Come on up to Flagstaff this weekend. The weather will be in the forties, maybe the fifties, in town at 7000 feet. At 8000-9000 feet where the skiing is there is plenty of snow. And, there is a plenty going on, including special Winterfest events organized by the Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce, a choral music festival, prize-winning drama, and a chocolate celebration. (I know that last one is going to get some comments.) There will be racing at the Arizona Snowbowl and the Snowplay areas will be in full swing. NAU theatre performers are heading off to perform at the Regional Kennedy Center drama festival in Los Angeles, and their final dress rehearsals tonight and tomorrow are open to the public. Check out my selection of fun-filled Flagstaff events for this weekend.      Personally, I'm... 02/08/2008

Northern Arizona University is opening its new Convention Center & Hotel. Students at NAU's The School of Hotel  Management will being doing their internship at this new facility located on the campus at the corner of Milton Ave. and Butler. The campus is walking distance to the very heart of Downtown Flagstaff and should be able to draw a number of events to Flagstaff. It should also boost the number of visits for both winter and summer activities. In addition to tourism, the real estate market should benefit. 01/16/2008

The media is reporting that Chairman Ben Bernanke has pledged to slash interest rates that are needed to prevent the housing and credit problems so we don't enter into a recession in 2008.  Bernanke has made it very clear that the central bank is prepared to take agressive actions to stimulate our weakening economy.  As quoted in the newspaper Bernanke stated "we stand ready to take substantive additional action as needed to support growth and to provide adequate insurance against downside risks".Economists are now speculating that the Fed's will lower the rate by one-half of a percentage point when they meet at the end of January.Another drop in rates should have the effect of lowering mortgage interest rates.  If your looking to buy a second home in Flagstaff or even upgrade your curr... 01/12/2008

After a snow-day on Monday (during which I did a lot of work at home), it's been a very busy week. I'm pleased to say that we put another home into escrow today, demonstrating again that homes sell in this market. I've also enjoyed meeting several new potential sellers this week and hope we'll be able to work together as the year goes along. We listed one home early in the week. My home stager has been hard at work with three of my listings this week. And there was an inspection on yet another of my listings yesterday. All-in-all, a very active week in Flagstaff real estate.Which may explain why I'm behind in preparing my annual report to clients. I plan to do some work on that this week-end and incorporate it into our monthly printed real estate newsletter to our clients and friends ar... 01/11/2008

Flagstaff, Arizona is a small mountain town but the Real Estate Market is doing reasonablly well inspite of the current market conditions around the US. Listed below are the current statistics from the Local MLS.  NORTHERN ARIZONA MLS WEEKLY RESIDENTIAL STATSStatus                                   Avg #                           DOM                                       Avg $Active                                    1179                             144                                       $485,951ACR                                               3                              136                                       $499,167PBK                                             15                              134                                       $388,813Pending                         ... 01/11/2008

SNOW SNOW SNOW. With snowbowl now open it is time to start marketing to the winter home buyers. We have many homes for sale in the Snowbowl ski resort area. Please feel free to call me and see if there is a seasonal home for you. Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall .... Flagstaff Arizona has it all.http://www.jimtress-realtor.com/ 01/09/2008

After a few days of only patchy snow from our last storm, during which the snow play areas had to close, we've been hit with a great storm over the last 24 hours. I've been snowed in, but still accomplished lots of real estate work: calls and e-mails about negotiating contracts (we got two agreements over the weekend!), new listings, old listings, as well as writing for my other blog. Thank goodness my client care manager was able to make it to the office to handle the escrow openings, as well as a variety of other stuff. But I also took a break mid-day to enjoy the beautiful place that I'm lucky to live in near Flagtaff, Arizona. Here are some pictures from my mid-day snow-shoeing adventure. (And note that it's sunny, even during a snow storm, in Flagstaff. (See my whinny post about my... 01/07/2008

Some of my favorite people live in Iowa, and I was born and raised there, but, wow, how did I live there? I've just returned to lovely Flagstaff, Arizona after 8 days in gloomy Iowa. The tempertures were about the same as here. The snow on the ground was about the same. But I didn't see the sun during my entire stay in Iowa! Ugh!I am a political junkie, so it was fun to read the Des Moines Register every morning a catch a few of those television commercials that are running only in Iowa (probably also in New Hampshire, but I can't vouch for that). But definitely not worth the lack of sun. Also, there is no place to be outside and alone! (I wasn't on a farm, so I guess if I had been, I might have been able to find some space.) But here in Flagstaff, I just step out my door into the fores... 12/29/2007

Flagstaff, AZ is the world's first International Dark-City!  Yep, that's not news, but we value it here everyday. It's one of the things that makes living here so wonderful, whether you are into astronomy or not. Many are, dating back to the time of Percival Lowell's choice of Flagstaff for his telescope (we won over Tucson!). Now, Lowell Observatory is on the cutting edge of research and the Discovery Channel is funding a hot new telescope being constructed just outside Flagstaff.  (On the right is a picture of "Percy" Lowell, courtesy of the Lowell Observatory website.)That's just a little background to explain the excitment in town this week because the annual Geminid meteor shower is going to give us the best night sky show of its history since 1996 on Thursday and Friday nights. Th... 12/12/2007

Ellen DeGeneres blew into Flagstaff yesterday morning on a Warner Brothers private jet that was tossed and turned in our winter storm. With a large TV crew, she had breakfast at one of the Northern Arizona University dorms, stood next to the giant pine cone (already set up to drop on New Year's Eve) on the balcony of the Weatherford Hotel, and shaved and autographed a Flagstaffonian's head! What a day!Because of the weather, her planned helicopter trip to the Grand Canyon was cancelled and she took off for LA by early afternoon. Lots of good people visit Flagstaff, but they are not always as funny as Ellen! Read all about it: Sunny Ellen Shines on a Soggy DayBy Betsy BrunnerArizona Daily SunThe Flagstaff Ellen Show will air locally on Wednesday at 3 p.m. on Channel 12 or Channel 2. For ... 12/08/2007

The word is out (which we've been sitting on for two weeks). The readers of our local paper, the Arizona Daily Sun, chose my brokerage, RE/MAX Peak Properties, the best real estate firm in Flagstaff for the THIRD year in a row! Our broker, Andrew Meyer, is so gracious that he gave all the credit to the agents. Of course, he maintains a wonderful, supportive environment in which we can work with joy and passion.  Here is what the Daily Sun said: "At Re/Max Peak Properties, located in the historic Saginaw House, Owner Andrew Meyer relies on quality agents who are excellent at what they do, with an obsession for exceeding client expectations. Expect large numbers of sales, high professional and ethical standards from agents who are polite and courteous. The office focuses on maintaining an... 12/07/2007

This weekend will be another filled with fun in Flagstaff. If your in the lower elevations of Arizona, you may not want to visit because it looks like another winter storm is rolling in. But, that's good news up here because it means the Arizona Snowbowl is likely to keep its promise to open on December 13.  Meanwhile, locals can check out a variety of fun things to do in Flagstaff this weekend by clicking here:Fun Things to Do in Around the Flagstaff Community This WeekendFor those of you interested in those boring real estate statistics, instead of fun things to do, follow this link:Flagstaff Real Estate ~ Let's Do the Numbers! (for November)Have a great weekend. If you hear anyone mention that they want to buy or sell Flagstaff real estate, send them here:Team Heitland at RE/MAX Peak... 12/06/2007

We may get snow! More likely a little rain. But the shows will go on and there are a lot of them this weekend.Downtown Flagstaff gets lighted up for the holidays tonight. Two tree lightings, in two locations, and then a 2 hour winter festival.  Details here.Tchaikovsky's classic Nutcracker will be performed twice -- Friday night and the Lollipop Concert on Saturday afternoon. One of Flagstaff's treasures, the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra, joins with the NAU Prep Dancers to bring us this fabulous treat. For times and details, visit the FSO website.Saturday, Flagstaff downtown will be filled with visitors and residents taking advantage of the Friends of Flagstaff Future's historic home tour. The expanded Flagstaff Mall will no doubt be busy. I've posted some info about the new street conf... 11/30/2007

A busy week in Flagstaff real estate and the Flagstaff community!I was delighted to win the "Thanks" contest with the sponsored by the Active Rain ECO-All-Stars Group and to have my post of November 21 featured in that group.  I was even more delighted with the reaction I got from my clients and friends by doing what the post suggested -- send e-mail Thanksgiving greatings. By making the e-mail link to my public blog post on Thanksgiving, I drew more attention to my already successful blog. Many clients responded wishing me Thanksgiving greetings and thanking us for past service. So, I really did have something to be thankful for yesterday! Thanks to janeAnne "Green-O-Lina" for the group image shown here.Participating in Active Rain has been a wonderful learning experience and I certain... 11/24/2007

Make it productive, so you have something to be thankful for tomorrow! Of course, there may be those of you who will be productive with preparations for eating and entertaining tomorrow. That is important too. (As you know from prior posts, I believe in family time.) And there may be those of you who will be gathering food for the less fortunate and donating to food banks -- that's a good thing to do today and throughout the holidays. My office will be making donations and collecting donations for the Flagstaff Care and Share Foodbank and for Toys for Tots. Be thankful that you can give.But if you are working in real estate today, make it productive. Call everyone of your clients who bought and sold this year and thank them for their business and wish them a happy Thanksgiving. Call you... 11/21/2007

Last week, I posted a blog about plans for six open houses in one Flagstaff neighborhood -- all by agents in my office. Open House Extravaganza -- We'll See. . ..  I said I'd report back.  At my listing on the tour we had one couple accompanied by their own agent (probably would have come anyway, right?) and one other couple who refused to give the agent sitting the open house their names since they were "just starting the process" and didn't want to be followed. Other agents holding the other five homes open had similar results. The discussion at this morning's office meeting was gave luke-warm reviews. Agents liked the ideas of having a barebones newspaper ad (bold face print of the addresses and times of the open house) was well-received. Less expense, no pictures of the houses (whic... 11/20/2007

Ok, I don't do open houses. I think they are a waste of time for me, my team, and my selling clients. I put that right in my listing presentation. The statistics and my years of experience support it.But this week, I succumbed to pressure and agreed. Five other agents in my office are doing open houses on their listings in the Flagstaff Country Club neighborhood, and one of the agents asked me to have my listing join in. So, I agreed to call my client and ask. I started the conversation this way: "Howard, you know I don't do open houses. But this week other agents in my office are doing 5 others on Sunday in your area from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and if we include yours on the list, that would make six, and advertising six houses in one area may bring some traffic. Will you agree?" My client i... 11/17/2007

Can rates go lower? I know that mortgage rates tend to move more in correlation with bond prices (opposite correlation) than they do with Fed Rates. This week's news seemed to signal that the Fed Rates will not be cut again even though the economic news indicates a slight slowing in economic growth in future months. The Fed seems to think it has already reduced its rate enough to counter the slow-down without triggering inflation. So where are bond prices going, and where will mortgage rates go? Rates are already about as low as they ever are (except in that crazy period of 2 years ago). So, what do the mortgage gurus of Active Rain think now?Here's what I'm telling my clients about mortgage rates this week.Thanks all! Ann Heitland, Team Heitland, RE/MAX Peak Properties 11/17/2007

Flagstaff is not immune from what is happening in the national market. "Somewhat insulated" is a better phrase, in my mind. Still we are seeing home sales prices drop a bit in Flagstaff. Inventory continues to build in many neighborhoods as sellers stick to their prices and refuse to sell. Ultimately, the laws of supply and demand will rule even in Flagstaff and prices will drop further. Right now, the supply of homes is higher than the national average with 15 months supply of single family homes with Flagstaff mailing addresses based on the October rate of sales. (When townhomes and condos are factored into the mix, the supply is reduced to 10 months, which is equal to the current national rate.)Here is a recent post about the real estate market in Flagstaff as of the end of October.W... 11/15/2007

Ok, I did do a bit of work last night: Creating the October Flagstaff Real Estate newsletter on line and doing a preliminary blog post on my other blog for the October real estate statistics. But I haven't been doing much!Since Oct. 31st, I've been on vacation and will continue to "vacate" until November 13. We're traveling in Florida, celebrating a 60th birthday today with my partner's sister, spending "together time" with their 91-year-old mom, and taking leisurely bike rides. Later this week we'll travel to Naples, FL to celebrate my favorite cousin's 70th birthday (how is that possible? -- well, he IS a lot older than I am).  So don't look for much in this blog.Of course, I do have my laptop, cell phone and my team is back home in Flagstaff selling real estate. (Yes, there have been... 11/04/2007