Nancy Laswick, Scottsdale & Phoenix Area Realtor, EPRO, CDPE, SFR

It's Spring in Scottsdale Arizona and that means baseball, Spring Training baseball. The great thing about Cactus League ball parks is that the game is up close, the players, the action it's a totally different feel than the Cathedrals of Major League Baseballs' regular season. You can come to park early to get an autograph or get one after the game and sometimes players that aren't playing that day will sign balls or caps, for kids, during the game.

If you’re planning a Scottsdale spring training day at Salt River Fields, there are a ton of options available. Whether you're looking for lawn seating or the VIP experience, at Salt River Fields you really can't go wrong.

Salt River Fields’ grassy lawn is a giant fan party. Great concession choices abound, there's ice cream for your sweet tooth, a taco bar for some south-of-the-border fare and plenty of beverage stands to quench your thirst. So bring a blanket and claim your spot in the grass.

On the other end of the pricing spectrum is the 100 block, where seats surround the team dugouts, the bull pens and home plate. These seats go fast and are a favorite of season ticket holders. If you're looking for something in between the grass and VIP seating, don't worry any of the stadium seats at Salt River Fields afford a quality view of the diamond and all the action.

As local valley resident Joe Garagiola would say "There's no better day than a day at the ballpark"!

Whether you're buying or selling I offer a free, no obligation, consultation. As an informed buyer or seller you'll make better decisions. E-mail Nancy@NancyLaswick.com or call me today at (602) 793-1627.

All content contained in this posting is protected by copyright. © Nancy Laswick 2012. All Rights Reserved.

Bring the family and join in the fun!

Who: The Town of Litchfield Park, Arizona

What: The 14th Annual Litchfield Art & Culinary Festival

When: March 10th & 11th 2012

Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Where: Florence Brinton Litchfield Park Library Lawn, Old Litchfield Road & Wigwam Boulevard, Litchfield Park, AZ 85340

Cost: Free Parking and Admission!

Experience the legendary lure of the Southwest through a celebration of the visual, culinary and performing arts. Whether you love fine dining, superior wines, extraordinary art, or you just love the relaxed ambiance of outdoor festivals, this is your destination.

Located in the heart of this luxurious resort community, the award winning Litchfield Park Art & Culinary Festival combines irresistible culinary samples with more than 250 extraordinary artists exhibiting original fine art and exquisite handcrafted creations.

Scenic views invite festival-goers to relax and take in the beauty, while strolling along tree-lined walk-ways and lush gardens sprinkled with charming sidewalk cafes. Meandering rows of glistening white canopies bursting with vibrant colors and tantalizing aromas creating a unique artisan's village, allowing visitors a rare and special opportunity to meet and visit with some of the many talented artisans behind the creations.

For more information. A great weekend treat for the whole family. See you there!

Whether you're interested in buying or selling a home in Litchfield Park I offer a free, no obligation, consultation. As an informed buyer or seller you'll make better decisions. E-mail Nancy@NancyLaswick.com or call me today at (602) 793-1627.

Sometimes beauty can be a little dangerous. Handle with care. (detail photo from a recent listing)

Whether you're buying or selling I offer a free, no obligation, consultation. As an informed buyer or seller you'll make better decisions. E-mail Nancy@NancyLaswick.com or call me today at (602) 793-1627.

All content contained in this posting is protected by copyright. © Nancy Laswick 2012. All Rights Reserved.

Gilbert , AZ Market Report -February 2012

All real estate markets are local. Local meaning specific neighborhoods, subdivisions or zip codes. As a Realtor living and working in the Phoenix Metro Area I am often asked what parts of the Valley are selling well? What areas are seeing price increases or decreases and where will buyers get the best deal: Lender Owned (REO), Short Sales (SS) or Traditional (Norm)?

The matrix below is a small part of the market report that I supply to buyers and sellers. The report can be narrowed or expanded to meet the needs of the client. Here's an overview of Gilbert, AZ Market between December 30th 2011 and January 30th 2012.

The Gilbert, AZ market has been very stable over the last four months with a few changes worth noting:

Total Active Listings have fallen approximately 16% over the past four months. This is a smaller change than many parts of the Phoenix Metro Area but reflects the overall shrinking of Valley inventory.

Total Closings are up as a percentage even though Total Active Listings are declining. Evidence that deals are getting done in an active market.

Lender Owned Listings,(REO),and Short Sale Listings, (SS), are down by 30% from October 2011 levels.

Days On Market for Short Sales (SS) are down slightly with Lender Owned (REO) and Traditional (Normal) Sales relatively unchanged.

And finally Sold Price Per Square Foot has increased approximately 4% in Traditional (Normal) home sales with Lender Owned (REO), and Short Sales (SS) remaining unchanged.

So what does this mean for buyers and sellers?

If you are thinking of buying a home in the next 6 months do it now. Demand for homes in Gilbert, especially Lender Owned (REO) and Short Sale (SS) property is increasing as inventory is decreasing. Work with your Realtor to find a great deal while they are still available. Many buyers will look back on 2012 as the year they wish they'd bought their dream home.

If you are thinking of selling your home in the next 6 months list it now. With inventory shrinking there are more potential buyers for your home, less competition means a better chance of selling your home at it's full market value. Make sure you work with an experienced REALTOR® to price your home correctly so that it sells quickly.

If you need to Short Sale your home to avoid foreclosure call me today. Because of a rapidly declining Short Sale inventory in Gilbert there has never been a better time to sell.

Whether you're buying or selling I offer a free, no obligation, consultation. As an informed buyer or seller you'll make better decisions. E-mail Nancy@NancyLaswick.com or call me today at (602) 793-1627.

All content contained in this posting is protected by copyright Nancy Laswick 2012. All Rights Reserved.

Please Note:All statistics and figures are reported from the Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service (ARMLS) and are deemed to be reliable, but cannot be guaranteed for accuracy. It is recommended that any information of special interest be verified through independent sources.

All real estate markets are local. Local meaning specific neighborhoods, subdivisions, zip codes and townships. As a Realtor living and working in the Phoenix Metro Area I am often asked what parts of the Valley are selling well? What areas are seeing price increases or decreases and where will buyers get the best deal: Lender Owned (REO), Short Sales (SS) or Traditional (Norm)?

If you've been following my recent Market Reports they have been focused on neighborhoods and townships within the Valley of the Sun. Not so with this report, we'll be looking at Inventory Trends for Maricopa County, AZ the 4th largest county, (by population), in the U.S. In particular we'll be looking at Actives, Solds and New Listings with most of the data supplied by ARMLS.

A quick look at this graphic tells a much different story about the health of our region that you might hear on the nightly news. In fact, if you were watching the evening news this past year you could have easily believed that Maricopa county had an unending supply of foreclosures and other "pennies on the dollar" homes for sale.

That simply isn't true and hasn't been true for along time. As you can see total inventory for the county today is less than half of what it was in February of 2010, and February 2010 was a fairly balanced market.

While there was a upturn in the Active Listings during the later part of 2010 the trend has steadily been on the downturn, well under 4 months of inventory, until recently.

And while total active listings are trending down there is a upturn in New Listings this month and I expect to see that continue in March. Is this the start of a trend towards a larger total inventory, too early to tell but that's where I believe we're headed.

Solds have almost mirrored New Listings for several months and I expect that trend to continue as well.

So what does this mean for buyers and sellers?

If you are thinking of buying a home in the next 6 months do it now. Demand for homes throughout Maricopa County, especially Lender Owned (REO) and Short Sale (SS) property is increasing as inventory is decreasing. Work with your Realtor to find a great deal while they are still available. Many buyers will look back on 2012 as the year they wish they'd bought their dream home.

If you are thinking of selling your home in the next 6 months list it now. With less than 4 months of inventory for the entire county there are more potential buyers for your home, less competition means a better chance of selling your home at it's full market value. Make sure you work with an experienced REALTOR® to price your home correctly so that it sells quickly.

If you need to Short Sale your home to avoid foreclosure call me today. Because of a rapidly declining Short Sale inventory throughout many popular parts of the valley there has never been a better time to sell.

Whether you're buying or selling I offer a free, no obligation, consultation. As an informed buyer or seller you'll make better decisions. E-mail Nancy@NancyLaswick.com or call me today at (602) 793-1627.

All content contained in this posting is protected by copyright Nancy Laswick 2012. All Rights Reserved.

Please Note:All statistics and figures are reported from the Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service (ARMLS) and are deemed to be reliable, but cannot be guaranteed for accuracy. It is recommended that any information of special interest be verified through independent sources.