I don’t know if you heard, but the Basha’s at the SW corner of 7th Ave and Osborn may be going away.

For years I’ve felt that the historic supermarket could be so much more. I support local and even I have found it difficult to shop there. The selection is small because the square footage is too.

But, according to this letter to neighbors, developers Trammel Crow are proposing mixed-use in-fill. From the looks of it, it does not include a renovated Basha’s. That’s sad. I think that Basha’s has a place in Arizona history and its future downtown.

But the company has been struggling in recent years and perhaps this is what they have to do.

Anyhoo, they are hosting an open house on November 2nd from 5:30 to 6:30 at Phoenix College, OSW Building Room 105.  This will be a big change to the landscape in this area. So, have a look if you are interested. See the letter linked above for more contact info and details.

Do you have an event that you’d like us to announce in our newsletter under the community news section? We are always looking for interesting news. Shoot us an email at ken@getyourphx.com and let us know.

From time to time, we get the chance to tour something really special. Something that very few people get to see. Such is the case with the October Get Your PHX. On October 20th we will be at the ASU Collaboratory at the Westward Ho.

But if that were not enough, we have an extra special treat. We will follow that guided tour with a visit to the much-anticipated SoSoBa noodle shop on Roosevelt and 2nd Ave.

First, the first part of our tour.

We all know the iconic former resort at Central and McKinley. For several decades the Westward Ho was THE premium resort in Phoenix, and was the site of visits from former presidents, stars of stage and screen, and countless tourists.

For so many years its been off limits –a closed-up like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory in our city core.

That’s because its been a home for about 300 low income elderly residents for decades and the staff have been been particularly guarded of their privacy.

As a result, the many space and rooms on the ground floor have been off limits to the general public.

But now that is changing, with a unique collaboration with ASU and Cathedral Development Group, the company that holds the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) contract to house its residents. There is about 15,000 square feet of clinic, office space and event space at the bottom of the Westward Ho, situated such as not to disturb the tenants.

We will get a tour from Michael Shafer, director of the ASU Center for Applied Behavioral Health Policy in the College of Public Service and Community Solutions. The new clinic and space will give tenants access to health care which staff hopes will improve their quality of life, allow ASU students hands-on experience and reduce the large number of 911 calls that have plagued the building.

This property uplift was collaboration costing ASU and Cathedral about $16 million, including plumbing, appliance and energy efficiency upgrades in each unit.

Then, after we’ve toured the Collaboratory, we will mosey up to SoSoBa, on Roosevelt, where owner Tyler Christensen will have some specials and menu samples for us.

If you’ve never heard of SoSoBa, you are going to be glad you join us this month. I’m a fan of the one in Flagstaff and I’m excited to have one down the street from my home here in Phoenix.

Of the inspiration for SoSoBa, Christensen says this is, “not the standard ‘traditional’ ramen shop. This is a full-service restaurant serving uniquely inspired noodle dishes, craft cocktails, beer, wine, and sake.”

“There is no such thing as traditional ramen. There is, however, regional styles of Ramen depending on where and by whom it is made.  Each ‘prefecture‘ in Japan has their own unique and delicious style of Ramen.  Even within a prefecture, there are vendor-specific interpretations of regional Ramen dishes.”

So, this gives Christensen license to innovate and explore new things.

He has reserved the entire outdoor patio for us, which is a special treat in the perfect October Phoenix weather.

I can’t wait!

———

When: Oct 20th at 5:30.
Where: ASU Collaboratory.
Central and Fillmore.
More: We will move to Sosoba at about 6:30 for treats, etc.
Please note that you will probably want to park on the street or paid lot on the east side of Central.
Please get your free ticket here.

Just in the last 4-5 weeks we found ourselves swamped: listings, buyers, lots of activity.

Something about the impending cooler weather gets people’s juices flowing.

That activity is born out in what the Big Brains™ at the Cromford Report are seeing in their tea leaves.

“For the monthly period ending September 15, we are currently recording a sales $/SF of $139.28 averaged for all areas and types across the ARMLS database. This is up 1.1% from the $137.83 we now measure for August 15.”

6-month moving averages for price per square foot for the areas of CenPho which contain most of the historic and downtown neighborhoods. No wild swings here.

It is interesting to note that, despite the strong seller’s market, the active list prices are still a little bit above the final sold price. “On September 15 the pending listings for all areas & types shows an average list $/SF of $146.50, up 0.6% from the reading for August 15.”

That means that properties sold for about 6% less (in PPSF) than what they were listed for. That’s expected as people negotiate prices. Further, these numbers are from all areas. So, you may not see that drop off everywhere.

That’s good news for buyers. Even in this strong market, it does not hurt (unless you know there are other offers coming in) for you to try to slice a little off that price.

Its also interesting to see that the distressed sector of the market is back to pre-recession levels. “Among those pending listings we have 92.4% normal, 2.8% in REOs and 4.8% in short sales and pre-foreclosures.”

In other words, no, there really are not many distressed properties out there anymore –he says for the benefit of those who call him every few weeks asking if they can find a foreclosure to purchase for half the going market rate for homes.

Same historic and CenPho zip codes, 3-month moving average.

The Crazy Cromford Calc Crew™ is predicting slightly higher prices still in October. “Our mid-point forecast for the average monthly sales $/SF on October 15 is $140.36, which is 0.8% above the September 15 reading. We have a 90% confidence that it will fall within ± 2% of this mid point, i.e. in the range $138.27 to $143.91.”

Again, this is county-wide. It could be higher or lower, depending on the area.

The nice thing is, dear reader, that your Get Your PHX Team really knows the neighborhoods. So, we can help you take advantage of these trends, regardless of whether you are buying or selling.

Contact us for more at 602-456-9388.

Don’t you hate it when people start talking about the holidays in October?

Well, hate away, because here we go (with our apologies).

Our friends at Going Green House have some tips for you, which I think you can also apply to preparing to list your home.

Fall is finally here and the holidays are approaching fast. Before you know it you’ll be scrambling to get every thing in order before your houseguests arrive.

To take some of the stress off this holiday madness, it’s beneficial to be proactive about cleaning your home.

You know. Plan ahead. The thing we all find difficult to do in our hectic lives. But you can break up the task with a pre-holiday deep clean—hitting all those areas that you don’t typically get to during your regular maintenance cleanings.

That way, you won’t have to worry that your mother-in-law is judging you for those cobwebs growing in the corner.

To help get you started, here is a list of deep cleaning items to add to your pre-holiday prepping:

Kitchen

• Wipe down all kitchen cabinets and drawers free of dust, fingerprints, food and drink splatter
• Clean inside the oven and make sure to clean the range top, face, and hood
• Clean inside microwave
• Wipe off any dirty knobs, light switches, outlets, and windowsills
• Dust or wipe clean light fixtures and blinds
• Use a vacuum extension or duster to get rid of any cobwebs near the ceiling

Bathroom

• Wipe down fronts of all cabinets and drawers and any shelving with damp rag
• Dust or wipe clean light fixtures and blinds
• Wipe all baseboards, door frames, and light switches
• Wipe all bathroom fixtures, including towel and toilet paper holders
• Don’t forget the base of your toilet!

Main Living Areas

• Dust or wipe clean all blinds and windowsills
• Use a Swiffer duster or damp rag to wipe all fan blades and light fixtures
• Wipe clean all baseboards, doors, and door frames
• Clean any dirty or dusty light switches and outlets
• Use a vacuum extension or Swiffer duster to get rid of cobwebs hiding in the corners
• Clean all sliding glass or entryway doors, making sure to wipe the threshold
• When dusting furniture, use a damp rag in order to collect more dust and prevent settling
• Vacuum all couches and upholstered furniture free of pet hair, dust, and crumbs

April Prothero of Going Green House

This may seem overwhelming to add to your regular cleaning routine at first, but if you get started now, you’ll be a lot less stressed about having a sparkling house when the holiday craziness reaches its peak, or when you are about to list your home.

And of course, if you already have a lot on your plate, April Prothero and the Going Greenhouse crew would be happy to help alleviate the stress. Call her at (602) 476-9321.

If this tip is helpful, or if you need more advice on getting ready to list your home, contact the Get Your PHX Team at 602-456-9388.

Have you ever come home to find to find a post card that says “We’ll buy your house.”?

It often looks a lot like this. More recently, the design has improved, making it look like a well-established real estate investment firm has identified your house specifically –rather than by computer algorithm.

They are funny, if it weren’t for the fact that they represent such a loss for home sellers.

They almost always include some text talking about how great your house is, even though the author has probably never seen your home.

They always promise to purchase your home for cash, quickly. Sometimes they tell you that this is a limited time offer because the buyer “has other possible investments.”

So, like any scam, it has the complement, the enticement and the deadline.

Don’t be fooled. More likely than not, the people sending this to you can buy many homes and you don’t need to respond by any deadline.

Similar to this deal are the companies that tell you they can help you sell your home “as a For Sale By Owner” (FSBO), thus saving you money on commissions. Don’t buy it!

But, more importantly, these ads are more likely to lose you money, and maybe more.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

1. Watch the ball! The promise is that you will make more money for your house when you “don’t have to give away 6% to realtors.” But, bear in mind that often times these investors offer you much less than you would “lose” by hiring a realtor.

2.  With a realtor you have somebody knowledgeable in the market who is contractually-obligated to protect your interests. Whereas these “investors” give you an offer and claim that it saves you the cost of paying an agent (6% usually), what they don’t tell you is that you probably could have brought in much more than that 6% or so by having an agent who knows the local market and knows how to do comparables.

3. Fees, fees, fees! Often there are fees that exceed what you would have paid a realtor. This is similar with the FSBO companies. I spoke to one person recently who was thinking of selling a home like this. He said that he was avoiding commissions and that he would not have to worry about doing any repairs. I asked him what fees they were charging and he replied “12%.”My jaw dropped and he explained that this was okay because he would not have to spend any money cleaning up the house or preparing for sale. I could see in his face change as I walked through the numbers for him. “On a $300,000 house, the difference between the 6% commission and the 12% fee is much, much more than you would ever need to hire a team of people to clean your house for you and make minor repairs. You could save thousands of dollars. What could you do with an extra $3,000 or $4,000?”

He is reconsidering that decision.

4. Realtors are licensed professionals for a reason. Its easy to think that realtors just list homes and drive around in expensive cars. But that’s not the reality (says the guy with the 2007 Prius with 170,000 miles on it). We are required to take 24 hours of continuing education every two years and we are liable for mistakes that we make. This is important when you consider things like disclosures. What happens if you don’t disclose something properly when you sell a house as a FSBO? You could find yourself in court, costing much more than you thought you would save.

If you have been tempted by the FSBO pitch or the “We buy houses” pitch, we are more than happy to analyze their offer for you. No cost. If I’m wrong and you could do better selling those ways, I’m happy to admit it. But if I’m right, please consider allow us to make a listing presentation to explain what do to sell your home.

Call us at 602-456-9388 for more.

Emerging Leaders and DeSoto Central Market bring you this year’s 7 Chef Series event, “Rock Out!” Enjoy 80’s rock-inspired menu items prepared by more than fifteen of the Valley’s top chefs and mixologists, and rock out to live music and entertainment all night!

Proceeds from the 7 Chef Series Rock Out! benefit Phoenix Children’s Hospital and the Condition Critical campaign to build a new Emergency Department and Level 1 Trauma Center.

Rock Out! takes place on Saturday, October 15th from 7pm-10pm at DeSoto Central Market, with an “Encore” After Party to follow. Tickets include all you can eat food and cocktail tastings, two drink tickets, music from DJ Mr. Phoenix, a live 80’s cover band and one raffle ticket for a chance to win some incredible prizes- including your very own Fender electric guitar!

So, basically, I’m gonna have to go run about 10 miles and swim another 3 to off-set the calories I’m gonna inhale at this event.

But what a great time to start enjoying the beautiful Phoenix evening weather.

And, of course, the question is: if you could name a dish after a 90s rock song, what would it be? Frankly, I’m stumped. I can’t think of what combination of foods would warrant being named after “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears.

Don’t sell that house without reading this little bit of advice for the month from our friends at Going Green House cleaning services.

I always feel embarrassed for the seller when I take clients in to see a house and they open the microwave only to see what looks the remains of a pitched battle between hot pockets and day-old apple pie.

But, its almost worse to have a lingering chemical smell, which often barely covers up the aforementioned battle scene.

So, from our friends at Going Green House, here a tip for a natural and efficient way to clean microwaves and refrigerators

You may think you need a heavy duty cleaner to get all that stuck on food to come off, all it takes is some natural ingredients you probably already have lying around the house: VINEGAR, LEMON JUICE, AND WATER!

Who knew?   Here’s how you do it.

1. Grab a microwaveable bowl and fill with a cup of water
2. Add about ½ cup vinegar and a couple tablespoons of lemon juice
3. Place the mixture in your microwave and heat for about 3-4 minutes
4. Once the cycle is through, let stand for 5 minutes inside the microwave
5. Take a towel and easily wipe clean!

Lemon is a natural cleaner and the vinegar and steam help to loosen any tough, stuck-on grime. No harsh chemicals needed.

If you happen to have some extra stubborn spots, just dip the towel into the mixture and wipe again, or use a toothbrush to get into those tricky corners. It’s as easy as that.

Now with all the extra time you saved, you can do the fridge.

Cleaning and deodorizing your fridge can be easy and chemical-free as well. All you need is…you guessed it–vinegar, lemon juice (or lemon essential oil) and water!

1. Take 2 cups hot water, 1 cup vinegar, and 10 drops of lemon and combine them into a spray bottle.
2. Use this mixture to spray down the inside of your fridge and wipe clean with a cloth.

No more worrying about carcinogenic chemicals in the same place you eat. Simple ingredients, but strong, NATURAL cleaning power.

If this tip has helped you get your house ready to sell, or if you have feedback, please let them know at info@goinggreenhouse.com.

And, as always, if you have questions about buying or selling home contact the Get Your PHX Team at 602-456-9388.

The Local First Fall Festival is taking applications for vendors now.

We like to drop by every year. The Local First Fall Festival has food, gifts, services and a beer garden.

You had me at beer garden.

It happens this year on November 5th and they are expanding. In previous years, they located in the little strip of land at Portland and Central. This year, they are taking over Margaret T. Hance Park.

So, I think that means they will expand their footprint a bit. It will be nice to have a little more space between the vendors so I can stop at more without worrying that I’m in anybody’s way.

From what we hear, the organizers are now taking applications for vendors. Check in with the Local First Festival here.

Applications for Phoestivus Vendors are now being accepted. It seems like every year the slots are gone in a week or so, then somebody comes to us in late November wondering why they can’t be a vendor.

Yep. Its a popular event, so please share this with your friends who’ve always wanted to sell their locally-made goods at Phoestivus.

Phoestivus at the Phoenix Public Market will be returning once again for two fun evenings of holiday cheer on Thursday, December 8 and 15, 2016 from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm.

Shop local at Phoestivus this Holiday Season when selecting holiday gifts or preparing holiday meals! Attendees will have the opportunity to shop over 130 local vendors, showcasing a unique variety of locally grown, produced and prepared foods as well as hand-crafted gift items, jewelry and holiday decorations made by local artisans.

Interested in being a vendor? APPLY HERE

Applicants will be notified by October 15th.

Until then, please be patient to hear back from us.

The event is hosted by Get Your PHX and the Phoenix Public Market, a program of Community Food Connections. This is an all ages event. As always we offer free parking just north of our market. Bike on over or hop on the light rail, accessible via the Roosevelt light rail stop.  Find us on facebook or instagram to stay up to date on who is coming to Phoestivus!