2013 is here! The fireworks have faded, the ball has dropped, and now it's time to think about what you want to accomplish this year. I plan on carrying many of the implementations I’ve used in 2012 [and previous years] into the New Year, as well as focusing my energy into new ideas for proven strategies as the market moves forward. I tried several new marketing strategies in 2012 and some of them took a little time to “take off”, but overall I am glad we ventured to do all these things so we can weed out and/or improve what didn’t work so well. I am excited to start this New Year with a fresh, positive attitude and I hope I have enough time to accomplish all the things I want to do!

Write it down- it’s been proven that writing one’s goals enhances achievement. So before launching into the New Year, set aside some time to write down exactly what you’re reaching for. Establish a business plan, set your goals, track progress and follow up with corrections along the way.

Systems in place- making sure you have the right transaction management systems in place is very important. Getting the properties in escrow is step one, but a smooth closing is the key to building lasting clients for the long haul. My goal is to have “raving fans” at the end of the transaction, which leads to…

Past clients- you can pour money and time into marketing, but in our industry the best business will always come from past clients. Reaching out to them on a monthly basis is essential for maintaining healthy relationships. I not only plan to send out our “new monthly marketing piece” featuring some of our new  listings, but I will also be calling past clients on a quarterly basis. “Pick up the phone and call” is my new slogan for 2013. I tend to make lasting relationships with my clients and because [thankfully] I have so many, whenever I speak with them I always try to write down something particular about them. I want to connect with my past clients on a more personal level. Past clients will be my biggest focus for 2013 since they’ve always been an integral part of my business.

Continue farming- farming went well in 2012. We farmed out to 2500 homes in 2012 which resulted in 10 listings/sales for the year. We have two properties in pre-list status as well. Now that we’ve planted the seed, it’s important to keep going and root ourselves in the community. If you plan on farming, give it time... at least 12 months, and review results at that point.

Technology- as quickly as it moves, it’s crucial that agents keep up with technology in today’s ever-changing market. Become an early adopter; see what ways you can make the latest advancement work for you. We love Zillow, especially because potential clients tend to feel more comfortable when they can read about other people’s experiences with you. I’ve been asking my clients to give me a review every time we close on a property. So far, it’s been a great tool for us! We also blog often here on ActiveRain. I try to focus on stuff that my client’s will want to know about, rather than just posting about my own professional experiences. I think it’s definitely important to keep a good balance between the two. Of course we can’t forget our niche website and our team’s website.

Networking with Agents- continue to network with other agents through 2013. Networking can lead to flourishing relationships, as we closed over 20 transactions this year that came directly from agent referral.

Looking for a home for the holidays? December just may be the time to buy. Adding a house to your Christmas shopping list offers quite a few perks.

 Use the holiday rush to your advantage this season and buy the home you've been wanting.

Homes across the US are going to make some bold and classic statements during 2013. These are the color & style trends for the upcoming year.

Dining rooms -Rich, elegant colors, such as magenta, are very welcoming and truly elegant and dramatic at night. Use classic accessories and dashes of gold and light blue to contrast. A tied up small bouquet of white roses is the perfect finishing touch for a classy dining room.

Kitchens – Color blocking will be very hot in 2013. If you use color blocking in your kitchen, there are a few rules that if followed, will allow you to pull this off. Use neutral on the walls to help the bright accent colors pop. Keep the accessories and hardware on cabinets modern and very minimalistic so that it won’t be overwhelming.Think of grey walls, plum colored wall  cabinetry and a few accents of lilac color.

For bathrooms, pastel colors dominate. If you choose to go with a very light color, choose two tone paint to contrast with the second color being more, well colorful. A really cute combination is a very soft, light pink with pistachio green. Keep the accessories classic but not modern. And use pattern accents for towels and such.

Living & family rooms - Bring your relaxing nature retreat to the comfort of your own home. Rustic décor is back with light color woods and tones like forest green, accents of grey and rich reds. Compliment the room with gnome green shaggy pillows.

This is just a basic color scheme for what’s coming in 2013. You can always modify to your taste and get ideas from your local hardware store. Bring home a few paint samples and in your favorite shades and try to visualize them before you commit.

I hope you find our suggestions helpful if you are looking for a change at home!

As usual in our commitment to keep you informed on the most recent trends, the DiBiase Team brings you the market status report for October 2012, with accurate statistics from the Cromford Report.

According to Michael Orr, from the Cromford Report, “In September we started to see a change from the summer doldrums that have hung around since June. Before we comment on what's going let us examine the basic ARMLS numbers for October 1, 2012 relative to October 1, 2011 for all areas & types. Nothing very impressive there, assuming we have all got used to the idea that average price per sq. ft. for sales is up 23%. The luxury market has had its usual quiet summer…”  

· Active Listings (excluding AWC): 15,562 versus 19,327 last year - down 19% - and up 8% from last month

· Active Listings (including AWC): 21,624 versus 26,869 last year - down 20% - and up 5% from last month

· Pending Listings: 9,714 versus 10,841 last year - down 10% - and down 4% from last month

· Monthly Sales: 6,719 versus 7,645 last year - down 18% - and down 15% from last month

· Monthly Average Sales Price per Sq. Ft.: $100.80 versus $80.33 last year - up 25% - and up 2.7% from last month

· Monthly Median Sales Price: $150,000 versus $114,467 last year - up 31% - and up 2.9% from last month

Orr goes on to say “The change in price over the last 12 months is clearly impressive. There are very few occasions in which the average price per sq. ft. rises by 25%. The only previous time I know of is May 2005 to March 2006 and that was at the height of the bubble. A rise of 2.7% in the single month of September would also normally be startling, but we have got used to big numbers. When the market eventually gets back to normal we should expect to see 2.7% for a whole year, not a single month.”

As always, the DiBiase team can help you answer any real estate questions you might have. Please contact us if you would like a market analysis of your home to determine how much it might be worth.

According to Michael Orr of the Cromford Report, “During August we continued the market's three month wind-down following its springtime frenzy. The basic numbers for September 1, 2012 relative to September 1, 2011 for all areas & types across ARMLS are:

· Active Listings (excluding AWC-active w/ contingency): 14,405 versus 19,216 last year - down 25% - and up 7% from last month

· Active Listings (including AWC): 20,678 versus 26,820 last year - down 23% - and up 3% from last month

· Pending Listings: 10,125 versus 11,508 last year - down 12% - and down 3% from last month

· Monthly Sales: 7,573 versus 8,470 last year - down 11% - and up 3% from last month

· Monthly Average Sales Price per Sq. Ft.: $97.45 versus $79.64 last year - up 23% - and down 0.7% from last month

· Monthly Median Sales Price: $145,700 versus $109,900 last year - up 33% - and up 0.6% from last month

Nothing very impressive there, assuming we have all got used to the idea that average price per sq. ft. for sales is up 23%. The luxury market has had its usual quiet summer …”

We continue to experience an EXTREMELY LOW inventory of homes for sale!! Homes are typically selling quickly and sometimes going for more than list price. If you are thinking of selling NOW is a great time! Call me TODAY for a market analysis of what your home might sell for in today’s hot market conditions!

I wanted to tell you about some interesting facts about the market and interest rates. If you didn’t get a chance to look at our June 2012 Market Status Report click HERE.

Interest rates have just dropped to a record low below 4% on a 30 year fixed and 3% on a 15 year fixed rate loan. Even if you are upside down there are special programs for people to refinance.

If you have an FHA loan you can refinance even if you are totally underwater on your mortgage.  You can do an FHA streamline and save hundreds of dollars a month.

Please give me a call to review how much your monthly savings will be or how quickly you can pay off your loan.

HOME PRICES ARE RISING BY 1-2% A MONTH! Prices are rising fast and the short sale and bank owned bargains are becoming harder and harder to find.  Let us help you find your new home or next great investment while you still can.

Look forward to speaking with you.

Call me at (602) 330-1985

Do you want to go on vacation but don’t have the means? Or maybe you want to pay a few bills down.. Either way, RE/MAX is having this really great contest where there grand prize is $10,000.

Could you use $10K? Who wouldn’t! All you have to do is enter & share the story about ‘What moves you’ and people will vote on all the stories. You can submit videos and photos along with your story! Another cool part about this contest is that RE/MAX will donate $1 to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals for every submission, so don’t be shy and tell your friends to participate or vote for you!

There will also be weekly prizes like a $750 Apple gift card. Just go to their website and enter your story HERE.

This is your chance to make a difference for a really good cause AND enter for a chance to win the grand prize of $10K, don’t miss out!

According to the Cromford Associates, LLC, as of June 3, 2012 from Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service (Maricopa County):

There were 20,195 Active Residential Listings- Same time last year we had 31,227

Of these Active Residential listings:

1,133 were Lender Owned- (5%) - same time last year:  4,693 (15%)

7,572 were Pre-Foreclosure/Short Sales (37%)- same time last year: 12,135 (38%)

10,082 were Normal Listings (50%) – same time last year 12,892 (41%)

There were 11,685 transactions pending- same time last year 13,485

“The Phoenix area added more than 40,000 new jobs between March of 2011 and the same month this year, ranking it among the biggest job gainers in the country.

New research from On Numbers shows Phoenix “ranked seventh among the 100 largest U.S. metros for total job growth by adding 40,300 jobs. Phoenix ranked 16th for its percentage job growth, at 2.35 percent between March 2011 and March of this year.”

Inventory of homes for sale in many price ranges remains EXTREMELY LOW!!  Homes are typically selling quickly and sometimes going for more than list price- If you are thinking of selling NOW is a great time! Call us TODAY for a market analysis of what your home might sell for in today’s hot market conditions!

Pets can bring great joy to people’s lives. Their companionship can be very comforting and often strong bonds are formed in no time. But sometimes pets might be sick or aren’t yet fully house-broken, so accidents happen.

Pet urine (especially cat urine) can sometimes ruin your flooring if you can’t catch it right away, which let’s face it, who really has the time to watch their pets all day? Treating the stains as soon as possible can help eliminate most of the odors, but you won’t get rid of it fully unless you treat the subfloor.

For instance, in the case of rental homes, sometimes the owner can’t tackle the problem right away and is left with the cost of replacing the damaged flooring.  

When pet urine dries, it forms crystals that produce that stench.

If you are replacing the carpet and pad, make sure to always look for the stain(s) on the subfloor and treat it with a cleaner formulated for pet urine. Same goes with laminate flooring. In this case if the water damage was too much and the laminate is lifted, I would suggest replacing those pieces. If your subfloor is wood, it’s definitely recommended to cut out and replace the affected area as it might be impossible to fully get the odors out.

If you are trying to prevent urine marking inside the house, there are several products you can find at your local pet store, most of them come in the form of spray that you can let sit for 5 minutes and then clean up.

Some DIY cleaners you can try include; hydrogen peroxide, white vinegar and baking soda mixed with hydrogen peroxide. If you choose to go with the DIY solution, make sure to always test in a small area or a piece of scrap carpet.

Are you looking to have some fun this summer?  There is a great event that’s coming up in just 7 days! Mighty Mud Mania is on Saturday, June 9 and pretty much consists of an obstacle course full of mud.

"Mighty Mud Mania" began in 1976 as the "Shout It Out Decathlon," a promotional gimmick for Johnson's Wax "Shout" Spray pre-wash. The activity was held in Chaparral Park in Scottsdale and the Johnson's Wax Company provided 300 white t-shirts for the participants. The City of Scottsdale continued to operate the event after Johnson's "Shout" promotion ended. Re-named "Mighty Mud Mania," the activity has been held since then as the culminating activity of all the Scottsdale Parks and Recreation summer programs, according to their website.

Mighty Mud Mania has always been for kids, but this year adults can participate too! If you are interested you can pre-register through their website to run the original obstacle course from 12:00 to 2:00 pm on event day for a $10 fee.

Registration begins at 8 am the morning of the event. Children must be present to register and have signed permission slip from their parents. Besides being a pretty cool event, it is also free but they do ask that you bring a non-perishable food item to benefit the Vista del Camino Food Bank.

The event taking place at Chaparral Park, 5401 N. Hayden Road (Southeast of Hayden and Jackrabbit)

So there you have it, something really fun to do with the kids this summer in Arizona!

Check out their website here.