This weekend marks the 11th annual M7 Street Fair. The fair and  classic car show features indie crafts, live music, food, cool cars, shopping, vintage trailers and fun for kids in Downtown Phoenix.

Every street fair that we have, every open market goes to building a better downtown. You just don’t get this sense of community in pre-planned developments. I’m just sayin’.

The first fair was 11 years ago, when local vendors partnered up with the School of Architecture at ASU to revitalize phoenix and a deteriorating Melrose Curve. The merchants received grant money from the City of Phoenix Neighborhood Fight Back Program and with the support of the surrounding neighborhoods, the Melrose District began to rebound.  One year after the Seventh Avenue Merchants Association incorporated, they held a “street fair” to commemorate the building of the first lighted canopies on Seventh Avenue.

Just over a decade later, what started as a 6 vendor street fair has grown into a highly anticipated family event with over 140 booths, food, live music, over 200 classic cars, and almost 18,000+ visitors

Its happening this weekend, March 3, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 7th and W. Glenrosa Avenues

We’ll you there! I’ll be out there with Ru visiting the booths and all that fun stuff.

As an Phoenix home seller, you might be wondering if you should put your home on the market or wait till Spring, which is not all that far away.

Of course, given what is has happened in pricing in the past month, waiting on the sidelines to make your move after the last of the market slump is played out seems like a pretty smart strategy. But while you’re laser focused on the idea that home prices may bubble again, which you may well be right about,  you know that buyers are likely to be more conservative this time around.

As you can see, the number of homes available has dropped significantly in the past year, but the buyers haven’t gone anywhere. So the time is now! The best reason there is to sell now is to buy a better house within your price range while those prices are still low. This is called “trading up”. You may not get what you want from the house you sell in a low market, but you will more than make up for it by buying your newer home in that same low market.

If you’re a home Seller and are serious about selling your home don’t wait! Remember to price it right, have it staged to sell and make your home easily accessible to prospective buyers!

And as always, contact me ken@getyourphx.com or at 602-456-9388

Did you know 40% of single family and condo sales in Greater Phoenix in January were cash purchases. Now, I’m not talking about sacks or briefcases full of cash, but people are buying homes outright and their are some benefits.

• Psychologically,  there is a big benefit in knowing that you own your house free and clear. You also free up quite a bit of income because you will have no rent or mortgage.
• Buying a house with cash means that if the value of the home goes down by 10% then the money you put in also goes down by 10%. The most you can lose is the amount of money you put in. In the case of a 20% down mortgage, if the house’s value goes down 10% then you lose 50% of the money you put in because of leverage.
• When you have the cash to pay for the full amount of a house, it means that there will be no contingencies on getting a loan and the amount of time needed to close a deal is shorter. This generally gives you the buyer more negotiating power for a discount on the price of the home, and with the number of homes on the market quickly drops timing is everything.

But is it for you? Well there’s no tax advantage. But if the amount of cash you spend does not consist of a significant portion of your liquid assets and the amount of savings you get from an all cash deal versus a loan deal is significant, cash might be for you. In other words, you might be earning more money on your investment in a house than other investments.

Now, I’m not a financial advisor and I suggest you speak with one before you purchase a home. But if you want to know more about the market, please give me a call at 602-456-9388.

The following is an Op Ed piece from Kimber Lanning Published in the Downtown Phoenix Journal.

I really encourage y’all to read this and share it. Kimber is leading the discussion about how we need to protect our local businesses and how we need to reform our out-dated tax structure. The more we let on-line retailers get away without paying their fair share, the more we shift the tax burden to you and me.

Please read and share!!

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We are surrounded by small businesses in Downtown Phoenix, and we know much of Downtown’s success rests on the shoulders of these business owners. As we survey the current economic climate, it is critical to understand the impact a national retailer can have on the health of our local economy. Kimber Lanning, founder and executive director of Local First Arizona, provides insight on the ramifications of the current sales tax impasse between the State of Arizona and Amazon.

Last week at the Arizona State Senate subcommittee hearing Don Isaacson, the lead attorney for Amazon, took the podium to make the case that economies change over time. “We all remember the days of mom and pops,” he said, “and then there were the days of the big box retailers….” I surmise this to be a very honest glimpse into the world vision Amazon holds, but what does it mean for Arizona?

For the moment, let’s forget the fact that there are over 40,000 independent businesses operating in Arizona today, with a payroll of around 21 billion per year, and let’s focus on our state’s economy and what would be left of it if Amazon’s vision becomes reality.

Read the rest of the story here.

Arizona is a beautiful place full of fantastic neighborhoods and if you’re moving here, you’ll probably need a little help deciding what community is right for you.

Jeannie Bolger and I have created a guide for new home buyers with links for information about schools and attractions for different parts of the valley.

This guide will be really handy for people moving in to phoenix neighborhoods or for companies to have on hand for their employees.

If you know of somebody thinking to move to Phoenix, or a company that is expanding in Arizona, please share this resource with them.

Download it here and keep it on hand in your office. Ken Clark’s Relocation Guide

Of course, Jeannie and I are just a phone call away if you need anything.

Credit can be confusing. It’s this strange, omnipresent score board of your financial decisions that determines whether you’re a smart financial risk for lenders. But don’t worry. Having a little knowledge on your side will make sure that you’re putting your best foot forward when it comes to raising your credit score.

Did you know that the credit score you may have purchased from one credit bureau isn’t necessarily the one that your mortgage lender, credit card issuer or auto loan originator will see? There are several different credit scores, even within the same credit bureau. Each of the three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) has its own proprietary credit score. 

Luckily, a few years ago Congress required that each of these three agencies to provide you with a free copy of your credit score once a year. Call 1.877.3322.8228 or visit their website to get your score. Hint: they will try to get you to pay for your score, but don’t buy that line. As a lender told me once, the most accurate scores you get when you buy a house are the ones the lender pulls as these are a good indicator of where you are.

Sick of getting preapproved credit cards. You can tell the credit bureau to stop selling your credit information by calling 888.567.8622

Speaking of credit cards, your credit score can be negatively impacted by a late credit card or loan payment, but it can also be affected by less obvious actions. If you close an old credit card account, you’ll reduce your available credit and shorten the length of your credit history, which can negatively affect your credit score. Additionally, applying for new credit can be beneficial to your credit score, but it can also decrease your credit score due to a hard inquiry. Make sure to keep your current credit balance less than 35% of your overall limit

Secure credit cards are a great way to build you credit because you deposit what you spend in advance. Just make sure they report to all three credit bureaus. MidFirst Bank is a great local option for these cards.

Please call Jeannie Bolger, Sr. Loan Officer for more information.

Or call me for more information about the market: 602-456-9388.

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Well, yes we’re well on our way to 100 years old, and as Arizonans we need to admire the past while we look towards the future.

Over the last 50 years, Phoenix has grown exponentially bringing on many economic, environmental, and social challenges. To cope with our growth, we need to constantly be looking for ways to innovate, maximizing resources and minimizing waste, while making the city more livable. Lower Grand Avenue is brimming with potential and possibilities

The City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation department along with several other government groups and community organizations, including the Grand Avenue Merchants Association, has been chosen by the  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Greening America’s Capital program are  to develop a revitalization concept for Lower Grand Avenue. And you’re invited!

A local consultant group, Plan-et has been hired and will hold a three day design workshop with the community to help re-imagine I-10 overpass to Van Buren Street/7th Avenue. Lyssa Hall, Landscape Architect for the Parks and Recreation Department, said that the “architectural assets of grand ave” make the area a perfect spot to incorporate “realistic revitalization goals, working with whats already there, so people can enjoy Grand Ave.”

The 3 day workshop will include strong community involvement to find short and long term reachable goals for the area.

Lyssa expects between 50-70 members of the community to join them for the event, but she wants you ALL there in hopes of inviting political and partnership interest.  The event is February 28th, 29th, March 1st so mark your calenders and look out for more info from the city of Phoenix.

Kick off Meeting: 6 – 8 p.m. on Feb. 28
Public Open Houses: 6 – 8 p.m. on Feb. 29
Open Studio: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Feb 28 through March 1

I see it more and more everyday. The housing inventory in Phoenix is shrinking and buyers are looking to make offers and get approved as quickly as possible. But for new or first time home buyers the steps to approval can be foreign and slow down the process, which is the last thing you want in this market.

But have no fear! Jeannie’s here!

It’s important as a home buyer to get pre-approval to expedite the process. In short: you want to have a pre-approval letter in hand before you even step foot in a potential home.

Now don’t get confused between pre-qualification and pre-approval.

A mortgage loan pre-qualification is simply an estimate of how much house you can afford and how much money a lender would be willing to loan you. This can be done over the phone in 10-15 minutes by providing information on your income, assets, debts, and a potential down payment amount.

A pre-approval takes more time, but can be just as easy. Getting pre-approved means that you have a tentative commitment from a specific lender for mortgage funding. You provide a home loan lender  with all that fun financial information you probably keep in a drawer in your house (tax returns, pay stubs, assets, debts, etc.) They will run a credit check and work to verify all your employment and financial information. Jeannie can take care of this with you in about an hour in her office.

In the house-buying process, the benefit of being pre-qualified or pre-approved is twofold. Not only do you have the added comfort of knowing what you can afford, the seller may also accept your offer over another if you are pre-approved and the other party is not.

So what are you waiting for?! Please call Jeannie Bolger, Sr. Loan Officer for more information.

Or call me for more information about the market: 602-456-9388.

These piñatas are for viewing not for whacking. Let’s just get that out of the way first.

Otherwise, attention artists, non-artist, children, adults, people who love candy, and community members at large! The annual Mutant Piñata Show is back and I encourage all of you to enter your best piñata for the ultimate grand prize of having your work displayed to the local Phoenix community to view. The Bragg’s Pie Factory is hosting the ever so popular annul Mutant Piñata Show for the 5^th year now.

This exhibit is to display the creativity that lies within Phoenix; the exhibit will be comprised of whimsical and wacky piñatas created by locals. If your work is sold, you will receive 70% of the purchase price. Come down to the Bragg’s Pie Factory the first and third Friday of March and April to see this vivid spectacle for yourself, the best part is there is absolutely no entry cost so the more the merrier. Last year there were over 100 entries and the Bragg’s Pie Factory is hoping to exceed that number this year.

All entries must be in by March 1^st, 2012 so start getting in touch with your inner piñata artist and spreading the word to your friends and family.