Go Back in Time to Prescott

Top 11 Tips for Real Estate in Prescott Arizona

2009-06-05T14:24:00.000-07:00

Top 11 Tips for Real Estate in Prescott Arizona

1) Prescott Arizona has great views- Most days you can see the peaks in Flagstaff about 60 miles away. We are next to a million acres of National Forest, you can see Thumb Butte from lots of places in the county. Panoramic views are pretty common on homes listed for sale. We have some beauty to share with the rest of the world!
2) Prescott Arizona has peace and quiet- There are no interstate highways in Prescott, you have to come here on purpose. Much of the real estate is on larger lots than you find in big cities. A quarter acre is very common and you don't have to go more than a few miles to get a 5 acre lot or find a secluded getaway in the forest.
3) Prescott Arizona gets rave reviews- Prescott has been written up many times for being "Everybody's Hometown", one the "Top 10 Places to Retire", for having the "Worlds Oldest Rodeo" that happens every year over the 4th of July. The Courthouse Square Plaza is one of the country's famous "Gathering Places". We have some great museums and restaurants that show off our "True Western" Culture.
4) Prescott Arizona has 4 fabulous seasons- Prescott is a mile high in the North Central mountains of Arizona. We have 4 MILD seasons, it's almost never 100 degrees here and when it snows it's usually gone quickly. Spring and Fall are long and gradual with many clear sunny days. Arizona has a "Monsoon" season usually just after July 4th until about mid August. We get some rain and things generally get all green and wonderful again.
5) Prescott competes with it's Arizona neighbors- Prescott is milder weather than Flagstaff (7000ft), cooler and much cheaper real estate prices than Sedona, cooler and much smaller than Phoenix. Watch out for photo radar is some of our neighboring towns. We love our neighbors and visit them often but Prescott has a very comfortable set of statistics that make it easy to put together an attractive real estate package.
6) People come here to get out of the heat- Prescott is a mile high in the North Central mountains of Arizona. If it's 105F in Phoenix then it's probably 87F in Prescott.
7) Prescott has fabulous scenic roads- Bikers, RVers, and Photo buffs come take a few days to drive around the area. There are some fabulous roads in and out of town. Summer has lots of motorcycles coming up the "back way" from Phoenix on a twisting-turning road that is famously cool. Drive north through the mining town of Jerome, Az and continue through Sedona and Oak Creek canyon for a beautiful scenic cruise you will long remember.
8) What we don't have in Prescott is nearby- The Grand Canyon south rim is about 2.5 hours from Prescott. Wahweap Marina at Lake Powell is 3.5 hours, Lake Pleasant on the north side of Phoenix is 90 minutes from downtown Prescott. Sedona is just over an hour, Jerome, Az is 45 minutes, Flagstaff and Phoenix are under 2 hours. LA and San Diego are 6 and 7 hours if you go the speed limit (wink, wink).
9) Prescott has some stunning horse properties- About 10 minutes NW from downtown Prescott is Williamson Valley Road. The next 16 miles is rolling ranch terrain and very beautiful horse property. Large acre lots and upscales homes along the road as well as modesly priced areas with views all the way.
10) There is usually something fabulous happening at the Courthouse Square Plaza- There are Craft Fairs on many weekends during the summer, car shows, music, dancers, and local concerts. Whiskey Row is a famous shopping area and several blocks of restaurants and local culture surround the Courthouse Plaza all. It's snapshot of the commercial real estate market. Check the links below. www.cityofprescott.net http://www.cityofprescott.net/_d/courthouse09.pdf
11) Prescott loves bald guys- I know this from personal experience. Very important to the real estate market is our popualation of bald guys and we treat them with respect. I specialize in residential homes and land for bald guys and their families, as well as those not folicle-challenged and even the occasional estate for our comb-over friends.

Prescott Arizona Real Estate Urgency Update

2009-04-28T11:20:00.000-07:00

Real Estate traffic and sales have been very slow for 2 years but I heard the first piece of good news in a long time. Phoenix is always ahead of Prescott as far as market forces taking hold, we are always months behind as the market cycles. So, the last two years there has been an absence of buyers, everyone is very cautiously waiting in the wings in Phoenix, Prescott, and most of the country. More and more foreclosures and short sales just sitting on the market, nobody buying or even making absurdly low offers.

Yesterday I heard from my realtor friend whose company is based in Phoenix and lately there are multiple offers on these distressed sales, coming in above the asking price (which is still very low mind you). This will need to continue for a while to verify a market shift but the odds are good that investors and brave folks have decided that prices are low enough (along with interest rates) to make the big jump. I doubt that our Prescott market will repeat the huge 100% jump we had from 04 to 06 but there may be a small frenzy of buying and some supply and demand correction (people will take their houses off the market to wait for a better price… good old fashioned greed) as the market shifts.

There is a rumor that interest rates will go way up as the market kicks in thanks to some political forces that favor inflation. So, those of you who are watching from the wings may want to consider that now is a good time to pounce. Residential homes and land prices are way down from the 2006 market peak and there is a huge inventory to shop. Be in touch and live it right up!

Riding the Real Estate Market Cycle

2009-02-03T14:14:00.000-08:00

Riding the Real Estate Market Cycle

Real Estate, Gold, and Money don’t really care what they are worth. It’s humans that push the values around and we are complicated beings.
As singular people we all have a specific strategy about money, life, love, and basically everything. We have made the choices that for the most part have brought us to the present day and made us who we are.
As a huge group of people however, we are at the mercy of market forces, like it or not. The economy and real estate have cycles that follow patterns and you would be well advised to ride along as opposed to trying to stop this formidable force.
In times of plenty people buy real estate because the “gettin’ is good”, prices are going up, and there is serious optimism. People save money in times of recession (kind of like right now) because they realize life may dip into their reserves… we are skeptical. What usually happens to energize the market is that prices go down far enough (and people have saved enough) and suddenly a wary buyer can afford a lot more house than a couple years ago.
Saving is wise and keep an eye on houses in your price range. The values are pretty stunning even now and you can make the world behave.

Convincing Qualities and the Truth

2008-11-14T10:39:00.000-08:00

We just finished a long election campaign and neither candidate had to stoop so low as to lie about anything. I must admit the arguments were certainly convincing. Such drama and delivery, camera angles, sound bites, and the production quality as each candidate looks side to side into the teleprompter so naturally we could hardly imagine they were reading the rehearsed lines.
Different news media then spliced different sound bites together, editing out the compelling points that are contrary to their board of directors’ politics. After all, the idea of elections is to convince more people than your adversaries can convince. It’s not so much the core principles that we are discussing but the advertising dynamics. Candidate X claimed this about candidate Y in an ad during the Super Bowl. Does it matter if it was false? Not to the marketing team who just convinced millions of people to change their vote it doesn’t.
The situation in Real Estate is similar if you aren’t careful. Lots of people would love to show off their “convincing” skills to get you to buy something. Actually the solution in politics and real estate is the same- Check your facts, inspect the product, the history, any claims made, and go kick the tires. Never mind the flyer or the dramatic photos. Would you really buy a home because it sounded so good in the ad? I know trying to sell the truth is hardly a convincing argument but that’s my advice. Make sure it’s true before you vote for it or live in it.

The Sky Still Isn't Falling

2008-10-21T15:04:00.000-07:00

The Sky Still Isn’t Falling

There are several articles from myPrescott eNews (www.prescottenews.com) column that take the position the sky isn’t falling in spite of lots of news to the contrary. Historically there have always been plenty of sources for doom and gloom and yet here we are in what is arguably the best country in the history of the world. Admittedly there have been some gloomy times in the 230 some years getting here but not nearly what the dismal predictions from the drive-by media would have you believe. Keep in mind bad news sells more papers and we humans have a flair for drama to be sure.
July 08 home sales from our local Prescott MLS were up 35% from July 07 but it wasn’t a big news story. Yesterday on the internet radio (KFI 640 AM, Los Angeles) there was news that Southern California home sales were up 65% recently from the previous year but that isn’t getting big traction either. If this keeps up for a couple months it could be a trend upwards but the news reports will probably call it a bump or a blip or something to reduce the possibility that things are cycling normally, as always. Some brave souls are buying houses and land now that the prices are way down, not really an advanced strategy to follow.
Please consider this- We are a little preoccupied with the election, the Dow Jones numbers, the Bailout proposal, and enough bad news to choke on for sure. If you are looking for the darker side of life there is a whole industry to help you be miserable. My question to you is what do you want it to say on your tombstone? “Beaten to death by bad news” or “Lived it up in spite of tough times”?

The Real Enemy in Real Estate

2008-10-08T12:56:00.000-07:00

When the economy is good life is a vibrant thing. Just choosing what to buy for your latest passion (or your spouse) is very rewarding (wink). We go out to dinner more, ads are all over the TV and magazines, there is money in the bank, and we humans tend to become invincible. Come on, we all have a little superhero in us.
Eventually the party has to end. Usually things slow down, real estate values dip, people sense the difference and hold on to their “disposable income” (if there is such a thing). Pay the credit card down, watch the spending, and circle the wagons for a while we ride out the storm.
In 2006 we declared a buyer’s market since the market was overheated and has since dropped way off. Now in 2008 we learn there was some pretty serious damage to the core machine and repairs will be extremely costly. Uh-oh. Do we want to know what happened or do we just want somebody to fix it?
Let’s assume that whining isn’t going to help, selling your home for a loss certainly won’t help. The system and the people we elected let us down and now it’s up to … drum roll here.. us. The enemy here is Apathy. It doesn’t mean we are stupid, it means we are a little spoiled. The one thing you can afford to pay is attention. Engage your passion and your common sense. Don’t charge up a huge bill on your credit card. Teach your kids financial responsibility. Get out and vote for whoever suits your cause. Even if you lost some money or equity, don’t lose the lesson, and by all means keep a little optimism. This is America and we are still free and fabulous.

Better Mousetrap Logic in Real Estate

2008-10-07T15:32:00.000-07:00

The 3 most important things in Real Estate are Location, Location, Location or Price, Price, Price?

The time honored statement in real estate is Location, Location, Location. They say it 3 times to emphasize that it’s the single most important detail, more important than any other details you might consider. There is even a little humor in there to make the clever point about location being single most important detail that takes 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place all by itself.
However, the logic is under assault these days by a formidable challenger- Market Forces... and here are a few in play in our market today;
1) The economy is struggling somewhat. Call it what you will, it’s sluggish.
2) From 2003 to 2006 most local real estate values doubled. People want this overheated market back so they can sell their home for big bucks.
3) From 2006 to the present real estate values are down, correcting, normalizing, and people are scared it’s never going to stop.
4) Just for fun let’s make the case that lower price cars, stores, labor, and products in general are all serious competition for the medium and upscale products on the market. Some people can still afford the top of the line items but there is large chunk of the population that is cash-flow conscious and they are the consuming based on Price, Price, Price.
There is no blame being placed here, the facts are the way they are because of market forces. Have you heard the theory about “someone is always trying to invent a better mousetrap”? How about if it’s approximately the same mousetrap for a lower price? It catches the mouse and costs less. Valid point.
We can argue the same points to some extent in real estate as well. Your dream house is tucked away in the pines, has everything you would love for your family but costs twice what you can afford. Another house is in your budget but it’s not in the pines and there is no view. So the ideal location is out of your price range but a functional home is in your budget, should you lower your standards just to have a home or wait until you can afford the dream house?
The correct answer is to discuss this whole issue with people you trust- Family, Friends, Accountants, Lenders, Realtors, and so on. It will take some discipline to buy a home, you have to make the payments and be careful what other things you spend your money on so that you don’t extend yourself too far. The upside to buying a home is that it will probably go up in value as the years go by. It’s not an overnight thing and it’s not usually get rich quick. Park your life, raise your kids, and improve the value of your home by the way you live in it and treat it. They don’t call it the American Dream for nothing.
If you aren’t ready to buy a home the next best thing is to rent with the idea of saving every month so you will have more money to make the down payment when you decide to buy. Renting is easier but the money goes to your landlord. Buying a home and living in it for some years is usually advantageous in many ways if you stick to the program.
Someone’s dream home is all about Location, Location, Location. To be fair most people’s first few homes are not what they would call their dream homes, they were more about Price, Price, Price. Hopefully they will have some fabulous memories attached to them and a family history that is part of the property. Add some dreamy details to the home while you are living there. Keep a good perspective and live it up!

Craig Mann
www.craigmann.net
Cell 928-899-4528
Fax 928-778-4505

Bring the Real Estate Market Back

2008-10-07T15:28:00.000-07:00

What needs to happen to bring the real estate market back

There is no shortage of opinions on when the real estate market will cycle, or when the economy will bounce back to life. It really depends on is “What” more than “When”. The “What” mostly has to do with a general confidence that people have or don’t have about a large set of circumstances and conditions all over the world. Do you think it helps our local Prescott Real Estate market that Russia is invading it’s neighboring countries? How about the fact that this is an election year and in a couple of months we’ll have a whole new set of officials and a new president? Uncertainty in our minds has a definite effect on people. If the future looks gloomy people tend to hunker down, circle the wagons and stay put.
The laws of supply and demand are also having a big effect on real estate. There is a huge supply of homes and land and for the last 18 months demand has been low. This isn’t changing just yet although there are some signs of life in the demand area. Prices of homes are still coming down and that may accelerate the process.
Even the weather has an effect. If the Phoenix area has a drastically hot summer it causes some people to give up there dream in the valley of the sun and head for Prescott, a mile high in the mountains of Central Arizona.
So the theory is that the market will bounce back when people decide all is well with their view of the world and the local market. It’s a subjective idea, different for everyone, but when it happens it will be obvious. There are plenty of us waiting in the wings…

Writers in the Know Still Give Prescott, Az. the Thumbs-Up

2008-09-23T09:51:00.000-07:00

Writers in the Know Still Give Prescott the Thumbs-Up.
Aren’t we lucky to live here?

This month, Sunset Magazine
http://realestate.msn.com/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=10223662&imageindex=4
published an aritlce called, "The West’s Top 10 Dream Towns. Guess where
Prescott sat in that list from a national publications? Number 7. The
article says of Prescott, "Four seasons, including "winter lite," means
lots of outdoor activities: hiking, canoeing and more in the surrounding
Prescott National Forest. There’s an old-fashioned downtown with a town
square, a district with Victorian houses and, thanks to Prescott College,
a youthful pulse." Not bad. And makes you think about our appreciation
level.
This is where we live, and, despite the negativity going on in the media
and finger-pointing abounding trying to find blame, here are the facts:
The real estate market has been struggling for almost 2 years now. Values
went down, mortgages were issued to unqualified buyers. Add some
foreclosures and short sales and you will have plenty of ruined lives and
money down the drain to make some negative headlines.
So, try to look at the "big picture. Consider that markets cycle and we
live through it. If you made sound choices your house may even appreciate
in value. There are always headlines to entice a venomous response but
usually things improve once enough attention is paid and once again all is
well.
How about we ignore the headlines and get on with our lives? Turn off the
TV and go for a hike. Enjoy the Courthouse Square that subscribers to
Sunset Magazine are jealous of. Keep your passion engaged, but make sure
your "living sequence" includes enough reality to enjoy your kids, your
home, this fabulous place we live. Prescott is still being written up in
classy articles. Take a drive or walk your dog around the block and trust
that the market will find it's way back in spite of the gloomy headlines.
Live it up!

Let's Blame the Right People

2008-09-20T14:48:00.000-07:00

Let’s Blame the Right People

There are several “Hot Button” issues all over the news lately and it’s important to these media types that we know how lousy the details are and who is to blame. The real estate market has been struggling for almost 2 years now. Values went down, mortgages were issued to unqualified buyers, add some foreclosures and short sales and you will have plenty of ruined lives and money down the drain to make some negative headlines.
Let’s not stop with real estate, there is big banking going under recently and that is somebody’s fault too. A huge insurance company just got an $85 Billion taxpayer bail out, Big oil is always being investigated, the war in Iraq is moving back to Afghanistan, immigration is unsettled, lots of CEO corruption stories to go around, Barack Obama thinks this and Sarah Palin is that. Man, we better get busy blaming the right people. After all, there is so much justice served by having everybody snarling at each other don’t you think?
In case you are sick of the hateful nature you might want to consider that markets cycle and we live through it. If you made sound choices your house may even appreciate in value. There are always headlines to entice a venomous response but usually things improve once enough attention is paid and we live through that as well. How about we ignore the headlines and get on with our lives. Vote for whoever you love, keep your passion engaged, but make sure your “living sequence” includes enough reality to enjoy your kids, your home, this fabulous place we live. Prescott is still being written up in classy articles. Take a drive or walk your dog around the block and trust that the market will find it’s way back in spite of the gloomy headlines.

Sunset Magazine article 9-17-08
http://realestate.msn.com/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=10223662&GT1=45000

Smart Financing in Real Estate

2008-07-16T12:35:00.000-07:00

At any given time in the Real Estate Market there are lots of Market Forces
having a dynamic effect on prices, trends, public perception, and not least
of all mortgage financing. For most of us our home is by far our largest
investment and attention is required to make prudent choices. Time to Sell,
Time To Buy, Time to Rent, Do Nothing, Consider the past, present, and
future? How about a time to refinance? A perspective that includes all of
the above options is probably best.
In terms of motivation- shopping for and buying a house is usually the most
fun. New bedrooms for the kids, new yard things, new kitchen to navigate,
garage, neighbors, and lots of details to put into your life sequence.
Houses are easy to love!
Start talking about financing, mortgage terms, interest rate predictions,
points, closing costs, and most people start yawning and looking for the
door. Well no wonder, you're about to have a teeth pulling contest with
investors, bankers, secondary money markets, and other forces that actually
like this kind of battle with numbers, paperwork, and fiduciary instruments.
They know you don't like it, before long all you want is to sign your name
and get to unpacking.
The best solution is to plan on winning this battle by being smart. Do your
research, ask your family and friends what they know, connect with a realtor
you trust and ask them to recommend at least 2 mortgage people that they
trust and have worked with successfully. Surround yourself with information
and put smart people on your team. Compare prices on mortgage details the
same way you would shop for anything else.
Make a good plan, have a good team, and you will have good success on the
finance end of your real estate transactions.

Hindsight in Real Estate

2008-06-09T16:40:00.000-07:00

Have you heard someone say “Yeah, I remember when you could buy a house for 5 grand”, or “I can’t believe how much more expensive houses are these days”. These brilliant philosophers are exercising their skills of hindsight. That is to say there is some wisdom in looking back to where we came from, especially if we are planning use the lesson to move forward along with the rest of the world.
Hindsight is famous for being 20-20. Yes, we can accurately predict the past, almost without fail if we are careful. In order for this process to be considered wisdom there should be one more defining step in the process. Consider that history teaches us about the future as well as the past, market cycles repeat, and we can all take advantage of these events.
Houses did in fact cost $5K about 100 years ago. Don’t whine about the price going up, get in the game and take advantage because over the long haul the prices will continue to go up on homes and land unless we get hit by an asteroid.
There are other forces that would dissuade you from this logic, you have to be strong and smart to resist the temptations. New cars are famous for this. I love cars, trucks, boats, , and all motorized things but they all go down in value. A new couch is beautiful at first but it ends up in your driveway garage sale.
So, shop smart for a car, keep in mind it goes down if value, even faster if you crash into something. It’s much harder to crash your house AND it will go up in value. Repeat after me- “My house will go up in value”. There are precious few things that go up in value, especially one’s that are as safe as a house. As an added bonus you can park your life there. Notice the photo of a house. In five years it will very likely be worth much more than it is today, this is true of most homes and land.

Dress Up Your Investment

2008-06-09T09:48:00.001-07:00

It’s still a strong buyer’s market these fine spring days here in Prescott, Az. Lots of inventory, sales are sluggish, and people are waiting for the absolute minimum prices before they risk buying. If you are trying to sell your home you already know this as it’s probably sitting still on the market.
The old saying is “When life is dishing out lemons, make lemonade”. So the real estate market is favoring buyers in a big way. If you have money for a house, buy one. There are some fabulous deals out there, call me and I’ll prove it.
If you don’t have a mattress full of cash, consider another approach. Does your home need any help to have better curb appeal? Have you been watching those TV programs like “Flip this House”? Tell the truth now, they are wildly popular. The most profitable things are kitchens, bathrooms, painting, and decks. Decide what your home needs and take on a new project, it will be fun and make you feel alive. Do some of the work yourself if you can, add your artistic touch. Plan it out carefully, make drawings, ask the pros if you need help, get your hands dirty!
My own house is modest but the view and location are fabulous so we decided to rebuild our ugly deck looking over the world. Photos are before and after pictures-

If you can’t buy or sell, dress up your biggest investment, and by all means live it up.

The Weather is Perfect and the Glass is Half Full

2008-06-09T09:39:00.000-07:00

Today’s moral of the story– ATTITUDE IS ONLY EVERYTHING! Actually, that’s the moral of the story every day, deal with it. Here is some arguable proof–
In the last 30 days there has been a noticeable increase in sales and walk-in traffic in our fine office near the Courthouse Square Plaza, beautiful downtown Prescott, Az. These people are largely “Glass is Half Full” type folks. They are here looking at and buying real estate even though the headlines are whining about a recession, housing bubble, the sky is falling, etc. Nonetheless, the values are fabulous for a handful of brave crusaders who waded back into real estate. Does this mean the “slump” is over? Nope, the statistics show we will stay in this strong buyer’s market for some months at least. Mind you, this is only bad news if you are an impatient seller.
More facts– Resale housing prices are still creeping down and becoming very attractive, the inventory of homes on the MLS is still high so supply and demand are favoring the most competitive prices, and the most “motivated sellers” are the one’s packing their belongings. Following the logic so far?
OK, one more example to prove the point– It’s been windy the last two weeks. Yes, it’s true we are a mile high in the mountains of North-Central Arizona, and yes it’s spring when things tend to be a little windy in a lot of places. Still, some people aren’t happy about the weather and even a little wind sets them off. This photo above is Monument Valley, Az. where they filmed all those cool western movies. On my drive back from Denver last week this is what the wind was doing to the scenery. My point is that compared to this our weather here in Prescott is perfect all year long and the glass is half full. Come see for yourself and by all means LIVE IT RIGHT UP!

Home Sweet Home Compared to What?

2008-06-09T09:36:00.000-07:00

The Prescott, Az. slogan is “Everybody’s Hometown”. Think of it as more of a welcoming phrase than a point of origin. And speaking of hometowns… most of us are from someplace that has fond memories, family connections, and maybe you like to go visit occasionally to see how people and things are doing.
In perspective Prescott is not trying to replace your hometown, it’s more like you can be on vacation here permanently and keep your point of origin. If you are from a small town then you will feel at home immediately. If you came from a bigger city and have had enough of the rat race you will be amazed at the Hometown feel of Prescott.
Our biggest group comes from the Phoenix area. Our population is 41% retired and they brought their economy with them. We can’t compete with Phoenix Metro, we not even trying and who needs 115 degrees? There are no interstate freeways in Prescott, it’s not on the way to anywhere, you have to come here on purpose. Some people stop in Phoenix long enough to get baked and then move a mile high to the north-central mountains of Prescott. One of the hardest things to get across to people is that Prescott is in the mountains, with real pine trees and everything. In fact there are over a million acres of Nat’l Forest very close by.
If you have to see the D’Backs game or go to Trader Joes it’s 110 miles to the PHX. It’s actually a great getaway spot in the winter. For the most part you will find all you need to make life a fabulous thing right here in town. There is always something up at the Courthouse Plaza and we want you to feel at home here like the rest of us. Come see this beautiful part of Arizona, invite your friends and family to experience Everybody’s Hometown. By all means live it right up!

Buy Cheap and Sell Dear

2008-06-09T09:32:00.000-07:00

The “Buy Cheap and Sell Deal” concept will work very well in any business on earth. The snag in real estate is there are buyer’s and seller’s markets that run a predictable cycle and it’s hard to have a buying AND selling advantage at the same time. However, there are so many advantages you can take in real estate it’s no wonder they call owning a home the American Dream. Some tried and true ideas-
Renting? Get serious. Do whatever you have to do to stop renting ASAP. The instant you buy a home your bottom line starts to improve and you are paying yourself in the long run. Typically your home will go up in value over time, paint once in a while, plant some flowers, invite some friends over and grill dinner. Make a fort or a swing for your kids and they will never forget it. Resist the idea of 2nd mortgages, leave your 30 year mortgage alone until you move. In a nutshell this paragraph is the American Dream. Make it personal by parking your life with some style and common sense.
It’s a strong buyer’s market. That means if you have a load of cash and you want to buy a home, you will have a goliath advantage. It also means if you have to SELL your home first you are in for an ice cold shower. So, either buy something now or wait to sell. Quick note here– In a seller’s market people are selling more dearly and put less concern that they are paying more for the home they move into. There is some urgency about buying that’s built into a seller’s market. People are funny this way.
Don’t let the market push you around, plan ahead to have the advantage and here is the big secret- think “Long Run”. Most of us can’t remodel and sell a house every month for big profits. But most of us can stay put a few years and keep the home looking good. If you get the bug to move, wait for a seller’s market and you will get a higher price. You can take the “Long Run” strategy a step further if you are motivated. Buy a 2nd home while it’s a buyer’s market. Now you have a drastic advantage because you can fix it up and sell it (when it’s a seller’s market) and repeat as your appetite can handle. Rent it out if you are very brave.
Unlike the stock market there are almost no losers in the real estate game providing you are in it for the long run. You can improve your investment and it will go up in value as a result of your efforts. That, my friends, is a very safe bet. By all means take the pieces of advice that work for you and live it right up!

Choose Your News Carefully

2008-06-09T09:30:00.000-07:00

A very sweet gal from PrescottEnews asked me to write these real estate articles once a week. As soon as she told me the focus was to keep the news positive about our fine area I agreed.
There is so much bad news being reported these days, it’s like a new trend to blame, complain, and find the dark side of everything. How did this get so popular? And what happened to the truth in the process?
Advertising is wild these days. There are all kinds of gadgets and schemes to make you rich over night, using other people’s money, just add water and wealth grows like spring flowers. In real estate it’s short sales, foreclosures for pennies on the dollar, and from the advertising you would think they are giving things away. Do you actually know anyone who successfully bought a foreclosed property or used someone else’s money to buy a home? A common complaint when you go see these homes is “it doesn’t look anything like the pictures”. Also, in order to buy a foreclosed home there is an addendum that says you really, really should consult a lawyer because this is going to get ugly. Are you sure you want to do financial battle against a bank? I won’t even mention some of the last minute modifications that homeowners are leaving on their way out.
To make matters worse the giant media headlines are painting a dismal picture about the economy and housing. Historically these buyer’s and seller’s markets have cycled predictably just like they are now but the media would have you believe it’s a meltdown. Markets are very “area specific” and values Palm Beach have little to do with values in Palm Springs. The Prescott area has declined in the last 2 years, traffic is slower, and supply is up. Now if that is the only news you get about Prescott you would think the sky is falling. In context you should add that most property values doubled (Yes, that’s an increase of 100%) during the previous 4 years. Hmmm, well that changes the equation back to good news, most people are still running in the black and staying put in their homes.
Prescott is holding it’s own against our expensive geographical neighbors as well– Flagstaff is pricey, 7000ft elevation, and too cold for many people’s taste. Sedona is nuthouse expensive. Both are beautiful places and we are glad to be neighbors but Prescott is not short on beauty. Live it up!

Don't list your house with me, just move to Prescott

2008-06-09T09:28:00.001-07:00

Actually, I don’t think you should list your house at all. We are in a Buyer’s market and that means– MLS is flooded with listings (2 years worth), prices are down from 2005 in the Prescott area, Sellers are everywhere, why in the world would you test the market now? The only homes selling with success are the ones that are priced drastically low. If you have a timing issue and you are forced to sell your home, you will have to price it below all the casual listings or nobody will even come look.
I’m trying to make it obvious that the real estate market has a huge advantage for buyers right now. Location, location, location has become price, price, price for the time being since most people would consider the Prescott area a universally fabulous location.
So if you live here, keep your peace and quiet or your ranch or your home in the pines and send a message to your friends that now is an exceptional time to move to Prescott. If you don’t live here the same logic applies, come and make friends in our beautiful town. I’ll show you around and introduce you to the whole zip code. Take a look at the links in the top right corner for some representative homes. Finally and by all means, LIVE IT UP!

Home Sales and the Passionate Pitch

2008-06-09T09:25:00.000-07:00

We have to decide what is real and what is puffed-up when it comes to advertising. The focus of this article every week is real estate but we are all influenced by the barrage of advertising from all industries- No Money Down, Bad Credit OK, We’ll double the offer, just pay extra shipping, No Closing Costs, Call in the next 10 minutes…. and so on.
These types of offers have a cumulative effect on our shopping sensibilities so when we get around to shopping “in the real world” we tend to expect the glitzy promises, some dazzling salesperson talking non-stop, and the bright lights of the whole process need to blink like Las Vegas to add to the drama of parting with our money.
Let’s Get Real, as in Real Estate. If you just can’t help yourself from buying things on the shopping channels or infomercials please call me if you decide to buy a home. There’s no flashing lights but we will walk through the “American Dream” of owning your home at a sane pace with all our bases checked and re-checked.
Here is a Non Glitzy idea with no flashing lights- In the long run real estate can go up an average of 12% a year. In the last two years in Yavapai County it’s gone down as a result of an overheated market and values are exceptional for buyers. If you buy a home at the peak of the buyer’s market and it goes up in value at 12% for six years you will have doubled your money. Yes, doubled. Even if it only went up 10% a year it would double in just over 7 years.
Why don’t we hear this advertised? Because you are making the profit while you are parking your life in your home, you have tax incentives and no rent going down the drain. In other words you are living the American Dream instead of donating your money to useless things because you saw it on TV.
Here is my Passionate Pitch– Real Estate is completely real. No flashing lights necessary, just shop carefully before you move your family into a home. Paint a bedroom, plant some flowers, walk your dog and meet your neighbors, or build your kids a playhouse out back. The payback will be enormous.

Acker Music Festival

2007-12-06T13:14:00.001-08:00

The Acker Music Festival is an Annual Prescott Event!

Friday, 12-7 from 5:30 to 8:30PM

All the businesses in the downtown area stay open and have entertainment inside. Some places have a single person with a guitar singing Christmas Carols, there are praise bands, vocal groups, and last year I heard a rumor about someone having belly dancers. Whatever!

I’m playing with Greg and the Gringos (6 of us doing mostly uppity Christmas songs) and we are here at the ERA office, 222 W. Gurley St. ERA will provide hot apple cider, coffee, and homemade cookies and goodies. The idea is to come see the downtown area all full of people, the Courthouse is lit up and it’s pretty fun. Walk around and say hello, we are very folksy!

If I don’t see you there please have a fabulous Christmas Holiday and live it right up!

Craig Mann

Kirkland Bar and Steakhouse November 7-12 Live Music.

2007-10-29T11:54:00.000-07:00

Yee haw!
Below is a daytime photo of the Kirkland Bar and Steakhouse, 26 miles west of Prescott on Iron Springs Rd. The bad news is it’s off the market so those of you with $6 million burning a hole in your pocket will have to look elsewhere. Damn!

The good news is they still have live music Friday and Saturday 7-12 and I am lucky enough to sit-in with the Gila River Trio on bass this weekend Nov 2 and 3. They serve dinner also and it’s very good and the service is extremely slow and the prices are very expensive (the same people who want 6 million for the place made up the prices for the dinner menu, steak and shrimp is $25, eeek!)

There is a big dance floor, the historic building is pretty cool with sawdust on the floor (talk about ahm-bee-yawnce) and in case you are 40 minutes west of Prescott this weekend by all means stop in and say hello.

New Property for sale in Prescott Arizona

2007-10-12T17:30:00.000-07:00

Craig Live August 3-4!

2007-07-30T13:01:00.000-07:00

Time for another Hoe Down at the Kirkland Hotel, Bar, and Steakhouse this weekend Aug 3 and 4 and Mr. Bald guy is sitting-in on bass with the Gila River Trio. For those of you who haven’t been there, here is the deal-

It’s a country type place- red checkerboard table cloths, sawdust on the floor, and the food really is fabulous. The service is famously slow however, as in 45 minutes later on a good night. Plan ahead. Steak and Shrimp is “TO DIE FOR” good.

It’s a historic building but not what I would call in pristine condition. They have a few rooms for rent, and there are usually some local ranchers in the bar or out for dinner with the family.

The band is a trio (guitar, bass, and drums) and we do lots of cool stuff Country, Clapton, oldies, James Taylor, etc. There is a big dance floor so bring your honey and come on down if you are in the area. We play from 7 to Midnight, yes that’s 5 hours. It’s 26 miles from Prescott , go West on Iron Springs Rd through Skull Valley .

The place was (probably still is for the right price) for sale for a paltry 5.9M (let me check my change). See below for the link and let me know if you are thinking about buying it and we’ll do some horse trading to get the price back to reality.

http://www.paarmls.org/prs/maildoc/c002I98769.html

Live it up!
Craig Mann
www.prescott-arizona-realestate.com
www.craigmann.net

Prescott Arizona– Our slogan is “Everybody’s Hometown”

2007-05-22T13:38:00.000-07:00

Prescott Arizona– Our slogan is “Everybody’s Hometown” and we’ve made national news again. This time it’s Inc Magazine and they rank Prescott, Az as the #3 CITY IN THE NATION for job growth and business opportunity! Wow, not bad. For years we were a quiet little mountain town 90 minutes NW of Phoenix where people went to beat the heat. Now the word is out and the entire Prescott area is definitely on the map with a strong promise for success.
It’s not a big surprise to the locals actually, we have lots of reasons people love to live here and they are a recipe for your next hometown. How about perfect weather? OK, let’s call it 4 mild seasons, surrounded on 3 sides by Nat’l Forest. Add a quaint downtown area with history, restaurants, shops, and a courthouse square with a wonderful event every weekend of the summer. There’s the World’s Oldest Rodeo in July, malls with upscale anchor stores, car dealers, hiking trails, a few small lakes, an In-N-Out burger, clean mile-high air, golf courses, famous quality motorcycle roads, and plenty of exciting things to suit your every fancy.
On a milder note we have some very quiet and peaceful places to park your life. Real Estate in our area covers a wide range of terrain and amenities. Houses in the tall pines are popular as well as Historic Register homes with a “walk to town” clause. There is a growing passion for ‘horse properties” and 1 to 5 acre ranches are within 20 minutes drive of downtown. Lots and open land available close to town or out in God’s country. Views are spectacular from all parts of the area as there is no shortage of beauty here. This is a gorgeous place on the planet with a huge promise for the future. Come see for yourself.

Home for Sale at 6200 W INDIAN PONY CT, Prescott AZ 86305 $699,000

2007-05-22T13:14:00.000-07:00

THIS BRIGHT & AIRY HOME FEATURES A LARGE GREAT ROOM W/STONE FIREPLACE, FORMAL DINING ROOM, GOURMET KITCHEN W/HICKORY CABINETS, GRANITE, UP-GRADED APPLIANCES, ISLAND & PANTRY. INCREDIBLE TRAVERTINE FLOORING & CARPET THROUGHOUT. WONDERFUL HOME OFFICE & OVER-SIZED 4-CAR GARAGE W/WORK AREA! UPGRADES INCLUDE: RV HOOK-UPS/PARKING, INTERCOM, OUTDOOR GAS/WOOD FIREPLACE, PRE-WIRED FOR SURROUND, JACUZZI TUBS IN BOTH BATHS, RECIR. HOT WATER, WATER SOFTNER, OVER-SIZED ATTIC, WINE RACK & MORE! HORSE PROPERTY.

Int Features: Ceiling Fan(s) , Central Vac , Counters-Granite , Eat-In Kitchen , Fireplace-Gas , Fireplace-Woodburning , Formal Dining Rm , Jetted Tub , Kitchen Island , Raised Ceilings 9+ft , Sound Wired , Walk-In Closet(s)
Ext Features: Driveway-Concrete , Landscaping-Front , Level Entry , Outdoor Fireplace , Patio-Covered , Porch-Covered , Screens/Sun Screens , Sprinkler/Drip
Appliances: Cooktop , Dishwasher , Disposal , Double Oven , Microwave , Range-Gas , Water Soft. Owned
Utilities: 3 Phase , Cable TV , Electricity , Propane , Telephone , Underground , Water-Private Co. , WWT- Private Sewer