What Creates Community? A Town Mourns a Loss - 11/17/08 11:44 AM
What creates a community?
I suppose we could say time. By accident we tend to stumble into each other’s paths sufficient to create some sort of relationship.
I think it’s more than that.
We become a community when we share a common bond. It may come through following the common path of witnessing a local team achieve… or, conversely, fail. It may come through collective festivities… where we party with one another.
However, as is true with friendships, many of our deepest relationships are forged through the fire of adversity. In short, through the crucible of mourning we find comfort with … (15 comments)

Gilbert Days! Arizona Small Town Festivities Offer Big Time Fun - 11/15/08 11:34 AM
It's here!   Gilbert Days 2008!
Beginning 9 a.m. Saturday November 15, downtown Gilbert will be awash in small town fun and festivities.
It all begins with a parade route that travels down Gilbert road from Juniper to the Town Square.
Then it's on to the Gilbert Municipal Center (South of Warner Road) for a party that lasts from 11 a.m. 'til the cows come home. (Note. The cows go at 5 p.m.)
The parade just keeps getting bigger and better.  Expect to see plenty of floats, cowboys, horsies and any number of creative entries who will present their interpretations of the … (12 comments)

Business Week Feels Gilbert Arizona is One of the Best Places to Raise Your Kids - 11/11/08 07:22 PM

You can't leaf through business weeklies without finding a list proclaiming which city or state has the best this-or-that.
So I often take such information with a grain of salt. However, I *am* quite pleased that Business Week came out with their list of "best places to raise your kids" ... mainly because, of the 52 cities studied, Gilbert Arizona came in high on the list.
I know. Everyone has an opinion of which town is best.
Very often the place of our youth ranks very high in our own list. Since I happen to have lived in Gilbert as … (12 comments)

A Home For the Holidays- First Time Home Buyers on the Rise - 11/11/08 10:34 AM

Right now I'm seeing the same type of client in larger numbers:
This is the season of the First Time Home Buyer.
Much of the time, this is anecdotal information. By this, I mean to say, that sometimes the trends I notice can be unique to me as opposed to being experienced by real estate agents in other areas. However, I'm reading that I'm not alone in this trend.
MSNBC reports (from the 2008 Realtors Conference & Expo in Orlando) that first time home buyer market is on the rise.
"According to the survey, the number of first-time buyers rose … (6 comments)

Why Did the Home Buyer Cross the Road? - 11/09/08 06:11 PM
Q. Why did the home-buyer cross the road?
A. To get a better loan.
******
Lately I’ve been working with a larger number of people who are crossing the border of Gilbert and Mesa into the town of Queen Creek. It’s amazing what happens when you cross the road:
Homes cost less – and there’s a rural housing loan that covers closing costs.
Also, people often qualify for a larger loan amount.
Here's a recent example:
The borrower qualifies for $110k in Maricopa County with an FHA loan that allows for seller concessions and a 1% down payment. … (16 comments)

How "As Is" is it? - 11/08/08 10:49 AM
I was showing pre-foreclosure property to a client recently when she asked a very good question, "how as-is is it?"
When one purchases a resale home, one has the opportunity to request repairs and see if the seller is willing to make them. Bank-owned properties are somewhat different in this regard. Though it's possible to ask for repairs, it's unlikely that such requests will be granted.
Most properties that have been foreclosed upon are sold "as is". That means the buyer will be purchasing the home without a guarantee that the property will be improved beyond the state it is currently … (9 comments)

Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport to be the Country's Next Aerotropolis - 11/06/08 10:21 AM
Real Estate nerd that I am, I've spent quite a bit of time watching zoning hearings regarding the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. This is the area that includes the old Williams Air Force Base and the nearby General Motors Proving Grounds.
As the Valley of the Sun has continued to grow in size- these once distant locations have been eyed by visionaries and potential citizens alike as a prime destination. The city of Mesa, working in harmony with the cities of Queen Creek and Gilbert have been spending a great deal of time making sure this new population center will be well … (4 comments)

Joe Want's to Feed You Again- Free Lunch & Dinner at Joe's Farm Grill in Gilbert - 11/05/08 11:15 AM
He's at it again. That Joe knows how to make friends- feed them.
As I posted many moons ago, Joe's Farm Grill likes to have a party. This time he wants you to try his cheeseburgers, fries and drink. You won't need to open the pocket book either.
For the uninitiated, Joe's philosophy is this:
"we source the best QUALITY ingredients we can find, emphasizing local ingredients. As much as possible, we use fruit, vegetables, and herbs from The Farm at Agritopia, right at our front door. After that we look to other local farmers and then other parts of Arizona. … (15 comments)

What Your "I Voted Today" Sticker Can Buy You - 11/04/08 12:59 PM
Lifehacker, one of my favorite blogs, has a great segment about the various freebies available to voters:
1) Krispy Kreme- A star shaped donut
2) Starbucks- A tall coffee
3) Chick-fil-A - Chicken sandwich
4) Ben and Jerry's - Free scoop of ice cream
Of course, there are conditions and variances, so check out the above link. Plus, check the comments section because people have added several more items.
Even more Sticker-Earning Freebies at SlickDeals.
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I know. We shouldn't vote for the goodies but hey- if someone wants to feed me treats, I'm perfectly willing to accept their generosity.
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… (18 comments)

Wondering Where Your Polls Are? Use Google's Locator - 11/03/08 09:40 PM
When I last went to the polls I discovered that my location had changed. This added nearly an hour to the process.
In order to avoid that, I checked to see if there would be any surprises in store for me tomorrow.
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Wondering how to find your polling place?
Google has made it easy.
With the assistance of the league of Women Voters they've created:
The 2008 US Voter Info site.
Just type in your address and the site will show your polling location.
You can also quickly map your location.
Note: This is a nationwide tool.
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For Arizona, … (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

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