BlogArizona Category: Arizona GovernmentThis page contains all BlogArizona posts related to Arizona Government. Read a specific post by clicking on a title below, or scroll further down the page to read through all posts in this category.Thursday, August 16, 2012Beware of Mortgage Modification & Foreclosure Assistance ScamsIf you or someone you know is trying to do a mortgage modification or seeking help for a foreclosure situation, be sure to read this announcement from Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne: AG Horne Files Two Lawsuits Against Mortgage Modification Assistance Companies Operating In Both Phoenix and Tucson
Posted by Shannon Hubbard, AZ Realtor & Computer Guru on August 16, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack Monday, October 19, 2009Is the Phoenix, Arizona Real Estate Market Recovering?Here's a snapshot of the current Phoenix metro area real estate market, as I see it: At the end of last year, the real estate market in the Phoenix metropolitan area started to pick up... not because of any government program, but because the free market works. When prices came down to a certain level, the investors came out to play. Some of those who were sitting on the sidelines waiting decided it was time. And people started buying again... not in huge droves like a few years back when people were fighting each other for houses. But then again, who wants that, really? (I was taught that slow and steady wins the race!). Since then, I've seen a steady flow of buyers into the market, and many banks/real estate agents are even creating bidding wars again. Of course, these bidding wars are driven by totally fabricated demand. The bank has a real estate agent list the house for a super low price to attract multiple offers. Then instead of rejecting any of the offers, they entice all of the propsective buyers into a bidding war and tell them to make their "highest and best offer". None of the buyers know what the other bids are, so they often times end up bidding higher than they should because they get sucked into the emotion of 'wanting to win the bid' rather than rationally determining what the house is worth without that emotion present. I always tell buyers to avoid bidding situations, even in a sellers market. But especially in the current buyer's market... there are still way too many houses available for sale right now to get into a bidding war. Go find a seller who appreciates your offer more and is willing to negotiate under your terms. In a buyer's market, the buyer should feel like they're driving the terms of the deal, not the seller. But realize that Arizona's residential real estate market still faces significant foreclosures, and this will continue for some time. Supply is good for buyers and you shouldn't let uncertainty scare you away from the market if you're buying an owner-occupied home that you plan to keep for at least 3-5 years. However, I would advise inexperienced investors to be very careful buying Arizona real estate right now, especially if you plan to do a short-term flip. There's money to be made, but you can also lose a bunch so just know what you're doing. In my opinion, Arizona's real estate market is recovering, but is not out of the woods yet. The biggest danger to this recovery (other than government interference) is the commercial real estate market. I'm not sure why nobody is talking about it, but the commercial market could create huge problems in the coming years, especially if banking problems are not addressed. Commercial real estate market trends lag the residential market, and I don't think we've even started to see the real impact of the commercial market yet. Here's why: Many commerical real estate mortgages are 5-year or 10-year interest-only loans with balloon payments due at the end of the term. So as those commercial loans made at the height of the real estate bubble start to come due (as they currently are), the property owner (probably a small business owner) will have only a few choices. They either have to pay off the entire balance, which is unlikely for most businesses since they're probably already struggling to make ends meet. Or they'll have to re-finance the loan, which is also unlikely because 1) property values are much lower now and the property is probably not worth the loan amount anymore, and 2) lending standards are tighter and commercial loans are very hard to get. So if these loans can't be re-financed or paid off, the only other option is to sell the property before the loan is due. Many property owners will wait too long, not realizing how long it takes to sell a commercial property in today's market and will consequently face foreclosure. For this reason, I believe the commercial market could be the next big real estate crisis. Of course, I don't have a crystal ball, and nobody really knows for sure what tomorrow will bring. Everybody with an opinion on the future of the real estate market is really just guessing :) So my advice is guess carefully, and as always, buyer beware!
Posted by Shannon Hubbard, AZ Realtor & Computer Guru on October 19, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack Monday, July 06, 2009Did your AZ Representative Help Defeat the Anti-Sanctuary City Bill?Before adjourning July 1, the Arizona House defeated a bill (HB 2280) by Senator Russell Pearce that would have cracked down on pro-illegal alien “sanctuary” laws and aided in immigration enforcement by expanding the state’s trespassing law. While the Senate approved the bill 16-11, the House was five votes short of the 31 needed for passage. Democratic politicians usually oppose illegal immigration enforcement, as they need the pro-illegal money and votes to get re-elected. But three Republicans also opposed this bill even though the State Republican Party unanimously passed a resolution supporting it and numerous law enforcement organizations endorsed it (at least those who haven’t had long-standing ties with open-borders groups and cheap-labor business lobbyists). The 3 Republicans and 12 Democrats who opposed this bill were:
What's really disturbing is that 19 members of the House (listed below) did not even vote on the bill at all. Shame on them. I was told the six Republicans listed below physically left the Capitol building so they didn’t have to go on record as opposing HB 2280 (sadly, my Representative was among them):
Is this really what we pay our elected officials to do... play both sides of the aisle and hide their true beliefs so nobody knows what they support or oppose? I know I didn't vote for that. I expect my elected representatives to help Americans, not illegal immigrants. And no, I'm not a racist although the pro-illegal immigration crowd will say anyone who wants our immigration laws enforced must be a racist (so go ahead and send the emails anyway - my delete key is ready!). I simply want our laws to be respected by all. You and I must obey the law or pay the consequences. Why are illegals getting a free pass at our expense? Our immigration laws have been ignored for long enough, and selective enforcement of some laws results in lack of respect for all laws. If all laws are not enforced, how do you know which ones they're really serious about? So what does this have to do with real estate? PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN SANCTUARY CITIES. Eliminating sanctuary city policies will not only aid law enforcement and make our cities safer, but this bill will also alleviate some of our financial problems. Sanctuary cities are plagued with increased costs and decreased quality of education, healthcare, law enforcement and all other social services. Sound familiar? Our current budget mess reminds us that Arizona can't even afford the services it's currently providing. So do we raise taxes, reduce services & quality of services provided to legal residents, or eliminate services for those who are here illegally mooching off the rest of us? Seems kind of like a no-brainer to me, especially considering that many legal Arizona residents are currently unemployed and in need of assistance. But then I'm just a lowly taxpayer so I don't have all that special "State Representative" knowledge that's required to make such important decisions with other people's money. The defeat of this bill means that sanctuary policies, like those in Mesa and other Valley cities, will continue to:
When public assistance agencies are prevented from inquiring about an applicant's immigration status, benefits are distributed to ineligible illegal aliens. Sanctuary policies directly violate Federal law and make it easier for illegal aliens, including criminal aliens, to live undetected in Arizona. How many citizens, including police officers, have to die or be maimed before we decide to enforce our immigration laws? ATTENTION STATE LAWMAKERS: If you oppose a bill, at least have the backbone to stand up and say so. Otherwise, don't ask for my vote next time you run for re-election... because I will show up to vote against you (and I'll encourage everyone I know to do the same). And by the way, illegal immigrants don't vote, but angry American citizens do. If your AZ Representative is listed above, be sure to email them and let them know how you feel about their vote (or lack thereof) on this issue. Just click the email address of your Representative to send a pre-written letter, or edit the email to say whatever you'd like. Click here to look up your Representative.
Posted by Shannon Hubbard, AZ Realtor & Computer Guru on July 6, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (7) Monday, April 14, 2008Sheriff Joe Enforces Immigration Law, Phoenix Mayor UpsetNormally, I don't post on such political topics. But this Arizona Republic article was so one-sided, I had to blog about it just to mention the part of the story the AZ Republic blindly disregarded. Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon is asking the FBI to investigate Sheriff Joe Arpaio for alleged civil rights violations. The Mayor is complaining about Sheriff Joe's recent illegal immigrant raids because Mayor Gordon claims Sheriff Joe is using racial profiling. In short, the Mayor is complaining that Sheriff Joe is enforcing the law. I just wonder...is this the same Mayor Phil Gordon who recently gave press conferences about how he was going to end Phoenix's sanctuary city policy after a Phoenix police officer was needlessly shot and killed by an illegal alien? I guess that was just for the news cameras. When it comes to actually following through, perhaps a few more officers will have to be killed first. And don't you love the way the Arizona Republic article mentions (more than once) that Mayor Gordon recently "called on Phoenix police to play a more active role in enforcing immigration laws". But nowhere in the article does it mention that Mayor Gordon took that stance after a Phoenix police officer was needlessly shot in the face and killed by an illegal immigrant, in cold blood. And this was an illegal immigrant who had previously been arrested for less serious charges and deported. But apparently, anybody who wants to walk across our border and kill our citizens is free to do so (thank you for trying to keep it that way Mayor Gordon). Mayor Gordon says Sheriff Joe should focus on real criminals. Last I heard, being here illegally is illegal. And when someone is killed needlessly by an illegal immigrant, doesn't it usually turn out that the killer was previously arrested for less serious crimes? If authorities had only deported the person and meant it the first time, maybe we'd have one less dead Phoenix police officer. I realize all illegal immigrants are not criminals, but as long as our borders are wide open, the bad guys are coming across too. In my opinion, people like Mayor Gordon who scream 'racist' everytime someone tries to actually deal with the problem need to wipe the blood off their hands and face reality. How many people have to be killed and how many children have to be molested before we finally decide to enforce our laws...and mean it. We need to get past the politics and secure our borders... for real this time. Until that happens, I say go Sheriff Joe!
Posted by Shannon Hubbard, AZ Realtor & Computer Guru on April 14, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBack Saturday, March 29, 2008Beware of Red Light Camera at Gilbert & McKellips in Mesa!A couple years ago when I had to go to driving school, I was told the cameras in intersections can catch you either speeding or running a red light. Some are set for red-light only while others are set for speed. But the cameras are all the same, it just depends on how they're programmed. Well apparently, the red light running camera at Gilbert and McKellips in Mesa has recently been re-programmed to catch speeders too. Don't ask me how I know this! :(
Considering the fees they're charging for speeding tickets these days, I don't know how the City of Mesa is losing money on the photo radar program. Perhaps this recent re-programming of cameras is an attempt to get a better return on Mesa's investment. Obviously, I have mixed feelings about that! As a Mesa resident and taxpayer, of course I want the city to keep the roads safe, and I want them to maximize the return on investment when they spend taxpayers money...but not at my expense! If you're wondering where other Mesa traffic cameras are located, the City of Mesa's website lists all the intersections with red light cameras, along with the locations of Mesa's photo radar vans. Also, here's some more info on Arizona photo radar tickets. Remember, slow down at the intersection of Gilbert & McKellips and drive safe! :) Related Articles you may also find interesting:
Posted by Shannon Hubbard, AZ Realtor & Computer Guru on March 29, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBack Saturday, March 15, 2008For Sale By Owner in Phoenix, AZOkay, this has nothing to do with real estate, but I love this "Best of Phoenix" Craigslist ad anyway - what an interesting way to get rid of scorpions and termites. And can you even believe those pesky City of Phoenix lawn police are forcing the poor guy to sell...! Craigslist's "Best of Phoenix" also has this interesting take on driving in Phoenix. And this guy has a unique idea for a home security system... or at least to keep the neighbor kids off his lawn. Enjoy!
Posted by Shannon Hubbard, AZ Realtor & Computer Guru on March 15, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack Saturday, March 08, 2008Recent Changes to the FHA Loan ProgramIt seems like the FHA Loan program is being looked to by government leaders, consumers, lenders and anyone in between to save the housing market. As a result there has been a lot of changes to this program within the past few months. 1. FHA Loan Limits Increased: The loan limit has been raised across the entire country. For Maricopa and Pinal County (which includes all the major cities in the Phoenix Metro area) the new limits are as follows:
2. Down payment Assistance Programs: While this is not a direct FHA feature, one of the major reasons to use the FHA program is because it allows third-parties to contribute towards a buyer’s down payment. The FHA loan limit is 97% of the value of the property but it allows the remaining 3% to be gifted from such non-profits as AmeriDream, Nehemiah etc. Recently HUD (which oversees FHA) challenged the legality of such gifts and threatened to shut them down. The down-payment programs fought back and recently won in court. 3. FHA Secure: This was an initiate from the White House designed to help subprime borrowers refinance into a FHA loan program. It is targeted to those on adjustable rate mortgages facing abrupt increases to their monthly housing payment. The HUD website has addition information, but here are some high points on how you may qualify for FHASecure:
There are further changes coming to the FHA program. Congress is working on a FHA Modernization bill which will decrease the down payment requirement but add risk based insurance (higher insurance for lower credit scores). So, stay tuned, nothing stays the same in today’s mortgage market.
Posted by Shailesh Ghimire, AZ Mortgage Guru on March 8, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBack Monday, February 25, 2008AZ Home Inspector Licensing Board going away?Arizona Home Inspectors need your help! Arizona's home inspector licensing agency, the AZ Board of Technical Registration (BTR) is inefficient, expensive and allegedly corrupt. In fact, Arizona lawmakers are thinking about eliminating the BTR altogether (SB1171), and moving home inspector licensing to the Registrar of Contractors (ROC). As most of my readers already know, I'm co-owner of Homewerx Home Inspections, one of the Valley's leading home inspection companies since 1999. As such, I sincerely appreciate your support on this matter. While I do NOT support eliminating the BTR, it definitely needs some change - starting at the top with the guy in charge. It's unfortunate, but AZ home inspector licensing seems to be alot more about money and power and industry organizations than it is about quality home inspections. There are some real problems and conflicts of interest that have just been ignored at the BTR, and we all know that problems don't just go away when they're ignored...they get worse! Now, the BTR is so inefficient and lacking accountability that I think the whole idea of protecting homebuyers got lost somewhere along the line. Home Inspectors don't trust the BTR, consumers kind of laugh at them. And the cost of inefficient government regulation is real... look at how much it costs to be a home inspector in Arizona compared to other professionals licensed by the same agency. And look at how much Arizona home inspectors pay compared to home inspectors in other states. "Wow" is all I can say! Home Inspection companies inevitably pass these ridiculous costs onto the homebuying consumer, who is already strapped for cash in case the BTR hasn't heard. And a home inspection is an out-of-pocket expense - those are the ones that really hurt and will be a deal-breaker alot quicker than borrowed money will. So please Help support the 'little guy', and you will help keep Arizona home inspection prices down plus eliminate government incompetence at the same time. Thank you again for your support!
Posted by Shannon Hubbard, AZ Realtor & Computer Guru on February 25, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack Sunday, January 20, 2008Arizona Wants Change Too!Normally, I don't post on purely political topics. But this video I found on YouTube is classic...and it's something both Democrats and Republicans can laugh at. Enjoy! Posted by Shannon Hubbard, AZ Realtor & Computer Guru on January 20, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack Friday, January 18, 2008AZ Termite Inspector Licensing Agency Going Away
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:
Posted by Shannon Hubbard, AZ Realtor & Computer Guru on January 18, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack |
If you haven't already heard, the licensing agency for
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