SPRING HAS SPRUNG...

...and that means it's time to wash away those winter blues! In fact, according to the Soap and Detergent Association - did you even know there was such a thing? - three-quarters of Americans engage in spring-cleaning. In fact, their surveys indicated that more than 80 percent of people who spring clean agree that it helps them save time throughout the year, and 96 percent of people donate or discard items during their spring-cleaning.
But the advantages can go much further than that. Check out these top ten spring-cleaning activities, compiled by www.medicinenet.com, that can help make your home healthier and safer:
Thoroughly dust your home. Also clean any air conditioning and heating filters, ducts, and vents to minimize pollens and other airborne allergens.
Organize your medicine cabinet. Throw away expired medications and old prescription medicines that you no longer need.
Inventory your garage and basement. Get rid of any old paint, thinners, oils, solvents, stains, and other similar items you no longer need. Note: You may need to take these items to a hazardous waste drop off center.
Inventory under your sinks and around your house. Dispose of old or potentially toxic cleaning products.
Have your chimney professionally cleaned. This will help you lessen the chances of carbon monoxide exposure when the cold weather returns.
Clean all mold and mildew from bathrooms and other damp areas. Use non-toxic cleaning products.
Check your rugs. Make sure that rugs on bare floors have non-skid mats and that older or dusty mats are either washed or replaced.
Inspect outdoor playground equipment. Make sure that all elements are sturdy and safe, especially guardrails, protruding bolts, and other potential sources of injury.
Change your batteries. Do so for both smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.
Collect old batteries throughout the house for disposal. Dispose of them in a battery recycling or hazardous waste center.
And make it easy on yourself - take it one room, one cleaning task at a time. You'll be more likely to accomplish more if you tackle each spring-cleaning project separately. And that's great advice...any time of year!

Grand Opening events at Noterra

The Norterra Shopping Center will have its grand opening this weekend. To check out the events for the weekend, click here.

Clean Up Day At Sonoran Mountain Ranch

Scheduled for Saturday April 19th at 9 AM. Homeowners will meet by the entrance of SMR off of pyramid pkwy to remove debris and trash over by the entrance and off of the pkwy. Please bring trash bags.

Recent comps for February 2008

Average Sales Price was $266,000 and the average Square footage was 2286.

The Average dollar per SqFt = $ 116.36

The lower dollar per sq foot can be attributed to the amount of short sale/foreclosures that occurred. There were three closings and two were short sales.

What is a short sale? Visit my website to get information

Only stellar buyer's need apply

Bankers and Lenders are rapidly changing their loan requirements as home prices fall and delinquencies on loans set it. To adjust their standards, lenders are increasing applicants credit scores, offering smaller loans and are requiring proof of assets and liabilities.

Long gone are those 100% finance stated income loans.In early 2007, a credit score in the low 600s was enough to get a mortgage. Today anything under 680 is a considered an area of concern from a lender's point of view.

In addition, many lenders are requiring that homeowners put down 20% as a down payment. What does this do for prospective homeowners? Make sure you pay your bills on time. I had a client who forgot to pay her home depot bill one month and it sure enough was sent to collections. Two weeks before her loan was suppose to close. The lender did a final credit check and sure enough the home depot delinquency came up. The lender changed her interest rate. The bill was accidentally forgotten about becuase her son had gotten into a car accident that month and she forgot to pay it. A very innocent mistake that costs her money.

Today I was the student and my client was the teacher

Today I went to a client's walk through. As I pulled into the driveway, I was greeted by an elated client. The time had finally arrived. She had bought a new construction and the build time had gone way past the initial estimated date of completion. We had arrived a few minutes before the builder and therefore took the time to venture inside the house to see the final product! As my client walked around the house, she pointed out the rooms where her children and grandchildren would sleep when they visited. She mentioned how she had bought a new dining room table for her family's Christmas meals and other holiday celebrations. She discussed how she was going to turn her master room suite into a sitting room, so she could relax at the end of the day and do what she loves to do the most-read.

My client had been through a lot the last few months. Her eldest child was in an accident leaving him unable to walk. She had also entered unexpectedly into motherhood again, at the age of 55, when she decided to raise her newborn granddaughter. The house's 6 month construction delay only added stress. Today though, for the first time, in a long time, I saw her smile. Her house was finally ready and she could have her family under one roof and move forward.

When surrounded my daily statistics of countless foreclosures, negative equity, and price drops, as a homeowner and a professional in the industry, it is easy at times to see a home as just a "commodity." A physical good that is bought and sold based solely on its price. As my own home has experienced drastic deprecation since we purchased, I myself have been guilty of that train of thought . Should we have waited to purchase? Did we make the right choice? Will our home's value continue to decline even further? My husband's enthusiasm for our house has been the victim of my profession. "You won't believe how much the builder dropped their price!" "if you could only see the homes that are going for less than what we paid for!" Phrases that have been uttered straight out of the horse's mouth - mine. All the while, my husband stating "Who cares, I still love our house"

My client's happiness and excitement was just what the doctor ordered for me. It reminded me of a few things that I had recently let msyelf forget. I got home and remembered how excited I was when we bought this home, our first home together as husband and wife. The plans we made, similar to my client's. The room my office would go in, the room we would use for our child's nursery. It awakened me to the true meaning of our house and home ownership. The market conditions will one day improve, as they say "this too will pass". Years from now, that pain will be forgotten. The laughs, good times, and yes, at times, not so good memories, though is priceless. I embraced my home today for what it is and what is was always intended to be - not just a sticker price on a window, but a beautiful haven for my family.

Loop 303-Happy Valley Parkway I-17

Here is the latest information regarding the loop 303 connection to the I-17 that will run off of 67th ave and pyramid peak pkwy (the road we travel on to get into Sonoran Mountain Ranch)

I obtained this off of the ADOT site

Schedule: Phase I (2006-2010)

Phase II (2011-2015)
Length: 14 miles
Project Summary: Funding in the Regional Transportation Plan to construct a new four-lane divided roadway to serve as the interim Loop 303 connection to I-17.

During the first stage, a four-lane divided roadway will be constructed from Happy Valley Parkway to I-17. This roadway will include interchanges (overpasses and underpasses) at Happy Valley, Lone Mountain and Lake Pleasant parkways, as well as an interchange with I-17 at Lone Mountain Road that will serve as the interim connection between I-17 and Loop 303 until completion of the full freeway-to-freeway interchange.

ADOT is currently completing the design of this segment. Construction of this section is anticipated to begin in 2009, with completion of the interim roadway expected in 2012.