June 22, 2009 by donna.

It is sad to say that all but two homes on the market for sale at Sabino Mountain appear to be over-priced and have little chance of selling unless the Sellers get “Real”.

Two homes that I think are list -priced where they should are one home located on Boulder Canyon and another one on Black Rock Drive. During the slow Summer Real Estate Market Conditions, it is even possible these two will need a price reduction, too.

Although Sabino Mountain has seen quite a few home sales the past 6 months, that number is likely to decline unless more Sellers reduce their prices, and the new listings coming on the market are priced competitively.

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June 16, 2009 by donna.

Another home went under contract today, and I had felt this one was priced to sell, unlike many neighborhood homes that are over-priced. It had been under contract before, but fell out. We have more fall-throughs these days because buyers are squeamish after listening to a lot of the national news media lumping us with the rest of Arizona, even though we are doing better than most other local markets. It is also apparent to me that the Foothills homes that are list-priced at approximately 375K and under, have reached a market bottom. Those buyers who want good choices and are seeking homes in this price- range should not wait any longer to purchase.

4326 N Sunset Cliff Drive, listed at $335,000 which is a one-story home that is Monterey-built and has over 2,000 square feet, is the lucky home that hopefully will make it to closing this time. It is immaculate and has Corian counters, cherry cabinets, 18 inch ceramic tile floors and more.

No doubt about it, the new Buyers have gotten themselves a great deal and will love Sabino Mountain!

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June 15, 2009 by donna.

Gosh, it is so sad, a beautiful two-story Monterey Home on 4334 N Sunset Cliff that is over 2,900 square feet, just went under contract. It was listed with a range price of $390,000 - $410,000, and it is unknown what the final sales price is until it closes escrow. This home was first listed two years ago at $495,000, and has been on and off the market since then.

If your home is not a custom home in Sabino Mountain, recent sales indicate that unless you want to sell at a very aggressive price, the houses are not selling.

Someone got a great deal to live in a large family size home in a great neighborhood!

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June 7, 2009 by donna.

Yesterday I was showing homes in Sabino Mountain and noticed some things that I thought I would mention that would be helpful to future sellers. One home had an obviously leaky bathtub faucet. It had been leaking for so long that it left a stain on the tub. Also it had a very annoying chirping sound due to the need for battery replacement of a smoke detector. It is very important that all vacant homes be checked by the listing agent, if not the Seller, at least once a week. Another immaculate home that we viewed was very colorless. Adding some artifical or real flowers, colored pillows to the sofa and bedspread and colored towels, would have helped make the home show better.

Off we went to Shadows at Sabino and saw a beautiful one-story home with a pool on a cul-de-sac. That home needed carpet replacement in the master bedroom; although the home was immaculate and showed well, the master bedroom had stained very high and outdated shag carpeting. It probably would have cost the Seller $500 to replace the carpet and it would have made a big difference. This one was was priced well, especially since it had a sparkling pebble-tec pool with lush tropical landscaping. This home was range-priced with the upper range less than 400K .

In this strong Buyers’ Market it is very important to list price the house no more than 5% more than what should be the expected final price. The final price can be estimated based on the final price of similar homes that have closed escrow in the past 3 months. As mentioned in the past few paragraphs, making some minor changes will make some homes much more appealing to potential buyers.

When I have a vacant home listed for sale, I visit it at least once a week, and when I list a home I make suggestions on how to make the home show well. After all, a well-staged home will net the Sellers more money.

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June 5, 2009 by donna.

During the present strong Buyers’ Market, it is very important to list your house at a price that is no more than 5% higher than the likely final sales price. In determining value, usually, it is relatively easy to ascertain the best price by checking homes that are somewhat similar, and have closed escrow in the past three months. If the house is over-priced, it will continue to lanquish on the market, and when it is reduced at a later time, will lose its beginning luster. Unless the market has stabilized or prices have increased, it will ultimately sell for less than it would have, had it been listed at fair market value to begin with.

Of equal importance is to have your house marketed by an agent who knows Sabino Mountain and who has sold other homes in our community. It is also very helpful to chose an agent who works at the top selling Tucson office, which is Long Foothills. We continuously work together to try to sell our own listings. The Long Foothills Office has been the # 1 selling office in all of Southern Arizona for many years. This office sells more Sabino Mountain homes, as well.

I have noticed that some Sabino Mountain houses are listed at a price-point where they will likely sell, but half the Sabino Mountain listings are over-priced and probably do not stand a chance of selling until they reduce their list price.

If you are considering selling, give me a call at (520) 615-2598. I would be happy to give you a professional market analysis.

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June 3, 2009 by donna.

For those of you who would like to move to Sabino Mountain, it is more affordable than ever before!

4326 N Sunset Cliff Drive, a one-story Monterey-built home, for $335,000 is over 2,000 square feet and has such upgrades as Corian counters, cherry cabinets, and 18″ceramic tile floors.

4556 N Saddle View Drive is also a one-story, but is built by Pepper-Viner and is over 2,200 square feet and is priced at a range price of $325,000 - $350,000. A house with a similar floorplan that had more upgrades, a nicer view and a screened porch just closed escrow priced at $375,000.

Sabino Mountain has so much to offer: gated community with neighborhood pool and spa and clubhouse and vast beautiful areas of pristine Sonaran Desert open space. It is the last ridge-top community built in the Foothills. When walking through the neighborhood you will be awed by the views of the multiple mountain ranges and the dramatic city views.

To view these homes, call me at 615-2598.

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