Four Great Bands: Anthem’s Free Music in May

Welcome summer with Anthem’s Music in May Free Concert Series!  Stroll out as the sun starts to set. There’s something for every musical taste this year at the Anthem Community Park Amphitheater 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. every Friday in May.

Friday, May 4:  Chuck Hall Band – Rhythm & Blues
Band members (l. to r. below): Chuck Hall, Ron James, John Willis
Photo by Ulf Jonsson, from band's website


These veteran musicians have opened for Albert Collins, B.B. King, Johnny Winter, Gregg Allman, and several other respected musical acts. Named “Best Blues Guitarist” in Arizona two years in a row and inducted into the Arizona Blues Hall of Fame in 2000, Hall and his band deliver a unique blend of rhythm and blues originals and covers.


Friday, May 11:  Thaddeus Rose Band – Variety from the ‘40s to Today
Band members (l. to r. below): Tony Commisso, Thaddeus Rose, Chris Cannella, Jerry Gray
Photo from band's website, photographer unknown


Versatile musical composer and producer Thaddeus Rose, previously with Arizona’s popular ‘90s band Isotopes, performs a variety of musical genres with his three-piece show band.



Friday, May 18:  The Instant Classics (TIC) – Classic Rock, Oldies, Country, Disco, Hip-Hop
Band members: Caleb, Christine, Todd, Brian, Nick
Photo from band's website, photographer unknown


There’s no genre this six-piece band can’t do! Featuring male and female vocals and an extensive catalogue of covers, TIC tailors gigs to any crowd or event. Named a New Times Best of Phoenix Winner, they play regularly at the Blue Martini Lounge in Phoenix.


Friday, May 25:  That Kool Band, “Arizona’s Favorite Party Band” – ‘50s-‘80s Tributes
Band members' names unavailable; photo from band's website, photographer unknown


Featuring great harmonies and guitar, That Kool Band will have you up on your feet with everything from rock, pop, Motown, doo-wop, British Invasion hits, disco and beach standards! Be warned: “People have reported a euphoria that lasts for days…” after shows.


Music in the air, sunsets, picnic dinner, friends and family… What’s not to love at Music in May?
See you there!

Sponsorship:  To sponsor Music in May, please contact Michele DeMichele, Special Events Director, at mdemichele@anthemcouncil.com or 623-742-4510.
Much information in this article is taken from Online at Anthem.

Posted by Doreen Drew

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Starlight Community Theater Shines in Anthem

It’s hard to believe another school year is winding down! As you plan your summer, check out Anthem’s own Starlight Community Theater for something new, fun, and educational.

Serving the community since 2006, Starlight Community Theater is dedicated to providing live theater experiences on and off the stage, for youth and adults. In addition to the run of their final production of the 2011–12 season, Once Upon A Mattress, Starlight offers a summer Acting Workshop for all ages, "Acting and Composition" – brought to the North Valley by the highly esteemed Pasha W. Yamotahari of Phoenix Theater. Camp Rising Star offers two sessions producing Disney plays The Jungle Book Kids and The AristoCats Kids. See Starlight's Calendar here. (For Discount Rates on Workshops and Camp Sessions, or to support the theater, become a Starlight Member!)

Once Upon a Mattress – based on the fairy tale The Princess and the Pea
According to the Starlight Community Theater's website, it may not have been a pea that kept the Princess awake! You will be "carried on a wave of wonderful songs, by turns hilarious and raucous, romantic and melodic, this rollicking spin on the familiar classic of royal courtship and comeuppance provides for some side-splitting shenanigans!" You can still catch the final performances of the season:

Friday, April 27, 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 28, 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 29, 3:00 p.m.
Suite #B-119, Safeway Center
3655 W Anthem Way, Anthem

Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for students, and can be purchased through PayPal online at www.StarlightCommunityTheater.org or at the door (cash only). For group sales, please contact the ticket manager at StarlightTickets@hotmail.com. Midfirst Bank will match $1,000 in support of Starlight Community Theater. Your small change can make a big difference!  Check under your mattress and bring your loose coin donations to the performance.

Acting Workshop 2012 (for ages 7 and up) – Acting and Composition
Fine tune your acting skills with this workshop dedicated to strengthening your body, your characters’ emotional reveal and its relation to objects on stage. Led by Pasha W. Yamotahari, this workshop puts emphasis on using creativity and physical storytelling to take command of your character in relation to the world you’re in.

May 19, 2012, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Workshop Tuition is $50 for non-members, $40 for members
Suite #B-119, Safeway Center
3655 W Anthem Way, Anthem

Camp Rising Star (Get Registration Forms for Jungle Book here and for AristoCats here.)


Session One: Disney's The Jungle Book Kids
June 11 – 22, 9 am – 12 pm M-F & 1 pm – 4 pm T & Th
Performances: June 23 @ 3 pm & 7 pm
Ages 7 – 16
$250 for members, $275 for non-members
Sibling Discount – $25 off full tuition per additional student living in same household


Session Two: Disney's The AristoCats Kids
July 9 – 20, 9 am – 12 pm, M-F
Performances: July 21 @ 3 pm & 7 pm
Ages 6 - 14
$225 for non-members, $200 for members
Sibling Discount – $25 off full tuition per additional student living in same household

Support this excellent organization. Find out about Starlight Community Theater's sponsorship opportunities here.

Posted by Doreen Drew

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North Valley Regional Library in Anthem, AZ - An Incredible Resource

A gold mine in our own back yard!

Serving Anthem, New River, and Desert Hills, North Valley Regional Library (NVRL) is located on the campus of Boulder Creek High School at 40410 N. Gavilan Peak Parkway, Anthem, AZ 85086, phone 602-652-3000. See Map Here . Open Mon-Thurs 9 am – 9 pm, Fri-Sat 9 am – 5 pm, and Sundays 1-5 p.m., it is a joint-use facility serving students and the general public. Below are some of the free programs and recreational, educational, and cultural resources this state-of-the-art, 23,500 square-foot facility has to offer. Check it out!

Books and so much more . . .

NVRL offers over 80,000 items to check out including: books, best-sellers, books on CD, music CDs, DVDs, and – to be read onsite – newspapers and magazines. Teens and children have their own collections. Books are renewable online from home. DVDs titles cover a wide variety of new and difficult-to-find older movies, classics, concerts, and documentaries.

Computers and Internet

NVRL has 50 computers, internet access, Microsoft Office software, and private meeting/study rooms. The library holds free classes on computer use as well as free one-on-one instruction by reservation. And check out the options for online research NVRL offers!

Digital Products and Services

Library Ideas, LLC, a privately held company, supplies digital products and websites to many libraries around the world, including NVRL. Freading is a program offering free downloads of MP3 audiobooks, eBooks, eMusic, eVideos, and games. Freegal Music offers downloadable music and RocketLanguages offers language instruction.

Programs for all ages

The library offers book clubs, Story Time for babies and toddlers and their moms, teen programs, and Game Afternoons for adults – to name just a few! Check NVRL’s Schedule of Events to find programs for adults, teens, and children, offered on a regular basis.

Maricopa County Recorder’s Kiosk

A super convenient new service for Anthem-area residents, the Maricopa County Recorder’s Kiosk allows citizens to record documents with the county – without going to downtown Phoenix to do so! Click here for more information.

Get involved!

All it takes to get involved in any of these interesting offerings is to get a Maricopa County Library Card at the library desk. The people who work there are extremely helpful and friendly every time I come in. If you want to get a little more involved, the new Friends of North Valley Regional Library holds used book sales throughout the year to support NVRL’s many programs and resources. New members are always welcome. Call 602-652-3000 to find out more!

These days when it’s difficult for many to afford entertainment or special classes, it’s nice to know Anthem’s North Valley Regional Library offers something fun for everyone... for free!

Posted by Doreen Drew

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Back Again: Multi-Generational Homes

These days, as the recession continues to affect so many, almost everyone knows someone whose living situation has changed. For many, this means multigenerational living arrangements. You might think the fiercely independent American spirit would scorn these kinds of arrangements, but as they say, necessity is the mother of invention.

Whether we want to or have to, we are finding new ways to be practical. In terms of structure, an extra bedroom might be all it takes, with kitchen and bathrooms shared. For more privacy, features such as a separate kitchen, separate wing or guest house, separate bathrooms, or a larger garage may accommodate extra family members.

Believe it or not, there can be many positives to parent and adult child, brother and sister, grandparent and grandchild living together. Finances are often a primary factor. Money is tight and people are pooling resources, significantly cutting down rental and mortgage costs while sharing the financial strain, or helping a family member temporarily out of work.

A less obvious benefit is the stronger sense of well-being these living arrangements foster… something that we Americans have lost as we’ve moved farther and farther apart over the past several decades. Schedules become less hectic and burdens ease thanks to the sharing of time and household chores. Caring for children and elderly family members right in our own homes is much more convenient. Families also get a chance to bond through activities they may not otherwise have shared.

Of course, sharing space, utilities, and other essentials with people of different generations and personalities calls for some planning... and just plain common courtesy. Some people have no problem being at the center of a beehive, but others cannot tolerate putting their lives under what feels like constant scrutiny. Agreements regarding boundaries and private time may be in order.

Sharing how dishes, laundry, cooking, and other household duties will be done can become very serious. It’s no fun when someone slacks! A written contract, even in the form of a calendar or list posted on the refrigerator, goes a long way toward fairness. Deciding things like who needs to use the bathroom first to get ready for work or school, is also important. In ironing out any of these matters, informal family meetings where everyone can be heard may contribute to a sense of shared responsibility.

This recession will pass as many of us will learn more about sharing and caring.

Posted by Doreen Drew of Coldwell Banker Daisy Mountain, Anthem, AZ

We welcome your comments...

Mars and Venus Buy a House

(from the Archives)

Men and women have always had their differences, and—let’s face it—buying a house is no exception. A 1,000-respondent omnibus phone survey by Coldwell Banker Real Estate gives us some clues as to gender similarities and differences. Are any of these true for you and your partner? First, the differences:

Decision-making speedIt is the women who make the faster decisions when it comes to buying a house. Surprised? The fairer sex is more likely to decide on a house the day they walk into it, possibly because they rely on gut feeling. Men, often more logic-oriented, need more time and more visits to make a final decision.

Proximity to job and family Women prefer to be close to extended family over their jobs, while just the opposite is true for a significantly majority of men polled. Makes sense, considering traditional caretaker/breadwinner roles make sense for many couples.

Individual financial decisionsMore men than women think they “wear the pants” when it comes to major financial decisions like buying a house, although some women so feel this way too. Curiously enough, most of the respondents—men and women—said that they, and not their partners, were the ones more likely to make major decisions. Perception is everything!

Here are some areas the sexes generally see eye-to-eye on:

Mutual financial decisionsWhether men or women think they have more decision-making power, a high percentage of couples prefer to share the responsibility and make major financial decisions together.

Use of spare roomsBoth men and women are fairly practical about how a spare room should be used—choosing bedroom, study, and den, in that order. Interestingly, men make up the majority of a small group of respondents who would convert a spare room into a recreation room, or “man cave.” It seems pool tables, darts, and pinball machines have their place!

SecurityA high percentage of both men and women would back out of a promising deal if safety becomes an issue, although this factor is more important to women than men.

What does it all mean?Each couple is unique. Pay special attention and it’s easier to understand what matters to your partner. It may sound obvious, but don’t forget to talk before you make a decision. In the end, statistics provide perspective, but nothing can replace good old-fashioned communication, especially when it comes to such an important decision as buying a home!

Posted by Doreen Drew at Coldwell Banker Daisy Mountain Real Estate

Check out Anthem's real estate market and see more of Doreen's listings.

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The Eye of the Beholder - Your Home's Value

(from the Archives)

What is your home worth? The best answer: whatever a typical buyer is willing to pay for it in a fair and open market. But what is it worth hypothetically speaking if you don’t plan to put it on the market anytime soon—or ever?

It depends on who is asking the question and why they are asking. The most common sources of home valuation are: real estate agents, appraisers and the lenders who typically hire them, and online sources like Zillow.

Real estate agents who want to list your home may suggest a value based on their extensive, ongoing knowledge of the local market and what they see in your home—the same sources an appraiser uses, without measurements and calculations. They tend to rely on “gut” feeling, quite a formidable source in a seasoned agent. A good realtor might come up with a more accurate number than an appraiser, especially in a changing market. That’s why lenders and other interested parties sometimes get a casual written valuation, a “broker price opinion” or BPO.

Appraisals are required by lending institutions to establish that the loan amount for a sale or refinance is worth their risk, or has an acceptable “loan-to-value” ratio. A full appraisal is based on an inspection and measurement of the home including its interior and exterior amenities and upgrades as well as site, location, and environmental factors. This in-depth picture of the property is then compared point-by-point to similar properties, or “comps” in a market analysis. An appraisal is considered to be a solid, conservative indicator of the property’s value as of a particular date.

In this post-recession market, heavily influenced by bank owned foreclosures and short sales, appraisers and realtors look at both “distress” sales and “retail” or conventional sales to determine value. The lending industry has impacted the market in an interesting way by modifying some but not all distressed loans and by dealing directly with parties to a short sale transaction to determine sale price, creating a category of sales not determined by fair market forces. In most areas, value probably falls somewhere in between.

Zillow and other online valuation services are snazzy and fun and instantaneous. But most agents consider Zillow too broad-spectrum to provide any real guidance on value. Based on computer algorithms, Zillow values are great for a quick overview, but they do not account for the wild fluctuations in value often seen in one neighborhood or even one block—caused by luxury homes or other exceptional properties alongside foreclosures, short sales, and conventional sales.

It’s only human nature to place your own property’s value at the high end of a cluster of Zillow sales. It’s also human nature to consider your lender’s appraisal far too conservative for all the work you’ve put into your house. Often, a home’s true value lies somewhere in the middle… or, short sales aside, at exactly what the highest bidder in an open market pays!

Posted by Doreen Drew

We welcome your comments...

When you're ready for your dream home in Arizona contact Doreen Drew at 623 879-3277 or email her at doreen.drew@coldwellbanker.com. Also visit her website.

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http://www.daisymountainrealestate.com/

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Depute Sheriff William Coleman, Rest in Peace

(From the Archives)

Deputy Coleman, we thank you for your courage, dedication, and service to our community.

Our hearts go out to the family, co-workers, and friends of Deputy Coleman, who gave his life in the service of our community. He was tragically shot and killed in the early hours of Sunday morning, January 8, while responding to a burglary call in Anthem. Coleman is survived by his wife, Beth and four children, his father, as well as extended family. He would have turned 51 next week.

As reported yesterday at azcentral.com, family members remember Coleman as “a devoted father and friend who loved fishing, hunting and working.” He was known as “a tough guy on the outside but a teddy bear on the inside.”

“Bill would always make you laugh and would always help anyone out. Bill has touched many lives; he will be missed but not forgotten," Beth Coleman said in a statement she issued yesterday. Coleman had completed 20 years of service. "Bill sacrificed everything to protect us and our community,” she said.

Beth thanked the community for their support. “The love… from the community is helping [the family] cope as they work through the many emotions of this senseless crime.”

How You Can Participate

The public visitation for Deputy William Coleman is Thursday, January 12, at North Phoenix Baptist Church on Central Avenue and Bethany Home Road from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The funeral service will be Friday, also at the Baptist Church.

You may donate to the Deputy William Coleman Memorial Fund at Desert Schools Federal Credit Union, account number: 6000123586.

This Thursday, January 12, from 2 to 10 p.m., Hands Across Anthem will hold a fundraiser at Wendy’s in Anthem, which will donate 20% of purchases made between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. to Hands Across America in honor of Deputy Coleman.

Hands Across Anthem will also hold a Community Walk to honor Deputy Coleman, forming a human chain by joining hands. Meet at the corner of Anthem Way and Gavilan Peak Sunday, January 22, between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Signatures and condolences will be collected for a special album to be given to Deputy Coleman’s family. Donations and proceeds collected from t-shirt sales will also go to support Coleman’s family.

Leave a reflection on the Officer Down Memorial Page.

(Read JJ Hensley’s full article on the family’s remembrances.)

Musical Theatre of Anthem: Quality Performance Art in Our Own Back Yard

Have you heard… about our very own Musical Theatre of Anthem? MTA is an unsung treasure, offering performance art training and practice for all ages and enhancing the community. It certainly bears mention… and a lot of appreciation!

Hurry, hurry! The next presentation, and a great family night out, is Disney’s Aladdin, happens this week at Boulder Creek High School Mini Auditorium! Aladdin, Jasmine, and the Genie will take you into a world of magic carpets and just plain magic. Playing October 13–15 at 7:00 p.m., with matinee performances at 3:00 October 15 and 16 (matinee only that day). This presentation is sure to please children—and kids at heart. Check out the rest of the 2011–12 season, at http://www.musicaltheatreofanthem.org/season.html. Musical Theatre of Anthem has many more great plays planned.


MTA’s mission, according to their website www.musicaltheatreofanthem.org, is “to develop youth and adults within the field of performing arts while enhancing their intrinsic creativity and brokering their vast talents. MTA trains and educates youth so they can become the artists, patrons, and leaders of tomorrow while providing opportunities to adults to empower them and foster their creativity.” How lucky are we here in Anthem?

MTA began in 2008 when Jackie and Jeff Hammond decided to bring their considerable strengths in business and theatre together to form a great theatre experience here in Anthem. Jeff Hammond, Managing Director, currently works in the technologies department of a Fortune 500 financial services company. He graduated with honors from San Francisco State University and earned an MBA in Technology Management from the University of Colorado.

Producing Artistic Director Jackie Stewart Hammond brings twenty years of music and theatre teaching experience to MTA. A musician in her own right, she is a graduate of San Jose State University, where she majored in Creative Arts and minored in Musical Theatre. She also studied a wide range of performing arts at the American Musical Theatre Artists' Institute. You can read more about MTA and its founders at http://www.musicaltheatreofanthem.org/about.html.

From its humble beginnings, MTA has rapidly flourished here in Anthem to become a Musical Theatre we can be proud of. Its quality is obvious from its impressive list of awards, including: Two 2010–11 Season AriZoni Awards, and 16 nominations; Nickelodeon's Parents Connect Parents' Picks Award for Best Theatre Group for Kids in Arizona; the 2011 National Youth Arts Awards for Outstanding Production; Outstanding Ensemble – Junior Division; and several other awards for specific actors.

Hats off to our talented, hard-working neighbors, Jeff and Jackie Hammond!

Posted by Doreen Drew

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How to Minimize Risk in a Short Sale

What is risk management?
In this economy, short sales have become all too common. A short sale is an arrangement between the owner of a home and the lender, that the lender will accept an offer for less than the total amount needed to pay off the loan. The difference between the amount owed and what the bank collects on the short sale is the deficiency. In a short sale transaction, someone – either the seller or the bank – is “shorted” and becomes responsible for the deficiency. The extremely complex short sale process calls for risk management, which boils down to making informed decisions and consulting with realtors specifically designated to handle short sales.

Worst-case scenarios
While a short sale may be viable for some distressed homeowners facing foreclosure, a foreclosure is not a short sale. In a foreclosure, the ownership of the home reverts to the bank because the owner is in default on the loan. The bank repossesses and sells the home, then pursues the homeowner for the deficiency. Such legal action is often unworkable for a homeowner experiencing long-term unemployment or another hardship that caused the foreclosure in the first place. Many people in foreclosure eventually end up filing bankruptcy to resolve the situation, especially if they have overwhelming credit card debt—bankruptcy court caseloads are overflowing nationwide as a result. Whether or not the homeowner declares bankruptcy, their credit is compromised for a good while. People do bounce back from foreclosure and bankruptcy, but it’s worth consulting with an experienced short sale realtor to see if short-selling is an option for you. Where viable, short selling offers relief and, some experts say, a softer impact on a homeowner’s credit.

Making the best of a tough situation
It is in your best interest if you find yourself contemplating foreclosure or short sale, to find a specially trained and designated agent who will manage the considerable risk inherent in the minefield that is the short sale process. You need every advantage, including seeking legal council, to make sure that the lender assumes the deficiency—not you—and that you are protected from risk of short- or long-term legal action. You do not want a call from an attorney for the lender five years down the road!

Short sale experts at Coldwell Banker Daisy Mountain Real Estate
At Coldwell Banker Daisy Mountain in Anthem, AZ, short sale transactions make up about 50% our total listing inventory. Doreen Drew and Amy Wylie are very familiar with this process, having worked with these transactions since 2007, and they close over 90% of their short sale listings--an extremely high success rate. Both Doreen and Amy have earned many short-sale specific designations, including Certified Short Sale Negotiator (CSSN) and Short Sale & Foreclosure Resource Certified (SFR), and most recently…

The cutting-edge rCRMS designation
In an intense, six-day course, agents learn from legal experts, attorneys actively involved in real estate litigation. Instructors share real-life examples and case studies that help paint the most realistic picture of the issues contributing to today’s high-risk environment. Real estate attorneys teaching required rCRMS courses include… AAR General Counsel K. Michelle Lind, Richard Mack, Robert Bass, John Lotardo, and Keith L. Hendricks. Kudos to Coldwell Banker Daisy Mountain agents who have earned this designation along with Doreen Drew and Amy Wylie.

Doreen and Amy stay up to date to give their clients every advantage in this market. Coldwell Banker Daisy Mountain Real Estate serves the North Valley and is located in the Ace Hardware Plaza in Anthem. No question is too big or too small, so call 623-879-3277 or toll free 800-536-7336, or stop by any time!

Posted by Doreen Drew

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Welcome Autumn in Style at Anthem, AZ Autumnfest!

Well, it's almost that time of the year again… I'm talking about Fall! After so many days over 110 degrees, I'm sure everyone is ready to welcome this beautiful season. I can already feel it in the air. Here in Anthem, we are privileged to have the Anthem Autumnfest to help usher in the best time of the year. This dates of our fourth annual Autumfest this year fall on the weekend of October 22-23 in Anthem Community Park from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with rides lighting up the sky into the night.

I can just smell the popcorn and cotton candy now… that’ll be the eagerly anticipated Frazier Show Carnival making one of its semi-annual Anthem appearances. Brave the rides and ferris wheel or just stroll and greet friends. You’ll find many other activities for the whole family, including a Pumpkin Patch, where you can purchase and decorate your Halloween pumpkin. Start your Christmas shopping early at the Arts and Crafts Fair. Kids will enjoy many activities in the Kids Zone, featuring inflatables, pony rides, barrel rides, and hay rides. Sounds like fun to me!

After all that activity, you may work up quite an appetite. Not to worry! There’s always the Food Court and Rotary Beer Garden—for those who have acquired that taste. And don’t forget to plan ahead for the ever-popular Autumnfest Chili Cook-Off and the Apple Pie Baking Contest, both hosted by Anthem Neighborhood Watch. These are sure to be a lot of fun, and delicious too! If you want to compete in either of these contests, the sign-up deadline is October 12, 5 p.m. All the information you need to sign up, plus the rules, are at www.onlineatanthem.com. It's free, and it’s sure to be great fun, so dig into your recipe box and get started!

Help usher in our beautiful Anthem Autumn. By October, the weather should be perfect. And fall’s a great time to get out to our incredible park and meet your friends and neighbors for a fun-filled day at Anthem Autumnfest… See you there!

Posted by Doreen Drew

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I just found a property and wanted to share it with you!

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Avoid Surprises, Inspect The Home Before Buying!

Once a house has spent a couple or so years under the elements then it has the potential to have problems within – both minor and major. Buying a house without knowing of such problems can seriously demoralize you, and then some.

Professional inspectors are available, but if you could do most of it yourself, you could save yourself some money and time as well. Here are some of the simpler steps in the home inspection process that you can do yourself!

Walls, Inch By Inch

Upon crossing the portal, look to the right and check the wall. As you move through the various rooms and hallways, keep checking the walls to your right. Signs to look out for are cracks, stretched or compressed wallpaper, plaster abnormalities, and separated joints. These can point to the house shifting in its foundations.

Eyes And Ears Out For Leaks

Use your eyes to check for water stains on the ceiling or walls. If the walls are papered, then check for wrinkles and bubbles as these can also point to leaks. A bright flashlight might be needed to properly discern these problems, especially if they have been covered up. Keep your ears open and listen for drips. Check out all the sinks and water outlets – the toilets, the shower, and more. Water pressure is also an important consideration. Mildew, missing grout, or cracked or loose tiles may be markers of in-wall leaks.

Inspecting The Power

You should turn every switch on and off, checking the lights and other such things. If there are appliances provided, make sure to check them out as well. Outlets should be sufficient in number and well positioned. Check out all the outlets – it helps if you can bring a plug-in night light for this.

Condition Is The Name Of The Game

Doors and windows should be inspected for squeaks and ease of opening and closing. Listen for creaking floors or stairs. Good places to look for signs of the house shifting are the front stoop, chimney, and the point where the driveway joins up with the house. If the house has a garage, make sure to check all sides for problems and if the garage door is in good condition.

Pest Patrol For Control

No one likes having pests inside their home. Ants, termites, cockroaches, and mice are what you will want to watch out for. Sometimes, the insects can make their way in via holes made to accommodate electrical or water lines. Termites can seriously reduce a building’s structural integrity, so make sure the house is termite-free.

Of course, you might want to do everything yourself, however, I always recommend some professional know-how. Ask a pro home inspector to get into the generally inaccessible spaces like the crawl spaces and roof and check it out for you. Have him or her check for problems with the gas, electricity, water, heating, and air conditioning. Ask for a detailed written report, so you can consult with a contractor.

Enrich Your Home and Your Life with an Upgrade

Upgrading your home can mean making some of the toughest decisions that you will come across. It is tough because all the choices sound good, though not equally so – and that is the point here. Which upgrades for the home are the best choices? What are the top options for enriching your home and your life?

Well, to answer this question, you need to think about which parts of the home get the most use, regardless of personal preferences and activity levels. There are only two real places that come into consideration here, and they are the kitchen and the bathroom. Think about it – everybody has to prepare food in some way, and everyone has to bathe.

For the kitchen, upgrading cabinets and countertops can be much more stimulating than just upgrading the appliances. In any case, your kitchen is probably stuffed already! This points out one common issue with standard kitchens: the lack of cabinet space. Getting your cabinets upgraded to be taller and deeper will allow you not just to store more, but to store larger pieces easily. Take for example the fact that most ordinary cabinets are 12 inches deep, while the larger plates we use for big dinners exceed that.

Aside from upgrading capacity, you might want to choose a better wood for your cabinets and drawers. Oak is pretty standard, and while it is strong it is also not very visually appealing. A richer wood like maple is a good choice. Such visual stimulation might even inspire you to greater culinary heights. In any case, new cabinets refresh the look of the kitchen, and give it a more customized look.

Remodeling your kitchen’s island (if it has one) can also be very useful and can change the feel of the entire kitchen. Go for granite slab countertops if you can, because they make for solid and stable surfaces for any and all kitchen work.

Consider replacing your chrome fixtures with brushed nickel or brass, whether these are the taps in your bath, the handles on your cabinets, or the knobs in your doors. This is a particularly good choice if you have chrome-plated fixtures, which can lose their shine and appeal for a number of reasons.

In the bathroom, changing up your old water heater for a more modern, energy-efficient unit can be a big help not just to you but also to the environment. Toilets with half-flush options make for great upgrades too! This is a place that features quite a bit of chrome and could merit some changing to sturdier and more rust-resistant fixtures.

Adding ceiling fans or improving the layout of the electrical outlets can also be worth every cent you spend. For those living in colder climes, getting power-efficient space heaters is also highly recommended. Make sure to repair any insulation problems, like windows or doors that have spaces that let heat out.

Still, the most important thing to remember is to choose something that makes you happy and satisfied. It IS your home and your life after all. Resale value comes second to your wants right now (though you should not disregard it either). Just pick the one that makes you happy!

SOURCE:

Susan Felt of The Arizona Republic

Smart Energy Cost Cutters for Your Home

Energy efficiency is the talk of the town. It is all in the news and you have probably talked about it with your neighbors. The most important reason is to save money. Making your home energy efficient means optimizing room temperatures. A few simple home improvement projects should do the trick.

Check Your Insulation

Insulation works by keeping heat out during the summer and keeping it in during the winter. A good and sufficient insulation is the key to maintaining proper room temperature. Air ways and vents need to be checked for leaks and obstructions.

Install Blinds or Curtains

This is a inexpensive solution to reducing sunlight that enters the room. Blinds or curtains on windows keeps the sun out but can also be retracted making it very useful. Window tinting is also a viable option for those who want decorative pieces in their home.

Check Your Appliances

Recent advancements in technology have significantly improved virtually every home appliance’s energy consumption. You want to consider buying newer models to reduce your energy bill. When replacing your appliances, look for its Energy Star rating in its energy consumption information.

Also, make sure to turn off and unplug appliances that are not in use. This is a very simple thing you can do to minimize your energy consumption.

Monitor Energy Consumption

Energy monitors are available in the market. These units allow you to determine an appliance’s exact energy consumption. Some monitors are also programmable and automatically changes the temperature when applicable.

Seal Your Leaks

Good home insulation is practically useless if you have leaks. These can undermine the insulation seal of you home. It is like letting money fly out of your window. Be sure to seal every leak in your home for maximum efficiency. Check old doors and windows for cracks and consider replacing them altogether when heavily warped.

Perform Regular House Inspections

Just like you, your house also needs to undergo regular inspection. A few small cracks in your home are enough to undermine your insulation and in turn your energy efficiency. If you do not know how to do this, you can always hire a professional to do the work.

Hire a Professional

Check your local phonebook for experts that perform energy audits for your home. They are equipped with thermal cameras for identifying leaks in your home. This is particularly useful for knowing when and where to add insulation.

Increasing your home’s energy efficiency is a long-term investment you will never regret. Apart from lowering energy costs, it also helps your home become a more comfortable living space for your family.

The tips mentioned above are just some of the things you can do to achieve energy efficiency at home. These are fairly inexpensive home improvement projects that will pay for themselves in the long run.

Unexpected Home Showing Visit? Patch Things Up In Only 2 Minutes!

It is bound to happen sooner or later. Even if you normally follow a very neat and organized lifestyle, there are those short moments when your house is simply a mess and an eyesore.

And when it is within that messy-house hour that the phone rings and the guy on the other line delivers the bad news saying, ‘we will be there in two minutes’, time just seems to stop and you just know you are in for a major social humiliation.

Well, humiliation may be too much of a word but it can definitely end that way. So to avoid this from happening, there are sure ball ways to get your home fixed in only two minutes time. Now give yourself and your guests that much deserved reception even when time seemed to have gone against you. Here is how.

Step One: Just Calm Down!

Seriously, panicking will bring you nowhere but only deliver you to a fast-forwarded ruin. So what you should do in emergency times like this one is to take a deep gasp, and then calm down. You can keep in control better when you are not going haywire.

Step Two: Quick Browse And Delegate

Now that you are calm, take a quick look at the house. React by instinct and ask yourself what needs to be fixed and how. And then immediately designate each person within the house to a different task. Be in control, and be authoritative. You will want an air of command here.

Step 3: Make Quick Fixes

Alright, admit it, you do not have much time. So what you really need to do is patch things up. You will hide defects rather than really fix them. Here are some tips on how to make quick and emergency patches.

1. Pile laundry in a basket and cover up the mess with a towel or a piece of cloth. You only need to keep the top part proper to hide the ugliness beneath.

2. Do not bother with the thorough cleaning of dirty surfaces like the table mess after dinner. Just wipe the dirt away with a piece of cloth and spray a freshener or a perfume to hide the smell. You can also use lemon extract.

3. If something is dirty, then just remove it. For example, if you failed to replace your dirty curtains with a clean one, then replacing it now could waste precious time. So just remove them, open the windows and let in some light.

4. As for dirty dishes, just do a quick rinsing of the solid dirt, dry them quickly with a towel, and hide them ‘neatly’ in a cabinet somewhere. But if you have enough people, proper washing should be a good idea.

5. Do on-the-spot cleaning. Instead of sweeping and mopping the entire floor area and other dirty places, just handpick dirt and do spot cleaning. So if there is a dark spot on the floor, only mop that area and look for other spots.

And there you go! You should have a properly patched up place by now. But of course, this is only temporary. Make sure keep things straight as soon as your guests leave. And try not to make a habit of doing this when it is not needed.

Getting the Right Price for Your Home

One of the most important things when you put your house on the market is getting the right price. Many things are to be considered even before deciding if your house is worth a certain amount. It is difficult to accept a certain value especially if you think, as an owner, that value is too low. Here’s some information that you will need to get a idea of the real estate market:

Check on current market trends of real estate

Here, “current” means within the last three months. Not because a house that is the same as yours sold at a high price a year ago, it would also mean you can still sell for that value. Houses decrease in value very quickly and market values also change dependently on a multitude of factors. Be sure to consult a full-service real estate professional to determine the right and accurate value of your home. They would usually show you a current list of the prices of houses similar to your home and that would give you an accurate view of the market trends.

Be clear on Regional Appreciation

Not because the real estate market has fallen in the last two to three years, can you just accept a lower price for your home. Markets all over the country have differences in the increase or decrease of market values for houses. With this in mind, you should check on the surrounding areas around your home to understand the changes. This is especially true if your house has been bought a few years ago. It is best to consult professionals on the realistic gains and loss of the value of your house in the last few years.

First impressions last

When you have set a price for your home, any available buyer would like to see that whatever you are offering is up to what you want for the asking price. A good thing to do is to prep up your home even before you list it. Start by working on the outside by simply mowing the lawn, trimming trees and cleaning up the yard. You can repaint exterior walls and brighten up the interior by minimizing clutter and working on light neutral colors.

Make your own Full Inspection

Even if it has been your home for many years, it is still possible that repairs will be needed for certain parts. A house that requires too many repairs might not come out as marketable real estate. Repair any problems that can be dealt with immediately like simple plumbing problems, gutter repairs or worn out paint. Make a report of things that would be harder to repair so that you can be clear to your prospective buyers. Better yet, get a pre home inspection and repair items prior to listing.

You can give a copy of the home inspection to any prospective buyers along with a copy of the completed repairs.

Work on “Seller’s Contributions”

Working with professional real estate agent can help you obtain buyers without lowering your house’s value. Special arrangements can be made to add “sweet deals” to your house sale.

These are just a few things to consider for getting the right price for your house. Always make sure that you consult a professional on the real estate market just to make sure that you get your investment’s worth. In the end, the only thing you need to worry about is how to invest what you’ve earned into something better.

DIY or RTW: Should You Build or Buy Your Arizona Home?

You have two options if you are looking for a home to call your own: you can either build a home from the ground-up or buy a home as-is.

Each has its own unique ups and downs, and you have to set your priorities straight in order to make the most of the situation. Here are a couple of factors to help you make the final decision:

Building: The Pros and Cons

o Match the house to your needs. This is one of the first and foremost reasons homeowners want to build their own homes. You can basically design a home to fit your wants and needs, especially if you are looking for something that most homes do not normally possess.

o Increased value of a home. A house that is freshly-built is always more valuable than one that has been standing for a few years already. You can effectively make a business out of building and selling houses, especially if you are well-acquainted with the local real estate market.

• Search for reliable construction services. Having your house built means entrusting the job to engineers and construction workers. This can be a hassle on your part, especially if you are not that familiar with the reputations of construction companies and regular construction expenses.

• Heavy expenses. Building a home from scratch is a very expensive ordeal; initially requiring a very big capital from your end. You will have to pull out a bigger mortgage than when buying a home, so you will have to be very careful in balancing your budget.

Buying: The Pros and Cons

o Fewer expenses. Older homes tend to cost less on the get-go, meaning you will need less money to actually purchase a house that has already been built for some time. This makes buying a home much more preferable option if you do not have a lot of capital at your disposal.

o Instant access. Once you buy a home, the only thing you need to worry about is moving in. Waiting for the construction teams to finish and removing the smell of fresh paint is a lot less likely when you simply move into a house that has already been built.

• Maintenance costs. Homes that have been built for quite some time have a tendency to deteriorate. This is especially true if the house has been built more than a decade ago, and hazards like chewed-up wires, rotten boards or pest infestations are expensive issues to correct.

• ‘Get-what-you-see.’ You will basically buy a home because of what it has to offer, but you won’t necessarily get what you really want or need. You will need to adjust to the house you buy, especially if money is tight and you cannot afford to make major modifications in the near future.

Keep these tips in mind, and you will be able to make the right choice between building a house from the ground up or simply buying one that has already been built!

Understanding the New Normal in Real Estate - Are you the ‘New Normal’?

The ‘new normal’ in real estate is a term that is steadily gaining prominence in the business world. It might sound like a revelational term, but ‘new normal’ essentially boils down to a customer that is much harder to please than before and maybe you are one of them?

Minimalist
The first quality that defines the new normal is minimalism. Most real estate buyers are looking not for the luxurious offerings like bathtubs or Jacuzzis, but are instead looking for the basic essentials in a home. They are looking to cut out nonessential additions in a home in a bid to lower the overall expenses, especially since the economy has taken a serious bite out of their savings. It will then be a lot easier to sell your home if you present it as a basic home with essential needs all bundled in one package.

Pragmatic
Another quality of the new normal customer is the desire to look for homes with useful amenities. This balances out their minimalist tendencies, which is why cheap, bare-bone homes will not work for new normal customers. They want to keep things cheap and minimal, but they also do not want to do away with the basic necessities in a house as well. This means that you need to define the basic needs of a potential buyer instead of just stripping away all the extras in a bid to lower the value of the home.

Incentive-oriented
Making the best bang-for-buck deal is another important quality of new normal customers, which is why bonuses and other incentives work well with these types of customers. Tax cuts, extra furniture and appliances, easier payment terms and other extra bonuses will go a long way in convincing a new normal customer to purchase a home. Work with your real estate agent to present a potential buyer with extra bonuses to sweeten the deal.

Skeptical
New normal customers take great pains to learn more about what they are buying, and this gives them a somewhat skeptical approach in deals. You will have to spend more time providing records, documents and other items to prove the worth of your home. It may be a headache on your part, but providing these small extras is definitely worth gaining the trust of a potential buyer.

Buying a Home in the Present Economy

If you are looking to purchase real estate, then you had better act fast – the market demand for real estate is slowly returning to what it once was a few years ago. You can expect the prices of real estate to start increasing as people start to gain more money and increase their spending.
The problem here is securing the necessary capital and credit in order to actually buy a house while things are still cheap. Not everybody can fork over five, six or even seven digits out just like that, but there are a few things you can do to increase your working capital:

Liquidation of assets
The first thing you can do to earn more money is to sell your unnecessary possessions, and auctions or garage sales are a great way to do just that. Old cell phones, computers, clothing, jewelry, antiques or any item worth selling can be put up for sale. You can list these items down in online such as craiglists or you can just put up a garage sale for a week or two to get rid of the smaller items. You can even post advertisements in your local paper to help increase sales. If you have pricier items like antique jewelry, you must look for a specialist to appraise the items. This will give you a good idea of how much the item is really worth out in the market.

Trade-in programs
Another way you can earn some extra money is to trade your current property or properties for that piece of house or land you are eyeing. This is especially useful for people who already have property but are looking for more profitable long-term investments. The rationale here is to take advantage of deflated prices to acquire more desirable or lucrative properties. This is especially true for high-value properties that have been foreclosed; thus making them cheaper than what they are really worth. Just be careful with the properties you purchase, though. Speculative investment in real estate will reward you well, but only when you take the time and effort to learn more about the properties you are looking at. Hire a real estate professional that is a specialist in trading properties. Don’t try it yourself.

Fixed-rate mortgage loans
One other option you have at your disposal is a mortgage loan with fixed interest rates. These types of loans usually have higher rates than other loans, especially when you compare them to variable loans in today’s economy. The plus side here, however, is that the payments you make will never fluctuate in the long run – even if the price of the property jumps up ten-fold. This is unlike the variable loans, which can suddenly and abruptly increase as the property’s value increases. This is one of the most reliable ways to pay for property over years or decades, making it a great option if you have a relatively stable and predictable income.

These are three of the more useful methods of securing capital for you to buy property in this economy, so keep them in mind when you’re looking at a great piece of land to call your own!

Martian Homes for Men, Venusian Homes for Women

Men and women have always had their differences, and buying a house is no exception. This is an important fact to take into consideration especially if you are going to choose a house with your spouse or partner.

Here are a couple of points to think about, courtesy of a 1,000-respondent, omnibus phone survey by Coldwell Banker Real Estate:

Speed of decisions

Surprisingly enough, it is the women that make the faster decisions when it comes to buying a house. The fairer sex is more likely to decide on a house the day they walk into it, while men need more time and more visits to make a final decision.

Proximity to job and family

Women prefer their houses to be near to their extended family member over their jobs, while significantly fewer men prefer the opposite – to find a home nearer to their jobs than to extended family.

Individual financial decisions

More men would like to think they ‘wear the pants’ when it comes to major financial decisions in buying a house, although there are some women that think the same way as well. Curiously enough, most of the respondents that said this were more likely to think they make the major decisions – not their partners.

There are, however, some things where men and women agree on without much of a fuss. Here are some of the more prominent areas where both sexes see eye-to-eye on:

Mutual financial decisions

More men might want to think they have the final say in financial matters, but an even higher percentage of couples prefer to share the responsibility of making a major financial decision. They say it is mutual, and that both partners come to a conclusion together.

Use of spare rooms

If a person will choose what to do with an extra room, both men and women would stick to practical answers – bedrooms, studies and dens in that order of prevalence. There are respondents that said they would like to convert the spare room into a recreation, and men makes up the majority of this small group of respondents. It looks like men really do want their own little ‘man caves’ of pool tables, darts and pinball machines after all.

Security

A high percentage of both men and women are prepared to back out of a promising house if safety becomes an issue, although this is more observable in women than in men.

Now here’s the question: what does this all mean?

These differences and similarities all have a part to play when a couple chooses to buy a house of their own. Give them special attention and it will be easier for you to understand what matters for your partner. Ignore them, though, and you will definitely create friction when you and your partner are out looking for a home.

Just don’t forget to actually talk to your partner before you go ahead and make a decision. These statistics help you understand what’s going on, but it will take a deeper level of connection for you to understand what’s going on in your partner’s head!