scottsdale homes: Aye the rain, a pint of Guinness and a wee bit o’ Blarney.
- 08/19/18 01:38 PM
Well if you hadn’t noticed my blog has been a little quiet the last few weeks (of course you didn’t). That is because I have been traveling.
I just returned from a trip across Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland. We had a great time touring cities and towns, churches and castles and more than a few pubs.
Starting in Dublin we made our way to the Guinness Storehouse, a required stop on any Dublin agenda to learn how the world famous Guinness is made and the history of how Guinness shaped Ireland's past, present, and future. The drink is so popular in Ireland … (6 comments)
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scottsdale homes: And now for a little light reading.
- 07/22/18 07:49 PM
Sometimes when I am bored I sit around and think about the changes that time has brought to my body. Like most people, I suffer from the occasional ailment or disorder, but generally, I am pretty healthy.
Still, when some sort of new malady arises it can be cause for concern.
So as an example suppose I discovered that my toes are discolored. That could indicate that they are gangrenous, or it could just mean that the dye from my socks is bleeding through onto my skin.
Suppose that my face appeared to be flushed. It could be because I was anxious, stressed or … (2 comments)
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scottsdale homes: A little bit of rain goes a long way.
- 07/21/18 04:11 PM
Phoenix is in the desert, that doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone. We don't get a lot of rain and most of it comes in our two rainy seasons January and the summer monsoon. The summer monsoon is a time when the weather pattern shifts and storms drift up from the Gulf of Mexico. The media will often focus on negative aspects of the monsoon-like when one of the big dust storms engulfs the valley. It makes great television.
But with the monsoon also comes much-needed rain and the flora around the valley reacts appreciatively. We have been fortunate to have … (3 comments)
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scottsdale homes: Your Charm Will Lead To Benefits.
- 07/20/18 08:32 AM
I am so confused. Several websites I have visited declared today to be National Fortune Cookie Day. Then again several others claim Sept 13 is Fortune Cookie Day.
Just to be safe, I decided to open a fortune cookie today. I was rewarded with this wonderful prediction.
"Your charm this week will lead to benefits."
I can only wait with bated breath to see what the future will bring.
Too bad it's Friday this would have been a good fortune on Monday.
Joe Domino is a Realtor® serving the Phoenix & Scottsdale metro area. You can find more great information by visiting his website … (2 comments)
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scottsdale homes: Give Me Lots, Lots of Lots.
- 07/18/18 08:39 AM
Hum along with me to the tune from Cole Porter’s classic song Don’t Fence Me In.
I really cannot say that I started in the real estate business selling land. But, I can say that I started in the real estate business buying and selling vacant lots.
I obtained my license in 2003 and immediately looked for a niche that would bring me success. After a few stops and starts, I began to do business with two small developers. They had a plan to get rich in the rapidly accelerating custom home market in North Phoenix. The area was comprised of small … (4 comments)
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scottsdale homes: Ooops, there goes another great Sun City home.
- 07/16/18 05:04 PM
We did it again! We just closed on this darling Sun City townhome. This wonderful 2BD/2BA/1CG was in near perfect condition. The soon to be retired buyer is ready to relax and enjoy life on her own terms.
The sale went as smooth as silk thanks to a pair of experienced RE Agents, a top-notch Loan Officer, and a meticulous Escrow Agent.
I love it when a plan comes together.
Want to find your place in The Valley of the Sun?
Visit me www.Scottsdale-AZHomes.com
… (2 comments)
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scottsdale homes: Why word choice and grammar really do matter
- 07/14/18 12:22 PM
I love this post by Marte Cliff. I can relate to what she is saying and I have a story that offers a perfect example.
I work occasionally as a trainer and I develop training programs. On one occasion I was delivering a class to a group of international students. One of the gentlemen in the class was from Taiwan. He didn't speak very good English, but he could read it very well. He was following along with the presentation using the training manual to reinforce his learning. As he read along, he found a grammatical error in our document that confused … (2 comments)
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scottsdale homes: The effects of low inventory.
- 07/07/18 08:32 PM
In many places around the country, the inventory for resale homes continues to be very low in comparison to demand. The result has been accelerating prices particularly in the lower and middle price points. But accelerating prices are not the only factors that have made this market the most unique we have seen in many years. Aside from the usual supply and demand issues, low inventory has created several other situations that have affected home sales.
Sales are down.
Pure and simple, fewer houses to sell results in fewer sales. According to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) Pending Home Sales Index (PHS), … (0 comments)
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scottsdale homes: A House So Hot It Nearly Burned My Hands.
- 07/06/18 03:53 PM
In Phoenix, every agent carries a pair of gloves in their car. You see, in the summer, lockboxes, signs and even door knobs that are in the direct sun get so hot they will burn your hands. So when we talk about a hot market, we mean it in more ways than one.
Still, the demand for houses in certain price points is extraordinary. My client just closed on a house in suburban Glendale, AZ. The need for houses in this area was so hot that I was receiving multiple calls before it even hit the MLS, thanks to a coming soon … (3 comments)
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scottsdale homes: I Got Some Good News Today.
- 07/05/18 10:00 AM
Some say hard work is its own reward. Others say success can only be achieved through hard work (they apparently are discounting the element of luck). Still, others will stumble upon success while making very little effort toward the result.
But I am, as they say, old school. I still believe that you get out of it what you put into it. Sometimes success takes longer than you might hope, you just have to stick to your plan.
Still, I am always unsure if my efforts will be rewarded. But, today I received some good news. I opened my fortune cookie and was … (7 comments)
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scottsdale homes: Soundtrack of a Lifetime - 2018, Day 30 Don Mclean
- 06/28/18 08:00 PM
Well, it has been fun taking this trip down memory lane. I hope you had a chance to listen to some great songs and even view a couple of cool music videos. I also hope it either brought back some fond memories or created some new ones.
We are closing down the Soundtrack with American singer-songwriter Don Mclean’s American Pie. What other song is so reminiscent of the early days of Rock & Roll? It also debates the quality and direction of the future of Rock. But in retrospect, I think the genre did pretty well overall.
Released in 1971 the song … (0 comments)
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scottsdale homes: Soundtrack of a Lifetime - Day 29 - Seger
- 06/27/18 06:55 PM
To many people, Bob Seger represents the hometown hero. Hailing from Detroit, MI, Seger often relates his experiences of growing up in the Midwest. Something many of us can relate to.
He was the lead guitarist and singer in several successful bands including the Last Heard, Bob Seger System, and The Silver Bullet Band.
Today’s song is a single from his album by the same name, Against The Wind. While the lyrics seem to have a deeper meaning of someone struggling through life. Bob claims that his inspiration actually came about from his days as a high-school cross-country runner. Go figure.
Bob … (0 comments)
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scottsdale homes: Soundtrack of a Lifetime - Day 28 Bee Gees
- 06/26/18 07:07 PM
Which rendition of the Bee Gees do you prefer? The group that was a member of the British invasion of the 1960’s? Or do you prefer the Bee Gees that made everyone dance to the disco sound of the 70’s?
The trio of Barry, Maurice and Robin had their ups and downs even breaking up to do singles acts in the late 1960’s. Yet, they were one of the few bands that were able to achieve success in two different eras with different sounds. The latter of the two bringing the greatest notoriety.
Their soundtrack to the movie Saturday Night Fever catapulted … (2 comments)
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scottsdale homes: Soundtrack of a Lifetime - 2018, Day 27 Everly Bros.
- 06/25/18 07:23 PM
Come back with me to the early days of Rock and Roll to a duo that left their mark on many of the future artists that we have come to know and love. I am speaking about the Everly Brothers. Don & Phil Everly were huge stars. The Everly Brothers had 35 Billboard Top-100 singles and at one point even hosted their own network TV show. They influenced many rock groups of the 1960s. The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and Simon & Garfunkel all developed their early styles by performing Everly Brothers songs. Groups whose style featured 2 and 3 part … (2 comments)
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scottsdale homes: Soundtrack of a Lifetime - Day 26 - Crosby, Stills, Nash
- 06/24/18 08:31 PM
Crosby, Stills & Nash and sometimes Young is a 1970’s supergroup noted for their great vocal harmony. The band which formed in the late sixties with Stephen Stills from the group Buffalo Springfield, David Crosby from The Byrds and Graham Nash of Hollie's fame. Fourth member Neil Young would often join the trio on record and on stage. Each member added a different sound to the band's repertoire.
Together they performed from the Woodstock era through the tumultuous 60’s with a combination of protest songs and love songs. You never really knew which set of band members was going to be recording … (0 comments)
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scottsdale homes: Soundtrack of a Lifetime - 2018, Day 25 Darius Rucker
- 06/23/18 12:14 PM
Ok country fans. You have waited 25 days to hear a country song. Long enough. While most of this blog has been dedicated to Rock & Roll, it is hard to deny the influence that country has had on Rock through the years. Many of the early rock stars like Conway Twitty and Johnny Cash were crossovers from the country world. Today it is the rock stars that are crossing over to country. One popular rock artist, Darius Rucker of Hootie and The Blowfish fame, has become very successful on the country charts.
Rucker surprised the world by gaining quick acceptance on … (2 comments)
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scottsdale homes: Soundtrack of a Lifetime - Day 24 -Eagles
- 06/23/18 12:04 PM
I consider The Eagles to be one of the best rock bands ever. They are right up there with the Beatles and Rolling Stones. Despite the fact that many consider the Eagles to be a country sound, founding member Glen Fry was adamant that they were a rock band. One of the reasons early member Randy Meisner left the band, to be replaced by Timothy B. Schmidt, was the constant squabbling over the direction the band was taking. Eventually, Joe Walsh joined the band cementing it as a true rock band.
The Eagles are in my opinion one of the best live … (0 comments)
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scottsdale homes: Soundtrack of a Lifetime - 2018, Day 23 Kenny G
- 06/22/18 08:43 PM
Today’s song is from another musical genre that expanded my palate beyond Rock & Roll. Considered Contemporary Jazz or often called Smooth Jazz it is one that is dominated mostly by instrumental compositions. Kenny G is one of those artists that made his mark playing Smooth Jazz. His songs feature his excellent command of soprano, alto and tenor saxophones.
His collaborations with other artists like, Andrea Bocelli, Aaron Neville, Toni Braxton, Michael Bolton and others have made him one of the best-selling recording artists of all time. His album Breathless, released in 1992, went on to become the best-selling instrumental album ever … (2 comments)
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scottsdale homes: The VA Amendatory Clause – The Escape Vehicle
- 06/19/18 07:40 PM
VA loans offer qualified buyers several benefits that make purchasing a home easier and less risky. Some of the benefits of using a VA loan include an option for no money down, a government insured loan and a property appraisal process that helps ensure the home meets minimum standards.
One of the often overlooked benefits is the VA Amendatory Clause language that is a required modification to typical real estate contracts. The purpose of the clause is to remove some of the risks for loss of earnest money deposits made by the buyer. The clause offers a way to terminate the purchase … (5 comments)
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scottsdale homes: Soundtrack of a Lifetime - 2018, Day 20 Simon & Garfunkel
- 06/18/18 08:09 PM
“I’d rather be a hammer than a nail”, has got to be one of the most insightful lyrics ever recorded. The lyric, of course, comes from Paul Simon. Simon in addition to being half of the famous duo Simon & Garfunkel is a hugely successful songwriter.
I was introduced to Simon & Garfunkel by a high school English teacher that was trying to show our student class that literature could come in many forms. She would play the songs in class and together we would analyze the lyrics. I have been a Paul Simon fan ever since.
Paul & Artie are multi-talented … (0 comments)
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Well if you hadn’t noticed my blog has been a little quiet the last few weeks (of course you didn’t). That is because I have been traveling.
;)
;)
;)
