You have to give it to them. Despite upcoming triple digit temperatures, the Phoenix Bike Community never stops peddling.

And why would they? All Valley Metro buses are equipped with bike racks and the city is finally expanding bike lanes to help support this very green form of travel.

And I have to say finally! I remember about 12 years ago I tried to ride my bike to work from the Willo neighborhood to downtown. I was certain every morning that I was going to die. The drivers would buzz me as if to say, “yeah, buddy, we’re gonna enforce this here no-ride zone.”

Anyway, in Celebration of the city’s growing bike scene, Twenty-five top local graphic designers will show their original bicycle-themed poster artwork for Third Friday festivities and through the month of April by appointment all leading up to Pedal Craft.

The one night event will feature lots of bikes, plenty of beer, and a bike themed poster show highlighting Phoenix bike culture. Throughout Phoenix, bicyclists, walkers, and pedicab riders will be visiting downtown Phoenix restaurants that have installed bike racks and are offering special menu discounts for PEDAL CRAFT PHX participants. Those bike racks were created in part by SideWalk Phoenix, a newly formed advocacy group for walkable, bikeable, and livable communities, will display a dozen one-of-a-kind bicycle racks designed by local artists and metal sculptors.

SideWalk Phoenix will be raising awareness and funds at Pedal Craft to create a temporary infill “pop-up” park at the quarter-acre Ro2 Lot at 1005 North Second Street. According to Pedal Craft Co-organizer, Jim McPherson,  “Fun, community-minded events like PEDAL CRAFT PHX help to raise awareness and, knock on wood, support for much needed bicycle transportation initiatives in the Valley.”

These are great community organizations and members working together for the great phoenix area. I’m inspired every time I see a new project like this come together.

THIS, my friends, is why people are flocking to Phoenix.

Over the years, brokers have gotten a bad wrap. I work with people everyday who want to go with big banks and credit unions for their loans (because they haven’t done anything wrong in the past few years, right?).

Just recently I had a client who went with a big credit union for her loan, and 7 days before close of escrow, they decided to pull the loan because the bank had issues with the HOA. Lucky for us, Jeanie Bolger from Nova Home loans came in and saved the day. I can’t tell you the number of times this happens.

Here is what I learn and I want to share with anybody who is thinking about finding a lender:

1. Big banks are just that BIG. They’ve got lots of red tape and work to get through everyday, before they even think about giving you a loan. On the other hand, a mortgage broker is a certified professional who seeks the best mortgage terms for you by accessing a network of lenders that includes major banks, trust companies, credit unions and finance companies.
2. Big banks and credit unions tend to be more conservative on loans. So, if you have something out of the ordinary going on, like a second property, a divorce or a spouse with bad credit, stay away from the big banks, especially.
3. Underwriters work fast with Brokers. Jeannie’s brokers are in the same office, so she can work with the underwriter to make sure everything they need and you need is in place. Jeannie can physically walk down a hall and ask an underwriter a question about a loan and get an answer right away. They can’t do that in the mega bureaucracies.

I recently worked with Lonna to find a home downtown. Lonna wanted to go with a credit union because they had given her pre-approval. One week from closing escrow, the credit union pulled the loan and we once again turned to Jeannie.

Lonna loved working with her. “Jeannie answered all my questions immediately and spoke to me like she was trying to help. It feels like your being interrogated when your with a Credit Union, like you’re just a case number, but with a broker it was like they cared.” Once Jeannie took over, it only took two days from when the underwriter received the application to approval.

So, let me be clear: from the time we started to the time we close, Jeannie swooped in and got it all done within 5 days! Its gotta be a record!

So if you’re thinking of buying a home in downtown phoenix, use a broker. Heck, Call Jeannie!

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

I’m sure y’all have heard that “broken window theory” of criminology, made popular by  James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling in 1982. Basically, if law enforcement does not address small crimes like broken windows then it becomes harder to fight more serious crimes.

I’ve seen this in reverse since I moved to Phoenix in 1998. I’ve seen greater attention on the part of the city and police to things like graffiti and petty crimes. As a result, and along with hard work of urban pioneers, things have gotten much better here.

Well, as city budgets have been cut (thank you Grover Norquist and the like), we are not training new cops and we don’t have the ability to respond quickly to graffiti like we once could.

So, we citizens have to respond in new ways. That is why I am happy to see that Mayor Greg Stanton has created an advisory committee to advise him on current issues impacting phoenix neighborhoods. Mayor Stanton believes “our city is only as strong as our individual neighborhoods, so we must keep an open line of communication.”At Quarterly meetings the committee, comprised of 29 members, will discuss such topics as law enforcement, parks, streets, neighborhood services, etc. The first meeting is set for the end of this month.

On of the reasons we love and live in downtown phoenix, is because if it’s walkability and promise for future communities. It’s important to support the local community and neighborhoods, not only for our quality of life downtown, but our home values in the future.