Get ready for summer by freshening up your entertaining spaces and preparing for good times with others With the start of summer (and the end of school) this month, June is the perfect time to prep your house and yard for a season of relaxation and fun. And if you’ve fallen behind in your house chores, don’t worry — you can use this month to catch up, too. Caldwell & Johnson Custom Builders & Remodelers Give your kitchen a summer refresh. Pull out the tools you use more in summer … [Read more...]
Deal sound too good? It’s easy to check out contractors
June 2, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Arizona regulates builders, and there's an easy way to find out if they're licensed and can be held accountable for damages or bad work. If a contractor knocks on your door, offering to fix your roof, fence or paint for a bargain price, check the Arizona Registrar of Contractors website at www.azroc.gov before signing any deal or handing over any money. If a builder is licensed, the status of it's permit to operate will be listed as well as contact information and a license number that should be included on all … [Read more...]
Construction to start on new Mountain Shadows Resort
June 2, 2015 by Leave a Comment
After closing down more than 10 years ago, the Mountain Shadows Resort soon will see new life. Construction is set to start later this summer on the once-famed property on the southwest corner of 56th Street and Lincoln Drive in Paradise Valley. Dallas-based Woodbine Development Corp. and Scottsdale’s Westroc Hospitality have partnered on the project. Both companies expect the 175-room resort and 18-hole golf course to open by early 2017. Westroc currently manages two boutique hotels, the Hotel Valley Ho … [Read more...]
10 Rules for Your Next Painting Project
May 4, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Take your next painting journey from ‘argh!’ to ‘ta-da!’ with these designer tricks Color has always held a special place in my heart. When I was about 9 years old, my parents came up with the great idea that they would let my brother and me redecorate our bedrooms. For me, a young, creative and somewhat excitable child, this was the equivalent of being let loose in a dream world. Off to the paint store we went to choose our new hues. I remember this moment vividly, because I ran around picking out swatches and … [Read more...]
Just How Much Did the Recession Make 20-Somethings Delay Children?
May 4, 2015 by Leave a Comment
That the Great Recession of 2007-09 made Americans have fewer kids is no surprise, but a new study shows how big the toll was. Birth rates for U.S. women in their 20s dropped more than 15% between 2007 and 2012, just before and after the recession, the Urban Institute, a nonpartisan policy research group, said in a new analysis of data from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention released Tuesday. Among Hispanic 20-somethings, the birth rate dropped 26%. Non-Hispanic blacks? 14%. By contrast, … [Read more...]
Home Prices Are Climbing Faster and Faster, but This Is Not a Bubble
May 4, 2015 by Leave a Comment
This spring buying season is off to a strong start—in fact, prices are going up faster than they were just a few months ago, according to nearly every recent metric. So does that mean we’re in a bubble? Nope, that’s just what happens when demand increases faster than supply. After all, existing-home sales were up 9% year over year in March, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Inventory is also increasing, but not as fast as sales, resulting in a tight supply getting even tighter. An … [Read more...]
Young Adults Going for Jumbo Loans
May 4, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Low interest rates and loosening credit qualifications are helping young-adult buyers qualify for mortgages—and, in some areas, jumbo loans The improving economy has enabled more millennials—those born between 1980 and 1999—to qualify for mortgages. And in some markets, they’re seeking jumbo loans. Low interest rates and loosening credit qualifications are, in part, fueling the change. Borrowers can now pay as little as 3% down for government-backed loans, and 10% or 15% down for jumbos, which are … [Read more...]
Owners of Frank Lloyd Wright-Designed House Lobby Arcadia Neighbors
May 4, 2015 by Leave a Comment
The owners of a Phoenix home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for his son David have sent out mailers to as many as 15,000 Arcadia-area households defending plans to host events, field trips and concerts at the property. Attorney Zach Rawling’s David Wright House LLC bought the property in 2012, saving the historic home from possible demolition. Rawling wants to rehabilitate the 2,200-square-foot concrete home and obtain historic designations. He also wants to build an underground archive, bookstore, cafe and … [Read more...]
Personal Spaces: 10 Cool Updated Ranch Houses
February 19, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Looking to bring your ranch-style home into the 21st century? Get inspired by what these homeowners have done Ranch-style homes enjoyed immense popularity from the 1950s to the 1970s. Today many of those same homes are still around — faux-wood paneling, avocado-green tile and all. If you are looking to update a ranch-style home, gather inspiration from these 10 homeowners who have brought their homes into the 21st century with style. Tara Bussema - Neat Organization and Design Tara … [Read more...]
They’re back: Boomerangers Returning To Housing Market
February 19, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Many former homeowners could start buying again this year and give metro Phoenix's housing market a much-needed boost. They are called boomerang buyers because they were thrown out of the mortgage market after foreclosures or short sales during the crash but now can qualify for a home loan again. Most lenders require a seven-year sitting out period for borrowers who default on home loans. That waiting period is over this year for the first wave of people to lose houses during the crash. A new report from … [Read more...]
