16th Street Should Not Be Ignored

That is the message of Por Vida Gallery. Our January 2011 Get Your PHX was a celebration of 16th St. and we are going back to see what’s new.

Por Vida owners Pablo Luna, Thomas “Breeze” Marcus, and Lalo Cota have a foothold and a new statement that they want to share with you.

Lalo Cota tells us that 16th is the next logical step in art in Phoenix. First Friday, he says, can’t be about just 3rd and Roosevelt anymore. He tells us that space has become too much about food and artists are struggling. So it is time to expand.

Come see if the leading edge of art in Phoenix truly is making a move east and see Douglas Miles’ transfixing =Apacheria= show in which Miles challenges cliché images of Native American life through mixed media.

This will be the most engaging Get Your PHX that we’ve hosted for some time. So, don’t miss it!

Special sponsors to be announced soon!

Please join us and RSVP at our Facebook Fan Page.

March Get Your PHX
Thursday, March 22nd from 5:30 to 7:30pm.
2800 N. 16th St
Phoenix, AZ 85006 Map Here

Derek Slife at the Downtown Public Market

So, I’ve been a member of a food co-op for about 4 years now. Great idea, you know. You skip the grocery store and just pick up an order of fruits and veggies.

Interestingly enough, the biggest drawback was also the biggest opportunity. Each order consists of just what the co-op organizers happen to get in bulk that week. That’s a pain if you don’t know what to do with 50 Russian Babushka Radishes. But I found that getting an order of food that was unfamiliar pushed me to cook with things that I thought I would never use.

As a result, I’m a master chef….. just ask my dog.

But another drawback I’ve noticed is that the food I get with Bountiful Baskets is not grown locally. Although, you can order organic options, much of food comes from California.

Enter Chow Locally, stage left.

Founders Christopher Wharton and Derek Slife believe that we do just as much for our country by sourcing food locally, reducing carbon emissions and keeping money in our community.

To that end, they have a business model that is really quite unique. Using their website you can choose what you want during the week and pick it up on Saturday or Sunday from any one of several farmers’ markets. Check out this link to see how it works.

Warton and Slife actually won the Arizona’s Next Great Business award by National Bank of Arizona for this model. Ordering ahead of time certainly does solve the problem of getting little food surprises in your order, like Scandanavian Dwarf Bananas.

Each box comes with useful recipes, etc.

Now, if you are worried about cost, I would not be. I compared both food co-ops. While Chow Locally is a couple dollars ($19) more than Bountiful Baskets ($16.50) and you get only about 80% of what comes in a Bountiful Baskets order, it is still much more than you could buy at Safeway for the same amount of money. Either way, you still get enough food to last for two weeks.

I enjoyed trying this and I enjoy having the excuse to visit the public market every other Saturday (twist my arm).

Give it a shot and let me know what you think.

For anyone looking to live downtown knows, safe and affordable housing is a commodity. As downtown Phoenix experiences a renewed interest and cultural growth, we as a community need to think about ways to pursue reasonably priced housing options for the increasingly diverse population. Native American Connections has come up with a great housing option, that maybe you didn’t even know existed.

For over 40 years, Native American Connections has built community for our growing, city-dwelling Native American populations. In January, they will be opening mixed-use, mixed-income apartments, Devine Legacy, just across from the Campbell & Central light rail station.

For those of you who don’t know, mixed-income and mixed-use housing is pretty common place across major US cities, but is a fairly recent development in Phoenix.  So what does it mean? Mixed income housing is the idea that increasing diversity of the residents will improve the overall standard of living for the community. In Phoenix, we’re probably more familiar with mixed-use housing which is simply property which is used for both commercial and residential use. Commercial uses can help subsidize projects to allow for affordable or low-income housing.

One of the biggest problems facing mixed-use projects, both nationally and locally, is they require significant public subsidies. Through an IRS program and Arizona Department of Housing allocations, Devine Legacy has been funded through a unique low income tax credit system which allows support from the public as well as the government. This is only one of many projects Native American Connections is pursuing in Phoenix.

Devine Legacy, in addition to it 12000 square foot commercial space, will feature 65 units, ranging from studio apartments to town homes and lofts.   The Apartment includes  artist elements from local artists Randy Kemp and David Montour, high end appliances, ground floor parking, and a public court yard fully equipped with a sound system for community events, not to mention convenient access to the light rail.  The complex is also a part of the LEED Platinum community, which means Devine Legacy homes are  beautiful and safe at an affordable price.

If you’re interested in learning more about the project or units available you can visit their website. Applications are now being accepted for January and February move-ins.

Its that time of year again! The Local First Fall Festival is on!

(Added extra: this year it actually feels like fall!)

Did you know that Arizona is home to more than one hundred local and organic food providers, over one hundred advertising and marketing agencies, more than two hundred art suppliers and venues, and other great local businesses?

I would not blame you if you didn’t know that. It’s not like you hear about it on our local news. (But that’s a different post.)

Local First Arizona is an organization that supports local businesses around the state. The local first philosophy is driven by the benefits the local business have on the economy and community culture. This weekend LFA will be hosting their seventh annual fall festival. The festival boasts a ton of food from independent eateries and 66 local vendors.

Last year over 6,000 participants joined local businesses for family friendly fair. Musicians and bands and bands from across the state will provide entertainment. There will be local wineries and breweries on site for the adults as well as activities, like rock climbing, for the kids.

But why support local businesses? The simplest answer is it’s socially responsible. As our economy comes back, we need to support our local communities first. By patronizing our local businesses, we are directly supporting our own communities by keeping tax dollars in the state.

Join your fellow locavores this Saturday at The Duck and Decanter, 1651 E Camelback, from 10-4 pm. You can read more about Local First Arizona on their website

I’m sure you have all heard about the wonderful G.A.I.N events going on in local neighborhoods all over Arizona.

This past weekend marked Getting Arizona Involved in Neighborhood (G.A.I.N) day celebrating the success of crime prevention in Phoenix through community involvement.  This weekends GAIN event included block watches, apartment complexes, neighborhood groups, parks and business across Phoenix who participated in block parties to show their support.

Recognizing the local community’s commitment and involvement in the Block Watch programs throughout Arizona neighborhoods is a valuable way to better our community. The G.A.I.N event is connecting the local law enforcement with the neighborhood citizens that support their day-to-day efforts to keep the neighborhoods safe. As Downtown Phoenix grow, we need to stop and appreciate those who help keep our community safe and strong.

Remember it’s never too early to start thinking of ways you can help make G.A.I.N a successful event in your neighborhood.You can find out more about G.A.I.N and ways to plan your own event at the phoenix.gov website.

This list there is of the events from last weekend, but bookmark the site for future reference.

The City of Phoenix is now offering a $15,000 loan towards closing costs and down payment to purchase a newly renovated “Move-in Ready” homes through their Neighborhood Stabilization Program.

The Neighborhood Stabilization Program is an effort in response to the number of vacant foreclosures in Phoenix neighborhoods. Housing programs are popping up all over the Southwest in hopes of turning foreclosures into affordable, refurbished homes and enhancing neighborhood curb appeal.

NSP is offering an extensive catalog of renovated properties in established neighborhoods as well as providing guidance through the entire process.

To qualify, home buyers must meet these requirements:

1. Applicants must meet the income guidelines for household Family size. For Example, A family of 4 must have an income at or below $78,600 annually to receive the loan.
2. Candidate should be able to qualify for a 15 or 30 year fixed mortgage
3. Though you don’t have to be a first time home owner, you can’t currently be on title on any residential property.
4. Applicants must be able to contribute one half of the home’s required cash down payment for a min. $1,000. For example, a $100,000 home would require a $1750 down payment.
5. All loan hopefuls have to take a two hour one-on-one credit counseling and an 8 hour home buyer education class

A word of caution: I have helped buyers through this program. Half of the time it went smoothly and relatively quickly. The other half of the time it took longer and everybody was pulling their hair out. Now, to be fair, that was mostly because the listing agent’s contractors were not doing the basic things that the city inspectors asked of them.

Further, that was in 2010. Now NSP has homes that are already renovated. So, this is a whole new world from when the program just got started.

Regardless, families state-wide are in a great position to be homeowners in great phoenix neighborhoods. My friend Jeannie Bolger, of Nova Home Loans let me know all about this program and, as a mentioned a few weeks ago, she is experienced in these loans and could be a huge help in the process.

You can visit www.phoenix.gov/nsphome to view the Move In Ready list of available homes or give me a call today at 602-456-9388.

You’ve heard me ramble on about how great it is to live in Central Phoenix. It’s the truth! CenPho is the place to live and offers residents so much that other cities just don’t offer.

But, check this out. Here’s another reason you should consider moving in to CenPho if you are not already here: a long commute may increase your chances of divorce by 40%. Really.

One recent study in particular conducted by the Umea University in Sweden showed that there was a large increase in the risk of divorce with an increased commute.

OK. I’m being a little facetious. But there is probably some truth here. The two hours you are NOT travelling to and from work you could spend with your main squeeze at the Phoenix Art Museum, or one of the upteen thousand new restaurants downtown.

One thing the study does not mention is the importance of the aesthetic on our lives. Even though Phoenix has torn town waaay too much of its architectural heritage, what’s left still gives people something that the burbs can’t –a sense of space and identity.

A sense of history really brings out the artistic side of people with architecture and individuality when it comes to homes and businesses.

The various cultures and demographics of everyone living in CenPho make it so unique and lively that there is something for everyone. I’m constantly reminded of Richard Florida’s book The Rise of the Creative Class.  Its kinda old news now. Remember when he came to Phoenix in about 2003 to speak and we filled up the Orpheum? Much of what he said has held true, despite the economic downtown

1) If you build an organic (versus top-down) community, the creative class will come.

2) Areas with dense urban centers and creative outlets survive economic downturn better than other areas.

This is true of Phoenix. We saw it ten years ago and we see it today.

I’m just sayin’.

I’ve had first time home buyer clients who are frustrated by how much distressed property there is in the market. They can’t afford a renovated home, but they can’t afford to fix up the property on their own.

Well, there is an answer.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) offers homebuyers the opportunity to secure a loan known as a 203(k) loan. This loan is administered through the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and gives homebuyers the necessary funds to rehabilitate a home.

Many times, a bank will be hesitant and may reject lending money when the home is not habitable. This is where the 203(k) loan comes into play and can help homebuyers obtain the necessary funds to not only buy the home but to purchase the necessary upgrades to make it habitable.

This loan is an incredible opportunity and is coming into play more now than ever since the housing market took a dive. With many people facing foreclosure, they stripped their house of everything that wasn’t, or was, bolted down leaving the house a complete disaster. This loan gives homebuyers the chance to come in and fix up the house.

This does two things: 1) increases the value of the home and surrounding area and 2) boosts the economy of the community by having another family living and buying in the area.

My friend Jeannie Bolger, of Nova Home Loans is well versed in helping you get these “fixer-upper” loans. Jeannie has been trained to help guide clients through the entire process.

But as with any mortgage, there are some criteria both the homebuyer and the home must meet:

1)      The homebuyer must meet FHA financing guidelines which means a FICO score of 640 or more and a debt to income ratio of 31/43 (see FHA for more info)

2)      The home must be the primary residence

3)      For the home to qualify, it must be existing for more than one year

4)      The work must be completed by a Licensed General Contractor – sorry do-it-yourselfers

5)      Work starts after you close on the home and must be completed within 6 months

There are also two types of 203(k)s that homeowners can choose from depending on the extent of the work required:

1)      Streamline 203(k) – this includes uncomplicated repairs and improvements to home up to $35,000 and no more than 2 subcontractors needed for entire project

2)      Standard 203K – this is for major repairs and improvements along with structural improvements to property exceeding $35,000 – up to 6 months PITI (principle, interest, taxes and insurance) can be included in mortgage if property cannot be occupied during construction. A Licensed General Contractor is needed if layered work is involved

These 203(k) loans are a great way to get our housing market back up and running. With a wide selection of homes in the Central Phoenix area, there is something for everyone.

And don’t forget, the Realtor, Lender, HUD Consultant and Contractor will hold your hand throughout the WHOLE process.

If you would like more information on the 203(k) loan, or just on homes in CenPho, give me a call today at 602-456-9388.

If I have to hear another person predict a massive “shadow inventory” I’m going to turn green, and you wouldn’t like me when I turn green.

Well, not really green, more like red with some veins popping out on my forehead and my head spinning around.

So what am I talking about? Well, I’m a news junkie and when I hear every pundit on TV prattle on about  a shadow inventory, like its the forthcoming of the “four horsemen of the house-pocolypse,”  Where is the data to back it up? If they were looking at the same data as I am, then they wouldn’t be saying this nonsense.

I mean, come on, just do some quick research and see for yourself. The Cromford Index is the best guide out there and comes directly from the MLS as well as the county court and recorder’s documents. I would say those are just a teensy bit credible, I mean after all, they take the information directly from sales, right?

Yeah, that’s what I thought.

So what exactly is a shadow inventory? At its core, shadow inventory refers to properties, which are on their way to foreclosure or are already foreclosed that have not yet been sold or put on the market (for whatever reason, we don’t know).

Well, here is why there will be no shadow inventory in the Phoenix area:

1)      A house will not be part of any inventory of foreclosed homes until it has been given a foreclosure notice (see “Pending Foreclosures” on the graphs below). Even if it is a short sale, it probably has a foreclosure notice pending, so it is likely part of the big purple area below. A foreclosure notice is when the bank sends you a note to say, “Dearest customer. We noticed you stopped paying your mortgage. While we love you very much, we will throw your sorry butt out on the street by such and such date unless you pay up. Signed, Your Favorite Bank.”

(Click on graphs to enlarge)

That’s it. That is all there is. You could try to argue that more homes are going to go in to foreclosure because the economy is going to go in to a double-dip recession, but it is waaaay too early to predict that. Further, the foreclosures are going down because the market is clearing of those properties that were purchased at the peak of the market. There are just fewer of them now.

So, please. Tell your friends. Tell your family. Tell your neighbors and strangers whom you don’t even know.

Let’s put this shadow inventory myth to bed for good…

If you are buying a house, this means the inventory is dropping and prices are going to go up. So, don’t delay. If you are looking to sell a house, times are getting better for you. Either way, call me at 602-456-9388.

Did you notice how some major stores are starting to close up shop in urban settings which in turn is affecting the surrounding areas?

I’m talking about major stores such as Target, Best Buy, even Safeway – these stores are considered “anchor stores” because they “anchor” and are supposed to bring stability to the local area. That Target at 7th Ave and Camelback has been closed for a couple years now.

So, what happens when one of those stores closes its doors?

I started thinking about this over the weekend after hearing an interview on National Public Radio about the subject and they used the book store Borders as an example since they are closing up stores after filing for bankruptcy.

You may be thinking the same thing I was at first that with these anchor stores leaving, the surrounding neighborhoods and community would be greatly affected in a negative way. Well, in many cases that may be, but for cities and developers who get on the ball, these closures can lead to positive developments.

If approached with the right mindset by city leaders, smaller stores and boutiques can come in and flourish, filling the void and revitalizing the area. This is what makes the Central Phoenix area so amazing! There may not necessarily be major anchor stores in the area, but it’s the artistic boutiques and small shops that fill in the holes like grains of sand between large rocks that make the area a solid and thriving community!

Most of you probably remember when, Richard Florida (of the famed book Rise of the Creative Class) came to town in about 2003. The interview on NPR with a Brookings Institute researcher really just backs up the same arguments.  Although major anchor stores leave and are replaced, as long as there is a culture that brings people together, you will have a community.

Further, a few failed stores in a whole line of smaller stores has less of a devastating impact that the loss of an anchor store.

This is what makes Central Phoenix such a dynamic micro-economy and why I love working and selling homes in the area. There is so much life and vitality that is often missing in other areas. There has been so much work done over the past decades to revive the area that just makes it the place to live!

I’ve love to hear what you think about this.