtual Tours

Mortgage Assistance Relief Services Disclosure

www.CaptainBillRealty.com

Val Vista Lakes and Gilbert AZ Blog Posts

www.ValVistaLakesLuxuryHomes.com

Captain Bill's Virtual Tours

Pan Am Captain (Captain Bill's Upcoming Book)

All content and photographs on this blog are Copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced in whole or part without the express written permission of the author.

Home Prices in Gilbert Arizona for December 2012

Bill Travis, Broker/Owner (Captain Bill Realty, LLC) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 07:58:02 -0800

Home Prices in Gilbert Arizona for December 2012

Real estate market data for Gilbert AZ, where Val Vista Lakes is located, provided by Captain Bill of Captain Bill Realty, LLC.

Gilbert Home Prices

Gilbert and Val Vista Lakes home prices have seen 12 straight months of increases in list prices of home prices in Gilbert. However, we cannot expect that to continue forever.

If you are considering buying a home in Val Vista Lakes in Gilbert you can still find good deals but having a good real estate agent who understands the market is a must. Don't wait on the sidelines for too long, because many of our Gilbert and Val Vista Lakes listings sell within a few days of being placed on the market. Some homes, such as the one Captain Bill just sold will sell at 5-10% over list price within a couple of days. However, not all homes will sell above list price. In order to make sure you do not pay too much for a home you should have a Realtor that will provide a thorough market analysis for the home you would like to purchase.

If you are selling your Val Vista Lakes Gilbert AZ home, you need a Realtor who knows the local market well and can guide you through the preparation and pricing process and market your home effectively. See the Captain Bill series of articles on How To Prepare My Val Vista Lakes Home for Sale.

From July to December 2012, the following has taken place in the Gilbert area, and Val Vista Lakes closely follows that trend.

Sales Price/ Sq Ft.....................Increased from $101/sf to $106/sf
Sales Volume...........................Decreased from 400 sales/mo to 374 sales/mo
Inventory.................................Increased from 2.1 months supply to 2.3 months supply

Note that housing prices are dependent on supply and demand. If sales decline and inventory increases then it's possible that pricing will flatten out, and possibly reverse. So we have to continue to watch the numbers carefully so we know what's happenin in our Val Vista Lakes Gilbert AZ home market.

From November 2011 to December 2012, we have seen an "annual average price" increase of approximately 14% in the Gilbert and Val Vista Lakes area. Our Gilbert buying season begins in January, so we should expect to see sales increase, and as sellers see that prices have increased, there will be more homes placed on the Gilbert market for sale. We'll have to wait until then to see how an increase in inventory affects the number of sales, and pricing.

Charts courtesy of The Cromford Report

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Home Prices in Gilbert Arizona for December 2012

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Sellers, Offer Val Vista Lakes Buyers Agent an Appropriate Commission

Bill Travis, Broker/Owner (Captain Bill Realty, LLC) — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 09:38:24 -0800

Sellers, Offer Val Vista Lakes Buyers Agent an Appropriate Commission

Marketing your Val Vista Lakes home for sale so that buyers will find your home, and be willing to view it, is one of the most important functions of your Listing Agent. On my Captain Bill Realty web site there is a series of articles on How to Prepare Your Val Vista Lakes Home for Sale.

These articles deal with subjects from de-cluttering, staging, professional photographs, on through to how to show the home.

Buyer Statistics
The NAR 2011 buyer and seller needs survey shows the following statistics:

88% of buyers Begin their home search on the internet
37% of buyers Found their home on the internet
35% of buyers Found their home through their Buyers Agent

It's extremely important to interpret that data correctly so you can market your Val Vista Lakes home for sale more effectively.

If 88% of buyers Begin their search on the internet, and 37% of buyers Find their home on the internet, then it is very important that your marketing material makes your home very attractive to those 37%. My articles on Captain Bill Realty describe how to provide market appeal to your target market.

Contact Captain Bill, a Val Vista Lakes Realtor and Resident to sell your Val Vista Lakes home.

BUYERS AGENTS
What can be easily overlooked in those three pieces of data, or not be interpreted properly, is the fact that 35% of buyers Found their home through their Buyers Agent. That is a large percentage. It means that 35% of buyers did not find the home on the internet by themselves; it was sent to them by their Buyers Agent.

Are you beginning to get the picture? Well, if you market the home so that it is attractive and appealing to buyers agents, as well as buyers, then you greatly increase the chances of your Val Vista Lakes home for sale being sent to the buyer agents clients.

Buyer agents are busy and are searching for homes for more than one buyer at once. Therefore, you must make it easy for the buyer agents to scan your Val Vista Lakes home for sale listing quickly in order to see if it is a match for one of his/her clients. That means professional photographs, well written descriptions describing what amenities are important for the target market. Poor photographs and bad descriptions, with statements like "honey stop the car"; "this won't last long", etc., are a waste of a buyer agents time, and only tells the buyers agent that the listing agent doesn't know how to write effective descriptions.

BUYER AGENT COMMISSION
The buyer agent who brings you a buyer expects to be paid; believe it or not. Buyers agents are in the business to make a living to feed their family, and they expect to be paid a fee that is commonly paid by other sellers in the given market. What I'm saying is that agents are going to place their clients interest ahead of their own; however, if there are three similar homes, and one seller will pay the buyers agent a xxxx% commission which is common in the given market, and another seller is offering xx%, and still another is offering x% commission, which home do you think the buyers agent is going to send to his/her client?

And here is another part of the picture. Many buyer agents require a buyer/broker employment agreement which states that the buyer will pay the buyers agent a certain fee. It further will state that the buyer agent will be paid by the seller and that amount will be used to offset the buyers fee. Meaning, if the buyer agent's fee is xxx%, and the seller pays xxx%, the buyer will not have to pay anything. If the seller only pays x%, then the buyer will have to pay the difference (xx%)to the buyer agent.

Consequently, when the buyers agent finds a listing that is paying less than his/her required xxx% fee, s/he will show that to the buyer to inform them that if they buy this home they will be required to pay the xx% difference in commission from what the seller is offering. In most cases the buyer will pass on that house.

What I've seen lately is that some listing agents are competing solely on their fee. They are lowering their total fee to the seller in order to get the listing. What the seller doesn't realize in may cases, is that the listing agent is not actually lowering their own fee. The listing agent is keeping the same fee, and reducing the amount being paid to the buyers agent. This hurts the seller. Here is an example using (x) instead of actual numbers.

Listing agent typical fee seen in the given market = xxxxxx%, with xxx going to listing agent and xxx to the buyers agent
Listing agent reduces fee to xxxxx% to get the listing.
Listing agent will get the same xxx% and only offers buyers agent xx%
Buyer agent has less incentive to send that property to his/her client.
Seller is not aware of the consequences of this action.

To Review
Your Val Vista Lakes Home for Sale needs a strong marketing plan in order to sell the home for top dollar and in a timely manner.

Decluttering
Some staging
Professional photographs
Professional descriptions
Target marketing to buyers
Marketing to buyer agents
Monetary incentive for buyer agents to bring their buyers; which means offering a competive commission

All commissions are negotiable, so if a listing agent wishes to negotiate a lower commission for him/self that is their perogative. However, it is not fair to the seller to negotiate a lower commission, and instead of the listing agent taking the reduced amount, s/he doesn't reduce the listing agent portion; s/he passes the cut along to the buyers agent, taking away a buyer agents incentive to send this listing to their client.

The impetus for this article was a recent $100,000 REO (bank owned) listing. The listing agent confirmed that the buyer agent commission is one (1%) percent. That REO may have a difficult time selling. No agent can make a living selling homes for a gross commission of $1,000 when an agents annual marketing/advertising/overhead expenses plus broker split can consume up to $75% of the gross. So I just have to ask; what is that agent thinking?

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Sellers, Offer Val Vista Lakes Buyers Agent an Appropriate Commission

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Listing Agents, Do Not Force Your Lender on My Buyer

Bill Travis, Broker/Owner (Captain Bill Realty, LLC) — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 06:39:57 -0800

Listing Agents, Do Not Force Your Lender on My Buyer

My primary farm area is Val Vista Lakes Gilbert AZ where I list homes for sale and also represent buyers. The vast majority of homes for sale are purchased with a home mortgage where the buyer will already have chosen a mortgage company, or they will ask their buyers agent for a referral.

All experienced agents, both buyer and listing agents, build teams of support companies, such as mortgage brokers, escrow officers, contractors, painters, landscapers, home and pest inspectors, etc. They select these people because they have a history with them and know they will do a good job for their client.

However, remember that the buyer has the right to choose their title company, mortgage broker, and home & pest inspectors.

The banks, with their REO's, started a trend of demanding buyers use their title company despite the fact that RESPA gives that right to the buyer. The banks got around this by saying the buyer can choose their closing company, but the bank will not pay for the buyers title insurance if they use a different closing agent. Therefore, the banks got their way by coercion. The reason the banks want their favorite title company is they receive volume discounts.

Next the banks began requiring buyers to be pre-qualified with their bank in order to have their offer reviewed. The reason is to attempt to coerce the buyer into using their bank for the mortgage. The are several problems with this for the buyer:

Buyer is inconvenienced by having to provide documents to a lender they don't want to use
Buyer is forced to sit through an unwanted sales pitch
Buyer will take an additional hit on their credit report if the previous report is over 30 days old

Today, a number of listing agents have started attempting to demand the same things in their listings.

The following statement is a violation of RESPA and illegal in our MLS, but I see it every day:
* Buyer MUST use sellers title company. (Meaning buyer MUST use the listing agents favorite escrow officer)

The other statement I see, which is not illegal, but is onerous, and can drive good buyer prospects from the listing:
* Buyer MUST pre-qualify with John Doe mortgage broker.

I've had a number of buyers elect to not even view a Val Vista Lakes home where the listing agent is requiring buyers to pre-qualify with their favorite lender.

When listing agents attempt to force their lender on a buyer, they're doing it in order to push business to their favorite lender. The rationale is always that they know their lender can close in x days. That is insulting the buyer and buyers agent by insinuating that the buyers agent and the buyer don't know how to choose their lender, and that their lender is not efficient and cannot close on time.

It's time for that practice to stop. If a listing agent wishes to have the buyer use their favorite title company, and/or lender, then "request" it. You can state that you have the world's greatest escrow officer and lender, and you will be forever grateful if the buyer will choose them. But stop demanding it. You are driving buyers from your listing.

Another acceptable practice, if the seller would go for it, is to negotiate. I would certainly be willing to ask my Val Vista Lakes buyer for permission to negotiate something from the seller in exchange for using the listing agents favorite title company or lender. However, since it is the listing agent making those demands, I doubt if the seller would be willing to give up money for that.

Then perhaps the listing agent would be willing to negotiate away part of his/her commission to the buyer in exchange for using his/her favorite team. :-)

A listing agent may counter with, "I've seen too many buyers bring inneficient lenders and title companies, and inept Realtors". Well, maybe you have, but consider this:

It is the buyers right to work with whomever s/he chooses.
It is the listing agents duty to present all offers and provide advice.
It is the sellers final decision on how to deal with an offer.

Therefore, if a known bad agent brings you an offer that includes a bad title company, and bad lender, then submit the offer to the seller along with your advice, and let your Seller decide how to deal with the offer.

I work with both Buyers and Sellers, and I would never attempt to place those restrictions on a Val Vista Lakes listing of mine because part of it is RESPA violation, and the rest of it is not in the best interest of my client because it can drive away potentially strong buyers.

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SAN FRANCISCO HERE I COME

Bill Travis, Broker/Owner (Captain Bill Realty, LLC) — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 05:23:25 -0800

SAN FRANCISCO HERE I COME

I just read Alan May's great post about "I'm off to the south for the weekend" and it triggered me to write this post about our upcoming trip to San Francisco (from Phoenix) this week end to visit one of our daughters and her family.

We have 5 grandchildren - and each one is our favorite. That's right we have 5 favorites. Each one is special, and we love to support their activities by attending when we can.

The purpose of this trip from Gilbert AZ to San Francisco is to attend the big band concert and dance at the high school where grandson Anthony attends.

He has been interested in playing drums since he was about 1 year old and played on my practice kit every time he came to our house.

He used to come to concerts where my big band played, and his favorite song was Gene Krupa's "Sing Sing Sing".

Now he's a sophomore in high school playing in the high school 17 piece jazz band; playing in the pit band for the school plays; and studying with John Xepoleas one of the top drum instructor/performers in the Bay Area. This is the second year in a row we've been able to attend this event and we're excited about it. He's becoming an accomplished drummer, among other major achievements, and we're very proud of him.

He will earn his Eagle Scout Badge early next year, and by next summer he hopes to earn his Black Belt in American Kobudo Ryu.

Anthony's father is a big guy and very strong, but he says when Anthony kicks him in practice....."IT HURTS!"

Last summer Anthony visited us and we sat my drums up in my closet because he wanted me to help him with some techniques as he was preparing to audition for the band. When he went back he told his friends he spent his entire vacation in AZ in the closet. :-) Fortunately he has a great sense of humor and a lot of humility, so he is a popular guy at school.

So it's an understatement that we're excited to be going to San Francisco this week end.

Of course the other reason we love to go to San Francisco is that the lived in the Bay Area for 40 years and loved every minute of it.

As an update to this post, as of November 2012, Anthony is a Freshman in college studying Biomedical Engineering; has earned his Eagle Scout Badge; and has earned his Black Belt in American Kobudo Ryu, and working on his 2nd degree black belt. In his "spare" time, he jams with his sisters and friends. (Photo at left)

One of these girls in the photo, Petra, playing bass, is Anthony's best friend who is an accomplished saxophonist and also plays bass and guitar. She and Anthony's girl friend are good friends from the high school band, and they all plan to form a band.

The college campus is close enough that he can live at home, but needs transportation to make the daily drive. Recently the family helped him decide on a car, and it looks like the decision on this little black beauty was unanimous. Anthony and his sisters are very close and support each other in their activities, so they all wanted to help him choose a car.

Below are a few photos of San Francisco.

The photos below are paid Stock Photos except the Sailing photo. I used to crew on race boats in the San Francisco Bay and I shot the sailing photo of the boat with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background during one of the races.

Golden Gate Bridge

Victorian Houses (nicknamed The Painted Ladies) with the San Francisco Skyline in the Background

Alcatraz and Pier 39

Resident Seals at Pier 39

Sailboat Race in the Bay with Golden Gate Bridge in background

I took this photo while on a race boat in the San Francisco Bay. I was given permission by the boat captain to come along and do the photography

If you're interested in moving to Gilbert Arizona, then Captain Bill can help you; just click on the postcard below

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Gilbert Arizona Joe's Real BBQ

Bill Travis, Broker/Owner (Captain Bill Realty, LLC) — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 04:30:06 -0800

Gilbert Arizona Joe's Real BBQ

Gilbert AZ is a wonderful Town in which to live. It's conveniently ocated in the east valley of Phoenix; has a tremendous amount of Old Town Charm and is a very friendly family oriented Town. There are many communities in Gilbert to fit almost everyones criteria and budget, from a smaller $100,000 home to much larger homes priced into the millions of dollars.

Agritopia in Gilbert AZ, which is a 1940's themed community, was a farm at one time, and when Joe Johnston sold the farm for development, he and his family kept 12 acres of land to utilize as an organic farm. Their highly popular Joe's Farm Grill located in their original home, which they converted to a unique restaurant, uses vegetables grown at the farm. They also sell their farm products to the public.

Homes For Sale In Gilbert AZ Agritopia Community

Joe and a partner opened Joe's Real BBQ on Gilbert Rd between Guadalupe and Elliot, in Old Town Gilbert, in 1998. It was because of Joe's love of BBQ, that he used to have in Texas, that spawned the concept. The motto of Joe's Real BBQ is "Clean, Delicious, and Friendly", and they remain true to that motto. We've eaten there several times and always enjoy it. We've also taken advantage of their call ahead and walk-up pick-up window for serving to our guests at home.

The Joe's Real BBQ restaurant is situated in a long brick building which had previously been a church that was unused at the time. The building and restaurant is now set in a 1940's time period with a restored 1948 John Deer tractor inside the building. An animated neon sign was built and added to the front of the building.

Whether you have a home in Gilbert, or in another city,
if you like BBQ, you'll love Joe's Real BBQ.

301 North Gilbert Road
Gilbert, AZ 85234
(480) 503-3805

For Information on the Val Vista Lakes community in Gilbert click on the postcard below

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For Information on the Val Vista Lakes community in Gilbert click on the postcard below

Gilbert Arizona Joe's Real BBQ

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Val Vista Lakes Waterfront Homes Regatta Gated Community

Bill Travis, Broker/Owner (Captain Bill Realty, LLC) — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 03:21:07 -0800

Val Vista Lakes Waterfront Homes Regatta Gated Community

Val Vista Lakes in Gilbert AZ has 24 sub communities with seven gated sub divisions within its’ borders. Regatta, a gated sub division, is one of those beautiful communities with waterfront and non waterfront homes in Val Vista Lakes

This gated community of Regatta has a stunning gated entrance with colorful flowers and Tuscan type guard shack. Regatta is a small community with only a total of 108 elegant custom homes. Most of the homes in Regatta are on the Val Vista Lakes waterfront.

Below is the current status of the market within Regatta at Val Vista Lakes:

2 Homes Active on the MLS for Sale in Regatta
1 Home Under Contract with a Contingency
0 Home Under Contract in Escrow set to Close
4 Homes have Sold and Closed Escrow to this date in 2012

Val Vista Lakes Waterfront homes are located in six other communities, and Regatta is one of four of those communities that are gated. Regatta has two well maintained parks within the community where residents who don’t live in a waterfront home and their guests can have access to and enjoy the lake.

Regatta is not a large sub division but it is a very pleasant community in which to take a leisurely stroll, ride the bike, or walk the dogs. The friendly people in the community know their neighbors and enjoy exchanging pleasantries with their friends and neighbors as they take their walks.

The photos of the Regatta homes below are not the homes for sale. The are to show you the beauty of the Regatta gated community.

All of the homes in Val Vista Lakes Gilbert, from all the sub-communities have the same Clubhouse privileges and access to the lakes whether they are an waterfront or non waterfront lot.

Eight Championship Tennis Courts

Junior Olympic Heated Swimming Pool

Val Vista Lakes Waterfront Homes in Gilbert AZ – Regatta Gated Sub Division is a wonderful community to raise your children, or to retire to and relax in your Val Vista Lakes Waterfront home.

View Val Vist Lakes Gilbert AZ - Regatta Sub Division in a larger map

Waterfront Homes For Sale in Gilbert and Val Vista Lakes

Val Vista Lakes and Homes in Gilbert Blog

Val Vista Lakes Waterfront Homes Regatta Gated Community

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Val Vista Lakes Waterfront Home For Sale in Crystal Shores

Bill Travis, Broker/Owner (Captain Bill Realty, LLC) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 09:11:42 -0800

Val Vista Lakes Waterfront Home For Sale in Crystal Shores

This magnificent family and entertainers home has an inviting balcony on the Master Bedroom overlooking the waterfront so you can have some refreshments and watch the beautiful Arizona sunsets. This southern exposure to the watefront is perfect for snowbirds.

This Val Vista Lakes Custom waterfront home for sale in the sought-after community of Val Vista Lakes Gilbert is located on a peaceful cul-de-sac street. This custom home is perfect for family life with nearby schools or for empty nesters looking to take it easy. The 3,363 sf home has 4 beds (one downstairs), 3.5 baths and boasts a range of exquisite features. The lower floor has travertine tile floors and baseboards throughout with fine carpeting and custom wood baseboards upstairs. The stairway is a Cherry wood, marble and wrought iron conversation piece; the kitchen has fantastic views, and the back yard is perfect for entertaining family and guests.

Click on the photo below to view the individual web site for this home and see all the details; then Contact Captain Bill to help you purchase this home. It is not on the MLS. At the current time it's only available through Captain Bill

Val Vista Lakes Waterfront Home For Sale in Crystal Shores

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Val Vista Lakes Custom Waterfront Updated Home in West Lake Estates

Bill Travis, Broker/Owner (Captain Bill Realty, LLC) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 08:49:04 -0800

Val Vista Lakes Custom Waterfront Updated Home in West Lake Estates

This beautiful custom waterfront home in the gated upscale West Lakes Estate community in Val Vista lakes is perfect for the family that loves to entertain. The Master Bedroom with fireplace is conveniently located on the first level. The second level features two large bedrooms, each with their own bathrooms. One of the bedrooms has access to a waterfront patio. A dumb waiter can carry clothes and other objects to the first level.

On the first level is a sophisticated rich wood paneled room that can be a den, office, or a media room. Next to that room is a room that is set up for an office or craft room. It has a closet with sink and washer/dryer hookup.

The entertainment room on the second floor is a huge room that can be sectioned off for different types of entertainment; card section; pool; ping pong; electronic games; you name it and there is space. There is also plenty of built in cabinet space, a wet bar, and dumb waiter.

Click anywhere on the listing sheet photo just below and it will take you to the mls detail sheets for 1316 E Treasure Cove Drive.

Then Contact Captain Bill to assist you in purchasing this beautiful Val Vista Lakes home.

Val Vista Lakes Custom Waterfront Updated Home in West Lake Estates

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Val Vista Lakes Custom Waterfront Home for Sale in West Lake Estates

Bill Travis, Broker/Owner (Captain Bill Realty, LLC) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 08:22:29 -0800

Val Vista Lakes Custom Waterfront Home for Sale in West Lake Estates

This stunning Val Vista Lakes Custom Waterfront home for sale is located in the prestigious gated sub community of West Lake Estates. Snowbirds will love the southern waterfront exposure of the home, so you can enjoy the pleasant winter sun almost all day while relaxing by your pool.

For those who have elementary school children, the Val Vista Lakes Elementary School is just across Val Vista Drive. And the spectacular Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse is very close. You can walk to the Clubhouse by walking through the convenient tunnel under Val Vista Drive, or ride your bike. No need to drive your car. Click on the listing below, to view details of this home; then Contact Captain Bill who can help you purchse this magnificent home.

Val Vista Lakes Custom Waterfront Home for Sale in West Lake Estates

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Shopping Near Val Vista Lakes Gilbert

Bill Travis, Broker/Owner (Captain Bill Realty, LLC) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 04:18:04 -0800

Shopping Near Val Vista Lakes Gilbert

The Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse sign above is at the entrance to the beautiful Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse located at Val Vista Drive and Lakeside Drive, about one mile south of the Highway 60.

The Dana Park Village shopping center (below)is just across Baseline, a couple of minutes from the Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse in Gilbert. The center is actually located in Mesa which begins on the north side of Baseline and it's within walking distance of the community of Val Vista Lakes. One can walk through Dana Park visiting upscale shops and stop to have lunch or dinner along the way.

San Tan Village (photos below) is a very large and highly popular shopping center with lots of dining choices, and it's located in Gilbert, just under 5 miles to the south of Val Vista Lakes. It's also very close to the new Mormon Temple and the Mercy Gilbert Hospital.

Within San Tan Village, near the Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse, one can eat at any one of several restaurants or go to the large food court and then attend the Harkins Theater next door.

Val Vista Lakes in Gilbert is fortunate to be within 5 miles of San Tan Village. One section of San Tan Village is very walkable with interesting shops, fine dining, and a sports bar available. San Tan Village is located within the Gilbert San Tan Growth Corridor and homes within that area are in high demand due to the proximity of shopping and dining at the San Tan Village, close to the Mormon Temple, Hotels, and the Mercy Gilbert Hospital.

Gilbert has many great communities from which to choose, depending on ones lifestyle, budget, and employment location. There are golf communities, lake communities, a ski lake community, and regular communities that are not in golf course or lake communities.

Some of the buildings in the old downtown section, known as Old Town Gilbert have been preserved to maintain that old Town flavor. The Farmhouse restaurant on Gilbert Rd nearly always has a waiting line for breakfast and lunch.

On the links below you can find information on Schools, Community Info, and also some Vendors that I have used and find to be reasonable and reliable.

Gilbert AZ Schools

Community Information for Gilbert AZ

Val Vista Lakes in Gilbert AZ is one of the many great places to live in the East Valley of Phoenix.

Home prices in the Val Vista Lakes community in Gilbert vary from around $130,000 for a non waterfront home to over $1,000,000 for a waterfront home. Of course there are waterfront homes for less than one million.

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Shopping Near Val Vista Lakes Gilbert

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VAL VISTA LAKES GILBERT AZ Lakeside sub community

Bill Travis, Broker/Owner (Captain Bill Realty, LLC) — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 04:07:19 -0800

VAL VISTA LAKES GILBERT AZ Lakeside sub community

Lakeside is a gated sub-community of Val Vista Lakes in the 100 year old Town of Gilbert AZ. This is a gated community of 138 homes and is within walking distance of Val Vista Lakes Elementary School and the Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse. In fact on the west side of Lakeside, the school is just across from the community entrance gates.

Lakeside is located on one of the four Val Vista Lakes, and through a tunnel under Lakeside Drive, this lake joins the large lake where the Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse is located.

Many of the Lakeside homes are located on the lake with beautifully designed custom waterfront lots. The homes that are not on the waterfront still have access to the lake and all of the amenities of the spectacular Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse and all of it's amenities.

Val Vista Lakes Elementary school is located just across the street from the Lakeside west entrance on Blue Grotto. Kids in Lakeside west are able to walk to school. Their parents and dogs accompany them so it's a pleasant outing in the morning for kids, dogs and parents.

We have lived in Lakeside at Val Vista Lakes for almost 9 years and I am very active in the community.

For 6 years I've been serving on the Lakeside at Val Vista HOA Board of Directors, and served as president for 2 years. During that time we developed programs and put procedures in place to make our community more beautiful, and to keep the expenses down so our dues could stay low.

We maintain our own streets within Lakeside at Val Vista Lakes; maintain 3 sets of double entry automobile gates with intercoms; 5 pedestrian gates and 4 parks within the community. We also have to maintain the 5 parking islands.

With all that we have managed to not raise our dues for 5 years and the fee is at the remarkably low rate of only Fifty-Eight ($58) Dollars per month.

Because of being very active in the Lakeside community as well as active in Val Vista Lakes, and having also served on the Val Vista Lakes Board of Directors, and on several of the committees, I can confidently say that I am a real estate expert in the Val Vista Lakes community.

The brief video below is one of 24 videos I've made of all the Val Vista Lakes sub-communities and other Val Vista Lakes related videos, which I'll post from time to time.

The video below is a drive through of the gated Lakeside at Val Vista Lakes community.

This actually only covers the houses on the west side of Lakeside. The west and east side are separated by a lake, although they are the same community. Later I'll post the east side of Lakeside video.

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VAL VISTA LAKES GILBERT AZ Lakeside sub community

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Val Vista Lakes Gilbert AZ Sub Community Hidden Cove

Bill Travis, Broker/Owner (Captain Bill Realty, LLC) — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 03:28:08 -0800

Val Vista Lakes Gilbert AZ Sub Community Hidden Cove

Val Vista Lakes is a Master Planned Community with 24 sub communities plus 500 apartments and over 40 businesses and retail establishments. Within those 24 communities is a community named Hidden Cove. Maybe they named it Hidden Cove because the community is so well hidden.

Look for a Hidden Cove community sign and you won't find one, because there isn't one. Yes, Hidden Cove is well hidden. It consists of a total of 7 homes, and an interesting fact is that the seven homes are not on the same block. They are mixed in with another community, so if you don't know which houses they are, you will never know:

And I'm not gonna tell.

You will find only a handful of people who are aware of Hidden Cove's existence, and even fewer who know where the homes are located.

None of the Hidden Cove homes are waterfront homes. However, like other sub communities they do have access to the lake and access to all the Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse amenities.

The Val Vista Lakes man made mountain has a couple of streams on the top of the mountain. The photo at top right (above) is one of the streams on top of the mountain on the Vista Lakes Clubhouse grounds. The stream runs to the edge and becomes one of the scenic waterfalls shown in the photo on the left.

The Clubhouse is located on the waterfront of the largest of the 4 lakes within Val Vista Lakes.

View the Video Below

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Val Vista Lakes Gilbert AZ Sub Community Hidden Cove

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Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse is Venue for Banner Health Girls Night Out

Bill Travis, Broker/Owner (Captain Bill Realty, LLC) — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 10:51:54 -0800

Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse is Venue for Banner Health Girls Night Out

The Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse in Gilbert Arizona is the selected venue for Banner Health to host "Girls Night Out" for the purpose of highlighting ways for women to improve their health and lifestyle.

This important event will take place on December 5, 2012 at the Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. According to Banner Health, this is part of the Banner Health's Spirit of Women series. The event will include wellness screenings, humor therapy, and gourmet appetizers and desserts. There will be a couple of guest speakers, Elaine Lundberg, a humor therapist and author; and Dr. Suzanne Sorof of Banner Heart Hospital who will discuss the health of the heart.

The Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse is located at 1600 E Lakeside Drive, Gilbert AZ 85234, a mile south of the highway 60.

The cost is $25 and you can call (602) 230 2273 to register. Click on the Banner Health web site link for more information: www.BannerHealth.com/SpiritofWomen. While attending this event, attendees have the unique opportunity to view the spectacular Christmas Light Display on the Val Vista Lake's Holiday Mountain.

The Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse is a beautiful venue that is very popular for weddings and all types of private parties. Recently the Clubhouse has been hosting many corporate events because it is such a desirable location with breakout rooms and areas available in a resort like setting. Hotels are nearby for overnight guests.

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Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse is Venue for Banner Health Girls Night Out

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EAT MORE BEEF, SAYS THE TURKEY

Bill Travis, Broker/Owner (Captain Bill Realty, LLC) — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 06:59:23 -0800

EAT MORE BEEF, SAYS THE TURKEY

It's Thanksgiving again, and we're thankful to be alive and still living in this great country of ours. This will still be a work day for me but just catching up on paperwork this morning before our family comes over for our annual Thanksgiving meal. My wife has been busy for two days planning and buying food, a large turkey and all the trimmings and side dishes, and some great dessert including chocolate cake, cheese cake and of course, pumpkin pie.

Last night my daughter and friend came over to get the turkey in the oven and do some other preparations. At around 11pm my wife turned the oven on at 275 degrees and said that around 2pm today that turkey will be tender and delicious. Well, she's an excellent cook and has never been wrong for all these years, so I'm looking forward to an outstanding family meal.

I would like to take this opportunity to say Happy Thanksgiving to all my Active Rain colleagues, and all of my clients and friends. And if you're a Black Friday participant, be careful. It can be a fun time shopping, but in some cases it's dangerous because of the frenzy some crowds can build up in their zest to be the first to reach the bargain tables.

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Lyons Gate Gilbert AZ video by Captain Bill Travis

Bill Travis, Broker/Owner (Captain Bill Realty, LLC) — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 06:17:04 -0800

Lyons Gate Gilbert AZ video by Captain Bill Travis

There are several phases of the Lyons Gate homes in Gilbert. This phase is located south of Ray Road between Greenfield and Higley. It's directly across the street from Agritopa, another wonderful Gilbert community. And it's also directly across the street from Joe's Farm Grill where you can take a morning stroll and sit in their Coffee Shop for breakfast, or brave the lunch and dinner lines at the Grill to have one of the great hamburgers, BBQ sandwich, and maybe even a delicious milk shake.

The Lyons Gate homes are perfect for the busy person or family that does not have time to maintain a yard. The HOA takes care of the front yard, and the back yards vary in size from large enough to put a swimming pool, or some low maintenance desert landscape, or just the right size for a small no maintenance patio. Most of the homes are two level, but there are a few one level homes.

The Lyons Gate homes have a unique location next to the railroad that runs in a northeasterly direction through the Town of Gilbert. There are approximately four trains daily and one has been known to come through at 4 am with the whistle giving a morning greeting to the residents. But not to fear, all of the residents that I've spoken to in that area say that after a few nights they do not hear the train.

Adjacent to the tracks is a walk/bike path where you can get your morning or afternoon exercise. And there is also a community pool for those days where it's too hot to walk or ride the bike for exercise.

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Lyons Gate Gilbert AZ video by Captain Bill Travis

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Val Vista Lakes Gilbert Explored with Google Maps

Bill Travis, Broker/Owner (Captain Bill Realty, LLC) — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 08:05:11 -0800

Exploring Val Vista Lakes Gilbert with Google Maps

Exploring Val Vista Lakes is easy with the Google Map below. Click on the link below the bottom of the map to open in a larger view if desired. By expanding the map you'll see the blue boundary marker I've drawn to show the Val Vista Lakes boundaries.

The Val Vista lakes Master Planned Community consists of:

1988 Single family homes (including the *Townhomes and Condos)
63 *Townhomes
198 *Condos
541 Apartments
41 Businesses including office, commercial and retail

There are 4 separate lakes, with the large lake by the Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse and the lake to the south being joined together by a tunnel under Lakeside Drive. The lakes at Regatta and West Lake Estates could not join with the other two lakes because the elevation of the ground on the eastern lake of Regatta is higher than the main lake and the lake at West Lake Estates.

On closer examination of the map it becomes easier to see the 24 separate subdivisions. Just to the south east of the clubhouse, there are the Breckenridge Townhomes in a gated community. They are next to the tennis court, and a locked gate allows the Breckenridge residents convenient access the Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse by walking through that gate.

Across the big lake to the east of the Clubhouse you can see a community with white roofs that has canals between the streets. This is a beautiful non gated sub community of Crystal Shores. This Val Vista Lakes community has waterfront homes and non waterfront homes. To the east of Crystal Shores, and across the greenbelt, a popular waking area, is the sought afterl gated sub community of Regatta.

To the west of the Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse and across Val Vista Drive is the more upscale gated sub community of West Lake Estates. The homes in West Lake are all larger custom homes and prices are up to and in excess of $1,000,000. On the north side of West Lake Estates is Mission Bay, a non gated community that has desirable waterfront and non waterfront homes.

To the west of West Lake Estates are the two phases of Palisades (1 & 2).

Back to the Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse and going south across Lakeside Drive you can see the condo community of Beach Club Village. This community is very popular with empty nesters who have scaled down, and snowbirds who visit their winter condo a few times a year to enjoy the mild Gilbert Arizona winters and the Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse, which is like being in an upscale resort.

From the large lake by the Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse, proceed south on the lake, cross under the bridge to the south lake and the gated sub community of Lakeside is on both sides of the lake. Lakeside is unique in that it is one community but is separated by the lake. The west section of Lakeside is entered through a gate off of Blue Grotto where the Val Vista Lakes Elementary School is located. This is convenient for elementary school students because the parents can walk them to school, or if they're in the 5th and 6th grade they can usually walk by themselves or with friends. The east section of Lakeside has two gated entries, one accessed from Lakeside Drive on the north, and the other accessed from Raleigh Bay on the south.

I won't try to point out all the Val Vista Lakes sub communities here, but you can telephone me and I can point them out individually on the map.

Below are the names of all the Val Vista Lakes Communities with the number of homes in each:

VAL VISTA LAKES NON GATED CUB COMMUNITIES

Anchor Point
Beach Club Village Condos
Crystal Shores
Discovery Park
Harbor
Hidden Cove
La Jolla Village
Landings
Landings II
Mission Bay
Palisades I
Palisades II
Patterson Point
Runaway Bay
Spinaker Bay
Tanglewood Cove
Estates (Tanglewood II)

VAL VISTA LAKES GATED SUB COMMUNITIES
Castaway Bay
Breckenridge Bay Townhomes
Enclave
Lakeside
Regatta
Voyager Cove
West Lake Estates

Captain Bill, broker and owner of Captain Bill Realty, is a Val Vista Lakes resident, active in the community, familiar with the local and Metro area real estate market, therefore, is highly qualified to help you sell your Val Vista Lakes home for top dollar in the minimum amount of time; or to help you purchase your dream home, or vacation home in Val Vista Lakes.

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Exploring Val Vista Lakes Gilbert with Google Maps

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Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse Needs Holiday Mountain Volunteers

Bill Travis, Broker/Owner (Captain Bill Realty, LLC) — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 15:14:53 -0800

Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse Needs Holiday Mountain Volunteers

VAL VISTA LAKES CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

Each year, from the Friday after Thanksgiving to the Sunday after Christmas, the Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse invites all Val Vista Lakes residents to come over and view the approximate 750,000 Christmas lights that decorate the man-made mountain with the beautiful waterfalls. People come from across the valley to see the lights, and guests of residents who live in Val Vista Lakes are always happy to come and enjoy the hospitality and the beautiful lights.

During the holiday season, Holiday Mountain is open to the public on Friday and Saturday from 5-10pm, and Sunday from 6-9pm. There is no admission fee. Val Vista Lakes does request that, if you can, to bring some canned food donations for a food bank, and of course they will accept small cash donations to help pay for the lights. No one is turned away. If you can't afford any type of donation, you are welcome. Just say hello and have fun.

Val Vista Lakes resident volunteers are needed to greet guests, sell hot cocoa, hot cider, and cookies. The proceeds help pay for the lights. The price of the refreshments is a real bargain. Last year the drinks and cookies were only fifty cents each.

The Clubhouse needs four volunteers each night that it is open to the public, and the work is splint into two shifts. Two people will work from 6 to 9 pm, and the other two will work from 7 to 10 pm. It's really a fun job because the volunteers get to chat with all the visitors who come from all over the country, Canada, and other parts of the world.

It's interesting to see some of the people visiting from MN or other cold climate areas walking around in t-shirts and shorts, while the volunteers are bundled up and huddled around the heater.

SANTA CLAUS at VAL VISTA LAKES

It wouldn't be Christmas without Santa Clause, so they do need volunteers to put on the (provided) suit, take the bag of candy and hold court in the Gazebo on top of Holiday Mountain to receive the wish list of all the youngsters. Santa is needed in December on Fridays and Saturdays from 6:30 to 8:30pm.

To Volunteer contact: vvladmin@val vista lakes.org

VAL VISTA LAKES CLUBHOUSE HOLIDAY SCHEDULE

For the convenience of all Val Vista Lakes residents, below are the Clubhouse Holiday Hours:

Thanksgiving Day: 8am-noon
Christmas Eve: 6am-2pm
Christmas Day: CLOSED
New Years Eve: 6am-6pm
New Years Day: 8am-noon

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Prepare My Val Vista Lakes Home for Sale, Captain Bill's Series

Bill Travis, Broker/Owner (Captain Bill Realty, LLC) — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 04:19:18 -0800

Prepare My Val Vista Lakes Home for Sale, Captain Bill's Series

Preparing a home for sale can be a huge undertaking, especially if you're attempting to do it without professional guidance and assistance. Captain Bill has prepared this 11 blog post series of tips on how to prepare your home for sale which should be a great help. If your home is prepared properly, then marketed with a strong marketing plan, and negotiated properly, you should be able to sell your home in less than the average period of time at top dollar.

The key goal is to make the home attractive and marketed heavily so as to attract the most visitors. The greater the number of potential buyers visiting your home, the greater your chance of getting it sold.

There is another way to increase the number of visitors that Captain Bill will discuss with you when he lists your home for sale. And remember, Captain Bill does not want to list your home just to have his sign in your yard. He wants to SELL your home so you can get on with your life.

1. Prepare My Val Vista Lakes Home for Sale, How Do I

2. Prepare My Val Vista Lakes Home for Sale, How to Hire a Realtor

3. Prepare My Val Vista Lakes Home for Sale Landscape for Curb Appeal

4. Prepare My Val Vista Lakes Home for Sale, Should I Paint

5. Prepare My Val Vista Lakes Home for Sale by Decluttering, How to

6. Prepare my Val Vista Lakes Home for Sale by Staging, How to

7. Prepare My Val Vista Lakes Home for Sale, Using Professional Photographs

8. Prepare My Val Vista Lakes Home for Sale Using Professional Description

9. Prepare My Val Vista Lakes Home for Sale, Seller Showing Tips

10. Prepare My Val Vista Lakes Home for Sale, How to Prepare for Showing

11. Prepare my Val Vista Lakes Home For Sale, Should I leave when showing

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PAN AM CAPTAIN, Aiming High

PAN AM CAPTAIN, Aiming High

PAN AM CAPTAIN, Aiming High

PAN AM: FREE BOOK OFFER; "PAN AM CAPTAIN, Aiming High"

PAN AM: FREE BOOK OFFER;

"PAN AM CAPTAIN, Aiming High"

PAN AM: The book "Pan Am Captain, Aiming High"

PAN AM: The book "Pan Am Captain, Aiming High"

Pan Am -- Gentlemen I Need a Screw in the Galley, About This Long

Gentlemen I Need a Screw in the Galley, About This Long

PAN AM, by Captain Bill Travis, Pan Am Retired

PAN AM, by Captain Bill Travis, Pan Am Retired

Home Prices in Gilbert Arizona for December 2012

Home Prices in Gilbert Arizona for December 2012

Gilbert Home Prices

Home Prices in Gilbert Arizona for December 2012

Sellers, Offer Val Vista Lakes Buyers Agent an Appropriate Commission

Sellers, Offer Val Vista Lakes Buyers Agent an Appropriate Commission

Sellers, Offer Val Vista Lakes Buyers Agent an Appropriate Commission

Listing Agents, Do Not Force Your Lender on My Buyer

SAN FRANCISCO HERE I COME

Gilbert Arizona Joe's Real BBQ

Gilbert Arizona Joe's Real BBQ

Gilbert Arizona Joe's Real BBQ

Val Vista Lakes Waterfront Homes Regatta Gated Community

Val Vista Lakes Waterfront Homes Regatta Gated Community

Val Vista Lakes Waterfront Homes Regatta Gated Community

Val Vista Lakes Waterfront Home For Sale in Crystal Shores

Val Vista Lakes Waterfront Home For Sale in Crystal Shores

Val Vista Lakes Waterfront Home For Sale in Crystal Shores

Val Vista Lakes Custom Waterfront Updated Home in West Lake Estates

Val Vista Lakes Custom Waterfront Updated Home in West Lake Estates

Val Vista Lakes Custom Waterfront Updated Home in West Lake Estates

Val Vista Lakes Custom Waterfront Home for Sale in West Lake Estates

Val Vista Lakes Custom Waterfront Home for Sale in West Lake Estates

Val Vista Lakes Custom Waterfront Home for Sale in West Lake Estates

Shopping Near Val Vista Lakes Gilbert

Shopping Near Val Vista Lakes Gilbert

Shopping Near Val Vista Lakes Gilbert

VAL VISTA LAKES GILBERT AZ Lakeside sub community

VAL VISTA LAKES GILBERT AZ Lakeside sub community

VAL VISTA LAKES GILBERT AZ Lakeside sub community

Val Vista Lakes Gilbert AZ Sub Community Hidden Cove

Val Vista Lakes Gilbert AZ Sub Community Hidden Cove

Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse is Venue for Banner Health Girls Night Out

Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse is Venue for Banner Health Girls Night Out

Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse is Venue for Banner Health Girls Night Out

EAT MORE BEEF, SAYS THE TURKEY

EAT MORE BEEF, SAYS THE TURKEY

EAT MORE BEEF, SAYS THE TURKEY

Lyons Gate Gilbert AZ video by Captain Bill Travis

Lyons Gate Gilbert AZ video by Captain Bill Travis

Lyons Gate Gilbert AZ video by Captain Bill Travis

Val Vista Lakes Gilbert Explored with Google Maps

Exploring Val Vista Lakes Gilbert with Google Maps

VAL VISTA LAKES NON GATED CUB COMMUNITIES

VAL VISTA LAKES GATED SUB COMMUNITIES

Exploring Val Vista Lakes Gilbert with Google Maps

Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse Needs Holiday Mountain Volunteers

Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse Needs Holiday Mountain Volunteers

VAL VISTA LAKES CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

SANTA CLAUS at VAL VISTA LAKES

VAL VISTA LAKES CLUBHOUSE HOLIDAY SCHEDULE

Val Vista Lakes Clubhouse Needs Holiday Mountain Volunteers

Prepare My Val Vista Lakes Home for Sale, Captain Bill's Series

Prepare My Val Vista Lakes Home for Sale, Captain Bill's Series

Prepare My Val Vista Lakes Home for Sale, Captain Bill's Series