Heather Rankin Lake Powell Real Estate

There are so many wonderful events and activities in the Page Lake Powell area each year it can be a challenge to keep up with them as well as a difficult for organizers to get the WORD out.

The Lake Powell Real Estate Community Calendar is active

From the events at the Paria Outpost to the Lake Powell Concert Association and the Glen Canyon Lecture Series to the Hot Air Balloon Regatta there is just always something going on in the Page Lake Powell Area.

Besides being accessed at The Lake Powell Real Estate Blog, the calender is public at can be accessed at Google, Calenders. Lakepowellrealestate@gmail.com is the calender name, or you can search Calenders for Lake Powell. Events can be added there or by emailing me at

lakepowellrealestate@gmail.com, heather@heatherrankin.net or calling 928-691-6444.

There are several different views for the Lake Powell Community Calendar - Weekly, Monthly or a Agenda view, all of which can be printed.

I would like to thank the John Wesley Powell Museum Board of Directors, the Page Lake Powell Chamber of Commerce and the many folks who have provided information and encouragement to get the Lake Powell CommunityEvents Calendar up and running.

I have posted at The Lake Powell Real Estate Blog about 75 photos of the 2008 Lake Powell Hot Air Balloon Regatta. Click the thumbnails on the links below to get the full sized images.

Photos from Friday October 31 of the Hot Air Balloon Launches and Flights

Photos from Saturday November 1 of the Hot Air Balloon Flights

Photos from the Saturday Night Lake Powell Hot Air Balloon Glow

Over the last weekend in October the Page Lake Powell area was host to a wonderful array of hot air balloons. The sixth annual Page Lake Powell Hot Air Balloon Regatta kicked off on Thursday, October 30th, with pilots visiting local schools and explaining the principles of Hot Air Balloons.

Friday morning was the first official launch and it was a bit cool and overcast. I stayed at the balloon launching site for a long while, but eventually drove around North Navajo, found a good place to park and took photos.

Saturday was bright and a bit warmer, tho both days were very comfortable. For Saturdays photos I went to the Lake Powell National Golf Course and walked out over the pond area. The shots from there were striking as the balloons came up the cliff face.

The Balloon Glow on Saturday night was a unique experiece and a great time to catch up with friends and neighbors. The pilots and crews take on a lot of extra work putting the Glow on for the local community. By the number of folks that showed up, it looks like our community appreciates them!

Interesting news from the Wall Street Journal today September New-Home Sales Jumped 2.7%, Prices Fell; Wall Street Journal

"As the median sales price for new homes slipped to its lowest level in four years, sales of single-family homes increased by 2.7% last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 464,000, the Commerce Department said. Economists had forecast a September sales rate of 455,000. Sales in most regions of the country declined or remained virtually flat, while the West saw a 22.7% increase in new home sales."

Interesting indeed for the Lake Powell area housing industry. A market comparison for the six weeks that ended 10-24-08 shows:

• The same number of single family lots on the market as last year
  
• Home Prices fro stick built homes have increased an average of $10,000
  
• Manufactured Home Prices in the Lake Powell area have declined by 21%
  

The Wall Street Journal article also talks about housing inventories which have hit a nationwide mark of 10 months supply on the market.

• We have 42 stick built homes on the market currently, which is twice as many as last year.
  

x

• There are the exact same number of manufactured homes available as last year.

Bottom line, while the market has slowed down in Page a bit, it is still an excellent time to buy as our market has remained basically stable. With several new developments in the works: Indigo Ridge, Tuscany, Toroweap and Lake Powell View Estates now is an excellent time to buy in the Page Lake Powell area.

Search for Lake Powell area Homes and Properties

Page Arizona MLS for Lake Powell Real Estate

Big Water Utah MLS for Lake Powell Real Estate

The Page Lake Powell Hot Air Balloon Regatta kicks off Thursday with visits to local schools by the balloon pilots. Festivities continue throughout the weekend.

There are Craft Fairs as well going on Saturday and the John Wesley Powell Museum will be open to the public for free on Saturday as well. There will be vendors in town selling local items as well as Christmas gifts.

Navajo Code Talkers will be at the Quality Inn on Lake Powell Blvd on Friday and Saturday at the Ballon Regatta signing books. As the election is drawing near, these are folks that really have demonstarted what a patriot is.

Beginning on January 5th, the Bureau of Reclamation and the Glen Canyon Natural History Association will charge $5.00 per adult with a discount for children and seniors. For as long as tours having been going at Glen Canyon Dam they have been free of charge while tours at Hoover Dam have been paying. Currently to tour Hoover Dam it costs $10.00.

I wrote a post a couple of months ago about the Top Ten Things to do Under 5 Bucks at Lake Powell and Tour the Dam was high on the list. From 1996 to late 2002 I worked in the tour program at Glen Canyon Dam and loved the time I spent there. After the September 11th attacks our tour program was closed for two weeks. When we reopened we had a security program in place which included folks having to sign up for the tour, go with a guide and be tracked. Security was also put in place at the entrance to the Carl Hayden Visitor Center.

In order to keep up with public demand for the tour, more guides were hired and trained. Security personnel on the dam were increased as well. All of these things have been paid for out of the sale of power from the Glen Canyon Power Plant. However, Barry Wirth, the regional public affairs officer for the Upper Colorado area Bureau, explained it is time to recover at least a portion of the cost of running the tour program.

It will remain free to enter to Carl Hayden Visitor Center and the Glen Canyon Natural History Association run bookstore. There are talks given by not only tour guides but local park rangers as well, that occur at the large map in the middle of the visitors center which will also remain free. Movies in the auditorium run all day every half hour and free to the public as well.

To enter the Carl Hayden Visitor's Center there are no bags, purses or backpacks allowed in the building, and everyone goes through a metal detector.

Visit The Lake Powell Real Estate Blog for more information on this and other things Lake Powell!