by Dru Bloomfield on November 20, 2008
We are getting to the time of year, where gift giving can become a big thing, when it’s often the act of opening one’s heart that gives the biggest sense of satisfaction. Sharing your time and expertise is a gift that just keeps on giving.
The City of Scottsdale social services arm, Vista del Camino has a need for volunteers in its career center, specifically business people who will contribute a couple hours a week to help job-searchers with resume writing, interviewing skills, and on-line job searching techniques.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR THE VISTA DEL CAMINO CAREER CENTER
Vista del Camino, Scottsdale’s social services center, is seeking volunteers to work in its career center.
The center is seeking citizens able to volunteer for up to four hour blocks of time weekdays anytime between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
The Vista del Camino Career Center provides online and individual assistance to people who are working to secure employment in Maricopa County.
Services provided by the career center include computer aided resume writing assistance, job search assistance, interview skills assistance and job counseling.
Individuals with a background in business, human resource management, or other related areas, and who may have special skills in resume writing, online job searches, and interviewing skills will feel right at home in the career center.
Duties include providing technical and educational assistance, answering the phone in the career center, checking citizens in and out and monitoring the use of office machines. For more information about volunteering, call Pat Leos at (480) 312-0063.
by Dru Bloomfield on May 12, 2008
Want to know what several of the local real estate experts have to say about our current market?
Today’s article at AZCentral.com, 3 experts sift through rubble of Valley market for signs of life, gives some insights, and shows that there’s not any one clear answer. I think it’s worth the time to read, whether you are considering making a move, or not.
A couple of the quotes that confirm what I’m seeing:
Jay Butler: There’s no such thing as a national housing market. There’s no such thing as a Maricopa County housing market. It’s really what’s happening in your neighborhood. Some neighborhoods are holding up. There’s very little turnover, and people are very happy. . . . In others, you’re going to get foreclosures and sellers cutting prices to get out.
… and
R.L. Brown: It’s the best time to buy a house that we’ve seen in at least the last three years. Decide where you want to live, and then start focusing on that neighborhood. When you see the “for sale” signs start disappearing, it’s a clue that the area is in the process of recovery. Then prices in that neighborhood have probably bottomed out, and you’d better make your move.
My experience over that past three months is showing that some sellers are very in tuned to the market. I had two listing appointments Saturday morning and in both cases, the owners were very close to where my analysis showed that a suggested listing price would be.
However, other sellers still have a presumption that their house is better than any other in the neighborhood. I represented a buyer last week, who walked away from a home purchase negotiation, because the non-local seller just did not see that her home was overpriced by 10%. This buyer was savvy as to the market, nervous about buying in today’s market, but in a situation where it was the right time for her to make a purchase…. as long as she didn’t overpay.
The interview definitely covers a lot more ground, in regards to credit, recession, and remodeling. I do suggest at least scanning if you have any interest in our local real estate market.
Other related reading:
Experts Weigh in on Housing Market
Phoenix Real Estate: What do the numbers say?
McCormick Parkway Communities – Market Report
by Dru Bloomfield on March 20, 2008
Interesting choice of title for article in the Arizona Republic for the just released census updates:
Valley population gains moderating
Last year, Maricopa County (home to Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, and most of the metropolitan Phoenix area) was the fastest growing county in the U.S. based on number of residents added, according to a just released census estimate. Our growth has slowed, yet the county is still growing, adding more than 100,000 residents last year, which the author indicates is “so far is the lowest rate this decade, but still enough to call it a boom.”
And where are our new residents coming from:
- 40% of the increase is from natural causes (births)
- 39% are moving here from other states
- 21% are moving to Maricopa county from other countries
That means that approximately 60,000 people moved to Phoenix last year and need to buy or rent a home. 165 people have been moving to Maricopa County a day. Wow.
So if you are thinking about a move to the Phoenix Metropolitan area, please know that Elliot D. Pollack has excellent economic data and forecasts on his ArizonaEconomy.com web site. From there, you will find that the majority of our new residents, relocating from other parts of the country, are coming from California, the “Rust Belt”, other states in the Southwest, and the Northeast.
One of his recent reports, “Greater Phoenix Economy: What you need to know….”, has a wealth of information for a business person considering a move to the Phoenix area. In reading this report, I was taken back to my grade school days, where we were taught that Arizona was developed on the 4 C’s: Cattle, Copper, Cotton, and Citrus. (In this report, an obvious fifth C has been added – Climate!)
Today, Phoenix’s economy is based on:
- Aerospace
- High-tech
- Advanced Business Services
- Transportation, Distribution, & Wholesale Trade
- Tourism
- Retirement & Second Home
Every time I read one of these reports, I get excited about living in Arizona, and specifically, the Phoenix-Scottsdale area:
Here are a few more of the “fun facts” that I discovered, or was reminded, of this morning:
- Phoenix is sunny 86% of the year (compare to Seattle at 43% and Chicago at 54%)
- The median age in the area is 33, lower than the national average of 35 years.
- Phoenix is the #4 move-to destination for young, single, educated adults.
- When compared to peer metro areas, Phoenix ranks 6th in median household income (when adjusted for cost of living)
So while real estate sales have slowed, and there’s much discussion about whether or not we are in a recession, I like to operate from the “glass half full” perspective and see that the job market in Phoenix has evolved, we still have great weather, and people moving to the area still need a place to live.
If you have any questions or would like some more info about the area, just let me know.
by Dru Bloomfield on January 1, 2008
The seasonally adjusted Arizona Business Conditions Index rose to 53.8 in October from 48.2 last month, an 11.5 percent increase. An Arizona Business Conditions Index reading of over 50 indicates that the local economy is growing, while a reading below 50 suggests a slowdown in the overall level of economic activity in the near term. After the critical dip in October, the index has recovered somewhat.
For a more in-depth review, see the press release at the ASU W.P. Carey School of Business web site.
by Dru Bloomfield on November 10, 2007
Yesterday, the Phoenix Business Journal announced the completed sale for two major office buildings in McCormick Ranch.
Two large office buildings located in McCormick Ranch have been sold for $54 million. The 252,000-square-foot Scottsdale Executive Office Park was purchased by Grunberg Ventura LLC, a division of Grunberg Realty of New York. The seller was Los Angeles-based Lowe Enterprises.
The older building at 7975 N. Hayden Road was built in 1976. The newer building at 8655 E. Via de Ventura was built in 1983. Both were remodeled extensively in 2003. The buildings were 91 percent occupied at the time of sale.
View Larger MapThese two buildings are located on the Southeast corner of Hayden and Via de Ventura, just behind the Bank of America branch building. This vibrant intersection has high traffic, due in part to its great access to the 101. The developing
Pima Center is just to the east. More office space and the post office are to the north. At least ten restaurants (Le Peep’s, Zip’s, Busters, El Paso Barbeque,
The Dog Bar, and more) are just to the northwest. There are a variety of homes in the surrounding area, ranging from apartment rentals to condos and patio homes to single family homes ranging in price from approximately $350,000 to $3,500,000 in the within a mile radius.
by Dru Bloomfield on October 25, 2007
Yesterday, I was reminded just how quickly the Phoenix Metro area continues to grow, so I thought I’d figure out just how many people are moving here a day, to get a better perspective.
It’s amazing to see that more than 300 people have been, and still are, moving to the Phoenix Metropolitan area per day! Amazing, isn’t it?
Data Source: Arizona Economy.com, ”Crunch” Speech, October 15th, slide 47.
