The Phoenix Agents » East Valley

Pets abandoned in foreclosure homes

Heather — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 13:36:00 +0000

A shocking number of dogs and cats have been rescued from local foreclosure and short sale homes where their owners have abandoned them, leaving them to starve to death.

Your donation of food and supplies will help to save the lives of these homeless pets who have been rescued by Lost Our Home Pet Foundation.

Can you even imagine the horror of this situation for the animals involved? I’m almost ashamed to be part of the human race when I think that some people can do this to their pets. You just close the door and walk away?! You can’t even be bothered to pay the small fee to surrender your pet at a shelter? It’s sickening.

Contact Lost Our Home Pet Foundation

http://www.lostourhome.org/how-you-can-help/
or call 602-230-HELP(4357)

This organization is supported by the Arizona Regional Multiple Listing System. And also by Chris Butterworth and Heather Barr, The Phoenix Agents at Thompson’s Realty. And our broker, Jay & Francy Thompson. And about a bajillion other cool peeps in town.

Pet Food Drive Locations

Wet or dry dog and cat food of any type
Pet toys
Cat Litter/litter pans
Water or food dishes

This is an ongoing project with no end date in sight.

ARMLS Support Center: Phoenix
5033 N. 19th Ave. Suite 113
Phoenix, AZ 85015
Mon – Friday 8:30 – 5:00

ARMLS Support Center: SE Valley
1363 S. Vineyard
Mesa, AZ 85210
Mon – Friday 8:30 – 5:00

Scottsdale Area Association of REALTORS®
4221 N. Scottsdale Rd.
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Phone: 480-945-2651
Mon – Friday 8:00 -5:00 EXCEPT Tuesday
which is 9:00 – 5:00

ARMLS Main Office : Tempe
130 S. Priest Dr. Suite 101
Tempe, AZ 85281
Mon – Friday 8:30 – 5:00

ARMLS Support Center: Glendale
17235 N. 75th Ave. Suite E-160
Glendale, AZ 85308
Mon – Friday 8:30 – 5:00

ARMLS Support Center: Scottsdale
7600 E. Redfield Rd. Suite 170
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
Mon – Friday 8:30 – 5:00

Pets abandoned in foreclosure homes is a post written by The Phoenix Agents at Thompson's Realty. If you're reading this anywhere other than a feedreader (rss subscription) of ThePhoenixAgents.com, the site you're reading this on is guilty of copyright infringement.

Heather Barr is a Realtor and a happy workaholic. She eats more than someone her size ought to be able, and is a runner as a consequence. Her TiVo's full of spy thrillers, police procedurals and Whedonesque sci-fi.

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Wall Street Journal Quotes The Phoenix Agents

Heather — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 01:25:54 +0000

To readers who found us via Realtor Heather Barr’s quote in today’s Wall Street Journal article “Bargain Hunters Descend, Cash in Hand”, welcome! We’re glad you’re here and hope you enjoy our blog content.

Long-time readers who aren’t Wall Street Journal subscribers might have missed our mention. The story is behind the WSJ’s subscription firewall and I don’t want to tempt copyright lawyers by reprinting the entire article on this blog. You can read the article in its entirety here if you are an online subscriber or on page C10 if you get the print edition.

I talked with WSJ reporter Nick Timiraos about the growing number of cash buyers who see bargains amid the current housing price declines. Here’s the quote:

“Cash investors have come right out and said, ‘We can’t make a return on our money in stocks or bonds,’” says Heather Barr, a Realtor based in Gilbert, Ariz., a Phoenix suburb. “They think Phoenix has had such sharp price declines that we’ve got to be near the bottom and real estate will be a safe place to put their money.”

There are bargains to be had in the metro Phoenix real estate market. It’s increasingly easy to find properties in the suburbs that will cash flow immediately after installing a tenant. For those seeking a vacation home, houses are more affordable than they’ve been in years while mortgage rates are still near historic lows.

Looking for a bargain yourself?

We at The Phoenix Agents team have been working with bank owned properties and investors of all stripes lately so we’re familiar with the banks’ (often confusing) paperwork and requirements.

Click around and visit the various parts of our blog. We’ve got tons of great content, MLS searching with no registration required, and are ready to help you find the perfect property when you’re ready to talk with an agent.

Browse properties listings.

At the Phoenix Agents: the whole MLS or click here to search only Phoenix-area foreclosures
At the Phoenix Real Estate Guy blog: property search (The Phx RE Guy is our broker and famous local blogger, Jay Thompson)
All three links here search the same data source, the private Realtor’s Multiple Listing Service (MLS). We just present the data in slightly different ways on-screen.

When you feel like you’ve browsed enough and done the homework you wanted to, give us a call. We’ll help you negotiate the best possible deal we always provide world-class customer service from start to finish, and beyond.

Let the bargain hunting begin!

Wall Street Journal Quotes The Phoenix Agents is a post written by The Phoenix Agents at Thompson's Realty. If you're reading this anywhere other than a feedreader (rss subscription) of ThePhoenixAgents.com, the site you're reading this on is guilty of copyright infringement.

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More Good News in Real Estate

Heather — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 14:50:59 +0000

Good news in real estate. For a change. Change we can believe in. Whatever floats your boat.

As a follow up to my partner Chris’ comments about the recent MSNBC report that real estate is on the rebound, I present the following real-life deal.

East Mesa, Signal Butte & Elliot. 1509 square feet. Detached single family home. 3 bedrooms plus a den, 2 full baths. Eight year old construction. Open floorplan. Big kitchen. Freshly painted and carpeted. No visible evidence of damage or problems. Landscaping complete (this is a biggie in metro Phoenix, don’t know how builders roll in the rest of the country).

Price? $148,900.

(The above is an asking price, contract price a bit lower and can only be revealed after close, but my buyer got a healthy discount.)

Is it the right time for you to buy a house in metro Phoenix? That depends. Prices are dropping and mortgage rates are near 5-year lows. Sellers are often anxious to sell. Even the conservative Mark Zandi at Moody’s has predicted we’ll bottom out in 2009. But….

Do you plan to hold the property for more than 7 years? Will you be emotionally OK if prices drop another 10% or so in 2009? Will it cash-flow if you’re buying as an investment? First time buyers, will you be happy here for a number of years?

It’s not the best time for ALL folks to buy, but it could be a good time for you.

Interested in buying as an investor? See my broker (i.e. my boss) Jay Thompson – the Phoenix Real Estate Guy - on the best way to get in to the foreclosure market.

Interested in making your first home purchase? Check out this article on how geography affects metro Phoenix home prices.

I’ve had a bunch of friends and clients ask me if there’s ANY good news out there. There is, and this could be it for you. Hope this helps.

More Good News in Real Estate is a post written by The Phoenix Agents at Thompson's Realty. If you're reading this anywhere other than a feedreader (rss subscription) of ThePhoenixAgents.com, the site you're reading this on is guilty of copyright infringement.

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Scottsdale Condos On Auction Block

Heather — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:14:55 +0000

Luxury brownstone condos in the heart of Scottsdale are going on the auction block on February 8. Artesia developer Starpointe Properties called on Kennedy & Wilson Auction Group to handle the sale of 20 condos. They’re using the auction as a sort of Grand Opening, given the current sad state of the real estate market.

Artesia is a 44-acre mixed-use community that is expected to include retail, penthouses, brownstones and townhouses. It’s located on Scottsdale Road just north of Indian Bend (7275 N Scottsdale Rd, postal code 85253)

Originally priced at $1.1 to $1.4 million, the published reserve prices for the condos range from $450,000 for 2,907 square feet, up to $695,000 for just over 3,000 square feet. Prices vary depending on view and location within the community.

Interested buyers & bidders must register before the auction. Below is a brief rundown of auction terms and conditions.

Auction begins at 1pm on February 8, at the Artesia Auction Information Office, 7293 N Scottsdale Road #104, Scottsdale 85253.
A “How To Buy At Auction” seminar is being held at the Artesia Auction Info Office on Saturday, January 31.
Homes are available for tour and inspection daily, and documents such as the public report are also available onsite.
Bidders may bring a Realtor with them. The Realtor must pre-register, by February 5 at the latest.
Bidders must present a $5,000 cashier’s check to enter the auction site. If buyer successfully wins a bid on a property, the $5,000 goes towards the purchase price.
Buyers who plan to purchase using a mortgage must present a prequalification letter from their lender. The builder has arranged financing with Countrywide, FSB and Homeowner’s Financial Group. Buyers don’t have to use these lenders but must be prequalified through them.
Cash purchasers must bring proof of liquid funds to the auction, in addition to their $5,000 entry fee.
All purchases must close escrow by March 10, 2009.

You can see more information online at ArtesiaAuction.com. You can even use my login username: heather@northphoenixagent.com

Interested? I do recommend you get a Realtor to attend the auction with you (I’m free!), and help you tour and inspect the property well before the auction. Just because the builder says these condos were previously priced at $1.1 million and up doesn’t mean they’re currently worth that. In fact, they wouldn’t be holding an auction if they were worth anything like that. The developer, Starpointe Properties, isn’t in bankrupcty or even in financial distress that I know of. They’re just using a public auction to (hopefully) sell a bunch of condos quickly.

Read the Arizona Republic’s article about the auction here.

Scottsdale Condos On Auction Block is a post written by The Phoenix Agents at Thompson's Realty. If you're reading this anywhere other than a feedreader (rss subscription) of ThePhoenixAgents.com, the site you're reading this on is guilty of copyright infringement.

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Bad MLS Photos, The Flip Side

Heather — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:21:24 +0000

I post every once in a while about the truly horrible MLS photos that are out there. Today’s post is the opposite. This is a stunning photo series of remodeled kitchen.

$435,000; 3bed, 2bath, pool, Awhatukee

15201 S Foxtail, Phx 85048

New cabs, counters, fixtures throughout

Gorgeous!

This series is a showstopper. I look at MLS photos for hours at a time, every day. By the time I finished this 4-series of just the kitchen in this home, I was compelled to go back and look at them all over again. No wonder my clients loved it when they saw it online, and called me to make an appointment to see it.

That last photo looks like a magazine cover! Whoever took these should get a commission from the sale.

Goes to show ya, MLS photos can really make a difference.

By the way, this home is still actively for sale. It’s like this throughout and shows like a Pottery Barn catalogue. The sellers are not my client but if you’re looking for a 3/2 house in Ahwatukee with a pool and a great lot (and you’re not already commited to a Realtor) I’m happy to show it to you. Call!

Bad MLS Photos, The Flip Side is a post written by The Phoenix Agents at Thompson's Realty. If you're reading this anywhere other than a feedreader (rss subscription) of ThePhoenixAgents.com, the site you're reading this on is guilty of copyright infringement.

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WalMart’s MarketSide convenience stores coming to Phoenix

Chris Butterworth — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 23:32:30 +0000

According to the Natural~Specialty Foods Memo (and later picked up by AZCentral.com), WalMart is poised to open 4 new convenience stores in the Valley, under the name of MarketSide, as part of its new plan to continue its growth and dominance in the food-retail industry.

The sites will be former drug stores that were closed when CVS/Pharmacy purchased Osco stores in 2006. Each store will be approximately 20,000 square feet – about half the size of their smaller, Neighborhood Market stores, and about 1/10^th the size of their Supercenters.

The MarketSide Store locations will be:

Mesa: 7561 E Baseline Rd

Gilbert: 910 E Elliott Rd

Chandler: 950 N McQueen Rd

Tempe: 838 W Elliott Rd

Considering the Tesco chain of Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets has just begun opening in the East Valley, it looks like the Phoenix area will be center stage for a convenience store revolution over the next few years. Gone are the days of seeing a 7-11 on every corner!

Your hoping they carry healthy food Realtor,

Chris Butterworth

[tags] WalMart, MarketSide, Tesco, Fresh & Easy, convenience store, Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, Tempe, Fletcher Heights [/tags]

WalMart’s MarketSide convenience stores coming to Phoenix is a post written by The Phoenix Agents at Thompson's Realty. If you're reading this anywhere other than a feedreader (rss subscription) of ThePhoenixAgents.com, the site you're reading this on is guilty of copyright infringement.

Chris Butterworth is: Realtor. Analyst. Husband. Father. Writer. Amateur Photographer. Triathlete. Soccer Dad. Big fan of technology, efficiency, and the Arizona Wildcats.

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Pool Safety – ISR teaches infants to swim

Chris Butterworth — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 23:32:03 +0000

Anyone who lives in Arizona knows that pool safety is a hot button – one of those topics you hear about all summer long. Heck, we’ve written about it 3 times this summer alone! (Extra Pool Safety; Pool Barrier Regulations in Arizona; City of Glendale Supports Drowning Awareness with Purple Ribbons). 99% of what’s usually written or reported about this topic focuses on the same information – “Be aware of your kids around water.” and “Have a good pool barrier.”

Well, maybe it’s time to try something different. Maybe the best defense is a good offense. I saw a video today that blew me away! I had never heard of the Infant Swimming Resource before, but you can bet I’m going to learn more about it, and probably become one of their biggest supporters.

Give this a couple of minutes of your time; you’ll be glad you did.

http://www.childdrowningprevention.com/index.html

- Chris Butterworth

[tags] Infant Swimming Resource, Pool Safety [/tags]

Pool Safety – ISR teaches infants to swim is a post written by The Phoenix Agents at Thompson's Realty. If you're reading this anywhere other than a feedreader (rss subscription) of ThePhoenixAgents.com, the site you're reading this on is guilty of copyright infringement.

Chris Butterworth is: Realtor. Analyst. Husband. Father. Writer. Amateur Photographer. Triathlete. Soccer Dad. Big fan of technology, efficiency, and the Arizona Wildcats.

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Peoria and Gilbert are fastest growing cities

Chris Butterworth — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 20:13:19 +0000

According to the most recent US Census statistics, Peoria ranked 7^th and Gilbert ranked 5^th among the fastest growing U.S. cities with more than 100,000 people.

While we’re all accustomed to seeing results like this (since all parts of Maricopa County have been ranked in one category or another), it’s still great news for the area as a whole. More growth means more economic development, and if it’s well managed growth it will continue to increase the overall desirability of the area. This creates a cycle of continued growth, which is what helps to make the Greater Phoenix area a destination for people from across the country.

The bad news is that when you go to a DBacks game, a good portion of the fans are cheering for their original “home team”. The good news is that our real estate market will continue to be very strong over the long term, which adds to the belief that our current over-supply of homes on the market is a temporary situation.

Here’s a copy of the article from AZCentral.com.

- Chris Butterworth

Peoria and Gilbert are fastest growing cities is a post written by The Phoenix Agents at Thompson's Realty. If you're reading this anywhere other than a feedreader (rss subscription) of ThePhoenixAgents.com, the site you're reading this on is guilty of copyright infringement.

Chris Butterworth is: Realtor. Analyst. Husband. Father. Writer. Amateur Photographer. Triathlete. Soccer Dad. Big fan of technology, efficiency, and the Arizona Wildcats.

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Listing in Gilbert: Spectrum at Val Vista

Chris Butterworth — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 19:36:31 +0000

We have a listing in Spectrum at Val Vista in Gilbert. It’s an Amberwood-built home, upgraded throughout, with 2,855 square feet on one level. It’s reasonably priced at $519,900. You can find all the details at www.3015SColonial.com.

While this web site’s main purpose is to inform our readers, encourage thought, share ideas, and generally make our inter-office discussions public, we also realize you never know who might know somebody who’s looking, and we owe our clients maximum exposure. To our valued readers, please take this in stride; we don’t have any advertising on this website, and our posts about listings represent a very small percentage of the overall content. Plus, you might even find something of value from this listing! Thank you.

- Chris Butterworth

Listing in Gilbert: Spectrum at Val Vista is a post written by The Phoenix Agents at Thompson's Realty. If you're reading this anywhere other than a feedreader (rss subscription) of ThePhoenixAgents.com, the site you're reading this on is guilty of copyright infringement.

Chris Butterworth is: Realtor. Analyst. Husband. Father. Writer. Amateur Photographer. Triathlete. Soccer Dad. Big fan of technology, efficiency, and the Arizona Wildcats.

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Gilbert Rated 4th in the US for low crime rates

Heidi Alexander — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 21:24:51 +0000

Go Gilbert Arizona! While reading Time magazine this week, they had a small article rating US cities which were highest and lowest in crime. Gilbert came in 4th for crime safety according to the article. Not suprisingly, Flint and Detroit Michigan were two of the highest cities for crime rates (1st and 4th if I remember correctly).

It’s nice to see happy little Gilbert scoring so high for low crime rates!

Gilbert Rated 4th in the US for low crime rates is a post written by The Phoenix Agents at Thompson's Realty. If you're reading this anywhere other than a feedreader (rss subscription) of ThePhoenixAgents.com, the site you're reading this on is guilty of copyright infringement.

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Whole Foods coming to Chandler and Scottsdale

Heidi Alexander — Wed, 23 May 2007 18:46:21 +0000

If you haven’t been to Whole Foods in Phoenix or Tempe yet, you’re in for a treat! Whole Foods is expanding into two new locations this year – one in Chandler on the corner of Ray Rd and the 101/Price Freeway, and the other in Scottsdale at Scottsdale Rd and Mayo. Word has it that both locations will be double the size of their Tempe and Phoenix stores, which means lots more selection and items to choose from.

I’ve been watching the construction on the Chandler Whole Foods, and it’s coming along quick! If you’re looking for a smaller natural food store, there’s also Sprouts on the corner of Ray and Dobson (only 1 mile from the in-progress Whole Foods). The Chandler location supposedly will also feature a few drive-thru restaurants (wouldn’t that be great if we had some drive-thru’s that were healthy?!?!) as well as a handful of shops in the same complex.

I’m glad to see more and more natural and organic food stores popping up in Phoenix. It seems the healthy life-style of Northern California is filtering our way. Of course, I enjoy my greasy fast-food now and then, but it’s fantastic to have the CHOICE of foods available and close to home.

Whole Foods coming to Chandler and Scottsdale is a post written by The Phoenix Agents at Thompson's Realty. If you're reading this anywhere other than a feedreader (rss subscription) of ThePhoenixAgents.com, the site you're reading this on is guilty of copyright infringement.

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The Phoenix Agents » East Valley

Pets abandoned in foreclosure homes

Contact Lost Our Home Pet Foundation

Pet Food Drive Locations

Wall Street Journal Quotes The Phoenix Agents

Related Posts

More Good News in Real Estate

Scottsdale Condos On Auction Block

Bad MLS Photos, The Flip Side

WalMart’s MarketSide convenience stores coming to Phoenix

Pool Safety – ISR teaches infants to swim

Peoria and Gilbert are fastest growing cities

Listing in Gilbert: Spectrum at Val Vista

Gilbert Rated 4th in the US for low crime rates

Whole Foods coming to Chandler and Scottsdale