Monday, March 24, 2008

Homeowner Needs Help with HOA Issue

I get many emails from homeowners who are having problems with their Homeowner Associations, and are seeking advice.  I'm not an attorney, so I can't offer advice on how to handle specific HOA problems.  But I've been there myself, so I found the email below particularly interesting.  Without revealing any personal information, I'm posting the majority of the email along with my response:

"I don't know if you can help me with this but if you can offer some help or direction that would be greatly appreciated.  I have a truck that I have had parked on the side of my house for four (4) years.  Nothing was ever said.  Now, I have received a letter from my HOA telling me I can't park it there because it can be seen over the gate.  Maybe six (6) inches of the roof.  And, that it is parked in a "Landscaped Area", which it is not. It is a utility area that is not landscaped at all.

We buy these houses with big double gates so we can utilize the area behind these gates for things like this.  I can understand if it was something offensive, but no one has ever complained or said anything about the truck being there till this.  Any help?"

My Response...

"...I'm sorry you're having a problem with your HOA.  I had a similar problem myself and know first hand how frustrating it can be.  Obviously, every situation is different and your situation is probably based on very different facts, CC&R's, legal principles, etc.  And I'm not sure if you're in Arizona, but state laws also can affect your situation.  So the best advice I can give you is to seek advice from an attorney, which I am not.  From a homeowner standpoint, I can tell you that when I consulted an attorney in a HOA situation several years ago, the advice I was given was to work within the neighborhood to gain support and resolve the problem.  Here's what happened to me several years ago:

We had a nearly new pickup truck parked in the 'third-car' area of our driveway.  But it wasn't paved like the rest of the driveway, it was covered with rocks.  The truck was driven every day, and we had been parking it there for about 3 years or more when a certain Board member decided to make a stink about it.  Our attorney told us that in our case, by allowing us to park there for several years, the HOA had given us "constructive notice" that it was allowed.  Our CC&R's did not specifically prohibit it, however they did not specifically allow it either.  So our attorney claimed that in the absence of a restriction, it was permitted.  Then the Board member tried to use some vague landscaping clause to make us stop parking there.  Of course, there were others in the neighborhood who parked in a similar manner, so we found them and got them to show up at the next meeting for support when we addressed the Board.  Since only a few people usually showed up to Board meetings, we only had to get a few neighbors to show up to have overwhelming support.  We also went to each of our immediate neighbors and had them sign statements saying that we had been parking there for years and they had no problem with it.  Additionally we went door-to-door and asked other neighbors who agreed we should be able to park there to sign a petition so we could amend the CC&R's to specifically allow it.  We came up just short of the 2/3 required for an amendment to the CC&R's, but it was enough to make the other Board members agree to drop the issue.  Shortly thereafter, the Board formally adopted a policy which allowed parking on rocks with certain criteria, which we met.  End of story.

Again, your overall situation is different than mine, so you should speak to an attorney about the legality of your issues.  Much of the HOA's power comes from the CC&R's and an attorney can explain your rights under the CC&R's.  From a non-legal standpoint and from my experience as a homeowner, the power a HOA has comes from its members.  The unfortunate truth from my experience with HOA's is that in many cases, most members don't care and won't get involved in things they don't care about.  But if you can find those neighbors who are in similar positions, you may find strength in numbers.  Or you might find that others disagree with you totally and you are the minority in your neighborhood.  But chances are, there are others out there who recently got notices to stop doing things they've been doing for years also.  Did you recently have a new Board member elected who might be pushing a stricter agenda?

Again, other than telling you of my experience, you're in lawyer territory!  While I can't advise you on how to handle your situation, I hope my story helps.  And I wish you the best of luck in resolving your HOA issues.

Sincerely,
Shannon

Hope you found this interesting too.  Have a great day!

Written By: Shannon Hubbard Realtor®-Investor Great American Realty, Inc. Cell: (480) 695-6672 Email me

Posted by Shannon Hubbard, Arizona Real Estate Agent on March 24, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBack

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Foreclosure Rates and Neighborhood Crime

Here's an interesting statistic:

For every 1% increase in a neighborhood's foreclosures, violent crime increases 2.33%.

Written By: Shannon Hubbard Realtor®-Investor Great American Realty, Inc. Cell: (480) 695-6672 Email me

Posted by Shannon Hubbard, Arizona Real Estate Agent on March 11, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBack

Friday, January 18, 2008

AZ Termite Inspector Licensing Agency Going Away

If you haven't already heard, the licensing agency for Arizona termite inspectors and pest control professionals is going away - for good.  That's right, the Arizona Structural Pest Control Commission (SPCC) is being eliminated.

Amid allegations of "cronyism, inefficiency, overregulation and instability", the executive director was recently fired by the seven member Commission.  In protest, the 3 Commission members who voted against firing the executive director have resigned.  A committee of Arizona lawmakers have since voted in favor of, and are introducing a bill to disband the SPCC altogether.

Under the new bill, regulation & licensing of pest control professionals, including termite inspectors, will be transferred to the AZ Department of Agriculture.  Arizona lawmakers also considered transferring the SPCC's duties to the AZ Registrar of Contractors (ROC) or the AZ Board of Technical Registration (BTR).  However, agricultural pest control is already regulated by the AZ Dept. of Agriculture, so they are the most logical choice.

Last I heard, the bill was supposed to be introduced in early January when the AZ Legislature reconvened.  While I have not officially seen anything stating the bill has been introduced or approved, I was told by one of my State Representatives in early January that the SPCC's duties will be transferring to the AZ Department of Agriculture.  I think he told me a time frame, but I don't remember what it was.  So it sounds like a pretty done deal, even if it has not been officially approved.  AZ Governor Napolitano mentioned late last year that she would consider the recommendation to get rid of the SPCC, and the State Representative I spoke with did not say the SPCC might go away, he said it was going away.  Additionally, the SPCC (like all such agencies) is subject to review every ten years.  I believe the SPCC's sunset review is due in June of this year, and even in the absence of other legislation, I don't think the SPCC is expected to be re-authorized or renewed.

So, the "good ole boy network" at an Arizona licensing agency...could it really happen?

Of course, I'm being sarcastic - yes, it really happens and probably more than you'd ever believe.  I have personally witnessed the type of abuse of power alleged here at another AZ licensing agency.  Luckily, it was not not directed at me personally.  However, I would bet that it's much more widespread than the public really knows.  That's a real shame since these licensing agencies are intended to protect the public.  But when the agency is corrupt, it doesn't protect anybody - it just raises the cost of doing business.  And that cost is ultimately passed on to the consumer, which means the licensing agency ends up hurting the very consumers it was supposed to protect.

By the way, I want to apologize to my loyal readers for my recent "vacation" from blogging.  Between the holidays, visiting relatives and another project I've been working on, the time has just gotten away from me.  But I promise to post again soon.  In fact, my friend the AZ Mortgage Guru recently sent me a very interesting article, which got me doing some research on another Arizona licensing agency.  And what I found is definitely worth coming back to read.  So be sure to check back in a few days and read all about it!

Related articles:
- State Pest Control Director Fired
- Arizona Structural Pest Control Commission May Disband
- Pest Control Agency May Be Disbanded
- Napolitano willing to consider abolishing pest control agency

Written By: Shannon Hubbard Realtor®-Investor Great American Realty, Inc. Cell: (480) 695-6672 Email me

Posted by Shannon Hubbard, Arizona Real Estate Agent on January 18, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Saturday, December 08, 2007

Indoor Air Quality & Pollutants in Your Home

During the last 20 years, many homes have been made tighter to conserve energy, to decrease the amount of heated air that leaves the house in winter, and likewise, decrease the amount of cooled air that escapes in the summer.  At the same time, of course, there is less fresh, cold air getting into the house in the winter and less fresh hot air entering the house in summer.  This may seem like a good idea; it isn't.  Because the air inside your house is in an enclosed space, the concentration or level of pollutants can be much greater in the air inside than outside.  A tighter house has a lower ventilation rate.  As a result of ventilation decreases, the concentration of pollutants inside the home increases.

Indoor air pollutants pose the greatest risk to people who are at home the most; babies, children, the elderly and chronically ill.  Ironically, these are the very same people who are most susceptible to pollution in the air.  Some indoor air pollutants like radon and asbestos are life threatening.  While others may not be life threatening, they can make your life miserable causing eye, nose & throat irritation, shortness of breath, dizziness, lethargy, fever and digestive problems to name a few.

There are three basic ways to reduce and alleviate indoor air pollution:

1. Source Control - the goal here is to simply eliminate the source of the pollutant
2. Ventilation - both natural ventilation & mechanical ventilation will decrease pollutants within the home
   • Natural ventilation (open doors and windows)
   • Mechanical ventilation (using a fan)
3. Air Cleaners - generally removes particles from the air, but not gas pollutants

There are many different types of indoor air pollutants:

the by-products of combustion, including environmental tobacco smoke;  respirable suspended particles;  carbon monoxide;  nitrogen dioxide;  volatile organic compounds (VOC's);  biologicals;  and electromagnetic fields (EMF's).

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, tasteless and nonirritating gas that can interfere with the supply of oxygen to the body tissues.  Its sources can include unvented kerosene & gas heaters, leaking chimneys & furnaces, car exhaust, gas stoves and tobacco smoke.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC's) refer to a large number of organic vapors that contaminate the air.  It's common for VOC levels to shoot up temporarily, during and following new construction, renovation or refurbishing.  Therefore, it's important to increase ventilation as much as possible during and following any renovation.  Some VOC's are carcinogenic and there are numerous sources of VOC's including:  household products (paints, paint strippers & other solvents);  new carpeting, drapes & furnishings;  wood preservatives;  aerosol sprays;  cleansers & disinfectants;  moth repellents & air fresheners;  stored fuels & car supplies;  hobby supplies;  dry cleaned clothing;  and environmental tobacco smoke.  When present indoors, tobacco smoke can be a major source, or significant part of indoor air pollution.

Biologicals include things like fungi, molds and dust mites.  Higher levels of humidity tend to encourage their growth.  The two major actions to control biologicals are controlling the moisture and keeping your home as clean as possible.

Electromagnetic Fields (EMF's) are a combination of electric fields and magnetic fields that radiate from electric cables, wires, fixtures and appliances.  They include any appliance that either: uses electric bulbs; has an electric motor, such as a refrigerator, freezer, clothes washer, hair dryer, shaver, food mixer, blender, vacuum, etc.;  or has an electric heating element, such as a clothes dryer, iron, electric blanket, stove/oven.

The data is not conclusive regarding EMF health hazards.  It seems to indicate that the most likely health effects of exposure to EMF's would be in the areas of cancer and reproduction.  While a cause and effect relationship has yet to be established, a statistical association has emerged between exposure to EMF and cancer risks and reproduction malfunctions.

• 1979 - a study done by two Colorado epidemiologist, found that a greater percentage of children who lived near power distribution lines had cancer, compared with a control group.
• 1986 - a study commissioned by the New York State Power Lines Project to see if the results could be repeated using a different group of children in Colorado.  The findings in that study substantiated the earlier findings.
• 1989 - the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment concluded that "emerging evidence no longer allows one to categorically assert that there are no risks" from exposure to EMF's.

Here's one (probably unknown) step to control and mitigate EMF in your home:  If you have an electric blanket, use it to warm the bed and turn it off before you get into the bed!

Contributed By: Martin Spilo Realtor ® Gateway Properties 2430 W. Red Range Way Phoenix, AZ  85085 Business: (623) 363-5685 Website Email me

Posted by Martin Spilo on December 8, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Friday, August 17, 2007

Sub-Prime Mortgage Crisis Causes Fed to Lower Discount Rate

The Federal Reserve just lowered its discount rate by a half a point to 5.25% after continuous bad news from the mortgage industry and Wall Street.  The discount rate is the rate the Federal Reserve charges qualified lenders, usually banks, for temporary loans.  This move is mostly symbolic, as the Fed did NOT lower the federal funds rate as many expect will happen in September, and perhaps again in October (the federal funds rate is the more closely watched 'interest rate' which affects credit cards, home equity lines of credit, car loans, other consumer loans and eventually mortgage rates).  But obviously, the Fed is now MUCH more worried about the credit crunch than about inflation.  What started as a subprime mortgage problem is now wreaking havoc on Wall Street and the economy as a whole.

As a Realtor®, lower interest rates would obviously make me happy.  Lower rates will decrease a buyer's monthly mortgage payment, therefore enabling more people to qualify and buy real estate.  But will lower interest rates really help solve the mortgage problem, or will it just create more inflationary worries?  And as mortgage companies tighten lending standards, will new buyers who qualify due to lower interest rates even be enough to offset those buyers who no longer qualify due to tighter lending requirements?

It's not that lenders don't want to lend - trust me, they WANT to make loans available.  But the loans have to meet certain requirements or the mortgage company cannot sell them and free up money to lend to the next borrower.  So mortgage lenders are faced with a choice:

• Make conforming loans that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will buy, or
• Risk NOT being able to sell their loans in the secondary market

As more and more of these risky loans go into default, there are less people willing to buy them.  Investors are pretty scared right now, as indicated by the big sell-offs on Wall Street over the past few weeks.  While there are definitely reasons to be concerned, I personally feel the media attention has made this problem out to be much worse than it really is.  If you believe what you hear on TV and read in the newspaper, mortgage companies are closing their doors.  Some really are, but it's still possible for someone with good credit and good income to get a mortgage (and shouldn't good credit and good income have been a requirement all along, really?).  But don't expect to find the 100% financing and 103% financing of years past.  If you plan to apply for a mortgage anytime soon, start saving now because you'll likely be expected to make a significant downpayment.  You'll also probably be expected to document your income.  Why?  Because people with good credit, good income and a large down payment invested DON'T generally walk away from their house/mortgage when things get tough.  On the other hand, people who put no money down and have so-so credit have very little to lose, and therefore can walk away from their home (and their mortgage debt) as if they were renters.

In the short-term, stricter yet common sense lending requirements will cause panic and fear, and yes, fewer people will qualify for a mortgage.  But in the long run, stricter requirements will help make for a more stable lending environment, and ultimately a more stable real estate market.

Written By: Shannon Hubbard Realtor®-Investor Great American Realty, Inc. Cell: (480) 695-6672 Email me

Posted by Shannon Hubbard, Arizona Real Estate Agent on August 17, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Thursday, June 14, 2007

AZ Real Estate Blogs & Bubble Bursters

Yesterday, the Arizona Republic did an article on Valley Real Estate Bloggers (at least that’s what the title was).  It was a little disappointing to read because it didn’t really have much to do with Valley Real Estate Bloggers.  In fact, BlogArizona.com was the only Arizona real estate blog mentioned.  While BlogArizona.com was the original Arizona real estate blog, there are many other great AZ real estate blogs that you couldn’t possibly miss if you were looking.  In fact, I even gave the AZ Republic reporter the names and URLs of at least 4 other Valley real estate blogs, yet none of them were mentioned in the article.  I mentioned Jay Thompson's blog, Bloodhound Blog, AZMortgageGuru and of course, my husband’s blog, the original Home Inspection Blog!

The article did mention some Valley bubble bursting blogs, if you consider those to be real estate blogs.  These are the bloggers who cheer for decreasing home values and hope for a total collapse of the real estate market.  They wish hateful things on all who own real estate - investors and average homeowners alike.  I believe some of them have more of a political agenda, some have a business motive to hate real estate, while others are just bitter renters who were priced out of the market during the last boom.  Regardless of the motives, the amount of hate you find on these ‘bubble burster’ blogs is just WRONG, and it makes me question everything they post.  While some of the facts they tout may indeed be true, it’s hard to give any credibility to someone that’s hoping the real estate market will crash so that all property owners will be financially hurt.  Normal people do NOT think this way.

As soon as I spoke with Glenn Creno, I suspected the article would focus on these bubble blogs.  He asked me several questions about them, and he was really curious why they were so hateful and what kind of person could seriously root for a collapse of the housing market.  So Jay, Greg, et al, don’t be offended your blogs weren’t mentioned -somehow I don’t imagine you’re losing sleep over it :).  You didn’t fit his agenda.  In fact, if anybody should be bothered by this article, it’s me.  BlogArizona was listed just beneath the Housing Panic blog, under the heading, “Critical of the Market”.  But at least the ‘chatter’ on BlogArizona.com “is more subdued” than the Housing Panic blog.

Seriously, there are more important things in the world to worry about than some Arizona Republic article.  As one of the comments on azcentral.com reminded me, Paris Hilton’s in jail.  I have to go watch the news and see how unfairly she was treated today!

Written By: Shannon Hubbard Realtor®-Investor Great American Realty, Inc. Cell: (480) 695-6672 Email me

Posted by Shannon Hubbard, Arizona Real Estate Agent on June 14, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Friday, April 13, 2007

BlogArizona.com Welcomes the Arizona Mortgage Guru!

Those who read BlogArizona.com regularly have probably noticed that I myself have been a blog mute over the past few months!  To the many people who read BlogArizona.com each day, I sincerely apologize for my absence.  Of course, there's no excuse to neglect your blog :)   But I will say (in my defense and in defense of the AZ real estate market in general) that I've been crazy busy lately!  No matter what the newspaper or other media may say, BUYERS ARE BACK TO THE ARIZONA REAL ESTATE MARKET!  That's why I haven't blogged lately!

Now that we've established that the Arizona "real estate bubble" is still not bursting, I want to welcome Shailesh Ghimire to BlogArizona.com.  Shailesh is the Arizona Mortgage Guru and a local Home Loan Expert.  Shailesh and his wife Aimee are a team at CTX Mortgage, serving the Greater Phoenix area.

If you've read Shailesh's first BlogArizona post or visited his blog, I think you'll agree that Shailesh will make a great addition to BlogArizona.com.  I have no doubt that his posts will add interesting and current content that BlogArizona readers will enjoy.

I also want to say that while I haven't posted much lately, I have been working on some new upgrades/features for BlogArizona. These improvements will be added over time, and that's all I'm saying so you'll have to keep checking back to find out what they are!  BlogArizona.com is also looking to add new Contributors.  Here's more information if you or someone you know is interested.

Written By: Shannon Hubbard Realtor®-Investor Great American Realty, Inc. Cell: (480) 695-6672 Email me

Posted by Shannon Hubbard, Arizona Real Estate Agent on April 13, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Saturday, February 24, 2007

Apply for a Mortgage & Buy a House

That's right, it's time...time to buy Arizona real estate again!  While many people are still waiting for the bubble to burst, the market's picking back up.  Personally, my phone has been ringing off the hook since the weekend after the Super Bowl.  And in a normal real estate year, that's what happens...the market slows down for the holidays and then starts getting busy again as soon as the Super Bowl is over.  We've seen a weird Arizona real estate market over the last couple years, but it looks like 2007 is going to be a good real estate year.

The economy is strong (locally & nationally), interest rates are still low, rental amounts are increasing and sellers are negotiating...the perfect time to buy!  Some buyers are still scared because everytime they pick up the newspaper there's another story about the bubble bursting.  But have you noticed there are less of those stories lately?  Many buyers are still in disbelief that home prices are as high as they are, but waiting to buy is the wrong strategy, as many who were recently priced out of the market will tell you.

Supply is relatively high right now (home inventories are still higher than normal).  Demand has been somewhat lower than normal since the run-up of real estate prices over the past few years has priced many buyers out of the market.  But sellers have started to negotiate, and prices have stopped appreciating like crazy and have even come down in some areas.  That's all it takes to stimulate the Arizona real estate market and get buyers shopping for houses again!

So get pre-approved for your mortgage and give me a call - I'll help you find the perfect home!

Written By: Shannon Hubbard Realtor®-Investor Great American Realty, Inc. Cell: (480) 695-6672 Email me

Posted by Shannon Hubbard, Arizona Real Estate Agent on February 24, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBack

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

BlogArizona.com Among Top Real Estate Blogs

BiggerPockets.com recently put together a list of the Top 35 Real Estate Blogs, and of course, BlogArizona.com was on the list!  BiggerPockets.com considered real estate blogs for their Top 35 list based on several factors including frequency of updates, as well as how unique, timely and relevant the blog's content is.

Considering the thousands of real estate blogs that are out there, BlogArizona.com considers this an honor!  But being named as a top real estate blog is not new to BlogArizona.com.  Not only was BlogArizona.com one of the first real estate blogs in Arizona, but it has consistently been listed among the top blogs and real estate sites.  So whether your buying, building, selling, renting or just want to learn a little about Arizona, be sure to come back to BlogArizona.com regularly!

Posted by BlogMaster on August 30, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Property Analyzer Tool for Real Estate Investors

I recently received an email from Stephane at LandlordMax.com informing me about a new online real estate property analyzer tool.  The tool is FREE and it's basically like a mortgage calculator for investment properties, but much more extensive.  If you're looking at investment property, it would definitely be a great idea to run the numbers through LandlordMax.com's property analyzer tool first to see what kind of return you can expect on your investment!  It generates seven different reports, including:

• Amortization table
• Yearly Income Versus Expenses
• Yearly Cash Flow
• Property Appreciation Versus Debt
• Cash on Cash Return
• Net Operating Income (NOI)
• Debt Coverage Ratio

LandlordMax.com also offers Property Managment Software for the more serious real estate investor or landlord.  Their property management software is not free, but the online real estate property analyzer tool is free, so check it out!  If you do try it, feel free to make a comment and let me know what you think.

Written By: Shannon Hubbard Realtor®-Investor Great American Realty, Inc. Cell: (480) 695-6672 Email me

Posted by Shannon Hubbard, Arizona Real Estate Agent on July 11, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

New Law Helps Arizona Homeowners with HOA's

Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano recently signed House Bill 2824 into law, giving Arizona homeowners one more tool to fight back against abusive homeowners associations (HOA's).  The new law, which goes into effect 90 days after the legislative session ends, will enable homeowners to have their HOA disputes heard before a judge rather than having to file an expensive lawsuit.  The filing fees haven't been set as of yet, but the non-refundable filing fee is expected to be around $500 versus what could be tens of thousands to file a lawsuit.  Most lawyers oppose the new law, while most homeowner advocates support it, so it must be good for homeowners!  I believe it will help to level the playing field between the homeowner and the HOA.

Personally, I have mixed emotions about HOA's.  I'm currently the President of a commercial property owners association, and I have worked closely with the Board of Directors in other HOA's.  I have seen first hand how great a community can be if it has a good HOA, and how miserable it can be with a bad one.  While homeowners associations can be good for property values, a "bad" HOA can seriously mess up your life.  Because they have the power to lien and foreclose on your property, it is important that you stay paid up on your dues and promptly deal with any fines or non-compliance issues, no matter how angry you become!  I've seen homeowner associations turn a couple hundred dollars into thousands of dollars in fines, late fees and interest in a relatively short period of time. 

So what is a bad homeowner association?  First, it's important to understand how HOA's work.  A homeowners association is usually made up of two components - 1) the elected Board of Directors, who are members of the association, and 2) the property management company, who is hired by the association to take care of the association's daily operations. In my opinion, a "bad HOA" is bad either because it has a "bad" Board of Directors or it has a "bad" management company, or both.  My experiences both in residential and commercial real estate have lead me to the conclusion that property management companies are some of the sleaziest people in the real estate industry.  (Just my opinion, of course!).  I think the reason for this is that property management is not a licensed activity - anyone can do it.  Don't get me wrong, there are many really good property management companies that provide great service to their clients.  But the ones that are "bad" do a huge disservice to their entire industry.

As far as the Board of Directors go, they can be "bad" in more than one way.  If your association has that one Board member that wants to measure everybody's grass and make sure it's not out of compliance, that is "bad" in my opinion.  That's the guy I call the "Neighborhood Nazi", and I've met him!  As long as the Board has other reasonable members to overrule the Neighborhood Nazi, the HOA can still be okay.  If there are more Neighborhood Nazis than reasonable members on the Board, I would call that a "bad" HOA.  The Board of Directors can also be a problem if they are too passive, what I call an "absentee Board of Directors".  Unfortunately, when a management company realizes they are dealing with an "absentee Board", they will often take advantage of the situation.

Remember, not all homeowners associations are bad.  But also remember that even a good HOA can quickly become a "bad" HOA with the election of one or more new Board members, and vice versa.  But the "bad" HOA's worst enemy is the informed, involved homeowner...so be sure to go to meetings, vote and participate in your association.  And even more importantly, before you purchase a home, carefully read the CC&R's.  I know they're usually long and boring, but sometimes they have rules you don't expect like you must have at least 2 citrus trees in your front yard, or you can't park a pickup truck in front of your house overnight.  So use your inspection period wisely and inspect more than just the house, inspect the association before you buy!

Written By: Shannon Hubbard Realtor®-Investor Great American Realty, Inc. Cell: (480) 695-6672 Email me

Posted by Shannon Hubbard, Arizona Real Estate Agent on June 20, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBack

Saturday, May 20, 2006

BlogArizona Gets Mention in Arizona Republic Real Estate Blogging Article!

BlogArizona.com was recently contacted by Arizona Republic reporter, David van den Berg, who was doing an article on real estate bloggers.  Several of BlogArizona's Contributors were interviewed and quoted in the article, which came out in the May 17th Arizona Republic.  The article, "Blogs Will Grow As Tool For Real Estate", can also be viewed online.

Posted by BlogMaster on May 20, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Receive New Arizona Real Estate Listings As Soon As They Hit MLS!

We've added new features and functionality to the Arizona MLS search page.  You can now save your searches and have automatic updates emailed to you!  It's quick, it's easy and it's FREE!!

After you sign up, just save your search and you will receive an email each day notifying you of any new listings that match your search criteria.  You can search Residential Homes for Sale, Residential Rentals, Land & Lots or Commercial Properties for Sale.  You may also browse several other categories, including Commercial Properties for Lease, Multiple Dwellings, Gated Communities, Golf Communities and New on MLS Today.

In today's real estate market, the good properties are sold before most buyers even know they're for sale.  Not anymore!  Sign up for automatic updates today, and be the first to know when new properties are listed!

Written By: Shannon Hubbard Realtor-Investor Great American Realty, Inc. Cell: (480) 695-6672 Email me

Posted by Shannon Hubbard, Arizona Real Estate Agent on January 18, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Sunday, July 31, 2005

Official Launch of BlogArizona.com!

Today is BlogArizona.com's official launch date!  We have been working for several months now to add features and get the site ready...so check it out!  There's plenty to see while you are here:

• Read up-to-date articles written by Arizona real estate professionals
• Make a comment!
• Search Arizona MLS
• Use our mortgage calculators
• Make a comment!
• Take our poll
• Check today's mortgage rates
• Join our Frequent Blogger Club
• Find out how much your home is worth
• Make a comment!
• Interview a real estate professional
• Ask an Expert
• Suggest an article
• Read the daily cartoon
• Make a comment (Okay, I know...you get the idea now!)
• Set-up an automatic reminder for your new home 1-year warranty inspection
• Tell-a-friend about BlogArizona.com
• Read 'Today in History'
• Add a free FSBO listing
• Buy fun & unique real estate gifts in our online store
• Search our archives
• Buy or sell moving boxes

Best of all...you can find out what the heck a blog is!  And don't forget to make a comment while you're here (Did I mention that already?!).

Check back with us regularly for the latest Arizona real estate news and trends.  Thanks for visiting!

the BlogMaster

Posted by BlogMaster on July 31, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Friday, May 27, 2005

Free Service Sends Alerts When a Sex Offender Moves Into Your Neighborhood

When looking for a new home, it's common for buyers to check the area for sex offenders.  Like many states, Arizona offers this information on the AZ Dept. of Public Safety's website.  It is especially important to make this check, as we have recently been reminded by tragic news stories such as that of Jessica Lunsford.

But it's equally important to stay up-to-date with who is living in your neighborhood.  A new service from www.scanusa.com claims it can help you do just that.  Once you sign up for this free service, you will receive automatic alerts whenever a sexual predator moves into the zip code(s) you have designated (up to 5 zip codes).  You can choose to receive alerts by several different methods such as email, cell phone, fax, ICQ, AOL and/or Yahoo.  You also have the ability to change your preferences at any time.

In addition to Sexual Predator Alerts, you can also choose to receive a variety other alerts such as Neighborhood Crime Alerts, Amber Alerts, Weather Alerts, Traffic Emergency Alerts, Fire Alerts, Health Emergency Alerts, Consumer Fraud Alerts, Neighborhood Public Safety Announcements, Environmental Alerts and Cyber Alerts.  Alerts are also expected to be available in Spanish sometime later this year. 

I just signed up for this service today and haven't actually received any alerts yet, but it seems like a very useful service.  For more information or to sign up, visit www.scanusa.com.  And please remember, the only sure way to keep your kids safe is to know where they are and what they are doing at all times.

Written By: Shannon Hubbard Realtor-Investor Great American Realty, Inc. Cell: (480) 695-6672 Email me

Posted by Shannon Hubbard, Arizona Real Estate Agent on May 27, 2005 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack

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Written By: Shannon Hubbard