Willo Historic District Neighborhood located in downtown Phoenix

As you venture through the Willo Historic District you’ll find examples of many styles including:
* Monterey Style
* Greek Revival
* Pueblo Revival
* French Provincial
* Spanish Mission Revival
* Tudor Revival
* American Colonial Revival
* Georgian Revival
* Bungalow/Craftsman
* Ranch

Active Willo Listings TAke a Look!

Here is your chance to own a home in one of the largest historic districts in Phoenix! Property is centrally located in Phoenix with easy access to the light rail, freeways, and Sky Harbor airport. Close to all arts, culture & music festivals throughout the year, as well as sporting events.

A Message to Investors: Don’t Wait for 2011

Many investors start slowing down during the Holidays and start back at the New Year.  I have seen this yr after year.  The next 6-7 weeks are the BEST TIME to get great deals because the market dies down (slowwwsss). Last year I was working with an investor Jim  at this time of yr. I was amazed at the deals he got. A few times I thought NO WAY to myself,  We lowed balled several deals and to our surprise he landed a few of them.  Ya never know what the bank is going to do!!! So keep looking and put those offers in. You mat be surprised.


Search Homes HERE    

10 Reasons To Buy a Home

WOW!  you must read this article,  then the comments left. I am amazed at the negativity of the comments.  I feel it is time to buy, yea I am a Realtor and agree with  Brett Arends.


Enough with the doom and gloom about homeownership.
Sure, maybe there's more pain to come in the housing market. But when Time magazine starts running covers that declare "Owning a home may no longer make economic sense," it's time to say: Enough is enough. This is what "capitulation" looks like. Everyone has given up.

The Sept. 6 cover of Time magazine: This is what capitulation looks like.

After all, at the peak of the bubble five years ago, Time had a different take. "Home Sweet Home," declared its cover then, as it celebrated the boom and asked: "Will your house make you rich?"
But it's not enough just to be contrarian. So here are 10 reasons why it's good to buy a home.
1. You can get a good deal. Especially if you play hardball. This is a buyer's market. Most of the other buyers have now vanished, as the tax credits on purchases have just expired. We're four to five years into the biggest housing bust in modern history. And prices have come down a long way– about 30% from their peak, according to Standard & Poor's Case-Shiller Index, which tracks home prices in 20 big cities. Yes, it's mixed. New York is only down 20%. Arizona has halved. Will prices fall further? Sure, they could. You'll never catch the bottom. It doesn't really matter so much in the long haul.
Where is fair value? Fund manager Jeremy Grantham at GMO, who predicted the bust with remarkable accuracy, said two years ago that home prices needed to fall another 17% to reach fair value in relation to household incomes. Case-Shiller since then: Down 18%.

Brett Arends discusses why he thinks now is a particularly good time to buy a home.

2. Mortgages are cheap. You can get a 30-year loan for around 4.3%. What's not to like? These are the lowest rates on record. As recently as two years ago they were about 6.3%. That drop slashes your monthly repayment by a fifth. If inflation picks up, you won't see these mortgage rates again in your lifetime. And if we get deflation, and rates fall further, you can refi.
3. You'll save on taxes. You can deduct the mortgage interest from your income taxes. You can deduct your real estate taxes. And you'll get a tax break on capital gains–if any–when you sell. Sure, you'll need to do your math. You'll only get the income tax break if you itemize your deductions, and many people may be better off taking the standard deduction instead. The breaks are more valuable the more you earn, and the bigger your mortgage. But many people will find that these tax breaks mean owning costs them less, often a lot less, than renting.

The June 13, 2005 cover of Time.

4. It'll be yours. You can have the kitchen and bathrooms you want. You can move the walls, build an extension–zoning permitted–or paint everything bright orange. Few landlords are so indulgent; for renters, these types of changes are often impossible. You'll feel better about your own place if you own it than if you rent. Many years ago, when I was working for a political campaign in England, I toured a working-class northern town. Mrs. Thatcher had just begun selling off public housing to the tenants. "You can tell the ones that have been bought," said my local guide. "They've painted the front door. It's the first thing people do when they buy." It was a small sign that said something big.
5. You'll get a better home. In many parts of the country it can be really hard to find a good rental. All the best places are sold as condos. Money talks. Once again, this is a case by case issue: In Miami right now there are so many vacant luxury condos that owners will rent them out for a fraction of the cost of owning. But few places are so favored. Generally speaking, if you want the best home in the best neighborhood, you're better off buying.
6. It offers some inflation protection. No, it's not perfect. But studies by Professor Karl "Chip" Case (of Case-Shiller), and others, suggest that over the long-term housing has tended to beat inflation by a couple of percentage points a year. That's valuable inflation insurance, especially if you're young and raising a family and thinking about the next 30 or 40 years. In the recent past, inflation-protected government bonds, or TIPS, offered an easier form of inflation insurance. But yields there have plummeted of late. That also makes homeownership look a little better by contrast.

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Associated Press

A house for sale in Shelby, Ohio.

7. It's risk capital. No, your home isn't the stock market and you shouldn't view it as the way to get rich. But if the economy does surprise us all and start booming, sooner or later real estate prices will head up again, too. One lesson from the last few years is that stocks are incredibly hard for most normal people to own in large quantities–for practical as well as psychological reasons. Equity in a home is another way of linking part of your portfolio to the long-term growth of the economy–if it happens–and still managing to sleep at night.
8. It's forced savings. If you can rent an apartment for $2,000 month instead of buying one for $2,400 a month, renting may make sense. But will you save that $400 for your future? A lot of people won't. Most, I dare say. Once again, you have to do your math, but the part of your mortgage payment that goes to principal repayment isn't a cost. You're just paying yourself by building equity. As a forced monthly saving, it's a good discipline.
9. There is a lot to choose from. There is a glut of homes in most of the country. The National Association of Realtors puts the current inventory at around 4 million homes. That's below last year's peak, but well above typical levels, and enough for about a year's worth of sales. More keeping coming onto the market, too, as the banks slowly unload their inventory of unsold properties. That means great choice, as well as great prices.
10. Sooner or later, the market will clear. Demand and supply will meet. The population is forecast to grow by more than 100 million people over the next 40 years. That means maybe 40 million new households looking for homes. Meanwhile, this housing glut will work itself out. Many of the homes will be bought. But many more will simply be destroyed–either deliberately, or by inaction. This is already happening. Even two years ago, when I toured the housing slump in western Florida, I saw bankrupt condo developments that were fast becoming derelict. And, finally, a lot of the "glut" simply won't matter: It's concentrated in a few areas, like Florida and Nevada. Unless you live there, the glut won't have any long-term impact on housing supply in your town.  Re Blog  -  Brett Arends explains why owning a home is a good thing.

Why is it time to Buy a Home !!!!

3 Reasons Why Real Estate is Superior to Stocks

Foreclosures

Phoenix,Gilbert,Goodyear,Avondale 60K-150K

Real estate and stocks are two popular investment vehicles. It is always important to have a balanced portfolio, therefore it is worthwhile to invest in both. However, if you are trying to decide between the two, you might find that real estate provides the better returns more consistently.

Here are the top 3 reasons I believe real estate is a better investment than stocks:

1.) Real Estate is a Tangible Asset. It is a physical investment that you can see and touch. Shares in a company are nothing more than a piece of paper giving you an interest in the underlying company. Although a company’s shares can be valuable, because real estate is tangible it generally provides more value because people can use it in everyday life, and more importantly it is essential!

People must have homes to live in and businesses must have places to operate from. You can live in a house or an apartment, but you cannot live in a share of stock from Google. You can operate a business in a retail shopping center or an office building, but you cannot open and operate your business just because you own stock in Wal-Mart (unless of course you bought the stock way back when and your capital has increased 20X!).

2.) Real Estate allows for Leverage. Now leverage can be a double-edged sword, and over-leveraging a property can cause your asset to become a “money pit” faster than you can say “Bubble”. The over-leveraging of properties coupled with greed is the primary reason why we are experiencing the effects of the recent real estate market crash.

However, responsible leveraging can allow an investor to put up 20-30% of the purchase price of a property and borrow the remaining 70-80% of the purchase price. This leverage will generally allow the investor to realize gains much higher than that of the stock market. For example if you have $100,000 dollars to invest in real estate, you can generally leverage that into a $500,000 property. So your $100,000 will serve as a 20% down payment on a $500,000 property and you will get a mortgage for the remaining $400,000.

If the property appreciates at 5% ($25,000) over the course of a year, that is an unrealized gain of 25% on your invested capital of $100,000. In addition, if the property was generating a positive income, which is always advisable, then your returns would be greater.

Now just to be straight forward, this is the broad view of the investment. It doesn’t take into account closing costs, loan costs, illiquidity of the investment, etc. So there are more costs that would be associated with this investment that would take away from that 25% return and you would still have to sell or refinance the property to realize that 25% return, however, over the course of a few years with responsible leverage, real estate returns far outpace stock market returns. Feel free to contact me if you would like me to justify that claim in more detail. :-)

Stocks can generally only be leverage at a 50% – 100% ratio if you are trading on margin. So if you have $100,000 to invest, you can generally purchase $150,000 – $200,000 worth of stock. Assuming you purchased $200,000 worth of stock and it appreciated 5% ($10,000) over the course of a year, that is an unrealized gain of only 10% on your invested capital of $100,000. And similar with the real estate investment you still have additional fees that will take away from this gain, primarily brokerage fees and interest on the borrowed capital in your margin account.

3.) Real Estate allows for more Control. When you invest in real estate, you generally have control in how that investment is to perform. You can implement strategies to operate the investment more efficiently in order to maximize returns. Unfortunately, with stocks you really don’t have any control in how the company operates in order to maximize your returns on your investment. At best you can submit suggestions to the board of directors, and maybe they will implement some of your suggestions….MAYBE! Great article by Khary Reynolds

Phoenix Housing Numbers - Here are some great numbers

I was out with a client yesterday from CO who feels  the home prices are going to drop another 15-20% and really feels he should hold off a few more months..  this puts the housing market into perspective. THXLW-  Don't Drag you feet, it is a Good time to buy.

We talk to countless people who really want to buy an urban condo but are afraid. They worry that prices are going to go down further and hurt them as the eroding market has hurt so many others.
Here are some great numbers that put the current Phoenix real estate market into perspective. This data is for real estate in general, not urban high rises and lofts specifically. However, the numbers reinforce our opinion that with all things considered (i.e. the very real possibility of higher interest rates, the very real possibility of inflation, and a real increase in buyer interest among our clients) that now is a good time to buy. Please understand that our optimistic opinion does not apply to all high rises and lofts. There are definitely some risky situations out there. But in general things look much much better.
 The numbers below show what has happened since January 2002 in the greater Phoenix real estate market.

 ACTIVE LISTINGS

• Currently there are 6,314 properties actively listed for sale on the Phoenix MLS.
• The highest number of listings since January 2002 was 11,591 in November 2008; almost twice today's number.
• The lowest number of listings was 1,190 in March 2005.
• The number of active listings has dropped steadily since November 2008 until July 2009 where they have staid pretty steady at 6,000.

CONCLUSION - Inventory, the number of properties currently for sale is at the level of a "normal market." This means that the number of buyers and sellers are relatively equal. This means that the days of "beating up sellers" are probably over so we expect prices move up.

DAYS ON MARKET

• The number of "days on market" for properties actively for sale in Phoenix is currently 110 days.
• The high was 484 in June 2008.
• The low was 19 days in March 2005.
• During the "normal" market of 2002-2004 properties took an average of 100 days to sell.

CONCLUSION - Days on Market are way down to a level seen in the "normal" market of 2002 to 2004. This supports our opinion that the number of buyers and sellers have reached parity or balance. However, we do believe that today's number is heavily influenced by the very high number of foreclosure properties which are selling very quickly. Nonetheless, one can see that the number of days to sell has come way down and supports our optimistic outlook.

PENDING SALES

• Currently the number of "pending sales" (properties which have a buyer but the transaction has not yet closed) is at 2,598.
• The high was 3,272 in May 2009.
• The low was 530 in January 2008.

CONCLUSION - The current number of pending sales is significantly higher (25 to 50%) than the numbers in 2004 and 2005 which is a great thing. Please note that the number of pending sales is down today vs. May of this year. However, please know that real estate sales in Phoenix are almost always slower in the fourth quarter of the year vs. the first two quarters of the year. I'm sure you'll agree that few people want to shop for a home and move during the holidays.

CLOSINGS

• Currently the number of properties that close each month is 1,761.
• The high was 2,380 in January 2009.
• The low was 404 in January 2008.
• Current sales velocity is equivalent to 2004 and 2005.

CONCLUSION - Yes the number of closings today is lower than January 2009 but again understand that few people want to shop for homes or move during the holidays. Sales are almost always lower this time of year. Expect a nice jump in the number of sales in January 2010.

AVERAGE SALES PRICE

• Currently the average sales price in Phoenix is $146,598.
• The high was $343,229 July 2007.
• The low was $102,845 in March 2009.

CONCLUSION - The average price has GONE UP 43% in the last eight months and today's average prices are almost 15% lower than those in 2002. Buying at 2002 price levels means nothing IF prices are still going down. But if prices are going up, which the data suggests AND you can buy at 2002 levels then now may in fact be the time to buy.

AVERAGE SALES PRICE PER SQUARE FOOT

• The current average price per square foot is $83.06.
• The high was $185.29 April 2007.
• The low $64.40 per square foot in May of 2009.

CONCLUSION - Current prices per square foot are up approximately 29% since just six months ago but still approximately 18% lower than in 2002. Again, prices are going up but you can still buy at or below 2002 prices.

STATE OF THE MARKET
So there you have it, data that suggests that we "hit the bottom" in real estate in early 2009 and that prices and sales activity are going up. You can believe what you read in the newspaper and see on the evening news OR you can form your own opinions based on the numbers. Fitz and I have been pretty conservative in our opinions of the real estate market during these tough times; certainly more conservative than any of our peers. We have NOT been banging the drum telling everyone to buy, buy, buy just so we could make a commission. We have instead been very skeptical of a "recovery". However, we now see things differently. We believe the numbers. We believe that prices have bottomed and are going up. We believe that the worst is behind us. We also truly believe that interest rates will be going up soon. We also truly believe that inflation is on its way. If we are right then, in general, now is the time to buy.
I say "in general" because we believe that there are exceptions to this statement. Some high rise and loft buildings are still very risky and are many months, if not years, from recovering. YOU STILL NEED AN EXPERT ON YOUR SIDE to help you find the good "buys" and to identify the stable high rise and loft buildings. Don't trust your investment to a part time agent or one who does not specialize in the urban living. Talk with  AZprideProperty.com  Linda
RE-Blog  - WeknowUrban Thanx

New Rules Have Lenders Checking Credit Reports the Day of Closing

As of June 1, mortgage lenders began re-pulling credit reports of borrowers just before a loan closes. Lenders are looking to make sure the applicant has not incurred any new debt prior to closing the loan. The change in procedure is part of Fannie Mae's Loan Quality Initiative (LQI). The LQI encompasses many aspects of mortgage underwriting. Basically, FHA as well as Fannie and Freddie are making an all out effort to improve their loan quality for mortgage backed securities.
Why check credit? When someone buys a home, they also find themselves in the market for a new refrigerator, washer/dryer,  furniture ,ect. .                                                                                                                     Search Homes
  
Sometimes these purchases are financed with credit cards. When this happens the balance of the applicants credit card rises which will change their monthly payment and possibly their credit score. The already approved loan will have to go back to the underwriter to make sure they still qualify with the higher debt. Sometimes purchases for furniture and appliances are financed with a store credit card, or "12 months same-as-cash." These are still debts that show up on a credit report and may impact qualifying.
None of us want to find out the day of closing that a previously approved applicant no longer qualifies because they went on a shopping spree. Please advise your homebuyers that they should not be making any purchases with credit or acquiring any debt before their mortgage closes.
Dan Shaw,  People's Mortgage Company

if you are looking for that 2nd home call Linda Wieczorek AZhomes4u@gmail.com

To Buy a Phoenix Home or Not to Buy - That Is the Question ?

To Buy or Not To Buy:

It seems every day where ever I go I am asked, Is it time to buy? Is the market better? Are people buying now? Will the market get better for buyers?

And my answer is : Yes, it is time to buy, and has been time to buy for the last yr. and half. Rates remain solid at or below 5% for most circumstances. If you are a potential buyers sitting on the fence, NOW is the time to jump off. There is no telling when rates will rise, but rise they will. The question is when and how high. Don't get burned. The  market is better,  and  yes it is getting better for the 1st time in 3yr according to the Phoenix Business Journal and  new research from Arizona State University.


Waiting for that 1/8 or even 1/4 point lower on rates is a gamble and the only benefit you may capture by waiting. If you have the money to put down and you feel your jobs are secure in this wild economy…then go for it.

Arizona State University shows that Phoenix-area housing prices in April posted a year-over-year increase for the first time in three years. The Arizona State University-Repeat Sales Index measures changes in average Phoenix-area home prices from year to year. The latest index finally reveals an estimated 1 percent increase from April 2009 to April 2010. This follows a 13-percent fall from December 2008 to December 2009, a 9 percent drop from January 2009 to January 2010, a 7-percent decline from February to February, and an estimated 3percent drop from March to March. The median price for Phoenix-area single-family homes is projected to be $135,000 for April, which would put the market back at the same level as December of 2008.

“This report reflects an important milestone in the recent housing cycle, with preliminary April data showing the first year-over-year increase in house prices market wide,” said Karl Guntermann, the Fred E. Taylor Professor of Real Estate, who authored the new report with Research Associate Adam Nowak. “Also, prices for lower-end houses and the foreclosure segment of the market, which turned positive in March, continued to increase on an annual basis.” The townhouse/condo market also remains rough. The new index shows a price drop of 26 percent from February 2009 to February 2010. Preliminary numbers for March and April anticipate 19 percent annual decline. The median town home/condo price in February was $86,400, with estimated drops to $83,500 in March and $81,000 in April. The ASU-RSI is produced through the Center for Real Estate Theory and Practice at the W. P. Carey School of Business.

The benefits out way the risk,  the best deals are happening now!  It is Time to BUY NOW...

Here is a link to the article: Home prices show first annual increase in three years - Phoenix Business Journal

Here is a link to the entire ASU-RSI report  
Contact Linda Wieczorek

Historic Willo Tour - Downtown Phoenix

IN HEART OF Downtown Phoenix AZ. The HISTORIC WILLO DISTRIC Please call Linda Wieczorek 602-391-8246 for a list and tour of all the available Historic Willo Homes [

Now is the time to be in the real estate market in Phoenix, AZ

Now is the time to be in the Real estate market in Phoenix, if you wait it will cost you.  If you are looking for short term investment (fix and flip) or long term investment (rental w/ positive cash flow) I can help you meet your needs and exceed your expectations.   What are you waiting for?
I will share with you how to start on a small budget. What are you waiting for?

Here in the Valley of Sun, Phoenix  it is NOW cheaper to own then rent.    

Contact  Linda Wieczorek 602-391-8246 AZHomes4u@gmail.com   to CHAT about or go look at Positive Cash Flow homes, duplex, triplex and 4plex inventory in Greater Phoenix Area. Take a look at all lender owned property and Foreclosures. 

SEARCH HOMES HERE

WHY INVEST IN the Valley of the Sun Greater Phoenix

• Residental Real Estate  in many areas of AZ is selling for as little is 50% and less of 2006 pricing.
•  The savvy investor known and understands to buy when values are low and sell when values are high.  

Five Reasons to Invest in Phoenix Real Estate

If you are a real estate investor, then you understand how important it is to have a knowledgeable Phoenix realty in your corner, helping to find the right properties at the right prices for you.

The TOP five reasons why it makes sense to invest in Phoenix AZ real estate.

Phoenix is a popular spot for "snowbirds," or retirees who come to live in the area during its notably warm and pleasant winter months. Many of these retirees are looking to permanently move to Phoenix, and would be interested in the properties we have to offer. I am seeing an increadable increase of retirees from Florida and California Area.

Another reason why Phoenix real estate is a smart investment is that the population here is growing rapidly as the economy diversifies. You will find people moving here because of the great job opportunities in government, the research being done at Arizona State University, and the many high-tech and telecom companies that have moved to the area. All About Phoenix

Investors focus on Phoenix real estate because the geography and natural habitats draw many people to live in Phoenix due to its proximity to several beautiful parks.; Places like Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park with its botanical collection, the famed Desert Botanical Garden in Papago Park in Phoenix, the 16,500 acre South Mountain Park and others draw new residents to Phoenix on a regular basis

Sports fans use their love of their favorite games as an important reason for moving to Phoenix, and this brings more home buyers to the area. Phoenix is proud to be called home for the Cardinals football team, the Diamondbacks major league baseball team, the Phoenix Suns NBA and the Phoenix Mercury Women's NBA teams, as well as the Phoenix Coyotes ice hockey and Arizona Sting lacrosse teams.; Major league baseball teams, nine in number, also conduct spring training in Phoenix, and this is another draw that brings sports enthusiasts to the area to buy homes.
All About Phoenix

Golfers from around the world come to Phoenix to golf during its 320 days per year of sun, and many dream of buying Phoenix real estate so that they can enjoy golfing here on a permanent basis.; You will find famous courses such as the Arizona Biltmore-Adobe Course, The Legend at Arrowhead Golf Resort designed by Arnold Palmer, and the Superstition Springs Golf Club that has been a PGA Tour qualifying site are big reasons why golfing enthusiasts move to Phoenix
The Legacy Golf Resort
Talking Stick Golf Club (South)
Whirlwind Golf Club (Devil's Claw)
Estrella Mountain Ranch Golf Club

As a Experienced Real estate professionals in Phoenix I can help you understand the local market conditions, as well as help you analyze the information in Phoenix Housing Sales Reports so that you can make smart investment choices in Phoenix. I work with investors and an happy to provide you with references. 100% of the investors I have worked with in the past have returned in 2009 to once more invest in the Phoenix market. Please e-mail or call linda Wieczorek 602-391-8246.

Invest in Phoenix Real Estate