tucson: The Little Horse That Could: B.I.G. - Another Tucson Champion! (& Equestrian Property Search too) - 06/29/10 04:09 AM
When relocating to Tucson, the reasons vary - a job transfer, health issues, lifestyle changes, pursuing a dream...or something as simple as following your heart.  Here's a little about one man who did that...and has become a champion, along with his partner, a wild mustang named B.I.G. - one of the smallest horses in the Extreme Mustang Makeover competition.  He Has A Winning Way With Mustangs.
Logan Leach listened to his heart many years ago, and settled in Tucson.  He established Tanque Verde Stables in the Northeast part of the Tucson Metro, perfectly located by the Tanque Verde wash (full of … (4 comments)

tucson: Pima County Bond Program Is BACK! Good Home Loan News For First Time Homebuyers in Tucson & Pima County, Arizona - 01/18/10 12:32 PM
Are you a first time homebuyer?  Are you looking to purchase a new home or existing home in Tucson or elsewhere in Pima County?  The Pima County Bond Program is b-a-a-c-k!  How does a mortgage at 4.55% interest over 30 years sound?
Thought so - check it out:
Pima County Bond Program has money available for first-time homebuyers. Some features of this program are:
30 Year Fixed Loan at 4.55% * First-time buyers only - cannot have owned a property in the last 3 years (this requirement is waived for qualified veterans) Can be used with FHA, VA or Rural Housing … (4 comments)

tucson: Spectacular Rear - Tucson Style! - 11/09/09 01:25 PM
I almost missed it, but glad I didn't.
I saw the most spectacular "rear" today while driving home from my office!
A Spectacular Rear - Tucson Style!
 
I know some of you may be scratching your head, wondering"What in the world is he talking about?"
I'm talking about one of those "Wow - I'm Truly Astonished,I've got to get another look at THAT !" kind of views.
In fact, I took the very next turn so that I could to get safely oriented just so I COULDget another glimpse at this incredible sight and just STARE.
 
Yeah, yeah, … (10 comments)

tucson: Relocating To Tucson? Check Your Cell Phone Coverage Map Here - 10/29/09 04:43 PM
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 … (5 comments)

tucson: Downpayment Assistance For Tucson, Arizona - Yes...It's For Real! - 10/02/09 03:31 PM
Do you have good credit, but just can't come up with the 3.5% down payment that FHA loans require?
Can't use a USDA Rural loan because you don't want to live out in the areas that qualify for that program?
In Arizona there's a solution that just might work for you:  Arizona Home Buyer Solutions Gift Program.
Seems like every time I turn around, somebody's telling me about a new program that's going to help people buy a good home...but there always seems to be a catch that makes the program unworkable for most people (or most properties).
The other day … (4 comments)

tucson: Bargains On The Links: Foreclosures on Tucson Golf Homes - 08/13/09 04:50 PM
With most of the action happening on the lower end of the market in Tucson - the luxury market is still in a slump.This fact leads to opportunities for buyers looking to take advantage of their strong position and pick up the home of their dreams or make an investment in resort property.
… (5 comments)

tucson: First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit (Video Clip) - So Simple Even TucsonKent Can Understand It! - 05/09/09 06:13 PM
I've read a lot of great information on the $8000 Tax Credit for first-time homebuyers, most of it from ActiveRain members.  Even with the quality explanations from intelligent people, I still got questions from people to explain it again & again.
So - I figured that making it simple enough that even I could understand what it means to someone buying a home might be helpful.  No offense to all those folks who have done a stellar job writing about it...but I'm not the smartest guy around, so I made a video of it.



… (4 comments)

tucson: Sam Hughes Restaurant - Championship Dining - 04/19/09 03:33 PM
One of the benefits of living in Sam Hughes neighborhood in Tucson is that there are an incredible array of places to eat and have a little fun.

Located on the corner of Campbell Avenue & 6th Street, in the Sam Hughes Place shopping center, Championship Dining is a great upscale sports bar.  Before or after a University of Arizona Wildcats game, this place is packed! Get there early though for football & basketball games - even away games.  Part of the reason is that it is walking distance to all of the sports facilities, the other is its great … (6 comments)

tucson: Chances Are... - 04/10/09 03:35 PM
...according to quite a few indicators (including my phone & email inbox) by market experts, economists and respected figures in the industry, the real estate market is starting to wake up across the country. 
A couple of days ago, I heard on the radio during the drive to my office that Bank of America & Wells Fargo included figures showing that between 25% & 30% of their loan activity in the 1st quarter was due to first-time homebuyers taking advantage of low prices, low interest rates & the $8000 tax credit (see: Real Estate Trifecta).  In the same quarterly reports, both … (12 comments)

tucson: "Gonna Get My Picture On The Cover...Gonna Buy 5 Copies For My Mother!" - AR Blogger On Cover of Rolling Stone! - 04/08/09 12:01 PM
Well, maybe not the cover....and it wasn't Rolling Stone either.  (Gotta be honest here - disclosure, you know)  But I did get an article about real estate published.     In a magazine.         With pages & everything...real ads even!
Back in January, Arizona Gourmet Living magazine asked me to write an article about real estate for their spring issue.  Having just finished research for a blog post about the fall in prices allowing "Average Joe" to buy a home, I figured that fleshing out this thought a little further would be a good idea.
I wanted to produce a market report that told … (15 comments)

tucson: Photo Tour 1 of Historic Sam Hughes Neighborhood Homes In Tucson Arizona - 04/01/09 02:20 PM
The past few days I have written about the Sam Hughes Historic Neighborhood in Tucson, Arizona - don't you think its high time I showed you some of the homes?
Sit back, relax - and enjoy a little music while you take a look at some of these interesting homes.  Make sure you turn on your speakers!
 
 
Should you like what you see here - just imagine what they are like in person.  I'm Kent Simpson - TucsonKent - and will be proud to represent your interests as a Buyer's Broker.
Sam Hughes neighborhood is one of Tucson's premier … (7 comments)

tucson: SolarRock 3 - Solar Powered Concert In Tucson, AZ - 03/30/09 04:35 PM
How do you have a little fun and show off the possibilities of solar power at the same time?  With a concert, of course!  But not just any old concert...one with all of the power provided by solar panels.  This is the 3rd year for SolarRock in Himmel Park, right in the heart of the Sam Hughes Historic Neighborhood.
 

 
Just east of the University of Arizona, Sam Hughes is not only known for its beautiful & eclectic homes:  it is one of the leading communities in the region for implementing Green Building Technology in residential real estate.
For … (8 comments)

tucson: El Encanto Condos - History & Beauty In Sam Hughes Historic Neighborhood - Tucson, Arizona - 03/29/09 06:58 PM
When one thinks of a condominium, rarely does the thought of an elegant piece of history come to mind.  The El Encanto Condos of Sam Hughes Historic Neighborhood is just that and more.  Originally built in 1940 to house officers at what now is Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, the meticulously groomed grounds fit the historical perspective and evoke thoughts of a glamourous movie set in Hollywood's Golden Age.

Placed in the National Historic Register in 1994, the elegant facade is timeless - while the interiors have been a veritable playground for architects and designers through the years.

 
 
… (2 comments)

tucson: Arizona Bicycle Experts: Sam Hughes Neighborhood Business (Tucson, Arizona0 - 03/29/09 05:36 PM
Close to a university, you'd expect to have a few bicycle shops, wouldn't you?  How about one that is passionate about their business?  Not always.
Enter Arizona Bicycle Experts.  Located within walking, excuse me...biking distance of the University of Arizona, ABE has been advising, tuning, repairing and promoting the love of cycling to the Sam Hughes neighborhood for 16+ years.
Their motto says it all:
"We are the small shop you've always heard about, we stand behind what we sell, we service what we sell (and what they sell) and we ride what we sell. Come see why our customers keep … (1 comments)

tucson: Photo Study: Decorative Gates of Sam Hughes Historic Neighborhood in Tucson - 03/29/09 05:01 PM
Sam Hughes, the neighborhood just east of University of Arizona's campus is one of Tucson's signature areas.  While many of the homes were built in the 1930s bungalow style, the 1940s & '50s brought different influences.  Through the decades, additions and remodels have added their own distinctive marks on the neighborhood and today's new buildings pay homage to the past with modern flair.
A walk through the neighborhood rewards one with a myriad of interesting & intriguing sights.  These gates are but a few. 
 
Should you be interested in what lies beyond these gates or any other property in the … (3 comments)

tucson: Eller College of Management at University of Arizona Ranked Among Best In World - 02/05/09 02:32 PM
One of the things that Tucson is most proud of is its educational opportunities & offerings.  We've got highly competitive public schools (including BASIS Charter - consistently one of the nation's best ranked), highly selective private schools & specialized academies, Pima Community College - one of the largest in the west, and the granddaddy of them all:  The University of Arizona, which is ranked 25th in the country by The Washington Monthly.
There are many schools within the U of A that are highly regarded, several on a global basis.  The College of Optical Sciences, the Department of Astronomy & Steward … (3 comments)

tucson: Got A Lead Foot? Watch Out!!!! - 02/04/09 02:41 PM
I know I've got a lead foot sometimes, but I'm not crazy about it...rarely go over the limit by more than 5 MPH.  Nevertheless, when I need to get somewhere in a hurry, sometimes the traffic just seems to go so slow...and I know just the streets to travel where I can get away with it!
NOT ANYMORE!  Pima County is going to install Photo/Radar enforcement cameras in strategic locations around the Tucson Metro Area.  They are going active April 1, 2009 (gee, what an April Fool's present, huh?).  To get all of us used to the photo/radar cameras, there will … (25 comments)

tucson: 3D TV? Holography? U of Arizona Optical Lab May Be The Center of The Universe In Field - 02/01/09 03:40 PM
Remember watching the holograph of Princess Leia in the first Star Wars movie?  Think it'd be pretty cool to watch the Super Bowl in 3D (and not have to wear those funky, annoying glasses)?  It may be a reality sooner than you think.
In stories reported by the Arizona Daily Star and aired by KVOA News 4 (no video at time of post), University of Arizona scientists in the College of Optical Sciences have made a breakthrough in laser technology that will lead to such benefits.
Just a few years ago, the College of Optical Sciences opened up a new building … (3 comments)

tucson: Tucson Gets Recognized As A Great Place For Baby-Boomers - 01/31/09 03:41 PM

Tell us something we don't know!  (But thanks for the recognition)
BestBoomerTowns, a website specifically aimed at highlighting the best places in the USA for the Baby Boomer Generation to live, has named Tucson as one of its top 21.
Now those of us who already live here have known what a great place "The Old Pueblo" is...but we like the recognition just the same.  Besides using criteria such as university, social and cultural activities and variety of housing costs, the website also mentions Tucson's "genuine feel of the Old West."
Thanks BestBoomerTowns - if you decide to relocate, I … (3 comments)

tucson: No Trespassing...& I Mean It! - 10/03/08 09:49 AM
Yesterday while driving through the Picture Rocks area to the west of Tucson, I noticed some interesting things here & there.  One of which I wrote about last night, a whimsical Air Conditioner Repair sign featuring a mannequin "deep into his work" on an AC unit.
Another thing I saw made me turn around and drive back to see it again:

I easily recognized the "Private Property - No Trespassing" sign, and the symbol for rattlesnakes, but wanted to read the fine print below.
I guess this guy is serious about "No Trespassing" and wants to make sure he doesn't … (6 comments)