Help for Your Thanksgiving To-Do-List

It seems like each holiday season, we can barely get through with Halloween when Thanksgiving is upon us.  Many of us will go out of town to visit family and friends and others of us will be welcoming those family members and friends into our homes.  Therefore, it’s important to make sure they feel comfortable and welcome when they come to visit. 

If you’re like most homeowners, you have a Thanksgiving to-do-list a mile long.  So, I’d like to extend my advice on getting your home ready for your visitors this Thanksgiving holiday in a timely and orderly fashion.  Once these tasks are finished, you will be able to glide around and be the cool host that you are.

Access What You Need to Do

Decide what projects you want to take on around the house.  Will it be a major sprucing up, a one room makeover, holiday decorating or a good fall cleaning?

Determine How Long Each Project Will Take

Depending on the project or projects you decide to take on, the length will vary.  You should carefully consider how much time you have and how much time you want to spend on the project.  Don’t dilly-dally around.  Make each moment count, especially if you are on a time crunch.

Schedule Your Time

Once you have determined how long the project will take and how much time you are willing to spend on it, get a calendar and make yourself a schedule of which days you will work on your projects.

What Materials Do You Need

Make a list of the materials that you will need for your project.  Check your list for items that you already have around the house.  This way you are only purchasing what is absolutely necessary and you can stay within a budget, if needed.

Look for Sales

If you are on a budget, keep an eye out for sales on home improvement items such as paint, carpet remnants, spackling, picture framing, cleaners, upholstery, furniture, etc.

Final Touchups

For last minute touchups that really make a house shine, you should clean all the windows and glass doors, clean your baseboards, add fresh flowers, make sure all the dishes are clean on the day your guests are expected to arrive and set out some potpourri for a nice fresh scent.

For more great holiday tips and advice, visit the DIY website.  They have some really great money saving ideas for everyone.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday season ~ Realtor® Liz Miller  

Baby Boomers’ Preferences in Real Estate

Baby Boomers’ preferences in real estate are different than their predecessors.  We won’t talk about age here.  BUT if any of this applies to you, well, we won’t tell anyone.

The Baby Boomers, who are currently age 45 to 63, have had an impact on society, starting with their childhood to their transition into retirement.  Recognizing the importance of this influential generation on the housing industry, the MetLife Mature Market Institute (MMI) and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) embarked on a research project that closely examined the 55+ population (the “Boomers” as well as older cohorts) preferences in homes and communities as well as the housing industry’s response to consumer demand.  The end result is “Housing for the 55+ Market: Trends and Insights on Boomers and Beyond”, one of the most comprehensive reports dedicated to this segment.

One of the most interesting items in the report was that they want smaller homes that are easier to take care of.  The preferred size of those surveyed is 1,903 square feet.

Other key findings:

• The majority of 55+ households do not live in age-restricted (also called age-qualified) or other 55+ communities.  Yet, that number is on the rise.  Residents in this type of community registered the highest satisfaction rates.  However, most 55+ respondents indicated they were happy with their current homes.

• The main reasons for moving to a 55+ owner-occupied community were family or personal reasons, financial or employment reasons and the desire to have a higher quality home.  In multi-family communities, family was the number one reason.  But, reducing costs and increasing quality were also top priorities.

• Within the community, design and looks were most important to 55+ single-family home buyers.

• The share of all 55+ buyers of newly built homes using a mortgage has increased significantly in the past six years.  However, for other 55+ communities, there was a decline from 54% in 2001 to 40% in 2007.

• Even though we would expect home value and home size to be related, this does not appear to be the case in 2001-2005.  The overall rapid price appreciation across homes of all sizes during this period appears to be driving these results.

Liz Miller, Just Call Liz for your Lake Havasu real estate needs

Have Banks Gone Too Far?

Have banks gone too far in tightening their hold on lending practices?  There was a real-head-scratcher in the LA Times last week written by David Lazarus, one of their most able real estate observers.

Here’s some of it:

“One reason we got into our current economic mess is because banks handed out home loans to pretty much anyone with a pulse, regardless of their ability to, you know, actually make mortgage payments.”

Banks have subsequently tightened their lending practices, which is a good thing.  But have they gone too far?

Glendora residents Angie Trujillo and Carl Heinzen think so.  They’re still trying to figure out why they got turned down for a refinancing of their mortgage.  Before we get any deeper into their story, you should know that Trujillo, 61, is no stranger to the world of banking.  She worked for Bank of America for nearly 40 years, rising from switchboard operator to assistant vice president.  Trujillo was shown the door in March, not long after BofA announced that it would be sacking as many as 35,000 employees over three years to cope with the recession.

Trujillo and Heinzen, who are married, applied for a refi several weeks before she lost her job at the bank.  Considering Trujillo’s long history with BofA and the fact that their loan was already with BofA, they figured the refi would still go through without any difficulty.  But in August, they learned it had been rejected.  The reason, according to the letter they received from the bank: “Income insufficient to support expenses.”

Apparently BofA decided not to take into consideration the $58,000 severance package Trujillo received from BofA along with her pink slip.  Or her $377,000 BofA pension.  Or her $156,000 in savings at BofA. Or the $10,000 she and her husband deposit at BofA monthly for rental properties they own and manage.  Not to mention the $450,000 value of their house, as appraised by BofA for their current BofA loan of $280,000.

Oh, and let’s not overlook that Heinzen’s FICO credit score was 809 at the time of their refi application and Trujillo’s was 764, placing them among the least-risky loan seekers in the country.

Kind of makes you wonder: If people like Heinzen and Trujillo can’t get a home loan, even for just a refi, who can?

Liz Miller, Just Call Liz for your Lake Havasu real estate needs

Liz Miller’s Lake Havasu Video

Lake Havasu City Housing Stats for June 2009

Realtor® Liz Miller ~ Lake Havasu City Real Estate

For the ninth consecutive month, residential home sales in Lake Havasu City have increased over the same time period for the year before. In fact, Lake Havasu homes experienced a 54% increase in June 2009 over home sales in June 2009 (150 vs 97). Vacant land sales in Lake Havasu also experienced a 33% increase in June 2009 from the previous year (12 vs 9) and sales of multi-family homes were up 150%. The average sell price of a Lake Havasu City home was $173,603, while the average sell price of a vacant lot was $80,679. Prices for single-family homes seem to be staying pretty steady now as well. If you are looking to purchase a home in Lake Havasu City, now is definitely the time to buy. The inventory is full of great bargains and prices will not stay this low forever. Besides, you have until the end of November 2009 to use the $8000 First Time Home Buyers Tax Credit to help finance your home. And, with the Your Way Home AZ program firmly in place for all Arizona residents, it would be silly of you not to purchase that Lake Havasu dream home today.

Liz Miller – Just Call Liz for Your Lake Havasu Real Estate Needs!

Newest Trend in Real Estate is Green Living

Spring is the time of year our minds think of renewing our homes and landscaping.  If you are considering making improvements to your home, keep the color green in mind.  The newest trend in real estate is green living homes.  Recent studies find that buyers are drawn to homes with green living standards.  Homes which feature green living standards receive more showings, are on the market for a shorter period and bring in a higher sales prices than competitive homes.
 
Some buyers are asking sellers about their utility costs.  Making a few lifestyle change and upgrading electrical appliances can reduce your electricity bill, which may influence a buyer’s choice when deciding which home to purchase.
 
Here are some energy and money saving green living tips:

    * Change light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs (up to 25% energy savings).
    * Upgrade your tube-based TV to an LCD flat panel (30% energy savings).
    * Replace your desktop computer with a laptop (75% energy savings).
    * Use cold water when washing clothes (80%+ energy savings).
    * Only use your dishwasher when full and air dry your dishes.
    * Install ceiling fans (up to 40% energy savings and you will feel 5 degrees cooler).
    * Paint your walls and ceilings with insulating paint (up to 30% energy savings).
    * Weatherize your windows and doors with caulk and/or weather stripping.
    * Set your refrigerator to 37 degrees F and your freezer to 3 degrees F.
    * Replace appliances with Energy-Star rated appliances.  Compare ratings for best savings.
    * Replace your washer with a front loading washer (60%+ energy savings).
    * Set your AC to 78 degreesF.  Clean your system and replace filters.
    * Wrap your water heater.
    * Replace your shower head with a low-flow shower head.
 
Lake Havasu homeowners can also take advantage of a tax credit being offered by the government for larger green living improvements.  There are two tax credits available for certain home improvements.
 
Tax credit of 30% of the improvement cost with a cap of $1,500 until 2010:

    * Windows and Doors
    * Insulation, Roofs (Metal and Asphalt)
    * HVAC, Water Heaters (non-solar)
    * Biomass Stoves
 
Tax Credit of 30% of the improvement with no cap until 2016:

    * Geothermal Heat Pumps
    * Solar Panels
    * Solar Water Heaters
    * Small Wind Energy Systems
    * Fuel Cells
 
Even in a recession, some Lake Havasu homeowners will consider purchasing a new car for the family.  The government is also offering a tax credit for green living hybrid cars (or trucks).  The tax credit is capped at $7,500.
 
Every little bit helps when it comes to green living; whether you are making a few simple lifestyle changes, upgrading appliances, making some simple home repairs or making larger improvements which qualify for a tax credit, you can make Lake Havasu a very green place to live.

More Energy Related Information Sources:
Summary Of Tax Credits For Homeowners
Tax Credit Home Improvement – FAQ
Power Scorecard – Grading Electricity Products
Alliance to Save Energy http://www.ase.org/
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy http://www.aceee.org/
U.S. DOE – Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network (EREN) http://www.eren.doe.gov/

Just Call Liz Miller for all your Lake Havasu real estate needs

Happy Harley Days Ride Again in Lake Havasu City

The Lake Havasu Area Chamber of Commerce is having its 12^th Annual Happy Harley Days this Friday, September 26, with this years theme being “Leather & Lace”. The event will be held at the Relics and Rods Hall at the Aquatic Center from 6:00pm to 10:00pm.

The event is in celebration of the Harley Davidson 105^th Anniversary. Tickets to this great event will sell for $250 for two admissions, two hearty steak dinner’s, and a chance to win a new 2008 Limited Edition 105^th Anniversary Harley Davidson Softail Fatboy.

Harley Davidson fans will also get to enter the 50/50 drawings for chances to win cash and prizes throughout the entire day. Other prizes will be awarded throughout the evening, as well.

There are only 175 tickets left, so don’t delay and get yours soon. This will be a great event for everyone who has a passion for Harley Davidson while in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.

Lighting For Your Outdoor Living Space

Many people in Lake Havasu City are starting to spend more time in their outdoor living space, as cooler weather approaches. Outdoor living space helps homeowners to enjoy nature at its best, and it increases the home’s value.

Many homeowners are expected to spend money on updating their homes. Some popular updates include the kitchen, bathroom, closet, and expanding their living space to the great outdoors. As budgets get tighter and tighter, many homeowners will be opting to add an outdoor living area to their home. It’s one of the least expensive and most trendy ways to add to your home without breaking the bank.

Outdoor living has become much more sophisticated over the years, more so in the last five years. Today’s outdoor living spaces contain kitchens, living rooms, tv’s, fireplaces, beautiful ceiling fans and decorative lighting.

Lighting companies around the nation are carrying more and more outdoor lighting products because of this new trend. All the decorative lighting used look like indoor lights, but they are specially made for outdoor use.

Some great lighting companies that offer a wonderful variety of outdoor lighting styles include Bellaria, Emerson, Cox, and Regency. All offer several styles from contemporary to trendy. Whatever your style, you are sure to find the perfect outdoor lighting for your outdoor living space.

Lake Havasu City Honoring 9/11 Victims

Many people from around the country will honor today’s victims, and Lake Havasu City is not exception. Residents here will be honoring them with their own special ceremony. Flags will be raised at the 9/11 Ceremony at London Bridge Beach Park in Lake Havasu City, today. For many, images will come back that have forever been imprinted in their minds.

Lake Havasu City residents believe it is important for everyone to take time out of their day, today, to remember those who lost their lives in this terrible tragedy. So, today’s ceremony will start with an opening prayer from Ford Richardson, the Chaplain of the Veterans of Foreign Wars from Post 9401. Richardson’s prayer will be followed by a moment of silence.

The posting of colors will be conducted by the Lake Havasu City Fire Department Honor Guard, and will be followed by the National Anthem, to be sung by Thunderbolt Middle School Choir and Daytona Middle School Choir.

After Lake Havasu City’s Division Chief Joe Davis and Fire Chief Dennis Mueller ring the bells, there will be a special performance of We Honor Our Fallen, to be performed by Marine Corps Gunner Sergeant, Jim Glover on the bagpipes.

The Pledge of Allegiance will be lead by Travis Standal, Rachel Leach, Tyler Tibbetts, and Morgan Carstensen, essay contest winners. They will also present wreaths. Two guest speakers will also be featured at the ceremony: Lake Havasu City Mayor Mark Nexsen and a retired New York City Fireman, Jo Torillo.

Just before the Rifle Salute by several armed forces, Emily Kuczynski will perform “Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning.”

The closing ceremony will include a performance of taps by Doug Blair and Al Bitner and will end with the raising of the flags.

Lake Havasu Clean Up

Many residents around Lake Havasu City have a goal to have the cleanest lake on the Colorado River. So, they have banned together to pick up all the trash left behind by visitors and other careless residents.

You know the old saying, “One mans trash is another mans treasure?“ Well, that’s not always true and, in this case, it would be great if everyone would trash their trash. The lake would be beautiful all the time without the unnecessary litter around it.

Cleaning up the lake will become a monthly process for the Chemehuevi Tribe, the Lake Havasu Marine Association, and resident volunteers. Some of the last clean up volunteers included Mayor Mark Nexsen, Dean Barlow, Don Callahan, the Lake Havasu Yacht Club, Lakeland Marine, Tantrum Motor Sports and several others.

Trash prevention will start with more trash cans around the lake and additional dumpsters. There are several there already, but people just need to use them. Hopefully, through publicity, people will start to pay attention to what they are leaving behind.

Lake Havasu City is a beautiful place to live, work and play, so let’s help keep it that way.