Announcing The New Susan Talarico Website

I am very excited to announce my new website and blog: SusanTalarico.com. The contents of this blog have been moved to the new site. Please stop by, and be sure to bookmark the new location.

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How to Get Kids to Save Energy

By: Courtney Craig

Published: August 29, 2012

Want your kids to pitch in and help save energy? Green parenting bloggers weigh in on getting kids to flip the switch and stop wasting energy.

Kids have more important things to think about than turning off the lights. But discovering the lights blazing in an empty room for the umpteenth time is enough to make any parent scream, especially when the power bill arrives.

The good news is, you can train your kids about the importance of saving energy right from the start. Here’s great advice from some of our favorite bloggers who know a thing or three about kids.

1. Let them take charge.

Jenn Savedge, who blogs at The Green Parent, practices a little reverse psychology — she urges her kids to remind her to turn off the lights.

“They get such a kick out of ‘telling Mommy what to do’ that it’s first and foremost on their minds,” Savedge said. “If I walk out of a room without doing it, they’re happy to point it out and then dash back and do it for me.

“Works like a charm and keeps the whole thing from becoming just one more thing that Mommy nags them about.”

The key to getting children to do anything is to make it “theirs,” says Monica Fraser, a mother of two who blogs at Healthy Green Moms.

“I get them to police me because they get inspired to turn off the lights ‘better than me,’” she said.

2. Find their motivation.

For Sommer Poquette’s 8-year-old son, it’s money.

“If I have to ask more than three times for my son to do anything in particular, he loses $1 out of his piggy bank,” says Poquette, who blogs at Green and Clean Mom.

“I do this so he learns that leaving the lights on costs me money, but also because he’s very motivated to earn money and spend money, so I hit him where it hurts the most: the wallet! Amazingly, he listens very well and never lets me get to the fourth ask!”

Fraser’s kids are motivated by the idea of helping out friends and neighbors.

“Because my children are quite young, I have said that we must remember to turn lights off and shut water off when brushing so that our neighbors have enough,” she says. “They know their neighbors, and certainly wouldn’t want to use all the water.”

3. Incorporate non-verbal reminders.

Gentle reminders, such as stickers on the light switches, help kids remember to turn off the lights when they leave a room.

“They’re each in charge of shutting off their bedroom lights each morning and during the day,” Poquette says. “We have stickers above the light switches to remind them. As a family, we all offer each other friendly reminders.”

Sticky notes don’t just apply to light switches, either. Tiffany Washko, who blogs at NatureMoms, places Post-It Notes labeled “Turn Me Off” and “Unplug Me” all around the house as reminders.

“Putting them by the light switch, on the side of the TV, on the wall next to the power bar that controls game consoles, etcetera, is a great visual reminder,” Washko says.

“We also require each child to do a walk-through each morning before they leave for school and turn off anything that may have been left on. Once they consistently remember, we stop requiring it … that is, until they have a few lapses, then we rinse and repeat.”

4. Explain to them why it’s important.

The full implications of saving energy may not immediately be clear to kids, but they’ll be more likely to remember to turn off the lights if they understand why it’s important.

“To teach them about the importance of turning off the lights and saving energy, we’ve read them several children’s books,” says Poquette. “My son understands the value of a dollar, so I’ve shown him our energy bill and explained to him what this means and how energy is produced.

“I think being up front with your kids, and explaining things to them in simple ways they can understand, is the best policy.”

How do you get your kids to turn off the lights when they leave a room?

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October Residential Resale Numbers

October continued the trend where Short Sales are still on average, cheaper per square foot than REO’S in all but 4 cities in Maricopa County for the 4th straight month! The overall market increased in closings with 6,236 in Maricopa County. That’s an increase of about 400 sales. REO properties closed 752 at 12% and Short Sales closed 1,671 at 27% with 3,815 being normal at 61%. Pending Inventory has 1,211 REO’s at 9% and 4,904 Normal at 35% and the slowly dwindling 7,787 Short Sales at 56%. Active inventory continues to increase slightly to 13,693 listings with 1,219 REO’S at 9% and 1025 short sales at 7% and 11,451 normal listings at 83%. That’s another monthly increase of over 1,000 homes for the second straight month!

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Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda!

Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda!

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Do you believe in the “Boogey Man”? Then, why believe in “Shadow Inventory”?

Newest numbers don’t cast ‘shadow’

by Catherine Reagor – Aug. 17, 2012 03:07 PM
The Republic

The debate among housing market watchers over whether metro Phoenix has a looming shadow inventory goes on, even as foreclosures fall and home prices keep rising.

Some believe there are thousands of homes in the region on which mortgage payments haven’t been made for years, but lenders haven’t moved to foreclose.

The concern is those homes make up a “shadow inventory” that could be dumped on the market anytime or all at once, stalling the current recovery.

Other housing experts don’t believe the area has a shadow inventory problem.

New numbers on mortgage delinquencies show the number of borrowers behind on their monthly loan payments in Arizona has fallen. Also, foreclosures starts in metro Phoenix have been slowing since January. Those who don’t believe the region has a shadow inventory problem point to the declines in these key indicators as evidence.

Mike Orr, a real estate analyst at Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey’s School of Business, said there’s no “shadow inventory” in sight.

“There is still no sign of any significant new supply of homes coming onto the market, and those who anticipate a flood of bank-owned ‘shadow inventory’ are likely to be very disappointed,” said Orr in his latest real estate report.

Last week, the Mortgage Bankers Association released its latest data on late loan payments. Arizona’s mortgage delinquency rate fell to 6.2 percent at the end of the second quarter. It was 6.5 percent at the beginning of the year.

According to the mortgage association, Arizona ranks 35th for mortgage delinquencies.

Mississippi ranks No. 1 with a delinquency rate of 11.8 percent. The national mortgage delinquency rate is 7.3 percent.

The number of new foreclosure filings, or notice of trustee sales, in Maricopa County dipped again in July. Last month, 3,219 new notices were filed, according to the Information Market and AZBidder.com. That’s down from 3,711 in June and 4,328 in May.

Foreclosures, or trustee sales, have remained below 2,000 since March. A year ago, there were regularly 4,000 foreclosures or more a month in the region.

Big deals

The ongoing recovery of metro Phoenix’s housing market has enticed more developers and investors as well as than homebuyers.

New Jersey-based home builder Hovnanian Enterprises recently paid $31.5 million for 490 home lots in northwest Phoenix.

Builders are looking for land as new home sales climb. There were 332 actively selling new home subdivisions in the Phoenix area as of July 15, down from 400 in early January, according to Belfiore Real Estate Consulting. More than 60 percent of the current subdivisions under construction are expected to run out of lots within a year.

Courtland Homes sold the land. Scottsdale-based Nathan & Associates brokered the deal.

The industrial building housing Amazon’s Arizona distribution business sold for $90 million earlier this month.

The 1.3 million-square-foot warehouse, near 75th Avenue and Interstate 10, was purchased by the Black Creek Group. Valley industrial developer Buzz Oates Cos. was the seller.

Phoenix-based commercial real estate research firm VIZZDA reports the property is Arizona’s largest single warehouse.

Earlier this week, Westport Capital Partners paid $23.3 million for the 27-acre Agave Center in Tempe.

Dennis Desmond and Brian Ackerman of Jones Lang LaSalle negotiated the deal.

The property, near Warner Road and I-10, includes four office buildings, an industrial building and nearly five vacant acres for development.

Reach the reporter at Catherine.reagor@arizonarepublic.com

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/business/realestate/articles/2012/08/14/20120814newest-numbers-dont-cast-shadow.html#ixzz246lztIYG

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5 Foreclosure Myths for 2012

There is a lot of “urban legend” circulating when it comes to foreclosures and the current state of the real estate market.  The steals and deals are gone, but you can still get a great buy an on a good home.  Here are some important things to be aware of in the foreclosure market.  Read on…

March 14, 2012|

Author: Carl Medford, a practicing Realtor with Prudential California Realty in the San Francisco Bay Area

Beginning in 2007, foreclosures rocked the real estate world. Like an out-of-control freight train, they began decimating the market, peaking in 2009. Myths and rumors began propagating like mushrooms as consumers struggled to understand the new reality. Although many misconceptions have come and gone, we still encounter five myths on a regular basis.

1. There is going to be a flood of new foreclosures to the market.

This rumor has appeared every year since 2008 and has been routinely debunked. However, recent announcements that the Feds reached a settlement over the robo-signing scandal have reignited speculation. The idea is simple: Since the cork is now out of the foreclosure bottle, we’ll soon see another flood of REOs inundating the marketplace.

My personal opinion: don’t hold your breath.

Banks have learned that if they control inventory, they can affect local prices. By releasing homes in measured amounts, they realize higher prices than if they released a glut of homes. In addition, they’ve learned that if they can mitigate their losses by agreeing to a short sale, everyone wins.

2. You can go directly to a bank to buy a foreclosure.

Every few weeks I’m asked how to buy foreclosures direct from a bank. Someone knows a friend being foreclosed on and they want to step in and grab the house before it hits the market. Don’t we all? In reality, banks have a simple system – they first offer properties on the courthouse steps. The rest they assign to asset mangers who then hire local real estate agents to put them on the market along with all the other homes. Want an REO? Pay cash at the courthouse steps or get in line witheveryone else when they hit the local MLS (Multiple Listing Service).

3. You can get a killer deal by submitting lowball offers on foreclosures.

You would think this myth would be dead by now. Unfortunately, like Elvis sightings, it just won’t go away. Here’s the truth: Banks want REOs sold in 30 days or less, so they typically appear on the market priced slightly under comparable properties. If the property doesn’t sell quickly, the bank will lower the price after about 30 days. Lowball offers are ignored and are, quite frankly, a waste of everyone’s time and effort. You might get a deal by offering a lower price on a foreclosure that’s been sitting on the market for more than 90 days, but remember that there are good reasons it’s gone unsold for so long. And even if you have cash, your lowball offer won’t be accepted —seriously.

4. You can’t use foreclosures when doing an appraisal.

Or short sales, for that matter. That is no longer true. In fact, in many neighborhoods, that’s all that’s there. Therefore, foreclosed or distressed sales represent the actual value of homes in the area and HAVE to be used to appraise other properties. Don’t like it? Get over it. Times have changed and the ways neighborhoods are valued have changed as well.

5. Foreclosures are only affecting the bottom end of the market.

This used to be true. However, while foreclosure rates on the lower end of the market have actually decreased, they’re actually increasing on the upper end. According to Daren Blomquist, vice president of RealtyTrac, the market share of foreclosed homes under $1 million is shrinking, but those among properties valued over $1 million are rising – up 115% since 2007. And foreclosures on properties valued upwards of $2 million have increased by 273%. While some well-known jet-setters have melted down and lost everything, others are choosing to strategically default. They see it like liquidating a poorly performing portfolio – they have enough resources to cut their losses and move on. Historically, banks have been reticent to foreclose high-end homes and absorb a large loss, but defaulters are now forcing their hands and mansion foreclosure rates are moving on up.

Myths control behavior, and this has never been truer than in the housing market. Savvy agents will work hard to educate their clients, debunk myths, explain market trends, educate with solid facts – and actually close transactions.

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5 Foreclosure Myths for 2012

5 Foreclosure Myths for 2012

There is a lot of “urban legend” circulating when it comes to foreclosures and the current state of the real estate market.  The steals and deals are gone, but you can still get a great buy an on a good home.  Here are some important things to be aware of in the foreclosure market

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LED Holiday Lights: 6 Need-to-Know Tips

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Are You Unknowingly Violating Arizona Traffic Law?

As I drive around the wonderful Valley of the Sun in our 110 degree summer days, I have noticed that many drivers may not be aware of a law that was passed almost 2 years ago.

As of January 1, 2009 Arizona requires that an Arizona license plate on a vehicle must be clearly visible, and that the word “Arizona” at the top of the plate may not be covered.

The wording of A.R.S. 28-2354 is:

State law, ARS 28-2354(C), requires that the state name at the top of Arizona license plates must be visible. Any license plate holder or cover that prevents the license plate from being clearly legible, is in violation of this new law.

If you have a license plate frame on your vehicle that covers the word “Arizona” you are advised to remove it. There is a good chance you have a car dealer frame around you plate that you just never paid attention to and it covers the word “Arizona”. This frame most likely has been on your car prior to January 2009. The fine, depending on where you get pulled over, could be $150 or more.
Of course if you are doing something else you should not be doing, such as driving after a few cocktails, and you have one of these license plate frames you have now added an additional expense and problem to your error.

So, take a minute to walk out to your car and check your license plate. You just may want to take a screwdriver. It the word “Arizona” is at all obstructed, I would suggest putting the screwdriver to work.

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Where Have all the “real” Realtors gone?

Whatever happened to the full service Realtor? There are so many discount Realtors, offering discount service that the true full service Realtor has been facing extinction. In this challenging market, can you really afford a discount Realtor or to be a discount Realtor? Fortunately both the consumer and these part-time, sometimes, discount Realtors are now becoming a dying breed. They both realize this model does not bide well in today’s marketplace. Personal attention has become important again.
That being said, I come back to my original question… “What ever happened to the true full service Realtor? Some of you may be saying, “I am right here” or “My Realtor is full service.” Can this really be true? When was the last time your Realtor (or you) presented an offer in person? Of course the large number of short sales and bank owned properties make this near impossible, but on a conventional sale does your Realtor (or you) present in person? Fax machines, e-mail, Blackberry, text messaging, e-Fax…does anyone ever talk to anyone anymore. Does anyone meet with the Seller and Seller’s agent face to face to “make the deal work”? As a Realtor that learned to present in person whenever possible, I still continue that practice. Unfortunately, I find it more difficult to follow that practice as the Seller’s agent does not find it necessary to represent the best interests of their client and meet face to face. I can think of several deals that have been “saved” by being personable and working with a person, not a piece of paper. Details can be explained and worked through instead of fought through. Everyone starts on the same page, therefore the entire negotiation moves more quickly and productively. All parties realize that everyone is after the same goal, a fair deal for all.
The electronic age has definitely created a shift in the way we conduct business, but we do not need to depersonalize it. I find it disheartening how so much of the younger generation cannot leave a proper voice message. Forget written communication, unless of course it is a text- message full of text lingo. The only way they know how to convey the use of humor is with a “LOL” or  emoticon. People skills, presentation skills and just plain talking to people have become a dying art. Real estate is not sales, it is a people business. Once you lose the ability to relate to a person and build lasting relationships, you lose the ability to build and grown your business.
As you make the “shift” in today’s world and use all this wonderful technology, social networking and short cut communication, remember to “keep it real”. Talk to your clients, fellow Realtors and anyone else you want to build a relationship with. Pick up the phone and make a lunch or coffee date with that past client. What about that colleague you think of often but haven’t seen in awhile. Do that once a week and watch your business bloom. After all, real estate is a conversation. Let’s talk.

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