We are getting ready for the June Get Your PHX in the Warehouse District. You’ll get a personal briefing on future plans for the Warehouse District, directly from Brian Cassidy, President and CEO of CCBG Architects. Brian is a driving force behind efforts to revitalize the district in to a space for entertainment and the arts.

Have a look at this link for an inventory of major structures in the district, along side their historic photos.

For years the Warehouse District in Phoenix was in a kind of dead stall. With the exception of several small projects. However, as downtown Phoenix becomes more dense it is natural to see development pressure southward.

The question on most people’s minds is what that development could look like. We will have access to the city’s preeminent thinker on adaptive re-use at our disposal. He will present on current thinking and he’ll take your questions.

Yep, this is an exclusive – a not-to-miss presentation.

The Warehouse District’s Council’s goal is to “promote  and brand the Warehouse District as great place to live, work and play, just blocks from the heart of downtown Phoenix.   This ½ square mile area has significant room to both attract responsible infill development and continue to preserve and restore the unique character warehouse structures that represent the early  working roots of this city.”

Brian is a passionate advocate for creating livable, walkable, sustainable and exciting urban places that will continue attracting more people to make the urban decision to move in to central Phoenix and other urban cores currently being formed throughout metro Phoenix. He sees the Warehouse District as “the intersection of history and creativity.”

The firm has also been a leader in adaptive reuse projects and has converted more than 25 warehouse buildingsa into creative work environments for groups such as ASU Step Gallery and Graduate Art Studios, Moses, IASIS Medical business in the historic Suns Mercantile Building, and Restoration Place, that was designed in 1982 and was one of the first adaptive reuse projects in downtown.

Be certain to RSVP here so we have a count for the event.

Location: 102 E Buchanan St, Phoenix, AZ 85004
Time: 5:30 opening. Presentation begins at 5:45

Its time again for a green cleaning tip for June 2017 from our friends at GoingGreenHouse Cleaning.

I just recommended these guys to my tenant, who is an entomologist and who wants to clean her home with products that won’t cause lasting damage to the environment.

Oh, and I use the all-purpose cleaner recipe shown below and I think its great.

—————-

June is here. Summer is in full throttle. Kids are out of school. How in the world is anything supposed to get done?

Babies are crawling. Toddlers are tracking in dirt. Teenagers are socializing. Everyone is home, messes are building and germs are running ramped.

You reach for your household cleaners and start cleaning. Now what happens when your children get in there want to help? Are the products you are using safe for your family to handle? Think about the food that is dropped on your floors and picked up and consumed (5 second rule, right?). Think about that bathtub in which your family is bathing and those dishes that are placed in your sink to be “washed free” of germs and bacteria. What are you using to clean your home and are they doing more harm than help? The products you use matter and affect the health and well-being of your family. What is under your kitchen sink and is it safe for your family?

So why should you “go green” this summer?

Healthier Home:
Go green and no longer will your family be breathing in lingering chemicals and absorbing them into their skin. Did you know that breathing in harmful chemicals can increase your chance of developing asthma? Or that harmful chemicals can cause skin irritation and rash? Switching to green cleaning products can decrease these harmful effects in your household.

Fewer Antibacterials:
The overuse of Antibacterials, including disinfectants, in your home may be producing strains of multi-antibiotic-resistant bacteria? We are deceived into thinking that bacteria in our homes is harmful and must be eliminated. However, these products are no more effective at preventing infection in the home than using pure soap brands, warm water, and green detergent. When using antibacterial products, good bacteria in also killed. When this happens, the good-to-bad ratio of bacteria is disturbed and bad bacteria can gain the upper hand.

All-Purpose Cleaner Recipe:
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
2 cups water
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp Castile soap
20 drops essential oils (I.e. Lavender, lemon, tea tree, eucalyptus)
Place in a spray bottle, shake, and clean.

Keep your family safe and healthy this summer and consider switching to pure, green products. A safe home is a healthier home.

Green Cleaning Tip for June 2017

For your June 2017 Market Update, we check in again with the Cromford Report who tell us, in short, that the market is chugging along at about the same upward climb that we’ve been experiencing thus far this year.

“For the monthly period ending May 15, we are currently recording a sales $/SF of $150.42 averaged for all areas and types across the ARMLS database. This is up 0.1% from the $150.25 we now measure for April 15.  We were correct in forecasting last month that the average $/SF would rise less quickly, but after an extremely strong rise between March and April we saw a very small increase over the past month.

On May 15 the pending listings for all areas & types shows an average list $/SF of $153.97, up 1.3% from the reading for April 15. So although last month’s rise was pretty small, we are still expecting a respectable increase in prices over the next 31 days.

Beyond those 31 days we would expect to see 3 months of price weakness as the third quarter sales mix tends to include fewer high end homes than the rest of the year. However there is no sign of supply and demand converging and the overall long term trend is still upwards.”

Price per square foot for Cenpho, 12-month moving average

I was on the phone with Tina Tamboer at the Cromford Report this week, speaking about our predictions for 2018 for the June 2017 Market Update. As you recall, I was concerned earlier this year that emigration patterns could have a impact on the market. But, as Tina points out, if people begin to leave Arizona, they won’t do it overnight. It is still too early to tell whether there could be some affect on the market.

We continue to hear rumblings of a market correction in 2018. But, most of what I hear is a “flattening” of about 3%. Well, we’ve seen that growth in the last year, so we are not talking about the type of correction that is likely to result in major losses for home owners who purchased some years ago.

It might mean, however, that if you are waiting for home prices to reach 2007 peak levels in 2018, you might have to wait a few more years.

CenPho Price Per Square Foot, 3-month moving average

In the Central Phoenix and historic districts, both the 3-month and 12-month moving averages for price per square foot are strong. People want to live downtown. So, if you are looking to purchase, it is still a good time to do it. If there is a 3% correction in 2018, that won’t even account for the price difference between December of 2016 and today. But, if there is no price correction, then you are looking at even more expensive homes in this land-locked area with no new construction for owner-occupiers. (Thanks, over-built apartment market.)

If you need to put together a strategy to purchase, give us a call at 602-456-9388.

I was lucky enough to attend the Phoenix Mayor’s State of the City lunch a couple weeks ago. It was impressive, to say the least.

The mayor, who must suffer regressive and punitive policies from the state legislature which abhors when cities make decisions for themselves, does an impressive job moving the ball forward.

As a realtor, I’m thankful for the work that he and previous mayors and city councilors have done to improve downtown and public transportation.

Here’s the link for the State of the City, if you are interested.

One of the new programs that I found particularly engaging was the mayor’s efforts to create an innovation zone around the city land fill, of all places. In addition to creating a space for small businesses to redirect city waste, such as uncompostable palm fronds, toward innovative industrial uses.

In addition, I was impressed with the new 27-acre compost facility, which will handle up to 110,000 tons of compostable materials, which can be re-used in many environmentally-friendly ways. Check out this link to learn more.

Despite the efforts of some in the Arizona Legislature, the Mayor is moving the ball forward on impressive new technologies that will make our lives better and our cities more sustainable.

Our friends at GoingGreenHouse Cleaning are here with advice for spring green cleaning tip for May 2017. We use these folks for our listings, our homes and we suggest them to friends. That’s why we suggest them to you.

Spring has sprung and it’s time to blossom! Let’s start by taking care of those April showers. You don’t need to have a green thumb to be able to use these tips and tricks on how to keep those showers clean and “green”.

The Royal Throne:

Have no fear, you don’t need to use bleach or other toxic chemicals to get your toilet spotless and sparkling. The trick here is letting your homemade or other natural solution do the work for you. For an easy homemade toilet bowl cleaner, simply combine a half a cup of vinegar and a spoonful of baking soda. Pour the mixture in your toilet and let sit for 30 minutes before scrubbing clean. Do this once a week and your toilet will stay clean and stain-free! Need a little something extra for those tough toilet bowl rings? Consider using a pumice stone and voila the job is done.

Shower and Tub:

Water stain and soap scum can be difficult to remove, especially on delicate surfaces where you are hesitant to use abrasive methods. All you need is some natural dish soap and baking soda. Combine this solution into a paste and apply to your surface. Use a sponge for overall cleaning and a toothbrush for those hard-to-get grout lines. You will be amazed by the results that you get with this simple, non-toxic solution.

Mold:

As your surfaces age and water penetrates your surfaces, you may find that mold begins to show its nasty face. This can be disheartening and frustrating, but did you know that vinegar is a natural mold killer? Simply spray vinegar onto your moldy surface and let dry. Once dry, spray again and wipe clean. Vinegar’s mild acidity will loosen and kill bacteria. For maintenance, simply spray your shower down on a regular basis with a mixture of vinegar and water. The key here is to be consistent. It is easier to prevent mold than to get rid of it. Also, did you know that you can throw your plastic shower curtain into the wash and hang to dry in order to prevent hard water build-up?

Drains:

Last, but not least, drains can often get clogged with hair and residue. Maintain your drains and avoid using harmful chemicals by cleaning your drain on a regular basis. You can use the same vinegar and baking soda solution from above in order to clear and maintain your drains. Pour approximately 3/4 cup of baking soda down your drain, followed by 1/2 cup of vinegar. Immediately cover your drain with a rag and let sit for 30 minutes. Once you have done this, you can pour boiling water down your drain to help clear out the gunk. Maintaining your drains can be simple and prevent those expensive plumber visits down the road.

These are just a few tips and tricks to keeping your showers clean and free of harsh, toxic chemicals. You don’t need to spend a lot of time scrubbing or a lot of money on expensive cleaning products. Keeping a few simple ingredients on-hand can help set you up for success and keep the dirt and grime away.

Here’s to keeping it green!

Our friends at the Cromford Report give us the county-wide scoop for this May 2017 Market Update, as they do every month.

Supply is even further below last year than it was last month, both in total active listings and in active listings with no contract.

The monthly sales rate is down over 6% from last month, but this is a very unfair comparison. March had 23 working days and April, because it had a weekend at both ends, only had 20. With 13% fewer working days we could easily have seen sales drop a lot more than 6%, so demand remained in strong shape throughout April. Sales were up 3% from April 2016, but in 2016 April had 1 extra working day, so that again is a pretty strong result.

Sellers remain in charge of the market in most sectors and price is responding accordingly. The average sales price per sq. ft. is our preferred method of measuring prices and it is up over 7% from last year at this time.

Sales are extremely hampered by lack of supply below $200,000, but above $200,000 supply is more free flowing and sales are up by very large percentages from 2016.

So in summary almost the whole market is humming along with all cylinders firing. However there is little sign that it is going to move up a gear from here.

The Cromford® Market Index appears to be making little effort to surpass its recent peak of 147.5 thanks to a very slight weakening in some demand indicators (including listings under contract). We are at a point where the seller remains in firm control but the seller’s advantage is no longer growing stronger.

Anecdotally for this May 2017 Market Update, we’ve seen a slight slowing in the number of showings in all listings, as the year progresses. I would hate to speculate as to why that could be –anything from national political uncertainty to local unhappiness with the available supply.

But in the end, when we see slight shifts like this, we suggest you watch the market for other indicators of changes. There could be a shift brewing.

We have already opined that, if you are thinking of selling, then 2017 is probably the best time to do it. We are over-due for a market correction in Arizona, and that may put downward pressure on house prices by early 2018.

So, the take-away? If you are thinking of selling, let’s get a strategy together. If you are thinking of buying, you might consider taking a little more time building up cash reserves so you can bring more to bear to your next purchase.

If you need to do both, well, we’d better get a cup of coffee and talk. Please call at 602-456-9388.

The May Get Your PHX at The Hive will celebrate a multi-tenant space, its newest residents and the incredible work of Rigo Flores. Join us for raffle, small bites and meet the owners!

Since 2009, The Hive on 16th Street has been inviting businesses and artists to participate, connect, and flourish.

At the May Get Your PHX we will see a new coffee shop buzz, meditation/buddha art studio, a zine distro, art gallery, and a resale boutique keep everyone moving. Not to mention hosting community events, but that’s how Julia Fournier likes it.

Says Fournier, “Since 2009, we have shown more than 100 artists in over 60 shows. We focus mostly on local artists, usually emerging or transitioning creatives… In May, we’re showing the work of Rigo Flores.”

Flores’ work speaks to the patriotism, violence, corruption, and current atrocities that have occurred in Mexico. #YaMeCanse2 features blurred paintings, intentionally creating an ambiguous interpretation. Drawings are made clear, portraying the Mexican salute to the flag, “however in juxtaposition to the paintings, one’s feelings of patriotism are confused.”

In a space like The Hive, the merge of community and business creates a unique cluster identity where anyone is welcome – and contributing to the community is a must.

Meet Zine Distro, Wasted Ink Distro. Owners are Charissa and Marna, (and a whole lot of interns). A small Zine library and store, Zine Distro is a home base for any AZ Zinesters looking for a DIY, creative space. Workshops, readings, concerts, and craft fairs fill the event calendar each month.

And meet Shana Bell, owner of TaSen, Buddha and Meditation Art. She began her business not as a way to profit, but as a way to give back to the community after experiencing a life changing healing event in Thailand. Meditations are twice a week.

Cherisse and Kristy run Silent Flight, a coffee shop inside The Hive. They’re celebrating two months of business!

Lastly, The Bees Knees, Julia Fournier’s business. Specializing in second hand fashion and hand selected pieces. “My idea was to shop with an eye for design lead clothing, and to shop carefully so that I could keep prices low. The clothing and household items are here because I think they are special in some way.”

May Get Your PHX at the Hive
When: May 18th at 5:30pm.
Where: 2222 N. 16th St, Phoenix 85006
More Information and RSVP at This link!

Our friends at Don’t be a Chump, Check for a Lump are taking a run at “Non-Profit of the Year” in Foothills Magazine.

This is one of those things where you can vote by checking in at the Foothills websites. So surf on over and give them a vote!

Check for a Lump is one of the groups that we’ve supported over the years through our Charity Referral Network.

If you send us a referral for a home sale or purchase, and that transaction closes, we will make a donation to the charity of your choice. We will post on our blog and on Facebook that your referral was instrumental in making that donation happen.

Just this month, we made a contribution to Check for a Lump, as well as the Osborn Education Foundation, as a result of referrals from caring individuals.

You are cordially invited to attend a community forum to express your views and hear those of other Phoenix residents on the future of the Arizona State Fairgrounds, including its historic buildings. This community forum, hosted by Arizona state representative Ken Clark, Phoenix Historic Neighborhoods president G.G. George, Phoenix Historic Preservation Commission chair Bill Scheel, and Arizona Preservation Foundation president Jim McPherson, will be held at the Encanto Park Club House, 2605 N. 15th Avenue, on Wednesday, April 5, 2017 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served.

Final Four recycling

I’m watching for news of how the City of Phoenix did in trying to meet their Zero Waste Goal, but congrats to the city for trying during the Final Four championships. Learn more here.

“The city of Phoenix, in partnership with the NCAA and the Phoenix Final Four Local Organizing Committee, has set a goal to reach a zero waste diversion rate during the four days’ worth of activities at the Fan Fest at the Phoenix Convention Center and the Music Festival at Margaret T. Hance Park. To achieve this, Phoenix Public Works will be working very closely with the event’s waste management contractors, who will provide three types of containers for Fan Fest and concert-goers to use as they sort their waste into recycling, composting and trash.”

I wish them the best. I remember as a teenager in Germany, where I was stationed with my family, that they recycled almost everything. There were three types of bins at the average gas station. They were that good at their zero waste goal, and that was in the 1980s!

Typically, in America, if you put out three types of bins with instructions, you get a lot of trash mixing and vocal complaints about “why we have to do this, anyway,” along with some ill-informed statement about how it all goes in to a landfill and its all a scam.

Not true, by the way. The city has a robust recycling program. I know, I’ve toured the facilities and its all there. They sell the materials on the open market.

Be that as it may, kudos to the City of Phoenix for continuing the long, long education process.

Now, let’s find a way to get recycling in to commercial businesses and then we are really moving the ball forward on a zero waste goal.