“World's Most Complete Neighborpedia”
Explore:   What's happening in your neck of the woods?

Chuck Willman, Arizona Realtor® 480.292.0600

Coming Soon to Arizona- SpringBoard Properties

SpringBoard Properties Logo

I'm working with a group of people who are helping investors leverage their financial holdings through the purchase of low priced Arizona properties that they can:

  • buy and flip
  • buy/fix and flip
  • buy and rent
  • buy and hold

Our typical purchase routes are:

  • courthouse auctions
  • institutional sellers
  • property liquidators
  • REO (real estate owned/bank owned) on the MLS

Buyers may purchase through these methods:

  • Cash
  • Hard Money Loans
  • A variety of lending programs

We search for properties that are valued anywhere from 30 to 70% below market so that investors may be able to enjoy a healthy equity position.

If you'd like to know more, please contact me, Chuck Willman at 480.292.0600 or chuck@AZvest.com

Life in Boomtown- Queen Creek's 604% Growth

boomtown

I spent a couple of my High School Years in north Texas. The official name of the city is Burkburnett- the pet name was "Boomtown". This moniker stemmed from the oil boom of the early 1900's.

I suppose you could lend the Boomtown name to any city with explosive growth.

At least that's what Business Week has done.

In their Article, "America's Biggest Boomtowns", they've made a case for the towns and cities across America that have attracted an ever increasing quantity of newcomers. These cities were evaluated for a number of statistics dating to the new century.

Listed fifth is Queen Creek, Arizona.

Among the items of note are:

  • Household growth (2000-08): 604%
  • Household income growth (2000-08): 12%
  • Home value: $154,000

Life in "the QC" has become a bit less rural. There are movieplexes, equestrian facilities, and large shopping developments. Most importantly, Queen Creek is very affordable.

It's one of the few place that still has a variety of new homes in an extremely affordable price range. For example, here's a new listing:

New Home:

  • 1,445 sq ft
  • 3 bedroom + den (optional 4th bedroom)
  • 2 bath
  • 2 car garage
  • Optional Bay Window
  • Vaulted Ceiling
  • Exterior Coach Lights
  • Cherry Cabinets
  • Upgraded Black Appliances: including Microwave, Side by Side Refrigerator, Oven
  • Available for immediate occupancy

Base Price: $112,290

Upgrades: $15,960

Total Price: $128,250

Discount: $23,531

Current Price: $104,719

Builder will offer 3% to cover closing costs.

Here's the best part- first time home buyers may qualify for rural housing loans- which will pay the downpayment. In other words, it's possible to have a total move-in cost of $500.

Welcome to the Boomtown. Stay a while- make yourself at home.

-------

Chuck Willman is an Arizona based real estate agent. 480.292.0600 - www.AZvest.com

-------

Boomtown lettering created with "Spell with Flickr"

Is the "Mega-Listings" REO Agent on the Verge of Extinction?

Tyranosaur by SophieIn cities where foreclosures are on the increase you'll find agents clamoring to become an REO listing agent.

They envision the possibilities: Offers galore and multiple pendings.

However, how does one break into the business?

The reality is this: There are very few agents handling the vast majority of bank owned listings.

And their responsibility is not completely rosy.

Among the issues these agents face are these:

  • They may be required to pay for power, water, plus light maintenance and fix-up.
  • They will need to do a great deal of due diligence to price, submit, re-price, counter, etc.
  • Keeping all the properties processed quickly is a must... slip up and you lose your listings.
  • Say hello to long hours and mounds of paperwork.
  • Other agents may complain about you and call you a monopolist.

I realize many agents may see the above list and say, "I'll gladly accept that challenge. Sign me up."

Around the country, especially in the high-foreclosure cities, there's a rumor mill. The rumor is this:

"Pre-approved short sales are on the way."

Currently agents will short sale a home if the owner owes more than the home is worth and is unable to keep up with the payments. Market forces dictate this. If the house meets the criteria, the agent and seller fill out the required paperwork, list the property and forward offers to the lender. The lender, if motivated, will send someone to do some due diligence. This third party will let the bank know their opinion about the home's value.

This process is cumbersome.

The longer the bank waits, the more likely the buyer will lose interest or the home could lose value.

In short- the short sale system is broken.

Banks are searching for a better way.

In my opinion (and I'm not alone) it would be better for the bank to decide a price. Then the listing can be treated much like a bank owned property. The buyer will have a better chance of purchasing the home if there are more clear indications from the selling party.

If, or when, banks decide to move to pre-approved short sales, the market should be one step closer to equilibrium. Home values will be easier to predict and fewer homes will go to foreclosure.

It's baffling to me why the banks haven't already gone ahead with this plan.

Who wins?

  • The buyer. They'll be able to feel more comfortable about their offer in terms of timing and price.
  • The home seller. Fewer will go to foreclosure- thus shaving considerable time off their credit restoration.
  • The short sale listing agent. They'll be able to provide more firm/less nebulous advice.
  • The bank. They should be able to cut the depth and length of their loss due to foreclosure.

Who loses?

  • The mega-lister. They'll have fewer listings.
  • The middle man who negotiates loan mods, investment cash deals and data exchange packages.

What's your opinion?

Are we inching toward pre-approved short sales?

Are you for or against it?

I have nothing against the mega-lister... as long as they are able to shoulder the load in a professional manner.

However, I feel we'd all be better off if the short sales process were fine-tuned.

--------

Chuck Willman is an Arizona based real estate agent specializing in bargain properties. www.AZvest.com.

--------

Photo Credit: Tyranosaur by Sophie

Gilbert Arizona - Free Small Business Tax Clinic - Feb. 19, 2009

Sometimes a town's best kept secrets are freely available on official websites.

Hopefully this won't be the case with Gilbert's free Small Business Tax Workshop.

According to the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce website, Jim Traub of SCORE will be discussing tax strategies that could help lower liability and increase capital. As Kathy Langdon, CEO of the Gilbert Chamber, “Given the times, every legitimate deduction they can find to increase their operating funds is helpful.”Gilbert Chamber of Commerce

Here are the details:

Date: Thursday, February 19th

Time: 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

Location: Gilbert Champer of Commerce

119 North Gilbert Road, Ste 101

Gilbert, AZ 85299

Cost: Free!

Note: Seating is limited to the first 25 persons. Call (480) 892-0056 to reserve a seat.

This will be a great opportunity for those who wish to find ways to improve their tax strategies.

My blog won an award. Really?

I while ago I wrote about going back to school.

It wasn't something I had hoped to do... after all I earned a degree many years ago.

My daughter signed me up for a class at the local community college.

I blogged about the experience here: I took my daughter to school.

Well, one of my assignments was entered into a contest.

It's a story I reluctantly shared here: There is a bridge.

I just received a letter informing me that I won second place in the personal essay category.Medal 2 by Pontus Edenberg

Entries came from a variety of universities in the Maricopa County Community College system.

This is a collection of ten Arizona universities with over 250,000 enrolled students.

Wow... that's somewhat awesome... but I'm guessing only a very small fraction were in the contest.

They're planning a banquet and we'll be reading our entries.

Plus, it seems, I'll be coming into some money.

Not a whole lot- but hey... I'm now a professional writer!

I know...

it's a stretch.

----------

When not competing for "oldest student in the classroom", Chuck Willman performs real estate in Arizona.

----------

Photo Credit: "Medal 2" by Pontus Edenberg