So I recently read an article at azcentral.com titled 'Home buyers, builders split on Prop. 201" and basically the article goes on to talk about how homeowners who bought new homes have no rights or warranties. But lets first take a step back and analyze who is proposing this Prop. and what the expected outcome is. Prop 201 is sponsored by Arizona AFL-CIO, that's right the Unions. But you ask yourself, "I thought that Arizona doesn't have unions"? Well, you are partially right. Arizona is a "Right to work state" and what that means is that an employer can hire and fire as needed and they don't have to bow down to the unions and pay higher wages for those who refuse to give 100% ALL THE TIME. ( Disclaimer: I am not saying people who are members of a union don't give 100%, what I am saying is that to many unions reward workers for sub-standard work, which has lead to a decline in manufacturing, just look at the economic condition of Detroit. Enough said!)

So why is the Arizona AFL-CIO sponsering a propisition that is related to home building? Well, and I say this from personal experience as I built homes for a number of years, the union is trying to use the promise of FALSE HOPES to persuade you the consumers that you have been taken advantage of by the builders and that your home is falling apart as we speak. There for, by changing the laws, if we bought a new home and after ten years (which is the current builder structural warranty) if anything is not to your liking, you can sue the builder for what ever you want. This is silly, just think about it for a minute, if passed builders are going to have to warranty normal wear and tear for ten years. So who is going to pay for that? After all, after ten years, I believe that the homeowner is responsible for replacing the worn carpet, not the builder..

Okay, so back to why is the unions sponsoring this proposition? For years and years, the unions have been protesting every builder and putting those annoying door hangers on your garage door (that in itself is annoying) saying that your home builder used sub-standard contractors and that your home needs immediate repair. What I find funny about that is those same subcontractors that are being protested against are the same contractors that the union members are trying to get a job with. By creating a false fear, unions are hoping that the uninformed consumer won't pay any attention and just blame the easiest person which in this case is the builder.

To sum things up. Homeowners are already protected by the AZ Register of Contractors and if Prop. 201 is passed, unions will destroy Arizona in just the same way that they did in Michigan. Oh by the way, it is ironic that all those residents who lost their jobs in Michigan because the cost of manufacturing made it impossible for Ford, Chrysler and General Motors to compete in a changing economy, are moving to Arizona. But these people are against the unions as they have had to move because the unions destroyed what they had for jobs. If passed, Arizona residents will pay astronomical increases for new homes as labor cost will spike. Do yourself a favor and Vote NO on Nov. 4. One last thing, the Arizona AFL-CIO is also in support for a real estate transfer tax, meaning when you sell your home you will pay a tax to transfer to the new owner, nothing like lossing more equity in a market where most people are already upside down on what they owe.

While, Arizona currently does not have a real estate transfer tax, there is nothing that prevents a tax from being enacted at any time.

With our current slow economy and budget crisis, it won't be long before cities, counties, and the state start looking for new sources of revenue.

Enacting a real estate transfer tax is gaining momentum in Arizona. Just last year a bill was introduced in the state legislature proposing such a tax. Countless citizens' commissions and county reports mention a transfer tax as a possible source of revenue for the state.

With the momentum for a real estate transfer tax growing, we must act now to put an end to this debate before it is too late!

Join us in passing a constitutional protection that will stop real estate transfer taxes. Click here to get involved today.

Vote YES to PROTECT YOUR HOME on November 4^th!

Well, the Wall Street may have found bottom, or at least that is what is in the news nowadays. So why are interest rates on the rise?

The answer is simple, mortgages for the most part are not tied to stocks but bonds. Since investors believe that Wall Street has lost enough and there are so many bargain investments out there, Lenders are predicting a decline in the bond market and raising the rates. Today in Arizona, (which has a slightly higher rate than most of the country due to having one of the highest foreclosure rates) the interest rate fluctuate between 6.75% and 6.85%. It is expected to reach 7% by the end of the week.

So what does that mean if you are looking to buy a house? Well, your buying power is greatly reduced. Regardless of declining home values, it is better to buy now while interest rates are still historically low but time is running out and with more and more investors buying up bargain stocks, we can still expect to see mortgage rates rise.

If you are looking for a thin slice of pizza that is made with organic flour and local organic toppings and you are anywhere close to Tempe Arizona then La Bocca restaurant is where you want to go. There are also appetizers - some quite interesting such as bruchetta with prosciutto,fig,and truffled mascarpone. On the drink side of the menu there are equally interesting selections such as fresh blackberry mojito. Monthly the establishment serves a special Thursday dinner and also offers live entertainment and movies. Urban, casual surroundings. Fro more information call 480-967-5244 or visit their website.

With their Tempe location being the first in Arizona for this chain restaurant, Maria Maria, comes to Tempe and serves delightful Mexican food. (They have two other locations in California and one in Texas.) With interesting items like duck tacos and spicy baked cheese, they also have their own specialties such as "suizas" which are an unusual menu item with corn tortillas filled either with shrimp or crab meat and baked with Swiss cheese and covered with roasted tomato cream sauce. Yum! Lots of specialty drinks as well including many made with special agave tequila and delights like tangerine mojitos. For more information visit their website or all 480-449-3663.