Tucson Kent's World: Arizona

In Episode 3, THE Tucson Real Estate Show takes a break from the business side of things to ride the Historic Tucson Trolley and learn about its history from Karen Rodack, who is a volunteer conductor for the Old Pueblo Trolley organization.

Currently, the trolley runs along University Blvd. from Main Gate Square at the University of Arizona, and down 4th Avenue where it stops before going down Congress Street in downtown Tucson. This nostalgic attraction is completely volunteer operated & funded by donations. It generally runs on weekends - weather & maintenance permitting.

Work is beginning soon on a new, Modern Streetcar for Tucson, which will expand the route significantly and be more useful as a practical mode of transportation.  There has been quite a bit of new activity in the downtown Tucson area as businesses open up as part of the downtown revitalization effort - and in anticipation of the Modern Streetcar's debut in 2013.  Yes, Mr. An has started construction on his new restaurant, An Congress, right by the Rialto Theater and Hotel Congress.  Can anyone get us an interview with him?

In Episode 2 of THE Tucson Real Estate Show, Tom Heath and I visit Tucson's Historic Train Depot downtown to help illustrate how to be "On The Right Track" for getting a home mortgage.

Our mission with THE Tucson Real Estate Show is to provide consumers with information they can use about the local Tucson real estate market, while highlighting the people, places and things that make "The Old Pueblo" a special place.

Tom Heath is a mortgage professional with Sunstreet Mortgage and current President of the Southern Arizona Mortgage Lenders Association.  Kent Simpson is a REALTOR® who is awaiting trial for impersonating someone who knows how to do a real estate show.

On our next video, follow along as we ride the Historic Tucson Trolley in search of Mr. An - while Conductor Karen Rodack tells us the trolley's history.  Do we find Mr. An?  Will he invite us to the grand opening of An Congress?  Watch & see!

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Episode 1 - Introducing THE Tucson Real Estate Show

Friends, readers and anyone interested in Tucson or Real Estate in general - I am proud to be introducing THE Tucson Real Estate Show!  In Episode 1 - we start at a Tucson "Old West" landmark, Trail Dust Town, and ask the question, "Why another real estate show?"  Hopefully you will like the answer:

Tom Heath of Sunstreet Mortgage, current President of the Southern Arizona Mortgage Lenders Association and I will be exploring different areas of Tucson, the people that make "The Old Pueblo" a special place and highlighting local businesses as well as interesting places.  One of our goals is to tie in our wanderings with some helpful information about the Tucson Real Estate Market while providing some consumer education along the way.

We launched our all-video website yesterday (so bear with us while we iron out some of the wrinkles) with our first four episodes.  Each week we will have a new segment for you to enjoy.  Future episodes will include the Historic Tucson Trolley in downtown, the University of Arizona Bio Park, St. Phillip's Plaza Farmers Market & more!

Follow us while we search for the elusive holy grail Mr. An - a longtime Tucson figure for his fine cuisine, love of baseball, and try to wheedle an invitation to the grand opening of his new restaurant in downtown Tucson, An Congress - right along the route of the coming Streetcar.  If you see something of value, please feel free to forward to your friends & colleagues.

Episode 2 - "On The Right Track To A Mortgage"
  - from Tucson's Historic Train Depot

When relocating to Tucson, the reasons vary - a job transfer, health issues, lifestyle changes, pursuing a dream...or something as simple as following your heart.  Here's a little about one man who did that...and has become a champion, along with his partner, a wild mustang named B.I.G. - one of the smallest horses in the Extreme Mustang Makeover competition.  He Has A Winning Way With Mustangs.

Logan Leach listened to his heart many years ago, and settled in Tucson.  He established Tanque Verde Stables in the Northeast part of the Tucson Metro, perfectly located by the Tanque Verde wash (full of great riding trails) with views of the Catalina Mountains to the north, the Rincon Mountains to the east, surrounded by semi-rural countryside.  Arizona National Golf Course is just a skip away to the north, 49er Country Club is a dash to the east. Close enough to the urban core to be convenient yet away from the city enough to enjoy a little elbow room and do what he loves:  training horses.

The Tucson area is full of horse lovers - there are even stables within minutes of downtown Tucson!  Miles and miles of equestrian trails lead along the Rillito River, along washes and the spirit of the Old West remains a part of the region's core - but not readily apparent to many (in keeping with the cowboy way of life - it is a lifestyle of quiet enjoyment, not "in your face" hype and brassiness).

Early this evening, I got a call from a young man looking to begin investing in real estate, but unsure of where to start.  After a few questions, it was apparent that he really was at the very beginning of his journey, and was reaching out for some guidance.  What resulted was the most rewarding conversation I've had with a prospective first-time buyer in a l-o-o-n-g time.  I won't make a penny from this phone call, but that isn't the point.

Turns out, this young man is 19 years old, going to school in an area of the country hit extremely hard by the implosion of the real estate market, raw & inexperienced in purchasing real estate - but careful with his money & eager to learn. He has heard about predatory lending and "0 Down, EZ Qualify" scams.

His goal is to purchase a duplex, triplex or fourplex, live in one unit and rent the others to help him pay for the investment.  Good idea.  He spoke about his lack of knowledge as a challenge to be solved by consulting with professionals who would take the time to explain the process along the way & guide him to a smart decision "because I don't want to be a foreclosure victim, I want to start building my nest egg now, since prices are so low."  Great idea.

We spoke about the pros & cons of investment property:  what can happen when a tenant moves out unexpectedly - or doesn't pay the rent on time.  Landlord responsibilities, maintenance issues, taxes, insurance and fair housing laws, cash flow & reserves, the reality vs the hype of short sales, factors involved in choosing an area to start looking, vacancy rates and much, much more.

As the conversation went on, I suggested he take advantage of some seminars and classes put on by the Association of Mortgage Brokers and the REALTOR® Association in order to have a clearer basis of understanding concerning the process and procedures in buying real property.  Since I was by my computer, I looked up the contact information for these associations in his area and gave him the websites.  Oh, did I mention that he lives nearly 1,000 miles away from Tucson?  This young first-time homebuyer has never seen Southern Arizona, except for in movies & photos.  He won't be buying in Tucson, either.

At the beginning of this phone call, my inquisitive young caller asked if I could spare 10 minutes of my time - we talked for just over 45 minutes.

In the first few minutes of the call, I already knew that this buyer was not interested in my market - but he was reaching out to me to help get him pointed in the right direction.  Whether it was something I had written on my blog, posted on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or somewhere else that caused him to ask me - or some random quirk of keywords on Google...it doesn't matter.  He is the public, took the time to call me, and had realistic, rational goals in mind.

After hanging up with him, I felt a certain fulfillment - a feeling of living up to the vows I took to become a REALTOR®.  It isn't all about the money or the deal.  There is a service commitment implied in that oath.  Sometimes all it takes is a conversation and some frank discussion.  This was the best phone call I've had in a long time.

Thank you, Abraham, you made my day. 
I wish you success and happiness in all of your goals...and yes, I WILL buy you lunch near the University of Arizona if you ever visit Tucson so that we can dine in the presence of "all those HOT Arizona girls!"  (Now it is in writing - verbals don't count as a contract)

Being a REALTOR® has its moments, and this is one of them.

In its never-ending quest to provide better services for both agents and the public, the Tucson MLS has decided to change its MLS software to FlexMLS by FBS of North Dakota!

I, for one, am extremely happy with the decision - and I hope you will be too.  To take a quick peek at what it looks like from a consumer perspective, check out this search for property in the Sam Hughes area of Tucson:

Check it out - see what it is like & please feel free to leave your comments below!  The more feedback, the better...and if one of these catches your eye, I'm available to answer questions.

This morning, at the Historic Train Depot in downtown Tucson, the official announcement of the TIGER Grant that will allow the Modern Streetcar project to go from dream to tracks & trolleys was attended by hundreds of people.

Here is a video montage of some of the speeches:

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, University of Arizona President Robert Shelton, RTA Chairperson Lynn Skelton (also Mayor of Sahuarita), Tucson Mayor Bob Walkup and U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood are featured in this collection.

Having the Modern Streetcar project move forward in Tucson is a real "game changer" for downtown, as it links the University of Arizona through Main Gate Square, down 4th Avenue along Congress Street to the Convention Center and across to the Mercado District on the west side of I-10.

There has been a lot of work to revitalize downtown Tucson - the trolley will link it all together and be a focal point that draws a lot more attention & investment to the area.  The downtown you know today will be incredibly improved over the next 5 years...if you haven't seen what we've done so far, you'll be amazed at what will be happening soon!

IT'S OFFICIAL!  Tucson's Modern Streetcar in Downtown is a GO!  This morning, the City of Tucson found out that it will receive the $63M from the Federal Government to make the proposed Trolley/Modern Streetcar project a reality. 

The $150M project is being funded through local funds that have been generated for the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) via a sales tax increment approved by voters in 2006, with the U.S. Government putting up their portion through a TIGER Grant.

What this means for Tucson is a real boost to efforts in revitalizing the Downtown Core.  There has been a lot of work going on already - now the Trolley will both serve to enhance and tie-in the University of Arizona, 4th Avenue, Congress Street and the Mercado District.

While there will always be naysayers, my bet is that the same people sniveling right now will be asking for expansion of the routes in 5 years!

Future plans include expansion of the streetcar down Broadway Boulevard - the Downtown Trolley will showcase the core of Tucson & help redefine the heart of our city.  It won't happen overnight, but just hide & watch as it becomes another thing to be proud about "The Old Pueblo" for.

If you want to take advantage of the opportunity, now's the time to jump on - the fare won't be decreasing in future years for real estate along the route!

If you're looking for a home in Tucson - one thing on almost everyone's shopping list is a view.  In the gated home community of Sabino Mountain in Northeast Tucson, the views are simply amazing!  Located atop a ridge on the east side of the Sabino Canyon area, whether you want mountain or city views...or even 360-degree views, this neighborhood should be on your list.

The Catalina Mountains to the north, Rincon Mountains to the east, Santa Rita Mountains to the south, city views, sunrise views & sunset views...gee, am I gushing?  Wellll...lets just say I'm a real fan of beautiful views in Tucson.

To give you a little idea of where and how Sabino Mountain is laid out, here's a map & a satellite photo from Google Maps to show you where the homes are:

This gated community of luxury homes is less than a decade old - with a few building lots still available.  Available homes are generally priced in the high $300's ranging into the $2 millions.  As of this post, there are 15 homes for sale from $299,000 to $1.695 million.  2 lots of .5 acre and .7 acre with incredible views are on the market for just under $600,000 and $700,000 respectively.

See What's Available In Sabino Mountain Right Now

Are you a first time homebuyer?  Are you looking to purchase a new home or existing home in Tucson or elsewhere in Pima County?  The Pima County Bond Program is b-a-a-c-k!  How does a mortgage at 4.55% interest over 30 years sound?

Thought so - check it out:

Pima County Bond Program has money available for first-time homebuyers. Some features of this program are:

• 30 Year Fixed Loan at 4.55% *
  
• First-time buyers only - cannot have owned a property in the last 3 years (this requirement is waived for qualified veterans)
  
• Can be used with FHA, VA or Rural Housing loans
  
• New Homes, Existing Homes, Foreclosures & Short Sales Eligible**
• Maximum income restrictions apply – $69,000 / year for 1-2 person household $79,675 / year for 3+ person household

Combine this with the First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit (up to $8000), and you’ve got some real incentive to get moving towards purchasing your first home!

Now this program can be used for single family homes, townhomes, condos or duplexes (sorry, no triplexes or fourplex properties) – which opens up more options to first time homebuyers than there were before. Yes, you can buy foreclosures with this program, and no, unlike the Your Way Home AZ loan program, you aren’t required to buy a foreclosure.

One thing to keep in mind is that while this program does not provide DPA (downpayment assistance), there are DPA programs available in Tucson and Pima County that can be used with the Pima County Bond Program to help first time homebuyers purchase a new home.

Give me a call and I’ll be glad to put you in touch with one of the local down payment assistance program counselors to help you get started.

*Check with your lender for specific APR figures
**To qualify for the First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit, you must have a fully accepted contract no later than April 30, 2009 and close by June 30, 2009 - short sales may not meet these deadlines

With home prices very low in the Tucson Metro, historically low interest rates & the First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit - this is the "Real Estate Trifecta."  You might not find a better time to buy your first home - call me & lets get to work finding your home!