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What to Consider Before Moving to Spain

Wednesday, September 19th, 2007

Moving to Spain is not something to do too quickly, as it is a big decision. You should visit the country a few times before moving, which will not only help you become familiar with the area but also with the culture and communities in which you will be living. You can visit several regions and cities such as the Costa Blanca, Costa del Sol, Barcelona and Madrid, for example. Generally, research the city you will call home and learn everything you can. This will lead to a smoother move and help alleviate any anxiety you may have for such a major decision. There are a few things to consider during your planning and preparation phase, such as employment, transportation, paperwork and accommodations.

The paperwork required depends on the country you are moving from, as the requirements for countries vary. The requirements for countries which are members of the European Union will be different than countries which are not members. You can contact the Spanish Consulate for the exact requirements, but you should confirm this information early to allow for enough time to comply and gather the appropriate documents.

You should also ask the consulate about the requirements for a driver’s license. You will also need to decide on your source of transportation and whether or not you will bring your car, sell it or purchase a new car in Spain. If you decide not to bring your car, you may need to rent a car until you purchase one. This should, of course, be temporary as it can get expensive. You will also need to arrange for insurance with a local carrier.

If you are moving to Spain for purposes of job relocation, then you fortunately will not have to worry about finding employment. Some companies offer financial assistance for such relocations, or may at least reimburse you for some or all of the associated expenses. Some choose to use relocation services, professional companies or organizations which can help you get settled into your new country. They can help you find somewhere to live, register your children in school and generally help familiarize you with the area and services. However, if you are not moving because of job relocation, then you should start job hunting early. The internet is a good source for employment opportunities.

You will, obviously, need to find somewhere to live. A real estate agent can assist you in locating a place to either purchase or rent, whatever you decide. If you plan to purchase, it would be a good idea to make several trips to view properties. If you need to sell your current home prior to moving, start early to provide yourself with enough time to sell the property before needing to purchase another home in Spain.

Generally, though, be sure you have enough money to live on for a while, giving you time to find employment, get settled and on a predictable monthly budget. The better you prepare before the move, the smoother move it will be.

Clinton Maxwell publishes at large for http://www.alicante-spain.com, a web publication on Spain, learn spanish and other themes. His observations on moving to Spain are published on http://www.alicante-spain.com

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Moving Issues with Fixer Uppers

Friday, August 10th, 2007

One of the age old ways to make money is to buy the worst home on the block and fix it up. If you are following this plan, you need to think about how to handle your stuff.

Finding a fixer upper is a great way to make some serious cash in real estate. The idea is to buy a home that is beaten up in a location that you might not be able to afford if the home was in good shape. You then proceed to get the home is shape and reap the benefits in equity and profit when you sell.

When buying a fixer upper, you have to give some thought to practical stuff. By definition, a fixer is going to…well, require you to perform some fixes. This often means parts of the home are going to be inaccessible. The loss of a room or two can really cause you problems when you try to figure out what to do with your furniture and other stuff. So, what should do? There are a couple of steps you should take.

The first step is to rent a sizeable storage unit. You may not need it when you first move in, but you can count on needing it at some point. The storage unit will provide you with a place you can keep large items while sections of the homes are being worked on. You might even consider placing fragile or valuable pieces in it until the home is finished.

If you are planning on replacing or working on the floors, you need to take a moment to think. How are you going to do it given your furniture? Beds, couches and the like can be big and heavy. Do you really want to move them a couple of times? Probably not, particularly since moving such pieces should be kept to a minimum. If you are going to do major floor work, you might want to do it before you move in.

Planning is a huge requirement if you are going to be doing a lot of improvements to a new home. Simply put, you need to figure out if you should make a universal improvement such as electrical work all at one time or room by room. Again, the issue is your furniture, plants and such. You need to weigh the demolition, dust and so on against the difficulty of doing the improvement room by room. There is no universal correct answer.

Buying a fixer upper is a time tested way to make money in real estate as long as you can fix it up for a reasonable price. While going for the profit, just make sure you can still live in it.

Lou Ross is with MovingCompaniesforYou.com - find moving truck rentals along with helpful advice on moving issues.

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Moving From a Home You Have Lived in a Long Time

Friday, August 10th, 2007

Americans tend to move a lot these days, but there are still plenty of people that live in homes for twenty or thirty years. So, what do you do when it is time to move?

Moving is a task that usually falls in line with preparing your taxes or buying insurance. Simply put, it isn’t particularly fun. A general line of attack is to try to coax your friends into helping you. In turn, you friends try to be out of town that weekend or fake their own deaths. As if moving wasn’t a big enough pain, it can be practically crippling if you have to move after living in a home for twenty years or so. If you are in this situation, there are some things to consider.

First and foremost, moving is a task to be completed. It is not a time to relive memories. Why do I bring this up? Well, you are going to find you have a lot of stuff as George Carlin might say. Much of this stuff you haven’t actually seen in years. There is going to be a major temptation to sit down and start looking through it. What kind of stuff? How about old photo albums or journals? You can easily end up blowing hours doing this, which just makes the moving process longer. Longer is not good. If you feel compelled to look at things and relive the memories, set them aside and look at them after you have moved. You will have plenty of time then.

Plants are another issue you have to consider. That small palm you purchased ten years ago is no longer small. It is the bomber of all palms. Yes, it is beautiful, but how are you going to move it? Plants can be easily stressed, so you need to make a hard decision. Should you leave it to the new owners or tenants? If you decide to move large plants, you need to dry them out and make sure to wrap them so leaves and such don’t get thrashed in the back of whatever you are moving them in. Once you arrive at the new home, move the plants in first. Then water and mist them. This can help avoid them from going into shock and dying.

Kids are great, but not when you move. Yes, moving can be a family event, but rarely a pleasant one. If you are making a “big move”, I have some practical advice you should follow. Send the kids off to grandma’s home for the weekend. Trust me on this. It is going to be stressful enough without them. This will also prevent unfortunate situations where you yell at them out of frustration.

There is no getting around the fact a big move is a task and a half. When you get through it, you will probably be planning on living in your new home for the rest of your life!

Lou Ross is with MovingCompaniesforYou.com - find moving truck rentals along with helpful advice on moving issues.

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Finding The Right Neighborhood When Buying Homes In Phoenix, Arizona

Tuesday, July 3rd, 2007

When it comes time to buy a home in Phoenix, Arizona, you need to evaluate more than just whether the house meets your current needs. You need to plan for the future: what will this neighborhood be like in five, ten, or twenty years?

The old real estate adage is that you select homes based on location, location, location. Yet it may seem like an impossible task to predict how a neighborhood will change in the future. You could be looking at a home in Phoenix, Arizona that is in a neighborhood that is on the cusp of changing from slightly downtrodden to one of the hottest areas of town, or you could be looking at one that is going to spiral into decline. How do you protect your real estate investment while planning for the future?

Simple driving through the neighborhood won’t help you determine whether the neighborhood is in an upturn or downturn trend. To really understand the neighborhood, you have to do a little research.

First, you have to start out by taking the temperature of the economic environment. You want a neighborhood that has a strong trend towards economic growth and stability. How can you tell? One easy method is to look for “for sale” signs throughout the neighborhood. When you observe lots of homes for sale, it indicates that the neighbors are leaving – maybe because of job loss, maybe the schools aren’t great, maybe there is a crime pattern – whatever the reason, it’s a sign that you need to look elsewhere.

Next, hit the pavement. Take a walking tour of the neighborhood. How many people do you see out walking around? Of course, it’s important that you make this evaluation at a time when homeowners would typically be home. Monday mornings are not a great time to check your prospective neighbors – they will be at work. Try a Saturday morning, when people tend to be at home or working on their homes. This is a great opportunity to meet people, or just simply observe the neighborhood – are there kids playing, do the neighbors seem friendly, what’s the street traffic like? All help you determine whether the neighborhood would work for you.

Consider the condition of other homes in the area. Do they seem well maintained, in good condition, or do you see obvious signs of neglect and needed improvements. When neighbors don’t have the financial resources to keep their properties maintained, it’s an excellent indicator that the neighborhood is bordering on economic distress.

Finally, consider the local schools. Schools are a great barometer of how a neighborhood is doing, both in the short and long term. Even if you don’t have children, schools indicate whether there is consistency and commitment within the area. Goods schools show active communities, consistent teaching staff, committed families, while schools that aren’t rated highly indicate volatile communities with both families and teachers moving in and out frequently.

Finding the right home in Phoenix, Arizona doesn’t have to be a grueling process or even stressful. It just requires a little research and a little planning, and you’ll have a property that returns on your investment and offers financial stability.

Gary Ogami has over 13 years experience working in the financial services industry. He has worked with hundreds of individuals and families to find mortgage options that work for them.

He prides himself on making the mortgage process as easy as possible for his clients and is very passionate about helping them save money and develop a strong financial foundation.

Click here to receive a free copy of “7 Tips Every Home Buyer Should Know” and “7 Tips to Avoiding the Biggest mortgage Mistakes”.

Visit us at http://www.homes-in-phoenix.com

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George Quincy Adams - Angels Sometimes Come Unaware

Friday, June 22nd, 2007

George Quincy Adams

I have written about extraordinary people in my life that have touched my heart and enlightened my soul. In this column, you will meet a man who will always be a legend in my life. His name was George Quincy Adams and he will forever be in my heart.

The first time Quincy came to our home, I eyed him suspiciously because of appearance. Woman and children he encountered would react by screaming and running and men would stare awkwardly. I did neither, which made him extremely happy.

Quincy was a very young man when he entered the army. He had graduated medical school and, by all rights, was a doctor. This fact did not deter him from his military duty or his patriotism. He became a foot soldier in combat instead of a military doctor. He marched in horrible weather and was involved in many battles. His last battle left him scarred for life physically and mentally. It would cast him into a solitary world where very few could look past his scars.

I was neither scared of him nor did I stare at him as if he was different. I could see the energy around him was good and loving. Looking even deeper in him, I could see loneliness and a sense of loss behind his deep brown eyes. Yet no one ever truly heard Quincy complain. He was an exceptional man.

His rare visits to our home became almost a nightly ritual. Mom and Dad gave him the recliner as his chair to sit and watch television with us every night. Usually he would eat dinner with us and chat about what happened in our small rural community or tell us of events in his workday.

Every night Quincy would bring me something and teach me lessons. Every new type of fruit or vegetable was brought so his “Baby Girl” could try it. He would find inventions, books, or treasures and would appear nightly to give to me so I could be experience the outside world. I can still remember the first night he pulled out his new reading glasses while blushing and exclaiming, “Well, if I am going to help you with your homework I need to be able to see the questions better”. He smiled and went on looking at the book while I inspected his face with his new glasses. I wonder now if he thought it strange I would inspect how he looked with glasses on but never reacted to his scarred face that had most of its features burnt off.

One night we were watching a movie after Mom, Dad, Quincy, and I had shared a couple of 16oz RC Colas. I was stretched out on the floor in front of the television watching it intently as the movie suddenly killed one of the main characters. I hide my face inside my arms as hot tears streamed down my face. I tried hard to hold in the sobs that were trying to rack my body. I still remember Quincy’s 6’3 frame bending down as he swept my blonde hair away with one of his lobster claw hands. He very gently said” Baby Girl – do not ever be ashamed for feeling sad when you see someone killed. I am glad that life has not hardened you so you cannot feel compassion for another living being. Let me see those tears because they make me proud to be sitting by such a compassionate little girl. The day you stop crying while seeing death is the day I will start.”
As the years came and went, Quincy was a very important part of our entire family’s lives. I learned that he lived alone in a very small damaged camper out in a field. He never married because no one could see past the scars he was inflicted with on the battlefield. He had special devices to help him dress, cut trees to support himself and drive a car. However, most of all I learned that the most awesome people on earth may be hidden by disfigured bodies.

Much later in my life, I was told the story of how he had been injured. Quincy had just pulled the pin on a phosphorus bomb when his friend behind him was shot. His friend fell on top of him before he could throw the phosphorus bomb he held in his hand. As he lay on top of it, it ate away his face, neck arms, and hands. The damage was so severe that when his sister came to see him in the hospital – she could only recognize his warm brown eyes.

Through out his life, many people missed the exceptional spirit of George Quincy Adams because of his physical scars. They deprived their selves of angel placed on this earth with lessons to share with everyone. He didn’t receive government grants as he worked everyday to support himself in spite of his hands being short digits or lobster shaped. He did not think anyone owed him anything nor did he want anyone’s sympathy. The best way to see George Quincy Adams temper was to feel sorrow or pity for him. He would rather you screamed and ran then to offer him charity.
The last time I seen Quincy, I was grown and visiting him in the Veterans hospital in Memphis TN. One day while he was cutting logs and trying to roll them in place, one broke free and rolled over him breaking his neck. Being paralyzed from the neck down made the last part of his life bed ridden in a VA hospital, miles away from us all.

I would visit Quincy, trim his hair, feed him, and adjust the TV for him. I would not be able to go regularly but when I did, I would tell him how much he meant to me. That was so little in comparison to the impact he had made on my life.

This little Lesson on Love and Life is on Angels. Angels are not always beautiful or have perfect facial features. Not all angels have feather wings, halos, or work miracles for themselves. They are not always easily detected. Sometimes an angel is disfigured with its entire splendor lying beneath the skin. Yet these angels have important messages to share.

If Quincy was here today, I think he would want me to tell everyone that beauty, color, or nationality is only skin-deep. The inner energy – the spirit is what is important.

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Bible, Hebrews xiii. 2.

The golden moments in the stream of life rush past us and we see nothing but sand; the angels come to visit us, and we only know them when they are gone.
George Eliot (1819 - 1880)

Rhiannon Waits is a syndicated columnist and Talk Show Host. In addition to being a published author and Motivational speaker, she is a globally recognized psychic. She lives in Pensacola Florida with her life partner and two of her sons. Join her fan club at yahoo groups under the name RHIANNONS. President is Aisha Debose. Offical Website is http://www.rhiannonwaits.com

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The Creeping Menace: Black Mold Found Behind Bathroom Wallpaper

Monday, June 18th, 2007

Your bathroom wallpaper is the ideal spot for black mold to thrive in. First off, the bathroom is one of black mold’s favorite places in the house. It’s probably number one. This is because it’s humid and, unlike water damaged parts of the house, the bathroom keeps getting steamy and wet repeatedly each day.

Mold likes the wallpaper in particular because it’s a nice, porous surface. This makes it easy for the mold to get there in the first place, and “breathe.” Black mold needs a little air to thrive well, but it also needs the darkness. Mold that hangs out behind your bathroom wallpaper actually stores water, like a mouse in its hole with a chunk of cheese. This keeps it alive and going behind your wallpaper.

Finding The Enemy!

Most people don’t know they have black mold behind their bathroom wallpaper until they’re removing it. Mold is sneaky, and you can’t see behind your wallpaper. If you suspect that you might have bathroom mold, you might want to get your bathroom inspected. It’s difficult to be sure by yourself, but if you have sudden nasal decongestion, trouble breathing or other mold-related health symptoms when you go into your bathroom, you definitely have a problem. And, if you can’t see the mold anywhere, there’s a good chance it’s behind the wallpaper.

You vs. The Mold: Getting It Off Your Bathroom Wallpaper and removing black mold from shower ceiling

Unfortunately, the only way to rid yourself of the evil mold behind your bathroom wallpaper is to remove the wallpaper itself. If you decide to do this, there are some precautions you must take:

-Put plastic around the bathroom as if you were painting. Remember that mold is toxic stuff and the spores can get anywhere and cause you even more trouble. Imagine that you are cleaning up toxic waste somewhere, and you don’t want it to touch anything!

-Make sure the room is well ventilated. If you’re bathroom has no windows, at least run the exhaust fan. When you start stripping that wallpaper, the mold is going to go everywhere, so you want to make sure there’s plenty of air circulation.

-Wear protective gloves and a mask. You don’t want it to touch anything, including YOU! The bigger, the thicker the gloves, the better. Also, look for a mask that is especially made for mold cleanup. Some masks just cover your mouth and nose, but at your local hardware store you can find special masks intended for mold removal.

-After you take off the nasty, moldy wallpaper, save it in plastic bags before you throw it away. As I said before, it’s important to not let the mold touch anything. You also don’t want the spores to be airborne.

Keep It From Coming Back

Even more important than cleaning up the mess is keeping it from coming back. The bathroom’s always going be a popular spot for mold, but here are some things you can do:

-Buy a humidifier to keep in the bathroom. Use it as directed, and turn it on after showers to help keep the bathroom from getting too moist.

-Make sure you turn on the exhaust fan when you’re showering. You might want to run it a little bit afterwards too.

-You can buy woven wall paper that is designed to keep off mold and mildew. Look around at wallpaper suppliers and tell them what you’re looking for.

-Some wallpaper dealers also sell waterproof wallpaper. You might want to check these out, but make sure it’s the real deal. Ask the dealers how exactly it keeps off the moisture. Regular vinyl wallpaper isn’t always “mold proof.”

-Instead of wallpaper, paint the bathroom. Although mold can grow on paint, this will greatly reduce your risk of getting a mold infection behind your bathroom wallpaper.

Learn more about testing and inspection for black mold on our site. You’ll also find other information such as sickness symptoms from black mold. ToxicBlackMoldHelp.org is a comprehensive resource to help individuals to test and inspect, identify health symptoms and removal of toxic black mold.

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Leaving The Clutter Behind

Sunday, June 3rd, 2007

There’s something exciting about moving into a new space. Perhaps for the first time in your life, you can imagine that peaceful bedroom retreat, that spa-like vision of your master bath, or the hip café feel of your new kitchen.

Then you start to unpack your boxes and suddenly, your beautiful new space is transformed into something not unlike your old one. Your serene bedroom fills up with piles of stuff you can’t find any other place for, your spa-like bathroom overflows with half-used bottles of hair products and mismatched towels, your café kitchen is crammed with rarely used appliances, and enough plastic bags to supply your local grocery store for a week. What happened?

You brought your clutter with you. Not only that, you paid to have it moved to your new home. Stuff you rarely use, things you don’t like, items you felt obligated to keep because they were a gift or you spent a lot of money on them at the time. And suddenly, the fresh new start gets stuck in the clutter of your past.

So, what can you do to make sure that your next home is clutter free? Declutter BEFORE you move. You can start at any time by getting rid of stuff you know you don’t want or need. In fact, getting rid of obvious clutter is a great way to ready your home for sale. But, for the rest of the stuff, the less obvious clutter, packing is a wonderful opportunity to look at your stuff in a new light.

By sorting like items with like, you will have the opportunity to look at your things with fresh eyes. This will allow you to choose the very best of a collection for your new space and to leave behind anything that you don’t really love and value or that you know you won’t have room for in your new space. For example gather all your books from every room in your house. This will allow you to accurately assess how many books you have and to think about how and where you will store your books in your new space – perhaps you’ll decide to create a library in the dining room, or choose to reduce your books to a few favorite and donate the rest to your local library. You can repeat this sorting process with small appliances, sporting equipment, photos, ornaments, holiday decorations, files, CD’s and DVD’s, clothing and so forth.

Choosing what goes with you and what goes elsewhere involves asking yourself some tough questions. Do I still use this? Does this fit in with my current lifestyle? Do I have room for this in my new space? Do I still like this? Do I need ALL of these? Be honest and realistic about how “many” of each item you NEED. Keep your favorites and let the rest go. And don’t forget to consider replacing some things. Perhaps now is the time to get some new towels or bedding. Even furniture should be carefully considered as to its suitability for your new space.

Donate, recycle, trash or sell the items you have decided to get rid of before your move date. Under no circumstances should these items get packed or moved with you.

With the items you’ve chosen to keep, box them and clearly label the item(s) inside. This will make unpacking and locating items a much easier process after your move.

By following these simple steps you will be working toward a fresh new start in your new home. You don’t have to live under the weight of your past. Take control of your things and create that special new space that you can proudly call home.

Joan Kosmachuk is a Professional Organizer and Personal Life Coach. Her Boston-based business, Simple Effects, will help you make room in your home, head and heart for the things you value most. Check http://www.simpleeffects.com for a complete listing of services.

Posted in Gardening, Home-and-Family, Outdoors, Top7-or-10-Tips | No Comments »

Real Estate Moving and Relocation Considerations

Sunday, May 6th, 2007

One of the biggest ways consumer feel that they have been ripped off is by moving companies. Generally you will pay them upfront a fee to move your furniture and belongs and once they have them, well you better make sure you trust them. This of course means you need to do a little due diligence up front of course.

First you will find that the best way to find a good moving company is by referral, ask friends and family first. If they do not know ask a realtor who is local or call up a large corporation in the area and talk to the human resource department and see who they use or recommend.

For years I ran a truck washing and fleet cleaning business and every once in a while I was stiffed by a moving company that did not pay their bill. I often wondered if they were just poor business people or if they were somewhat shady and more the dead beat type. Either way I have been skeptical ever since.

The Federal Trade Commission publishes a list of tips for consumers on hiring a Moving and Relocation company. What questions to ask and what to be aware of. The Better Business Bureau also has a FREE list. Both of these lists are similar and they are both available online.

Do you home work and give your business to the best Moving Company you can find, and you will be doing your family and community a big favor. I certainly hope this article is of interest and that is has propelled thought. The goal is simple; to help you in your quest to be the best in 2007. I thank you for reading my many articles on diverse subjects, which interest you.

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington

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How To Stay Safe When You Date And Safe Internet Dating

Thursday, April 26th, 2007

Safe Internet dating is possible if you take some simple precautions

Starting a relationship with someone new can be a risky business. How can you trust someone that you’ve only known for a short time? Are they being truthful? Are they going to scam you out of money? Are they married? Are they violent? If you know how to apply some simple common sense techniques before you commit to your new partner then you will know how to stay safe when you date.

Finding a new partner on the Internet is simple and easy and can be safe as long as you are careful. Thousands if not millions of happy couples have met this way and are very happy together. I know because I’m one of them.

Unfortunately there are always going to be some crooks in any crowd. Whether you meet your partner on the Internet or in a bar or nightclub you must be careful. You can’t even trust your work mates or close friends sometimes.

Never give your Internet date money

If you meet someone on the Internet then rule number one is don’t give them any personal information and definitely never ever give them money or agree to any transactions involving money. There are many scams that use these techniques to con you out of money and many people fall for it. Don’t be one of them.

Meet in a public place

When you’re confident enough to meet your new friend make sure that you arrange to meet in a public place where there are lots of people around. This can prevent an ugly scene when you decide that you need to leave. Again you should never agree to any kind of financial transactions even if it appears that there’s no risk to you and that you would be doing your friend a favour. If he asks you to do this then beware because this is how the con men operate.

Check out his story

The one thing that con men and scam artists have in common is that they tell lies and they are very good at it. If you don’t check out what they say then you’ll have no option but to believe it because it will all seem very reasonable to you. So how can you detect a liar?

Exposing a liar isn’t difficult if you now how to do it. You see you only have to pick up on one lie to throw doubt on anything else they say. Ask them all about themselves, where they live, how old they are, where they were born, have they ever been arrested and anything else that you can think of. Even the best con men will have to tell a few lies to keep their cover story going so you should be able to collect quite a few.

Now that he has told you all about himself you can go online and check out his story using a service that provides public records from a multitude of different sources and places it all at your fingertips. You should be able to trace your friend easily and check out a lot of the information he’s given you. If he doesn’t check out or if he doesn’t seem to exist at all then you should simply walk away. This is how you stay safe when you date. Getting a background check on someone online is very simple and inexpensive so do it and enjoy safe Internet dating.

Check out your partner now using this huge public records database as used by law enforcement How To Stay Safe When You Date, http://this-info.com/undercoverdetective/howtostaysafewhenyoudate.php

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Housing Boom Hits Northern Arizona

Friday, April 13th, 2007

Northern Arizona’s high country lies on a vast landscape of rolling hills, fragrant pine forests and snow-capped mountains. While summer temperatures in the valleys top 100 degrees, temps in Prescott, Payson and Flagstaff average in the high 80s. Even chilly winter days are pleasant because the high desert sun shines 300 days per year. Because of its climate, vast recreational opportunities and low crime rates, this region has seen an influx of retirees and second-home buyers in recent years.

From California to the East Coast, newcomers are taking advantage of low, national interest rates to flood northern Arizona area markets. With most land locked up in National Forests and Parks, the supply of new homes hasn’t kept up with demand. In less than two years the housing markets in Flagstaff, Payson and Prescott have increased from 12% to 35%, and real estate agents from all three towns predict another few years of boom. Despite this bullish market, average home prices still remain reasonable compared to other U.S. mountain towns.

Prescott:
At 5,400-feet, Prescott boasts a mild climate with four seasons and pristine air quality. Cultural, educational, job and health care opportunities compare favorably to those found in metropolitan areas, but the city still retains its small-town feel. Subsequently, newcomers have flooded to the area at a steady rate and housing prices have almost doubled in five years. Prescott’s 37,500 residents now pay an average of $360,000 for a single-family home. Although significantly above the national average, these prices haven’t deterred two-thirds of residents from owning their own homes.

According to Red Arrow Real Estate Broker John Clark, because Prescott is the “most desirable place to live in Arizona,” every part of the market is booming. “Years ago, it was more of a retirement community,” he says. “Now they come because of jobs and growth, which creates more jobs.” They also come to buy second homes. Low interest rates have allowed many Californians and lowland Arizona residents to refinance their primary residences, freeing up money they then invest in second homes in Prescott. Things aren’t slowing down either. “Builders are growing homes as fast as they can to meet demand,” says Clark, “but we have more buyers than we have sellers and inventory is not available in certain prices ranges.”

Payson:
With the 7,000-foot, 200-mile long escarpment of the Mogollon Rim and two mountain ranges as its backdrop, its no wonder newcomers flock to Payson. Scenery and recreational opportunities aside, this town of 14,300 boasts a low cost of living and lower than national average home prices. At $283,000 home prices are ideal for retirees and second-home buyers. Around 80% of residents own their own homes.

According to Coldwell Banker agent Lori Coleman, market prices have increased at rates up to 25% in the last 18 months because of the aggressive market and a lack of available private land to develop. “We’ve seen prices go up dramatically,” she says. Still, she adds, because Payson is smaller and harder to find, prices are lower than what is found in other American resort towns (home prices in Aspen, Colorado, for example, are closer to a million). This appeals to the countless Californians who want to buy second homes and to the retirees that flood the area. Adds Coleman, because Payson doesn’t have industry like other areas, “people who are usually here for the long term.”

Flagstaff:
Surrounded by the Kaibab and Coconino national forests as well as canyon and desert terrain, Flagstaff residents enjoy stunning scenery and a plethora of outdoor adventure opportunities. At 7,000 feet, this town of 56,000, which sits in the heart of the San Francisco Mountains, is the second highest established metro area in the country. The city boasts the most educated population in the state and a housing market that has increased 50% in the last five years. Average home prices recently reached $403,000. Despite elevated costs about half of residents own their own homes.

Realty Executive real estate agent Pat Loven, a 26-year veteran in the field, says he’s never seen such a phenomenal market. “It’s not unusual to have multiple offers on your property,” Loven says. “There’s more demand than there are houses.” Because only 18% of the Flagstaff area is privately owned (the rest is owned by the state or reservations), development costs are increasing and houses are appreciating at rates of 12% to 20%. And, says Loven, the future looks bright. The steady flow of incoming students along with an infusion of retirees and second-home buyers looking to escape lowland heat will stabilize markets for years to come. “Even when interest rates were 17%, our market didn’t go down,” Loven explains. “Investments in this area are a good idea.”

Lizzy Scully
Managing Editor, http://www.FindYourSpot.com, the Internet’s best source of relocation information.
http://www.findyourspot.com and
http://www.findyourspotrelocationwebsite.blogspot.com

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