Revisiting Warren Buffet- Squanderville versus Thriftville - 03/29/08 04:02 PM
When the Fortune comes out with their richest persons list... and one realizes that the number one person on the list, Warren Buffet, amassed his fortunes by "investing" ... it's probably a good idea to take a look at his advice. 
It's also wise to go back a few years and see if he made any predictions- any that might apply to our current market.
Well- that's what the smart people at TradeReform did.
They looked back on a Fortune article called, "Squanderville versus Thriftville".
Among other things he:
"Called wolf" on banking. Felt the dollar would slip against other currencies. … (3 comments)

Interactive Vietnam Veterans Memorial- Now Available Online - 03/27/08 03:23 AM

For those who've ever visited the Vietnam War Memorial, you already understand the sentiment.

It's an experience you may never forget.

I'm from a military family. My father spent more than a year there- it seemed much longer.

Growing up on a military base felt, at times, like living in a colony inhabited by women and children.

Moms were everywhere- at little league and meet the teacher night. Fathers were otherwise engaged.

It seemed that a month didn't pass without a fellow classmate's father or relative being reported as missing in action, being taken prisoner … (18 comments)

Photoshop- Now Available in Free Online Version! - 03/27/08 01:37 AM

There are excellent online photo editors... but none of them are Photoshop- the king daddy of image editors.
That is, until now. Adobe has created Photoshop Express, an online editor that allows the casual web user the ability to touch up photos and share them with the world at large. They also provide you two gigabytes of storage space.
As you can see from the screenshot, a great number of features are built in:
Auto Correct Exposure Adjustments Red Eye Removal Touchup Tools Saturation Slider Balance, Hightlights, Fill Light Sharpen and Soft Focus (Barbara Walters approved) Special Effects: Hues, Pop … (33 comments)

Phoenix Arizona- A Sports Mecca - 03/24/08 05:02 PM
The Phoenix area offers great recreation for the outdoorsy type. Maybe less known is the spectator opportunities. Name a professional sport and, chances are, you'll find an outlet locally. The Phoenix metro area is home to several franchises- each with a thriving fan base.
The Arizona Diamondbacks went from new franchise to World Series champs in short order. Their world class facility, Chase Field, is a baseball fan's delight. Thanks to the Cactus League, which offers opportunities to see a dozen major league teams prepare for the regular season, one may discover that the Diamondback games are frequented by a large … (2 comments)

Retirees Like College Towns- Welcome to Arizona! - 03/23/08 09:21 PM
There are Seniors in College and Seniors near college.
They share a common goal- live where the action is.
While college seniors may have aspirations to leave town as soon as they graduate, Senior Citizens are increasingly moving to college towns as they enter their twilight years
... Or so says a report from NuWire. 
In their report, they explain that retirees are increasingly seeking residence in Florida and Arizona's college towns; why would this be?
Here's what the retiree finds in college towns:
Access to university medical centers. Renowned research facilities. Hospitable Weather. For the investment minded, this adds to … (6 comments)

FHA Loan Limits- Maricopa and Pinal County - 03/20/08 07:57 PM
The two fastest growing counties in the country are both found in Arizona.
They are first Maricopa County and next, Pinal County.
For an indepth breakdown of these counties and the cities within, check out one of my previous blog entries:
Arizona- The Greater Phoenix Area Real Estate Market Overview 
One of the questions I'm asked by those wishing to relocate is this:
What are your FHA Loan limits?
Well... here they are: 
 
source: FHA
Note: The observant person will notice that they're exactly the same. 
------
Chuck Willman helps people buy homes in the greater Phoenix Arizona are.
He's … (4 comments)

Finding the Good in Bad News - 03/18/08 07:20 PM

Today the Fed cut the overnight lending rate by .75 points.
The stock market responded with the highest gains in five years.
A reporter has a choice:
Explain the pitiful state of the economy that requires such drastic measures. Analyze the the move as a demonstration that there are still many buyers in the market. I remember a Finance professor in the Arizona State MBA Program who said that psychology can always be found behind the moves in every market. He explained that there are opportunities in upside down markets. In each market, every seller finds a buyer... even if … (7 comments)

Pricing the Home- See the Home as a Visitor - 03/18/08 02:11 PM

There are several steps to pricing a home for marketability. I like to take the following into consideration:
Pricing of similar homes in the neighborhood or vicinity. Is there new construction within a few mile radius? If so, at what price? Value of current homes on the market and how long they've been on the market. Foreclosures or short sales- are there any? are they nearby? There is one other thing that I try to do.
I like to wipe the slate clean.
I've visited some communities so many times that I already have preconceived notions about pricing.
Such … (4 comments)

Mesa Arizona Gains New Home Community- Pent Up Demand Exists - 03/15/08 07:32 PM

It's peculiar.
Mesa Arizona is one of the largest cities in America.
And it's sprawling.
Yet it's very short on new single family homes.
This is being addressed in north east Mesa as a builder is opening a master planned community with 18 different models and prices ranging from the mid $200s to the high $600s. 
Pent up demand brought large crowds as several hundred showed up for the grand opening, which was held on Saturday. One of the agents targeted the actual count close at close to 900.
Interested in touring what Mesa has to offer?
Give me a … (0 comments)

Mesa Arizona Roads: Red Mountain 202 Inching Closer to Completion - 03/15/08 07:08 PM

When I purchase my lot in North East Mesa I was enamored with the location's scenery.
I was less enthusiastic about my proximity to freeways.
Then came the 202 Loop... it's north eastern portion known as the Red Mountain Freeway.
This allowed me quick access to Scottsdale, Tempe and Phoenix.
I discovered what used to take an hour was cut in half.
Those who live on the San Tan portion of Loop 202 found similar success.
They were connected to areas that they may have avoided.
One of my clients called the 202 his magic carpet ride. I echo this … (2 comments)

Hiding Wires in a Wireless World - 03/15/08 06:29 PM
One of the tentacles of this digital world is the proliferation of wires.
And we have fought this wire mess in many ways:
Try buying a corded telephone- the cordless outnumber the corded. Cell phones let us roam further. Blue tooth technology. Wireless Internet routers and adapters. Wireless keyboard and mouse. Still, chances are your office has more cords than you care to see.
Here are a couple companies founded on making those cords hide away.
First there is Wiretracks - a company whose product allows you to hide your wires into crown molding. 

Whether you need to do one … (2 comments)

Fed with Something to Chew On- Tales From the Cutting Board - 03/15/08 04:01 PM

 
Meet The new Fed- this board under Ben Bernanke's watchful eye is a bit different than Alan Greenspan's Fed.
Alan Greenspan was notoriously elusive. He tended to not broadcast his intentions. He was, and still is, enigmatic in his pronouncements.
Ben Bernanke appears to be the opposite. 
He appear willing to let the market know his intentions before he actually makes official announcement.
His "trial balloon" style allows him to test the market reaction to his planned moves.
It's too early to know if This method is effective, but I'm thinking it's a nice change of pace.
There is … (4 comments)

Personal Finance Tips- From Negative to Positive Net Worth - 03/15/08 03:25 PM
A couple graduated college with a combined debt load of $40,000.
Five years they had a net worth of over $285,000.
Not bad, right?
You can read about it here: How My Net Worth Went from $-40,000 to $285,000 in Five Years. 
Here's the shortcut: "we systematically controlled our spending so that our expenses were well below our income."
However, the next step provided the key to wealth building. 
I've blogged about this before. The key to success is earning more than you spend. 
Even more significant, most of their earnings were earned through one vehicle: investment property. 
To this many … (5 comments)

Northeast Mesa Arizona - Gated Community Luxury Home - 03/13/08 09:23 PM
… (2 comments)

Find Front Page News Quickly - 03/13/08 01:00 AM
I had a high school teacher who would say "But that's not exactly Front Page News!"
I always wondered, how could he know that for sure?
Now I have a way to test the theory.
Along comes Newseum ... it's a website that archives front page news stories from around the world.
You select your section of the world and move your way around the map.
Hover over one of the yellow dots and you'll be shown a graphical representation of the front page of the corresponding newspaper.
It's zippy, fun and easy. 
Check it out, it is (in my humble … (10 comments)

Q: How's the Market? A: Which One? - 03/12/08 05:55 PM

When people find out I work in real estate they make that concerned/contorted expression and wincingly ask, "How's the market?"
I try not to make it sound like a knee-jerk response, but I have to clarify with another question, "Which One?"
The markets I'm in are good. The ones I'm avoiding are not so hot. 
There is no such thing as "one market". The facets of real estate that I currently specialize in are:
Investment Properties Land New Construction Each has its own niches... some sections of each market are very good... some troubled. Regarding these market segments, here is … (10 comments)

1935 Advertising - Arizona Tourism Nostalgia - 03/12/08 03:31 PM
It's fun to look back.
As anyone who has ever "gone home" has discovered... sometimes our memories are hazy at best.
That mountain you remembered as a child really is closer to a molehill. The big buildings? - small. The big city itself? - little. Thankfully- there are some memories that can not be changed.
The memory of fun times and great friends. The taste of grandma's cooking. The fragrance of mom's flower garden. You get the picture.
Everyday I pitch the quality of life in Arizona.
I have to admit though, that this must have been a greater challenge in … (6 comments)

What is the Secret? shhhhhhh..... I have the answer. - 03/12/08 02:49 PM
Like many of you, I've read the book, "The Secret".
I like the message that positivity or, maybe more importantly, shunning negativity puts you into the karmic slipstream of success.
However, there's not much positive math to that formula.
I work with investors.
They know math. They have a bottom line. They demand cash flow. They're right.
Want to know the secret to successful cash flow?
Really?
Are you ready for the sure fire secret to investing?
I'm going to give it to you right now.
100% guaranteed!
AND... at no cost to you!!
Here is the secret to successful investing.
… (7 comments)

Mesa Mayor Race Way to Close Too Call - 03/02/08 10:19 PM
A month and a half I blogged about the three candidates for Mayor of Mesa Arizona.
OK... plenty of time has passed.
Many issues have been debated. 
Now, with the elections just over a week away...
...it appears that half of city's residences have yet to make up their minds.
So says a report on MSNBC.
For those undecided, right now would be a good time to visit the candidates' web sites.
There's plenty of time to assess the issues. 
Go here for the official sites:
http://claudiawalters.com/ http://www.rexgriswold.com/ http://www.scottsmithformayor.com/   
… (6 comments)

Fair Debt Collections Practices Act - 03/01/08 11:58 PM
If you're working with persons involved in a short sale there are a few things that go beyond typical agent advice.
Some of them have to do with financial and legal matters.
For these areas I advise my clients to seek competent legal and financial professionals.
Should they receive creditor calls, I make sure they sign a cease and desist letter that allows them to refer matters of the short sale to the listing agent.
I also provide a link to the government's Fair Debt Collections Practices Act pdf.
This gives them a good reference point for their rights. 
There are … (8 comments)

Scottsdale Investor Event: Acquiring Cash Flow Producing Properties - 03/01/08 08:09 PM
I am among the invited speakers at the Worldwide Success Network in Scottsdale, Arizona this Friday evening.

Come join us for a free night of education (and food).
This is the press release from Kevin Sparks' blog... We are having our next WSN Cashflow event in Scottsdale on Friday, March 7th from 630pm-10pm. The location for this event is the State Mortgage Building.
The address is 9237 E. Via De Ventura, Scottsdale, AZ 85258. For those of you who are familiar with where the Cold Stone Creamery corporate office is, the State Mortgage Building is in the same group of … (0 comments)

Latest Trends in Arizona's Valley of the Sun Real Estate - 03/01/08 06:44 PM

Here's what has come down the road in my little area of the world (Phoenix Arizona Metro Area):
Buyers are coming to Arizona. We're dealing with more buyers from Canada and the north eastern United States. These are mostly investment buyers who are concentrating on homes that can be purchased and then rented with positive cash flow. Buyers are taking advantage of the Sub $200k market. Here's a great article. Some zip codes are noticing price increases and faster resales. These areas include isolated neighborhoods in $200k+ Scottsdale, Tempe and Northeast Mesa. Some new home builders are banking on the … (3 comments)

World's Largest Solar Plant- Headed to Arizona - 03/01/08 05:47 PM
We share the same sun- but Arizona seems to share it more than most.

That may be why Abenoga Solar, in a press release, revealed that they have chosen Arizona for the largest project to date.
Operational in 2011, they expect to harness the power of the sun to deliver 280 megawatts of power at a value of $4 billion over the next thirty years. The plant will be located in Gila Bend, a city 70 miles southwest of Phoenix.
Arizona's governor Napolitano revealed, “Arizona is leading the way in protecting our world for future generations through increasing the amount … (6 comments)

 
Chuckmug3 Rainmaker_large

Chuck Willman, Arizona Realtor® 480.292.0600

Mesa, AZ

More about me…

Gentry Realty

Address: 2812 N. Norwalk #101, Mesa, AZ , 85215

Office Phone: (480) 292-0600

Cell Phone: (480) 292-0600

Email Me

Tips for those seeking a home or property in the Valley of the Sun. Also a source for Investments, First time Home Buying, Relocation & International Properties. Page copy protected against web site content infringement by Copyscape
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