17. August 2009 by Teri Ellis.

I posted a blog a year ago on my Teri Ellis Active Rain Blog about fissures appearing throughout Phoenix and surrounding areas, including Queen Creek, Arizona!!! It has now reared its ugly head once more. Check out my blog from last year in order to grab the links to the information you might need.

I received a call today from a woman living in Pecan Creek - North. She found my name online, and thought maybe I could “direct” her to a place she could lodge a concern or complaint about the “sink holes” appearing in her yard and that of her neighbors’ homes.

The builder, Fulton, had not remedied her problem, and customer service seemed unwilling to make certain her home was on stable ground. She told me that there were now issues with her water pipe. Her neighbor was experiencing similar problems and, in fact, cracks seemed to be causing stress on her patio.

My immediate thought was: “I was showing homes in that neighborhood last Saturday!!!”  These are definitely warnings that need to be out there for potential home buyers/sellers.

My suggestions included: writing to Fulton Homes, reviewing the information HERE!!!! - and checking out the Arizona Department of Real Estate  as well as sharing information on Twitter and Facebook to get the word out. I also told her I would post it on my blogs so people could be on the lookout.

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17. August 2009 by Teri Ellis.

Our MLS Stats for ENTIRE MLS (including Greater Phoenix Area of Maricopa and Pinal County for the past Two YEARS!!! I think it helps each of us get a better picture of the market. I’ve shared two graphs: One with the inventory decline during the past 24 months, and the other showing the “absorption” rate, or month’s supply of homes. The closer the number gets to six months, the closer we are to an “even” market. More months mean: a buyer’s market, and less mean: a seller’s market. I’m seeing an even market in most areas; however, there are still areas that lean one way or the other.

As you can clearly see, the median price is leveling out, AND the inventory is coming down at a quickening pace.

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4. August 2009 by Teri Ellis.

Recently I received a telephone call from a Realtor from another state. He introduced himself, told me he had found me through Active Rain, and knew so and so, and so and so.

After we finished with our introductions, he told me he had a client that had a home in Mesa, Arizona, and they wanted to find someone to list it for them. As I began to question him on the circumstances of the sale, he said that they just “needed” it listed. I prodded him further asking if they had taken out a second and if they were upside down. He said, yes, and basically needed it listed in order to complete their purchase of a home through him.

He further went on to tell me that they didn’t really care whether they sold it or not, and he didn’t need a referral fee. Sound fishy? Yep, to me it did – and was.

I told him this: “they are buying another home and bailing on this one,” and he pretty much indicated that this was the case though “he didn’t know for sure.” I told him that was mortgage fraud knowing when you purchase one home that you are walking from the other one!! You see, I have very strong feelings about this type of transaction. NO WONDER we are in such dire straits in America!! People don’t think twice about their obligations to keep their promises – AND – this agent had never heard of the Buy and Bail scheme. Yeah, right!!

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3. August 2009 by Teri Ellis.

According to our MLS stats, the 85209 zip code in Mesa, Arizona shows that we are now in a buyer/seller market. Six months is typically the “middle” mark. We’ll have to see what July holds, but notice in August 2007, we had 11.4 months’ supply of homes on the market. As of June, 2009, 6.5 months’ supply of homes.

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2. August 2009 by Teri Ellis.

I’ll bet you didn’t know that August has at least four days that are days we can celebrate!

August 2: Friendship Day!!! That day is TODAY!!! Did you know? the first Sunday in August was proclaimed National Friendship Day in 1935? Since that time, this day has caught on around the world and is now celebrated nationally!

How are you celebrating Friendship Day? What are some of the special things you do for your friends? Share some of your ideas for the rest of us. I give my friends a huge HUG!!

August 13: International Left-Hander Day: Wow! Who knew? I wonder if there is a special day for those of us who are right handed – or – BOTH! There is actually a club for left handers at: Lefthandersday.com. 

August 19: National Aviation Day: This Day is celebrated on the birthday of Orville Wright (1871), who flew the Wright Brothers’ first successful airplane a distance of 120 feet in 12 seconds in Kitty Hawk, N.C.

August 24: National Waffle Day: Now this is certainly a day I can get into. This Day marks the anniversary of the waffle iron patented by Cornelius Swarthout of Toy, N.Y. in 1869!!! (Bet that one didn’t work like the one we use in our kitchens today!!!

So, there you have it…four days to celebrate in August. I think there’s something for everyone here! Okay, now I’m hungry for a nice hot waffle and a big glass of milk!!!

Have a great friendship day everyone!!!

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