Phoenix Arizona Real Estate Blog, presented by ...

Sep. 29, 2006 - Weekend reading list

Well, this hasn't been the best week for searching the blogosphere so today's reading list necessarily will be a little shorter than last week.

Tooting my own horn, I published two articles on Active Rain - the first deals with keeping an eye on the prize vs. trying to "win" while negotiating; the other takes a look at myths surrounding what agents can discuss or advertise when ti comes to commission. The second may fall into the vast category of topics that only interest other agents, but we'll let you make the call.

We've had our share of misguided notions this week ... in this local blog, presumably in an effort to drive additional business, the author has driven to the edge of bubble-dom to paint a bleaker-than-real picture of the Phoenix real estate market.  I'll soon be adding Q3 average sales by subdivision to my website for Glendale, Peoria and Surprise (Peoria still needs updating through Q2 but the other two are updated) - you can see the numbers and judge for yourself whether "most" areas have depreciated.

Jay Thompson provided some details on the blogathons of the past week ... first sellsius posted 50 blogs in a day, then Greg Swann and Ardell DellaLoggia posted over 100 each over a 24-hour period. And amazingly, almost all have some excellent content.

Speaking of Greg, it sounds like he caught some heat for an article in today's Republic discussing the idea of buyers negotiating commissions with their agents. As I added in my comments, the tone seems to suggest more agents are unwilling/unable to discuss their commission upfront in such cases. I don't have that issue. And from the comments of past clients, apparently I have some idea what I'm doing and provide an appreciable level of service.

And that's about it for this round ... perhaps not the greatest week real estate blogging has ever seen.

Then again, that's only the opinion of someone who rather would build than destroy, who believes you can build your own business without painting your competition as the villains. Some days, it's easier than others.

(c) Jonathan Dalton, 2006 / Jonathan Dalton's Arizona Homes

Sep. 27, 2006 - Let's Play Carnival

Last week I introduced a weekly reading list, with the idea coming courtesy of Jay Thompson at Century 21 Aware over in the East Valley. Another excellent way of reading more about the wonderful world of real estate is to check out the weekly "Carnival of Real Estate."

Each week a different host blog accepts submissions from different real estate bloggers and then, presumably after a few stiff drinks, reads all of the entries to cull the top 10 - 20. These "best of the best" then are listed on a post added to the host site Monday morning. Carnivals take place all the time and in all different subject areas ... you can see a few in the red box on the right-hand side of this page.

So what's the point? For those of us participating, it's added readership. Blogs are the ultimate in viral marketing, where word-of-mouth carries the day. You read the blog, then you (hopefully) tell a friend and they tell a friend and they fell a friend and soon I'm seeing comments from people other than my wife and dog. :-)

The impact's even greater for the hosts of the carnival, as suddenly readers who may not otherwise check out your blog will stop in if only to see if their post made the cut for the top 20.

Those simply reading the carnivals posts also benefit in that you get different perspectives on topics impacting the world of real estate. Some may seem mundane, some may seem pointless, but if you own or house or hope to do so (which includes most of us) then there's almost certainly a topic for you.

To check out the most recent carnival, which ended on Sunday, you can click on the "carnival of real estate" link over on the right side of this page. That entry has links to past carnivals and soon you'll have more to read than you ever wanted.

(c) Jonathan Dalton, 2006 / Jonathan Dalton's Arizona Homes

Sep. 27, 2006 - Yes, we're still here

One of the great things about real estate is the flexible schedule. One of the not-so-great things is the lack of a true day off at any point in time. Have cell phone, will travel. And one of the not-so-great things about me is once I get my hands on one of these true days off, it so disrupts my routine that it takes a couple of days to get to get going again.

While I haven't been writing I definitely have been working. And one of the biggest results of the last few days is a new listing strategy, a zig while everyone else zags.

The trend this year has been for agents to ask for longer and longer listings - minimum four months for some, six months for others. I've done the same, to be honest, as I followed the crowd. But I realized over the last few days the time has come to try something different. And so I'm shortening my listing period.

Beginning this week, I am offering a 45-day listing period to prospective sellers. All of my regular marketing still will take place, from the for sale sign to the flyer box to the virtual tour to the direct mail, blast e-mails, Internet advertising and even a possible broker open house, if the location's feasible. All that's different is the listing period.

In addition, my sellers will hear from me twice a week minimum, either via phone or via e-mail. Sometimes I might even have news to pass along. And lastly, I promise to be available 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Sundar, except for Friday's where I'll need to shut the phone down starting at 7 p.m. If you don't reach me, I'll be back in touch in 59 minutes or less. It's just that simple.

Why the shorter listing period? Because I've found more and more sellers growing dissatisfied the longer their home is on the market, particularly with agents who don't follow up over a lengthy listing period. I'm not going to be one of those agents. By shortening the listing period, the sellers are free to move on if their home doesn't sell in 45 days (more on this in a minute) and there's only more incentive for me to work harder earlier in the listing and to make sure that my sellers are completely satisfied, even if I don't have that offer quite yet.

Can I guarantee every house will sell in 45 days? Of course not, though I believe my marketing plan combined with a reasonable pricing strategy will lead to a sell in most cases. But I also have every intention of fulfilling all of my clients' demands on the service side that even if we haven't sold at the end of the 45 days, they'll be willing to give it another 45 days to get the sale done.

And leave no doubt I want the sale done ... I only get paid when my sellers do, when the house is sold and the deal closes.

We'll get back to more regular entries tomorrow, once I'm done with a couple of listing appointments and free from the Pioneer Elementary School book fair.

(c) Jonathan Dalton, 2006 / Jonathan Dalton's Arizona Homes

Sep. 22, 2006 - Weekend Reading List

Several blogs I've visited recently have posted weekend reading lists ... a chance for you to hear what some others in the industry have to say about topics impacting both you the consumer and the industry as a whole rather than just listening to me all the time. Here's the best of what I've found:

Jay Thompson of CENTURY 21 Aware in Gilbert argued for increasing the standards to become licensed.  For a countering viewpoint, you can visit Greg Swann's argument against licensing in general.

If you've got some serious time on your hands, sellsius put together a posting marathan ... 50 posts in one day. (And you thought I was long-winded.)

Seattle's RainCityGuide reviewed recent updates to Zillow, including the addition of heat maps. Zillow has been a lightning rod in the real estate blogosphere ... some agents are adamantly anti-Zillow while others, including me, have no problem with Zillow if used in moderation and with proper expectations already set. Kinda like the green apple drinks we had at my in-laws' birthday lunch this past weekend.

Oh, and if you want another opinion on Zillow, you can check Joshua Plummer's recent entry on Active Rain.

BlogArizona discussed a recently-passed law changing Arizona's disclosure requirements, allowing agents and owners to shunt responsibility for many types of disclosures onto a third party.

If you didn't see my post on Active Rain comparing two gas stations' price war to competitive pricing in real estate, you can check it out here.

That's it from here ... market stats will be up Sunday, both for this week and for last (unless I get some free time this afternoon to make up for what I missed last week.

For those so celebrating, L'Shanah Tovah Tikateivu. Happy a happy and healty New Year, my meshpuchah.

(c) Jonathan Dalton, 2006 / Jonathan Dalton's Arizona Homes

Sep. 21, 2006 - Luxury Living in the Southwest Valley

Looking for something a little out of the ordinary? A little more spacious? A little further from the grind of the city? A little more luxurious?

Look no further than this Continental-built masterpiece in Canyon Trails in Goodyear. Five large bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, formal dining, separate living and family rooms, a loft perfect for entertaining and a large, open kitchen are spread across more than 4,200 square feet. And the house itself sits on an oversized 1/4-acre lot.

Extra special touches abound, from the spiral staircase leading you upstairs to the backyard oasis featuring a fenced swimming pool and the kitchen with granite countertops, a double oven, stainless steel appliances, upgraded cabinets, a kitchen island with sink and a huge pantry. There's also a highly sought-after 3-car extended length garage with side entry, adding to the home's curb appeal. Add in the RV gate and there's plenty of room for all of the toys.

And the sense of space isn't limited to just the square footage. The downstairs rooms feature 10-foot ceilings, and there are nine-foot ceilings upstairs.

This stunning home, new to the market, is priced below appraisal value at $597,500 and the owner also is offering $10,000 toward buyers' closing costs and prepaid items. But you need to hurry - the owner is only leaving this one on the market for a short time before the holiday season.

For more information on this home, call me at 602-502-9693 or e-mail me at info@DaltonsAZHomes.com. Or for a full selection of homes currently available, please visit http://www.daltonsazhomes.com/index.cgi?page-armls.

(c) Jonathan Dalton, 2006 / Jonathan Dalton's Arizona Homes