Sedona, AZ

GREAT HOMES! GREAT PRICES! GREAT RATES! IT'S TIME - BE THANKFUL

That's the title this week and I think it says it all. It's Thanksgiving. If your a buyer - celebrate around the table, eat your turkey, and go buy a house. Be Thankful. Your time is here. Prices are the lowest they have been in 20 years. There are all sorts of financing available to the buyer's in our market - FHA, USDA (because we are a rural community), seller financing. You name it! If you are a Buyer who is waiting to put in an offer until your home sells... Listen, the market is down all over. So price your current home or investment to sell.... take your money and come on and buy something here! If you are a seller - yes, times have been better for your... but if you are a seller who bought your home before the boom! You should have some nice equity in your investment - so price it to sell it- so a buyer can buy it. Don't be offended by the offers you will get - you have an offer! Work with it! And if there is noone showing your home... it's too high! Lower the price. Be Thankful at the table that you are lucky enough to still have a home! That is my wisdom for the week. On a personal note, I lost my 52 year brother Tom Hooyman in an accident tragically this past Thursday. He was a wonderful man and will be missed. So at my Thanksgiving Table - I am going to hug my family alittle more tighter - and be Thankful for the 50 years that I had with my brother Tommy. Peace and Blessings.. www.barbarabaker.com barbara@barbarabaker.com 800-975-5943

Tammy and I grew up in Flagstaff and when I was small, my grandfather lived in Sedona. I spent plenty of time at Red Rock Crossing, Grasshopper Point and Sliderock -- right up until I graduated from high school and had to get more serious about life.

For some reason, my grandfather is now talking with my step-father about a reverse mortgage - and it got me to thinking:

"I wonder how many people who live in Flagstaff or Sedona are thinking about a FHA Reverse Mortgage but want someone to talk to who currently has one about the pros and cons of a fha-insured reverse mortgage?

There are plenty of good reasons for seniors to get an FHA-insured reverse mortgage and there are also plenty of myths about reverse mortgages that need to be addressed and what kinds of safeguards are in place to protect seniors.

My best advice?

If you are thinking about whether or not an FHA-insured reverse mortgage is right for you, talk to someone who has one first.

What are you waiting for? Xmas? If so, it is right around the corner and is a golden opportunity to buy. Take it from Warren Buffet - "Buyer's buy when Seller's are desperate". Don't wait any longer. For by you waiting - the next buyer will buy it. And then you will be wishing you had bought it. The pricing in Sedona continues to decline and buyer's are in our marketplace buying up properties that will appreciate - since October 1st - we have 26 listings in escrow in our marketplace! In Cottonwood and the remaining Verde Valley, we have had 22 placed in escrow. So what are you waiting for? A smart investor knows when to buy, when to hold and when to sell. So please feel free to call me for all your buying needs at 800-975-5943, or email me at barbara@barbarabaker.com or visit me on the web at barbarabaker.com

This is a pep talk for all your buyer's out there who are on the fence.... thinking it over.... waiting for the golden opporutnity! I have news for you - this IS the golden opportunity. THERE IS NO BETTER TIME TO BUY A HOME, A PIECE OF DIRT, AN INVESTMENT PROPERTY THAN NOW.It's the best time in 20 years.. IN fact, I think we should all take our money (what's left of it) out of the stock market - and buy a home, a piece of dirt, or an investment property. Can you imagine how we could jump start this economy. Buying up foreclosed homes and renting them out? We could make a bundle... The sedona real estate market continues to feel the decline of the economy and even though we don't have alot of foreclosures or short sales in the sedona real estate marketplace - we have our share. So this is for all those buyer's who have dreamed about living in Sedona AZ but never thought they could afford it - YOU CAN AFFORD IT! Call me for more information on how to catch a great deal! barbara@barbarabaker.com, www.barbarabaker.com, or 800-975-5943.

Market Report for October 2008:
Number of Residential Sold Listings is down by 15% since October 2007. The Median Price point is $500,000. Our Sold Listings are down by 2% from July 08. There are currently 532 active listings on the market, up from 517 in July 08. There are currently 26 Pendings on the Market down from 32 in July of 08. The Luxury Home Market is down by 47% from October 0f 2007 with an median sold price of $1,550,000. There are currently 121 active listings in the luxury market - and 3 pendings. The vacant land market is down by 28% from Ocotber of 2007 with a median price point of $325,250.00 There are currently 414 active listings up from 382 in July of 08. There are currently only 6 pendings. All through Sedona and the Verde Valley, it continues to be a fabulous time to buy. If you are a buyer - now would be the time to jump into the market place. If you are a seller - price your home to sell. For all your buying and selling needs, please call me at 800-975-5943 or on the web at barbarabaker.com or via email at barbara@barbarabaker.com