Swimming Lessons

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pool with view

We are in the dog days of summer, and keeping cool is objective #1!  Learning to swim is a rite of passage for kids in the Valley of the Sun.  To that end, here are a few places to look if you’re interested in helping your kids learn this all-important summer skill:

  1. Phoenix Parks and Recreation is one of the largest operators of swim lessons here in the Valley of the Sun.  With 30 public pools and two week sessions from Monday-Thursday available to both residents and non-residents of all ages, you’re sure to find a location and date that works for your schedule.  Pricing is the most reasonable through Parks and Rec programs at $15 for two-week group lessons (about 6 children per instructor in the beginning level courses) up to $45 for semi-private sessions (about 3 children per instructor).
  2. Scottsdale Parks and Recreation also operates swimming lessons, for kids and adults.  Lessons are 30 minutes long and are also offered in two-week sessions, Mondays through Thursdays.  Price is $24 for Scottsdale residents and $36 for non-residents.
  3. Options for private swim lessons abound here in Arizona.  One popular option you may want to explore is Hubbard Swim School.   This school offers several different types of programs, for all age levels.  Drop-in lessons are $15 for a group class, and $20 for a semi-private class.  Hubbard also hosts a free baby splash class for children 2-5 months old.  For regular classes, the cost averages $81-$122 per month for weekly classes.
  4. Aqua Tots is another private swim school, with 10 locations around the Valley of the Sun.  Both private and semi-private classes are available, and rates vary by location, but average $79-$207 for 1-3 days per week for the first child.
  5. With locations in both Scottsdale and Gilbert, Aqua Safe is a private swim school featuring classes every half hour at both locations at least 4 days a week.  They offer a program for first-time swimmers which includes two classes per week for eight weeks, for $150 per month.

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Grayhawk Open House Sunday 7/31 from 1-4 pm in North Scottsdale

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Home Front Photo - 0002-74th (2)

We will be holding an Open House this weekend on Sunday 7/31 from 1-4 pm in North Scottsdale’s Grayhawk neighborhood at 20728 N 74th St, Scottsdale, AZ 85255. Call us at 480-754-9477 or 480-754-9077 if you would like more information. This gorgeous home has been completely updated. We hope to see you there.

Also, if you would like to see homes in other Scottsdale neighborhoods such as Grayhawk, McDowell Mountain Ranch, DC Ranch, Gainey Ranch, McCormick Ranch, Desert Mountain, Troon, Sonoran Hills, Desert Ridge, Terravita, etc, please let us know. We can send you listings for homes in your area of interest, preview homes for you and schedule showings for you to see any homes that you would like to see.

Where Are the Good Contractors?

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hands photoGood contractors . . . when you find one, you’ve got to hold on and never let go.  Whether you’d like to update your existing home, or you are considering listing your home for sale, and making much needed updates to maximize your ROI (return on investment), you’re probably going to be enlisting the services of a contractor.  Finding a good, reputable contractor out of the thousands out there may seem like a daunting task.  However here are some suggestions on how to find the best person to help you update your home:

First, ask your coworkers, friends and family if they’ve used a contractor in the past. A second source of recommendations to consider is your neighbors.  An easy way to crowd-source your neighbors’ recommendations is through the website www.nextdoor.com.  This free website is a great resource for anything neighborhood-related, and members are very willing to share their experiences with contractors, good and bad.  A third source of recommendations to consider is your local tile store, flooring store and hardware store.  Chatting with the store manager or employees will often yield several names of reputable contractors in your area.

Checking these individuals out, once you’ve got a list of 3-4 names, is critical, to ensure they are reputable and legitimate.   In Arizona, the Registrar of Contractors maintains a list of all registered, licensed contractors in a handy database available to the public: http://www.azroc.gov/forms/contractorsearch.html.  This database contains an up-to-date record of the status of the contractor’s license, any complaints that have been filed against the contractor, the amount of bond they maintain, as well as how long they’ve maintained a license in this state.

The next step will be to contact the contractor and to interview them (by phone or email).  Some questions to ask include:  Do they take on projects of your size?
Can they give you a list of previous clients?  How many other projects would they have going at the same time?  How long have they worked with their subcontractors?  Would they be personally supervising the project?   The next step would be a face to face meeting, in which they can see the project you’ve got in mind, and so you can ascertain their personality and see if it’s a good fit.  Follow up this in person meeting with phone calls to 2 or 3 of their references.  Ask how their remodels went, and ask if you can see photos of the final product.

The final step is to collect bids (always ask for itemized bids in writing) as well as payment schedules.  Typically, with larger remodeling projects, contractors require 10% at the time of signing the contract, with 3 payments of 25% evenly spaced throughout, and then the final 15% once the remodel has been completed.   Then, it’s off to the races with a remodel that’s sure to increase the value of your home, or of your continued enjoyment of your home.

As always, we’d be happy to share with you who we have had success working with on home remodels, as well as to conduct a walk-through of your home to discuss what we recommend updating when getting your home ready for sale, or alternatively, where to spend your money in your new home, to increase ROI for selling your home in the future.

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Grayhawk Open House Sunday 7/24 from 1-4 pm in North Scottsdale

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Home Front Photo - 0002-74th (2)

We will be holding an Open House this weekend on Sunday 7/24 from 1-4 pm in North Scottsdale’s Grayhawk neighborhood at 20728 N 74th St, Scottsdale, AZ 85255. Call us at 480-754-9477 or 480-754-9077 if you would like more information. This gorgeous home has been completely updated. We hope to see you there.

Also, if you would like to see homes in other Scottsdale neighborhoods such as Grayhawk, McDowell Mountain Ranch, DC Ranch, Gainey Ranch, McCormick Ranch, Desert Mountain, Troon, Sonoran Hills, Desert Ridge, Terravita, etc, please let us know. We can send you listings for homes in your area of interest, preview homes for you and schedule showings for you to see any homes that you would like to see.

Staying Cool in Water Parks in the Valley of the Sun This July

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Triple-digit temperatures don’t mean you can’t enjoy the summers here in the Valley of the Sun. Here are a few water parks to consider exploring, to help you beat the heat:North Scottsdale residents of McDowell Mountain Ranch already enjoy the fabulous amenities within their McDowell Mountain Ranch Aquatic Center.  The good news is that non-residents can enjoy fun features such as the 8-lane lap pool, three diving boards, a lazy river, a large tube water slide, a zero-depth entry play pool, and water play features plus splash pad.  There are also multiple areas of shade and seating.

McDowell Mountain Ranch Park and Aquatic Center photo

  1. Located in the North Valley, Wet N Wild is a sprawling oasis of slides, wave pools, lazy rivers and splash pads.  With over 13 attractions, every member of the family is sure to find a fun way to stay cool.
  2. Big Surf in Mesa is known for its 2.5 million gallon wave pool.  Big Surf also has an area for smaller tots, as well as seven different sets of slides for the thrill seekers in your group.
  3. Located within the Arizona Grand Resort, Oasis Waterpark is a 7-acre waterpark featuring an 8-story tower with three water slides, a large wave pool, a lazy river and a kids’ splash area.  Day passes can be purchased through the hotel for just the waterpark.
  4. Finally, Golfland-Sunsplash in Mesa, is a combination water park and amusement park, with several water attractions such as slides, a wave pool, lazy river and splash zones.  Visitors can also enjoy a giant video game arcade, bumper boats, laser tag and little Indy cars.

Coupons and deals for the above attractions can often be found at www.groupon.com and www.livingsocial.com.

Grayhawk Open House Saturday 7/16 & Sunday 7/17 from 1-4 pm in North Scottsdale

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Home Front Photo - 0002-74th (2)

We will be holding an Open House this weekend on Saturday 7/16 and Sunday 7/17 from 1-4 pm both days in North Scottsdale’s Grayhawk neighborhood at 20728 N 74th St, Scottsdale, AZ 85255. Call us at 480-754-9477 or 480-754-9077 if you would like more information. This gorgeous home has been completely updated. We hope to see you there.

Also, if you would like to see homes in other Scottsdale neighborhoods such as Grayhawk, McDowell Mountain Ranch, DC Ranch, Gainey Ranch, McCormick Ranch, Desert Mountain, Troon, Sonoran Hills, Desert Ridge, Terravita, etc, please let us know. We can send you listings for homes in your area of interest, preview homes for you and schedule showings for you to see any homes that you would like to see.

Congratulations!  You’ve Received a BINSR!  

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You’ve negotiated a price with a buyer for your home, and you’ve entered a contract to sell your home to this buyer.  This is great news!  What happens next?  Typically, the buyer will set up and pay for an inspection of your home, and based on the inspection report, will send you a BINSR.  This is a Buyer Inspection Notice and Seller Response, and is the document the buyer uses to notify you, the seller, about the issues that exist with the home and the property.  Here’s the important part:  the buyer typically has ten days after the inspection to deliver this BINSR to you.
S Scottsdale listingWith regard to the BINSR, there are three ways the buyer can go after the inspection.  First, the buyer can indicate that they accept the premises completely, which means no further work needs to be done.  The second option is the buyer can reject the premises, which means the real estate transaction is cancelled and they will not be purchasing the home.  The third option, which is the most common scenario, is the buyer “elects to provide the seller an opportunity to correct” whichever items from the inspection the buyer wants corrected before they take possession of the property.

This third option is where the buyer wants the seller to either replace, repair or change something based on the inspection report.  You, as the seller, will then have 5 days in which to respond to the BINSR.  As the seller, you then have three responses available.  The first response is that you agree to correct all inspection issues.  Your second available response is that you agree to no repairs.  (The buyer then will have the option to accept the property as-is, or to cancel the transaction altogether).  The final response is that you can itemize which items you are willing to repair, replace or change.  For example, you may agree to fix 80% of the items on the inspection report, but not the other items because you disagree with the inspector’s conclusions.  This scenario is common, for example, when the inspector can’t find a switch to turn something on, or the lightbulbs just need to be replaced.

At this point, the buyer can then choose to either accept or cancel based on the seller’s response to the BINSR.  While this is a very simplified explanation of the BINSR process, this is generally how this often-complicated portion of the real estate transaction proceeds.  We look forward to answering any specific follow-up questions you may have about any real estate related matters.

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