Scottsdale Arizona Real Estate Guy

Military Members : You Have 3 Weeks To Buy A Home, Claim Up To $8,000 In Tax Credits

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 13:16:15 -0700

If you’re an eligible federal employee or qualified military personnel, you have 3 weeks from this Saturday to use the federal home buyer tax credit, and to claim up to $8,000 in federal income tax credits.

According to the IRS, eligible persons include members and spouses of the uniformed services, members and spouses of the Foreign Service, and intelligence community employees who served at least 90 days of qualified, extended duty service outside of the United States between January 1, 2009 and April 30, 2010, and their spouses.

Eligible persons must be under contract for a new home on or before April 30, 2011, with the home’s closing occurring on or before June 30, 2011.

The federal home buyer tax credit is a true credit, too. Eligible buyers receive a dollar-for-dollar tax reduction equal to 10 percent of the subject home’s purchase price, not to exceed $8,000 for first-time home buyers, and not to exceed $6,500 for repeat home buyers.

Repeat buyers must have lived in their “main home” through 5 of the last 8 years in order to be eligibke.

Furthermore, both the buyer(s) and the subject property must meet certain minimum eligibility requirements:

The home may not be purchased from a parent, spouse, or child
The home may not be purchased from an entity in which the seller is a majority owner
The home may not be acquired by gift or inheritance
The home sale price may not exceed $800,000
Buyers may not earn more than $125,000 as single-filers; $225,000 as joint-filers

The complete program description is published on the IRS website. For additional information regarding your tax credit eligibility, you may want to speak with an accountant or other tax professional. It’s often worth the cost.

If you are interested in Real Estate in the Greater Phoenix or Scottsdale area, or have any additional questions please don't hesitate to call me at 602-708-0296 or email me at chadt@selling2arizona.com.

Also please check out out my Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I look forward to hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this post or found it useful, please connect with me

If you're looking for a home in the Scottsdale area, please visit my primary Scottsdale Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com.

This Active Rain post is sponsored by Mark Taylor, to get your free approval please call 602-361-0707. Pleaseclick on the links below to view his AWESOME websites!

Pending Home Sales Rebound; Suggest Brighter Spring For Housing

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 12:21:16 -0700

On a seasonally-adjusted basis, the Pending Home Sales Index rose 2 percent last month, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. A “pending home sale” is defined as a home under contract to sell, but not yet closed.

February’s Pending Home Sales Index rebound breaks a 2-month losing streak, and reverses the recent downward momentum in housing. Both Existing Home Sales and New Home Sales volume showed a sizable loss last month.

For buyers and sellers of real estate in Scottsdale , the Pending Home Sales Index is of particular import. It’s one of the few forward-looking indicators in housing, and February’s data suggests a stronger spring season than was the winter.

Region-by-region, Pending Home Sales data varied:

Northeast Region: -10.9%
Midwest Region : +4.0%
South Region : +2.7%
West Region : +7.0%

3 of 4 regions showed marked improvement, which is good for housing. In the fourth — New England — it’s likely that inclement weather hampered results.

February was colder-than-normal and the month capped a record-breaking snowfall season for the region. Anecdotally, fewer homes are sold in the cold-and-snow of winter and it’s likely that the weather affected local housing markets.

Looking to March and April, therefore, we should expect Existing Home Sales data to rebound. This is because 80% of “pending” homes close within 60 days, and because improving weather should release pent-up demand for housing.

More sales plus higher home demand tends to lead home prices higher. If you’re in the market for a new home, consider that your best negotiation leverage comes in a weak market. As the seasons turn, your leverage looks poised to slip.

The best time to buy this year may be right now.

Also please check out out my Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I look forward to hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this post or found it useful, please connect with me

If you're looking for a home in the Scottsdale area, please visit my primary Scottsdale Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com.

This Active Rain post is sponsored by Mark Taylor, to get your free approval please call 602-361-0707. Pleaseclick on the links below to view his AWESOME websites!

Rental Houses Heading Up In Price

Sat, 26 Mar 2011 03:30:55 -0700

As home owner after home owner loses their home to foreclosure or Short Sale, it is hard to see positives in today's Real Estate Market here in Scottsdale, but, not everyone is losing money. Many landlords are finding the rental market stronger than ever and a great place to make money.

It's a classic example of supply and demand. As more and more families lose their homes to short sale and foreclosure, they have to still live somewhere. With the high demand, and low inventory of rental properties out there, landlords are raising rent and making a substantial profit.

In the Greater Phoenix and Scottsdale area alone, 55 percent of houses for sale are considered distressed properties. All those homeowners are not eligible for financing for the next three to five years, which means they need for a house to rent. That's great news for landlords and for rental rates.

I have personally seen rentals going for over listing price. A striking similar scenario to the Valley housing market during the boom of 2005.

Nationwide, experts say 2010 was the best in 15 years for landlords. Experts are advising renters to sign a lease as long as possible to lock in current prices. Rates are up 5 percent over last year, and with this demand, they expect rental rates to keep going up.

If you are looking or considering buying an investment property, contact me today to see the opportunities that are out there for investors today.

Also please check out out my Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I look forward to hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this post or found it useful, please connect with me

If you're looking for a home in the Scottsdale area, please visit my primary Scottsdale Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com.

This Active Rain post is sponsored by Mark Taylor, to get your free approval please call 602-361-0707. Pleaseclick on the links below to view his AWESOME websites!

Good News For Sellers — Housing Starts Plummet In February

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 17:05:54 -0700

Single-family housing starts plunged unexpectedly last month. Nationwide, starts fell 12 percent from the month prior; and 29 percent from February of last year.

February’s figures represents the worst 1-month drop in housing starts since May 2010 — the month that followed the expiration of last year’s federal home buyer tax credit — and puts single-family housing starts at a 24-month low.

In addition, single-family Building Permits plunged last month, too, shedding 9 percent from January. A building permit is a local government’s certification and approval to begin home construction.

Housing permits are an excellent forward-indicator for the housing market. This is because 93 percent of homes start construction within 60 days of permit-issuance.Fewer permits, therefore, directly reduces the number of new homes coming to market in the coming months.

For home buyers in Phoenix looking at new construction or existing homes, this news should create a sense of urgency.

Home prices are based on supply and demand and overall home supply looks headed for a fall. Plus, with mortgage rates retreating and homebuilders projecting higher sales this summer, buyers may face rising home prices before long.

Sellers look poised to regain negotiation leverage.

For now, though, home affordability remains high with properties inexpensive and mortgage rates still low, historically. If you plan to buy a home in 2011, the February 2011 Housing Starts data may be reason to move up your time frame.

With home supplies dropping, prices are likely to rise.

Also please check out out my Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I look forward to hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this post or found it useful, please connect with me

If you're looking for a home in the Scottsdale area, please visit my primary Scottsdale Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com.

This Active Rain post is sponsored by Mark Taylor, to get your free approval please call 602-361-0707. Pleaseclick on the links below to view his AWESOME websites!

41st Annual Scottsdale Arts Festival

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 15:15:08 -0800

This weekend marks the 41st annual Scottsdale Arts Festival. From Today, March 11th through Sunday, March 13, Scottsdale will again play host to one of the most popular and well respected art festivals in the country. There are a ton of activities for the whole family to enjoy including seeing the featured artists, fine local dining, and some of the best local entertainers. Not to mention the weather couldn't be any more perfect!

The Phoenix Street Food Coalition will offer local food for the first time at the Scottsdale Arts Festival. These mobile eateries have earned great recognition for their ability to deliver street foods for all to enjoy. Come out and enjoy Beet Street, Hey Joe! Filipino Street Food, Jamburritos Cajun Grille Express, Paradise Melts, Riteway Catering Company, Short Leash Hot Dogs, Sunshine and Spice, Sweet Republic, Tom’s BBQ and Whiskey Ranch Wood-Fired Pizzas.

Recently named one of the country’s favorite arts festivals by the readers of AmericanStyle Magazine and “Best Arts Festival” by Phoenix New Times, the award-winning Scottsdale Arts Festival showcases the creativity of 200 of America’s premier artists. Visitors also enjoy live music and entertainment; creative activities for children and families at Imagine Nation and much more.

Admission to the Scottsdale Arts Festival is $7 for adults, $5 for students and free for children 12 and under. Additional information is available online at www.ScottsdaleArtsFestival.org or through (480) 994-ARTS (2787), ext. 2.

The Scottsdale Arts Festival is made possible by 99.9 KEZ and Mix 96.9, SRP Earthwise Energy and Cuties Clementine with additional support from Desert Living Today.

Also please check out out my Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I look forward to hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this post or found it useful, please connect with me

If you're looking for a home in the Scottsdale area, please visit my primary Scottsdale Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com.

This Active Rain post is sponsored by Mark Taylor, to get your free approval please call 602-361-0707. Pleaseclick on the links below to view his AWESOME websites!

Loan Fees Set To Rise For Conforming Mortgage Applicants

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 13:43:17 -0800

Beginning April 1, 2011, Fannie Mae is increasing its loan-level pricing adjustments. Conforming mortgage applicants in Arizona should plan for higher loan costs in the months ahead. If you’ve never heard of loan-level pricing adjustments, you’re not alone; they’re an obscure mortgage pricing metric and, thus, are rarely covered by the media. That doesn’t make them any less relevant, however. LLPAs are mandatory closing costs assessed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, designed to offset a given loan’s risk of default. LLPAs were first introduced in April 2009. This April’s amendment is the 6th increase in 2 years. LLPAs can be costly. In addition to an up-front, quarter-percent fee applied to all loans, there are 5 additional “risk categories” in the LLPA equation:

Credit Score : Lower FICO scores trigger additional costs
Property Type : Multi-unit homes trigger additional costs
Occupancy : Investment properties trigger additional costs
Structure : Loans with subordinate financing may trigger additional costs
Equity : Loans with less than 25% equity trigger additional costs

Adjustments range from 0.25 points (for having a 735 FICO score) to 3.000 points (for buying an investment property with just 20% downpayment). And they’re cumulative. This means that a borrower that triggers 3 categories of risk must pay the costs associated with all 3 traits. Loan-level pricing adjustments can be expensive — up to 5 percent or more of your loan size in closing costs. The fees can be paid a one-time cash payment at closing, or they can be paid in the form of a higher mortgage rate. The loan-level pricing adjustment schedule is public. You can research your own loan scenario at the Fannie Mae website, but you may find the charts confusing. Phone or email your loan officer if you’re unsure of what you’re reading.

Also please check out out my Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I look forward to hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this post or found it useful, please connect with me

If you're looking for a home in the Scottsdale area, please visit my primary Scottsdale Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com.

This Active Rain post is sponsored by Mark Taylor, to get your free approval please call 602-361-0707. Pleaseclick on the links below to view his AWESOME websites!

Scottsdale Quarter Coming Alive

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 15:48:20 -0800

Scottsdale Quarter is a $270 million mixed-use project on 28 acres at the southeast corner of Scottsdale Road and Greenway-Hayden Loop, east of Kierland Commons. When complete, the development's three phases will total about 1.2 million square feet of retail, restaurant, entertainment and office space, and possibly residential and hospitality.

Initial opening was in 2009, and Phases 1 and 2 are expected to be leased by the end of 2011. The final phase is expected to include a residential component and a hotel, but a projected opening date is unknown. Seventy percent of retail space is either open, under construction or being negotiated, and office space is 90 percent leased.

Notable Tenants:

- Brio Tuscan Grille

- Apple Inc.

- H&M

- West Elm

- iPic Theaters

- Nike

- Prime Bar

- True Food Kitchen

- Eddie V's Prime Seafood

- TK's Urban Tavern

- Tanzy

- Avalon Nail Salon

Coming Soon:

- Gap

- Drybar

- Pottery Barn

- Carine W

- Diane's Beachwear

- Coal Burger

As you drive down Scottsdale Road, it's hard to miss the Upscale shopping center on the east side of Scottsdale Rd and Greenway, that just a year ago looked like another vicitim of the recession that doomed many valley retail centers.

With packed parking spaces, and lines out the doors from lunch hour to happy hour, the project is booming with business. Attracting visitors from local office buildings, snow birds and locals alike. Scottsdale Quarter is a breath of fresh air as we try to get back on our feet from the economy that dealt a swift blow to most of us.

Today only 30% of the retail space and 10% percent of the office space remain vacant. A vast improvement for Scottsdale Quarter, that sat nearly vacant a year ago, and have seen similar developments like CityNorth yet to recover.

So if you haven't had an opportunity to go by Scottsdale Quarter yet, take a stroll down to Scottsdale and enjoy all the entertainment, restaurants and shopping Scottsdale Quarter has to offer. And hopefully this is a sign of good things to come for other valley retailers and the economy as a whole.

Also please check out out my Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I look forward to hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this post or found it useful, please connect with me

If you're looking for a home in the Scottsdale area, please visit my primary Scottsdale Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com.

This Active Rain post is sponsored by Mark Taylor, to get your free approval please call 602-361-0707. Pleaseclick on the links below to view his AWESOME websites!

FHA : Monthly Mortgage Insurance Premiums To Rise April 18, 2011

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 12:39:15 -0800

For the third time in 12 months, the FHA is changing its mortgage insurance costs. Effective for all FHA case numbers assigned on, or after, April 18, 2011, annual mortgage insurance premiums (MIP) will increase 25 basis points. The change will add $250 to an FHA-insured homeowner’s annual loan costs per $100,000 borrowed, and applies to all borrower’s equally. Current FHA borrowers are unaffected. To understand the FHA is to understand why premiums are rising. As an institution, the Federal Housing Administration plays a much larger role in the U.S. housing market today than it did just 5 years ago. According to its own records, the FHA’s percentage of purchase money business in AZ and nationwide expanded from 4 percent in FY 2006 to 19 percent in FY 2010. Rapid growth like this has strained the FHA’s capital and, indeed, in its official statement, the FHA alludes to this, stating that the MIP increase will “significantly strengthen” its reserves. By law, the FHA must maintain a certain minimum level of reserves. FHA mortgage insurance varies by loan term, and by loan-to-value and, beginning April 18, 2011, the new insurance premiums are as follows:

15-year loan term, loan-to-value > 90% : 0.50% per year
15-year loan term, loan-to-value <= 90% : 0.25% per year
30-year loan term, loan-to-value > 95% : 1.15% per year
30-year loan term, loan-to-value <= 95% : 1.10% per year

To calculate your monthly mortgage insurance premium, multiply your starting loan size by your insurance premium, and divide by 12. There is no change planned to the 1 percent upfront mortgage insurance premium charged by the FHA.

Also please check out out my Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I look forward to hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this post or found it useful, please connect with me

If you're looking for a home in the Scottsdale area, please visit my primary Scottsdale Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com.

This Active Rain post is sponsored by Mark Taylor, to get your free approval please call 602-361-0707. Pleaseclick on the links below to view his AWESOME websites!

Ignore The Case-Shiller Index; Focus On The Future Instead

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 13:49:19 -0800

Last week, Standard & Poor’s released its Case-Shiller Index for December 2010. The index is a home valuation tracker, meant to meausure the change in home prices from one period to the next. December’s Case-Shiller Index showed major devaluations nationwide. As compared to December 2009, on a year-over-year basis, home values fell in 18 of the Case Shiller Index’s 20 tracked markets, and the U.S. National Index dropped 4 percent overall.

The retreat puts December’s home values at similar levels as compared to early-2003. That said, buyers and sellers would be wise to take the findings lightly. The Case-Shiller Index is inherently flawed. As such, its results are neither practical — nor relevant — to everyday Americans. There are 3 Case-Shiller flaws, in fact. The first flaw is the index’s limited sample set. Wikipedia lists 3,100+ municipalities nationwide and we can be certain that real estate is bought and sold in all of them. The Case-Shiller Index, however, measures just 20 of them. That’s less than 1% of all U.S. cities. And then, within those tracked cities, Case-Shiller reports an average, lumping disparate neighborhoods and streets into one big number. The “national figures” aren’t really national, and the “city data” doesn’t apply to your home, specifically. The second Case-Shiller Index flaw is how it measures home value changes.

The index only consider at “repeat sales” of the same home, so long as that home is a single-family, detached property. Condominiums, multi-family homes, and new construction are ignored in the Case-Shiller Index. Because distressed properties account for such a high percentage of resales lately — 36% in December –foreclosures and short sales skew Case-Shiller Index worse. And, lastly, the Case-Shiller Index is flawed by “age”. Because it reports closed sales a 60-day delay, December’s Case-Shiller Index is measuring the values of home sales contracts from September and October. The Case-Shiller Index, therefore, is a snapshot of the not-so-recent past, and does little to tell us about the next 60 days.

Overall, the Case-Shiller Index is helpful tool for economists and policy-makers, but it doesn’t do much good for individual homeowners across the city of Mesa or anywhere else. For accurate, real-time housing data in your local market, talk to a real estate professional instead.

Also please check out out my Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I look forward to hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this post or found it useful, please connect with me

If you're looking for a home in the Scottsdale area, please visit my primary Scottsdale Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com.

This Active Rain post is sponsored by Mark Taylor, to get your free approval please call 602-361-0707. Pleaseclick on the links below to view his AWESOME websites!

Pending Home Sales Drop For Second Straight Month

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 12:10:55 -0800

After a strong run to close out 2010, the market for home resales softened a bit in January. On a seasonally-adjusted basis, the Pending Home Sales Index dropped 3 percent last month, and December’s figures were revised downward for a loss, too, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. A “pending home sale” is defined as a home under contract to sell, but not yet closed.

The forward-looking index is now at a 3-month low on a national level, but still well ahead of its rolling 6-month average. Unfortunately, national data isn’t overly helpful for buyers and sellers of real estate. The National Association of REALTORS® knows this, of course, and makes an effort to get more granular, supplementing the Pending Home Sales Index report with a region-by-region breakdown. Between December and January, only the South Region increased in sales volume. The Midwest led the losers:

Northeast Region: -2.4%
Midwest Region : -7.3%
South Region : +1.4%
West Region : -5.2%

Even still, however, regional data remains too broad to be practical. The South Region, for example, is comprised of multiple states with thousands of cities and town. The housing market dynamics of a specific neighborhood in a specific regional city will differ from that of another neighborhood in another regional city.

Real estate data must be local to be relevant. Overall, then, what may be most telling from January’s Pending Home Sales Index is how weather can influence results. Most of the country faced drastic weather conditions in January, ranging from raging snowstorms to bitter cold. Events like that tend to put a damper on home sales, a contributing factor in why the number of new contracts fell. Another reason is rising mortgage rates.

Conforming and FHA rates rose week-by-week in January, robbing home buyers of 10% of their purchasing power. This, too, can slow down purchase activity as buyers adjust their expectations. Looking forward, we should expect the Pending Home Sales Index to resume rising. Inclement weather doesn’t kill demand; it just delays it. And mortgage rates have settled somewhat. These two factors should help release pent-up demand just as the Spring Homebuying Season gets underway. As more buyers enter the market, negotiation leverage will shift to home sellers, pressuring Scottsdale home prices higher. The lowest prices of the year — and the cheapest financing — could be what you see today.

Also please check out out my Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I look forward to hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this post or found it useful, please connect with me

If you're looking for a home in the Scottsdale area, please visit my primary Scottsdale Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com.

This Active Rain post is sponsored by Mark Taylor, to get your free approval please call 602-361-0707. Pleaseclick on the links below to view his AWESOME websites!

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : February 28, 2011

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 14:20:42 -0800

Mortgage markets improved last week as Wall Street’s concerns about the Middle East trumped its fears of inflation. Conforming and FHA mortgage rates in AZ fell to a 3-week low. Last week marked the second straight week in which mortgage rates fell, a streak that follows four straight weeks of climbing mortgage rates. It’s been a bout of good fortune for rate shoppers and home buyers. In addition, according to Freddie Mac’s weekly mortgage rate survey, the average spread between conforming 30-year fixed rate mortgages and 5-year ARMs has widened further. The two benchmark products are now separated by 1.15%. It’s the largest interest rate gap in recent history; one that yields a monthly payment difference of $68 per $100,000 borrowed. This week, it’s unclear in what direction mortgage rates will go. On one side, there’s ongoing unease related to protests in Libya and its neighbors, and that’s driving safe haven buying. “Safe haven buying” describes when investors flee risky situations and put their money in the safest places possible. Mortgage bonds are one such place, so when safe haven buying is in effect, bond demand is high so bond yields (i.e. mortgage rates) fall. On the other side, inflation is ramping up. Recent economic data shows that the economy is expanding, and the Federal Reserve is maintaining its accommodative growth policies. Therefore, this week, the key economic event will be Friday’s jobs report. if job creation is high, expect inflation fear to re-ignite, and mortgage rates to rise. Another risk factor for this week’s rate shoppers is that tensions begin to settle in the Middle East, or that Wall Street gets more comfortable with rising oil prices. If that happens, safe haven buying will subside and mortgage rates will resume rising. There appears to be more reasons for mortgage rates to rise this week than for them to fall. Plan accordingly. If you have not locked a mortgage rate yet, this week may represent your last chance to get a low one. Talk to your loan officer and make a plan.

Also please check out out my Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I look forward to hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this post or found it useful, please connect with me

If you're looking for a home in the Scottsdale area, please visit my primary Scottsdale Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com.

This Active Rain post is sponsored by Mark Taylor, to get your free approval please call 602-361-0707. Pleaseclick on the links below to view his AWESOME websites!

New Home Sales Crater In January, Opening The Door For Deals With Builders

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 12:29:00 -0800

Not all housing reports are sunny, it seems. In its monthly New Home Sales release, the U.S. Department of Commerce showed a 13 percent drop-off in annualized new construction sales between the months of December and January. It’s the biggest one-month drop in New Home Sales since May 2010. In addition, the supply of new homes for sale spiked higher to 7.9 months last month. ”Home supply” is defined as the amount of time it would take to sell the complete “for sale” inventory at the current pace of sales. In December, the supply measured just 7.0 months, Don’t fret the news, however. For buyers of new construction in Scottsdale , falling New Home Sales figures can be terrific. Weaker markets put pressure on the nation’s home builders to sell their respective homes more quickly. To reach that goal, builders often discount prices and/or offer free upgrades to buyers. Some of that action may already be in effect. Despite falling volume, the New Home Sales report showed that new homes are selling faster than in recent months. The median time required to sell a newly-built home dropped to 7.8 months in January – a figure well below January 2010′s reading of 13.9 months. It suggests that builders are getting better at locating buyers, and moving property. Therefore, if you’re shopping for a new construction and see one worth buying, get to it. Not only will the home likely sell soon if it’s priced right, but an increase in mortgage rates will make the home more expensive to finance. Every 0.250% increase to rates adds $15 monthly per $100,000 borrowed.

Also please check out out my Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I look forward to hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this post or found it useful, please connect with me

If you're looking for a home in the Scottsdale area, please visit my primary Scottsdale Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com.

This Active Rain post is sponsored by Mark Taylor, to get your free approval please call 602-361-0707. Pleaseclick on the links below to view his AWESOME websites!

Existing Home Supply Down 40% In Last 6 Months

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 12:59:06 -0800

Home resales rose another 2.7 percent last month, according to the National Association of REALTORS® monthly Existing Home Sales report.

An “existing home” is a home that’s been previously occupied and is not considered new construction.

The number of existing homes sold on a rolling 12-month basis is now at its highest point since May 2010, the month before the federal homebuyer tax credit ended. It’s also up some 40% since July 2010, the month after the tax credit ended.

But that’s not the biggest story in the Existing Home Sales report. The precipitous decline in home inventory deserves more attention.

At the current pace of sales, the complete, national home resale inventory will be sold in 7.6 months. This is close to 5 months faster as compared to last year’s peak, and well below the 2-year home supply average of 9.0 months. There more buyers in the market, it seems, and fewer homes from which they can choose.

Total home resale inventory is down to just 3.38 million homes nationwide — the fewest in 12 months.

There were other interesting statistics in the official Existing Home Sales report, including a break-down of purchases by buyer-type.

First-time buyers accounted for 29% of purchases, down from 33% in January
Repeat homebuyers accounted for 48% of purchases, up from 47% in January
Investors accounted for 23% of of purchases, up from 20% in January

In addition, distressed sales — foreclosures and short sales — made up 37 percent of the market.

Over the next few days, more housing data will hit the wires and it’s expected to show similar strength to January’s Existing Home Sales report. With falling supplies and a growing base of move-up buyers, home prices in Mesa and around the country are expected to rise in the coming months ahead.

Also please check out out my Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I look forward to hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this post or found it useful, please connect with me

If you're looking for a home in the Scottsdale area, please visit my primary Scottsdale Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com.

This Active Rain post is sponsored by Mark Taylor, to get your free approval please call 602-361-0707. Pleaseclick on the links below to view his AWESOME websites!

Cost of Living Reaches An All-Time High, Pressures Mortgage Rates Higher

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 15:55:43 -0800

Mortgage rates are up 0.875% since mid-November, causing home buyer purchasing power across Scottsdale to fall more than 10 percent since.

Persistent concerns over inflation are a major reason why and this week’s Consumer Price Index did little to quell fears. CPI rose for the third straight month last month.

Wall Street was not surprised.

As the economy has picked up steam since late-2010, the Federal Reserve has held the Fed Funds Rate near zero percent, and kept its $600 billion bond plan moving forward. The Fed believes this is necessary to support the economy in the near-term.

Over the long-term, however, Wall Street worries that these programs may cause the economy may expand too far, too fast, and into runaway inflation.

Inflation pressures mortgage rates to rise.

Inflation is an economic concept; defined as when a currency loses its value. Something that used to cost $1.00 now costs $1.05, for example. It’s not that the goods themselves are more expensive, per se. It’s that the money used to buy the goods is worth less.

Because of inflation, it takes more money to buy the same amount of product.

This is a big deal in the mortgage markets because mortgage rates come from the price of mortgage bonds, and mortgage bonds are denominated, bought, and sold in U.S. dollars. When inflation in present, the dollar loses its value and, therefore, so do mortgage bonds.

When mortgage bonds lose value, mortgage rates go up.

Inflation fears are harming AZ home buyers. The Cost of Living has reached a record level, surpassing the former peak set in July 2008. Mortgage rates would be rising more right now if not for the Middle East unrest.

So long as inflation concerns persist, mortgage rates should trend higher over the next few quarters. If you’re wondering whether to lock or float your mortgage rate, consider locking today’s sure thing.

Also please check out out my Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I look forward to hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this post or found it useful, please connect with me

If you're looking for a home in the Scottsdale area, please visit my primary Scottsdale Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com.

This Active Rain post is sponsored by Mark Taylor, to get your free approval please call 602-361-0707. Pleaseclick on the links below to view his AWESOME websites!

Home Builders Report Higher Sales Levels In January

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 11:52:13 -0800

Homebuilder confidence in the market for newly-built, single family homes appears stable as the spring buying season gets underway in Mesa.

The confidence reading is recorded and reported monthly by the National Association of Homebuilders. For the 4th straight month, the group’s Housing Market Index reads 16.

As a market indicator, Housing Market Index has been tracked for more than twenty years and reports on a 1-100 scale. A value of 50 or better indicates “favorable conditions” for home builders.

HMI hasn’t read higher than 50 since April 2006.

Broken down, the Housing Market Index is actually a weighted composite of 3 separate surveys measuring current single-family sales; projected single-family sales; and foot traffic of prospective buyers.

February’s surveys showed slight improvement as compared to January, overall.

Single-Family Sales : 17 (+2 from from January)
Projected Single-Family Sales : 25 (+1 from January)
Buyer Foot Traffic : 12 (unchanged from January)

It’s notable that the current sales levels were higher in February, and that projected sales levels for the next 6 months are higher, too.

For home buyers AZ across , this month’s Housing Market Index reading may foreshadow tougher negotiations in the months ahead with builders. The likelihood of getting discounts and free upgrades may be diminished as builders see their respective sales levels grow, and as the economy expands.

Coupled with rising mortgage rates, home buyer purchasing power may never be as high as it is today.

Therefore, if your plans call for buying a newly-built home this year, think about moving up your time frame. Builder confidence appears to have bottomed. As it rises, so should home prices.

Also please check out out my Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I look forward to hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this post or found it useful, please connect with me

If you're looking for a home in the Scottsdale area, please visit my primary Scottsdale Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com.

This Active Rain post is sponsored by Mark Taylor, to get your free approval please call 602-361-0707. Pleaseclick on the links below to view his AWESOME websites!

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : February 14, 2011

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 12:12:26 -0800

Mortgage markets worsened terribly last week. Amid more reports of an improving economy and fears of pending inflation, mortgage rates skyrocketed to their highest levels since April 2010.

According to Freddie Mac, mortgage rates made their largest 1-week jump in more than a year last week, tacking on 0.24 percent and bringing the average national 30-year fixed mortgage rate up to 5.05%.

In some markets, rates are even higher.

Since bottoming out in Freddie Mac’s November 11 survey, conforming, 30-year fixed mortgage rates are now higher by close to a full percentage point. Home buyers in Phoenix and across the nation have lost more than 10% of their purchasing power during that time.

Rates have also been on a historic run higher, increasing over 9 consecutive days for the first time in almost a decade. That streak ended Friday with rates dropping slightly, and rate shoppers are hopeful the momentum lower continues into this week.

It’s not likely. The week is loaded of housing data and housing has been trending better. More strong figures will bolster stock markets at the expense of bonds, driving mortgage rates higher for the 4th week in a row.

In addition, inflation-related figures will be released. That, too, can have a negative impact on mortgage rates.

Monday : NAHB Homebuilder Confidence Survey
Tuesday : Retail Sales, Consumer Confidence
Wednesday : Building Permits, Housing Starts, Producer Price Index, FOMC Minutes
Thursday : Consumer Price Index

Markets should increase in volatility as the week progresses because of the looming 3-day weekend. Volume will be light Friday in advance of President’s Day.

If you haven’t yet locked your mortgage rate, the time to act is soon — possibly now. Mortgage rates are well off their historical lows, but still relatively inexpensive. Before long, that may no longer be the case.

Also please check out out my Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I look forward to hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this post or found it useful, please connect with me

If you're looking for a home in the Scottsdale area, please visit my primary Scottsdale Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com.

This Active Rain post is sponsored by Mark Taylor, to get your free approval please call 602-361-0707. Pleaseclick on the links below to view his AWESOME websites!

Canadians Buying in Arizona

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 02:05:40 -0800

Arizona has long attracted citizens from all over the world due to its mild climate, affordable home prices and high Quality of living. Best known for its views of the Grand Canyon, its "painted" desert landscape and colorful sunsets, Arizona is one of the Four Corner states in the U.S. southwest, bordering New Mexico, Utah, Nevada and Southern California.

Phoenix, the Capital of Arizona, recently became thefifth-largest city in the us. Historically, the main point of departure for people moving into Arizona was California, and the emigrants were either job seekers, retirees or folks cashing out of their expensive residences in places like Los Angeles, San Diego and Orange County and moving to Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa where homes were half the price of where they left.

As the bubble burst in the US, Arizona has gotten a new No. 1 source of home buyers: Canadians. Canadians have supplanted Californians as the biggest buyers of Arizona residential real estate. According to Jed Smith, the managing director of quantitative research for the National Association of Realtors, Canadians accounted for 11 percent of foreign buyers of U.S. homes in 2007, but over the last three years the numbers jumped -- and that's an understatement! From 2007 to 2010, that number has increased to well over 20 percent.

Americans who knew little of Canadians are quickly learning they're very savvy about real estate. And they're flocking to Arizona, where the buyin' is cheap and the weather is warm.

If you are a Canadian and looking to relocate, buy a second home or invest, then you have come to the right place. Below you will find a compilation of articles and information on what you need to know before you begin your Real Estate Search here in Arizona. And as always, if I can be of any assistance please don't hesitate to contact me.

How Canadians buy Arizona Real Estate -

In these articles I will cover the basics for Canadians looking for Real Estate in Arizona. Learn how to begin your search, apply for a home loan if needed, and the overall buying process from an offer to inspections to ultimately Closing Escrow!

Searching For Homes

Finding an Arizona Home Loan

Narrowing down your Search Criteria

Making an Offer

Buyers Inspection Periods

Closing On your Home

Frequently Asked Questions

All Canadians MUST READ Before you begin your search

GET A TAX ID OR SSN- Before you even begin your home search it is important to know what exactly you are getting yourself into. If you are Canadian buying in Arizona and DON'T have a TAX ID# or Social Security Number, and have to sell, you are subject to a surrender penalty of 10% of your SALE PRICE (regardless if there is a gain)! I strongly urge you to talk to a Tax Professional before you get to far into your search. Don't get discouraged, there are many ways to obtain a Tax ID# (Open a LLC), and it's actually fairly easy, but I always advise my foreign clients to Consult with a Tax Attorney before moving forward. You can get some more information on this law here: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf.

Arizona-Canada Factoids

Canadians made more than 452,600 visits to Arizona, spending $441 million
Arizona residents made 161,800 visits to Canada, spending $110 million
Number of city-pair scheduled 2010 direct flights (Phoenix - Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto) are up to 80 flights per week for the winter season

In the news:

Fire Sale: Arizona Real Estate Market - BNN Video

Canadians become top out-of-state homebuyers in Ariz. - USA Today

Arizona home sales propped up by investors - AZCental.com

Arizona finding hotspot with Canadians in Cooling Market - canadianrealestatemagazine.ca

Canada Arizona Business Council

Canada Connection - Cross Border Business Ties (pdf)

Canada Arizona Connection - History and Future (2008 pdf)

I hope you found this page helpful and that you were able to gather some useful information to help in your search. I would love the opportunity to work with you in finding a home. Please contact me if I can be of any assistance at all.

Also please check out out my Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I look forward to hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this post or found it useful, please connect with me

If you're looking for a home in the Scottsdale area, please visit my primary Scottsdale Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com.

This Active Rain post is sponsored by Mark Taylor, to get your free approval please call 602-361-0707. Pleaseclick on the links below to view his AWESOME websites!

Buying a Home with a Girlfriend or Boyfriend

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 15:32:00 -0800

Buying a home with a boyfriend, girlfriend or business partner can be risky -- Well much more risky than buying a home with a spouse. This is because, with respect to Estate Planning, and liability, married homeowners typically get federal and state level-protection from which non-married homeowners are typically exempt. Not to get into moral choices, cohabitation is very common and accepted in this day in age and so is home ownership. So how can these two cohabitate is the real question? Have you ever heard of Murphy’s Law, and how everything that CAN go wrong WILL go wrong? Well you have to prepare for this and make sure both you and your significant other understand what you are getting into and are both equally protected.

Non-Married Buyers Need To Make Protection

Non-married, joint homebuyers, should at the very least make their own federal and state protection with the help of an attorney. At minimum, non-married joint homebuyers should consider two binding agreements in their partnership (yes that is what it is):

1. A cohabitation agreement. Something that outlines how the home will be shared.

2. A property agreement At minimum. And don't cut corners by using forms from the internet. Hire an attorney to get it right. This is important if something happens to your partnership that there is no confusion on how the property will be paid for, liquidated or shared.

Google Is Not Your Attorney.

Hire Someone Good. Now, a lot of joint buyers will instinctively hit Google for "cheap legal documents" or a DIY legal program. Don't be one of them. Hiring an attorney will cost a few hundred dollars more than using Google but it's money well-spent. And whatever the cost, it's far less than the cost of fighting a battle in court after-the-fact should there be a breakup. And don't think it can't happen to you. It happens all the time.

And potentially even worse is if one of the joint owners die and there's no estate plan in place. The home could end up in probate. It could also head to foreclosure if the mortgage payment that was manageable with two incomes is an impossibility with just one. A basic life insurance policy can alleviate that risk.

How to claim Title

If you choose to only have one side of the relationship on the loan for qualifying purposes it is vital to make sure you both are at least on title. Once again, it is important to speak with an attorney to make sure you both are equally protected.

Useful Advice On Joint Ownership

The clip below was first shown on NBC's The Today Show in May 2007. The message is still important today. Love is blind, but it can also be blinding. Domestic and business partnerships don't always end in happily ever after and joint homebuyers need to be prepared for that. Beyond the legal consequences, you'll want professional advice on the mortgage-side, too. How you actually set-up your mortgage application can make a difference in the mortgage rate you're quoted.

Also please check out out my Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I look forward to hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this post or found it useful, please connect with me

If you're looking for a home in the Scottsdale area, please visit my primary Scottsdale Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com.

This Active Rain post is sponsored by Mark Taylor, to get your free approval please call 602-361-0707. Pleaseclick on the links below to view his AWESOME websites!

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : February 7, 2011

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 11:48:40 -0800

Mortgage markets worsened last week as Wall Street came to terms with the expanding economy; and realized the Federal Reserve may be trying to induce inflation.

Better-than-expected retail sales and positive job growth buoyed stock markets and sank bonds.

Mortgage rates in AZ rose for the 4th time in 5 weeks last week, extending a losing streak which dates back 4 months.

Today, fixed, conforming rates are three-quarters of a percent higher as compared to the market’s low point, November 3, 2010. For a $200,000 home loan, that size rate hike equates to an increase in a monthly mortgage payment of $89 per month.

Mortgage rates are at their highest levels of the year and, this week, they may continue ticking higher.

There isn’t much data set for release this week so markets will take their cues from two major events — one economic and one political.

The major economic event is Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke’s testimony to the House Budget Committee late-Wednesday. Chairman Bernanke is expected to speak about employment, but will likely touch on other topics of import including economic growth, the U.S. dollar, and the nation’s debt ceiling.

The Fed Chairman’s comments will move mortgage rates in one direction or the other, so locking in advance of his testimony may be prudent. Mortgage rates have more room to rise than to fall, after all.

The second major event is Egypt’s ongoing political strife. By Thursday of last week, Wall Street had shrugged off the region’s crisis and unwound the safe-haven trades that had helped mortgage rates during the week prior.

If instability returns, mortgage rates, once again, will be pressured lower.

Regardless of your rate-locking plan for this week, it’s important to recognize that, although rates have risen, they’re still well below historical average. Therefore, rates may have a lot of room to move higher, still.

If you’re shopping for a mortgage, or are now under contract, consider locking your rate as soon as possible.

Also please check out out my Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I look forward to hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this post or found it useful, please connect with me

If you're looking for a home in the Scottsdale area, please visit my primary Scottsdale Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com.

This Active Rain post is sponsored by Mark Taylor, to get your free approval please call 602-361-0707. Pleaseclick on the links below to view his AWESOME websites!

Mortgage Guidelines Starting To Loosen?

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 12:58:54 -0800

Mortgage lending appears to be loosening. At least for now.

In its quarterly survey of member banks, the Federal Reserve asks senior loan officers around the country whether their “prime” residential mortgage guidelines had tightened within the last 3 months.

A prime borrower is one with a well-documented credit history, high credit scores, and a low debt-to-income ratio.

Of the 54 responding banks, just 2 said its guidelines had tightened during the period October-December 2010. That’s less than 4 percent. And, by comparison, 95 percent of banks said guidelines remained “basically unchanged”.

The remaining banks reported a loosening.

It’s a positive sign for the housing market, and for home buyers in Phoenix and nationwide. If banks have stopped raising the hurdles of home loan approval, in theory, more would-be buyers will be approved.

It’s much tougher to get a home loan versus 5 years ago. Delinquencies and defaults have changed how banks review loan applications. Today’s underwriters are more conservative with respect to household income, total assets and overall credit scores.

Even as compared to January 2010, approval standards are higher :

Minimum credit score requirements are higher
Downpayment/equity requirements are larger
Maximum allowable debt-to-income ratios have been lowered

Although mortgage rates remain low, qualification standards do not. Based on last quarter’s banking survey, however, mortgage applicants in AZ may find approvals easier to come by soon. Low rates don’t matter, after all, if you’re not eligible to get them.

The housing market is strong and lending looks to be loosening. It should help fuel the demand for homes in 2011, which will push supplies down and lead prices up. For homeowners that qualify, therefore, the best time to purchase a home may be sometime this spring.

Also please check out out my Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I look forward to hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this post or found it useful, please connect with me

If you're looking for a home in the Scottsdale area, please visit my primary Scottsdale Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com.

This Active Rain post is sponsored by Mark Taylor, to get your free approval please call 602-361-0707. Pleaseclick on the links below to view his AWESOME websites!

Practical Advice : How To Help Your Home Sell Faster

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 12:04:52 -0800

In December, home sales reached an 8-month high, recovering from the losses of last summer. Market momentum is positive across AZ , but that doesn’t mean every home is selling quickly — only some of them are.

So, if you’re a home seller and want (or need) to get your home sold quickly, take a listen to this 3-minute interview from NBC’s The Today Show. It’s loaded with practical sales advice for sellers.

In December, home sales reached an 8-month high, recovering from the losses of last summer. Market momentum is positive across Wisconsin , but that doesn’t mean every home is selling quickly — only some of them are.

As examples:

How to price your home relative to comparable homes for sale
Using home inspections to keep your contract on-track for closing
How much should be spent on your “home photos” that are shown online

The interview also covers about the 3 key places of a home on which to spend money — the kitchen, the living area, and the front facade. And for good reason — they’re emotional hooks for buyers that help sell homes.

In any market, selling a home can be a challenge. It can be easier by applying common sense.

Also please check out out my Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I look forward to hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this post or found it useful, please connect with me

If you're looking for a home in the Scottsdale area, please visit my primary Scottsdale Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com.

This Active Rain post is sponsored by Mark Taylor, to get your free approval please call 602-361-0707. Pleaseclick on the links below to view his AWESOME websites!

Pending Home Sales At The Highest Levels Since April 2010

Tue, 01 Feb 2011 11:38:56 -0800

Another day, another strong report for housing.

The Pending Home Sales Index climbed 2 percent in December, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. A “pending home sale” is an existing home under contract to sell, but not yet closed.

Pending Home Sales are up for the fifth time in 6 months. The December reading is now its highest since the federal home buyer tax credit’s April 2010 contract deadline, and the figure is well north of the Pending Home Sales Index 3-year average.

Coupling this data with December’s strong Existing Homes Sales report (+12%) and its strong New Home Sales report (+17%), it’s clear that the housing market has past its trough and is in Recovery Mode.

Even consumer confidence is at an 8-month high.

On a regional basis, December’s Pending Home Sales Index varied as compared against November. The South region led the way, and the West region lagged.

Northeast Region: +1.8%
Midwest Region : +8.0%
South Region : +11.5%
West Region : -13.2%

Home buyers would do well to study last month’s Pending Home Sales Index. It offers clues of what to expect during the spring buying season. For example, according to the National Association of REALTORS®, 80 percent of homes under contract close within 60 days.

Therefore, we can look at the December Pending Home Sales Index and project, with a high level of confidence, that home sales will be higher throughout February and March on a units-basis.

Furthermore, because the Existing Home Sales and New Home Sales reports show that housing stock is falling nationwide, spring buyers in Mesa will notice find more competition for the available housing stock. As the Supply-and-Demand curve shifts towards sellers, home prices rise.

In other words, there’s no rush to buy a home, but as the year progresses, home prices are expected to rise, as are mortgage rates. This one-two combination will impact home affordability negatively. And the higher that mortgage rates go, the worse the damage.

Your home-buying dollar won’t go as far in 2011′s second half as it will go right now. If you have plans to buy a home in 2011, consider moving up your time-frame.

Also please check out out my Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I look forward to hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this post or found it useful, please connect with me

If you're looking for a home in the Scottsdale area, please visit my primary Scottsdale Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com.

This Active Rain post is sponsored by Mark Taylor, to get your free approval please call 602-361-0707. Pleaseclick on the links below to view his AWESOME websites!

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : January 31, 2011

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 11:59:25 -0800

Mortgage markets improved this week as positive economic data was overshadowed by geopolitical strife. A flight-to-quality drove buy-side activity in mortgage bond markets, which, in turn, helped conforming rates fall across the state of AZ.

Last week marks the first time this year that mortgage rates fell on a week-over-week basis, and considering why rates fell, it points to the fragile nature of the global economy.

By all accounts, last week showed that the U.S. economy is in recovery.

Housing data rises to its best levels in 8 months (LA Times)
Consumer sentiment hit a 7-month high (NPR)
Business investment increased 1.4% in December

Furthermore, the Federal Open Market Committee met last week and said that the economy continues to expand (although the pace is slower-than-optimal).

Normally, positive news like this would drive mortgage rates higher, and during the early part of the week, it did. But then, as political problems in Egypt grew larger, international investors began to shift money from their risky assets into the relative safety of the U.S. bond market.

This includes mortgage-backed bonds, of course. The buyer influx pushed up prices and, because bond yields move opposite price, mortgage rates dropped.

The week ended with rates at their lowest levels of the week.

Next week, though, rates could reverse. There’s two developing stories rate shoppers should watch.

The first is related to Egypt. In addition to buying mortgage-backed bonds, investors are gambling that oil prices will rise, too. Egypt is the world’s 21st largest oil producer and a disruption of its supply could send gas prices soaring. This circumstance would be inflationary and inflation is the enemy of mortgage bonds.

Crude oil jumped 4.3% Friday afternoon. If that continues, mortgage rates should start rising.

The second is tied to jobs. Last month’s jobs data was weaker-than-expected on Wall Street and it sparked a mini-rally in mortgage rates to start the year. Jobs are paramount to economic recovery so if this month’s figures are lower than the consensus figure of 150,000, expect mortgage rates in Mesa to fall. If the number is stronger than 150,000, expect mortgage rates to rise.

The jobs report is released Friday at 8:30 AM ET.

Also please check out out my Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I look forward to hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this post or found it useful, please connect with me

If you're looking for a home in the Scottsdale area, please visit my primary Scottsdale Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com.

This Active Rain post is sponsored by Mark Taylor, to get your free approval please call 602-361-0707. Pleaseclick on the links below to view his AWESOME websites!

Scottsdale named one of the nation’s 100 Best Communities for Young People

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 17:01:37 -0800

In a recent poll (October 2010) America's Promise Alliance ranked Scottsdale Arizona as one of the top 100 communities for young people.

America's Promise Alliance goes on to say:

Scottsdale is home to over 38,000 youth, and offers opportunities to grow, learn, play and work, all in an effort to enhance the quality of life. Scottsdale Unified School District is Arizona's top district, with 22 schools earning the state's highest rating. Scottsdale serves 27,000 students and employs 1,700 highly qualified teachers. An exemplary Student Service Learning component combines classroom studies with volunteerism promotes civic responsibility through community service. Scottsdale is a special community with excellent resources, progressive leadership, a commitment to collaboration, a dedication to enhancing the lives of all people, and many really incredible kids. Scottsdale is now a four time 100 Best winner.

Collaboration is the cornerstone of the Scottsdale community. A Multi-disciplinary Team coordinated by the City of Scottsdale’s Youth and Family Services has met monthly since 2000. Participants meet to create inter-agency connections and to enhance coordination for hard-to-serve families in Scottsdale. The team includes approximately 40 community representatives from schools, behavioral health agencies, probation, after-school and recreation programs, police and City Human Services.

The most significant challenge is preparing youth for the world of work. Scottsdale Unified School District’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) provides education for careers in current or emerging employment sectors. Courses are offered in 13 areas, such as Healthcare, Information/Technology, Engineering and Graphic Design. Last year, over 2,000 students attended CTE classes. Arcadia High School’s offers an award-winning media communications program. For computer science fields, Scottsdale School District partnered with Arizona State University, receiving a $600,000 three-year grant to teach a process called "service oriented computing" at Coronado High School. Also Project CORE operates a critical program for ninth graders at Coronado High School. Eighth graders are assessed based on academic scores and behavioral indicators. At-risk students are identified for Project CORE upon entrance into high school. Project CORE students are provided with a number of key supports including smaller classes, continuity with the same five academic teachers, support groups, speakers, and follow-up by counselors. Students are provided services and tracked until graduation.

Over 450 students participate in Scottsdale Schools Service Learning program, incorporating over 50,000 hours of community service into the curriculum. The City's Summer Youth Corps gives work opportunities to approximately 500 youth, who provide 15,000 hours of service to City services. Rotary International mentors over 1000 youth through their Interact Clubs, Rotary Youth Leaders and Youth Salute teaching leadership skills and global citizenship. Scottsdale Prevention Institute's Youth in Action develops leadership skills for youth and opportunities for engaging in community service and impacting social change.

Also please check out out my Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I look forward to hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this post or found it useful, please connect with me

If you're looking for a home in the Scottsdale area, please visit my primary Scottsdale Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com.

This Active Rain post is sponsored by Mark Taylor, to get your free approval please call 602-361-0707. Pleaseclick on the links below to view his AWESOME websites!

Other Scottsdale Arizona Recognition and Rankings

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 13:07:04 -0800

Scottsdale’s Greasewood Flat ranked among nation’s “quirkiest and classic bars.”

From its bunkhouse beginnings to its patio fire pits, Scottsdale’s Greasewood Flat bar and restaurant is steeped in Old West ambiance.
Now it’s also earned a place among America’s most unique drinking spots.
Endless Vacation magazine places Greasewood Flat at No. 5 on its list of the nation’s most “quirkiest and classic bars.”
Greasewood, located at 27375 N. Alma School Road, shares the spotlight with such iconic pubs as Bemelmans in New York City and the venerable Frolic Room at Hollywood and Vine in L.A.
To check out the magazine’s complete list and learn more about Greasewood Flat, visit: http://bit.ly/c7SMRA.

Scottsdale a Top Arts Destination
Readers of American Style magazine ranked Scottsdale among America’s Top 25 Arts Destinations. Readers voted for cities they visit to view, enjoy and shop for great art. Scottsdale was ranked No. 8.
Learn more.

Scottsdale a national leader in parks, preserve land
Scottsdale ranks among the nation's leading cities for parks and preserve land.
The city's 15,172 acres of parks place it fourth in per capita parkland behind Anchorage, Alaska, New Orleans and Virginia Beach, Va., according to a Trust for Public Land report issued earlier this month.
Learn more.

Parenting Magazine ranks Scottsdale in Top 10 “Best Cities for Families”

Parenting Magazine ranks Scottsdale No. 8 among its top 50 “Best Cities for Families.” The magazine rated cities based on the community’s health, safety, education, economy and recreation. Scottsdale was rated No. 1 in the nation for safety and No. 3 for recreation.
For more information, visit: Parenting Magazine rankings.

CNN Money magazine ranks Scottsdale among top places to live

CNN Money magazine ranks Scottsdale No. 71 on its “100 Best Places to Live.”
The magazine had this to say about Scottsdale: “Known for its zillions of golf courses (it's a stop on the PGA tour), upscale shopping, top-notch restaurants, and resort spas, Scottsdale has a lot to offer visitors and residents alike. Its hot, dry climate and proximity to the Sonoran Desert and McDowell Mountains make for terrific hiking; aging snowbirds flock here each winter. And its proximity to Phoenix means plenty of culture and a variety of jobs. . .”
For more information on the rankings, go to CNN Money

Scottsdale recognized as one of nation’s top travel spots

Scottsdale ranks as the sixth-most popular travel spot in the U.S. according to a recent survey by the Travel Leaders travel agency.
In the agency’s annual Travel Trends Survey, Scottsdale was ranked among the top five U.S. travel destinations by 19 percent of respondents -- just behind New York.
The rankings were based on responses from 547 of the company's travel agents surveyed between Nov. 20 and Dec. 15 2008. Las Vegas and Orlando, Fla., took the top two spots.
For more information on the survey and its rankings, visit Travel Leaders.

Magazine’s readers rank Scottsdale fourth best place to golf

Golf World magazine readers have ranked Scottsdale as the fourth best place in the world to golf.
Using a 10-point scale, readers were asked to evaluate 38 different destinations based on seven criteria, including quality of golf courses, accessibility of area, hotel accommodations, dining, friendliness, ambiance and overall value.
Listed in the top three spots were Charleston/Kiawah Island, S.C.; Hawaii; and Pinehurst,
More information on the rankings is available at Golf World.

Scottsdale No. 2 in AmericanStyle magazine’s Top 25 Arts Destinations

Scottsdale placed No. 2 among all U.S. mid-sized cities in AmericanStyle magazine’s annual poll determining the nation’s Top 25 Arts Destinations for 2008.
“Scottsdale has the most beautiful art galleries in the country,” wrote AmericanStyle reader Linda Homonoff, of Barrington R.I., in casting her vote. It’s a “great art community and shows great contemporary art in a traditionally Western town,” wrote another reader.
Buffalo, N.Y., came in first among mid-sized cities. Santa Fe, N.M., held the No. 1 spot in the small cities category and New York City was tops among large cities.
Complete results of the annual readers’ poll and profiles of the top three cities in each category are featured at AmericanStyle.

Also please check out out my Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, and I look forward to hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this post or found it useful, please connect with me

If you're looking for a home in the Scottsdale area, please visit my primary Scottsdale Real Estate website at http://selling2arizona.com.

This Active Rain post is sponsored by Mark Taylor, to get your free approval please call 602-361-0707. Pleaseclick on the links below to view his AWESOME websites!