Why I Love Tucson- The Beauty of Spring Part 2

Springtime in the desert is so spectacular!  Wildflowers burst forth with color, including several varieties of penstemon, lupine, and african daisy.  Acacia and palo verde trees are heavy with yellow flowers.  Last  week  I enjoyed a trail ride in Bear Canyon with a friend.  Skies were blue, the air was clear, and the streams were running.  We remarked over and over to each other how beautiful the scenery was and how grateful we are to live in such an awe-inspiring place.

If you are fortunate enough to live here in Tucson, take advantage of this wonderful time of year and spend time in the great outdoors.  Temperatures are typically in the 70’s; perfect weather for walking, hiking, biking, golfing, tennis, or just gazing at a mountain view.

If you aren’t one of the lucky desert dwellers, make plans to visit, or better yet, purhase a home and relocate!  Tucson’s real estate market is full of opportunities right now, and spring is the perfect time of year.

Denise McCreary

Tucson MLS Stats for February 09

Steady is the word to describe the current Tucson Real Estate Market, meaning we aren’t seeing any remarkable changes either positively or negatively.

February pending sales and closings exceeded January’s, with pendings up 8.4% and closings up 12%.  Comparing this year to 08, we see only moderate declines.  January pending sales were down 22% from 08, but February was down only 12% from last year.  Closed sales comparitively were very much the same, with 659 this year to 664 in February 08.

It appears as if we are leveling off .  And the median sales price is currently $178,000,  11% lower than last year, but within sight of the ‘05 median sales price of $186,500.

Listing inventories have come down as well;  last February we saw a staggering 9,168.  As of last month we now have 7,532.  Kimberly Clifton, MLS President asserts that with the “mere .75 drop in sales you can see that we’re gaining ground.” This improved inventory vs. sales ration is encouraging.  You can view the full statistical report here.

Denise McCreary

First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Co-Starring Jester

Enjoy my very first video: Real Estate Buzz #1, co-starring my old guy pug friend, Jester.

Did I mention that this is a great time to buy real estate in Tucson?

My view from my back patio–Loving life in Tucson, Arizona!

Denise McCreary

Denise’s Home Selling Tip #2

What NOT to do…

I have been in contact with an acquaintance who had acquired the job of acting as trustee in the sale of a friend’s home.  The friend had passed on and was survived by 2 adult children, one of whom was living in the home.  The home is in a decent central foothills neighborhood.  There are luxury neighborhoods within the vicinity.  It was adapted for the handicapped and has a pool.  The home has a mortgage, and the surviving children can’t afford to make the payments, so selling it is a necessity.  My friend had contacted me and asked me provide some comps, so naturally I began to assume that I would be hired as the agent to sell the home.  I provided the information and followed up.

The trustee decided, because it was necessary to net the most from the sale of the home, to list it with a discount brokerage and price it nearly $30,000 above market.  The firm it’s listed with is merely a website and MLS listing service.  It has a contractor’s lockbox instead of an MLS lockbox for entry, requiring any agent to show it to call the trustee for the code.   

As if this scenario weren’t bad enough, recent statistic reveal there are currently 33 months of inventory in the home’s zip code area.

This home has been on the market (so far) for 90 days

Denise

Enjoy the Beauty of Spring in Tucson

It’s the first day of March in the Old Pueblo.  The weather has been unseasonably warm, causing Tucsonans to fear the beginning of what could be a long hot summer.  Even so, this is a fabulous time of year in terms of enjoying the great outdoors and having lots of fun things to do. 

Earlier in the week my husband and I attended the Accenture Match Play Championship at the new Ritz-Carlton Golf Club located in Dove Mountain, one of  Tucson’s premier luxury home  developments.  We saw Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and other pros playing practice rounds on the newly opened course.

This weekend also marked the 84th annual Tucson Rodeo.  We boast the largest “non-mechanized” parade which is held every year on the Thursday before Rodeo Weekend.  The rodeo is so important to Tucson that our schools are closed on Thursday and Friday of Rodeo Week.

Major League Baseball spring training began this week on February 25th and will continue through April 2nd.  Watch the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies play against other big-name teams for a fraction of what regular seasonb games cost.

The 4th Avenue Street Fair will be held March 20-22.  It’s a great place to find original handmade items, delicious food and great live music.

These are just a few of the many fun things to see and do in Tucson this spring.  For more information and calendar events visit the Metropolitan Tucson Convention and Vistors Bureau.  We would love to host you, so come to Tucson–soon!

And did I mention that NOW is a great time to buy a home?

Denise