Home Security Improvements

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Unlocking a front doorHome security is a home upgrade that may not have any flash or cosmetic appeal as upgrades such as new kitchen counters or flooring, but it is an upgrade that matters in the long run.  The most comprehensive upgrade one can make to increase home security is a good alarm system.  The mere presence of such a system is a visible deterrent to any home intruder.

Other improvements that can be made to your home security include rekeying your exterior door locks.  If you’re moving into a brand-new home or an older home, taking the time to rekey the locks is a smart move as dozens of other people had access to your home during the sale of the home and before you moved in.  Previous babysitters, housecleaners and neighbors could have keys to the home without your knowledge.  Even if you moved into your home years ago, rekeying your home provides an extra layer of security.  Rekeying averages $125-$150 for a home with two to three exterior doors.

However, if your door locks are more than a few years old, you may want to consider getting your locks replaced to prevent lock bumping.  Newer technology in locks prevents this tactic by home burglars who insert special keys into locks, striking them with a hammer which causes the pins in the lock to move slightly and permitting the door to be opened.  Consult your local locksmith to determine whether your current door locks are bump-proof.

The garage door to your home is another access point for home burglars.  Savvy burglars will force open a small crack between the garage door and frame of the home, or break a window in the door, and will use a wire hook to grab the manual door-release cord hanging down from the electric garage door opener.  To foil this maneuver, consider either removing the opener cord completely or tie it to the opener frame with a zip tie (which can be cut if you need to access the cord later).  If the burglar is able to get into your garage another way, be sure to keep the door into your house dead bolted to make unauthorized entry even more difficult.

Source:  Romero, R. (2015, December 12). Easy, affordable ways to secure your mail, home. The Arizona Republic, p. 1.

 

Active Adult Communities

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active adult community - ParkWith its year-round sunshine, the Valley of the Sun is an ideal place in which to enjoy one’s retirement years.  Seniors who don’t want to worry about the upkeep and maintenance of a home, and who are in good health often want a community where they can focus on pursuing their personal hobbies and interests.  An active independent living retirement community may be the perfect fit for these individuals.  Whether it’s renting an apartment or purchasing a condo or single-family home, the Valley of the Sun has multiple options from which to choose.

When considering which community to choose, focusing on the proximity of shopping centers and grocery stores, local health-care providers is a good start.  One such community is Sun City (Del Webb) which is the original and the largest active adult 55+ community in the Valley of the Sun.  With 46,000 homes including single family, townhomes and duplexes, Sun City also is home to 7 recreation centers, 16 shopping centers, 8 golf courses and 2 lakes.  Pursuing hobbies and interests will be a snap with Sun City’s more than 200 clubs and interest groups.

Pebble Creek, a Robson Community in Goodyear, Arizona, is another 55+ adult community located 17 miles west of downtown Phoenix, and is close to shopping, medical and golf facilities.  The community features two championship courses, the Eagle’s Nest and Tuscany Hills.  With green spaces, tennis and fitness centers, recreational and social activities, Pebble Creek and its energy efficient homes may be the perfect choice.

Queen Creek, Arizona is a beautiful desert city and is home to Solera at Johnson Ranch (Del Webb), with its active adult gated community of single family homes, with an exclusive clubhouse and amenities.  As part of the larger Johnson Ranch master planned community, active adults can access of all of the amenities available.  Sunland Springs Village (Farnsworth) in Mesa, just off the Superstition Freeway, is a 55+ adult community with 2,890 homes near popular shopping and dining destinations.  With 27 holes of golf, tennis and volleyball courts, and 2 outdoor pools, Sunland Springs and its single family, townhouse and golf course condo options offers something for everyone.

Located south of the 202 (San Tan Freeway) in Gilbert, the 55+ adult community of Trilogy at Power Ranch, a Shea Homes development, features 2,035 single family luxury homes.  With shopping and medical facilities close by, as well as a golf course and a center for higher learning, this gated community is worth a look.

I will be happy to help you explore your options and navigate this exciting period of your lives.

Proximity to Good Schools equals to Most Important Amenity

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rancho solano school photoAccording to the National Association of Realtors ®, “Of all the local neighborhood amenities that can influence a buyer’s decision to purchase a home, proximity to good quality schools is one of the most influential.”

Homes in proximity to good schools have higher property values, plain and simple. Homes in neighborhoods with highly-rated public schools often are priced higher than homes that are not.  Home buyers seek out good schools, which increase property values for everyone.  Whether or not you have children, or your children are no longer school-aged, good schools in good school districts are an amenity that any parent wants, which strengthens and increases the value of the homes in those neighborhoods.

The good news for those seeking to buy or sell homes in the Northeast Valley, including Paradise Valley, North Scottsdale and Fountain Hills, is these high-performing school districts featuring “good schools” are already in place.  The schools in Northeast Valley are part of the Paradise Valley Unified School District, the Scottsdale Unified School District and Fountain Hills Unified School District.   While some of these schools permit open enrollment, if a particular school is not accepting new students, residing in that school’s zoned neighborhood may be required before your student may be enrolled.

While I can help you narrow down your school choices when searching for your next home, you can also get started researching these districts.  Websites such as www.greatschools.org break down the test scores as well as the community ratings of each school district, as well as the schools themselves.  Another website, www.schooldigger.com, ranks the schools using criteria such as student to teacher ratio and test scores.  Then you can rest assured that your decision to buy a home, if based on proximity to a good school is important, is a sound one.

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Paradise Valley Unified School District

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Fireside elementary schoolParadise Valley Unified School District is the seventh-largest school district in Arizona, with 31 elementary schools, eight middle schools and six high schools.  This district’s schools are located within an 98-mile area in Phoenix and North Scottsdale, from 7th Avenue east to Pima Road, from Jomax Road south to Northern Avenue.  Given the large size of the district, the tax base for the schools is larger.  The 2014 Auditor General’s report indicates that PVUSD schools outperform the state average and the district average for the percent of funds spend in the classroom.

PVUSD is also known for many programs, some of which are exclusive to this district.  For example, four different elementary schools offer gifted preschool programs:  Fireside, Desert Trails, Desert Cove and North Ranch elementary schools.  These accelerated curriculum and tuition-based programs target 4-year old students who have been identified as gifted on an IQ test.

Foreign language immersion is featured at two different schools in Paradise Valley Unified.  Sandpiper Elementary focuses on Spanish immersion, while Whispering Wind Academy centers on Mandarin immersion.  Three schools offer a K-12 IB (International Baccalaureate) program:  Quail Run Elementary, Vista Verde Middle School and North Canyon High School.  The popular CREST (Center for Research, Engineering, Science and Technology) program is offered at Paradise Valley High School.

Finally, for those fifth-twelfth grade students who are interested in focusing on the performing and visual arts, the North Valley Arts Academy is offered at Desert Cove Elementary, Shea Middle School and Shadow Mountain High.  This program combines the arts with a rigorous academic curriculum.

Even if you don’t live within the PVUSD boundaries, open enrollment gives your student an opportunity to attend any of the schools.  Applications are typically accepted in the district office until January 21st of the previous school year, with Early Bird applications due by December 1st.

Getting Ready for Showing Your Home

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granite-luxury-kitchenYour home has been prepped and is ready for listing in the MLS.  Now what?  There are some steps that will make it easy to get ready for all of those showings that will be coming your way.

First, maximize all of the light in your home by turning on all of the lights in your home and open all of the curtains and blinds on your windows.  Buyers love to see bright, well-lit homes, and these quick steps will show off your beautiful home in the best light (pun intended).

Second, highlight your curb appeal in your back and front yard.  Do a quick sweep of your front entryway, and turn on any water features you may have in your backyard, to show off your pool and/or spa.  This will help the buyer visualize how to enjoy these spaces in the future.

Third, do a clean sweep throughout your home to remove clutter from floors and countertops.  Buyers want to be able to envision themselves in the spaces in your home, so removing distractions of your personal items is the best way to facilitate this.  Keep a laundry basket handy before showings, to corral any clutter quickly and to stash in a closet.

Finally, do a quick wipe of your bathroom counters, toilets and mirrors (Windex wipes are fantastic for this), to make these areas sparkle.  Again, the goal is to have buyers imagine living in your home, so keeping these personal areas sparkling clean will go a long way toward this goal.

Your realtor can give you more tips to maximize showings, but this checklist is a good start.

Cave Creek Schools

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100747999-2Cave Creek is one of the most family-friendly communities in Arizona, and a big reason for this is its amazing schools.  The schools are all part of the Cave Creek Unified School District, which the Arizona Department of Education has designated an “A” rated district.

The high school in Cave Creek is Cactus Shadows High School.  With its motto “A world class high school for the 21st century” Cactus Shadows services grades 9 through 12.  With an average class size of 32 students in a school of 1750 students, 87% of Cactus Shadows students pursue higher education post high school.  While this high school has an extensive roster of extracurricular and sports activities for its students to enjoy, academics are at the forefront of Cactus Shadows with its International Baccalaureate program, Advanced Placement and Honors classes, as well as Dual Enrollment and the Early College Program in partnership with Paradise Valley Community College.

Middle school students who live in the Cave Creek area attend Sonoran Trails Middle School.  Sonoran Trails is a World Language School, and as such, offers its students the opportunity to learn Spanish, French or Mandarin Chinese as a core class.  The school also features a Spanish Immersion program for its students.  Sonoran Trails also offers many extracurricular activities such as band, drama, cheerleading, volleyball, football, basketball, and many others.

Cave Creek has five public elementary schools within its boundaries.  First, Black Mountain Elementary School has an advanced academic Core Knowledge curriculum, and also features a drama program for all of its students.  Black Mountain follows a Whole School Cluster Grouping Model, and has very active parental involvement.  Desert Sun Academy also follows a Core Knowledge curriculum, and offers music, art or PE to its students daily.  Along with teaching Spanish to all of its students, Desert Sun Academy teaches its students through Project Based Learning.

Desert Willow Elementary School is an International School and is known for its Spanish immersion program which begins in preschool.  Desert Willow also offers Extended Kindergarten, as well as various after school programs.  Horseshoe Trails Elementary School is a Confucius Language School, sponsored by ASU, and offers its students Chinese language instruction beginning in kindergarten.  Its signature program is TRRFCC Horsemanship and Horseshoe Trails also offers gifted learning opportunities.  Lastly, Lone Mountain Elementary School is a STEM school, which highlights instruction in science, technology, engineering and math.  Lone Mountain offers all-day kindergarten as well as differentiated instruction for its students.

Cave Creek Unified School District does offer open enrollment, permitting students to apply to schools regardless of their neighborhood. Your realtor can help you to navigate these requirements in your home search.

Cave Creek Home Listings

Importance of Curb Appeal

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front yard photoHow important is landscape design when staging and selling your home in North Scottsdale?

While most people know the importance of staging a home in preparation for sale, the exterior landscape of the home may not be given the importance that it is due.  Curb appeal is the initial advertisement of the home for potential buyers.  If it’s not up to par with the neighborhood, for example, that showing may turn into a drive-by, with the potential buyers not wanting to step inside to see the home itself.

You can avoid this lost opportunity by taking a few simple steps to update and maintain a beautiful exterior, inviting home buyers to come closer to check out all that your home has to offer.  First, clean up your landscaping.  It sounds simple, but nothing says deferred maintenance like a shaggy lawn, or a desert landscape strewn with weeds and overgrown trees.  This cleaning should also happen to your driveway and paths, with a good hosing or power washing of these areas.

If you’re lucky enough to have a patio area or large entry way, place a chair or two here, to showcase a conversation area to your potential buyers as they are walking into your home.  However, the decluttering and simplifying rule that applies to the interior of your home also applies to the exterior and landscaping, so be sure to remove any yard or lawn art from your front yard and entry way.  Keeping the door clean of decorations is another way to showcase the architecture and beauty of your home without distracting potential buyers unnecessarily.  Finally, be sure that your windows sparkle in the Arizona sun, so buyers looking out to the front yard can appreciate and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

North Scottsdale Public Parks

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north scottsdale park photoFamily friendly North Scottsdale as well as its communities of Sonoran Hills and Grayhawk, have several beautiful public parks for everyone to enjoy.  Ironwood Park, 18650 N. 94th Street, has amenities like a shaded playground and a lighted tennis court and lighted basketball court, making this a popular night-time destination.  Nearby Thompson Peak Park, 20199 N. 78th Place, has 4 lighted softball fields plus 2 full basketball courts, as well as a shaded playground.  Down the road is the community park of Grayhawk, which features a large playground as well as 2 baseball fields, 2 full basketball courts, 2 tennis courts, and 2 sand volleyball courts (all lighted) plus 2 soccer fields as well as a large open grass area.

Scenic Sonoran Hills Park, 7625 E. Williams Drive, features 10 acres of space, including a softball field, lighted tennis courts, 2 full lighted basketball courts, picnic areas as well as 2 separate playground areas for different age ranges.  To the east is the Florence Ely Nelson Desert Park, 8950 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd, which features amenities such as a multi-use room that can be reserved, as well as a spray pad, playground, full lighted basketball court, picnic areas as well as a desert botanical nature trail.   For the fitness-minded, Pinnacle Peak Park, 26802 N. 102nd Way, features a picturesque hike on a 1.75 mile trail (each way, no loop) with 1,300 feet elevation gain.  Rock climbing is also available in designated areas in this 150 acre park which also has a restroom, and 7 drop-in ramadas with picnic tables.

Staging and Design in North Scottsdale

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contemporary-dining-roomWhether you are a homeowner seeking to sell your home, or a homeowner who wants to transform your space, there are some general principles of good design that will maximize your space, no matter your ultimate goal.  For example, the living room or great room is usually a room that most potential buyers will view immediately upon entering your home, and it’s a room that most homeowners enjoy on a daily basis.

First, consider the art of furniture arrangement.  There are a few simple design rules that are easy to remember and follow when it comes to placing furniture.  Always create a comfortable walking space between a sofa and a coffee table, with a minimum of 12 inches but 18 inches is ideal here.  Any furniture in a conversation area should be no more than 8 feet apart.  Appropriate lighting for reading in your seating arrangement is a must.  (This lighting will both brighten and showcase your space for potential buyers, as well as help you to maximize your own enjoyment of this space).  Finally, anchor your conversation area with rugs if you have hardwood or tile floors.

Second, address the arrangement of accessories in your space.  Accessories and artwork are small investments in modernizing your home as these details really count.  If you’re staging your home for sale, keep accessories and art that are universal, and that don’t showcase your personal hobbies or tastes.  If you’re redesigning your home, then be sure to surround yourself with all of the things you love.  Regardless of your motivation, there are some general design rules when it comes to accessories.  Group in odd numbers, preferably with three or five pieces.  Try to group accessories in different heights; for example, use one tall, one small and one medium piece, to create visual interest.  Finally, try to always incorporate a living accessory such as a plant or shell into each room, to infuse life into the room.

Finally, the art of wall arrangement is the last item to consider when it comes to staging or redesign.  Wall art can help to add balance as well as texture or drama to a room.  Wall art can be paintings, mirrors, sconces, shelving, or ironwork.   The right height of this art is critical.  Generally speaking, a center of a painting should be at eye level as you are entering the room.  Also, scale is very important.  For example, hanging any type of art over a couch, the art or grouping should be at least 3 feet across, but ideally is 4 to 5 feet across.  Finally, in the case of groupings of wall art, don’t separate artwork more than 5 inches away from each other.

These are just some starting points of staging and home design, as the possibilities are endless.  When all is said and done, the art of staging a home is similar to the art of redesign in that the goal is to create a home in which someone would aspire to live.  If you will continue to live there, then all the better!

Contact Us to learn more.

Buyers Often Overestimate Mortgage Requirements

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Sixty-five percent of recent survey respondents feel home ownership is a dream come true or an accomplishment to be proud of. But when it comes to achieving that dream, many consumers may sit on the sidelines because they’re overestimating what it takes to make it come true.

Many consumers have misperceptions about the credit score, down payment, and income requirements needed to qualify for a mortgage, according to a survey released by Wells Fargo and Ipsos Public Affairs of more than 2,000 U.S. adults. A high percentage of home owners are still unaware of recent efforts by lenders and the government to enhance the availability of credit through lower down payment programs.

Two-thirds of consumers surveyed believe they need a very good credit score to purchase a home, with 45 percent believing a “good credit score” is over 780 (many lenders consider scores over 660 to be “good”). Consumers also tend to overemphasize credit scores as a single factor that determines whether they’ll be able to buy a home. But a credit score is not the sole criteria. Many lenders will consider a loan applicant’s entire financial picture, including income, assets, debt-to-income ratio, credit history, credit scores, and the amount of the loan compared to the value of the property.

Also, the survey found that consumers tend to overestimate the down payment funds needed to qualify for a home loan. Thirty-six percent of respondents said they believe a 20 percent down payment is always required, the survey showed. However, down payment options are available as low as 3 percent or 3.5 percent for some loan programs.

“The American aspiration for home ownership is alive and well,” says Franklin Codel, head of mortgage production for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage. “Home ownership has traditionally been the vehicle through which many people build wealth and financial stability. Home-buying and its downstream financial benefits strengthen the U.S. economy with strong neighborhoods and vital local businesses. For the millions of consumers who express a desire to own a home, it’s essential that lending and housing professionals provide clear, simple information to build consumer confidence about buying a home.”

Source: “Consumers’ Misconceptions Temper Desire for Home Ownership,” Business Wire (June 16, 2015)