Where is Payson, AZ, and why should I buy a house there?

"You'd better start swimmin', or you'll sink like a stone" Attitudes toward CHANGE.

Leslie Prest, Prest Realty, Payson, AZ — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 15:48:18 -0500

"You'd better start swimmin',
or you'll sink like a stone,
For the times, they are a changin'."

Do you know that song? Bob Dylan wrote it a long time ago. It came to mind today for two reasons. Bear with me if these seem unrelated at first.
1) The radio stations in my area seem to be playing a lot of older music these days; things from the 60s and 70s. Some of them deal with change, some deal with social issues or injustice, some just conjure up cozy images. Many of the people who do radio in my area are Baby Boomers, and I think that the music is comforting for many of us from that generation.
2) I heard a segment on CNN this morning that was an interview with an older couple about the economic situation. The woman said several times "I want my life back".

I think a lot of people feel the way that woman did, but I don't really think we're going to GET our life back. Not the same way it was. Whether we like it or not, things are changing. Whoever wins the election, things are changing. This is not a political post- but I AM going to say this about the election- I very much encourage everyone to vote; not from fear, but to honestly vote their courage and conviction and conscience. We will STILL disagree on who to vote for, but if we all vote for the candidate we really think is THE BEST for the country, then we should at least be able to respect each other's decisions.

Back to change- a lot of those songs I mentioned dealt with change, because those times were also a time of great change in our country. I'm a Baby Boomer, and I can remember when I was young younger, the feeling that we could "change the world" and make things better. We really believed that, at least for awhile. It was a time of turmoil, but it was also a time of great hope, for many people. Hope that things CAN get better, that we can make a difference for good.

A favorite song, for me, from those days, is by the Youngbloods-
Here is a link to the song on YouTube,

Part of the lyrics are:
"Love is but the song we sing,
And fear's the way we die
You can make the mountains ring
Or make the angels cry"

There's that hope. We can make things better (or worse).

"C'mon people now,
Smile on your brother
Ev'rybody get together
Try and love one another right now"

I find that I still have that feeling, down deep. It got buried way back when, by disappointment and discouragement, by cynicism and self-interest, but it's still in me. I still think that change can be good, that we CAN change the world (at least our part of it).
Now, you can call me silly, just figure I'm getting dotty in my old age. But if you know what I'm talking about. If you are from my generation, or ANY generation, and can find that same hope, down deep, then tell people this: Change is coming, like it or not. We can get pulled into the future, kicking and screaming and whining; or we can walk into the future, confidently, on our own two feet, believing that we can make things better.

"If you hear the song I sing,
You must understand
You hold the key to love and fear
All in your trembling hand
Just one key unlocks them both
It's there at your command"

Holiday Craft Show time is here again in Payson, AZ!

Leslie Prest, Prest Realty, Payson, AZ — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:02:45 -0500

This year I just can't get it together enough to be in a craft show. I'm getting calls from people wanting my candles, and I hate to disappoint, but we do what we have to do. We are managing almost 100 rentals this year, and we are BUSY! Maybe I'll make some cinnamon roll candles and sell them at the office!

Anyway- there are shows galore coming up in Payson.

The show I often participate in is the Presbyterian Church Show. It will be held this year at the Payson Senior Center, on W. Main Street.

Saturday, November 8th, from 8am to 2 pm.

There will be lots of homemade goodies,
Food, Santa, Music. COME AND ENJOY!

I will be adding more shows in the next day or two, so check back!

Xmas tree is from a large compilation graphics site:
http://www.hellasmultimedia.com

Took a vacation: Arizona's Grand Canyon, North Rim (pretty pics)

Leslie Prest, Prest Realty, Payson, AZ — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:05:18 -0500

We took a couple of days last week, picked our sons up in Flagstaff, and drove to the North Rim. The drive takes you to within 30 miles of Page, then you turn west and climb up to the Rim. That is one long drive! The scenery is interesting, passing through Indian reservation, past the Vermillion Cliffs, across the Colorado at Lees Ferry, and then into the mountains. The North Rim is 8,000 to 9,000 ft. elevation.

The North Rim being so much higher in elevation, gets much colder (and sooner). We were there the 1st of October and the temperatures were 60s, but the park closes for the winter October 15th each year.

The evergreens are mostly fir and spruce. The elevation is too high for Ponderosas.

Even though the daytime temperatures were great, the nights had been cold enough to turn the aspen leaves yellow. In the middle of the day, with the sun on the leaves, they were so bright yellow it was if they glowed.

The North Rim park includes a lot of woods, one can backpack or camp in the park.

This is called Angel's Window. You can't tell well in the picture, but you can see the Colorado river through the "window". To give you scale, the little lines up on top of the end of the rock- those are people.

There are only three main areas for viewing the Canyon, at the North Rim. At this one, there is a walk to several points. One of the view areas requires a four-wheel drive vehicle and a lot of time, so we didn't visit it. Another trip.

We stayed in a cabin, right by the Rim and the Lodge. We had two rooms with a 3/4 bath for about what a motel would be. They take reservations a year in advance, but we got in with about a month's notice.

The Lodge has a gorgeous Dining Room, high ceilings and chandeliers, and very good food. It also has patios from which to watch the sunsets (crowded!)

With the North Rim 1,000 to 2,000 ft. higher than the South Rim, there are places where you can see over the South Rim and beyond.

To give you some scale- that part in the middle ground- it is several miles away, even though it looks close.

At one point a helicopter dipped down into the canyon. It looked the size of a bird.

Vacations are good for the soul! I know the economic situation is in melt-down, but I'm very glad we went when we did.

Bailout, smailout. We went fishin'.

Leslie Prest, Prest Realty, Payson, AZ — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 19:17:01 -0500

Well, figuratively anyway. Actually we took a couple of days, picked up our grown sons in Flagstaff, and went to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. That is a LONG ROAD from Flagstaff to the North Rim. One travels through some of the weirdest looking landscapes anywhere, past the Vermillion Cliffs near Page, and then climb up to the Rim.

Why, you might ask, are we going on vacation with the sky (or at least Wall Street and maybe Washington) falling?

1) Vacations are good for the soul. We only take a few days a couple of times a year, but we come back refreshed and ready to work.

2) Our boys are 19 and 21, and we know there won't be too many more years that they WANT to go on a trip with us.

3) We live in a little, backwater town, we owe way less on our house than it is worth (even today), we don't own stock, we rarely buy on credit, we DON'T run our business on credit; so the situation isn't really affecting us yet, and won't hit us as hard as many.

4) those idiots politicians in Washington are going to do what they choose, whether we like it or not.

So we took a mini-vacation. We stayed in a cabin right at the North Rim.

The weather was perfect, the aspen trees were a glorious yellow, the mule deer were adorable (and everywhere). And when we got back nothing much had changed in Washington. If the politicians had gone to the Canyon for a couple of days, maybe they could think better!

I'll post some pretty pictures in a day or so.

Who's being murdered? Elk are making noise in the Payson, Arizona area.

Leslie Prest, Prest Realty, Payson, AZ — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:30:43 -0500

When we first moved to the Payson area, we lived in mobile home about two miles South of Star Valley (a small town four miles East of Payson). Now this put us OUT IN THE COUNTRY! we had all kinds of wildlife around. One morning a woodpecker woke us early banging on the metal roof. We had an owl perched near and calling one evening. And one night, in the Fall, I woke up and heard what sounded like a SCREAM. It was down at the end of the valley and I wasn't sure I heard right, but as I lay awake listening it moved closer, and then passed our house.

It scared me half to death at first. I swear, it sounded like a woman screaming. I wondered if I should wake my husband, should we get up and see about it, should we call 911? But the way the sound was moving up the valley, with no other noises, no commotion or sounds of violence, made me think it MUST be an animal.

Turns out it was a bull elk. If you have never heard them, watch the video (make sure you turn your sound on).

Elk are calling all over the Rim Country. We live in town now, but behind us are 5 acre lots and National Forest is near (not uncommon in Payson). One night we heard an elk SO CLOSE that we could hear the intake of breath before he bugled. We couldn't see him, he must have been in the trees, on the 5 acre lot behind us.

If you love Fall, or miss it because you now live in the desert, come and visit Northern Arizona. The nights are just starting to cool, and the leaves will start changing soon.

Fall is in the air in Payson, AZ

Leslie Prest, Prest Realty, Payson, AZ — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 12:30:57 -0500

OK, I'm cheating just a little with this photo. The leaves aren't changing JUST YET in Payson. The photo is from another year. But the nights are getting cooler, and it won't be long!

If you live in the hot part of the state, come visit us in Northern Arizona. we're low 80s now in the day, low 50s at night. Beautiful weather!

And the leaves will be turning soon!

FactCheck.org "Just the facts, Ma'am" -Keep 'em accountable.

Leslie Prest, Prest Realty, Payson, AZ — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 13:59:20 -0500

An old joke goes:
How do you know if a politician is lying?
Is his/her mouth moving?

Yeah, I'm partisan. But I don't like ANY candidate spinning, stretching, telling half- truths, or out-right lying. FactCheck.org is my new favorite web site. They do what I would do if I had the time. They check out the political speeches, ads, emails, etc. And they report on the FACTS.

They seem to be what they claim, non-partisan. There are articles calling to task both republicans and democrats. You can search a particular person/ad/issue. I believe they do the same for state political ads, too. They list their sources, so you can research further if you wish.

Some claims are so outrageous we know they are lies. But if you aren't sure and want to know, check out the site. Let's hold the politicians (and their more rabid supporters) accountable for truth (or at least accuracy).

Strawberry, AZ, site of the Oldest standing School house in Arizona

Leslie Prest, Prest Realty, Payson, AZ — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 18:50:15 -0500

If you come to visit in Payson or Pine, consider a side trip to the old school house in Strawberry. This is a restored, one room school house which is open to tour on weekends through mid October. The school was built in 1884 to service families in the area.

Strawberry is a small town about 20 miles North of Payson, on Hwy 87. It is nestled RIGHT below the Mogollan Rim. If you head North from Strawberry you begin to climb immediately until you are on top of the Rim. There are not a lot of businesses in Strawberry, but there are many houses and cabins scattered in the trees. Stop off for lunch at the Strawberry Lodge, they have great hamburgers.

Come and let your children see what it used to be like to go to school!

Here is a link to the web page about the school, complete with pictures.

Rent a lovely home in Payson, AZ

Leslie Prest, Prest Realty, Payson, AZ — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:50:46 -0500

This is a very nice home in a very nice neighborhood. Golden Frontier subdivision is an area of site-built homes, many built in the 1980s, and now often updated, as this home has been.

Pine, AZ turns into a Carnival for Labor Day weekend.

Leslie Prest, Prest Realty, Payson, AZ — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:59:16 -0500

Pine is an attractive, small town about 15 miles North of Payson, on Hwy. 87. Pine is home to many antique shops, craft shops, and art galleries. On Holiday weekends in the Summer the Pine-Strawberry Arts & Crafts Guild features a craft show on the grounds of the old school house, with many and varied booths selling all sorts of interesting items. The shops along the highway are open, some people put up booths along the street. People park wherever they can, and walk up and down the street looking at everything. It makes for a very ferstive time.

This coming weekend the show is 8 to 5 on Aug. 3oth (Sat.) and 8 to 4 on Sunday, Aug. 31st. According to the Chamber of Commerce page it will feature over 80 booths, they usually have a pancake breakfast on Saturday, there's something for everyone!

The weather right now is lovely, cool temperatures, big white clouds. But remember, if you visit, that we are still in the Monsoon, and an afternoon thunderstorm is likely. Those big, white clouds can produce heavy downpours, and even hail. Come prepared.

The Locusts are coming! How do you stop a plague? (NOT RE related- gardening)

Leslie Prest, Prest Realty, Payson, AZ — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:42:50 -0500

I'm posting this in hopes someone has a sure-fire way to get rid of grasshoppers. In the last few days I've been all over the internet looking, and I've found some interesting articles, but not much help.
You see, right now if I walk through my yard these little sobs grasshoppers pop up ahead of me like popcorn. So far they are mostly small, and mostly in the grass (or what passes for grass in Payson), but I know as they get bigger they will move on my flowers. Last year they managed to strip ALL my plants TO THE STEMS. This included perennial flowers, annual flowers, several large herb patches, tall sunflowers, and a butterfly bush taller than my roof line. It took them about a week.
Do you see why I call them a plague?
Now I'm usually pretty live-and-let-live where God's creatures are concerned, but those bare stems last year were awful!
BTW- as far as I can determine, the only difference between locust and grasshopper is that the locusts are travelling. I found several sites that go into GREAT detail to help me identify what kind of grasshopper I have. I DON'T CARE! I just want them DEAD!

Ways suggested on internet sites to get rid of the little suckers included:

* The 2 brick method- take 1 brick, put grasshopper on it, hit it with brick #2.
      Fine, but I have HUNDREDS of the things.
* Do a "squish the grasshoppers dance" and stomp them.
      See above.
* Put the most awful tasting things you can think of on your plants.
     However many people commented that the grasshoppers don't care- it just flavors
      their meal.
* Whir up dead hoppers in your blender and spray your plants.
     But several people commented that they eat their dead. Yum, yum.
* Pay your kids (or neighborhood kids) per grasshopper they pick.
      My kids are too old, and I have hundreds of hoppers, anyway.
* Various pesticides.
      But I have cats who claim my gardens as their "jungle" and I won't hurt them.
      and most sites say the chemicals don't work very well, anyway.
* Raise chickens, guinea hens, or turkeys. Or at least let them graze your gardens.
     I would if I could, but the city would get on me, besides, my cats would see
     them as a challenge. They ARE birders.
* Harvesting them and EATING them- I found RECIPES! One site said "think of them as
  LAND SHRIMP!
     I DON'T think so.

One of the most...interesting? horrific? I can't find the right word. Anyway, one lady says she gets up early while it is still quite cool, says the hoppers are patient at that time of day... They will sit still while she comes up behind them with scissors and SNIPS THEIR LITTLE HEADS OFF!

Another woman says she picks them up, tells them to go elsewhere, AND THEY DO. A grasshopper whisperer.

I'm going out to our best plant nursery, Plant Fair in Star Valley, today and see what they say. But PLEASE, if anyone knows anything practical THAT WORKS post it here. Any help is appreciated, so is just plain moral support. Curse those little sons a guns for me!

A simple marketing idea with photos

Leslie Prest, Prest Realty, Payson, AZ — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 20:12:41 -0500

I was thinking one day about advertising because I had seen some good (and some bad) advertising on TV. The best ones play up the best things about their product, while I'm seeing some (in my opinion) awful ones that make the product users look like idiots. Our "product" is our services, but it is also helping people move to our town and buy or rent a house through us, so I tried to think of what would make people want to move here- why do people come to Payson? What we hear the most is the climate and vegetation- 5,000 ft elevation with pine trees and four seasons, and the "small town" atmosphere. So how to promote that?

If I were moving to a new town, I decided what I would want the most is to see what the town LOOKS like. One can get a feel for a town by seeing the streets, houses, landscapes. So what I did was to start a blog (I used Blogger- it could be anywhere, but Blogger is easy to configure and post to) for photographs of my town. I'm not trying to be comprehensive, I'm posting different kinds of things. I try to post a few photos a week. Over time, one will be able to get a good "feel" for Payson by looking at the photos. I put minimal captions, and let the photos speak for themselves.

This blog is not hard sell RE, but rather aimed at showing things I like about Payson. I've put a widget of the photo blog on my AR profile, I've also got it on my web site. And on the photoblog itself I have links to our web pages for RE, and a feed of my AR blog which shows the titles of my posts there.

Look at my profile to see it used there, or here is the blog itself

N. Gila County Fair in Payson, AZ. Old-Fashioned Fun!

Leslie Prest, Prest Realty, Payson, AZ — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 20:59:05 -0500

The Northern Gila County Fair will be held this year on September 5th through 7th, with the fun starting at 9:00 in the morning.

The Fair had been a longtime event for the area, but after the retirement of Walt and Wilene Smith as the coordinators there was a two year hiatus. The Fair was revived in 2005. This is an old-fashioned County Fair which draws participaption from adults in the community as well as from schoolchildren and 4-H and FHA members in the area.

Among the attractions which are entered and judged are quilting and sewing, cooking, flowers and produce, crafts, fine art, photographs, and even livestock. Something for everyone!

The livestock events will be at the Payson Event Center, across the Beeline Hwy from the Mazatzal Casino (South of Payson), while the exhibits will be at the Tonto Apache Gym (turn next to the Casino, the gym is a little ways past the Casino on the right).

There will be live entertainment (by Junction 87) from 7-10 on Saturday night, a horse show, and even a Demolition Derby on the 7th starting at 1:00 pm (gates open at 11:30). Come have a good old time!

graphic by me

More information about Payson, AZ Schools

Leslie Prest, Prest Realty, Payson, AZ — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 16:35:27 -0500

I posted last week about Payson Schools beginning the year EARLY. Payson public schools began last Wednesday. If you are a parent in (or may be moving to) the Payson area I'm sure the schools are of concern to you.

Payson has a unified public School District, consisting of Julia Randall Elementary, Payson Elementary, and Frontier Elementary (K-5th grade); Rim Country Middle School (6th - 8th grades); Payson High School, and Payson Center for Success (a high school for 16 to 21 year olds who want/need an alternative to traditional HS). Julia Randall and the Middle School are currently undergoing construction/renovation.

Here is a link to the schools' calendar. Payson Schools have already begun for the year. They take longer than usual breaks between the 9 week grading periods.

According to the Arizona Department of education, the schools seem to be performing well (the data showing IS, however, for 2006- they are working on putting newer data on their web site).

School Tree gives some interesting breakdowns of statistics and how Payson compares to other districts.

There is a Christian School, I believe there is a Seventh Day Adventist School, and there are various Charter Schools. I could not find web sites for the latter schools.

Here is a Google map with the schools' locations:

View Larger Map

On a personal note: We moved to Payson right before our oldest son was Kindergarten age, so both our sons have gone through Payson Schools from K through 12th grade. There ARE some disadvantages to a small school system, but we have felt that the personal involvement of the teachers and administrators in our small town has more than made up for any disadvantages.

A really beautiful time of the year in Payson

Leslie Prest, Prest Realty, Payson, AZ — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:46:42 -0500

This is the season (the Monsoon, officially) for clouds and storms in Northern, Arizona. In past years we have been in a serious drought, but this year we are actually ABOVE the 30 year average for precipitation.

We talk to rental Owners in the Phoenix area, and they haven't gotten much rain this Summer.

I thought I would share some pretty shots of our storm clouds.

These pictures were taken from our deck. We face North/Northeast, so we have a great view of storms coming down off the Mogollan Rim.

Yesterday evening we had visitors from out of state, and we ate on the deck and watched another storm slide around and miss Payson. Our guests couldn't believe how cool Payson gets once the sun is near setting. They were actually shivering and we had to go inside.

No matter HOW hot the day (Payson may get near or slightly over 100 degrees) the evenings are always cool. The nighttime temperatures now are in the 60s.

These pictures were all taken at the same time, panning from West to East. Its not unusual to have large storm clouds ringing Payson on a Summer's day.

The trees in the picture are Alligator Juniper. These, along with Pinyon Pine, cover the "higher and dryer" parts of the town. There are other parts of Payson which are covered by taller Ponderosa Pines.

We think Payson is a gorgeous place to be. We've lived here for 15 years, and love to help new residents settle in to our town.
For more information, and more pictures, visit our Payson Page at Prest Realty.

School comes early in Payson, AZ!

Leslie Prest, Prest Realty, Payson, AZ — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:11:37 -0500

SCHOOL STARTS JULY 30th in PAYSON!

When I was a kid Summer vacation meant June, July and August.

even when I was a teacher (14 years worth) I started teaching somewhere around Labor Day.

For the last few years Payson Schools have started VERY early. They make up for it by having breaks in between the 9 week grading periods (as a Teacher, I would have liked THAT).

We moved to Payson the year before our eldest son started kindergarten. Our kids (2 sons) went through Payson schools and are now in college. It seems a little strange, still, not to have children getting ready for school (college isn't the same). Since we handle rentals we see a lot of families trying to get settled before school begins.

God Bless the kids (AND the teachers)!
It must be hard to sit still while its still Summer outside.

School pencil graphic from

http://www.kaboose.com

School slate from

http://www.teachnet.com/how-to/clipart/index.html

Should I rent my house till the market gets better? Things to consider.

Leslie Prest, Prest Realty, Payson, AZ — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 13:19:46 -0500

In today's real estate market many Owners are finding that they either can't sell, or might have to sell at a deep discount. Many are, therefore, turning to renting as a possible alternative to a bargain basement sale. (I'm talking here about non-occupied properties. We have many in our area- either they are 2nd homes, investment property that isn't selling, or the Owners have HAD to move for some reason).
These are some of the issues we raise with Owners who come to discuss it with us:

-Can I AFFORD to rent my house for enough time for the market to recover?
    -At least in our area (Payson, AZ) the market is not likely to turn around for at least a year, maybe
      longer
    -Possible rent may OR MAY NOT be enough to cover your mortgage payment
    -a reputable Property Management company is not going to give any refundable security deposit
      from the Tenant to you, so don't count on that money. It will probably go into the company's trust
      account until the Tenant moves out.
    -Do your homework and find out how long it takes comparable properties to rent, and for how much $.
    -Can you make the payment if the house doesn't rent for a few months, or if the Tenant leaves and
     the property takes awhile to re-rent?
    -Can you make any necessary repairs to make the place safe for renters?
    -Can you do any fix-ups needed to make it "rentable"?
    -Can you do necessary maintenance while the property is rented? What if the water heater goes out?
    The furnace or AC? What if there is a plumbing or roof leak? Can you repair/replace necessary items?

-How "rentable" is my house?
    -How much competition is there in your area for quailified Tenants? (Believe me, NO Tenant at all is
    much better than the unqualified kind)
    -How easy it it to rent properties in my neighborhood? Ask a good Property Manager.
    -Is the rent amount I want/need reasonable? Again- ask a professional.
    -Am I willing to allow pets? (people LOVE their pets, no pets makes a place less rentable)
    -If you want to leave your house on the sales market Tenants will NOT want to rent it. You
    will probably have to give them lower rent or other concessions to get it rented. And the Tenant
    CAN and may "blow the sale" with any prospective Buyer. Better to take it OFF the sales market.

-How ready am I to give my house up to Tenants?
    -How emotionally attached are you? I guarantee you will have at least normal wear and tear.
    -That "accent" wall you love may make the house harder to rent.
    -Are you willing to allow children? Fair Housing violations are VERY expensive.
    -Once the property is leased you CANNOT come on the property except with proper notice.
    -You MUST comply with any and all national, state, and local laws regarding rentals.

This is not intended to be a comprehensive list of things to consider. It is intended to get you thinking. A good (read "experienced") Property Management Company can give you information particular to your area. If you decide to rent out your house we STRONGLY recommend letting a professional handle it. Mistakes (letting in a Tenant who can't pay, tears up the house, makes a meth lab, fills it with illegals, etc.) can be very expensive.
Renting CAN be a viable option- don't let this scare you off. Just be aware of the possibilities and
TALK TO A PROFESSIONAL!

AR people- what would you add?

Great price on this condo in Payson, Arizona!

Leslie Prest, Prest Realty, Payson, AZ — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 18:31:31 -0500

This 2 bedroom, 1 bath, upstairs unit is for sale at the great price of $55,000! Play the show for pictures, and click "details" and "amenities" for more information.

Payson, Arizona, the real estate hub of the world!

Leslie Prest, Prest Realty, Payson, AZ — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:14:03 -0500

OK, SO I'm exaggerating. But it does totally amaze me how many people seem to find Payson, Arizona, and are interested in buying homes here. Payson is a very small town. When we moved here 15 yrs ago the population was 8,000+. The last I heard we are now near 16,000. When I am down in the Phoenix area, and I mention I'm from Payson, the universal answer seems to be "Oh, really? Where is that?". And yet we have/have had rental Owners from literally all over the US; Massachusetts, New York, Michigan, Kansas, Alaska, Nevada, Montana, Utah, California, as well as from AZ: Tucson, Phoenix, Tempe, Yuma. Some of these Owners are looking to retire in Payson "down the road", some used to live here, some are purely investors. Some are drawn to Payson because they have relatives in the Phoenix area, some just like the closeness to the metro area while still being cooler weather/lighter traffic, and some I have no idea how they found Payson! Our tenants come from all over, also. We routinely get calls and emails from other states, people looking at our web site at rentals because they are moving here. Now I understand that we are a nation of rolling stones, people like to try new places. But when so many people in our own state don't know where Payson is, I can't quite understand how all these other people are finding it.

Not that I'm complaining. Payson has almost doubled in population since we moved here, but it is still a small town. People are friendly, we run into people to talk to all over town, and we can still get from one end of the town to the other in 5 to 10 minutes. And with the increase in population has come more businesses and improvements. We now have a Home Depot, A Chili's, a Starbucks (in Safeway), several non-chain restaurants which are very good, Walmart has gone "Supercenter", we have a multi-screen theatre, a larger public library, an off-leash dog park, a pretty good electric light parade, two shops showcasing local fine art, a coffee house with occasional live music. None of that was here when we moved here.

So I'm glad that people are finding Payson. How ever they're finding us, a small town seems to be very attractive to many buyers. We've seen many people over the years move here from larger cities, they seem to just slow down/calm down and adjust to the atmosphere. Payson is surrounded by National Forest, so we can't grow out on the edges the way the Phoenix area has been doing, so we can't get too big. May we stay a friendly, small town!

How to speak "Payson" when you're hungry

Leslie Prest, Prest Realty, Payson, AZ — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:57:36 -0500

I just reposted an entry from last year (so it would show on Localism- that's what the Q & A recommends) entitled "How to speak Payson". Since its almost supper time, this is a natural follow-up.

For a small town, Payson has quite a few good restaurants. This list is purely subjective, these are places we frequent.

"Meet you at Beeline for lunch", Long time residents will know that you aren't planning on hanging out on Beeline Hwy and looking hungry. You mean the Beeline Cafe. This cafe has been around nearly as long as Payson has. It has good old hometown American food, the best breakfasts in town, Americanized Mexican food on Wednesdays, and a good fish fry on Fridays (with usually fried cod and one other choice of fish). My husband has the phone number in his cell phone so he can call and ask "what's the special today?" Beeline Cafe is located on South Beeline, on the East side of the street. If you're heading North and you come to a stop light at Main St. you've gone too far.

For Mexican food (take out) try Alfonso's drive-in. It HAS a sit-down area, but its not much atmosphere. What they have a LOT of, is taste. We grew up in Yuma, near the Mexican border, We tell people we miss friends and the food. Alfonso's comes the closest to what we were used to. Their burritos are HUGE, their flour tortillas are flat and leathery (the way they SHOULD be- flour tortillas aren't supposed to be soft or floury), their hot sauce is (as far as I'm concerned) a food group by itself, the beans are great. Alfonso's is on South Beeline Hwy. on the West side of the street. It is between the stop lights at Main St. and Bonita.

For Chinese we like the Mandarin House (or as we call it- the Chinese Place). It doesn't have much atmosphere, either, but the food is good, and the Owner remembers us and what we drink. They have a buffet with lots of spicy dishes and lots of vegetables. It makes a great quick lunch. The Mandarin House is located at the far South end of town, on the West side of Beeline Hwy. Look for the sign, as it is set off the road somewhat.

If you like hamburgers Macky's Grill has an "Ooey Gooey Burger" that lives up to its name. Their burgers also come in sizes (from Little Macky on up), and are really good, if a little messy. They also have good soups, and great pie. Macky's is now located near the theater in the Sawmill Crossing shopping center, on the West side of South Beeline Hwy., South of Main St. The center is so named because it is the site on the real sawmill that operated until just a few years ago. If you hear a loud whistle morning, noon, or quitting time it is the old sawmill whistle.

For a really nice sit-down meal we like Gerardo's. It is Italian food, very good. I'm not a fan of red sauce, but they make really great sandwiches, pizza with a thin and crisp crust, salads, as well as specials. The food is always good, the service is prompt and friendly, the atmosphere is relaxing. Wine, dessert, what more could you want? Gerardo's is located on North Beeline Hwy., Between the lights at Hwy. 260 (the center of town) and at Walmart.

I'm getting too hungry to keep typing, and will have to continue this another time. Payson has many restaurants, and I don't mean to offend anyone if I didn't mention your favorite. Food is a subjective thing.

Seasonal creeks, the "Mad-as-Hells", or How to speak "Payson"

Leslie Prest, Prest Realty, Payson, AZ — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:06:21 -0500

Hi from Payson, AZ. By no means everyone in Arizona knows where Payson is (I know this by the blank looks I get when I mention it to someone in Phoenix). We're about an hour and a half drive north of the Phoenix area, and about 5,000 ft. UP. Long-time residents have their own vocabulary.

These are a few of my favorite Payson-isms:

Seasonal creeks- The first time I went to see a house that listed a seasonal creek on the property I couldn't figure out what they meant, until someone pointed out a dry ditch meandering across the backyard. Then I nearly died laughing. But I HAVE learned a little respect for these. I've seen them fill up fast when it rains hard in the Monsoon. They come in variable sizes, from ditch to dry wash.

Pigs- This is what a lot of locals call javelinas. Which really confuses the issue, considering that they aren't pigs at all, they are actually large rodents. They look rather like the Arkansas Razorback pictures (my Dad graduated from there- go Hogs!), they come out more at twilight and night so they blend in. Often you can SMELL them before you see them, as they have scent glands in their feet and stink something awful. Newcomers are warned to watch for them- they don't see well and tend to fight rather than flee when startled. They also LOVE to eat your newly-planted flowers.

Mazatzal Mountains- The odd thing about them is the pronunciation. Instead of the way it is spelled, locals pronounce it Ma-ta-sell, or as a commercial for the local Indian Casino (Mazatzal Casino) put it a few years ago: Mad as Hell, (now you got it). These are a very nice view to the south of Payson. A rain or snow storm across the Mazatzals, with the sun shining across them, is a sight to see.

The Rim- this is the Mogollan Rim, actually the edge of the Colorado Plateau. It's an impressive sight, especially in Monsoon, with thunderheads building up over it. All of the surrounding areas are called "Rim Country". Mogollan is a Spanish name, so the ll is pronounced like a y. It is also sometimes calle the Tonto Rim, for the Tonto Apaches, I understand,

Mesa del- This is short for Mesa del Caballo (Horse Mesa). Its a subdivision a couple of miles from Payson out Houston Mesa Road, and is one of the few places where one could have their own caballo in their backyard (one per lot).

the River- this means the East Verde river, which winds around north of Payson. locals talk about the "first crossing", "second crossing". this refers to places where the control road ( a dirt road connecting Hwy 87 with Hwy 260) crosses the E. Verde.

More another time.

New Way to watch the Fireworks

Leslie Prest, Prest Realty, Payson, AZ — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:29:30 -0500

Payson has a great fireworks show. They shoot them out over Green Valley Lake, the park around fills with people. We usually love it. But this year it drizzled rain and we didn't feel like sitting in it for hours to get a spot.
We took our Jeep Wrangler on a dirt road toward the edge of a hill overlooking the town (off Airport Rd. if you know Payson) and sat in comfort as we waited for the fireworks. Below is a photo of the town that evening.
Much of the hillside along Airport Rd. is going to houses soon, but parts are still "wild". We expected to see some wildlife, but a truck full of kids came and the noise chased any animals away.

Fun with CSS- converting my web site

Leslie Prest, Prest Realty, Payson, AZ — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 13:06:15 -0500

OK, I admit it. I'm kind of a DINOSAUR. I do our web site, and it has been HTML, with the pages in tables.It worked just fine when we had 4 or 5 pages, but the business has grown and the web site has grown. I decided to change the background and header and colors, and when I realized how many pages I had I almost changed my mind and left it alone. I have looked at css fles before and always got thoroughly lost, I know style sheets make it easier to change appearance but thought it would take forever to change over.

The I found this post, by Cheryl Johnson, about css . She actually made it sound possible.

So I took the plunge. It took me a week and a half, but I did it! Our web site is now in style sheets! I found out several things along the way:

1) There are about a million help pages for free on the Internet, so if one doesn't make sense try another one. I just Googled "css help". Some are a lot more understandable than others.

2) Coding the style sheet works a lot better than trying to use one of those "write the code for you" things.

3) The pages don't look the same in other browsers (I already knew this part) and if you design FIRST using Firefox IE will look right,but it doesn't work the other way around (I DIDN'T know this part). After I got the pages looking right in IE I downloaded Firefox and the pages were all KAPLOOEY! So I spent another day fixing things so they look ok in both.

4) I thought Netscape was another well-used browser, but when I looked at our site statistics hardly anybody is using it to view our site. Several viewers, however, are using Safari, which I learned is the Mac browser. I found I could put it on my PC and check my pages with it, also.

5) It felt really GOOD to take out those lines and lines of table code. I eliminated A LOT of code by going to style sheets.

6) My html code was pretty sloppy, so I took the opportunity to clean that up also, closing all tags and such.

The only real problem I had was this: The pages were fine ON MY COMPUTER, but after I uploaded them all and was checking links I found when clicking back to a former page the background and center spacing disappeared and I had to refresh the page to get it back. Don't know why, didn't have (and still haven't had) time to figure it out. SO I used a "cheat", I put the background image back in each page body tag, and I put center back at the start of each page. That fixed the problem, and since I'm not likely to want to change those things I'm not really concerned.

Moral of this story: if like me you've ben resisting style sheets try it. You'll like it.

WOW! A two-fer! Summer storms in Arizona.

Leslie Prest, Prest Realty, Payson, AZ — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:36:39 -0500

THe Monsoon is officially on in the Southwest. This year they just defined it by DATE, not by 3 days in a row with a dewpoint over 55 as in past years.

Here in Payson, AZ we've had several storms already with a few tenths of a percent of an inch of rain. Even a litle bit cools things off beautifully. But yesterday (Thursday, July 3rd) we got two in one day! It clouded up in the mid afternoon and rained awhile. Got cool enough that we turned off our AC at the office and opened the doors. (HOW could anyone sit through a lovely storm with the doors shut?) Then it got sunny and warm again for awhile. Just before dark another storm blew in and this one was a STORM. The winds blew, the lightning flashed, thunder boomed, and we got over half an inch of rain!

If you know about the drought we've been in here. you know how excited I am about the rain. We've lost a lot of pine trees due to drought and bark beetles in the last few years. Right now, in Payson, we are OVER the 30 year average for precipitation. Hurrah!

Come to Payson for the Fourth of July!

Leslie Prest, Prest Realty, Payson, AZ — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 18:11:35 -0500

Hi from Payson, AZ

Payson, being the friendly small town which it is, offers a great Fourth of July Celebration free to the community. There are usually various activities for the kids during the day, a concert in the early evening, and a fireworks display when its dark enough. All of these activities take place at Green Valley Park, around the man-made lakes down Main Street from Hwy 87.

A large percentage of the town shows up, so come early for a good seat. Bring your folding chairs, something cold to drink, and something to do while you wait. OR just "people watch". The hills around the lake fill up with people, the sun goes down, the stars come out. Its a VERY pleasant way to spend an evening. See ya there!

graphics from
http://www.hellasmultimedia.com/webimages/