East Valley 4th of July Events

From www.azcentral.com

East Valley

CBS5 July Fourth Tempe Town Lake Festival: 4-11 p.m. July 4. Seven hours of live music, inflatable village for all ages, and fireworks. Tempe Town Lake, Rio Salado Parkway and Mill Avenue, Tempe. $6; age 12 and younger are free. 480-350-8625. www.tempe4th.com. |

Hot Dog Theme Day: 1-3 p.m. July 4. Get a free hot dog to celebrate Independence Day. Kiwanis Park Wave Pool, 6111 S. All-America Way, Tempe. $6; $3 for age 2-12. 480-350-5740. www.tempe.gov/kiwanis. |

Mesa’s Fourth of July Celebration: 6 p.m. July 4. Entertainment and kiddie rides ending with fireworks at 9 p.m. Also offers food and drink for purchase. No bags, backpacks, coolers, fanny-packs or alcoholic beverages. Mesa Community College, 1833 W. Southern Ave., Mesa. $5 for parking and admission; $1 for admission if not parking on campus. 480-461-7000. www.mc.maricopa.edu. |

Independence Day Celebration and Fireworks Spectacular: 4 p.m. July 4. In addition to fireworks at 9:30 p.m., the event features live music, a kids carnival and a bike parade. Activities include a 35-foot waterslide, 24-foot rock-climbing wall, a dunk tank and water games. Tumbleweed Park, 2250 S. McQueen Road, Chandler. Free. 480-782-2735. www.chandleraz.gov. |

Red, White and Boom: 5:30 p.m. July 4. Features live music, a cowboy costume contest, a barbecue, decorated buggy rides, face painting and balloon sculpturing. Fireworks start at 9:30 p.m. Rawhide at Wild Horse Pass, 5700 W. North Loop Road, Chandler. $3-$65. 480-753-7676. www.rawhide.com. |

Fourth of July Celebration and Anniversary Party: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. July 4. Families enjoy carnival games, prizes every 15 minutes, live music by the Weezul Brothers from 6-10 p.m. and hotdogs and hamburgers grilled outdoors. Benefits The Choir Boys of Arizona. Red, White & Brew, 4850 S. Gilbert Road, Chandler. Free. 480-305-6993. www.rwbaz.com. www.azchoirboys.org. |

Roof Care 101

Here is a special article written just for us from Josh Caruso of M&J Roofing.  They recently helped a client of mine in Scottsdale with a flat roof and I was so impressed with his roofing wisdom, I asked him to contribute to ArizonaHomeTalk.com.  He’s happy to help with any and all roofing dilemmas.  Take it away Josh…

Taking care of your roof is very important, especially in Arizona where we have such extreme weather conditions.  There are many things you can do, as a homeowner, to protect your roof. 

            Before monsoon season, it is very important to check many parts of your roof to keep from having any leaks that could turn into major problems down the road.  Here is a list of the most important.  It is a good idea to have a professional come inspect your roof and let you know of any areas that need assistance. 

·        Gutters Are Clear of Any Debris.  This is important to not have back-up of water and cause a leak due to ponding water.  It will also cause wood-rot if wood is in the area.

·        All Flashings Are Sealed.  Flashings are the metal that seals off water when there has been a roof installation.  Such installations can be chimneys, vent pipes, AC units, sky lights, etc. When flashings are sealed correctly, there is less of a chance for water to get into the roof membrane and cause a leak.

·        Flat Roofs and Patio Roofs Need to be Recoated Every 3-5 Years.  When a new coating is on the roof, it has the reflective coating that protects against leaks and the breakdown of the roof.  The coating also reflects UV rays that causes breakdown of the roof over time.  In Arizona, the sun, animals (especially birds) and the weather breaks the roof membrane down.  Re-Coating the roof will add many years to the life of the roof so you won’t need to have a complete re-roof.

·        Replace Broken Tiles.  When tiles are broken and/or missing, it causes the water-proof tar paper to be exposed to the sun.  The sun will shine directly on the tar paper causing it to deteriorate quickly and create leaks.  Having broken or missing tiles will take many years off the life of your roof.

If you keep the maintenance on your roof up-to-date, it will increase the life of your roof by many years.  If you have any questions, please feel free to call M&J Roofing.  We will be happy to answer any questions and we give FREE ESTIMATES.

Josh Caruso, M&J Roofing

PHONE (480) 200-7156 ~ FAX (480) 459-5781

EMAIL:  JOSH.MJROOFING@COX.NET    ROC# 222308

 

Lowball Offers…Part 4/4

Remember that time is critical to the highly motivated seller.

Whether or not sellers accept your lowball offer often depends on how much pressure they’re under to sell, Davis says. Obviously, those in a rush are usually more willing to entertain a lowball bid, even if it means making a counteroffer to bring up the dollar amount.

The retired teacher was a case in point. At 66, she lacked the energy to keep up her elaborate landscaping. So when a condo-apartment came up for sale in a retirement community where several friends lived, she immediately snapped it up. By the time the young couple came along, however, her house had languished unsold for months and she was in a financial pinch.

“Of course, she didn’t get as much money as she’d hoped for her property. But she was delighted at the chance to sell to nice people and move on with her life. So in the end, this was a win-win deal for everyone concerned,” Davis says.

By: Ellen James Martin, UNIVERSAL PRESS SYNDICATE

Lowball Offers…Part 3/4

Make sure your bid has a pre-approval letter attached.

Because sellers currently outnumber buyers in many neighborhoods, some purchasers see no point in bothering to obtain pre-approval for mortgage financing. But bargain-minded buyers know better, says Tom Early, a real estate broker and former president of the National Association of Exclusive Buyer Agents (www.naeba.org).

“In today’s market, you absolutely want pre-approval to remove all doubts in the seller’s mind that you’re qualified. Many homeowners think buyers can’t get loans now, and you have to prove them wrong to negotiate from strength,” Early says.

Granted, those with blotched credit or checkered employment situations now face a big challenge when seeking to secure home financing. But if you have a steady job, reasonably good credit and a minimum of debt, your odds of obtaining a mortgage pre-approval letter from a reputable lender are still very good, Early says.

By: Ellen James Martin, UNIVERSAL PRESS SYNDICATE 

P.S. From Becky…A Loan Status Report (LSR) is required to submit an offer in Arizona.  This acts as a pre-approval letter stating that you’ve had a conversation with a Mortgage Lender and have started the process for getting a loan.  I advise my  buying-clients to have an LSR ready before we go look at homes, in case you want to make an offer.  I also advise my seller-clients to request an LSR accompany ALL offers, no exceptions, to ensure we deal only with well-qualified, serious buyers.

Lowball Offers…Part 2/4

Personalize your offer to increase your chances of success.

Before the young couple made its first bid, the retired teacher had received an even lower bid from an investor who wanted to buy the house and to convert it into a rental unit. She promptly rejected it without even so much as a counteroffer.

However, the seller was more than willing to negotiate with the young couple, who loved many features of her 50-year-old house, including its spacious first-floor family room. Though she didn’t accept their initial bid, she advanced a very reasonable counteroffer and the transaction soon closed.

When making a lowball bid, Davis suggests you attach a brief handwritten note to introduce yourself to the sellers and to tell them why you like their place.

“Home sellers are much more likely to warm up to people who appreciate their property. It’s an art form to convince the owners you’re not just a ‘grab and run’ opportunist, particularly now that investors are coming out of the woodwork,” Davis says.

By: Ellen James Martin, UNIVERSAL PRESS SYNDICATE 

How to make a lowball offer work…Part 1/4

By: Ellen James Martin, UNIVERSAL PRESS SYNDICATE 

…To succeed with a lowball offer, Davis says, would-be buyers must be respectful of the home’s owners. They must also stay within a reasonable range of the true market value with their first bid.

“Usually, you can shave no more than 10 to 20 percent off the market value of a property and expect to prevail. You’ve got to be fair and reasonable, not ridiculous. Also, you should be open to a reasonable compromise price,” Davis says.

Despite the seller’s counteroffer, the young couple still got an excellent deal — nearly $13,000 off the home’s current market value, as estimated by Davis.

In a typical real estate market — where sellers don’t outnumber buyers as they do now — lowballing usually backfires. That’s because most owners find their pride punctured by a low offer. Expecting they’ll have other options, they simply refuse to deal with bidders they consider opportunistic.

“Real estate is very, very emotional, especially if the owners have lived in the place for a long while and someone comes around offering a lot less than their house is worth,” says Davis, author of “A Survival Guide for Buying a Home.”

The difference now is that many sellers are taking a more sober, dispassionate view of their real estate. Due to the realities of the market, more are inclined to consider a low offer, Davis says.

But it takes skill and forethought to turn a lowball offer into a winning bid. Here are several pointers for bargain-minded purchasers:

SEE TOMORROW’S POST!

God Bless the Russert Family

I’ve been so touched by the passing of Tim Russert.  Here is a wonderful interview by Matt Lauer with Tim’s proud son Luke.  Luke shares some of his favorites memories of his dad, Tim Russert.

Two Hotels Coming to Gilbert

Marriott International Inc. plans to start construction in the first quarter of 2009 on two hotels in Gilbert.

The hotels, a Courtyard by Marriott and a Residence Inn, will both be on Santan Village Parkway in the SanTan Village retail and entertainment corridor, the company said.

Brian and Paul Welker, principals of Mesa-based Sunridge Properties Inc., will own and operate the hotels.

The Marriott hotels join a Hyatt Place and Hampton Inn planned for the Main Street Commons site near Val Vista Drive. and the Santan Freeway and the Western Legacy Suites planned at Power and Warner roads.

Gilbert’s currently has one hotel, the InTown Suites, an extended stay facility near Arizona Avenue and Guadalupe Road.

David van den Berg - Jun. 12, 2008 04:05 PM The Arizona Republic

Be a Tourist in Your City

If you plan on pinching pennies and experiencing a “staycation” rather than a vacation this year, here is the official visitor guide of our greater-Phoenix area. Click on the link below or the picture to flip through the pages of this helpful guidebook. Play tourist around here and post a comment about your favorite things to do and see in the Valley of the Sun.

OFFICIAL VISITOR GUIDE TO PHOENIX ARIZONA

My Favorite things to do & see around the valley…

1 - Fountain Hills, AZ: Go have lunch, drive around, enjoy the amazing views. 30 min drive from Gilbert. 15 min drive from Scottsdale.

2 - Tempe Marketplace: Window shop, see a movie, eat out. I’m not much of a shopper - but I won’t pass up an invite to hang out here.

3 - Downtown: A day of museums, antique/vintage shops, 2 hour wait for a *worth it* seat at Pizzeria Bianco.

Before my career in Real Estate, I was a Concierge for a 4 diamond resort.  So, if I can be of service to you with dining recommendations, resort recommendations, or general city information - please don’t hesitate to ask.

Your Arizona Native REALTOR,

Becky Wyatt, 480-383-9209.

Unique Business Cards

I wanted to share my new business cards with everyone!  Feel welcome to let me know what you think of my card by posting a comment.  (Card photography and design by Cefalu Photophraphy) Also, I found the most entertaining website with pictures of very unique business cards.  Check it out at http://creativebits.org/cool_business_card_designs - let me know which one is your favorite! - Becky