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Happy New Year – Welcome to 2019
As usual, last year went by so quickly and here we are again facing our New Year’s Resolutions – which many of us will forget about by February…but it’s always good to have goals. And, of course, we all have high hopes for the new year. Realistically, every year is filled with many emotions from joy to sorrow – of successes and failures, of birth as well as death of loved ones. So, this is a time to reflect on all of the things that have touched our lives and hearts.
As the freezing temperatures and blizzards creep across the country, those of us in the Southwest are enjoying beautiful sunshine; sometimes crisp days in the 50-60’s but the 70’s are never far behind. Arizona is the perfect place to winter for those who don’t want to leave home yet want to avoid the winter months. Arizona welcomes those who come temporarily to share our sunshine. And, we can help with that. In fact, we have a 55+ listing (2-Bedroom, 1-3/4 Bath home) available right now in Sun City Grand (in Surprise) …and access, of course, to everything on the multiple listing service. Here's the link to our 55+ listing: https://tinyurl.com/ydf2s9bj
Our wish for you is that your hopes and dreams come true in 2019 and you have a prosperous, healthy and happy new year. Its also a wonderful time for us to say how grateful we are for the wonderful people in our lives. And to thank you for the referrals and trust you’ve put in us. It is so appreciated. And to baseball's great, Rod Carew (see article below), we wish you a special happy new year as you celebrate two-years since your heart/kidney transplant.
Al and Jean
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| Why Flexibility Is the Watchword for Today's Homes |
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Let's roll back the clock to around 1900. If we take a tour of the average home, we'll find layouts of about 900 square feet. Fast forward to the year 2000, and we'll find that number has more than doubled, to just over 2,000 square feet.
However, the trend toward "bigger is better" has not carried into 2019. The past few years have seen a slow decrease in median home size. By the end of 2017, it was just over 2,400 square feet.
While this shrinking home size may be significant, what's even more noteworthy is the change in style. The days of formal living and dining rooms are not necessarily the preferred idea. The trends for extravagant game rooms, wine cellars and media rooms also seem to have faded into the history books.
Today's homeowners are seeking something different. They want rooms that serve  multiple purposes. And as the Boomers age, many more are selling their large homes to seek out a simpler lifestyle. The Great Room - usually adjacent to the kitchen combines features of both a living and dining area.
The idea is that it can be whatever the homeowners need it to be. As parents age or adult children bounce back home, the layout offers suitable living arrangements to accommodate a variety of situations. It creates a space that allows the property to meet homeowner needs, not just for many years but for many generations. |
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| 2019 Real Estate Interest Rates: |
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Every year, the question is, "Will interest rates go up?" Or, "Will they go down?" Click on this link for an interesting prediction of loans and rates. It is always a challenge to figure out what the market will be in a new year. Often there will be at least a gentle rise but Realtors can't predict absolutes. Currently the supply of homes in Maricopa County is on the low side so homes that show well, have a great location and are priced right will sell quickly.
https://themortgagereports.com/32667/mortgage-rates-forecast-fha-va-usda-conventional#products |
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| Need a Tip on How Much You Should Tip? |
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Should you tip them or simply say thank you? Discerning when to tip and how much can be stressful. Thankfully, there are generally accepted practices you can adhere to that will make this task easier.
Food and drink: For food delivery, tip $2-$4. For bartenders, tip them $1 per drink. Tip restaurant servers 15-20 percent of the bill.
Travel: Expect to give those who carry your bags, whether porters at airports or bellhops, $1 or $2 for each item. At hotels, pay special attention to the housekeeping staff. Your tip should reflect the quality of the hotel; the more expensive the accommodations, the greater the tip. Also, tip each day. The housekeeping staff may change during your time there. Lastly, read bills for room service carefully before tipping. Additional "service charges" don't cover the tip, but a "gratuity" does.
Holidays: If you have a nanny or housekeeper, an appropriate holiday bonus is equivalent to one
week's pay. Be especially generous to the person who delivers newspapers. Keep in mind that adults, not children, are doing that job now.
Optional tip: There are times when tipping is optional. It doesn't hurt to give a barista some spare change as a tip, but it's not required.
No tip: Not every service requires a tip. House sitters, grocery store baggers, cable installers, sports instructors, and Fed Ex delivery personnel are among the individuals who are exempt from tips. |
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| Wondering How Much Your Home Is Worth? |
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How has the price of your home changed in today's market? How much are other homes in your neighborhood selling for?
If you're wondering what's happening to prices in your area, or you're thinking about selling your house, let us know. We're here to help. |
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| The Rest of the Story - Love Letters Lost (from the 50's) |
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Last month we told you that our son-in-law (Bob Nau of NAU INSPECTIONS) was inspecting an attic in a Mesa home built around 1971 when he found a packet of old  love letters, fragile and yellowed, dating back to 1950-1951. The letters were written by a young Navy Ensign, Roger Wright, to his bride, Eva.
On November 26th, Channel 3 did a news story with Bob (Daughter Jill read part of a letter) regarding the discovery and asking if anyone knew any of the Wright family. Bob (and all of us) so hoped they would be able to track down a relative so the letters could be returned to the Wright family.
One-by-one the pieces of this puzzle began to come together. The letters will be returned on January 3rd when Bob goes down to Tucson to meet a family member who is visiting Arizona for two weeks from outside the USA. What are the odds that this person would be in Arizona at this time? It's amazing!
On January 3rd, we’ll be recording the 9:00 p.m. news on Channel 3 – at this point, we’re expecting it to be edited and shown that day; if not then on the 4th. STAY TUNED. We, of course, will be glued to the TV that night. We’ve been sworn to secrecy on the details so don’t ask because we can’t say a word. We love happy endings.
If you need a very thorough home inspection, Bob can be  reached at 480-226-7915 or bob@nauinspections.com
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Facebook Hackers - BEWARE (It happened to us)
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 For some reason, we seem to be a very popular hacking target by those who have no moral compass. This past week we received numerous calls and emails from friends asking if we’d sent them a MESSAGE or asked again to FRIEND them on FACEBOOK. We had not.
Al posts some real estate announcements (open houses, listings) but very seldom personal things. Apparently, a very clever hacker has contacted our friends/family via FACEBOOK saying that "the government is giving away thousands of dollars" and that Al had received his – which of course, never happened. One friend responded so the hacker sent her an application to fill out to get her "free money," but what he really wanted was personal information. That’s where she stopped and questioned it – fortunately. It didn’t sound like Al; and of course, it wasn’t.
We posted a BEWARE notice on FACEBOOK saying we never use MESSENGER and while we might accept a Friend request, we don’t issue them…for just this reason. And we certainly would not recommend anything such as a free government money offer – government money comes from our tax dollars so that is wrong on so many levels.
As Mom and Dad taught us "If it sounds too good to be true, it is."
Please be careful – never respond to anything where a faceless entity online is asking for your personal information - the same goes for a voice on the phone.
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Old Treasures Bring out Great Memories of a Baseball Great
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Last week my son, Scott, was home from New York for Christmas – he started going through old boxes of childhood treasures when he found the baseball and bat signed by  Rod Carew, First Baseman for the Anaheim Angels (1979-1985). That brought up a plethora of memories for both of us.
When Scott was in elementary school, I was a Realtor in Anaheim Hills, California with a listing on a spec home (new build) on an acre in nearby Peralta Hills. To my surprise and delight, Rod Carew purchased the property. His Realtor asked me if Rod could bring his pool designer over to discuss plans before escrow closed. Of course, I agreed to that - and asked (before I could think) if I could bring my young son with me. Scott was a huge Angels and Rod Carew fan. Rod was so
kind and attentive. He asked Scott to go over to his sports car to get a new baseball out of his glove box. He signed both the ball and a small bat - personalized to Scott. To this day, we fondly remember the kindness of this already famous player. Scott was the happiest kid in the Universe that day - he met his hero, sat in his car and watched him sign his message. What kid wouldn’t be thrilled by such an experience but when you’re only 10 years old, it becomes a day you’ll remember for the rest of your life.
Thanks for the memories Rod! As his Mom, you'll always be my hero too.
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| The Batson Team HomeSmart |
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Jean Batson
602-228-0756 |
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Al Batson
602-680-2791 |
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Home Smart
8388 E. Hartford
Scottsdale, AZ 85255
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| www.alandjeanbatson.com |
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| Al@AlandJeanBatson.com |
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| Jean@AlandJeanBatson.com |
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| We're Your Negotiators: |
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Whether you’re a Buyer or Seller, as Realtors we negotiate with/for you:
- Price
- Close of Escrow Date
- Items that stay with the property
- Items the Seller needs to clean up, if applicable
- Repairs (after an Inspection)
- Contingencies
Ask us for more details when you’re ready to buy or sell.
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| Just reply to this email and we'll send you Buyer or Seller tips.. |
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| Share This Newsletter |
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| Click here to see a web copy of this newsletter |
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| Quick Quiz |
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Each month I'll give you a new question.
Just reply to this email for the answer.
In what year did the Guinness Book of World Records debut? |
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| Connie's Salad with grilled chicken |
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| Since this is the beginning of a new year and we've consumed too many heavy foods and desserts, it's time to change the menu. Either our dryer is shrinking our clothes or...we've put on a pound or two. So it's time to lighten up and make salad for dinner. This is one of our favorites. |
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Salt and pepper to taste |
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2 tomatoes - cut in wedges |
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1 small can Chinese noodles (crispy type)
2-4 Grilled chicken breasts/cut into pieces
DRESSING:
Mix together 1/2 cup oil, 4 TBS Sugar, 4 TBS Vinegar, 2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper and 1/4 cup poppy seeds. Make ahead/shake well. |
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| Directions |
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When ready to serve, assemble the salad ingredients (except Chinese noodles) in a large salad bowl.
Toss with the dressing; then sprinkle the top with the Chinese noodles. |
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| Ask the Agent: This Month's Question |
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As a buyer, how much will an agent charge me to find my dream home?
As a buyer,as your Realtor, we will ask you for details regarding the type of home, price, and location you desire; then partner with you to find your perfect home.
You may fall in love with the first one you see, it may take multiple home visits.
Once you find that dream home, we will work with you to write up an offer, negotiate the sale, and walk you through all the final details of closing.
How much does this detailed service cost you? As a buyer: $0.00.
When sellers list a home, they agree to pay a commission of the sales price. If another agent supplies the buyer, the two real estate companies split that commission. That commission also covers costs such as signage, flyers, photographer and so forth
Therefore, the seller pays for
the Buyer's agent's time and efforts. You simply get to benefit from them...and enjoy your new dream home. |
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| THE ROD CAREW BALL & BAT |
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| (Rod Carew had a career with the Minnesota Twins from 1967-1978 before joining the Angels in 1979 (to 1985). He won Rookie of the Year in 1967; served in the Marine Corp Reserves for six years (1960’s), was honored as a Baseball Hall of Fame member in 1991 (on his first nomination) and in 2016, the American League Batting Champion trophy was renamed "The Rod Carew American League Batting Champion" award. In December of 2016 he had a life saving heart/kidney transplant. NFL star Konrad Reuland (Jets/Ravens) died at age 29 of a brain aneurysm; his family donated his heart to Rod Carew – he’d gone to school with the Carew children so the heart of one sportsman beats inside another today. Today Rod is active in his community, as he always has been…including the American Heart Association and his work for Leukemia (a disease his daughter lost her life to at age
18). |
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