The Arizona Military Family Relief Fund was established to assist Arizona military families with any financial crisis that may occur.
The Iraq and Afghanistan Wars have produced combat veterans who are faced with severe injuries not comparable to previous conflicts. In many cases, long-term medical care is needed, requiring families to be by the side of their military hero. Cash-strapped families must pick up the tab for travel, lodging and household expenses while their family member undergoes rehabilitation.
In the worst scenario, when military families lose a loved one in the line of duty, they are frequently faced with devastating financial hardship. Unforeseen expenses add to the stress of tremendous loss. Families suddenly have to restructure their lives and manage day-to-day bills, all while laying their hero to rest.
Military families and the issues they face is something that's near and dear to my heart. Not only are these brave men and women fighting to keep our country safe, my dad was a 20-year retired US Navy WWII Veteran, so I know first hand the sacrifices these families make.
A donation to the Arizona Military Family Relief Fund will not only benefit our local military families, you can also claim the donation (up to $200 single filer/$400 joint filer) in a dollar-for-dollar state tax credit.
If you'd like to donate, it's simple to do. Just download the contribution form. Fill out the form and mail it in with your check attached and you will be sent a receipt you can use to receive your state tax credit.
Don't wait too long if you want the tax credit. According to their website, the total donation tax credits cannot exceed 1 Million Dollars.
You have to pay your Arizona State Taxes anyway, so why not tell them where to use the money? Oh...and don't keep this a secret. Please share the news!
Note: I'm not a tax professional and you should consult your tax advisor for specific tax advice.
It's a sad reality. When people lose their homes, they often have to relocate to a rental property where they can't take Fido, Fluffy or Tweety. This has resulted in an increase in the number of abandoned pets in the Valley.
A group of Valley Real Estate Agents have founded the not-for-profit www.lostourhome.com that helps find homes for animals left behind when homeowners leave their homes. Believe it or not, we often walk into homes where the owner has left a bag of opened dog food and a tub of water along with their dogs, who are probably wondering where everybody went. Lost Our Home has over 100 pets available for adoption.
Maricopa County Animal Care Center receives around 200 animals a day and is the Nation's second largest animal shelter. Visiting the site you'll find all types of animals available for adoption. Dogs, cats, pigs, rabbits, horses, llamas, goats and reptiles...there's probably not a single species that hasn't been affected by our current economy.
Let's not forget our friends without a voice. I invite you to to take part in a couple upcoming fundraisers for our furry friends ~
Arizona Humane Society
What: Pet-a-Palooza and Stadium Stroll
When: Nov. 7
Where: Peoria Sports Complex, 16101 N. 83rd Avenue, Peoria
Cost: Registration for stadium stroll is $25 per walker, and tickets to Pet-a-Palooza are $10.
For more information, visit www.stadiumstroll.azhumane.org
For donations, the Arizona Humane Society has a wish list on its Web site, www.azhumane.org.
Arizona Animal Welfare League and Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
What: Walk to Save Animals
When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 14
Where: Tempe Beach Park at Tempe Town Lake, 80 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe
Cost: Suggested minimum donation $25.
For more information or to register, visit www.aawl.org or call (480) 423-1511.
My list is out! Check out my picks for the top ten condo & luxury real estate deals in the Phoenix Metro area. This month's list includes homes in Chandler, Gilbert, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Queen Creek, Fountain Hills and Mesa. Click on the photo below to see what I feel to be some of the top ten deals in the Phoenix Metro area.
Since it's Halloween, I thought I'd share my experience living with "my" ghost Henry.
Let me say first, I'm not into the paranormal, but there were definitely some spooky occurrences that took place in my 60 year old house back in Kenosha, WI where I lived with my little dog, Merffy.
I remember the evening Merffy and I were watching tv. Merffy sat up quickly and acted like he was watching a fly buzz around his head. Then he jumped off the couch, ran to the foot of the stairs and sat there looking up the stairs to the darkened second floor. I was mildly interested watching his escapades until after about 30 seconds his tennis ball came bouncing down the stairs on it's own. Ok....now I was more than mildly interested. I sat frozen in place with every hair on my head at attention and heart racing. Merffy picked up the ball, excited with tail wagging while expectantly looking up the stairway. That's when I gave my ghost a name. I called him "Henry".
Then there was the night I was taking a bath and heard a crash coming from the 1st floor. I jumped out of the tub, grabbed my robe and tiptoed down the stairs armed with a... plunger. Lying in front of the fireplace was a broken picture frame that had been sitting on the mantel. The weird thing was it had been sitting at the back of the mantle, behind some other frames where they still sat undisturbed. How had that broken frame jumped over the other frames? I chastised Henry for disturbing my bath and for breaking my favorite frame.
One morning I was sitting at the dining room table eating a bowl of cereal and reading the paper when I heard something fall in the kitchen. A coin came rolling across the wood floor and stopped at my feet. It was a silver quarter dated the year I was born (Yes..a pretty old coin). There were lots of unexplainable events that proved I was either losing my mind or there really was a ghost living with me... and no, I've never done drugs.
I miss Henry now that I'm living in Chandler, Arizona. I don't have a ghost here to blame messes and missing keys on...but I do have a husband....
Another listing sold in less than a week! This one sold in 2 days. Down market? I'm just not seing it. This home is located in Carriage Lane in Gilbert, AZ.
Realtor, ABR, CNE, EPro, CDPE ~ Specializing in Chandler, Sun Lakes, Gilbert, Tempe & surrounding East Valley. "It's like working with your best friend." www.AmySellsAZ.com
I have been a full time Realtor, specializing in the Chandler, Gilbert, Tempe and Sun Lakes areas since 2001.
I was ranked the #3 RE/Max Agent in the Southwest Region of Arizona, Nevada & New Mexico in May of 2008. Despite 2008 being one of the worst years for real estate sales in decades, I earned the Platinum Award for Sales Excellence in 2008 which was presented to only 4% of RE/Max Agents worldwide in 2008. I was recently named one of the top 50 Real Estate Agents by the Phoenix Business Journal (July 2009).
You don't win awards by being substandard, however, all the awards aside, what's most important to me is exceeding my clients' expectations, which is why so many of my customers are referred to me by past clients.
A comment from just one of my happy sellers:
"Amy did in 6 weeks what another agent couldn't do in 6 months. She sold our home! On top of it all, she made it an enjoyable experience, something I can't say about the other agent. We will definitely be referring her to anyone who is thinking about selling their home!" Kelvin & Wendy Shasteen
Comments like that mean more to me than any award and it's the reason I do what I do.
I specialize in residential, vacation homes, Active Adult communities, retirement and relocation, representing buyers and sellers in the Phoenix East Valley.
"Working with Amy is like working with your best friend. She always watches out for your best interests and loves to laugh, which makes the whole transaction a fun experience. We were actually a little sad when we closed on our dream home and knew we wouldn't be spending those times together anymore. Why would anyone want to work with any other Realtor?" Derek & Denise Gorder
What is my real secret to success? Simple. God, good friends and the love of my family.
My mission is to consistently provide the highest quality, most innovative, and exceptional real estate service available anywhere in the Phoenix area while specializing in the Maricopa East Valley Communities of Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Scottsdale, Sun Lakes, Tempe, and Ahwatukee; and the Northern Pinal communities in Queen Creek and Maricopa. If you're looking for a moutain retreat, now also serving the White Mountain area including Show Low & Pinetop!
My clients' needs always come first. I will strive to always provide value far in excess of my clients' expectations. My constant goal is mutual respect, and long term relationships that are beneficial to all parties.
I will be positive, helpful, and enthusiastic at all times - always focusing on solutions, not challenges. I will take care of business first and foremost, but we will have fun as a "team" and enjoy ourselves in the process.
I will run a clean, organized, and efficient operation, and always adhere to the highest standards of integrity and ethical business practices.
I will never rest on my accomplishments. I will constantly strive to create, develop, and implement new ideas, strategies, and services that will benefit my clients. I will continue to seek continuing education in all aspects of my business to increase the level of service I offer my clients. I will maintain an up-to-date knowledge base on current trends and real estate activities in and the entire Maricopa East Valley as well as Northern Pinal County and the White Mountain areas of Show Low & Pinetop.
Core Values
Achievements & Awards
July 2009 ~ Named one of the Top 50 Real Estate Agents (Number 37 to be exact!) by Phoenix Business Journal.
April 2009 ~ Multi-Million Dollar Producer Award by the Southeast Valley Regional Association of Realtors (SEVRAR) for her production in 2008. Out of over 9500 Members of SEVRAR, only 66 Realtors received this award.
February 2009 ~ RE/Max Platinum Award for Sales Excellence in 2008. This is the second highest level of recogniation awarded by the RE/Max International Organization and was presented to only 4% of RE/Max Agents worldwide in 2008.
May 2008 ~ RE/Max Achievement Award as the #3 Agent in the Southwest Region which includes Arizona, Nevada & New Mexico.
A is for awesome. A is for amazing, and A is for Amy Jones, the best Realtor in Arizona! I was so lucky to have found Amy 2 years ago to help with the purchase of my condo. She made the transaction seamless. When I decided to buy a different house a few months ago, it was only natural to call on Amy. Within a few days my condo was listed, and within a couple of weeks we had a sale - a full price offer! Amy knew exactly how to price my property in keeping with today's competitive market. Amy also assisted me with the purchase of my new house, for which I will forever be grateful. In all of the buying and selling negotiations, Amy acted as my spokesperson, my advocate and my advisor. She took the time to know what I was looking for, and truly represented me during the entire process. I would recommend Amy to anyone who is looking for a friendly, honest and professional real estate agent. Trust me - she will be your real estate agent for life! ~ Mira Radovich, Tempe
"What can I say about Amy that hasn't already been said? She made my first home-buying experience an absolute pleasure! I was moving to the Arizona area from out of state, and by holding my hand through every step of the progression, Amy eliminated any of the normal stress and concern over such a life-changing purpose. She even succeeded in making it enjoyable! Amy cheerfully and patiently answered every question I had as a first-time buyer, explaining in a simple and understandable way the paperwork and the process. As a teacher myself, I really appreciated that. Furthermore, she went "above and beyond" by helping me look at neighborhoods that were normally outside of her typical areas of familiarity. That extra effort paid off, as we found a beautiful home in Queen Creek that I show off with pride. Thanks Amy!" ~Joe Fortunato, Queen Creek
"Amy was extremely helpful and understood that we were "just looking" with little interest in actually buying. She spent time with us over the phone, in email, at her office and was helpful and gracious at every moment. She was especially helpful when we found the home of our dreams and she helped streamline the occasionally excruciating process of the home purchase. As I was referred to her, I would refer her to everyone in need of an excellent Realtor!" ~ Aaron, Carrie and Jordan Schmidt, Chandler
"We decided to relocate to Arizona as our daughter was an ASU graduate and decided this is where she and her husband would live, work and raise their family. We would visit them and always comment "what are we doing living in the snow and cold?". So, after many years we narrowed down to the Chandler area to be near family. A very good friend highly recommended Amy Jones, as she had helped her with her homes. We started the process of elimination through e-mail, after months of looking at properties we decided to build. Amy represented us and knew so many of the building codes and legalities for this area. Amy tirelessly spent many hours trying to help us make decisions and was kind enough to drive us all over to pick out tiles, granites, window treatments, etc., so very helpful, especially when you are not familiar with the area. We love our home and Amy's professional but very warm and caring personality is a true testimonial as to her love of her profession. We are also so proud to call Amy our "Friend". ~ Doug & Joy Roetzel, Chandler
"Amy was very eager to help us find our home, she listened and found us our perfect home! We would have never found it, but she suggested that we look at a home that was so new on the MLS, that it did not even show a photo. Usually we did not even look at a home if you couldn't see a picture first, but she thought it would be one we would like. It was and one month later it was ours! When it was time to move on a couple years later, she sold our home before it was even on the market and for $8,000 more than we were asking, this was 1 year before the big real estate boom. I would highly recommend Amy to everybody I now, she is the best!" ~ Chad Ruffin, Chandler
"Amy did a great job. Best agent I've ever worked with! I've referred her to several friends and family members who have been just as happy with her services!" ~ Eric Katz, Chandler
"From the beginning, Amy Jones made our experience a pleasant one. Her in-depth knowledge of real estate in the South Tempe area helped to speed up the process of finding the house to meet our needs. Amy was always available to answer our questions in a timely manner throughout the time we worked with her. We have referred her to several of our friends and will continue to refer her to anyone who's looking for a Realtor!" ~ Eric & Kim Henes, Tempe
"We had the pleasure of working with Amy Jones on the purchase of our home in Warner Ranch. During our initial meeting, Amy listened very carefully to our needs. Her integrity and willingness to follow through with all the details far exceeded our expectations. We would feel very comfortable referring anyone to Amy!" ~ Gene & Laurie Johnson, Tempe
"It was a very pleasant experience working with Amy primarily because we worked together as a team. She listened to what I wanted in a home and wasted no time tracking them down and showing them to me. Not to mention this was the first time I had bought a house by myself! Amy helped take the fear out of that just by listening, researching, and explaining the home buying process to me. I have got to admit, it was one of the smoothest purchases I have ever made...and we're talking about a house here! Wow! Amy has what it takes to work in this market and environment. She LISTENS, and values CUSTOMER SERVICE! These are two very critical areas that will make or break a person or business. It is definite I will come back to Amy and will definitely refer her to my friends who are in need of a real estate agent who makes you feel important and like you're working with a friend!" ~ Donna Ploudre, Chandler
ActiveRain Corp. is not responsible for the accuracy of the site's content (which is written by members of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network) and does not endorse the views of the real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and others listed here.
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