Let me just say that I love this week's featured pet on Animals of the MLS! Pugs are one of my favorite dogs. They're cute, loving, friendly, and are almost always up for a good time no matter where you take them. This adorable animal is at full attention for one reason or another. Is the owner hiding around the corner just out of sight and this little guy is sticking by their side waiting for it's next treat of the day? Is it standing guard at the stairway in case anyone dare have the audacity to try and get by them?...read more.
Single Story Homes for Sale in Gilbert, Arizona with a Fireplace
It is true that the desert here in Arizona does eventually cool down during the Fall and Winter. Residents of Gilbert, Arizona eagerly anticipate that time of year when we can open up our windows and doors to let the Autumn breeze flow through our homes during the day and light up the fireplace at night to cozy up the living room.
However, Arizona is also known for it's air pollution during the Winter as particulates get trapped in the air above the desert floor which is surrounded by mountains. It doesn't rain often here which is a vital part of cleaning up the dirty air that has nowhere to go. I wrote a previous article about Arizona's No Burn Days which you can read about HERE.
Because of these restrictive No Burn Day's, gas fireplaces are what you will mostly find here as they are cleaner burning. You can still find good old fashion wood burning fireplaces too for those that long to hear the crackling and smell of real wood...read more.
Who's Really #1?
Have you ever noticed in advertising and marketing everyone is always touting the fact that they're #1? Every local news station will tell you that they have the most watched news segment and the best news coverage. All the major car manufacturers have commercials that tell tales of some prestigious award that was bestowed upon them for winning first place by some magazine or vehicle rankings company. We have #1 Mom, #1 Dad, and #1 Grandparent T-shirts, mugs, hats, and accessories yet I know a number of parents and grandparents who's parenting skills are more in line with the bottom of the barrel than the cream of the crop. How do parents determine who's actually #1? If two dads walk in to a room both wearing #1 Dad monikers do they instantly square off to determine who has proper rule?
Every motion picture that graces the big screen tells us they're the #1 movie in theaters by someones measure. I've frequented multiple coffee shops that all tout they have the best tasting coffee in the area. I wonder if they all know that about each other. It's not hard to determine how all of these businesses arrive at the conclusion that they're the pinnacle of their industry. Anytime you see a declaration of dominance you simply have to read the fine print. There is almost always an asterisk accompanying a #1 designation which will tell you that a local coffee shop was voted the best tasting coffee according to a survey of 30 people that regularly purchase their morning mug at that same establishment. Well of course these folks would vote their preferred purveyor of caffeinated beverage as the best!
We see this a lot in the real estate industry as well. I see advertisements for agents and brokerages all claiming they are #1 but what does that mean? They can't all possibly be the best. What are they the best at and by what measure are they using?...read more.
The Most Expensive Home sold in Arizona last week
The most expensive home that sold in Arizona last week was a $1.8 million dollar bank owned foreclosure! Located in the highly sought after and exclusive Biltmore Estates neighborhood in Phoenix, Arizona these homes don't come on the market very often. This is the reason why a buyer would open up their pocket books to buy almost a 2 million dollar fixer-upper! Centrally located to Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Paradise Valley the Biltmore area of Phoenix is home to the Arizona Biltmore, a Waldorf Astoria Resort and golf club which has been a famous and historic icon of Phoenix since 1929...read more.
Homes for sale in Gilbert, Arizona - September 2015 Market Report
The Gilbert, Arizona housing market is approaching it's standard Fall and Winter slow down already. Housing numbers in September show that homes being listed for sale or that were sold have all but flat lined if not slightly declined. The number of Active listings for September was 1,099 homes for sale. Compare that to September of 2014 when there were 1,426 homes on the market and you'll see that over the course of a year Gilbert has seen a dramatic drop in available housing inventory. There were a total of 530 New homes put on the market for sale in Gilbert for the month of September and there were a total number of 457 Sold homes in Gilbert for that same month...read more.
What I learned in Real Estate this week - 10/11/15
I recently shared with everyone that I finally became a teaching broker at the Arizona Academy of Real Estate. I have now officially taught six classes over the past three weeks and I could not be more excited about this next phase of my real estate career. However, it didn't take very long for me to experience my very first difficult student.
I pride myself in being able to keep cool under pressure. When a real estate transaction is starting to come unraveled I can strap on my heels, get down and dirty, and save even the darkest of deals. Any time I catch a mistake by one of my agents, I can always remain positive and reassuring when I need to discuss the correction with them. New agents have a tendency to get defeated when they receive a call from me regarding an issue I have with something they've done wrong, and seasoned agents can immediately go on the defensive when I need to bring an error to their attention...read more.