With all of the tough times we've had so far, and will have while digging out of this economic crisis - one of my firmest beliefs is that we have to pick ourselves up by our bootstraps and dig into OUR OWN character reservoirs to get out of the hole.

Janet Guilbault, a mortgage banker/broker in the Bay Area of California wrote a sharp, to-the-point post on the "Entitlement Mentality" that needs to be scrapped before true progress as a society can be made:

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

European style loft with "old brick warehouse" look in Downtown Tucson's award-winning Mercado District.  Lofts in the Tucson Metro Area are rare - and ones as smartly executed as this one are nearly impossible to find.  This townhouse also boasts a 2-car garage with a guest apartment above.

The magic of living in Mercado San Augustin community is truly something special.

In Tucson, if you're going to a special luncheon or banquet - chances are that it will be held at the Manning House in Downtown Tucson.  The grounds are over 5 acres - with lush gardens that withstand the heat of summer while providing color year-round.

Designed and built by reknowned architect Henry C. Trost in 1907 for Tucson's Mayor, Levi Howell Manning, the home was originally 12,000 square feet.  Over the years, the mansion grew to 36,000 square feet - which makes it possible to host several events at one time.  The mansion is fully restored, but requires continual upkeep...sort of like painting the Golden Gate Bridge (once you're finished, you've got to start at the other end again).

On the front lawn, by the circular driveway leading to the house, there is a bronze sculpture of Hugo O'Conor, the Founder of Tucson (whom the current owners, the Concannon Family, is related to). 

Should you be interested in learning more about the history or having an event hosted at the Manning House, visit their website.

If owning an historic home in Tucson strikes your fancy, give me a call & lets talk about it.  There are several prime examples of Trost architecture in the area.

In this day & age of enhanced communication abilities - nothing beats a real face-to-face conversation.  How about having one when tens, hundreds and even thousands of miles separate the desired participants?

Having a video conference used to be the bastion of corporations with deep pockets to be able to afford the infrastructure and equipment needed - then Skype came along, Google, Yahoo and other chat platforms started incorporating video capabilities and made it affordable for everyone.

Lets take that & add to it the ability to record a video message and email it to someone - a loved one, friend, colleague or client...then you've got something powerful.  Make it FREE?  Yowsa!  Seems like every few weeks or so, I've been getting approached by someone wanting me to BUY their video email platform. I found one that doesn't cost money, and it can be used by anyone with an email address. SEE YA.

I know, I know...Brad Andersohn & Jason Crouch probably already wrote about it - but I missed it, so here it is just in case you did too:

Lets chat face-to-face sometime...or just send me an email.  I'd love to see you!  Kent@TucsonKent.com

When you think of Tucson - you might have a few things come to mind right away...saguaro cactus, warm winters, golf galore...maybe even a couple of our famous world-class spas might jump right out at you.

Did you ever think of Tucson when manufacturing & technology are being discussed? Maybe you should - recent estimates show that technology employs about 50,000 people in the area...generating $4 Billion in revenues!

• Companies like Raytheon Missile Systems, IBM, Intuit, Allied Signal, Weiser Lock, 3M, Burr-Brown, Environmental Air Products, Krueger Industries, Texas Instruments, Honeywell and more have established a major presence in the Tucson Metro area.
• Nearly 1,200 companies with a component based in IT are in the region
• Over 300 local companies are directly involved in IT
• The Milken Institute ranked Tucson 17th on its 2008 State Technology and Science Index - a comparison of state's ability to attract employees and the "dollar volume entrepreneurs are willing to risk spending."
• The University of Arizona's BIO5 Institute was created specifically to enhance the relationship between research and entrepreneurship in various disciplines encompassing biological engineering sciences
• Expansion Management Magazine named the Tucson region as the "top mid-sized county in the country for business recruitment and attraction" - and many firms are relocating to Tucson.
  
• Expansion Management also named Tucson #1 as the "City Where Business Opportunity is Greatest for Growing Companies"
• U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy gives Tucson kudos by ranking it 3rd among mid-sized metropolitan areas for "high-impact firms - those that have at least doubled their sales and employment in the past 4 years."
• Paragon Space Development Corporation - started by Biosphere & space scientists - is listed in Inc. Magazine's 5000 fastest growing private companies with a 3-year growth of 326%

Hmmm...maybe there's more to this Tucson place than meets the eye, huh?  By the way...did I mention the warm winters & golf?

...well, maybe not the world, but it sure did save the day for my contractor today!

It all started with a simple call to the City of Tucson Planning & Zoning Department to set an appointment for final inspection on some work done to remedy some violations found at a property my clients want to buy.  Permits were issued, plans approved, lot surveyed (because City records weren't complete), work finished & the request was called in or Friday, with the appointment for the inspection on Monday.  When on Monday?  "Whenever he gets there," was the answer my contractor got.  Geez - even the cable guy can tell you whether he'll saunter by in the morning or the afternoon!

A little background here:  Tucson's Planning & Zoning Department is not known for their commitment to providing service, in fact, their level of service is more like:  "If we feel like it & you're nice to me...and I'm not having a bad day."  According to that rationale, there seems to be an inordinate amount of "bad days" going around the P&Z dept.  For years.

Well, it may not be written anywhere in any policy manual, but common knowledge among contractors in Tucson says that if you're not at the property when the inspector shows up - you'll either have to reschedule or your inspection will fail & you'll have to reschedule.  There are no "courtesy calls" to say the inspector is 30 minutes out or an hour away - nothing.  God help you if you call to see where they might be in their busy schedule too!

Best thing to do is make sure a supervisor, foreman or the company owner is on property from 8 AM until the inspector deigns to show up (that little item added at the bottom of the bill...the one for an unexpected $150 or so...that's because they had pay someone by the hour to wait all day for inspection - or they have to eat that unnecessary expense).

This morning, my contractor had someone there before 8 - just in case the building inspector showed up early, and took turns rotating with that employee so that work could be properly supervised on other sites.  I showed up around 12:30 since I hadn't heard anything yet.

Long story short - by 3:30, the inspector still hadn't shown up yet...so the foreman called again to see what the problem was, and was told "maybe we can get someone there tomorrow, but probably Wednesday."

That's when I hit the roof at the arrogance & inanity of the situation...and posted my grumbling on Facebook & Twitter.

45 minutes later, I got a call from Planning & Zoning saying that "the Mayor's Office called us & wants us to get this cleared up."  Our inspection happened 30 minutes later - with a clean, clear approval!  Sure am glad that someone in Mayor Bob Walkup's office monitors social media!

Can't help but wonder though...the P & Z Dept has been talked about quite often as one in need of a "culture change" by candidates for city council...election's tomorrow...stunt or sign of leadership realizing that a change is needed?

Stranger things have happened - like getting results from the city via a Facebook post! LOL

Details, details, details - relocating is a real exercise in attention to them.  One frequently overlooked (but quickly frustrating) thing is learning where your cell phone will or will not work in a new area.

In the Tucson area, cell coverage is generally pretty good, but given the fact that our metro encompasses over 195 square miles and has mountain ranges at all 4 points of the compass - there are some quirks and dead spots for all of the carriers.

Below are the major carriers who have service in the Tucson Metro Area - click on the picture below your carrier to see how the coverage is in the area you want to live:

If you don't have an address in mind yet - just plug in 1630 E. River Road, Tucson, AZ 85718 - that's my office. At least you'll know how your wireless coverage is when you come to see me! 

ATT Wireless	Cricket	Sprint/Nextel
T-Mobile	Verizon
		*Note on ATT Map - at time of posting this blog, their coverage map online was not functioning properly - maybe their coverage is better than their website!

It may seem a minor detail, but being aware is better than being frustrated - especially in the first few weeks of moving to a new town...plus it might just save you some money when your "Angels-In-Training" think they can pull the old "my phone doesn't work in this town.  I want a NEW one!" trick on you.

I love working with clients from out-of-town.  It is a special thrill to show them the Tucson that I love and cherish...and guarantee that I and my associates will do everything we can to make your transition as hassle-free as possible.

One of the wonderful things about the Tucson area is its sense of history - whether it is the legacy of 10,000 years ago left behind by the earliest inhabitants, the architecture of the Conquistador period or the legends of the "Old West" that whisper around every corner.

The other day, I was exploring properties for sale on the Tucson MLS, and ran across this home, rich with the history of William "Buffalo Bill Cody."  He laid claim to the High Jinks gold mine, using the property as a retreat and to entertain until his death in 1917.

			Photo from Buffalo Bill Museum & Grave in Golden, Colorado Visit Website

Located on the back (north) side of Mt. Lemmon - close to the town of Oracle, Arizona, this property was placed on the National Historic Register in 1996.

In the 1920s, Buffalo Bill's foster son, Lewis H. "Johnny" Baker had a home built by Mexican stonemasons on the location.  Through the years, later owners added structures to the main property which now boasts a main house with eagle's nest to enjoy the commanding mountain views in all directions, 3 guest quarters, tack room and corrals on the 3-acre compound in the pines.

Yes, the property needs some work, but the history will never go away...just like the view.

This historic property is available "as is" for $362,500 - and would make a unique retreat, possibly a Bed & Breakfast or just a nice place to call your own while you enjoy walking in the footsteps of legend.

Click HERE to see the details on this property.

Listing information & photos courtesy of Franky & Bill Hill of Keller Williams Tucson, with the exception of the Buffalo Bill photo & banner from the Wild West Show, which comes from the Buffalo Bill Museum & Gravesite

Those of you who know me - know that I'm a junkie when it comes to statistical information.  I devour stats like George Will devours baseball history.

One thing I've noticed is that very few market reports make it easy for the consumer to see information on homes that are eligible for FHA and VA loans and which require conventional financing - so I thought I'd try to make it simpler.  In Pima County, Arizona (Tucson), the FHA loan limit is $316,000, so I limited the data to those.

FHA & VA loans have more stringent property condition guidelines, and may require a longer escrow period, so some (not many) sellers don't want offers that use these types of loans.

Here's what is available as of this evening in the Tucson Metro Real Estate Market:
(Including REO Foreclosures & short sales)

To give you an idea of what has sold or come under contract this month so far:

(Active Capa is not counted in these stats, since that term is most often used in short sales & only God knows when or if those will ever close)

*When looking for a home, you want to make sure you know what type of financing you will be using BEFORE you start looking at properties - sometimes you may fall in love with a house that has a seller who isn't in love with your financing, or the property itself doesn't qualify.

**Other factors to consider too - just because a property falls into the price guidelines of your budget doesn't make it eligible for your loan.  The property may need repairs that disallow the property from your type of loan, or require you to get a different variation of that loan i.e. - FHA 203k Streamline & FHA 203k.  In Tucson, most condos on the market are not FHA approved...even if they might say so in the listing.

***Knowing your loan type and its property parameters are CRITICAL to helping make sure you are looking at the right properties.  A good agent will know most of the guidelines already - and keeping good lines of communication open between your loan officer, your agent and you will help make finding you the right property easier & more hassle-free!

I often work with people who are looking at their real estate as an investment rather than a home. 

Looking for multi-family properties where the numbers made sense last year was a challenge, to say the least.  With interest rates hovering in the mid-7% range for investment properties, crunching the numbers just didn't work with the prices sellers were asking, for the most part.  Cap rates in the 5's and 6's were predominant - and they just didn't cash flow.

Now, after the price drops, we're seeing a lot more properties with cap rates in the 8's - some even in the 10's.  Combine that with the fact that interest rates for investment properties are in the 6% range, and investing in multi-family housing is looking more & more attractive in the Tucson real estate market.

There are currently at least 30 duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes and apartment buildings (that aren't short sales) on the market in Tucson with a cap rate of 8 or higher.  Some folks are holding out for 10, but when is that going to happen?  When interest rates are a full percentage point higher or more?

Investing in real estate is all about cash flow, value and timing.  Why hold out for a small gain in cap rate if you are paying more for your money?  For the large or institutional investor, that may make sense with short-term gains.  For the smaller investor who plans to hold the property for a long time, a property that pays its own way, and a mortgage at a lower interest rate can be more practical.

Below is a direct link to my property search for Multi-Family Properties in the Tucson area - see if anything looks interesting to you.

Even in areas where University of Arizona students live, there are a few opportunities that might be tasty!