Barbara Baker, Sedona Arizona

WELL... TOMORROW - TUESDAY FEBRUARY 10TH... WILL BE A TELLING DAY. LET'S SEE IF THE GUYS AND GALS UP ON CAPITAL HILL CAN FINALLY GET IT TOGETHER AND VOTE ON A STIMULUS PACKAGE WHICH INCLUDES HELPING THE HOUSING MARKET. IF YOU HAVEN'T YET.... I URGE EVERYONE TO CONTACT YOUR CONGRESSMAN AND SENATORS AND TELL THEM TO VOTE YES TO THE HOUSING STIMULUS PACKAGE. THERE ARE SOME NICE GOODIES PACKED IN THERE.... UP TO 15,000 TAX CREDIT FOR ALL HOME BUYERS.... FREDDIE AND FANNIE THRESHOLDS REMAINING THE SAME FOR 2009 AS THEY WERE FOR 2008... AND POSSIBLY. SO EMAIL, PHONE, FAX... JUST MAKE SURE YOU CONTACT THEM. NEXT WEEK... MORE ON THE SEDONA REAL ESTATE MARKET PLACE.. BUT FOR THIS WEEK... THIS WAS JUST TOO IMPORTANT FOR US ALL... FOR I TRUELY BELIEVE SO GOES THE HOUSING... SO GOES THE ECONOMY.. HAPPY SELLING! AND MORE IMPORTANTLY HAPPY BUYING! WWW.BARBARABAKER.COM BARBARA@BARBARABAKER.COM 800-975-5943

The big news in the Sedona Real Estate Market for 2008 is Foreclosures! In fact, for the entire Sedona Area, there were 2,860 foreclosures - up by 500% from a low of 525 in 2005. The entire area is being hit very hard by foreclosures - for they pull the median sold price downward! And lenders are really slashing these homes to get them off the books. 65% of the homes being foreclosed upon are non-owner occupied. In Sedona specific - The number of Solds fell from 254 in 2007 to 229 in 2008 - the lowest number of solds since 1996. The median price of homes fell nearly 20% to a low of $480,000 in 2008. And our luxury market hasn't faired much better. The homes sold over $1 million is down 52% from it's high in 2006.Vacant Land has jumped out of the plane without a parachute - and just keeps going down, down, down, - with the numbers of solds down by 86% from their high in 2005 and the median sale's price is off by 42% from the high of 2006 The good news? The Feds will figure this out.... If not - we will all be living in free housing! So if you are a buyer - get off the fence, buy now- put the offer in - negotiate the deal - but B. U.Y - BUY UP YOU! For a free foreclosure report - visit me on the web at www.barbarabaker.com, or via my cell at 800-975-5943 or via email at barbaraa@barbarabaker.com

Well. There is alot of information to digest. Currently there are 28 homes in Foreclosure in Sedona. Our median Sold price for 08 is $480,000. That figures takes into account the highest sold price and the lowest sold price - it is the median price. That price is down by 16% from 2007. The amount of sold homes from 07 to 08 is down by 11%. However, here is where it gets really interesting... For the first 1/2 of the year - the median sold price was $520,000. That figure dropped by 18% to $450,000 for the second half of the year. And the median Condo price is now $295,000 - down by 16% from 07. It continues to remain a strong buyer's market. Buy Now! Buy Now! Bujy NOW! Next week? Vacant Land and the rest of the Verde Valley.. For all your buying and selling needs - please contact me directly at The barbara@barbarabaker.com or 800-975-5943. For a free foreclosure report from the Verde Valley visit me on the web at www.barbarabaker.com

Happy New Year to you all! For one of my many New Year resolutions... I have decided to be more honest and fourthright with people. So Here is my truthful advice for all people reading this blog. BUY something! A Home.... an investment property... or a foreclosure property. Buy it Now! Mortgage Rates are now in the low 5%.... Inventory is high.... seller's whose homes aren't in foreclosure or short are willing to negotiate! If you are waiting for the summer... for the spring... for interest rates to fall even more... what do you think everyone else is waiting for - the same thing! So buy something now. Who knows what the Feds are going to do. They obviously aren't listening to the people in the trenches (me) who do this day in and day out to feed their kids. We could tell them a few solutions to the housing crisis - but since they have decided not to pick up the phone to call me - I have decided to get the word out there myself. It's already difficult to get a loan! And it could get worse! Today, if you bought a home at tremendous value at 300,000 at an interest rate of 5% your payment would be 1288. -If you bought that same house for 10% less but interest rates increase by 1% to 6% - which is still a low rate - your payment would actually be higher! So don't wait. Buy! For any and all your real estate needs, please call me at 800-975-5943 or on the web at www.barbarabaker.com or email me at barbara@barbarabaker.com

Quote of the Month -WHEN EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE GOING AGAINST YOU, REMEMBER THAT THE AIRPLANE TAKES OFF AGAINST THE WIND, NOT WITH IT - Henry Ford

Well..hold onto your hats boys and girls! Cause here are the current Sedona Market Statistics for December 08,2008. Median Sold Home Price $485,000. down by 13% year to date. Price per square foot is now at $233.00 a square foot down by 13% year to date. We are currently hovering between 04 and 05 selling prices. There are 499 active listings - down 9% from July of 08. That is good. That means there are fewer homes coming on the marketplace. There are currently 27 homes pending with a median list price of $379,000 - which means 1/2 those homes are above that mark, and 1/2 of those homes are below that mark. Great time to buy! And with low interest rate and a great inventory... now is the time. Call me at 800-975-5943 or on the web at www.barbarabaker.com or email me at barbara@barbarabaker.com for all your buying and selling needs in Sedona AZ

And I leave you with my thought for the month....

"The pessimist complains about the wind... the optimist expects it to change... the realist adjusts his sails"

is sails."