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line 1, column 0: Use of unknown namespace: http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008 [help]
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Source: http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:blogger='http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd="http://schemas.google.com/g/2005" xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847334756437615502</id><updated>2024-10-18T21:15:50.197-07:00</updated><title type='text'>The Spectrum Group of Arizona</title><subtitle type='html'>Your Referrals Are Our Greatest Compliment!!!</subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/847334756437615502/posts/default?redirect=false'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>The Spectrum Group of Arizona</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12085516852712919331</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>14</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>25</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847334756437615502.post-6986014539078659723</id><published>2010-06-23T14:17:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-06-23T14:35:04.400-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Super low subscription rate for the AZ Republic +$5 Gift Card!</title><content type='html'><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kiz_UjTceY4/TCJ75EbVK7I/AAAAAAAADso/eqgEADNB-fU/s1600/arizona_republic.750.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 146px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kiz_UjTceY4/TCJ75EbVK7I/AAAAAAAADso/eqgEADNB-fU/s320/arizona_republic.750.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486083516461820850" /></a> AVAILABLE TODAY ONLY!! We have teamed up with an amazing Rep. with the Arizona Republic to offer friends of Spectrum Group AZ an incredible rate on a "green" subscription. Arizona Realtors this is a WONDERFUL client gift!! Right now--today only you can sign up to get the Wednesday and Sunday papers only, (aka the coupons and ads papers) for only $1/week ($4/month). That's HALF of the price of running out and getting just the Sunday paper alone and its delivered right to your door! But WAIT there's more ;-) Place your order for this spectacular deal and you will also be given a $5 grocery gift card!! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kiz_UjTceY4/TCJ9TM-cTDI/AAAAAAAADs4/2fmcOBQjgfQ/s1600/GenericGiftCard1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 245px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kiz_UjTceY4/TCJ9TM-cTDI/AAAAAAAADs4/2fmcOBQjgfQ/s320/GenericGiftCard1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486085064944798770" /></a> Payment options are month-to-month EZ pay, or one time payment of $26 for half a year, or $52 one time payment for full year. So what are you waiting for? Get in contact with Amy today via <a href="azrep.amy@gmail.com">azrep.amy@gmail.com</a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kiz_UjTceY4/TCJ8vG327iI/AAAAAAAADsw/Ji0Ega9u8Rw/s1600/DSC05550.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kiz_UjTceY4/TCJ8vG327iI/AAAAAAAADsw/Ji0Ega9u8Rw/s320/DSC05550.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486084444831280674" /></a> Jessie(right) with her dear friend and the amazing Arizona Republic Rep Amy (left)</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/feeds/6986014539078659723/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/2010/06/super-low-subscription-rate-for-az.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/847334756437615502/posts/default/6986014539078659723'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/847334756437615502/posts/default/6986014539078659723'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/2010/06/super-low-subscription-rate-for-az.html' title='Super low subscription rate for the AZ Republic +$5 Gift Card!'/><author><name>Jessie Geroux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16601153073516696160</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='30' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Kf5JwM7gtl6C_uek4FOkrOrU-bcBPqkoCz5kW1ftgGmNYBMzBgGXS_zbasJzGgyn7TTuAP7vXKsEi563OpTrFLyoQpLKaUfS_zXW8pF3cZKvqjDoIhCKF9yH6OcLHQ/s220/Jessie.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kiz_UjTceY4/TCJ75EbVK7I/AAAAAAAADso/eqgEADNB-fU/s72-c/arizona_republic.750.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847334756437615502.post-8805975554828321823</id><published>2010-06-07T06:45:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-06-07T06:47:18.068-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Weed Control...In the Summer???</title><content type='html'>The following post was contributed by "guest blogger" Ryan Gielow. Ryan has been in the pest &amp; weed control business for many years, and would always provide a great solution for any of your pest, termite or weed control issues. Many thanks to Ryan for providing this insightful article. He can be reached at 602-550-1932 or via email at <a href="mailto:rgielow@azext.com">rgielow@azext.com</a> --------------------- WEED CONTROL IN THE SUMMER? <a href="mailto:rgielow@azext.com"></a> Ryan G. “Dr Weeds” Arizona Exterminating <a href="mailto:rgielow@azext.com">rgielow@azext.com</a> A question I have had to answer many time these past 25 years in the pest, termite and weed control industry is, “Why would I need to spray my weeds in the summer time?” There are many answers to this simple question but first I always like to ask my own question. What do you want people to think when they drive by your house or pull up for a pool party? Frankly if your front yard has weeds they are going to make a judgment about you and your home. This snap decision can happen unfortunately, even with your best of friends. <a href="mailto:rgielow@azext.com"></a> With the extremely wet winter we had this year there is a very good chance you still have weeds in your yard. Or worse yet, you might have given up the fight because you have noticed that each time you cut the weeds or pull them out of the ground they come back and seem to bring friends along with them. This is a very natural occurrence. When your father told you to “pull them out by the roots” he did have a very good reason. Just below the surface most plants have a nodule that contains meristematic tissue. This tissue is where the plant literally grows from, so when you cut the top of the plant off it biologically “knows” to grow another top. In other words, you are trying to fight the laws of the universe… good luck with that. There is a great solution to the ever irritating problem of hacking down weeds every weekend. After all don’t we have so many much more fun things to do during our weekends? One call to a professional herbicide applicator and your weed problems could be a distant memory! Notice, I said professional herbicide applicator. For some reason, the state of Arizona lowered the requirements for the application of herbicides. Any Tom, Dick, or Harry with a truck can buy a post emergent herbicide and as long as they are spraying less than 3 gallons at a time they can spray your yard. Well, it is up to you but I certainly wouldn’t want some of these guys spraying something that can destroy my good plants without knowing everything there is to know about the plants and chemicals they are applying. Always use a licensed professional. Someone who has taken the weed control certification class from the State of Arizona Office of Pest Management and works for a company with a weed control qualifying party license. Anyone from Arizona Exterminating that comes to your house to spray for weeds has the necessary licenses to not only apply more than 3 gallons of product at a time but we can also apply per-emergent herbicides as well. Pre-emergent herbicides are the key to effective long term weed control. When one of my guys comes to your property to spray a pre-emergent you WILL NOT SEE NEW WEEDS. If you remain on the schedule you will get to a point that you never have weeds in your yard again! Wouldn’t you love to stop worrying about pulling weeds in the heat again? Can you imagine not wondering what your neighbors think of the weeds in your yard? How great would it be getting your weekends back from the weeds in your yard? Well all of this is possible. I have been making this dream come true for my clients for over 25 years. Give me a call or simply click this email link <a href="mailto:rgielow@azext.com">rgielow@azext.com</a> and you will know what it is like to get your free time back!</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/feeds/8805975554828321823/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/2010/06/weed-controlin-summer.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/847334756437615502/posts/default/8805975554828321823'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/847334756437615502/posts/default/8805975554828321823'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/2010/06/weed-controlin-summer.html' title='Weed Control...In the Summer???'/><author><name>The Spectrum Group of Arizona</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12085516852712919331</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847334756437615502.post-4853841557425380520</id><published>2010-06-01T21:16:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-06-01T21:26:05.160-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Monthly A/C Maintenance</title><content type='html'><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kiz_UjTceY4/TAXdMSnSThI/AAAAAAAADkI/MxMVIM934YY/s1600/merv8c-3pack_300.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kiz_UjTceY4/TAXdMSnSThI/AAAAAAAADkI/MxMVIM934YY/s320/merv8c-3pack_300.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478027724990860818" /></a> It's the 1st of the month--did you change your air conditioning filter? Consider this your friendly reminder ;-) Regular maintenance is a must to keep those beasts chugging out icy air in the middle of the "Hundred Teens" of July. Change the filters regularly. Dirty filters restrict air flow, reducing efficiency and worse case, can cause the evaporator to ice up. The sweltering days of summer are upon us here in AZ, you don't want to be stuck running your heat in order to unfreeze your a/c. Disposable fiberglass filters should replaced. Electrostatic or electronic filters need to be washed regularly. Our monthly blog plug goes to the incredible team at Ocean Air- if you find yourself in need of a/c services Mikes the man you should be calling. You can visit their site at <a href="www.myoceanair.com">www.myoceanair.com</a> or call them at 480-358-9435</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/feeds/4853841557425380520/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/2010/06/monthly-ac-maintenance.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/847334756437615502/posts/default/4853841557425380520'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/847334756437615502/posts/default/4853841557425380520'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/2010/06/monthly-ac-maintenance.html' title='Monthly A/C Maintenance'/><author><name>Jessie Geroux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16601153073516696160</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='30' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Kf5JwM7gtl6C_uek4FOkrOrU-bcBPqkoCz5kW1ftgGmNYBMzBgGXS_zbasJzGgyn7TTuAP7vXKsEi563OpTrFLyoQpLKaUfS_zXW8pF3cZKvqjDoIhCKF9yH6OcLHQ/s220/Jessie.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kiz_UjTceY4/TAXdMSnSThI/AAAAAAAADkI/MxMVIM934YY/s72-c/merv8c-3pack_300.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847334756437615502.post-5660294167158496557</id><published>2010-01-13T08:15:00.001-08:00</published><updated>2010-01-13T08:31:07.461-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Joni & Friends Arizona- Fishing with Friends 2010</title><content type='html'><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kiz_UjTceY4/S03zoWvzDiI/AAAAAAAAC8A/WYX1BdO0ZhQ/s1600-h/WebPic.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kiz_UjTceY4/S03zoWvzDiI/AAAAAAAAC8A/WYX1BdO0ZhQ/s320/WebPic.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426261000677690914" /></a>We are so excited and blessed to be able to be an integral part of this amazing event and happy to share it with YOU! 2010 marks the 4th Annual Joni and Friends of Arizona-Fishing with Friends day at the Tempe Town Lake. This event is a Christ centered, faith based, love filled outreach to individuals with disabilities and their loved ones. Experiencing the incredibly beautiful Arizona outdoors is often difficult for people with disabilities and this unique outreach truly molds itself to special needs. Activities, entertainment and food are all FREE from 10am-2pm on Saturday, February 6th. Pre-register your attendance and skip the longer lines the day of by visiting <a href="www.fishingwithfriendsaz.com">www.fishingwithfriendsaz.com</a> today. If you have a church or ministry that would like to be involved we would love to talk with you. See you at the Lake! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kiz_UjTceY4/S03zUQlJEUI/AAAAAAAAC74/XvYkWlxjFpc/s1600-h/%2708-AZ_JAF-2c.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 107px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kiz_UjTceY4/S03zUQlJEUI/AAAAAAAAC74/XvYkWlxjFpc/s320/%2708-AZ_JAF-2c.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426260655424999746" /></a></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/feeds/5660294167158496557/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/2010/01/joni-friends-arizona-fishing-with.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/847334756437615502/posts/default/5660294167158496557'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/847334756437615502/posts/default/5660294167158496557'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/2010/01/joni-friends-arizona-fishing-with.html' title='Joni & Friends Arizona- Fishing with Friends 2010'/><author><name>Jessie Geroux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16601153073516696160</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='30' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Kf5JwM7gtl6C_uek4FOkrOrU-bcBPqkoCz5kW1ftgGmNYBMzBgGXS_zbasJzGgyn7TTuAP7vXKsEi563OpTrFLyoQpLKaUfS_zXW8pF3cZKvqjDoIhCKF9yH6OcLHQ/s220/Jessie.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kiz_UjTceY4/S03zoWvzDiI/AAAAAAAAC8A/WYX1BdO0ZhQ/s72-c/WebPic.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847334756437615502.post-5701210528046208002</id><published>2009-12-03T09:03:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-12-03T09:31:20.365-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Rates on 30 Year Fixed Mortgages Set Record Low</title><content type='html'>This is another great reason to start looking for a home, whether it is your first or potentially a chance to move "up" from your current residence. Please contact us to discuss the opportunities that await you. Source: Associated Press WASHINGTON - The average interest rate for a 30-year mortgagedropped to a record low of 4.71 percent this week, pushed down by an aggressive government campaign to reduce borrowing costs. The rate, published Thursday by Freddie Mac, is the lowest since the mortgage finance company began tracking the data in 1971. The previous record of 4.78 percent was set during the week ending April 30 and matched last week. The Federal Reserve is pumping $1.25 trillion into mortgage-backed securities to try to bring down mortgage rates, but that money is set to run out next spring. The goal of the program is to make home buying more affordable and prop up the housing market. <script type="text/javascript"></script>Despite the government support, qualifying for a loanis still tough. Lenders have tightened their standards dramatically, so the best rates are available to those with solid credit and a 20 percent down payment. Freddie Mac collects mortgage rates on Monday through Wednesday of each week from lenders across the country. Rates often fluctuate significantly, even within a given day, often tracking long-term Treasury bonds. The average rate on a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage fell to a record low of 4.27 percent, from 4.29 percent last week, according to Freddie Mac. Rates on five-year, adjustable-rate mortgages averaged 4.19 percent, up from 4.18 percent a week earlier. Rates on one-year, adjustable-rate mortgages fell to 4.25 percent from 4.35 percent. The rates do not include add-on fees known as points. One point is equal to 1 percent of the total loan amount. The nationwide fee for loans in Freddie Mac's survey averaged 0.7 points for 30-year loans. The fee averaged 0.6 points for 15-year, five-year and one-year loans. Buyers and homeowners who want to refinance are picking up their phones. Mortgage applications rose 2 percent last week from a week earlier, the Mortgage Bankers Association said Wednesday, driven by a more than 4 percent increase in purchase applications and a nearly 2 percent increase in applications to refinance existing loans.</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/feeds/5701210528046208002/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/2009/12/rates-on-30-year-fixed-mortgages-set.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/847334756437615502/posts/default/5701210528046208002'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/847334756437615502/posts/default/5701210528046208002'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/2009/12/rates-on-30-year-fixed-mortgages-set.html' title='Rates on 30 Year Fixed Mortgages Set Record Low'/><author><name>The Spectrum Group of Arizona</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12085516852712919331</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847334756437615502.post-923371420866143974</id><published>2009-11-05T17:22:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-11-05T17:43:56.317-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Congress has extended and expanded the homebuyer tax credit.</title><content type='html'><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kiz_UjTceY4/SvN_Ho4pSWI/AAAAAAAACoE/j2dLQbDTXjY/s1600-h/unclesam.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 264px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kiz_UjTceY4/SvN_Ho4pSWI/AAAAAAAACoE/j2dLQbDTXjY/s320/unclesam.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400800147358173538" /></a> President Obama is expected to sign the Expanded Extention of the Homebuyer Tax Credit by November 6th, 2009. Here are a few key components of this program and how it will help you or someone you know that is thinking of purchasing a home in the next 5 months. 1st time buyers: if you have not had an interest in a principal residence for 3 years prior to purchase, you may qualify for an up to $8000 ($4000 married filing seperatly)tax credit. Current homeowner: if you have lived in the home you are selling for 5 of the last 8 years consecutively, you may qualify for an up to $6500 ($3250 married filing separate)tax credit if you purchase a new property How long do we have to find a home to buy and qualify??? So long as a written binding contract to purchase is in effect on April 30, 2010, the purchaser will have until July 1, 2010 to close. There are some limitations such as income limits and you can not be purchasing a home that is greater then $800k, but we can help you navigate these questions so give us a call 480-393-0434 or shoot us an email today (spectrumgroupaz@gmail.com) While April 30th is more then 5 months away making it seem like plenty of time to house hunt, we urge you to contact us today to begin your search. With this extension including an expansion, even more buyers will be out there vieing for the same properties you are. Buyers that benefited from the current home buyer credit that did not include the expansion found the home buying process to take anywhere from 5-8 months. With that in mind, let's start shopping today!</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/feeds/923371420866143974/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/2009/11/congress-has-extended-and-expanded.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/847334756437615502/posts/default/923371420866143974'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/847334756437615502/posts/default/923371420866143974'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/2009/11/congress-has-extended-and-expanded.html' title='Congress has extended and expanded the homebuyer tax credit.'/><author><name>Jessie Geroux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16601153073516696160</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='30' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Kf5JwM7gtl6C_uek4FOkrOrU-bcBPqkoCz5kW1ftgGmNYBMzBgGXS_zbasJzGgyn7TTuAP7vXKsEi563OpTrFLyoQpLKaUfS_zXW8pF3cZKvqjDoIhCKF9yH6OcLHQ/s220/Jessie.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" url="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kiz_UjTceY4/SvN_Ho4pSWI/AAAAAAAACoE/j2dLQbDTXjY/s72-c/unclesam.jpg" height="72" width="72"/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847334756437615502.post-1181246021989285609</id><published>2009-10-19T12:35:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-10-19T12:36:28.418-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Avoid These 10 Common Mistakes When Buying Property</title><content type='html'><h2 class="entry-title">Avoid These 10 Common Mistakes When Buying Property</h2> <h4 class="meta"> Oct. 16th, 2009 in <a href="http://www.real-estate-news-articles.com/category/real-estate/" title="View all posts in Real Estate" rel="category tag">Real Estate</a> by ElizabethMcLachlan </h4>Most of the mistakes made when purchasing a home often results in problems that are hard to rectify. To ensure that you don’t have to life with the consequences of your own bad judgment, look out for these common mistakes made when purchasing property: Mistake #1: Grabbing the First Loan You are Offered Shop around until you’ve found the best deal and talk to professionals, friends and/or real estate agent for referrals. Make sure you get all your quotes on the same day at around the same time, as interest rates might differ from day to day. Mistake #2: Getting the Location Wrong Location is everything and you don’t want to go wrong here. Once again, consider all your needs such as the area’s proximity to your place of work, public transport, schools etc. and make sure you pick the area for the right reasons. Also look at future development in the area to ensure that you investment is secure. Mistake #3: Not Using the Services of a Real Estate Agent To refuse the services of an experienced agent is a mistake that a lot of buyers make. They forget that an agent is used to handling transactions, negotiating and has knowledge of property prices in the area. Good agents have the ability to keep things in perspective and help you to be rational when things get too stressful. Mistake #4: Getting the Price Wrong Your agent will assist you in getting the price right by, among other things, comparing the house prices in the area. Again, this shows the importance of using an agent. Mistake #5: Buying Beyond Your Limits You will always find buyers purchasing a property, which leaves them without any disposable income, as they are unable to deal with the monthly down payment as well as other costs like insurance, property tax etc. Avoid this common mistake by carefully calculating how much home you can afford. Choose a maximum price and stick to it. Mistake #6: Being Overhasty There are a lot of emotions involved in purchasing a home, which can lead to buyers jumping into a deal prematurely. Be prepared to spend a lot of time house hunting to avoid disappointment. Mistake #7: Passing on the Inspection As a buyer you might feel that you are qualified enough to sniff out any problems. Unfortunately this can cost you dearly. Be smart and get a qualified property inspector to check the property before you buy it. Mistake #8: Over Spending Before Closing Taking on debt before closing the deal might mean that you no longer qualify for the mortgage. Rather wait till after the closing before you start buying new furniture and other essentials for the new home. Mistake #9: Not Reading the Contract Property contracts can be confusing and hard to grasp, but it is essential that you know what you are committing yourself to. Make sure you understand all terms and conditions and ask for advice if you are unsure of anything. Never just sign on the dotted line. Mistake #10: Not Budgeting for Closing Costs Remember to budget for closing cost (attorney fees, recording fees, survey fees, brokerage commission etc.) and remember that you will always have hidden cost, whether it is interest rate hikes or personal financial requirements. Buying a property has its fair share of ups and downs but can be a pleasant experience if you look out for the common mistakes made.</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/feeds/1181246021989285609/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/2009/10/avoid-these-10-common-mistakes-when.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/847334756437615502/posts/default/1181246021989285609'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/847334756437615502/posts/default/1181246021989285609'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/2009/10/avoid-these-10-common-mistakes-when.html' title='Avoid These 10 Common Mistakes When Buying Property'/><author><name>The Spectrum Group of Arizona</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12085516852712919331</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847334756437615502.post-511055158043362892</id><published>2009-10-10T09:36:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-12-03T09:33:08.710-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Worst May Be Over for Housing in the Valley</title><content type='html'>From AzCentral.com Today...this is a great sign, and one more reason for buyers to get out there and take advantage before prices drive too high!!! Please contact me if you'd like to start the process of finding a home! <h1 class="topHeadline">Worst may be over for housing in the Valley</h1> <h2 class="subHeadline">Signs of recovery starting to surface on the outskirts</h2> <a href="http://www.azcentral.com/business/realestate/articles/2009/10/10/20091010housingforecast1010.html#comments">37 comments</a> by Catherine Reagor - Oct. 10, 2009 12:00 AM The Arizona Republic <div id="articlestory">Valley homeowners have watched their property values plummet with a sense of shock and horror during the past year. But the gut-wrenching drop could be over as early signs of the market finally hitting bottom have appeared in some areas. On Sunday, The Arizona Republic's latest <a id="KonaLink0" target="undefined" class="kLink" style="text-decoration: underline ! important; position: static;" href="http://www.azcentral.com/business/realestate/articles/2009/10/10/20091010housingforecast1010.html#">Valley Home Values</a> report will show prices dropped in every Phoenix-area ZIP code during the first eight months of 2009. A closer look at the numbers, though, reveals newer communities on the outer edges of metropolitan Phoenix are seeing smaller declines in home prices this year compared with 2008. Those areas, including neighborhoods in Buckeye, Gilbert, Queen Creek and Surprise, were the first to experience the housing market's collapse. Those former housing hot spots could be the first to recover<script type="text/javascript"></script>. Older areas closer to downtown Phoenix, including many central Phoenix neighborhoods, suffered the biggest home-price hits this year. Most of these areas were the last parts of the Valley to see housing values tank, but they could bounce back more quickly because many of the neighborhoods are popular with people who want to live closer in. <h3>Positive signs </h3> And there are signs the Valley's housing market has begun to inch toward a recovery. Foreclosures have dropped during the past two months. Home sales are well ahead of last year's pace. Home prices are slowly ticking up. "Valley home prices hit bottom in April," said Mike Orr, who publishes the "Cromford Report," a daily analysis of metropolitan Phoenix's home-sales data. "Foreclosures have peaked. The market is struggling to establish a clear direction." Orr said the Valley's affordable-housing markets, especially those farther out, are seeing gains in home prices now. But prices continue to fall in the most expensive neighborhoods. The latest figures on foreclosure rates, home sales and home prices may be early indicators the housing market is starting to come back. <h3>Foreclosures </h3> Valley foreclosures fell 29 percent in September from the record 5,300 reached in July. Pre-foreclosures were also down last month, but there were still 7,857 homes that lenders started to foreclose on. This is the key gauge of the health of metro Phoenix's housing market. As long as lenders continue to foreclose on Valley homes and resell them for half of what they sold for a few years ago, home prices will fall. Check out the foreclosure-resale chart in Sunday's Valley Home Values package to see how many <a id="KonaLink1" target="undefined" class="kLink" style="text-decoration: underline ! important; position: static;" href="http://www.azcentral.com/business/realestate/articles/2009/10/10/20091010housingforecast1010.html#">foreclosure homes</a> sold in your neighborhood this year. <h3>Home sales </h3> In June, Valley home sales buoyed by foreclosure-home resales rivaled monthly records set during the boom years. Although sales have slowed a little in the past few months, 85,000 homes have sold across metro Phoenix so far this year. That's 50 percent ahead of last year's pace. There's a positive indicator in the slight drop in recent home sales. Fewer of the sales are foreclosure homes. Earlier this year, foreclosures homes accounted for almost 70 percent of all Valley home sales. Slightly less than half of the home sales in September were foreclosure homes. <h3>Home prices </h3> The median price of a Valley home has ticked up to $135,000 after falling to a 10-year low of about $120,000 six months ago. The current median is half of what the record median high price for the market was in 2006, but it is heading in the right direction. Valley home prices started falling in mid-2007 but didn't plummet until late in the year when lenders placed thousands of foreclosure homes on the market all at once and began accepting low-ball offers. The supply of foreclosure homes for sale in the Valley has also fallen, another good sign for the market. There currently are about 4,500 foreclosure homes listed for sale, compared with more than 20,000 in February. The federal government's plan to push more lenders to restructure the <a id="KonaLink2" target="undefined" class="kLink" style="text-decoration: underline ! important; position: static;" href="http://www.azcentral.com/business/realestate/articles/2009/10/10/20091010housingforecast1010.html#">mortgages</a> of borrowers facing foreclosure could help ensure foreclosures don't soar again. A full recovery isn't imminent, but the latest signs suggest the Valley's housing market is beginning to pull out of its nose dive.</div></content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/feeds/511055158043362892/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/2009/10/worst-may-be-over-for-housing-in-valley.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/847334756437615502/posts/default/511055158043362892'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/847334756437615502/posts/default/511055158043362892'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/2009/10/worst-may-be-over-for-housing-in-valley.html' title='Worst May Be Over for Housing in the Valley'/><author><name>The Spectrum Group of Arizona</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12085516852712919331</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847334756437615502.post-2922189225213280089</id><published>2009-10-07T17:55:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-10-07T17:57:34.650-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Another Reason to Call Us About BoomText - Join the Wave!!!</title><content type='html'><h1> Text messaging can boost repeat and new business </h1> By <a href="mailto:swilliams@newviewgroup.net">Sam Williams</a>, Inside Tucson Business Published on Friday, September 18, 2009 “I was amazed with the results…we had a 280 percent response rate!” Diane Kephart, marketing director for Chick-fil-A at El Con, explained. “We sent a text message offer to 64 existing customers and generated 182 redemptions in just three hours! The costs were negligible and the ROI from add-on purchases was excellent.” The smartest, easiest and fastest way to improve revenues has always been to sell more to existing customers and clients and to have them refer you to new prospects. Account representatives, customer service representatives and retail and counter clerks can do this by cross-selling and up-selling at each transaction. Direct mail offers and outbound calls to existing or dormant customers can stimulate traffic and repeat purchases. But sending sales text messages (TMs) to existing customers can be much faster, far less expensive and more effective. “It’s a new medium with excellent response rates,” said Levi McClendon, co-founder of BoomText, a Phoenix-based text messaging company. “We usually see figures of from 10 percent to 60 percent, but Diane’s example is remarkable.” <table style="width: 300px; height: 94px;" align="left"> <tbody><tr> <td> </td> </tr> </tbody></table>ephart explained, “In this case I encouraged existing customers to forward the TM offer to their friends, so there was a viral effect. We generated new customers through referrals.” Debra Brown and John Hand IV, recent grads from the University of Arizona and co-founders of another text messaging company, explain how it works: “First you need a group of your existing customers to agree or to ‘opt-in’ to receive TM offers from you. You should only send messages to those who have asked for them. Then you need to create a well designed offer with an immediate call to action measured in hours, not days. If you add the forwarding feature and if your offer is ‘hot’ enough, your opt-in list can grow virally hour by hour with new, first time buyers.” Is this Twitter? No, explains Geoffrey Schultz, BoomText’s account representative in Tucson. “Twitter recipients often receive multiple tweets each day and few, if any, require immediate action.” Schultz cautions, “Sales TMs should be sent no more than six to eight times a month. Otherwise you may annoy and turn off your audience.” It’s easier than Twitter to opt-in for TMs, too. According to Kephart, “Many of our customers use their cell phones to opt-in to receive our TM offers as they are enjoying their meals. Tent cards at the table walk them through the steps.” What’s the cost? Both organizations offer free trial periods, and the charge per message is well below that of a direct mail piece or the full cost of an outbound call. “We are still at the stage where we have a new solution searching for the right applications,” says Brown, “While opt-in TMs won’t replace traditional ways of increasing repeat purchases, they are still a great new medium with extraordinary ROIs for sales applications.”</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/feeds/2922189225213280089/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/2009/10/another-reason-to-call-us-about.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/847334756437615502/posts/default/2922189225213280089'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/847334756437615502/posts/default/2922189225213280089'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/2009/10/another-reason-to-call-us-about.html' title='Another Reason to Call Us About BoomText - Join the Wave!!!'/><author><name>The Spectrum Group of Arizona</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12085516852712919331</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847334756437615502.post-828749871571540791</id><published>2009-09-29T23:09:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-09-30T10:44:03.337-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Real (sad) stories from the land of Real Estate</title><content type='html'>With the market being the way it is today, there is no telling what you may find when you walk into a property. Of course there have been many stories of house after house that is stripped bare. However, some of the more eyebrow raising tidbits that have filled my twitter stream just don't get the media lime light. Stories like this one from <a href="http://twitter.com/SharRundio">@SharRundio</a> (paraphrasing from memory)got a call from a buyers agent saying she walked in on 2 teens having sex in the backyard at one of my listings, or the time when Jason found out a squatter had used his real estate sign to pry open the garage of one of his listings and sleep over (leaving his birth certificate, or someones birth certificate on the kitchen counter.) No you won't see those stories in the folds of the daily paper or on the evening news, the media simply isn't interested. Of course until something goes horribly wrong. Something like what happened this evening at a home near Bell and 35th Avenue. <a href="http://www.azfamily.com/yahoo_rss/stories/Phoenix-news-092909-shooting-homeowner-police-bell.1cc342d36.html">Man loses home, is shot by police</a> *Updated story <a href="http://www.abc15.com/content/news/phoenixmetro/north/story/Phoenix-PD-Man-killed-after-shooting-at-police/AzEMTJj3_kWDjKsJ9YWt4g.cspx?rss=704">here</a> Going off only the information that is in this brief article I am very curious as to whether or not these men that bought the home, were working with a Real Estate Professional. Now I am in no way implying that if they were working with an agent that this tragedy would have been avoided, nor am I saying that if they did have an agent that agent should have prevented this. What I am saying is, did they have ALL of the information they needed to make a thoughtful and researched decision when they purchased this home. (Sounds to me like it may have been bought sight unseen from the court house steps) Were they aware of the fact that while they are getting a new home at a rock bottom price, it means someone else lost that home. Was there a HUMAN element in this at all or was it all about the $$? This brings me to my main question. As Real Estate professionals should we care about the human element? I ask this sincerely, because this very question struck me last week. Jason and I were waiting for the call saying "it's been recorded" and in the mean time went to set up a thank you gift in the home for some buyers prior to handing over the keys. Since these buyers were close friends of ours and they were aware that I am in the process of obtaining my own RE License, I went along on many home tours during their process (for experience and for fun) However, I had not been to the home that they actually ended up buying, until this day. I was overwhelmed with excitement and relief because they had FINALLY found a perfect for them home. What surprised me was I also felt a little sad. As we walked around the home, evidence of those that lived there before was still visible. Nothing disgusting,that's not what I mean, what I mean is I could see "life" there. I tried hard to envision it as being our friends life, but it wasn't. The paint style wasn't them, that was the other people, the flower bed someone else's fingers planted that. All of that is changing today as our friends make their new home theirs. Still I can't help but think about those other people. A few years ago that thought may never have crept into my mind, back then sellers were "moving up." Today however, as I read about the distraught homeowner that lost his house, and then his life the humanness of the REO market is sinking in. **As per the updated story link, this home was in fact an auction purchase.</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/feeds/828749871571540791/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/2009/09/real-sad-stories-from-land-of-real.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/847334756437615502/posts/default/828749871571540791'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/847334756437615502/posts/default/828749871571540791'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/2009/09/real-sad-stories-from-land-of-real.html' title='Real (sad) stories from the land of Real Estate'/><author><name>Jessie Geroux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16601153073516696160</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='30' height='32' src='//blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Kf5JwM7gtl6C_uek4FOkrOrU-bcBPqkoCz5kW1ftgGmNYBMzBgGXS_zbasJzGgyn7TTuAP7vXKsEi563OpTrFLyoQpLKaUfS_zXW8pF3cZKvqjDoIhCKF9yH6OcLHQ/s220/Jessie.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847334756437615502.post-7040438120494213243</id><published>2009-09-21T13:41:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-09-21T13:55:54.984-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Government Will Give you 22% Toward the Purchase of a Home!!!</title><content type='html'>Great news for those buyers that may have been sitting on the fence about purchasing a home! The Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH) will offer 22 percent in purchase assistance to qualified home buyers purchasing an eligible foreclosed home in the state. ADOH provides help in the form of a deferred second mortgage loan for purchase assistance. There are a few qualifying factors, the first of which is that the property that you are purchasing MUST be a VACANT single family home, townhome or condo that has been foreclosed on. Here are a few other qualifiers: <ul><li>The household must have a gross income (the total income before taxes, health care costs, social security, etc.) of no greater than 120 percent of the average median income for the county they want to purchase a foreclosed house in.</li></ul><ul><li>If you own a residence, you must be leasing your primary residence at least 12 months before applying for the program.</li></ul><ul><li>You must use a lender from ADOH's participating lender list.</li></ul><ul><li>You must attend and complete an eight-hour Homebuyer Education Class provided by one of the ADOH participating homebuyer counseling agencies. (A list will be provided by your lender once you begin the process.)</li></ul><ul><li>The property you purchase must be your primary residence.</li></ul><ul><li>Maximum debt-to-income ratio is 31/43. (Check with your lender to determine if you are eligible.)</li></ul>This is a PHENOMENAL program for those that may not have a great deal of money to put down (the program does still require 3% down payment), and can help you get more home for yoru budget. Just think what you can do with this program AND the $8000 first time homebuyer credit! I would be happy to help you locate a home and refer you to a lender that can assist you with getting qualified. Please contact us at (480) 393-0434 for more information!!!</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/feeds/7040438120494213243/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/2009/09/government-will-give-you-22-toward.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/847334756437615502/posts/default/7040438120494213243'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/847334756437615502/posts/default/7040438120494213243'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/2009/09/government-will-give-you-22-toward.html' title='Government Will Give you 22% Toward the Purchase of a Home!!!'/><author><name>The Spectrum Group of Arizona</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12085516852712919331</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847334756437615502.post-6479577653616451558</id><published>2009-09-16T14:13:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-09-16T14:16:58.682-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Mortgage Problems Affecting Americans' Credit Scores</title><content type='html'>The article below appeared this week in the LA times. I thought that this would be a great opportunity to remind everyone that making a decision regarding your home should be a very well thought out and difficult process. However, I would also like to point out that there are varying degrees of impact to your credit scores. For instance, a loan modification is better than a short sale, and a short sale is better than a foreclosure. I would always recommend that you discuss and pursue those options in the order in which they cause the least impact. Something else to keep in mind is that if you take too long on the loan modification option, your time is very limited for pursuing a short sale with your lender...so keep that in mind as well. Now for the article from the LA Times... <h1>Mortgage problems are walloping Americans' credit scores</h1> <h2>Late payments, delinquencies, short sales and foreclosures are on the rise -- and so are the number of borrowers seeing their credit scores plummet, according to scoring company VantageScore Solutions</h2> <div class="byline"> By Kenneth R. Harney September 13, 2009 </div>  Reporting from Washington -  When you do a short sale of a house, or modify the mortgage, is there much of an effect on your credit score? What if you walk away from the mortgage altogether? A scoring company created by the three national credit bureaus -- Equifax, Experian and TransUnion -- has some eye-opening numbers. VantageScore Solutions, whose risk-prediction scores are now being used by some of the largest mortgage companies and banks, has found that the way consumers handle their mortgage problems can have profound effects on their credit scores. For example, loan modifications that roll late payments and penalties into the principal debt owed on the house can actually increase borrowers' scores modestly. Refinancings of underwater, negative-equity mortgages -- which the Obama administration's Making Home Affordable program offers through government-controlled Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -- may have little or no negative effect on scores, even though the homeowners might have been tottering on the edge of serious delinquency before refinancing. The Vantage credit score, the primary competitor to the long-dominant FICO credit score, rates borrowers on a scale range of 501 (subprime, the highest risk) to 990 (super-prime, the lowest risk). Unlike Fair Isaac Corp.'s FICO scoring system, whose scores can vary by 50 to 100 points based on which bureau supplied the underlying credit data, Vantage scores are about the same for each consumer. When homeowners negotiate a short sale with lenders, they sometimes assume that there will be relatively little effect on their scores. After all, the loan was successfully paid off, there was no foreclosure, and the lender voluntarily agreed to accept a lower balance than was owed. But according to VantageScore researchers, short sales can trigger big drops in credit scores. Sarah Davies, senior vice president of analytics, said a homeowner with an excellent score of 862 might plummet 120 to 130 points after a short sale. Although it's true the lender may lose less money through a short sale compared with a foreclosure, "it's still a derogatory event," Davies said. The full debt was not repaid and the lender lost money. What happens when borrowers walk away from their mortgage debts altogether -- the so-called strategic defaults that have become commonplace in some large markets such as in California? They should expect 140- to 150-point hits to their scores, plus negative marks on their credit bureau files for as long as seven years. People who file for bankruptcy protection covering all their debts (mortgage, credit cards, auto loans, etc.) will get hit with an average 355- to 365-point drop in their scores. Bankruptcies remain on borrowers' credit bureau files for 10 years. With all the mortgage delinquencies, short sales and foreclosures experienced by U.S. consumers in the last couple of years, has there been a deterioration of average scores across the board? Absolutely. For example, roughly 36.6 million of the 213 million consumers tracked by the three national credit bureaus in the first quarter of 2008 had Vantage scores above 900 -- the super-prime credit rung. That select group represented 17.2% of the country's consumers.But by the end of the second quarter of this year, just 15.4% -- 33.3 million out of 216.9 million individuals' files -- were left among the elite. By credit industry standards, that's huge. More Americans' scores are slipping into the worst credit category as well. In the third quarter of 2006, 34.4 million consumers were in the lowest segment -- 16.6% of 206.9 million individuals. But by the second quarter of this year, 18.3% of all files were in that category -- 39.8 million consumers out of 216.9 million. Most of these changes -- fewer people with excellent credit, more people in the lowest brackets -- have been caused by late payments on home mortgages, serious delinquencies, short sales and foreclosures, according to VantageScore researchers. But the bottom-line good news about scores is that homeowners facing financial stress can experience minimal dings to their credit if they contact their loan servicer or lender early in the game -- when they first discover that they may have trouble making their monthly payments -- and take the first steps toward a loan modification or refinancing. "Start that conversation early," said Barrett Burns, a former lender and now chief executive of VantageScore. If you wait and fall several payments behind before seeking a modification, "you can lose 240 points on your score" and damage your ability to obtain credit for years. <a href="mailto:kenharney@earthlink.net">kenharney@earthlink.net</a> Distributed by the Washington Post Writers Group.</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/feeds/6479577653616451558/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/2009/09/mortgage-problems-affecting-americans.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/847334756437615502/posts/default/6479577653616451558'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/847334756437615502/posts/default/6479577653616451558'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/2009/09/mortgage-problems-affecting-americans.html' title='Mortgage Problems Affecting Americans' Credit Scores'/><author><name>The Spectrum Group of Arizona</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12085516852712919331</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847334756437615502.post-459233543593850575</id><published>2009-09-14T19:27:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-09-14T19:52:23.686-07:00</updated><title type='text'>The Buying Process - Just Some Thoughts</title><content type='html'>Some say that the real estate market is still in the tank. I can tell you that from my perspective, the market is rockin &amp; rollin. There are still a variety of challenges in the market, but there is a possibility out there for almost everyone! One of the unique challenges that buyers face in this market is an interesting hybrid between homes that are overpriced, short sales that take months to close, and homes that are being bid on by multiple parties and selling for well above list price. So, how does a buyer know what situation they are in? First and foremost, it is important to contact your Realtor to determine the history on the property that you are interested in. Ask questions like: How long has it been on the market? How many times have they changed the price? Do they have any offers? Is this a traditional sale, a short sale or a lender owned property? You will gain quite a bit of knowledge about a property through these questions, and as one of my favorite cartoons taught me --- "Knowing is half the battle!" Secondly, be very selective in the properties that you wish to see. With over 37,000 homes currently on the market in the Phoenix metro area, there will ALWAYS be another home to look at. You can spin your wheels quite a bit and spend a lot of time out looking at multiple homes only to find out that you are not going to have a chance to get them, or that they are in such bad shape...you don't want them anyway. Work with your Realtor to set up a very refined online search. Then narrow down the search to your top 3-4 properties for the first showing. That way, your Realtor can work with you to determine your likes &amp; dislikes and can then refine your search criteria even further. Lastly...what happens when you find the home you love? A lot of people are confused about what the market is telling them to do with their offer. Obviously, your Realtor is going to be able to provide you with a lot of guidance as to specific market conditions in that area, any mitigating factors, etc. What I always tell my buyers is once you've looked at the comparable sales statistics in the area, weighed in things like repairs, clean-ups, lot placement, and amenities...then it really comes down to what you are comfortable paying for THAT house. Keep in mind, this ever changing market can have you spending 10% less than asking price on a home, but can also see you spending 10-20% over the asking price to ensure you get the home you are looking for. Cash investors competing with buyers who need to use financing can definitely throw a wrench into the mix. So ultimately, bid what you are comfortable paying for the particular house based on your interest level and the qualities of the home. The current real estate market has created several great opportunities for buyers. From the $8000 tax credit for first time buyers to interest rates which are at the lowest levels we have seen in a long time...the market is prime right now for any &amp; all buyers. Please consult your Realtor to take advantage of this fantastic time to buy (hopefully...that Realtor would be me!).</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/feeds/459233543593850575/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/2009/09/buying-process-just-some-thoughts.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/847334756437615502/posts/default/459233543593850575'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/847334756437615502/posts/default/459233543593850575'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/2009/09/buying-process-just-some-thoughts.html' title='The Buying Process - Just Some Thoughts'/><author><name>The Spectrum Group of Arizona</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12085516852712919331</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847334756437615502.post-2314960149560979902</id><published>2009-09-08T21:31:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2009-09-08T22:05:06.282-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Who Are We?</title><content type='html'>The Spectrum Group of Arizona is a multi-faceted business owned and operated by a Christian couple in the Phoenix area of Arizona. Below is a synopsis of the services we offer: Real Estate Services: Jason Geroux works as a Realtor with PRTeam Realty Svcs. His team (The Spectrum Group) provides residential, commerical, land and property management services throughout the Phoenix area. Please contact Jason at (480) 393-0434 or email him at <a href="jasongeroux@gmail.com">jasongeroux@gmail.com</a> for more information. We sincerely appreciate your referrals. Business Development Services: Are you a small business owner? Do you crave additional business, but cannot seem to find the time to market your business to your clients? The Spectrum Group of Arizona can market your business for you. We work on a commission only basis, so you only pay us if we find YOU new business. Please contact one of our team members at (480) 748-8620 for more information, or you can email us at <a href="spectrumgroupaz@gmail.com">spectrumgroupaz@gmail.com</a>. Mobile Marketing Services: The Spectrum Group of Arizona is an affiliate of BoomText (formerly Mobimark). Do you realize that over 200 million of the 260+ million cell phone users have a text messaging bundle attached to their service? Do you realize that while email only gets an approximated 10% read rate, text message marketing is recording approximately 95%? We are also showing 12-30% response rates on the marketing messages that are sent out. Imagine what this could do for your business. Consider adding text message marketing to your existing marketing plan TODAY! Contact one of our team members at (480) 748-8620 for more information, or you can email us at <a href="spectrumgroupaz@gmail.com">spectrumgroupaz@gmail.com</a> Event Planning &amp; Production: The Spectrum Group of Arizona offers a team of event professionals that can help you with any &amp; all of your special event planning needs. From event coordination to equipment rentals, from event staffing to sponsor development, The Spectrum Group of Arizona can do it all. We specialize in events from 40 people to 4000 people and offer very competitive rates. We can even do nationwide events...contact us for your no obligation consultation TODAY at (480) 748-8620! The Spectrum Group of Arizona looks forward to serving any &amp; all of your business &amp; household needs. We want to be your FIRST CALL whenever a need arises. We partner with several very reputable businesses and can always provide you with a referral that you can be confident in. Please call us ANYTIME you have a need arise...at home...or at work.</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/feeds/2314960149560979902/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/2009/09/who-are-we.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/847334756437615502/posts/default/2314960149560979902'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/847334756437615502/posts/default/2314960149560979902'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://spectrumgroupaz.blogspot.com/2009/09/who-are-we.html' title='Who Are We?'/><author><name>The Spectrum Group of Arizona</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/12085516852712919331</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry></feed>

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