You gotta love Chandler. In March we have the Annual Ostrich Festival and now…drum roll please…The ELVIS Festival!
YES! Kokopelli Winery in Downtown Chandler will be hosting it’s first ever Elvis Festival today to include Elvis music (naturally) and an Elvis look-a-like contest complete with Elvis impersonator act at 7:00 pm.
So, is a look-alike contest the same as an Impersonator contest? Probably not for good reason. Nothing better than watching a bunch of guys in black wigs and white spandex shaking their hips when it’s 112 degrees outside. If there is spandex, I’m hoping this will be an indoor event.
Patrons are also encouraged to wear their poodle skirts (I assume this means the female patrons…but you never know) and take part in the best poodle skirt contest.
Yes, Chandler truly is the wild (and crazy) West. I’d like to cast my vote for weasel races while we’re trying new and exciting events. Do we have weasels in the desert? If we can find Ostriches and Elvis…I’m sure we can round up a few weasels.
Flashback to 2005. Have a home for sale in Chandler. You call your agent and have 30 offers before the sign even goes up and accept an offer for 10-15% over list price. No problem. Buyers were willing to bring in the cash to make up the difference between the sales price and the appraisal.
Fast-forward to September 2009. Have a home for sale in Chandler and you don't owe more than the home is worth? Great! Your home is worth $300,000 or less and is move-in ready and looks nice too? Even better. You list your home pretty close to what it will appraise for and get 5-10 offers within the first week. Some offers will be above full price but buyers are still relying on being protected by the appraisal, which may come in lower than the sales price. Many smart buyers that are paying cash are still asking for an appraisal to be done to ensure they are not paying "too much" for the home.
Let's say you accept an offer with conventional financing and the appraisal comes in for less than what the buyer paid. So now what?
1. You can lower the agreed upon sales price to meet the appraisal price.
2. You can split the difference with the buyer if the buyer is willing and able to bring in the additional cash.
3. You can hold firm on your price and hope the buyer will be willing and able to pay above the list price. Psychologically, this may be hard for the buyer as everyone now holds a deep-down fear of owning a home that is worth less than they paid for it. Often this strategy results in the buyer walking away.
This is just one scenario. There are a lot of factors that play into how the appraisal of your home is going to affect your transaction. Things like the buyers down payment amount and the type of financing the buyer is obtaining. You should rely on your real estate professional's help and advice with your individual situation.
Bottom line. Even though multiple offers are coming in. Your home still has to appraise and your buyer is likely to be in a different mindset than the buyers of 2005.
Do listing agents understand the liability they are incurring when they work outside their scope of expertise?
I'm talking about the number of Agents listing Short Sales who don't have a clue what they're doing. I have a list of questions I ask every short sale listing agent before I will even show their listing. It saves time and aggravation for both me and my buyer.
I placed what turned out to be for me a sad and scary call to a listing agent yesterday to inquire about her short sale listing. I started with the easy questions and the conversation went something like this:
"How many offers will you be submitting to the bank?" I ask.
"Um..As many as we get. <giggle> Isn't that what you're supposed to do?"
"No. You should negotiate any offer that comes in with the seller and submit only one "accepted" offer to the bank and hold the rest of the offers as back-ups."
"Oh."
"What is the seller's hardship?" I ask.
"You mean, how much do they owe?"
"No, I mean, what qualifies them to short sale their property?"
"Oh...they're really old."
"Really?...How many lein holders are there?" I ask
"What's that? See..this is my first short sale listing so I don't really know what that means."
"So, I don't imagine you've spoken with the bank yet?" I ask...already knowing the answer.
"No, should I?"
I gently recommended to this agent that she obtain the education necessary to protect her clients prior to taking another short sale listing and to quickly get some help from her Broker on this one.
Can anyone see the fallout from all of this when attorneys (and damaged sellers) seize the opportunity to go after agents and their brokers whose poor handling of their listing resulted in significant monetary and credit damages to these sellers?
Agents...please take this seriously and stop operating beyond the scope of your abilities. These are people's lives your messing with and some day they may be messing with yours.
I used to live across the street from this home. It's big. I mean, really big (almost 13,000sf) and the grounds take up a city block (almost 10.5 acres). 6 bedrooms and 10 baths. Click on the balloon to see the photos of this home.
It's been for sale a few times over the last few years and according to the Arizona MLS, is currently listed at $7,400,000 as a Short Sale. This Saturday, however, all the contents and the home are being auctioned.
The owner a local dentist, died earlier this year. MLS records show he got a pretty good deal on the home when he bought it in June 2007. The home was listed for $12,000,000 at that time and he picked it up for a cool $7,600,000. If you're interested in getting a deal on this mansion...keep in mind the yearly property taxes will set you back about $5500 a month, but there's no HOA, so it's all good.
Moving to Arizona from the Midwest (Wisconsin to be exact), I realize there are many things I miss about "home". Desert-dwellers probably find that hard to believe. Don't get me wrong, living in Chandler, Arizona is pretty close to perfect (if you don't count July, August and September). But, honestly, Arizonans don't know what they're missing.
Take seasons for instance. I'm not talking about a range of cool to heat that will melt iron. I'm talking about coming out of a hard Winter where you've had at least 5 months of sub-zero temps, not counting wind chill. (Yes...wind chill. Another term Arizonans have never heard of. ) 5 months of looking like the Michelin man in your winter coat, snow pants and clip-on mittens (yes, that's me with Santa). 5 months of letting your car warm up for 7 minutes before you actually get in to drive it. 5 months of risking your life on icy roads, risking frostbite while shovelling snow and praying the sun will come out at least once in the next 4 weeks.
But then the sun does come out. The snow melts and the breezes gently blow and everything begins to turn green. (Green...it's the color of grass and leaves, my fellow Arizonans.) The air smells sweet like lilacs and the angels sing. At least it feels like there should be singing. You've survived another Midwest Winter and the next Winter is 3 seasons away. That's spring. God's gift to us for surviving Winter.
Next is summer. A season that is not feared like it is here in the desert. Summer is a time when you move your life outdoors. Kids actually ride their bikes outside in July. It's a time of freedom. Except for the humidity and the mosquitoes, it's almost perfect. Summer evenings are spent chasing lightning bugs (why don't they have those fun little bugs in Arizona?) while slathered with insect repellent. Good times.
The evening chirping of the crickets signals the approaching Fall season. Ah yes, Fall. My favorite time of the year. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's the smell of burning leaves (do they still let you do that in the Midwest?) I love that smell. Someone could make a million dollars if they sold a candle that smelled like burning leaves. I remember jumping in piles of leaves (before they were set on fire). It's so much fun being a kid in the Midwest. I miss Fall most of all.
Winter has a start date, but in the Midwest it seemed to start with the first snowfall, which was usually some time in November. Winter always started out great. The first snowfall, the first snowball, the first snowman. Snow...snow...snow..it was all about the snow. A white Christmas was a bonus. But when Christmas was over? I was tired of the snow and unfortunately, that was just about the time it's getting good and started. And there was always a false start of Spring sometime in late March when the last dirty snow mound melted and the temps hit 50..then WHAM...3 more feet of snow. Okay, that I don't miss.
So, as we're coming out of summer in the desert, where I feel like anything over 110 is hot so- why bother keeping track, I look forward to Fall....which is signified by temperatures below 100; followed by Winter which is signified by temperatures below 70; and then to Spring which is signified by temperatures below 80.
Yea, I really miss seasons.
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
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