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| Image Credit: City Data |
Monday, April 21, 2014
Phoenix Skylines
There's Something for Everyone in Phoenix, Arizona
The Phoenix Metropolitan Area includes several cities that are right next door to each other and extend over 80 miles from east to west and 40 miles from north to south. When we talk about Phoenix and The Valley of the Sun, the area includes Scottsdale, Glendale, Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Carefree, Cave Creek, Fountain Hills, Peoria, Avondale, Litchfield Park, Paradise Valley, Sun City, and Surprise, all within Maricopa County.
Nationwide Spring Market Trends
Knowing which type of market is currently trending in your area can help determine the ease or difficulty of your next move. This article details recent market research gathered by Zillow for several metro areas across the United States. Read more to learn about market trends in your specific area.
As the spring home shopping season heats up, buyers and sellers nationwide can expect very different experiences when it comes to negotiating power. Zillow took a look at recent data to determine markets where sellers have the power and those where buyers are in control. Our analysis shows many home sellers are thriving in the Bay Area, San Antonio and Los Angeles metro areas, where price cuts are sparse and homes often sell at or near their asking price. On the other end of the spectrum, the Cleveland, Philadelphia and Tampa metros are buyers’ markets, with homes taking longer to sell, less competition in the marketplace and more room for bargaining on prices. In this analysis, a sellers’ market is not necessarily one where home values are rising, but rather one in which homes are on the market for a shorter time, price cuts occur less frequently and homes are sold at prices very close to (or greater than) their last listing price. In buyers’ markets, homes for sale stay on the market longer, price cuts occur more frequently and homes are sold for less relative to their listing price.
Spring Cleaning for Your Next Big Move
Spring is here and that brings blooming flowers, air born love and lots of spring cleaning. If you're planning a big move soon spring cleaning is a welcomed task. Deep cleaning and minor touch ups are always required before relocating which gives you the perfect opportunity to put these spring cleaning tips to work!
Nothing renews that feeling of pride of ownership more than attending to annual home maintenance tasks (especially once they are completed and behind you). Now that spring has arrived, it’s time to investigate the condition of your home’s exterior — everything from the roof, gutters, siding, and foundation to the lawn, shrubs, trees and garden. The chore isn’t so bad, and with a plan — and the right tools — you can make short work of many of these common tasks.
The Hobbit House
Check out this unique little home that transports you back to the shire with Bilbo and company. The adorable blue door and all brick facing is a true work of art. The property is located in Santa Barbara, California and selling for $1.199 million. Don't let the minimal square footage fool you. This unit comes complete with a laundry room. Talk about an easy move!
Open the bright blue door to this tiny home in Montecito, and you half-expect to find a Keebler elf inside baking cookies. Instead, you’d likely find Richard Barrett, an eccentric former gas-company worker who built the home with a borrowed brick-making machine in the 1950s. The little adobe is one of three remaining homes from the Bohemian Mountain Drive Artist Colony, and this is the first time it’s been on the market. There’s a good chance the buyer might tear it down; it’s surrounded by $6 million mansions. But the one-of-a-kind hobbit-sized house — at 510 square feet — is a landmark from another era, tucked between mature trees on a 1-acre lot.
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Cleaning Your New Place
We can never be one hundred percent sure that the family that lived in your new place prior to you had great cleaning habits. Before moving in put your spin on cleaning your new home. This article takes us through the journey of cleaning a new residence and bringing it up to your personal sanitation standards.
Get the house cleaned up. While many folks will leave the house clean for you, some won't. Even if they do, you'll want to clean everything for yourself. You can hire a service to do this, something I heartily recommend if time is tight, or you can do it yourself. If you do it yourself, set up an area with all of the supplies and tools you'll need to get the job done: buckets, brooms, mops, a vacuum, cleaners for each type of surface etc. Washing down cabinets, counters and plumbing fixtures and cleaning the carpeting etc. will make you feel good about the house. And don't forget a healthy supply of rubber gloves. No sense ruining that manicure!
Have You ever Considered a Moving Sitter?
Hiring a sitter for the pets and kiddos on the big moving day is a brilliant way to ensure their safety and your sanity. There are a million things to worry about during a big move unless you've called on Bulwark Moving to handle the move for you. This article recommends a few tips to decrease your worry list and help you enjoy the moving experience and your new place.
To keep moving chaos at bay, here is a moving day checklist to guide you through the process. Many of the items can be done ahead, so do yourself a favor and get organized in advance. Come moving day, you will be ready to handle the whole ordeal, without worry or distraction. 1. Clearly Mark and Set Aside Items You Don't Want Loaded This will remind you to tell the driver what not to load as you conduct your preload walk-through. Make sure your important paperwork pertaining to the move doesn't get packed and shipped with your household goods. 2. Prepare with Children Have the kids pack a box of their "special" items, things they'll want to have nearby as soon as you arrive at your new home. You might also consider allowing your child to help fill the box of special items to make them feel like they are part of the move. Point this box out to the driver so that it's one of the first to be unloaded.
Tips for Removing Trash
Read this article for tips on how to properly remove trash and flammable items while moving to your new residence. A mountain of trash is sure to pile up while cleaning and packing up your current home. Use these tips to create a less stressful and more efficient moving process.
Dump Trash and Flammable Items
Eliminate as much trash as you can before moving day. Last-minute garbage will inevitably build up the day prior to and the day of loading. Try making a deal with a neighbor to use their trash container for your last-minute debris. Many items that are considered flammable are not going to be loaded by the driver and crew. Understand what these items are so that you are not stuck trying to get rid of them at loading time. If you are uncertain what items can't be loaded, ask your estimator for a list. Because movers can't transport most household cleaners, they will be available for you to use throughout the day. Also, remember to remove items from inaccessible areas like crawl spaces or attics.
6 Tips for a Safe Move
Proper planning and preparation can make your big move a huge success. With so many people and items being relocated, large boxes being moved and heavy furniture lifted, dangerous incidents can occur. Be sure to safeguard yourself and your family by implementing these six simple tips for a safe and successful move.
Clear a Path to Success Make it safe and easy for you and your movers to get in and out of your house by removing all obstructions. Move potted plants and planters from the front porch, walkways and driveways. Remove all door and floor mats. Remove all rugs. The crew will protect the floors with a specially designed floor covering that does not slip. Remove low-hanging items such as wind chimes or hanging plants. Disconnect the spring on the screen door so that it stays open during the loading process. Whether or not the moving company packed for you, clear a safe walkway for moving to and from the moving truck.
Moving Tips That Make Life Easier
The sense of relief and joy that comes with finding the perfect new apartment or home fades quickly after considering how much you'll be packing and cleaning to get there. The mere thought of packing and unpacking every item you own can seem overwhelming. Check out this article for thirty-three life-saving tips to make your move much easier. These tips will reduce the stress of relocating and keep your prized possessions in top notch shape.
Chances are, you’ll be too tired to unpack your things. You’ll want your essentials within easy access, including a change of clothes if you’re going back to work the next day as well as all your toiletries. It’s also a great way to transport a laptop, which could run the risk of getting stolen during a move.
Friday, April 4, 2014
North Tempe: Top 5 Phoenix Neighborhoods
Cookie cutter homes just not your style? North Tempe is definitely the place for you. If you're looking to relocate in Phoenix this article places a spotlight on the top five neighborhoods to choose from. Each neighborhood has a unique culture and feel to its area. Read more about the North Tempe community below...
If a subdivision where all the houses look the same doesn't appeal to you, check out north Tempe, near Arizona State University. Maple-Ash, a historic Tempe neighborhood just southwest of Mill Avenue and University, is a funky, fun area with older houses on large, irrigated lots. There's also a great local bar, Casey Moore’s. Maple-Ash has the most varied architecture in the area; homes were built between 1900 and 1950 and range from farm cottage to ranch house. More manageable is University Park, east of Mill, where the homes are a little newer and the lots are larger. Several new condominium complexes have sprouted near ASU, including The Vale, an ultra-modern loft complex designed by celebrated local architect Will Bruder, and Orchidhouse, luxury lofts right on Mill Avenue, ASU’s main commercial thoroughfare. The area is served by the Tempe public school districts.
— North Tempe
North Central Phoenix: Top 5 Phoenix Neighborhoods
Looking for an uber ritzy Phoenix neighborhood? Here's your match. If you're looking to relocate in Phoenix this article places a spotlight on the top five neighborhoods to choose from. Each neighborhood has a unique culture and feel to its area. Read more about the North Central community below...
Anything along the old bridle path that runs up Central Avenue north from about Camelback Road past Glendale Avenue is considered prime real estate. John McCain’s former mansion is here. There are several older, nice subdivisions, and good schools. The city's highly regarded Catholic high schools, Brophy and Xavier, are here, and the public schools are in the strongly ranked Phoenix school district. Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon lives in Windsor Square, a historic neighborhood that winds around the northeast corner of Camelback and Central. The first homes were adobe territorial style, built in the 1930s; building continued until the 1950s. Neighbors take great pride in this 'hood, and the annual home tour is a popular event.
Verrado: Top 5 Phoenix Neighborhoods
This section of Phoenix comes complete with good food and great vibes. If you're looking to relocate to in Phoenix this article places a spotlight on the top five neighborhoods to choose from. Each neighborhood has a unique culture and feel to its area. Read more about the Verrado community below...
If you’re looking for a master planned community, and you don’t mind being on the far, far, far west end of town, Verrado’s a good option. A few years ago this spot just off the I-10 near the White Tank Mountains in Buckeye was empty desert. DMB, a Scottsdale developer, created Verrado, an instant town in the New Urbanism mold. The homes come in a variety of architectural styles and all feature porches and proximity to parks. There's also a Main Street with a retail district that includes a good pizzeria, and Mokarabia coffee, live jazz performances and other homey touches.
Agritopia: Top 5 Phoenix Neighborhoods
Phoenix is bubbling with great neighborhoods and small towns. If you're looking to relocate to an agriculture focused environment in Phoenix this article places a spotlight on the top five neighborhoods to choose from. Each neighborhood has a unique culture and feel to its area. Read more about the Agritopia community below...
Agritopia perches on the city’s southeast corner in the town of Gilbert. Future residents can choose a home style -- Craftsman, Spanish Revival, Arizona Ranch or Northern European Revival -- modeled on homes built in the Phoenix area in the 1930s and '40s. All houses are available with basements. True to the development's name, there’s an emphasis here on agriculture. An urban farm sells locally grown produce and a farm grill serves food made with ingredients grown right there. The community is in the Higley School District.
Arcadia: Top 5 Phoenix Neighborhhoods
Phoenix is bubbling with great neighborhoods and small communities. If you're looking to relocate in Phoenix this article places a spotlight on the top five neighborhoods to choose from. Each neighborhood has a unique culture and feel to its area. Read more about the Arcadia community below...
This east Phoenix neighborhood tops the list for a simple reason: LOCATION. Arcadia offers urban dwelling with a rural feel, and it's 15 minutes or less from the airport and downtown Scottsdale. Bordered by 44th and 68th streets to the west and east, respectively, Camelback Road to the north and the Arizona Crosscut Canal to the south, Arcadia was once home to orange and grapefruit groves. Lots are relatively large and irrigated, dotted with some of those original citrus trees. Many of the Arcadia's original 1950s homes have been flattened to make way for McMansions, but some of those low-slung old ranch houses still stand. They're a good deal if you're looking to live in this pricey area and can't afford a big mortgage. Arcadia's streets are wide and the schools in this part of the Scottsdale School District are exceptionally good.
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