Candice A Donofrio 928-201-4BHC (4242) call/text

If you want to move to Bullhead City AZ 86442, you will be in good company.

Many relocations to our area and even more vacation and seasonal residents' transactions start happening in Fall when the weather starts to mellow.

And every second Summer, the mistake-makers--those whose buyer (often dual) agents were masters of the 'panic sell' and bought wrong, wrong, wrong--come crying that they need to move back 'home'--or anywhere else.

Upside down as all get out at worst case. Losing money or just breaking even at best.

Living in Bullhead City, Fort Mohave 86426 and Mohave Valley 86440 is GREAT. This Southern California transplant made the move in 1993 and never looked back.

BUT - we came for a 4 month leave of absence from our jobs in LA and rented until we were sure.

Before you buy, you will need to be clued in to the basic and immutable truths about our area.

1. Bullhead City is REALLY HOT in Summer (can be nearly 130 on some days! And it does NOT cool down at night so temperatures are often still over 100 for a low in mid July). And you know all the jokes about it being a 'dry heat'? That's 'mostly' true. BUT, during our 'monsoon season' the humidity cranks up and you'll think you're in Florida or New Jersey. Except hotter.

2. Bullhead City can get COLD in Winter. We are the desert! We don't get snow. But it gets cold! If you are buying a Summer place, you will need to take precautions against freezing plumbing--a chief cause of water damage.

3. Bullhead City jobs are mostly 'service industry' related. Arizona is a 'right to work' state and our casinos (major source of employment) often won't get you better than a 30k annual salary including tips unless you make it to upper management.

3. Our way of life is a lot SLOWER PACED than our LA, CA or Las Vegas counterparts. Some can't deal with how 'country' we still are.

4. If you are inclined to overindulge in food, drink or gambling, Bullhead City, with its 24 hour casinos and bars within a 10 minute drive, could very well be your downfall.

5. We have critters--sun spiders as big as your hand--scorpions--rattlesnakes--coyotes--mountain lions. You won't see 'most' of those in the suburbs--and I personally own stock in the pest control company! But move onto a 10 acre ranch at the foot of the Black Mountains? DUH!

So PLEASE, investigate this area well before settling on it. I won't be crushed that you decided not to rush forward on what might be an unwise move. Some people SHOULD rent. And we have rentals as well as sales.

HOWEVER, if you think this may be the place for you--and it is a WONDERFUL, BEAUTIFUL, FUN place for those who understand 1 - 5 above-- here's a REALLY SMART PLAN:

• Arrange for a 'reconnaissance mission' trip prior to any property touring to cruise the area solo. That way, you can really figure out what areas you are attracted to without distraction, and at your own pace. Listings, maps, directions, not a problem. Just ask.
  
  
• Visit our area in Summer -- and in Winter.
  
  
• Second reconnaissance mission will be with me. We'll see some representative properties in areas you've found of interest. No pressure.
  
  
• Get your financing in order. If you are making a job transfer for instance, you may need to rent for a bit first to qualify while you 'settle in' to your new position. And loan professionals are not all created alike. I know who the great ones are--and who they aren't. Ask me before you start clicking around online!
  
  
• When you are certain you like our area and can handle the extremes of heat and cold, slower pace than big city living and the occasional unwanted 'critter', we make an appointment and see a list of the properties that fit your criteria BEST just prior to making your OFFER to PURCHASE.
  
  
• Let me EDUCATE you about the PROCESS of buying property in AZ, so you enter into your TRANSACTION comfortably, confident that you're making a sound DECISION.

Remember that working with your real estate broker is a team effort:

YOU, preapproved or funds-ready, knowing what to expect from our area PROPERTIES, ready to work together toward this common goal.

And ME, ready to share my MARKET KNOWLEDGE and BUYING or SELLING STRATEGIES with you as a CLIENT.

You may not know it, but you just got a little bit LUCKIER. Because

LUCK = Laboring Under Correct Knowledge!

People are often AMAZED at how we can call our home along the banks of the beautiful Colorado River with its clear and fresh water . . . and have the mineral rich water we do running through our plumbing!

Here in Bullhead City, Fort Mohave and Mohave Valley, AZ, the water is EXTREMELY mineral rich. Lots of calcium, magnesium and iron.

Fine for vitamin supplements but CATASTROPHIC in pipes!

The minerals in our water corrode pipes and cause a multitude of problems. And yes, it is tastes pretty darn bad.

There are two contraptions that no homeowner in Western Mohave County should really be without:

• Water Softener System
• Reverse Osmosis System

Water Softeners use salt to demagnetize and dissolve these pipe-clogging minerals in collected water, then return the 'conditioned' water to make laundry and hair washing ever so much more pleasant.

There are also non-electronic systems such as the Kinetico system
which operate using the 'kinetic' energy of moving water.

Reverse Osmosis Systems are also widely used for cooking and drinking water in our area. Water filtration systems operate similarly to water softeners in that they too use a salt solution--except it is contained within a 'membrane' in the system. (They usually need to be replaced once a year or so)

Some Mohave County homes utilize a Whole House system which can range from a small, frequently replaced filter that attaches to the outside intake pipe (like an Omni Filtration system, picked up at Home Depot) to a more elaborate system.

Water softeners can be leased via Culligan or Rayne et al or they can be purchased. Price ranges from 25/month for a rental to 1500 and up for a sophisticated system.

Reverse osmosis systems can be leased or purchased; price ranges typically 20/month rented to 500 and up for all the bells and whistles.

At any rate, protecting your pipes with the best water you can is good common sense and will save you money in the long run on plumbing issues common to our area . . .

Now what does a city girl from Southern Cali know about septic tanks?

A LOT, actually--from years of chats with the REAL septic experts out here who install, certify and repair out Mohave County septic systems.

Until I moved to Arizona, I didn't know much about septic tanks-and most of what I thought I did was wrong.

But as a Mohave County Buyer's Broker, I often need to educate our relocation clients, vacation and investment property buyers about these somewhat icky but fascinating contraptions. If city sewer is not available in the area you wish to purchase in, it's a good idea to have a basic understanding about septic systems. Proper maintenance of a septic system is also critical to your property's value.

Septic systems, when properly maintained are an environmentally friendly and efficient way of disposing waste. The basic and very simplified premise of septic systems is that once ANYTHING has passed through a certain distance of a particular density of earth, it is naturally filtered to clean water. If it filters too quickly through rocky or sandy soil, or too slowly because the soil has a claylike composition, the efficiency of the operation is affected. Therefore, different types of systems may be required--depending on the quality of the soil.

There are 3 basic types of septic systems common to Mohave County, AZ. The type your property will require will depend on the results of a water/soil test, also known as a percolation or ‘perc' test. A soil engineer will conduct the perc test and the cost is apx 500-700 dollars. The test is performed by digging holes in different parts of a property where the septic tank installation is planned. Water is poured into the holes and the time it takes for the water to be absorbed into the earth is measured. If water flow-thru rate is consistent with State/County guidelines, it ‘percs' and a relatively inexpensive but efficient standard septic system can be installed (with the proper Mohave County septic permit). If not, a more complicated system is required:

• If a property ‘percs' for the most common standard septic system, expect to pay between 3000-6000 for a concrete or fiberglass tank. (ALL PRICES ARE APPROXIMATE AND GUESSTIMATED!)
• Alternative septic system. You'll hear brand names like Elgin or Fast, popular in areas with small lots because they take up less space. They are more expensive and can run 5000-7500.
• Sophisticated systems such as a Ruck system may be required if the soil is very clay rich or otherwise non-absorbing of water. Ruck systems are rarely used in our area but they are very expensive - 10000-12000 and up.

Arizona septic systems are governed over by Mohave County Environmental Health. The guidelines are often updated. A perc test has a limited ‘shelf life' because of these guidelines. If you're not planning to build for a very long time, be aware that a current perc test will probably be required when you do build-even if you have had one before.

There must be sufficient room allowed on a lot for both septic system and leachfield. And it's fairly bad idea to build a structure over any part of a septic tank. Ask ANYONE who's had to sell the house later! :)

In order to be transferred legally, the septic system should be inspected and certified in good working order by a licensed septic contractor. If the system has not been pumped in the previous 18 months, a pumping is usually also required.

Living in a home with a septic system requires different disposal procedures. You have to be more careful than usual not to put items that WON'T dissolve (as normal waste breaks down naturally) into the systems. If you have large trees around where your tank will go, it's best to remove them as roots wreak havoc on septic systems. There is inexpensive root killing compound you can put into your system (just flush it down) once a month to combat this; pick it up at any DIY store . . .

As a real estate broker in Mohave County, AZ, a question I frequently answer is, “What's with the checkered squares on the map? And why aren’t there any houses in the light gray ones?”

Those squares on the map represent Fort Mohave Indian Reservation tribal land.

The Fort Mojave Reservation covers approximately 42,000 acres of land in the ‘Tri State Area’ where California, Nevada and Arizona intersect. Most of the land is in Mohave Valley AZ 86440. None of the land is in incorporated cities Kingman, Bullhead City and Lake Havasu City—it is all outside city limits.

A special agreement between the Tribe and the State of AZ designated every other square mile of land in Mohave County as Tribal land. On this land are two casinos, two housing developments (on leased land), and 12 miles of prime waterfront land along the Colorado River. However, much of the land is agricultural, and crops such as alfalfa and cotton are grown. You’ll also see livestock such as sheep being herded on occasion—sometimes requiring a traffic stop!

Those crops are also overhead sprayed--so if you have allergies, sensitivities or a compromised immune system, you may want to live far enough from the spraying to protect yourself. For those who have no such physical challenges, you'll rarely see the small planes that dust the crops, usually in the wee hours of the morning.