Posts by : Wally Reule

According to an article in Realtor.com today, all of the housing news this week has been good—home sales are up for both resales and new construction—and now interest rates have moved lower.  And home buyers seem to be taking advantage of what industry insiders believe to be the last days of low mortgage rates.The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.69% this week, down from 3.78% last week. It was 4.4% a year ago this time. And all of this coincides with one of the most beautiful times in Sedona. But then again, there are no coincidences in Sedona!

This just came on the market today. It's in great shape, and ready for you or your renter to move right in. Priced to sell, so you know it won't be available for long.

100 Horse Canyon Drive
Sedona, AZ

MLS# 506519 - Residential

If you are looking for a peaceful, friendly neighborhood this 2 BR split design, single level home with open floor plan needs to be at the top of your list. Owner has made several important improvements including a new roof, paint (exterior & interior), a skylight & new toilets. This home lives "big" with it's wood burning stove in the great room, cathedral ceilings, & heated & cooled Arizona room (now being used as an office). Step through sliding glass d...

Nepenthe is a highly desirable townhome community with a great central location. This particular unit has upgrades unmatched in any other home in the subdivision, and the price has just been reduced. 

104 Pine Leaf
Sedona, AZ

MLS# 505461 - Residential

Situated in the heart of West Sedona this Nepenthe townhome is within walking distance of shopping, hiking and Sedona's other amenities. Quality upgrades include Knotty alder built-ins, hand railings and doors, granite countertops, rough Italian marble fireplace, bathrooms tiled from floor to ceiling, enlarged master shower and cedar closets are just some of the upgrades waiting for you. One car garage with additional parking only s...

Now that I have earned my GREEN Designation from the National Association of Realtors, you can expect to see a lot more on the subject of sustainability on our website. Here is an interesting one. The following link will take you to a calculator offered by the Green Resource Council to tell you the size of your Carbon footprint. I was a little surprised to see how large mine is. If I could convince our clients to go from showing to showing on foot or bicycle, that would help. But I don't think it's very likely. Here is the Carbon Footprint Link.

Homes that are energy efficient and are environmentally friendly just make good sense. The demand for them is increasing, and the value is now recognized in both sales price and financing. In order to stay ahead of these trends, and to continue to provide the highest level of service to our clients, Wally Reule has recently completed all of the requirements to earn his GREEN Designation from the National Association of Realtors. So why is that important? In the spirit of efficiency, here is what the Green Resource Council has to say about it.

"Buying a home is probably the biggest investment you will ever make, and often the most complex. If you're looking to buy an existing home and mak...

The Cityscopes section of Jetset Extra just published a very good description of Sedona. Written by Leah Bigelow, it ends with the following summary. "The stunning red rock scenery might be the first thing that catches a person’s eye when entering Sedona, but the city’s beauty goes so much deeper than what can be seen at face value. Its history, art, music, spirituality, and harmony with nature combine to provide a peaceful place that promotes wellbeing of body and mind." Click here to read the entire article.

This home is a real beauty and the price has just been reduced.

365 Concho Drive
Sedona, AZ

MLS# 505128 - Residential

A lush garden courtyard welcomes you to a home that truly has it all !! If quality location, red rock views, privacy, a fenced yard, a basement-storage area, & move-in-ready are on your "must have" list - - you'll find it here! Sky lights & walls of glass frame Sycamore trees & desert landscaping. Quality appointments include crushed quartz counter tops, red oak flooring, stained glass entry doors, lead crystal knobs (on cabinets & doors), soft close drawers, Toto-low flush toilets with self closing lids, copper sinks, and a Jacuzzi tub. Evaporative & AC cooling r...

This lot has amazing panoramic views of Sedona, and the price has just been reduced from $330,000 to $299,750. This is the best remaining lot in the

3282 Calle Del Montana
Sedona, AZ

MLS# 503948 - Land

Sedona's red rocksoften referred to as the "8th" Wonder of the World, provide a mesmerizing backdrop for this beautiful lot. Centrally located in one of Sedona's finest gated communities, this premier custom building lot has it all! Resting on one of the highest elevations in Foothills South, this property provides the privacy and unblockable views, that buyers & investors have at the top of their wish lists. Couple that with the fact that this lot is alive with native bushes, tree...

Our newest listing is for an absolutely incredible lot in the prestigious gated community of Cross Creek Ranch in Sedona. The lots in this subdivision are a minimum of two acres, but this is not only the largest at 3.71 acres, but it has the highest elevation for great unblockable views. This lot was purchased ten

70 Amber Cliffs
Sedona, AZ

MLS# 506222 - Land

This magnificent, 3.71 acres is one of the largest lots in Cross Creek Ranch. Nestled at the back of a cul de sac this lush acreage offers you the luxury of complete privacy, creek front access, miles of private hiking trails, and the most awe inspiring views of Sedona's Red Rock Mountains. This lot has been surveyed , with ...

Buying or Selling Luxury Real Estate requires special skills and knowledge, which was why the Sedona Luxury Real Estate Professional (SLREP) group was formed. Jan Bigelow is a proud member of that select group of 26 agents, and if you are considering the sale or purchase of a luxury home, here are some reasons that you should work with Jan. In 2014, SLREP agents were involved in 64% of all Luxury Sales over $1,000,000, while 36% were sold by the other 640 agents in the Verde Valley. What this means is that a SLREP agent is 30 times more likely to successfully complete your luxury sale.

This patio home is absolutely gorgeous! It has more upgrades than any other unit in Nepenthe, and the price just came down $10,000. The only other home in Nepenthe with this floor plan that is presently listed for sale is priced higher, and does not have the upgrades.

104 Pine Leaf
Sedona, AZ

MLS# 505461 - Residential

Situated in the heart of West Sedona this Nepenthe townhome is within walking distance of shopping, hiking and Sedona's other amenities. Quality upgrades include Knotty alder built-ins, hand railings and doors, granite countertops, rough Italian marble fireplace, bathrooms tiled from floor to ceiling, enlarged master shower and cedar closets are just some of the upg...

We in Sedona are starting to get spoiled with all of the recognition that we get from the press and private travel organizations. Well, it just happened again. Last week Trivago.com released its list of the top ten cities for quality hotels and Sedona came out on top. To learn more about it go to this Sedona Red Rock News Article.

I first learned about Howard Madole's work when I was new to the real estate business in Sedona. When one came on the market, the other agents would be excited that a "Madole" was available for showing. He was known by many as Sedona's First Architect. I have shown several of them over the years and have always found them to be very special. He passed away peacefully on January 29 at the ripe old age of 91. Further evidence that when you spend your life doing work that you're passionate about, it's likely that you will live a long and rewarding life. 

Today I read an article by Bernice Ross in Inman.com, looking at how lower oil prices can affect the real estate market. The bottom line was that it depends on which segment of the market you're talking about. For Millenials it's good news because they have more cash available to pay down student loans and save for a down payment on a new home. For mom and pop investors it will probably be good because they will not be competing as much with institutional or foreign investors. And for the luxury market, a stronger dollar will put a damper on sales in that sector. To read the whole article go to Inman.com

A friend recently shared a couple of articles that express concern over the state of the real estate market, and its ability, or lack thereof, to grow. The fundamental basis for concern was that the growth expected from the millennial generation, based on lower down payments and relaxed underwriting standards, just hasn’t happened.  And while that’s true, how does it really affect our local Sedona market.

To begin with, nationally, millennials (age 20-35) were the largest generational group to purchase homes last year. They bought 31% of all the homes sold in 2014. That’s just slightly ahead of Generation X (age 35-50) at 30% and Baby Boomers at 30%, with the final 9% going to the silent...

Sedona receives a lot of recognition for its natural beauty. A few years ago USA Today named it the most beautiful place in America. Well, it's happened again. This time it's the Bustle List of top small cities to visit. Look at the picture below. Our office is about a block and a half down the street, on the left. It's tough! To read the whole Bustle article click here, after you've made your reservations to visit us here in Sedona.

Beginning in February there will be a new disclosure required for new listings of homes that are governed by Home Owner Associations. Apparently there have been too many instances when buyers were surprised by large transfer fees or other related charges at Close of Escrow. Going forward, the disclosure must be made available to a buyer before the offer is made, and that acknowledged disclosure is then included with the purchase contract. Our files continue to get thicker!

Last week the Sedona City Council gave final approval for the conversion of an apartment complex in West Sedona to condominiums. They will be very affordable, and would be good for investors as well as people who would like to make one their home. The one bedroom units will  have a base price of $165,000 and the two bedroom units will start at $195,000. To read the full Red Rock News article, click here. There is a need for this kind of affordable housing in Sedona, so we expect they will all be sold soon. If you ave any questions about them, please contact us.

The year end real estate sales numbers for Sedona are in. After a very active 2013, we took a little breather in 2014. The first half of the year slowed significantly, but we picked up steam as the year went along, and finished strong. For reasons I've discussed in previous blogs, we expect 2015 sales to continue to grow, with home prices increasing moderately. To see a comparison of 2014 to 2013 by category, click here.

Sedona is renowned for its natural beauty, and one of the benefits of that is that it attracts a lot of interesting and successful people. What a perfect venue to host the Sedona World Wisdom Days. This promises to be an amazing event, featuring outstanding speakers from all walks of life. Headliners include Norman Lear, India.Arie and Greg Louganis, but that's just the beginning. This event runs from January 15 -19. For more information, or to register, go to Sedona World Wisdom Days.