What I learned in Real Estate this week - 11/29/15

All was quiet on the Western real estate front this week as Thanksgiving came and went with many calories ingested and naps taken throughout the Country. Homeowners everywhere took time out of their busy lives to slow down and enjoy friends and family around them by either inviting them in to their homes or traveling to someone elses residence to enjoy the holiday there. 

Inevitably, however, there is a negative impact that this week tends to have on the real estate market. Almost everything comes to a screeching halt. Title agencies, lending institutions, buyers, sellers, and everyone in between begin to work fewer hours, take more vacation time, and start to focus on holiday related activities. This tends to put a damper on a business that relies upon many cogs working together and marching towards a successful close of escrow. 

It's easy for any business professional that has ties to the real estate industry to begin our annual holiday induced panic as the market begins to slow and business does the same. Will our phone ever ring again? When will we get another email from a prospective client looking to sell or purchase a home? Why has my website traffic suddenly been cut in half? Even the most savvy real estate veteran can begin to question their overall business plan and outlook when the holidays are in full swing...read more. 

Source: http://activerain.com/blogsview/4790815/wh...

Animals of the MLS

We've got a two for one in this weeks Animals of the MLS. Who doesn't enjoy watching dogs splash around in water whether that be at the lake or in a backyard swimming pool? I think it would be a pretty safe bet to say these two friends spend many hours cooling off and making waves together in this refreshing concrete lagoon. I would ask why one of our pooch pals has a t-shirt on but then again, who cares? It's adorable! I don't think these two could be any happier and I can only assume a long afternoon nap awaited them after their vigorous play time romp. 

If these dogs are this comfortable around the unfamiliar agent snapping photos in their backyard it's probably safe to say they wouldn't pose a threat to any potential buyers that arrived to view the property. However, that doesn't mean these guys shouldn't be taken for a walk or kenneled for showings. Even the friendliest of animals can turn in a heartbeat if they feel threatened or scared. But by the smiles and playful character being displayed by these guys I think the only danger here is being licked to death. 

As for the picture of the backyard itself it seems to have some good selling features that weren't highlighted very well. There isn't a lot of greenery or shade, however there is a view fence that appears to open up to some sort of natural reserve or basin. The angle of this photograph could have captured more of that open space beyond the view fence giving off the impression that the backyard was larger and more open. Since the pool seems as if it takes up the majority of the backyard a wide angle lens could have also gone a long way in opening up this space a little more than what was showcased. This is also a great example of an opportunity the agent had to return to the home later in the day and photograph this backyard at dusk. We have some great sunsets here in Arizona and I imagine turning on the pool and backyard lights coupled with the natural sunset lighting would have made for a beautiful picture. 

If you're selling your home in Gilbert, Arizona or the East Valley let the experts at Zion Realty help you. We take professional photos and put together a perfect marketing strategy to sell your property. Contact us today!

Five Aspect of my Business that I am Thankful for Every Year

Not everyone gets to do what they truly enjoy for a living. In fact, a recent Gallup poll suggested that almost 70% of individuals were unhappy in their current employment situations. But what makes people dislike their jobs so much? Do they work longer hours compared to others? Do their bosses and co-workers make for a difficult environment? Is the daily commute a source of stress? What if they just don't feel like their job makes an impact? 

I would love to say that I chose real estate as a career at age 23 because I had a burning desire to be in the housing industry but that's simply not true. Not unlike many other agents, I originally attained my real estate license as means to an end. I saw the flexibility in schedule, and ability to earn a good living while being present and available for my young daughter. I never imagined it turning in to the 17 year successful journey it's been to this point. Real estate does have it's ups and downs. You'll have good years and bad years. However, you can't argue the fact that what we do as agents makes a huge impact on the lives of the individuals we serve. That leads me in to the Five points of my business in which I am truly thankful:  

 

Clients

A small business owner is nothing without customers. Whether you own a mechanic shop, a restaurant, or a local clothing boutique, the life-blood of any establishment is it's clientele. Every real estate transaction I complete for a buyer or seller is unique as are the individuals I get the privilege to serve. I learn from my clients as much as they learn from me. I've had the opportunity to become life-long friends with a handful of people throughout the years as a result of my profession. I am thankful for those who cross my path and enter in to a partnership with me in one of the biggest decisions they'll ever make. 

 

Location

I grew up in a small farm town in Michigan. At age 19 I jettisoned off to Arizona with nothing more than a full tank of gas and a few full suitcases. There are many reasons to be nostalgic in regards to where my early memories were formed, however, the small town life, harsh winters, and humidity are not fond recollections. Real estate has enough troubles of it's own but living and working in Arizona allow me the ability to perform my tasks and duties better than if I were to live in other parts of the Country. I never have to worry about blizzards, ice storms, tornadoes, or earthquakes. The constant sunshine makes it easy to schedule and plan for showings. A few months out of the Summer we have late afternoon monsoon storms that can rear their ugly head, but they are most often predicted and not a major deterrent to my job as an agent. 

 

Smart phones

I remember quite a few years ago when I upgraded from a flip phone to a Blackberry. It was the first mobile Internet device I ever had and my whole world changed. I could use Google maps to navigate and plan my route for the day. It had the first generation of mobile apps to help with scheduling and keeping track of business. Now my iPhone is the lifeline that keeps me afloat and connected with clients, agents, business partners, friends, and family. I can upload documents and immediately send them to be electronically signed. I have the ability to research a property for one client while waiting in a coffee shop to meet another. Technology has permanently changed the way we do business. It has made me more effective and efficient. 

 

CPA

If you've ever personally handled your taxes as a small business owner you know how laborious and treacherous those waters can be to navigate. Early on in my career I attempted to complete my own taxes every year under the guise of being hands-on and not wanting to give the reigns of my business over to someone else. Now that I am not just an agent, but a Broker who runs their own brokerage, it's imperative that my finances be handled with the utmost professionalism and integrity. Getting on the wrong side of the IRS is not a position anyone wants to be in. My CPA keeps me above the board, on track, and in good standing so that I can focus on what I do best which is service my customers.  

 

Freedom

Freedom encompasses more than just an ability to earn a living. I am thankful that I live in a Country that allows the freedom to pursue greatness. I am grateful that real estate affords me the capability to schedule my day so that I don't have to miss out on any number of meaningful family activities or events throughout the course of the year. We all make sacrifices in real estate and our clients and schedules can be very demanding. But the truth is I have the freedom to control where I devote my time each day unlike the aforementioned 70% of Americans unhappy with their occupations. 

Thanksgiving is certainly a time for reflection on what we have been given. I wish it didn't take a scheduled holiday to bring out this characteristic of thankfulness in some individuals. None-the-less, this is a wonderful time of year to count our blessings and contemplate our riches, whether that be physically, mentally, spiritually, or all of the above.

 If you or someone you know are interested in purchasing or selling real estate in Gilbert, Arizona or the East Valley the contact us today! You'll be thankful that you did!

The Most Expensive Home sold in Arizona last week

Back to Paradise Valley we go for the most expensive home that sold in Arizona last week. Another new construction property topped the list of luxury homes sold last week. Although this one took a bit of time to sell and unlike most houses in this price range this was not an all cash deal. The new owner is a fairly recognizable retired major league baseball player who spent most of his career playing for a team located in the Eastern part of the Country. He must be realizing what so many others have in that Arizona is a great place to live. At just under 6,500 square feet he will have plenty of room to stretch out...read more. 

Source: http://activerain.com/blogsview/4788198/th...

How long will it take to sell my Gilbert, AZ home? - October 2015

In a somewhat surprising turn of events the amount of time it was taking to sell a home in Gilbert saw a slight decrease in the month of October after two straight months of increases. Just when it seemed as if the Gilbert, Arizona real estate market was settling in to it's annual Fall and Winter slumber October gave home owners a pleasant reprieve from dwindling numbers. Homes in Gilbert, Arizona took an average of 61 days to sell in October. This number is still significantly better than October of 2014 when it was taking an average of 92 days to sell a home in Gilbert.  There are still some homes in price ranges around $200,000 which are selling almost as fast as they are being placed up for sale, and yet some other homes in higher price ranges are taking longer than the average to sell. 

The busy Summer real estate market has ended here in Gilbert. Homes for sale in Gilbert started off the year 2015 taking 94.8 days on average before finding a buyer so we have definitely seen a vast improvement in this figure to date. The most competitive price range in Gilbert, Arizona currently is that of the first time home buyer between $200,000 and $250,000. Homes in that price range are being bought up the quickest and some are receiving multiple offers within the first few weeks of being listed for sale.

As we get further entrenched in to Fall and Winter, historically it will begin taking longer to sell a property as there are less buyers during that time of year. We may have seen the Days on Market figure hit the bottom for this year but year-over-year numbers show that we are still in a healthier market than 2014. If you're a buyer, you want to see the Days on Market increase because for you that means you have more time to think about a home before needing to make an offer. If you're a seller you want to list your house sooner rather than later before it begins to take more time to sell your home. Armed with a little knowledge and a hard-working real estate agent from Zion Realty buying or selling a home will be a little less stressful!