REAL ESTATE
GILBERT SUN NEWS | JANUARY 17, 2021
re1
Different year, same market conditions BY MINDY JONES NEVAREZ GSN Guest Writer
M
y ears are still ringing after the celebration that was New Year’s Eve in Gilbert – did you hear it? It was a mixture of fireworks, singing, yelling and probably a lot of general celebration for the end of one of the most unprecedented, unexpected, uncalled for years of immense loss, unanticipated challenges and unappreciated fear. What I woke to, however, was this amazing display of grit usually reserved for a toddler as they get back up after tumbling
to the ground - with determination, and focus and a unique energy that can only be manifested after a fall. There was this trend on social media of posting the best memories you had from 2020, which was this beautiful way of acknowledging that we all experienced a year like no other AND simultaneously we all experienced a year like no other. Taking a moment to reflect on the year that we had and how much had changed, it was nice to see how much had really stayed the same. The real estate market was a similar mirror of our experiences. The trends followed our patterns of anxiety and anticipation of the new year and while unexpected outcomes created new challenges for us to tackle in 2021, our
houses still remain one of the most important things to our families – and in some ways, more important now than ever. We started January 2021 with one of the lowest home inventories in history. After under-building in the Valley for over 10 years and continued population growth, the low interest rates of 2020 ensured that we would not be making any headway in closing the inventory gap with the new construction you see sprinkled across the Southeast Valley. Surprisingly, we actually had about the same number of new listings in Gilbert in
2020 as we did in 2019 – but with 35 percent more sales than your typical year. We still ended up with less than 100 single family homes in Gilbert without a contract. We’ve watched prices soar more than 17 percent annually in Gilbert with 65 percent less supply and homes selling on average for 100.13 percent of list – meaning that some are selling for WAY over list and others right about list price. We reached an all-time low of just seven days of inventory in the town – meaning
SPO OTLIGHT home
UNDER CONTRACT 24 Offers Received
Melanie Nemetz
Ask us how we helped our recent sellers maximize their sale price.
see MINDY page RE2
Welcome to the Islands neighborhood of Gilbert! See Page 4
Amy Jones Group
Listed for $275,000!
Our extensive, high quality marketing of your home combined with our thorough preparation of listing the home for sale, will help your home sell faster and for more money. Here is a sample of the marketing for our listings: ◆ Home Staging Report by Interior Designer & Stager ◆ Professional video of home ◆ Professional photos of home ◆ Twilight photos ◆ Community photos ◆ Aerial drone video/photos ◆ 3D Interactive floor plan - Matterport www.fosteringre.com Each office is independently owned and operated ◆ Open house first weekend on the market
480.221.3034
See Page 5
re2
REAL ESTATE
GILBERT SUN NEWS | JANUARY 17, 2021
MINDY from page re1
Ready for a Better Mortgage Experience?
Local Expertise and Market Knowledge An In-Person Mortgage Experience Full Explanation of the Mortgage Process& Continued Guidance Help for Those with Past Credit Issues
Let’s Talk! Christine Wenger Sales Manager | nmls. 261653 480-232-4972
christine.wenger@nationslending.com
FHA ■ VA ■ Conventional ■ Jumbo ■ Purchases ■ Refinance
that if we didn’t list another home after today, everything we had to sell would be gone by next week. Bought a home in 2019 for $300,000? You are probably ringing in the New Year with a sales price of $350,000-$400,000 if you were to call to get it listed today. That’s great you say, if I’m leaving Gilbert! But what if you want to stay? What if you WANT to ring in the next new year in this same beautiful place? The good news is that as long as interest rates remain low – one of the greatest unknown factors of our current housing market – you will always be buying low. As prices continue to climb at a rate even faster than we saw at the end of 2020, those interest rates are keeping monthly payments lower than they might ever be again. That’s good news for your primary purchase and for that rental you’ve always considered buying but didn’t want to wait a decade to make money off of. Any change in the interest rates will likely cause some emotional reaction with buyers, as well as prices that rise a little too quickly for them to stomach and monthly payments that become less and
@AmyJonesGroup Each office is independently owned and operated
less appealing. It will take some time for this to happen, but it is possible that the rate of appreciation might temper by the second half of 2021 because of some of these very things. This is going to be a year of reflection and also of immense creation which will take fortitude, creativity, and exactly what I saw on New Year’s Day – grit. To break into the housing market, to move up, to move down, to leverage your equity – there are options but they might take a little out-of-the-box thinking and some suggestions from full-time professionals who are committed to your success. But the stories of people who’ve done it: the families who stayed in a short-term rental to ultimately ring in the new year in their new home; the first-time homebuyers who escaped the fate of a 30-day notice to get their family into a home that’s appreciated $60,000 in one year. The stories are plentiful. And we hope that your proverbial cup will be too. Mindy Jones Nevarez, a Gilbert Realtor and owner of the Amy Jones Group at Keller Williams Integrity First, can be reached at 480250-3857, Mindy@AmyJonesGroup.com or AmyJonesGroup.com
...a Tradition of Trust
REAL ESTATE
GILBERT SUN NEWS | JANUARY 17, 2021
re3
How COVID changed housing market BY GSN NEWS SERVICES
T
he pandemic has accelerated a shift to technological tools that make life easier for everyone involved in real estate transactions while home buyers have found that a lot of features have gone from the “nice to have” to the “essential” column. Here are all the changes that came to real estate in 2020 that are likely here to stay.
Big-city living loses its cool
This year completely changed the way we viewed our homes and what we wanted from them. It turns out that sheltering in place is a great way to find out if you really, really love your home and being able to work remotely means there are more options if you don’t. The biggest wake-up call this year was for city dwellers who had long justified the high expense of tiny apartments with the many perks of urban life – until
those suddenly became unavailable. Realtor.com chief economist Danielle Hale said people now “are looking for space and affordability” and the suburbs are where they can find it.” As the transplants settle in to their new surroundings, they’re likely to make their mark on the suburbs, as well. After all, why can’t they have their sin-
Gilbert Real Estate Snapshot Provided by the Amy Jones Group Your Local Real Estate Team (480) 250-3857 | www.amyjonesgroup.com
gle-family home with a yard and more options for dining and entertainment? If employers continue allowing eligible employees to work remotely, this suburban shift is here to stay.
Technology and house hunting
House hunting in the time of the coronavirus means relying on technology
7 YEARS BEST OF OUR VALLEY
more than ever. Cruising for home listings on sites such as realtor.com has been a basic first step for years. But this year, with orders declaring real estate work essential in some areas, and inessential for others for weeks at a time, folks were forced to move their home searches primarily online. Some folks ended up buying a home they’d never even seen in person. There are some things that are harder to perceive in a video tour – so you need to know what signs to look for. Other aspects of the home-buying process are now commonly facilitated by technology. There’s no need to sit in a mortgage broker’s office to discuss loan options, or sign piles of paperwork in a room at a title company. Remote mortgage pre-approvals, inspections, appraisals, and even closings are becoming the norm.
$700M+ SOLD REAL ESTATE
see MARKET page RE4
2,300+ SOLD HOMES
• Average Days on Market: 29 days Up from 28 Days Last Month
• Active Listings: 118 Down from 128 Listings Last Month
• Monthly Sales: 426 Down from 436 Sales Last Month
• Listings Under Contract: 330 Down from 507 Listings Under Contract Last Month
• Average Sales Price: $484,429 Up from $473,738 Last Month
• Monthly Supply of Inventory: 0.3 Same as 0.3 Monthly Supply Last Month
re4
REAL ESTATE
GILBERT SUN NEWS | JANUARY 17, 2021
MARKET from page re3 Buyers expect more from homes
2470 E Vermont Drive, Gilbert
– UNDER CONTRACT – 24 OFFERS RECEIVED Top 2 Reasons You Should Sell Now: 1. Interest rates are at record lows, creating buyer urgency to find a home. 2. The local housing inventory is also at record lows, making this a seller’s market. Ask us how we helped our recent sellers maximize their sale price. We would love to do the same for you!
Contact us today at (480) 221-3034
Melanie Nemetz
480.221.3034 • www.fosteringre.com Each office is independently owned and operated
Hopefully, we’ll all soon be able to go back to our gyms, send kids to school, and even, if we want, do our work on an ergonomic desk. But the lesson of 2020 is that you need to be prepared if those things aren’t possible. And that means buyers are paying close attention to homes with plenty of space for work, school, exercise and enjoying the fresh air. Millennials, many with young children, are now the largest group of home buyers and their preferences will shape home buying for years to come. That means savvy home sellers will have to get their homes in shape for a new generation’s expectations. These days, homes with a home office sell faster and for more money, than homes without one. Sanitary features have come into focus lately, too. Smart, touchless options for faucets, lights and locks are not only convenient, they also cut down on the transfer of germs.
Homeowners are becoming more self-reliant
DIY projects used to seem like something fun to do in your free time, but when you want to reduce exposure to additional people, making simple upgrades and performing basic home maintenance yourself is a necessity. And once you’ve developed those skills, you’re less likely to reach for the phone when you have something that needs fixing. Plus, homeowners have always known that doing things yourself is great for the bottom line, especially when you target projects that offer a good return on investment. “Self-reliant” doesn’t just mean keeping everything running, either. Many people discovered tending victory gardens this year was a way to enjoy fresh air and manage stress while ensuring a supply of fresh produce. As everyone knows, homegrown just tastes better – and once you’ve had it, it’s hard to go back. Realtor.com provided this report.
GOT NEWS?
©2020 Ferguson Enterprises LLC 1220 2367404
MAKE THE MOST OF HOME 44 dBA Dishwasher with FreeFlex™ Third Rack and LED Interior Lighting
YOUR LOCAL SHOWROOMS: MESA | SCOTTSDALE Shop online or schedule a personalized appointment from the comfort of your home today at fergusonshowrooms.com.
Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@ timespublications.com
GILBERT SUN NEWS | JANUARY 17, 2021
HASTINGS FARMS – CREEKSIDE
Queen Creek, AZ | Starting from the $300s
NOW SELLING! Hastings Farms Creekside Series (Parcel-B) is a Master Planned Community located in Queen Creek at the corner of Ellsworth Road and Chandler Heights. Hastings Farms Creekside Series features six distinctive floor plans offering 3 and 4 bedroom layouts with 2 and 3 car garages. These floor plans range from 1,638 square feet to 2,884 square feet. Come visit our new model homes at Hastings Farms; Queen Creek, AZ.
WE BUILD THE PLACES WHERE LIFE’S BEST MOMENTS CAN HAPPEN. Within each Cresleigh neighborhood, you’ll find new homes thoughtfully designed to suit the needs of any generation and any lifestyle, with energy efficiency and reliability at their core. Every Cresleigh team member is passionate about building a new home that you can rely on and a new home that helps you to focus on what truly matters: creating memories with the people you love.
Welcome to the neighborhood. 23440 S 210th Street, Queen Creek, AZ 85142 Phone: (480) 888-1025 www.cresleigh.com
SPO OTLIGHT home
UNDER CONTRACT first weekend on the market This move-in ready two-story 3 bedroom plus loft, 2.5 bathroom attached home sits on a premium cul-de-sac lot with an attached two car garage and fenced-in patio opening up to the community greenbelt. Nestled in the amenity packed Islands neighborhood of Gilbert this greatroom floorplan meticulously maintained by its original owners is within walking distance to the community pool and features new carpet in the upstairs bedrooms including the oversized master bedroom with ensuite bath and new interior paint throughout. Downstairs you’ll find a feature fireplace separating the living and dining area, a kitchen with breakfast bar seating, and a half bath for guests. Soaring ceilings, lots of natural light & the extra loft space upstairs make this a one of a kind find in Gilbert under $300K. Listed for $275,000 409 S Seawynds Blvd, Gilbert, AZ 85233
(480) 250-3857 www.AmyJonesGroup.com
REAL ESTATE
re5
re6
REAL ESTATE
JANUARY 13, 2021 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS
GILBERT SUN NEWS | JANUARY 17, 2021
King Crossword
O
ACROSS 1 4 7 8 10 11 13 16 17 18 19 20 21 23 25 26 27 28 30 33
36 37 38 39 40 41
Opening Cartoon frame Vend “Dallas” matriarch Sleep problem Court hammers 1998 Bruce Willis thriller Shock partner Hoodwinks Water tester Gum flavor Roll call reply Fry lightly Belted area Cooking fat Uttered Chemical suffix Up and about Quilters’ get-together Wimbledon champ of 2008 Wife of Jacob Edition Nodded off D.C. baseball team Picnic crasher Ram’s mate
28 29 30 31
Wan Used a broom Butter up the turkey Flightless birds
32 Compass pt. 34 Bruins’ sch. 35 Caesar’s “vidi”
Sudoku
DOWN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 14 15 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
Category Sir Guinness Enthusiastic approval County of Ireland Graceland idol Fibs Gush Pharaoh’s land Upper crust Docs’ org. Bull’s sound Ancient letter “My word!” Wet dirt Secreted Less loony Sports venues Banshee’s cry Delta, for one Actress Tyler Long-legged shorebird
PUZZLES ANSWERSononpage page1021 PUZZLE ANSWERS
as Cr Cree then Colum versit Bache in 195 The Mann and J wher fashio lived cisco Cree Macy eral o reloca (Nort The where 2007. artist filled was a Churc talent memb Basin She v Histo torica Gard In 2 Chan Alwa classe Cr Doug drew Mann Trixi (Doug Mann Tawn ceede Ellis Ser CA a donat Valle