Cody Sperber's Arizona Real Estate Blog

And They Say A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words!

After researching different areas in Phoenix, Arizona for two different clients it dawned on my why we have 50,000 plus Active Listings, and only 3500 Solds per month….the AWESOME photography of are most esteemed local Realtors!  Can you choose the worst of the worst:

Picture #1 – Nothing Beats A Good Roof Shot!

Picture #2 – Anyone Want To Buy Some Dirty Dishes?

Picture #3 – Trading Spaces Must Of Been Here!

 Picture #4 – Is Anyone Going To Eat That Top Ramon Cause I’m Hungry!

 Picture # 5 – Umm Yeah…I think Someone Missed!

Im going to go with the last one….maybe you should have highlighted the neighborhood and not focused so much on the bathroom!

If your credit is damaged and you are in need of a great credit repair guy I highly recommend Tim Hensley over at Genesis Credit Group.  He is a Certified Financial Mortgage Planner as well as an expert in credit repair.  I have a few clients currently working with him and he is doing a great job and is reasonable priced!

Be Optimistic but Realistic ~ You can dream all day long that your home is worth a certain amount. Happy dreams make for fabulous mental visions of grandeur. It’s good to be optimistic. But in today’s housing market, visions of grandeur can be a huge drawback and cost you lots of money.

Most Important ~ Hire a real estate professional. You don’t need to know everything about buying and selling real estate if your hire a professional. Real estate agents have all the necessary tools at their disposal and can give you up-to-date information regarding recent sales and statistics, your competition, and information about the housing market in general. A real estate agent will market your property to other real estate agents as well as to the public on the MLS and other internet sites. A real estate agent can also help you evaluate buyer offers, and then, finally, help you close the sale.

Price Your Home to Sell ~ The key to selling your home is pricing. Listen to your real estate professional. Be smart and realistic if you want to sell your home. If you price your home too high, it probably will sell for less than a similar one that was initially priced lower than yours. 

You don’t know the price of your home until you sell. Unlike the stock market where you can find out the share price of any stock or stock fund you own in a matter of minutes, the value of your home is worth what a buyer is willing to pay for it. You can’t look it up on the NYSE. It’s not listed there. Click Here for New York Stock Exchange.  What you can do though is Contact Me and I will give you my expert opinion on the value of your home and the homes in your neighborhood!

Accept the Market. When your real estate agent brings an offer to you, take the necessary time to think it over. Don’t think you are rushed to make a snap decision on your biggest investment. Don’t put yourself through the three phases of selling that is costing everyone mega bucks… 1) denial; 2) anger, and then 3) acceptance. Acceptance should be Number 1 on your list instead of months of trying to sell your home in a fast-changing market. Your home may not be worth today what it was worth yesterday.

Please do not hesitate to give me a call at 480-861-8732 to discuss a strategic plan to sell your home quickly and for the most money possible!

Historically, Gilbert, AZ was nothing more than small stop next to a railroad…a far cry from the bustling city it has developed into today.  From the begining, Gilbert was a prime farming town fueled by the construction of the Roosevelt Dam and Eastern and Consolidated Canals.  In the 1970’s the Town Council began to look towards the future as Gilbert’s neighboring communities of Mesa, Tempe, and Chandler began to grow.  Today Gilbert has grown at a pace unparralleled by most communities in the United States increasing in populations from 5,717 in 1980 to over 138,000 in 2003! 

My Thoughts On Gilbert, Arizona

What I like most about Gilbert is that it offers excellent freeway access, great schools, and it still maintains its small town feel!  US-60 runs along the northern border of the Town, connecting to the other cities in the East Valley. The San Tan freeway runs directly through Gilbert from US-60 south, and west to the Interstate 10. Gilbert is only about 15 minutes from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, and 30 minutes away from downtown Phoenix.  With its small town feel, you find that the sense of community is focused on raising a family, quality education, plentiful leisure activities, and a fantastic business core. It is an excellent reference for businesses and residents alike. Gilbert was ranked #22 as one of the safest cities in US in 2006.  The Gilbert, Arizona School District, which is recognized for its rigorous well-defined curriculum, and for the quality of academic programs and extra-curricular activities at both elementary and secondary levels, continue to be a huge motivation for families relocating to Gilbert.  Overall, whatever your choice of lifestyle, Gilbert offers an excellent quality of life!

Historically, Chandler, AZ was nothing more than a dusty train stop!  Founded in 1912 and Incorporated in 1920, Dr. Alexander John Chandler envisioned a community centered on family, agriculture, and fun in the sun.  The Chandler of today is not much different except we transformed from a small agricultural town to a High Tech Silicon Oasis when companies such as Motorola, Intel, and Microchip decided to open manufacturing plants here!  The future of Chandler looks promising.

With great schools, freeways, weather, shopping, restaurants, and people, why not think about relocating to Chandler, Arizona?  Keeping its small town feel, Chandler boasts a population of over 240,000 and is steadily growing.  I choose Chandler, AZ because my fiancé and I wanted to build a new house that was affordable but still within 20 minutes of all the great restaurants, nightlife, and sporting events that Phoenix and Scottsdale have to offer!  We came to find out that we really never need to leave Chandler because some of the best restaurants in Arizona are located right here.  If you like to golf, Chandler has 6 major golf clubs.  Go to www.codysperber.com/resources-chandlergolf.php to learn about each!  Shopping…watch out! Chandler Fashion Center, San Tan Village, Chandler Pavilions, and Historic Downtown Chandler are just a few destinations that make Chandler a shopping Mecca.  Last but not least, the schools in Chandler have some of the best scholastic programs in Arizona.  Check out http://www.schoolmatters.com/schools.aspx/q/page=sr/txt=Chandler/ust=AZ/p=1/fp=1 for schools and ratings.

WHERE EXACTLY IS CHANDLER, AZ?

Surrounded by Mesa, Tempe, and Gilbert, Chandler has 330 sunny days a year, and an average temperature of 85 degrees.  Sandwiched between the I-10, US 60, Loop 101, and with the new Loop 202 cutting right across the middle, Chandler has some of the best freeway access in the Valley.  I can get just about anywhere I want to be within 10-25 minutes.  The Zip Codes 85224, 85225, 85226 are considered the older areas of Chandler, whereas 85286, 85248, and 85249 are for the most part recently developed…even though in some parts you will still see a farm or two!  Overall, Chandler, AZ is one of my favorite places in Arizona to visit and a great place to live!

Old Stone Ranch is a new exciting Lake Community located between Lindsay and Gilbert Roads on Ocotillo Road in Chandler. This amazing new LAKE community has homes for every budget. Not only does the community have a number of common areas, the Chandler Unified School District has a school there too. The winding main tree lined street of Old Stone Circle is picturesque with  a white split railed fence bordered by grass. The curb appeal found at Old Stone Ranch is unique to the area and a refreshing sight.  The thing I love most about this community is the space.  The sidewalks are away from the streets, there are many lighted walking trails that wind throughout the community, and they are building a huge park next to the school which just happens to be inside the community!  Plus, you can’t beat the price for what you get.

Builder: Shea Homes

Price Range: $300,000 – $750,000

Sq. Ft. Range: 1750 – 4500

You can still buy new at this community, and through my relationship with the sales teams, you can get an outstanding deal, especially on Spec Homes!  If you would like more information on Old Stone Ranch or any other Chandler, AZ community, please CLICK HERE or call 480-861-8732.

Realtors account for almost 95% of all the real estate sales in the United States.  Therefore, if anyone thinks it’s a good idea to go around agents just to save on a commission is making a huge business blunder. 

Professional real estate people understand the power of leverage, whether it be leverage of money or leverage of time…both of which are extremely valuable depending on the individual.  I know personally my time is too valuable to try and research each and every deal in my area.  By building a team of super agents I can now focus my time and energy on making more money and not on chasing a contract.  In this business you will need help if you expect to make serious money.  As an investor, you don’t want a reputation of being a tight wad, instead, take care of your team and they will reward you with great deals and the best service for life!

Just a random thought!

Cody Sperber

http://www.codysperber.com/

Is RealtyTrac Overstating Foreclosures?

With Over 21,900 filed Notice of Defaults (ACTUAL NOD’s AS OF 10/26/07) in Maricopa County there is no doubt Arizona has many troubled homeowners.  The media loves a good story and normally a good story involves tragedy, heartache, and turmoil.  Should we believe the doom and gloom of the papers, or is it just their way of promoting the hype?

RealtyTrac, ranked the 3rd largest real estate site by MediaMatrix and one of the largest databases of foreclosure information reported as of JULY 2007 (4 months ago!) that number should be 27,515.  Now, I have never been that great at math, but that is a rather large difference.  Is this a bad thing or a good thing? 

As an investor, the bad press actually puts more money in my pocket, and as a Realtor it helps me get my clients to strategically price their properties without having to explain to them why last years appraisal means squat.  So in the end, I suppose I should thank the powers that be at RealtyTrac and the newspapers for outstanding reporting!  Just a thought….what’s yours?