Tyler Ryan

Last week I posted about the good retail news, well this week the bad news hit! Westcor is asking the City of Goodyear to extend the deadline for Estrella Falls Mall to be finished as far out as 2016. The current development agreement with Goodyear; requires Westcor to finish the mall by the end of 2012. Westcor is offering to prepay the city permits and related fees to help make up a city budget shortfall. I can't imagine the City has many options but to go along with Westcor when they meet Dec. 7.

Now is the best time we have seen in decades to buy a new home, and we may not have this opportunity again. Here are three reasons to buy a home now:

•1. Incredible Value, there are many homes on the market in Goodyear, Palm Valley, Estrella Mountain Ranch, Verrado, and the Entire West Valley area that are incredible values.

•2. Record low interest rates, last week interest rates edged blow 5% on 30 year fixed mortgages.

•3. Tax Credits, the first time home buyers tax credit has been extended and expanded to include existing homeowners.

The combination of these three factors should be a huge motivator for anyone considering a home purchase to move on it now; the tax credit opportunity will pass mid 2010 and as the economy recovers interest rates will rise. Contact us at www.myPHXagents to find your new home.

Homes to Owners (H2O) is an great program that aims to provide affordable, sustainable home ownership opportunities. H2O is partnering with local governments and community groups to reach out to families in the West Valley who are currently renting and would like a home to call their own. Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) funds are used to purchase foreclosed homes in West Valley communities, rehabilitate them into "green" homes, and sell them to eligible homebuyers at affordable prices. These "green" homes will have brand new energy efficient appliances and designs to subsequently help the new homeowner with utility costs. The program is administered by the Housing Authority of Maricopa County (HAMC). Eligible applicants must have a credit score of at least 620, must be employed, have a minimum annual household income of $20,000 and a maximum of $79,100 (for a family of four), and able to make a 3% down payment.

To learn more about becoming a H2O homeowner, visit the H2O website at www.homes2owners.org.

Good news this past week for the Goodyear retail scene, Goodyear Centerpointe has a new tenant to replace Circuit City. Home Spaces will occupy the space vacated by Circuit City next to BevMo. Home Spaces is expected to open in November and offer a higher end product line. This announcement and the re-opening of Basha’s and the recent opening of the Red Robin restaurant all in the immediate area of the future Estrella Falls Mall are encouraging signs. All of us in Goodyear and the Palm Valley area are anxiously awaiting Westcor’s announcement of when they will begin construction on the regional mall phase of Estrella Falls, which is sure to help the real estate market in the area.

Camelot Homes is going to start building homes at Cortile in Palm Valley Goodyear in the first quarter of 2010. New floor plans are going to be introduced with smaller square footage, evidently as small as 1700 sq ft starting in the low 200's. I can't wait to see what they are going to introduce, with their reputation of building stylish high quality designs a new smaller lower priced series of homes could be a big hit. I'll post more news when I have it.