BlogArizona Category: Arizona SchoolsThis page contains all BlogArizona posts related to Arizona Schools. Read a specific post by clicking on a title below, or scroll further down the page to read through all posts in this category.Wednesday, December 19, 2012Call for Gun Control After Sandy Hook Elementary School ShootingI'm getting so sick and tired of all the political and media talking heads calling for more gun control because of one nutjob. The average American is much more responsible with their weapons than the government is. #FastAndFurious. Just like the average American is more responsible with their money than the government is. #FiscalCliff The fools in D.C. still think they can spend their way out of debt. If not for a gun, the (unworthy of being named) loser in Connecticut would have stabbed a bunch of people or he could have made a bomb out of common household products and killed even more people. All the laws, security and precautions in the world will be breached if someone is determined to be evil. Gun control only disarms honest people and then only the bad guys will have guns. Posted by Shannon Hubbard, AZ Realtor & Computer Guru on December 19, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (3) | 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) Sunday, April 06, 2008Selling a Home in AZ and Not Sure What to Disclose to the Buyer?I recently received an email with this question about disclosure of sex offenders when selling a home in Arizona:
First, I have to say that I'm not an attorney so I can only address this question in the general sense and from a Realtor's perspective. So do not consider my answer as legal advice, and ALWAYS consult an attorney for questions about your own specific situation. Second, don't believe everything you read in the mainstream media! Of course, you can't believe everything you read on the internet either. But I do know bloggers who are much more thorough about checking facts than some of the major media outlets. Arizona legislators are constantly updating our laws, and real estate disclosure is a hot topic. However, I don't think a change to the law is the source of confusion in this case. From my experience, I'd say all of the sources quoted are technically correct. I think this is the USA Today article that was referenced in the question, here's the AZ real estate attorney who was mentioned, and here's the Arizona Association of Realtors (AAR) Residential Seller Advisory form. The AAR Residential Seller Advisory does indeed state, "By law, sellers are not obligated to disclose that the property is or has been... located in the vicinity of a sex offender." But if you keep reading, it goes on to say, "However, the law does not protect a seller who makes an intentional misrepresentation." And then the top of the next page says, "Sellers are required by law to disclose all known material (important) facts about the Property to the Buyer". So what is considered to be "material" or "important"? Generally, anything that may affect a buyer's decision to buy is definitely material and should be disclosed. To be safe, I tell sellers that EVERYTHING is material to the buyer. At least, a seller has to assume that everything is material because they don't know what's material to the buyer. Every buyer is different... what seems minor and unimportant to the seller may very well be minor and unimportant to one buyer. However, that same item may be extremely important, and thus material, to another buyer. If it ends up in front of a judge, I would guess that anything and everything the buyers find out later, that the seller knew and didn't disclose, will be considered material! The AAR Residential Seller Advisory reinforces this idea with it's heading, "When in doubt, disclose!". If the sellers know there's a sex offender living down the street and the buyers ask, I would tell the seller to disclose it, in writing, to protect both the sellers and the buyers. Even if the buyers don't ask, I would still tell the sellers to disclose it, in writing. It doesn't matter if the buyers are older or don't have kids. You cannot assume they don't care about a sex offender living nearby. They may have grandchildren who visit and play outside, or friends that come over and bring their kids. My point is, you shouldn't try to get inside the buyer's head and figure out what is, or is not material. Only the buyer can decide that. Just disclose it and let the buyers make that call... whether it's a maintenance problem, or something you know about the neighbors, homeowners association, schools, etc. Disclose whatever you know. I know many people are reading this thinking, "Disclose it, even if it they don't ask? That would probably kill the deal." Well, it's better to kill the deal now than end up in court later. And actually, being honest from the beginning by making full disclosure reduces the risk of a last minute deal-breaker, 29 days into the transaction. As a seller, if the deal isn't going to close, don't you want to know right away instead of AFTER your house has been off the market for a month? Full disclosure isn't just for sellers either. It's a two-way street. Buyers should also disclose anything that might be material to the sellers, like if they know something which may affect their ability to qualify for a mortgage. The "golden rule" can (and should) be applied to real estate transactions, just like anything else in life. Every transaction is smoother, less stressful and turns out better in the end if both parties are honest and upfront with each other from the beginning. But buyers, don't be naive! You should NOT rely on the sellers to disclose all material facts about the property you're buying. Even if the sellers are honest people, they may not know all the material facts. So buyers must also do their "due diligence" by investigating everything that's important to them. The AZ Department of Real Estate advises buyers to read and investigate the items on this checklist for Arizona home buyers. While the law may require certain disclosures, "Buyer Beware" is a reality!
Posted by Shannon Hubbard, AZ Realtor & Computer Guru on April 6, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (14) | TrackBack Tuesday, August 14, 2007Mesa, Arizona Schools are Back in Session :)
So last night, my kids and I sorted through a pile of 'classroom rules & policy' papers that had to be signed by student and parent. It definitely saddens me to realize that I no longer have a child in elementary school - one started junior high and the other started high school this year. In fact, my oldest daughter is now attending the same high school from which my husband and I both graduated (Mountain View High School in Mesa, AZ)! And my youngest daughter's new guidance counselor was also my husband's junior high teacher (eons and eons ago). I guess it really is a small (and cruel) world afterall! Whether you're moving to AZ or just interested in how your child's school compares, you can find report cards for Arizona's schools on the AZ Dept of Education's website. It's easy to use and you can search by zip code, school or district. And since many Valley schools start on different dates, below I've listed some Arizona public school start dates (mostly East Valley schools - sorry to those folks in the West Valley!):
I hope you and yours have a happy, safe 2007-2008 school year!
Posted by Shannon Hubbard, AZ Realtor & Computer Guru on August 14, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack Thursday, July 12, 2007Can I Fire My Real Estate Agent?I received the email below from a BlogArizona.com reader, whose personal information has been changed for privacy reasons. We'll say this email was from 'John' in Mesa:
There are several things to consider here. First, is there a written buyer's agent agreement, or is the listing agreement somehow dependent on a buyer's agent relationship (i.e. did the agent agree to sell the house for a lower commission if you hired him as a buyer's agent on your new build?). If so, John has to look at the written agreement(s) for the answer to his question. If not, there are still other considerations. If the buyer and seller transactions are independent of each other, has John's agent failed to perform as a buyer's agent, or has he somehow breached his duty/obligations as a buyer's agent? While John might not be 'locked into' this real estate agent for his new build, I seriously doubt the builder will pay a commission to anyone else at this point. So if he fires his current buyer's agent, John could end up with no buyer's agent at all, unless of course John wants to pay the buyers agent's fee out of his own pocket. So the question becomes, is his current buyer's agent worse than no agent at all? If the answer is yes, John might also want to consider hiring an attorney to review documents rather than hiring a new real estate agent to represent him. It just depends on what level of representation he wants. As far as hiring someone else to sell John's current home, here are a few more questions that might be relevant: What does the listing agreement say? Has the real estate agent breached the listing agreement? Is he failing to perform to standards, or are there other reasons John's home is not selling? Is the purchase of John's new home contingent on the sale of John's current home? I would guess it's probably not, or else John's real estate agent would be very motivated to sell his current home. From the email, it sounds like John's real estate agent would probably be willing to cancel the listing and let him hire someone else to sell his home. If not, however, John has to look to his listing agreement to determine under what circumstances he could 'fire' his current listing agent and look for a new one. And there may be penalties for cancelling the listing early, depending on what that agreement says. So in summary, as always, IT DEPENDS! It's also important to remember that I'm not an attorney. Therefore, I addressed this question from a real estate agent's point of view. If you find yourself in a similar situation, be sure to consult an attorney, as this should not be considered legal advice!
Posted by Shannon Hubbard, AZ Realtor & Computer Guru on July 12, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack Saturday, June 16, 2007Summer Maintenance Links for Arizona HomeownersI intended to spend some time blogging this wonderful Saturday morning. However, as the real estate market picks up speed for summer, so does my schedule. So instead, I'll spend my day off doing 2 home inspections and a mold test. Oh well, that's just how life goes sometimes! So for today, I'll just post some links to maintenance information that will help to prepare you, your family and your home for this summer season. Swimming Pool Safety & Maintenance
Maintaining Your Home's Air Conditioner
Saving Energy & Keeping Your AZ Summer Electric Bill Low
Other Home Maintenance for the Arizona Summer Things to Do in Arizona During the Hot Summer
And by the way, if you're looking for something (other than the proverbial tie) to give Dad for Father's Day, here are a couple of cool ideas (Hint, Hint to my wife & kids!):
Can you tell I like airplanes? Okay, so I can dream anyway... Enjoy your Saturday!
Posted by Scott Hubbard, Arizona Home Inspector on June 16, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack Friday, April 13, 2007BlogArizona.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.
Posted by Shannon Hubbard, AZ Realtor & Computer Guru on April 13, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack Tuesday, August 08, 2006Mesa, AZ Ranked 3rd Best Big CityMoney Magazine recently ranked Mesa, AZ as the 3rd Best Big City for 2006. Colorado Springs, CO was ranked number one, while Austin, TX came in second place. Many factors were considered including Financial, Housing, Education, Quality of Life, Leisure & Culture, Weather, Health and other demographics.
Posted by Shannon Hubbard, AZ Realtor & Computer Guru on August 8, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack Wednesday, June 07, 2006Mesa's Stapley Jr. High School Gets A+The Arizona Education Foundation recently selected Stapley Jr. High School in Mesa as an A+ school. This is a great accomplishment since only a few outstanding schools throughout Arizona receive the A+ designation each year. In addition to Stapley Jr. High School, 3 other schools also made the list this year:
Prior to this year, the last time a Mesa secondary school made the list was in 1995. According to the Arizona Education Foundation's website, "A+ Schools serve as models of educational excellence to other schools throughout the state and the nation." Great Job Stapley!
Posted by Shannon Hubbard, AZ Realtor & Computer Guru on June 7, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack Saturday, June 03, 2006Keep the Kids Cool at Local Jr. High SchoolsSummer is here and if you have kids, they will soon be bored out of their minds! As a parent, this can make you crazy! So to keep your kids busy this summer, check out your local Parks & Recreation Department. Most local cities have a variety of classes, sports and other activities you can enroll your kids in for the summer. Also, most of the junior high schools have swimming pools that become public pools during the summer months. Even if you have your own swimming pool, your kids can still enjoy hanging out at one of the city pools. Some of them have big water slides that the kids love (see Aquatic Complexes below), and of course, there are always tons of other kids there! For those who live in Mesa, here is a list of swimming pools where you can take your kids (for a small fee, of course):
Fees are as follows: Mesa also offers swimming lessons, competitve swimming and special pool events. For more information, call (480) 644-4950 or visit the City of Mesa's website.
Posted by Shannon Hubbard, AZ Realtor & Computer Guru on June 3, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack |
Doesn't it seem like school starts earlier each year? Now I'm about to sound really old, but...when I was a kid, we always started school at the beginning of September (right after Labor Day). I'm definitely not complaining though. After having my 12-year old and my 15-year old at home ALL DAY LONG for the past few months, I could not be happier that 
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