The answer is YES!

We've been in a fast-and-furious seller's market for a couple of years now -- the type of market where we REALTORS have had to don running shoes and sprint buyers' offers to listing agents, or deal with multiple offers for our sellers.

But lately, with our inventory climbing from a sparse 700 to an abundant 1400 in little over a year, there are some neighborhoods and property types where the market has definitely shifted.

Although our market continues to be brisk where the 'starter homes' (i.e. 3/2 under 200k) are concerned, checking out the higher end luxury homes and especially the waterfront properties, it's not hard to see the changes. What would have listed last Summer for over a million bucks now seems to be popping up in our MLS in the 700s and 800s instead.

Waterfront prices do tend to rise and fall with the seasons, though -- so if you're looking to walk out your back door and stick a toe into the mighty Colorado, get your shopping done before the temperature rises and with it, the prices.

By the way, it was a sublime 83 degrees yesterday, with no wind and virtually no humidity. I guess the groundhog was enjoying a margarita and forgot to look for his shadow . . .

We've been doing a lot of  communicating  lately with utility companies on behalf of our clients  wishing to  purchase land outside of a subdivision and build their own  home on it (owner builders or investors wanting to build spec homes are  all the  rage in our area).

The BEST way to find out how much it  will  cost to bring power to your parcel is to contact the  appropriate  utility company and request a bid from a qualified engineer.This isusually called an 'overhead contract' or an 'engineering  contract' andcosts a few hundred dollars, which may be applied to the  total cost ofobtaining your [electric,water etc] hookups.

That way, you will be able to make an informed decision.

When  you see land parcels with very low price tage, there may be additional,  not  immediately apparent costs to bring water, sewer or power to the  land.  Be aware of this when shopping for land. A better deal may be  to  purchase in a subdivision  where the utilities are already  available,  even if it costs more for  the land.

When you start looking for a manufacturedhome and contact me, don't be offended if the first question I ask youis "CASH OR FINANCING?". The answer to that question is a key first step in beginning your search for a manufactured home. Thereason is that prior to June of 1976, manufactured and mobile homes  were not required to be up to HUD standards. When the government  stepped in,  they began to require that stricter guidelines in  the  building of these homes be followed. Most lenders will not finance anyone, regardless of their credit history, on a manufactured or mobile home built before 1976. Ditto for single wide manufactured and mobile homes. Theones that will are known to charge outrageous interest rates.Think  mortgage rates in the mid 1970s and you'll get the general idea. For  those who don't remember that far back, we're talking double digit  interest rates. So, if you are not paying cash for your  purchaseof a manufactured or  mobile home, better keep your criteria  to  doublewides 1977 or newer!

We've been doing some neat deals for clients in the Golden Valley area. That's 18 miles northeast of the Laughlin  Bridge, between Bullhead City and Kingman, AZ. The last one we did was a 3 bedroom home with Durastone countertops and upgraded  cabinets. in kitchen, tile roof, covered patio and sitting on a 3 acre  view lot with city water for under 130k!  The area is still very  rural, and many of the roads are not paved in some areas  but WOW!  That kind of price for a site built brand new home is not happening down the hill in Bullhead. You have to be preapproved by a lender and have the cash to put down 20% to do a purchase like this, but again, WOW! This  area is going to be an amazing bedroom community in the very near  future. And, if you can't deal with the blazing desert heat in summer, it's usually about 15 degrees cooler than at the river.

Our market is raging and more vibrant than ever! Great news for buyers, sellers and of course, real estate agents. In our area, membership in our REALTOR Association has doubled since 9/11!. With this influx of agents comes the potential for problems if they are not properly trained and supervised by a wise, experienced and ethical broker. REALTORS are compelled to treat everyone fairly--clients, customers, the public and other real estate licensees, REALTOR or not. (one does not have to be a member of the National Association of REALTORS to sell real estate) Licensees that don't adhere to the standards we have set for ourselves as an industry perpetuate the usually untrue myth that we are not to be trusted. Most of our Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice are based on the Golden Rule! But just like any other profession, we do get our share of outlaws. Here are some ways to tell if a real estate licensee is behaving unethically: IF AN AGENT: * Contacts you directly (not through your agent) *  Does not identify themself as a real estate licensee at first meeting *  Does not inform you that a property they are buying or selling is for themself *  Does not provide copies of anything you have signed THEY ARE ACTING UNETHICALLY. The best thing you can do when encountering an unethical agent is to (if you are working with an agent) tell your agent of the encounter, or, if you are not working with an agent, simply refuse to deal with that person. If the violation is flagrant or recurring, contact your local Association of REALTORS or Department of Real Estate to lodge a complaint. The best way to find a good, ethical agent is to talk to someone you know and trust, and ask them to refer someone with whom they have had a positive experience.  :)

Hi! Residential income properties, especially the kind that are ALREADY RENTED and have good tenants in place, are wonderful investment properties. You get the income stream from rents, the appreciation of the land and the depreciation from your CPA (check with him or her, as I am not one, about the tax benefits of investment properties).   BUT, when this type of property is listed for sale, whether by a licensee or owner, the 'rules' are a bit different than buying a residential property for a primary or second home.   Good tenants are worth their weight in gold! They pay on time and don't thrash the property. But the fastest way to lose good tenants is to deny them their privacy and autonomy over the property they occupy and pay for.   Having real estate agents with their buyers tromping in and through these properties with little or no warning is not only a good way to upset and ultimately lose good tenants, it's a violation of their rights as tenants.   Therefore, most tenant occupied income properties are customarily viewed by a prospective buyer during the inspection period portion of an ESCROW.   In other words, when you see a property you like, FIRST you have your agent prepare an offer with a sufficient inspection period to conduct your review of the profit loss sheets, expense reports and ledgers, you grab your tax person and accountant and crunch the numbers to see if the deal is feasible for your purposes, THEN you make an appointment, have property management notify the tenant (in Arizona, a 48 hour notice) and view the interior of the property.   It's generally not an accepted practice to view the interior of an occupied income property without a written offer presented.   Remember that while you are within your inspection period, if you find an item about the property that you reasonably disapprove of, you are entitled to cancel the contract.   This procedure protects both the prospective buyer (by giving them an opportunity to view the units) and the seller (the assurance that the buyer is a true principal).