Archive for the 'Prescott Homeowners' Category
Television Antennas.. Soon to be a part of our past
February 20th, 2008 categories: Prescott Homeowners
Antique Road Show, year 2090
Louise has been patiently standing in line with a contraption her Grandmother and Mother used to hang wet clothes on in the winter. It has been in the basement of her Great-grandfather’s home for as long as anyone can remember, anchored to the floor with guy wires, holding countless hangers of wet clothes. It has a 5’metal pole with other long thin round pieces of metal jutting out from it. Sort of like the branches of a tree. So here she stands, her question and contraption in hand. It’s finally her turn and the conversation goes something like this; “Well, what have we here?” “my family has used this to hang wet clothes on for as long as anyone can remember but my husband insists that it was originally used for something else but he doesn’t know what” “well, what you have here is a television antenna. This would be installed on the roof of a house and then connected to the television with a couple of wires” “what’s an antenna?” Louise asks. “an antenna is something that would catch a signal, radio, television, etc., as it went through the air and then transmit the signal to your “receiver” in this case, a television. “They stopped using these for televisions sometime back in 2009.
If you are one of those TV watchers that are still using the antique antenna, beware: A long awaited change is coming to a TV near you. As of February 17th, 2009, antenna fed televisions without digital tuners will go blank unless they have separate converters. For more information, please read the article on AZ Central.com regarding “digital only” TV reception.
| Discussion: No Comments »
Prescott Real Estate; a year in review
February 19th, 2008 categories: Home Buyers, Home Sellers, Prescott Homeowners, Prescott Real Estate Trends, Real Estate News
2007 Prescott Real Estate. A year in review:
Wow! What a transition… To say that Prescott experienced some major Real Estate adjustments in 2007 is an understatement. We enjoyed double digit appreciation for several years, and came to expect it as normal. Although the trend started to slow toward the end of 05, many home sellers, and Realtors didn’t start to feel the burn until 07. In 2007, average home prices adjusted downward in almost all neighborhoods. Days on market adjusted upward along with interest rates. The interest rate increases kept many first time home buyers out of the market all together, or afraid to take the plunge. Buyers looking to up size could no longer afford the larger home and were forced to stay put.
A large listing inventory, and fewer buyers made 07 an especially challenging year for home sellers. 50% of the listing inventory sold, which was down from 79% in previous years. Only 13% of the vacant land on the market sold. Days on market widened to 158 days which was quite a switch from the ” good old days” when homes sold before they hit the MLS. Not to mention the foreclosure market and sub prime lending disaster which we may not see the bottom of until 2009.
2007 brought many changes to our local Real Estate companies. There was simply not enough business to support the growing number of Licensed Realtors in the area. Currently there are 1,643 Licensed Real Estate agents belonging to PAAR (Prescott Area Association of Realtors) that number is down from well over 1,700 in 2005. I predict that in 2008-2009 more of our local Realtors will be forced to leave the Real Estate business. Mortgage companies and well as Escrow companies have seen their share of cut backs, consolidations and lay offs.
Eventhough lost sleep and my graying hair was a big part of 2007, I am always the optimist and hope that 2008 brings sunnier condition to our Prescott Real Estate market. The sooner we all accept “what is” in the Real Estate market, the brighter the sun will shine for all of us. Here’s to a great 2008!
Here are some sales statistics comparing 2006 to 2007.
| Discussion: No Comments »
Don’t let your dream home become a nightmare… Get a home inspection before purchasing a new home
February 19th, 2008 categories: Home Buyers, Prescott Homeowners
Don’t let your dream home become a nightmare…… Get a home inspection..
According to the National Association of Realtors, 84% of home buyers requested that a home inspection be performed as part of their purchase contract.
99% of Licensed Realtor recommended to their buyers “inspect the home you are buying”.Home inspections are a now a standard step to purchasing a home. You wouldn’t buy a used car without first having it inspected? Home buyers want to know what they are purchasing, and they should. No one want to move into their dream home and have it become a nightmare. Roofs, furnaces, air conditioners or electrical repairs can cost thousands. And then you have to find the right contractor, have your house torn apart, and then write the check. This can be a hassle as well as an emotional rollercoaster. Protect yourself from the start and have the home your’e purchasing inspected. Here are some questions to ask a home inspector.
- First, ask for recommendations and names of qualified home inspectors. Speak with all of them to determine which will be most qualified to inspect your home.
- Ask for qualifications. Is he or she a member of the American Society of Home Inspectors or National Association of Home Inspectors?
- Does the inspector have a license? Inspectors are not required to be licensed in all states.
- How many inspections do they do each year?
- Can you contact their past clients?
- Do they carry Errors and Omissions insurance?
- Is there a guarantee of the work?
- What specifically does the inspection cover, what part of the home is not inspected?
- What type of report is provided?
- How long does it take to receive the report, and how much does it cost?
Protect your investment. Get a home inspection!
| Discussion: No Comments »
Prescott, Arizona is a great place to retire.
February 19th, 2008 categories: Home Buyers, Prescott Homeowners
Prescott, Arizona is set in the heart of the 1.25 million acre Prescott National Forest. With a near perfect four-season climate, excellent quality of life and small town atmosphere, Prescott continues to be one of America’s most desirable communities to work and live in.
Prescott’s strong sense of community has developed over its 140 year history, earning Prescott the nickname of “everybody’s hometown”.
The October 2007 issue of US News and World Report and well as recent issues of Money Magazine again named Prescott as one of the top cities to retire to. The standards for this award were cost of living, climate, education, health care, along with recreational and cultural opportunities.
Prescott offers many entertainment opportunities. Home of the World’s Oldest Rodeo and knows as Arizona’s Christmas City, Prescott hosts numerous art galleries, museums and annual events. Prescott’s Fine Arts Association is in its 37th year and has staged over 175 main stage productions and over 85 children’s and family shows. Housed in the historic Sacred Heart Church in downtown Prescott, PFAA enhances the quality of the community through education and participation in a variety of cultural and artistic activities. Residents have the opportunity to participate in theater productions, workshops, technical work and well as musical and vocal productions. Tim’s Toyota Center located in Prescott Valley is one of Northern Arizona’s premier entertainment venues. This beautiful arena is host to over 400,000 people annually for trade shows, the Arizona Sundogs Hockey Team, motor sports, rodeo and some of the biggest names in entertainment.
Shopping is one of Americans favorite pass times and Prescott residents enjoy the benefits of small town living with large metropolitan amenities. Shopping opportunities include the Prescott Gateway Mall, The Village at the Boulders Mall, Frontier Village Mall, Costo, Home Depot, Lowe’s and well as a variety of food stores. Prescott’s historic Whiskey Row will provide hours of shopping and entertainment to residents and visitors alike.
Quality health care is provided to Prescottonians by Yavapai Regional Medical center and the VA Hospital of Prescott. Yavapai Regional Medical Center was named by Solucient as one of the top hospitals in the county. Prescott has a growing list of medical professionals, including cardiac specialists, cardiac surgery, rehabilitation services, wellness programs, and home health services. For more information click here.
Prescott’s offers many outdoor recreational opportunities and Prescott’s moderate climate if perfect for year round activities. Prescott offers 4 public golf courses and is challenging to all levels of golfers. Prescott’s Parks and Reaction hosts 15 city parks and year round activities including tennis, softball, baseball, soccer, basketball, a skate park, dog park and wildlife sanctuary. Miles of hiking trails through riparian and bird watching area are a great experience for the whole family. Camping and picnicking and great ways to take in Prescott’s great outdoors.
Yavapai County is one of the fastest growing counties in Arizona. In the last 15 years the population has increased by 80%. Prescott’s economy is robust and has grown at the rate of 3% over the past decade. Top employment opportunities exist in the medical field, retail, service industries, and tourism. With future development of the Prescott Air-park and Commerce Center, new opportunities will continue to arise in industrial employment. Construction and Real Estate are two major contributors to the growing Prescott economy.
Prescott is a wonderful place to live. Surrounded by natural beauty, fresh air, abundant opportunities and some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. Come visit Prescott and see why some many people are making Prescott their home town.
| Discussion: No Comments »
Is the bottom anywhere in sight?
February 19th, 2008 categories: Home Buyers, Prescott Homeowners, Prescott Real Estate Trends
Will the Real Estate pool ever be full again?
What the Prescott housing market needs is buyers! There are plenty of houses and land for sale, perhaps an all time high for the city.
Nationally, prices are falling, sellers are more motivated that ever, and builders are offering upgrades and all types of incentives.
Mortgage money is still at relatively inexpensive, and if you have good credit and a down payment, fairly easy to get.
But apart from those people who absolutely must move, for what ever reason, they just aren’t that many buyers out there.
One reason, of course is that buyers are afraid to dive in while housing prices are still adjusting downward. Who wants to buy a house for $300,000 today, and run the risk of it being worth $280,000 next month. And maybe less the the month after… That’s why potential buyers have taken themselves out of the market because they are waiting for the bottom.
It’s tough to know the exact moment when prices stop falling and start to stabilize. But there are indicators that buyers can look at to determine if the market is starting to turn around. Here are some vital signs that shows the buyers are back in town:
Number of homes on the market: Look for the number of “listed homes” to begin dropping
Existing home sales: Look at monthly averages for numbers of homes sold.
Mortgage defaults: This number will need to stabilize before the market turns around
Building permits: This is a leading indicator; the buyers are back when builders start pulling permits
This housing market will eventually turn around. It may be months, it may be years. But if you plan on staying in your home for a while, this is a good time to buy. Prices may continue to adjust, but if you are in the market to purchase a home today, in the long run, you’ll make money. The bottom may be today!
| Discussion: No Comments »
