22. April 2009 by Teri Ellis.

Those of us living in the Valley of the Sun –  it reached 100 degrees today – know how much we rely on our air conditioners to keep us cool in the summer.

SRP is offering rebates ranging from $200 to $400 for customers who replace existing heat pumps or air conditioners with “qualifying”  high-efficiency central cooling systems. The rebate starts May 1, 2009.

In addition, qualifying new systems placed in service from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2010, may be eligible for a federal energy efficiency tax credit of up to $1,500.

Rebate applications are due by October 31, 2009. As always, for more details regarding SRP’s rebate or the federal tax credit, log on to www.srpnet.com/coolcash, or call: 602.236-9644.

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11. April 2009 by Teri Ellis.

Easter will be here on April 12 - tomorrow! Hard to believe we’re already into Spring, and soon to drive head on into summer.

As I was contemplating my memories of Easter, I suppose some of my favorites included the coloring of Easter eggs, searching for them in the grass, trees, or wherever my dad would hide them, and then later on, hiding them for my children. Loved hiding them in hard to find spots, like in trees, etc., and  then helping and guiding them along. It’s fun to be a mom.

As a family, we always gathered together to attend church to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, donning our new Easter dresses (that was always a favorite of mine) and new shoes for summer. This, of course was always AFTER the Easter Bunny had visited.

Do you know why there is no “fixed” day for Easter – like for Christmas, New Year’s, etc.?

Some interesting information I located on Wikipedia: “Easter is a moveable feast, meaning it is not fixed in relation to the civil calendar. Easter falls at some point between late March and late April each year (early April to early May in Eastern Christianity), following the cycle  of the Moon. After several centuries of disagreement, all churches accepted the computation of the Alexandrian Church (now the Coptic Church) that Easter is the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon, which is the first moon whose 14th day (the ecclesiastic “full moon”) is on or after March 21 (the ecclesiastic “vernal equinox“). Now, we’ll all know what to look for, right?

Continuing with Wikipedia: “Easter is linked to the Jewish Passover not only for much of its symbolism but also for its position in the calendar.

Cultural elements, such as the Easter Bunny and Easter egg hunts, have become part of the holiday’s modern celebrations, and those aspects are often celebrated by many Christians and non-Christians alike. There are also some Christian denominations which do not celebrate Easter.”

Bottom line? Easter is for everyone! I LOVE Easter and all that it represents to me! I wanted to use the Easter colors in the fonts, but as you all know they are very pastel – and don’t show up too well.

My wish for all of you would be to Have a  wonderful Easter!

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10. April 2009 by Teri Ellis.

It appears as though our Phoenix, Arizona market is adjusting. I’ve been keeping track since January 1, 2009 (and before), and posting updates regularly.  If you will recall, in January, we were up to almost 60,000 active listings. Things are changing.  Inventory stats of all listings in our MLS are as follows:

March 19

Active: 48,837

Pending: 10,869

April 3

Active:  45,694

Pending: 11,896

April 10

Active:  44,348

Pending:  12,963

April 17

Active:  42,907

Pending:  13,403

April 29

Active:  40,437

Pending:  14,226

Listed below are the comparisons for the cities and for the zip codes indicated. Note that I am only including Single Family Residences and not townhomes, apartment homes, etc.

Mesa, Arizona Real Estate. Call me at: 480.216-3334 for information on purchasing or selling a home in Mesa, Arizona or surrounding towns. OR email me: Teri@TeriEllis.com. Feel free to visit one of my websites: HomesAzRE.com, ServingMesaArizona, MoveToMesaAz.com or MoveToSunnyAz.com. Or stop by my blogs at: MesaAzRealEstateVoice; or Phoenix Valley Real Estate Blog

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4. April 2009 by Teri Ellis.

I think it’s important to watch our market and to pay attention to how many active listings and how many homes are under contract or pending.  As of today, April 3, 2009, there were 45,694 Active and 11,896 Pending Listings in our MLS.

On March 19 - 15 days ago -  our inventory of active listings across the board (including Single Family, townhomes, condos, mobile homes, etc.) was 48,837 active listings! AND we had 10,869 pending or under contract.

I have listed below the numbers representing ONLY the Single Family Residents -  Active and the Pending as of today in the city and/or the zip code designated:

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2. April 2009 by Teri Ellis.

I’ve posted the numbers recently at above 48,000 active listings and 10,000 pending (under contract). Today, there are 11,456 under contract and 46,049, a drop of over 2,000 active listings in two weeks.

Please keep checking back for the numbers. The lower the active listings’ number goes, the fewer months of inventory. If you’re thinking about purchasing a home …. these numbers are important to you.

Have a good week.

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1. April 2009 by Teri Ellis.

I have always been a proponent of purchasing a home rather than renting one; however, it seems that more and more people are contacting me to find them a rental home. They want to “rent” a home rather than to buy! Just this past week, I showed two separate clients a rental.

I am also receiving calls from those that have purchased a home through me – and are now foreclosing or considering short sales.

Almost without exception, these homebuyers who purchased a home through me have refinanced or acquired a second loan on their home purchased six or seven years ago.  Due to our market, they are upside down and cannot sell their home. As a result, they need to “rent.”

There are, of course, other reasons, but being upside down due to refinancing seems to be at the top of the list.

Many former homeowners are now needing “or” wanting to rent a home. Because of their inability to pay the loan on their home thereby short selling or foreclosing, investors are flooding the market picking up homes at prices not seen in years. Typically an investor makes needed “fixes” and “repairs,” and then puts the most recent purchase on the market as a rental. Therefore, purchasing property as a rental has become increasingly more affordable.

So? If you were to ask me if it’s a good idea to purchase a home NOW, I would say a resounding YES. Whether for investment purposes or to live in – I’ve never seen a better market to purchase. Just be very careful when thinking of a short sale – or a bank owned. Become educated on what that is about.

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