Another release for the S&P / Case-Shiller® Home Price Index® shows prices rising more slowly. The data relates to sales that occurred between June and August 2014. In Phoenix prices increased .18%, compared to 4.32% during the same time frame last year. This data suggests that price stabilization is occurring.

Jan has been an excellent negotiator for years, and recently decided to take it to the next level. She recently earned the Certified Negotiation Expert Designation. This is one of the top designations in the real estate business and further supports her mission to get the best deal possible for her clients.

The chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, Lawrence Yun, is predicting a strong market in four of the next five years, based on the following confluence of positive trends. After a slow start this year, partly due to the frigidly cold winter, home sales are picking up steam. Existing-home sales have risen for four straight months and in July were at the highest pace of the year, 5.15 million. Pending contracts point to more gains, too.

• Job growth is a plus 2,600,000 in the past 12 months
• Mortgage rates have stayed low even after the Fed started talking about tightening monetary policy
• Inventory levels are increasing
• New home construction is on the rise
• Distressed...

Join 30 Award-winning contemporary artists as they paint the landscape “en-plein air.” They come from all over the United States to spend seven days painting outdoors, and to share their incredible talent and unique experiences with this challenging art form. Workshops, Paint-Outs, Historic Events, Native American Celebration, Plein Air Gallery and more. Presented by Sedona Arts Center 928-282-3809 SedonaPleinAirFestival.org

This new listing of ours is a must see, if you're looking for quality, views and privacy in the Village of Oak Creek

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...

Here is another great new listing, this one at Verde Santa Fe in Cornville. This is a lot of home for a very good price, and it is in excellent condition.

6300 Wide Horizon Court
Cornville, AZ

MLS# 505134 - Residential

Located on a quiet cul de sac, this move-in-ready home has the quality, floor plan, views, privacy and proximity to amenities that homeowners want! Low maintenance desert landscaping and a gated front covered patio invite you to take-in a sunset or enjoy a leisurely lunch in the shade. Kitchen has beautiful custom counters, large island for food prep, a built-in wine fridge, breakfast bar and an eat-in area (i.e. nook). A built-in desk area and cabinets make the 3r...

This beautiful home just came on the market today. It was built to last, using superior techniques rarely found in residential construction. If you're looking for an open, contemporary floor plan that showcases

2390 Mule Deer Rd
Sedona, AZ

MLS# 505133 - Residential

If you're looking for an open, contemporary floor plan with superior construction that showcases Sedona's red rocks, then place this home on the top of your list to SEE!! You'll watch the secrets of the high desert & its wildlife come alive from dramatically designed 20' tall windows. Follow a curved glass & oak stairwell to your 2nd level & enjoy rich sunsets from the den/media room or deck areas off the bedrooms. Gue...

The measurement of price per square foot for home sales is both useful and annoying. It's annoying because it doesn't take into account many components that determine market value, including location, view, finishes, vintage and condition to name a few. But it's useful because it does indicate market trends. When you look at it from that perspective, the market continues to improve in Sedona. Average price per square foot has gone up from $175 in April, 2012 to $217 in August, 2014. That's a 24% increase.

Garland's Oak Creek Lodge, a landmark in Sedona for more than forty years, has new owners. If you've been an fan of Garland's, you'll be glad to know that the new owners plan to keep the current staff and run things the same way. If you haven't been there before, we highly recommend it.

Clients often ask what improvements they should invest in when it's time to sell their homes. I just came across an interesting article, and a link to a website that you can use to check it in your local market. Following is a list of the top ten improvements under $1500, ranked according to return on investment. This list is recommended by over 600 real estate agents from around the country.

Cleaning and de-cluttering ($290 cost / $1,990 price increase / 586% ROI)

Lightening and brightening ($375 cost / $1,550 price increase / 313% ROI)

Home staging ($550 cost / $2,194 price increase / 299% ROI)

Landscaping ($540 cost / $1,932 price increase / 258% ROI)

Repairing electrical or plumb...

Mortgage rates are still historically low, but don't expect that to last forever. The Federal Reserve has been buying up Treasury Bonds and mortgage backed securities for years, providing a steady market for mortgages. But the Fed plans to stop that policy soon, and rates can't help but go up when that happens. If you've been thinking about a home in Sedona, and you plan to finance it, don't wait. We have just the home for you right now.

For the latest Sedona real estate market statistics, click here. The brief summary is that for single family homes, fewer have been sold through the first eight months of this year than last, but median price and price per square foot are up. More vacant lots are selling, but prices have flattened, and luxury homes over $1,000,000 are lagging last year.

Someone recently forwarded an article to me that stated, and demonstrated, that historically home prices have increased while the Fed is raising interest rates. It seems counter intuitive, but it is true. However, correlation does not equal causation. The reason the Fed raises interest rates is because prices are already going up, and they want to slow the rate of increase. I actually can't ever remember a client telling me that they wanted to buy a house, but the interest rates were too low! And it would be great if the market responded instantly when interest rates were changed, but there seems to be a lag time. It is still a great time to buy real estate in Sedona because home prices a...

Online registration for the 10th Annual Sedona Marathon Event is OPEN! Make it a family affair, with something for everyone, like the 5K, 10K, Half or Full Marathon. It will be run on Saturday, January 31, 2015. If the hills don't take your breath away, the scenery will! Click on www.sedonamarathon.com to register

We just put this charming home on the market yesterday. We spent a lot of time getting it ready, which included new paint inside and out, new tile floors and great attention to detail. It's a terrific value and ready for you to move in!

12620 E Tuscan Ridge Rd
Cornville, AZ

MLS# 504863 - Residential

If awe inspiring desert & mountain views are on your list of ''must have'', then search no further. This Rastra block construction ranch has an R-factor of 60 making it cool in the summer, warm in the winter and easy to afford. New paint (exterior & interior), & tile flooring welcome you to this move in ready home. Down a short country lane and perched at the highest elevation in the ...

Here are four great reasons to download our mobile app for Real Estate today.

1. Uses GPS search to find the closest homes
2. You can search globally in 45 countries
3. Get driving directions to the homes you want to see
4. Social sharing on Facebook and Twitter

Just click here to access here to access three easy ways to download the app to your Android or iPhone.

Or, you can just follow these instructions for you Android device

1. From your main menu, go to “Messaging”.

2. Tap “New Message” to compose a new message.

3. Type “87778” in the “To” box.

4. Tap the “Type to Compose” box and type the text code SEDONAHOME.

5. Press “Send”.

6. When you receive the text message response, press...

If you think that you need 20% down to buy a home, you are behind the times. Since the housing market has gotten stronger and credit restrictions have been relaxed, you actually have many other good choices. Of course, government sponsored programs are available, including FHA (3.5% down), VA (0% down), and USDA (0% down). Also, conventional mortgages are once again available for as little as 5% down. For more information click here to read an article from Yahoo Finance on the subject.

There was an article in yesterday's L. A. Times that supports what we're seeing here in Sedona. That is, new home construction is up. Last year the real estate market in Sedona was very strong. In fact, so many existing homes were sold last year that the inventory dipped to its lowest level in ten years. So what did our clients do? Many of them bought land and are now building their high desert dream homes. Click here to read the LA Times article if you want to learn more.

After the real estate market bottomed out, the first large group of buyers to return were investors. They helped to make 2013 a very good year. But as the bargains were snapped up, prices increased and they were no longer able to get the returns on investment that they wanted. As a result, the number of houses purchased by investors has decreased.

Just 2 years ago in July 2012 we hit the highest percentage ever seen (33.5%) of investor purchases based on Affidavits of Value. If we add in Trustee Sales (which do not require an Affidavit of Value) the high point was around 40%. Townhomes & condos have always seen a higher percentage of sales to investors and the peak was 42.5% for this dwe...