Homes for Sale in Gilbert, Arizona with No HOA - January 2016

Home Owners Associations can be a very positive and necessary component to a neighborhood. They ensure cleanliness of the streets and sidewalks. In some subdivisions that have common green belt areas, parks, and playgrounds, they are in charge of trimming trees, grass, bushes, and the upkeep of the playground equipment. 

Your neighborhood Home Owners Association will also establish the rules and laws in regards to the appearance of front yards throughout the community which will maintain the integrity and manicured look of the entire subdivision. Did your neighbor share with you their desire to paint the exterior of their home a bright yellow? Well think again! Exterior paint colors must be approved by the HOA as well as most visual exterior home changes. 

Home Owners Associations do come with extra monthly or quarterly fees which are not negotiable and are required of you to pay if you choose to move in to a neighborhood that is managed by an HOA. Most homes currently built in Gilbert, Arizona are in subdivisions managed by Home Owners Associations, however, there are still many resale homes that are not. 

The benefits of purchasing a home that is not maintained by a Home Owners Association are many. Two of the biggest positive aspects of owning a home that has no HOA are you'll never need to get pre-approval for any changes you want to do to your own home, and you don't have the extra monthly or quarterly fees which can add up to over $1,000 extra per year or more. 

Most homes in Gilbert, Arizona that are in areas not governed by an HOA are either located in County Islands or are rural horse properties which means these homes may not be connected to the city's water and sewer systems. These homes usually draw their water from a common well and/or have septic systems. It's important to consider all the positive and negative aspects of purchasing a home in these areas. 

There were 25 homes that sold in Gilbert, Arizona in December that were located in areas with no HOA:

Click Here for a list of current Homes for sale in Gilbert, Arizona with no HOA.

There is quite a wide range of homes with no HOA's available in Gilbert. These homes can range from first-time home buyer prices all the way up to luxury homes. Let the Gilbert, Arizona real estate experts at Zion Realty help you through the process of determining whether purchasing a property with no Home Owner's Association is right for you. Contact us Today! 

The Most Expensive Home sold in Arizona last week

The most expensive home that sold in Arizona last week will whisk you away to the hills of Hollywood and convince you that you're looking at the type of luxury home only reserved for the rich and famous. This contemporary masterpiece has million dollar views and the floor to ceiling windows that will allow the new owner to soak it all in. A complete remodel was performed on this home in 2013 by designer Mark Candelaria. Sleek, sophisticated, and modern materials were used to transform this property, which was originally built in 1976, to the stunning yet playful home you see now. Waterfall edge counter tops and European-style cabinetry in the kitchen display a minimalist approach to the traditional cooking space. Floating vanities in the bathroom areas along with simple chrome fixtures provide a luxury hotel look and feel. 

The main living space is the centerpiece to the entire home. Jettisoning out from the precariously perched hillside, the living room is undoubtedly where most everyone will gather when they're here. Vaulted ceilings and endless views of the surrounding mountains will entice anyone like a moth to a flame. Wrap-around balconies and a dazzling infinity edge pool add even more to the dramatic scenery that can be taken in at any moment. This home also comes with a home theater, game room, and home office but it's hard to imagine why someone would want to confine themselves to any area that doesn't allow them the ability to take advantage of the magnificent desert backdrop afforded to them by this striking luxury property. Just for fun, Click Here to view the previous listing of this property before the renovation was complete. Click on the picture below for the full current MLS listing:

Location: Paradise Valley

Size: 5,823 sqft

Bedrooms: 3

Bathrooms: 4

Lot size: 47,345 sqft

If you are in the luxury home market and want a list of luxury homes available in Arizona, contact us Today! We'd love to help you find your dream home!

Market Report - Listing Prices in Gilbert, AZ - December 2015

The Gilbert, Arizona real estate market experienced the typical plateau that comes during the Holiday season. Active homes for sale flat-lined at an average price of $325,000. This is still a significant increase from 2014 values when the average active list price from a year ago was $305,000. Sold home values experienced a slight increase from November 2015 to settle in at an average sales price of $269,900. This represents almost a $20,000 increase from 2014 values. The biggest change was seen in the New listings category. New homes just coming on to the market for sale in December of 2015 saw a decrease in the asking price of over $14,000 as compared to November's values. 

So what do these numbers mean if you are a current homeowner in Gilbert or you wish to become one? Buyers and sellers are getting closer to being on the same page when it comes to home prices and values. Sellers are adjusting their asking prices to reflect the Winter real estate slow-down. Meanwhile, buyers are adjusting their expectations by showing a willingness to increase their offers which is contributing to pushing home values up instead of down which is not typical for this time of year. If you're attempting to sell your home during the Winter months it's more important than ever to set a realistic price for your home. A seller will not typically be able to get the same value out of their property that they could have gotten during the Spring and Summer when home values are on the rise instead of on the decline.

Regardless of the current prices in December, if you are a current homeowner, you have seen some steady equity built in to your property over the past year. Conversely, if you have been thinking of purchasing a property in Gilbert there are some price ranges that are once again seeing multiple offers placed on homes and buyers are snapping up the most affordable houses that hit the market each week. But armed with a little knowledge and a hard-working real estate agent from Zion Realty wrapping up that perfect home before another buyer gets to it should be a little less stressful! 

If you need more information on homes for sale in Arizona or to find out what your current home is worth contact us Today!  

Animals of the MLS

There is a miniature bear featured in this week's edition of Animals of the MLS! Chow's are known as having aggressive personalities and can grow to very large sizes. Although our furry friend seems to be more curious than combative in this particular instance that doesn't guarantee an amicable encounter with prospective home buyers as they tour this home for sale. It doesn't take much to trigger a dog's natural tendencies when introduced to a new and unfamiliar situation such as having multiple strangers invade their domain. Perhaps this agent was literally backed in to a corner by this family pet and quickly snapped any picture they could get before running for safety as this picture doesn't seem to show there was much time to capture a better representation of this homeowner's backyard. 

I've listed hundreds of homes with animals and it can be a tough conversation to have with a seller to let them know their beloved beast may not be adored by home shoppers. Homeowner's who think of their pets as a member of the family can have a difficult time understanding that to sell their property it's usually best to have their domesticated companion kenneled during showings or have them completely removed from the property altogether. This holds especially true when the breed of animal has a reputation such as a Chow, Pit bull, Rottweiler, and the like. 

As for the picture of the backyard itself, I've shared some down right dreadful photos in this weekly series before but it's been a while since I was almost rendered speechless. What can I say about a backyard that is as desolate as the Arizona desert itself. Two plastic chairs, a garbage can, and an empty planter certainly does not give visions of the ideal entertainers dream space. Even if a potential home buyer was looking for a simple and easy-to-maintain outdoor space this isn't even close to fitting that description. What we have here is a blank canvas and hopefully was billed as such. However, at the very least the agent should have instructed the homeowners to remove the junk and weeds so that it truly could have been described as a clean slate waiting for the new owner's personal touch! 

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!

The only New Year's Resolution You'll ever need to Make

New Year's resolutions are a tradition that many partake of each and every year. People throughout the globe take stock of the successes and failures of the previous 365 days and set new goals for themselves based upon the future they hope unfolds. These goals can be wide ranging, lofty, or elementary based upon the individual making them. Some choose to set their sights on achieving earth shattering accomplishments while others find it easier to reach for more attainable ambitions. 

According to varying outlets and reports here are some of the top New Year's resolutions for the upcoming year:

1. Lose weight

2. Stay in touch with friends and family

3. Quit Smoking

4. Save more money

5. Reduce Stress

6. Volunteer/Give more

7. Go back to School

8. Reduce alcohol consumption

9. Get more sleep

10. Travel 

11. Be more organized

12. Fall in love

Some other New Year's resolution statistics that are fun to look at are the amount of individuals who say they participate in this annual ritual:

45% of individuals say they make New Year's resolutions

38% of individuals say they Do Not make New Year's resolutions

8% of individuals say they were successful in achieving their New Year's resolutions

39% of individuals in their 20's claim to have achieved New Year's resolutions

14% of individuals over 50 claim to have achieved New Year's resolutions

64% of individuals claim to still be working towards their New Year's resolutions after 1 month of making them. This number drops to 46% after 6 months.

The types of New Year's resolutions that individuals make should come as no shock to anyone either:

47% of New Year's resolutions are self-improvement related

38% of New Year's resolutions are weight related

34% of New Year's resolutions are money related

31% of New Year's resolutions are relationship related

So what do all these resolutions say about us? What's so special about a clock striking midnight instantly thrusting us in to a brand new calendar year that is nothing but a blank slate waiting to be filled? More importantly why couldn't we achieve these successes previously? What was holding us back from arriving at a desired destination in which we were previously determined to land?

Sadly, the biggest obstacle in triumphantly completing a goal is ourselves. We can be our own worst enemies. We give in and succumb to distractions. We tire quickly and find that we are too weary to finish the race we set out to run. Often times we allow negativity to create stumbling blocks along our path that eventually turn in to unconquerable walls when enough of them build up. 

Well, I'm here to tell you that there is one sure fire, foolproof, reliable, and dependable New Year's resolution that can be made to ensure we achieve any goal that we choose to make for ourselves:

Let Go!

What's been holding you back from successfully losing weight? Is it a negative self-body image? Is it disbelief in your ability to change a lifetime of unhealthy habits? Are there skeletons buried in your closet that have been preying on your insecurities? Let it all go!

Is your resolution to get more sleep or reduce your stress? Why aren't you resting and why are you so anxiety ridden? Do you worry about aspects of your life you can't control? Are you burdened with past mistakes? Do you fret the unknown? Let it go! 

Are you one of the millions of people that are making a commitment to finding your true love this year? What's been holding you back? Are you afraid of putting yourself out there for fear of rejection? Do you struggle with low-self esteem and don't think of yourself as a worthy life-long companion for someone else?Let go!

Whatever your New Year's resolutions may be there is only one thing standing in the way of your accomplishments; You. We all come from different backgrounds and have contrasting views on how to go about reaching our maximum potential regardless of what it is we're chasing after. However, most often what keeps us from turning that "to-do" list in to a "done" list is the baggage we're carrying with us. 

That baggage can be past failures, fear of future failures, pessimistic individuals in our lives constantly reminding us of why we won't succeed, or disbelief in our own abilities. If you want to accomplish any goal from now until forevermore, there's only one New Year's resolution you ever need to make; Let go! By letting go of the anchors holding you back, you will be free to sail as far as the wind will take you. You can soar as high as you desire if you're not tied down by the burden's you've been carrying. 

Before you sit down with pad and pencil to write out your annual list of wishes and wants for the next year that lie ahead, first make a New Year's resolution to Let Go. If you can clear that first crucial, mental hurdle then there won't be a foothold strong enough to hold you back.  

Getting to know you - 26 Things about Me

I had resisted this challenge that's been going around up to this point but I guess I've read enough about everyone else so far that it's only fair I reciprocate. This challenge has sort of left me feeling like a stalker rubbing my hands together waiting for the next revealing post to be written. I'm not sure that I'm ready to completely pull back the iron curtain and unveil all of my habits, tendencies, and personal details but I'll do my best to shed some light in to the dark recesses and corners of my world: 

Age:  Just turned 40 and proud of it. 

Biggest fear: High heels being outlawed

Favorite time of the year: Fall because I can finally turn my A/C off.

Favorite drink:  Coffee, Water, Whiskey in that order

Early bird or night owl: Night owl

Favorite song: Walk, by Foo Fighters

Ghosts, are they real: Yes

Hometown: Mason, Michigan

In love with: God, Josh, and my two daughters

Jealous of: Individuals with genetically low body fat

Killed someone: If looks could kill I'd be on death row by now

Last time you felt happy: Every day I wake up with breath in my lungs

Do you have any pets: 1 cat named Butters

Number of Siblings: 2 (brother and sister)

One Wish: To be able to financially bless others

Person you call the most often: My dad

Question you're always asked: Where did you get those shoes?

Reason to smile: Faith, Family & Friends

Song last sang: You Revive Me

Your favorite ''toy'': The gym

Underwear color: You can ask Josh if you'd like

Vacation dream destination: Alaska

Worst habit: Obsessing and anxiety

Favorite room/space in your house: Front Entry Room

Favorite Food: Pizza

Zodiac sign: Gemini

I know there isn't any earth shattering details being presented but let's be honest, life is a little more fun when there's a bit of mystery left to wonder about. Besides, I couldn't possibly reveal too much about myself otherwise you might find out I'm actually a 52 year old retired banker living in Shaboygan, WI and I simply started blogging to make friends. You just never know!