Tucson Kent's World: January 2009

Tucson is generally thought of as a pretty evironmentally conscious city in many respects.  Reclaimed water is widely used for landscaping, xeriscaping has been embraced & adopted by most people...without any regulation or mandate forcing people to do so.

Where we are behind the curve (so far) is in our commercial sector - LEED Certified buildings are few and far between, even in the government and public sector.  Private is probably going to take the lead with LEED in Southern AZ.  That being said, Tucson's Reid Park Zoo boasts southern Arizona's first LEED Platinum Certified building - congratulations!

Reid Park Zoo, located just east of Country Club Boulevard and south of the Colonia Solana neighborhood, is growing and evolving very nicely, and is a great asset to the community.  Their educational programs are fun & informative no matter the age of the participant.

To learn more about what Tucson's Zoo has to offer, please visit their website:  Tucson Zoo

With all of the stories (both media & truth) about market struggles throughout most of the country, black clouds and gloom seem to be constant threats.  A lot of people have lost a lot of value in the past few years, a lot of people hurt by the downturn in market conditions...but there is a silver lining.

Do you know what the average Joe knows?  Statistics show it, market activity proves it.  My business is rocking because of it.  What is IT?

During the height of "The Boom" Average Joe & Jane got shut out of the market.  Prices had risen beyond the affordability range.  In Tucson, January of 2005 saw over 70% of all single family homes sold were under $250,000, and 24% were under $150,000.  By January of 2007, those figures had dropped to 50.8% under $250k and a miniscule 7% under $150k.  Who could afford to buy a home?  Not Average Joe!

In the first month of 2009, Joe & Jane are making their move - low prices (thanks to the downturn) have made it possible to buy a home.  75% of all homes sold in the Tucson real estate market in 2009 so far are under $250k...and a whopping 39% are priced under $150k!

Do you know what "Average Joe" knows about real estate?  Affordability is the foundation of the market, and that is where properties are moving...in fact, the market is Red-Hot in this segment.  What does Joe know?  He knows what he can afford and waits until the market understands that truth.

After all - home ownership is the American Dream, not the "American Scheme" of quick & easy money.

Jeff Belonger is one of THE Experts on mortgage lending in the U.S.  He posted this helpful tutorial for consumers on his blog on ActiveRain. 

I want to thank him for allowing me to share this with people visiting my website.

Thanks Jeff!

About 2 weeks ago, my broker forwarded me an email asking for volunteers to help with construction when the TV show, "Extreme Home Makeover" comes to Tucson.  Seeing that as something that doesn't come around every day, I jumped at the opportunity to volunteer!

Earlier this week, when a call for volunteers came out from the Tucson Association of REALTORS®, I was a little chagrined, since I hadn't heard back yet from the people choosing who could help out--so I went back online & put my hat in the ring again.

Well, this morning I got an email announcing that I was one of the gazillion or so people chosen to work on the project!  Saturday morning, I'll be there to do whatever they need me to do.  It feels great to get a chance to do something good for someone else, and probably learn something at the same time.  What will be interesting is to find out who the family is & why they were chosen out of all of the deserving candidates to have their home remodeled.  I'm sure they are some special people...and the chance to meet other neat people from Tucson who are donating their time to make this dream come true.

No, I'm not going to try to get Ty Pennington's autograph (one girl I know wanted me to try to kiss him for her - she has no shame!), it isn't about that, nor is trying to mug for the cameras LOL.  Its just something fun & interesting to get a chance to do.

Grant Road - one of Tucson's busiest East-West arterial streets, is going to become 6 lanes wide in the future.  Tucson City Council approved plans to add a lane in each direction by a 6-1 vote on January 13th.  The Grant Road Improvement Plan has been in the works since the passage of the RTA (Regional Transportation Authority) plan in May 2006.

While many Tucsonans will welcome the results of the widening along a 5-mile stretch between Oracle & Swan, it will have a great effect on hundreds of small businesses on the corridor.  In my opinion, while I feel for the business owners, this is something that must be done, as cross-town traffic is quickly becoming a real problem on Grant Road, and many people avoid it altogether-which increases traffic on smaller streets in residential neighborhoods that aren't equipped to handle it.

Above is a satellite view from Google Earth of the intersection at Grant Rd & Campbell Avenue, just 1 mile north of the University of Arizona.  Though this is an image several years old, and the traffic is very light for a typical day, one can see that it is a major intersection, and that any widening will have a direct impact on the businesses along Grant.

One measure that has been tried (and failed) to alleviate congestion on Grant Road was to turn the middle lane, normally used for left turns, into a travel lane that alternated directions according to the time of day.  Locals took to calling it the "suicide lane" due to the failure of drivers to understand how to use it properly.  It was only after a policeman was killed by a head-on collision a few years ago that the idea of the "suicide lane" was discarded.

The specific design of the approved widening has not been finalized yet, only the footprint and a rough outline.  Work is not scheduled to begin until 2013.  Tucson has grown spectacularly in the past 20 years, and is playing catch-up with streets and traffic plans.  We're now a metro of around 1 million people, and growing pains are felt in many directions.  It is my opinion that we must tackle these issues and deal with them decisively or suffer the fate of a town strangled by its growth instead of managing it in a manner that allows Tucson to maintain its character & charm.

Sure, we're a town of a million residents, but we can keep that nature & not have it be a nightmare to go from one side to the other.

The Pima County Bond Program still has over $2 million in funds available to allow people with limited funds available for downpayment & closing costs to buy a home!

In December the funds were already allocated to buyers in escrow, but quite a bit of money became available when several transactions fell through.  The $2 million isn't going to last very long, but for those who act quickly, it is a good program for First Time Homebuyers.

This opportunity is open to people moving to the Tucson area as well as those who already live here.  With the low price of homes, more people with good credit can now afford to buy a home instead of renting.

Click on the link below to learn more about it or call me at 520.940.6951  I'll get you in touch with a lender who can guide you & help you determine if a new home is in your future!

Pima County Bond Program

"Saguaro Gone By"

After seeing some of the responses to a photo I posted of a cabinet door using saguaro ribs as a decorative insert, I thought I should look through my photo files to show everyone what a saguaro cactus looks like when it has passed on.  These incredible succulents live 150-175 years, and are mostly made up of water.

When saguaros die, they leave quite an impressive skeleton behind--after all, these things weigh TONS when alive.  Many times, the skeletons fall to the ground after a strong wind, but this one has not (probably due to the rebar someone used to anchor it that isn't visible here).  I found this one in the Hayhook Ranch area, west of Tucson close to 3 Points--just off of the road to Arivaca.  There are some nice acreages available out in this area.

Still standing its post as the sentinel of the desert, the mighty saguaro lives on after death.

Janice Brewer, the Governor of Arizona, is stepping into challenging circumstances in her new position.  Handed the reins of leadership when Janet Napolitano resigned in order to join President Obama's cabinet as Secretary of Homeland Security, Brewer is immediately faced with a state budget crisis. 

Arizona's constitution forbids deficit spending by the state, yet faces a $4 billion revenue shortage in the next 2 years.  Axes are being sharpened and self-preservation arguments are being honed in every corner as the legislature gets set to modify the state's spending plan.

Governor Brewer made a brief stop in Tucson Friday afternoon to celebrate her inauguration and touch base with constituents at the historic Manning House.  Roughly 700 people showed up to the "invitation-only, but we aren't asking you for money....this time" political event.

During her speech, she referred to the budget deficit by stating that she didn't want to raise taxes but that the budget is her first priority-with a plan to be ready next week.  Brewer spoke of high hopes and a positive attitude while dealing with harsh realities.  Before the Governor arrived, as I wandered around the room meeting new people, the budget was a frequent topic of discussion...or rather new fees and fines were being discussed. 

One example mentioned was the new "license plate holder" ticket.  Anyone driving a car with a license plate holder that covers up the name of the state on the top is subject to a $165 ticket.  That's one way to generate revenue.  Silly & petty, but it will put a few dollars here & there in the coffers.  Another measure mentioned was an increase in fees to access public lands for recreational purposes--the consensus around the room was generally accepting of a reasonable hike.

We are all going to have to tighten our belts a little bit, government too.  Local governments are going to have to find ways to generate money also, and real property is going to be examined 6 ways to Sunday as one way to do so (Arizona just voted in a constitutional amendment prohibiting transfer taxes on real estate).  I just hope that the new state administration is able to pursue the agenda of improving lives in Arizona now & planning for the future by spending wisely, planning judiciously, cutting waste & improving efficiency without resorting to pettiness & silliness to fill holes that smarter action could have averted. 

In Arizona, as well as around the nation, elected officials are going to have to deal with tough decisions and a populace that is less enthralled with rhetoric than it will be with results.  Could be an interesting few years in politics to come - thank God the comedians will have lots of fodder to make us laugh along the way!

Photo of Jan Brewer from Arizona State Government website

Where do saguaros go when they die?  They become decorative accents when the right people find them, that's where! Tucson artists, residents, decorators and craftsmen of all manner find the skeleton useful & interesting to work with.

The mighty saguaro cactus of the Sonoran Desert leaves a skeleton behind when its long life is past.  They are used for fencing, lattice work, ceilings, cabinets, left in place as an interesting reminder that nothing is permanent (but gets interesting even after passing on), chair backs, you name it, those saguaro ribs serve a lot of uses!

For all your real estate needs - residential, land, investment or commercial: 
Kent Simpson - The Pepper Group Diversified RE
TucsonKent1    520.940.6951

To get a view like this for yourself, please call Kent Simpson of The Pepper Group Diversified Real Estate.
520.940.6951 or visit my websites:  TucsonKent1 or TucsonKent2

Whether your Tucson real estate needs are for a home, land, investment or commercial property - I have the tools and the knowledge to help you.