Arizona Real Estate Informer

Home prices are up, so should I sell?

The median price of homes sold in the San Francisco Bay area was up 6.6 percent in April 2007 compared to a year earlier. For homeowners waiting for a signal that it's time to sell, this could be good news. Or, is it?  Half the homes sold in a given time period sold for more than the median price quoted for that period and half sold for less. Changes in median price do not necessarily reflect changes in home values. More...

Be charming to other agents

Where I work, most deals involve two agents. I suspect this is true in most places with an MLS or something approximating it. The salesmanship skills it takes to be a great lister -- the incredible extroversion and charm -- don't always square with the detail-oriented focus needed to actually move an apartment. Make sure the ad copy is right? Ride herd on the photographer? Surely someone with less charisma can do that; the great lister has another appointment to make. More...

Mixed night for real estate rates

Movement in long-term mortgage interest rates varied Friday, and the benchmark 10-year Treasury bond yield sank to 4.76 percent.

The 30-year fixed-rate average held at 6.26 percent, and the 15-year fixed rate inched up to 5.93 percent. The 1-year adjustable was down at 5.52 percent. More...

Placing a Winning Bid on a Home

Question: My husband and I just came across a house that is up for auction. We loved it! It is a corporate-owned home, and the person who was living in it relocated. This type of home is on the market a lot in our area, and many have been for sale a long time. Would it be beneficial to contact the seller and make an offer before the auction? More...

Phoenix 4th among cities in parkland per population

Barefoot, laughing and having a grand time, Tina Hoover ran with her children along a green expanse on a recent afternoon at Phoenix Roadrunner Park.

"We're always coming out to play around here," the Phoenix resident said of her neighborhood park.

According to a national study released last week, Hoover's family has plenty of park options in Phoenix.

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Panel to consider zoning change for downtown homes

Gilbert's Planning Commission is scheduled to consider a zoning code amendment that would allow some downtown Heritage District homeowners to improve or replace their properties.

The affected area is east of Gilbert Road, north of the railroad tracks and south of the Western Canal. It was zoned for low density, multifamily housing as part of the town rezoning in 2005. That rezoning precluded changes to single-family housing. More...

Home sales remain tepid in Valley

Valley builders and homeowners alike are continuing to struggle in an over-saturated real estate market, as buyers wait to see if prices will keep falling. Two studies released this week show continued weakness in sales of newly built homes in the Valley and existing Pinal County homes.

Some 2,988 new Valley homes were sold in June, compared with 4,348 during the same month last year, the latest Phoenix Housing Market Letter by analyst RL Brown shows. More...

Housing will rise on Upton home site

A renowned Valley architect has designed a new downtown Scottsdale contemporary living project with a little history in mind.

Will Bruder’s Upton project lifts its name — and inspiration for the project’s courtyard and fire feature — from the former winter residence of washing machine innovator Louis Upton.

The 10-unit project at 7228 E. Shoeman Lane will feature four flats and six duplexes on the site of Upton’s orange grove. More...

Northwest Valley's top home sales

The top recent sale prices for homes in the Northwest Valley:
$1,075,158
31322 N. 134th Drive, Peoria More...

Real-estate guru dies in car crash

Wesley Pascavis, who died after his car struck a boulder this week off of Pima Road near Lone Mountain Road, was a high-end real estate guru with an interest in philanthropy.

As president and chief executive officer of Hoozdo Investment, Inc., 48-year-old Pascavis was also a real estate agent for Re-Max Properties selling multi-million dollar properties.

His investment company - Hoozdo, meaning "the place is hot" - also specialized in high-end real estate, acquiring, developing and marketing luxury properties.

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