The August Events is all about being inside. Unless you can get out of the state or can survive the I-17 parking lot on a Friday, you are probably stuck inside. Let’s make the most of it.

Australia’s Great Wild North at the Arizona Science Center. Far Northern Australia is a land of extremes. Huge bushfires ravage the ancient landscape in the dry season and the world’s biggest thunderstorms bring torrential rain and flooding in the wet season. These almost Jurassic conditions have created some of the richest wetlands on Earth as a result. The coast, rivers and waterholes are haunted by sharks. The plains are guarded by territorial buffalo and venomous snakes, but the apex predator here is a living dinosaur: the Saltwater Crocodile. They have been on the planet in almost identical form for 200 million years—even surviving the meteor strike that wiped out the rest of the dinosaurs. Daily 12:00 PM & 2:00 PM. Weekends also 1:00 PM.

Storytime In the Galleries at the Phoenix Art Museum. Share the joy of early literacy and art-inspired play with our youngest Museum visitors. Families and friends are invited for a special reading of I am Native by award-winning author Violet Duncan (Cree and Taino).

Experience a glimpse into the beautiful world of a multigenerational Native family and discover how customs are shared in traditional and modern ways. 

Poetic Soul Phoenix at Club Downtown. I’ve always loved the number of opportunities to hear live story telling in Phoenix. I’m not so much of a poetry person.

But, the more of this we see, the better off we are. Here is new collaborative arts & culture experience. Welcoming all poets, singers, emcees, comedians, storytellers, etc. $12 – $15.

Local First AZ Fall Fest is Accepting Applications. If you are thinking you’d like to be a vendor at this huge annual event, here’s where to start. We all love this event, as it signals the glorious cooler day in Phoenix. We all come crawling out of our homes after hiding from the heat, blinking at the now-tolerable sun. This is such a great opportunity to see friends again, not just after the summer, but as we all return to normal after the pandemic-which-shall-not-be-named.

Foam Zone at the Children’s Museum of Phoenix. Cool off in the Foam Zone! Pro Tip: Bring a change of clothes and a towel for your child. Playing in the Foam Zone is a fully immersive activity. Depending on their level of participation, your little one might end up dripping wet. Foam play is FREE with paid Museum admission of $16 per person. Members and children under the age of 1 are free. Daily. So, um, question from here in the back of the class. Why don’t we have one of these for adults? Sounds amazing!

Masters of the Universe Featuring All Puppet Players at the Orpheum. If you know APP, you know APP, and you will probably go to this. The All Puppet Players invite you to enjoy a movie “classic” with them as they bring their fuzzy lunacy to the most beautiful theater in Arizona. Join the R-rated puppets as they celebrate the 35-year anniversary of Masters of the Universe starring Dolph Lundgren, Frank Langella, and Monica Geller. Watch this crazy cult classic with puppets as they scream at the screen, crack jokes, and basically question why this movie sits at 19% on Rotten Tomatoes! WARNING: NO ONE under 17 years old (valid ID required) will be permitted into shows. NO EXCEPTIONS. All Puppet Players shows are for mature audiences with exceedingly immature tastes. $16.

The Three Little Pigs at the Great Arizona Puppet Theatre. So, after you’ve had your fill of the adult-oriented puppets from All Puppet Players, you can redeem yourself as a good parent by taking your young kids to see this presentation in the historic puppet theatre building. Just don’t expect to take a beer in to this show with you. I think they’d frown upon that. The big bad wolf and three little pigs are delightful to watch in this classic story told with large rod puppets and lots of fun music. $8 – $12.

Understanding the Numbers with Local First, Friday August 12th. Google Analytics is probably one of the most important components of a successful marketing strategy. Why? Because Google Analytics provides an unbiased review of the numbers. In this class, you will learn how much traffic is coming to your site, how to measure the success of your advertising efforts, how to set conversion goals, and so much more!

I’ve been trying to find a better way to offset my carbon for a few years now. You can see my recent attempt here, and my lessons learned here.

So, that attempt did not turn out so well, but not for lack of trying. I was more annoyed with how the Arbor Day Foundation did (or didn’t) use my contribution.

But, I’m ready to start again. It’s a new day.

And, if you are looking for relatively easy ways to take action on climate change, and also see where your contribution goes, then you might want to try Wren. Read this description or this blog on how it works.

To be fair, I’m just trying it now. So, I’ll report back to you if you don’t feel like being an early adopter on this one.

Parenthetically, I can report positive results from my adoption of Ecosia to direct internet ad revenues to tree planting. It was easy to set up and runs silently in the background as I do my work.

Let’s start at the beginning. Using Wren’s simple-to-use carbon calculator, I found that I use about 18 tons of carbon each year. This was shy of the 20 tons that Arbor Day calculated for me.

In both cases, it seems high to me. I don’t drive as much as average Americans, I limit meat consumption and I have solar panels. But, that’s the point of this exercise. I don’t think many of us realize how much carbon we really contribute to the problem.

Regardless, let’s assume this is off and I only consume 15 tons. That’s still twice the UK average; a place with a standard of living I’d be happy to endure.

This exercise is reinforcing my plans later this year to replace my old A/C & heater unit with a new, high efficient A/C + heat pump, to replace my gas stove with an induction stove and to exchange my old fridge with a new Energy Star refrigerator.

But, in addition to that (and voting for climate-friendly candidates), I can also contribute to carbon offset directly.

The problem I had with Arbor Day was that (1) I did not trust that they spent the money I sent them; (2) I sent them a big check all at once, which hurt; and (2) they sent me tons of paper junk mail made from, you know, trees.

What I like about Wren is that they give me regular updates on the projects they fund with my monthly contribution.

One draw-back: Wren is not a 501c3. It is a Public Benefits Corporation (PBC), if that matters to you. Frankly, as long as I see results, and don’t find that they over-pay their executives, I’m cool with it.

I choose the $38/mo. option, since that seems doable.

So, anyway, if you’d like to try, go through my referral link here. Wren plants 10 native trees for each referral I make.

Donna Reiner has written many articles over the years for the Arizona Republic and others about Phoenix history and memorials.  She is a regular contributor to our newsletter. This month, Donna tells us why fire hydrants –something you’d think is about as mundane as buttered white bread– really tell a story about urban growth and how people’s thinking about fire prevention and water use has changed since Phoenix was founded.

Infrastructure is NOT a ho-hum topic. Certainly, it is not a common topic for mealtime discussions, nor probably the old water cooler chats. But imagine, what life would be like if we did not have the infrastructure that we have today?

I recently bumped up against an older form of infrastructure when a septic tank was discovered in my backyard. My subdivision had been platted in 1921 and is located less than a mile north of McDowell Road and Seventh Street, but I couldn’t picture that this area was without sewer hookup at that time (although there was no mention of that in the original ads). And I have no idea if it was ever used. Now it is filled with concrete.

So why is infrastructure so interesting to this historian and other people like me? I’m sure that you can guess that we find the stories associated with it so intriguing. And certainly there are some aha moments.

But now for the story of a dog’s best friend: the ubiquitous fire hydrant! In Phoenix, they are painted a bright yellow and usually found near an intersection. And if you remember the state’s driving codes, you are not supposed to park closer than 15 feet from one. But what is the background on these hydrants?

A laborious search through old newspapers revealed what we might consider to be silly mentions. In 1896, one article cited an order of a fire hydrant for the corner of Fourth and Taylor streets and another indicated a special city council meeting regarding the placement of a hydrant at Van Buren and Third Streets (it was considered urgent business!) And believe it or not, there is still a hydrant on that southeast corner!

The Arizona Republican even posted the expenditures for hydrant rental and repairs. This was important information, but renting hydrants? What was that all about? Further research answered those questions. It seems that the water works system at the time was privately owned and therefore had a contract to furnish a set number of hydrants for a fee, of course. After careful analysis when the contract came up for renewal, the city eventually took over the water system and ended that obligation. Whew….all those behind the scenes discussions which changed the course of our city’s operations.

But imagine, in 1910, every summer night the street department would hose down the dirt streets in the business district using those hydrants in order to keep down the dust! Actually, the department used city jail prisoners to do the hosing all night to complete the task.

But never fear, by 1912, the city was adding hydrants on diagonal corners in the business sector for added protection and also placing hydrants in “remote” residential districts. As the municipal water system expanded and upgraded because Phoenix was growing, more hydrants were added to the system. Interestingly, their placement has for the most part remained constant even with the addition of new hydrants.

If you have a dog, you know how much they love those hydrants. We humans generally take them for granted.

When I say “a balanced market”, you might think of a tranquil lake with slight ripples splashed with moonlight.

Or, maybe not. I mean, that was really specific

But, what we mean by “balanced market” has more to do with the buyers’ and sellers’ relative advantage.

Where things stand now, the Cromford Index is hovering right around 100 –the point at which neither seller nor buyer have an advantage. If it continues to drop below 100, watch for price reductions in order to sell a home.

In other words, if you are thinking of selling, do so now or wait for another 18 months to a year for the market to recover.

If you are a buyer, you now have so many more options for homes. You are not in a market where you can offer 10% less and the seller will accept your offer with a smile and a home-made banana nut muffin.

But, seriously, have a look at this graphic snapshot of July. The number of active listings is up 159% from this month last year — the majority of this climb in just the last few months.

Here’s what the data nerds over at the Cromford Report have to say about where we are:

For Buyers

“Welcome to a balanced market, how quickly the tables have turned! While seller markets are ideal for the not-so-perfect home, balanced markets are ideal for the not-so-perfect buyer.

This means that buyers who have been recently rejected due to lower down payments, non-conventional financing, or need for closing cost assistance will find sellers are now willing to work with them in this new environment.”

For Sellers

“The proverbial ‘Dump Your Junk’ season is over, that loving phrase the industry uses when demand is significantly higher than supply and even the smelliest dilapidated property gets multiple offers over asking price. That is no longer the case as of this writing. Get ready for longer marketing times, multiple price reductions, Realtor® tours, price opinions, staging, repairs, seller-paid closing costs and price negotiations. The extreme seller market is over.

It’s no surprise that the market has been shifting since February, with the primary influence being large mortgage rate increases. However, over the past 6 weeks mortgage rates have been particularly volatile, fluctuating from 5.1% to 5.8% within 3 weeks only to drop to 5.3% over the next 2 weeks, and then back up to 5.8% a week later. History tells us that buyers do not like sharp, rapid fluctuations in mortgage rates. It causes buying activity to freeze until a level of stability and certainty can be achieved. This market is no different, contract activity has dropped 28% in the last 6 weeks. The number of listings under contract at this time of year should be around 10,000, putting today’s count of 8,680 well below normal.”

In just the last week I’ve planted 24 trees, simply by switching my search engine to Ecosia. Seems crazy, but you can plant trees while you search the web to see what your high school sweetheart is up to or when you search for the menu at the new swanky restaurant downtown.

And, folks. We need to plant a lot of trees if we are going to mitigate climate change. Like billions and billions.

It is not the only solution. We all can do more to buy less junk, support policies that encourage green energy or choose energy efficiency.

After all, we’ve de-forested a third of the planet over the last 100 years, and more than that in the United States, alone.

We need the help of those luscious green carbon munchers to soaking up the extra CO2 we humans have let in to the atmosphere.

This short video will explain how it works. In a nutshell, Ecosia takes the pennies earned from millions of web searches, which would otherwise go to web marketing companies, and they purchase & plant trees with partners all over the world.

You load the app in to your browser and it tracks it for you. They have a counter under the search bar that tracks the millions of trees they’ve already planted.

The key in a plan like this, of course, is to make certain the trees are planted in areas where they will actually grow and, hopefully, contribute to stabilizing the soil and supporting reforestation. The Ecosia team has relationships all over the world to make certain this is done, and done right.

I heard about it and figured, “Heck. I’ve run out of room in my yard for trees. Might as well.”

Please join me on July 13th to meet the RCV team — the amazing people behind an effort to bring Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) to Arizona.

Please RSVP at this link. It is being held at The Grand in downtown Phoenix. If you’ve never been to this bar/coffee shop, you are missing out. The owner used to be a set designer for Andy Warhol, and it shows in the beautifully eccentric choices he makes.

You know me. I’m always talking about reforms that could make our great country even more responsive to its people, and that truly can help heal our divides.

This is a non-partisan. In fact, it would help increase voices of those who are not part of any political party.

If you want to know more about RCV, have a look at this blog post or even this one that I did some time ago.

There won’t be any big push for money. Just a little.

The real purpose here is to build our friends and supporters –you know, like any good movement should.

You will not only learn how RCV works, but this group’s plans to bring RCV to Arizona. We are working one small town at a time to build the support, from the ground up.

I hope to see you there!

The heat is cranking up and you are thinking of where you might escape. Before you go, have a look at our August Coming Soon. Be sure to check out our listings at this link.

Coming soon in August: Shady Condos in the Nonpareil Condo Community

We are preparing two possible listings in this well-known and regarded mid-century condo complex at 11th Ave and Osborn.

One is a 850sf, 1br/1ba condo in the shady atrium of the condo complex.

The owner is currently preparing it for sale and we expect it to be ready in mid-July.

Price is to be determined, but we are confident it will sell quickly, as there are few nice properties under $300,000 in greater Central Phoenix.

The second is a 1,108sf, 2br/1.75 ba property that over-looks the expansive grass and tree-filled grounds. We expect this property to be at or below $300,000.

Its balcony is shaded most of the year by a beautiful old tree and the interior was updated when the owners purchased the unit not too long ago.

We don’t usually alert the public until the listings are about to come on the market. (Don’t want to jinx it, you know.) But we are excited about these.

First, we’ve sold several properties in this community. I even used to own one there.

Second, there is such a shortage of affordable properties in Phoenix, that we are happy to help some deserving buyer find a place of their own.

Back on the Market. 18427 N 36th Ln, Glendale 85308. 2br/2ba, 1,283sf. $375,000

Our sellers on this property are responding to shifts in the market. They updated the flooring and paint, and it is back on the market.

It’s difficult to find a home under $400,000 these days. So, this is an affordable option in this challenging market.

It boasts a large master suite with sliding doors leading to the large covered patio. The patio will make a shady space for relaxing or gardening.

The yard is beautifully landscaped, irrigated, and includes a sliding RV gate for your fun toys. The two-car attached garage includes a plethora of additional storage cabinets, and a workbench to fix the aforementioned toys.

The home includes a newer roof and security shutters. It is close enough to the I-17 and the loop 101 to be convenient, but far enough away so that you can enjoy a quiet neighborhood.

Donna Reiner has written many articles over the years for the Arizona Republic and others about Phoenix history and memorials.  She is a regular contributor to our newsletter. This month, Donna tells us about the many bits of evidence of the various FDR public works efforts, like the WPA, hidden around the city in plain view.

During the Great Depression, FDR along with Congress created a number of programs to help put the unemployed back to work. Arizona was one of those states which received the benefits from many of those programs. You may be familiar with some of these programs or at least their products: Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC); Works Progress Administration (WPA); WPA Arts Project (WRAAP); Farm Security Administration (FSA); and, Public Works Administration (PWA). And all these initials can get confusing.

I suspect that the most familiar agency and its works is the WPA. Who hasn’t seen sidewalks marked WPA and a date while walking in Phoenix or a lot of other communities across the country? You can also find them on the curbs. Be sure to look the next time you are walking in say Coronado Historic District or along east Van Buren.

But the WPA also was instrumental in development of some of the infrastructure of our parks. For instances, the WPA built the bathhouse for the pool at Coronado Park and the bandshell and the clubhouse at Encanto Park. Upgrades were also made to Grant Park and Eastlake Park.

Perhaps South Mountain Park, though, received the most attention in the area of parks. The CCC went into action building roads and trails, ramadas, lookout shelters, and erosion control structures. The next time you visit the park, notice the rock entrance station. And did you know that there was a CCC campsite in the park?

Government buildings arose too. Which ones? The 1938 addition to the Arizona Capitol, the Post Office at Central and Fillmore, the grandstand at the State Fairgrounds, and the old adobe National Guard Arsenal in Papago Park. Many of these buildings also sport some beautiful art work. Then there were schools such as Phoenix College buildings on the new campus and North High School to meet the needs of the exploding enrollment at Phoenix Union High School, and improvements for Alhambra School.

But there are two projects that most Phoenicians do not know: Phoenix Homesteads and Camelback Farms. Only one still exists.

Phoenix Homesteads, sponsored by the Resettlement Administration, was a type of public housing on lots which were large enough that they allowed the residents to have gardens and small farm animals that could feed the residents making them self-sufficient. Today Phoenix Homesteads, a unique historic district with 45 homes between 26^th – 28^th streets and Thomas and Osborn roads, appears as an oasis in our desert environment.

About a half-mile north of Phoenix Homesteads was Camelback Farms along Indian School Road and 27^th Street. The 84-acre property sponsored by the Farm Security Administration (FSA) was operated as a co-op and training facility with 35 homes and a community center. There were several other such FSA co-ops in the valley. Camelback Farms had a dairy. But all things come to an end. In April 1945, the acreage went up for sale and today it is covered with houses.

The following link will help you discover other places throughout the state.

Y’all know I’m not prone to hyperbole when it comes to market analysis. So, when I say “sell now if you can,” I’m not exaggerating.

I’m tempted to do build one of those click bait lists, like “5 reasons why you should sell now.”

But, that’s about as much my style about as sporting a purple mohawks.

Without over-stating the issue, however, there are some well-considered reasons why this is a good time.

First, we’ve not seen a steep plunge in the Cromford Index since 2005, just before the Great Recession.

Have a look at this chart. It was created in 2018, so it does not show the current trend. But, the key thing to look at is that time in 2004-05 when the Cromford Index was tanking, but home prices were still going up.

And, it was starting to go back up in 2007, even while home prices were going down. Then down again in 2013.

The Index is the best predictor of market activity that I’ve ever seen.

Have a look at where we sit now.

What you are seeing here is inventory going up and prices stabilizing. Given low consumer confidence, raising interest rates and the role of faceless investors in the market, prices are more likely to go down next.

Second, sell now or chase prices downward.

Chasing prices downward happens when buyers back out or don’t even make offers because they think prices are doing down.

I’m not convinced that a recession is inevitable. But it almost does not matter if the public thinks it’s coming. Buyers are holding out and waiting. We are hearing more about sellers who have dropped their prices. Some are even beginning to chase the market downward, having priced too high when they listed.

The real estate market changes direction more akin to an aircraft carrier than a stock market. So, while the Cromford Index may tank, it will take a couple months for prices to flatten and drop. That’s your window to sell, because it takes at least 30 days to sell a home –even if you price wisely for the market and get a buyer right away.

And, don’t forget: we are probably going to see another interest rate increase soon.

Third, we don’t know how long this will last.

That same aircraft carrier analogy applies here. Look at that long-term graph again. After a market drop, it can take a while for the market to find equilibrium again.

So, if you don’t sell now and price aggressively you may be carrying the cost of that property for another two or three years.

Fourth, the market needs your property.

If you are holding an investment property, consider for a moment that we have dropping rates of home ownership for reasons I’ve covered here. There are a lot of families out there who are aching for the opportunity to build their own long-term wealth and stability through home ownership. That’s good for all of us.

Your property could be that hope for somebody.

Call us if you’d like to build a strategy at 602-456-9388.

Donna Reiner has written many articles over the years for the Arizona Republic and others about Phoenix history and memorials.  She is a regular contributor to our newsletter. This month, Donna tells us about the Willo Neighborhood’s Fairhope School.

I’m particularly interested in this one, as I listed this property years after it became a single family home.

Decades ago, school generally started after Labor Day whether you were enrolled in a public or private school. Today, for you or your children attending school in the valley, August and sometimes July is definitely that time of year when the school bell has rung.

Several years ago, a realtor acquaintance asked me about the history of one private school. It turned out to be a merry journey because of its early beginnings, many moves, and various names. If it still existed, it would have just celebrated its 100^th anniversary.

Fairhope School, the most common name used, was founded in Phoenix on the ideas of Mrs. Marietta Johnson. But this was not her first venture into inspiring the creation of a school based on her ideas. NO, Marietta Johnson hailed from Fairhope, Alabama (hence the name) and advocated a particular philosophy about the structure of schooling which she called Organic Education. It was a progressive method of teaching at the time which sought to encourage the curiosity of students through doing.

Starting small in 1920, the co-ed Fairhope School in Phoenix initially met in the gymnasium on the property of H.L Chalmers at 230 East McDowell Road. Mrs. Chalmers is the person who pushed to establish such a private school in Phoenix so it seemed natural to offer the family’s property as the school site.

By the start of the school year in 1925, students were enrolled from kindergarten through the first year of high school. The large Chalmers property (a half block at the time) provided plenty of room for the students to exercise, play, and explore.

But gradually the enrollment grew until 60 students at the start of the 1930/31 school year were definitely going to need a larger and more permanent home.

Plans were drawn for a new L-shaped school building by H.H. Green, a local architect, that could accommodate up to 100 students. The site for the new school was on 3^rd and Virginia Avenues. The students vacated the Chalmers site and moved to temporary quarters on the Akers property on the northwest corner of Portland Street and North Central Avenue. And on October 13, 1930, the students and the school moved to its first permanent location.

The Great Depression appears to have caused problems for Fairhope School in Phoenix for it became Miss Preston’s School in 1933. Ads do mention that it was formerly the Fairhope School. After Mrs. Marietta Johnson’s passing in late 1938, even her school in Fairhope, Alabama closed.

However, that school building on 3^rd and Virginia Avenues still exists. Various commercial enterprises occupied the site over the years including the home/office of Neal Roberts who was involved in the Don Boles murder trials. Converted into apartments, it later became the Yum Yum Tree Guest House and Resort.

Definitely this building has some stories to tell. Today it is a private residence which has been added onto, but still retains some of the features of that original school when you compare the drawing to a contemporary picture.