Archive for the ‘Tucson Retirement’ Category

Tucson Active Adult Communities Run the Gamut…

Monday, December 14th, 2015

The Tucson area is home to a multitude of active adult communities which range in price and amenities available.
Some communities require that buyers be age 50 and others age 55. Some communities stipulate that the owner meet the age requirement. This means a child less than 50 or 55 cannot purchase a property for a parent who meets the age restriction.
Other communities have no restriction on who can purchase a property as long as the occupant meets the age requirement. Some developments ask for proof of age, others don’t. When purchasing a property in an active adult community, the Covenants, Codes and Restrictions (CC and R’s) will spell out the requirements.
Price points run the gamut from $60,000 to more than a million dollars. Popular manufactured home active adult communities offer lower cost options and yet have many of the bells and whistles of the more expensive communities. Most have pools and recreation centers and offer the camaraderie of like minded residents.

Active adult communities built by production builders such as Pulte and Robson sport a beginning price point of the high $100’s.   Add ten to twenty percent to the base price for new home construction upgrades. When considering new home construction, use a Realtor®.  Make sure you make your first visit to that community with the Realtor® since he/she can often save you money and guide you in terms of what upgrades you should consider for future resale value.  You want to have representation and not be represented by the builder’s site agent who is working for the builder, not you.

Your Realtor® should check the inventory in the community to make sure you are aware of what is available.  Pre owned homes will probably have landscaping completed as well as window coverings, fans, and other upgrades which make a house a home and will save you money in the long run.  He/she can help you compare and contrast various communities.

Understanding your wants and desires and trying to match communities throughout the Tucson area is the function and job of your Realtor®.  There are many smaller communities within town; condos, townhomes, patio homes, manufactured homes, in addition to single family homes which may meet your requirements.  Not all active adult communities are golf course communities with hundreds or thousands of homes.

Think about what you want in a home, how you want to live your retirement, and tell your Realtor® who can help you translate that into reality.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Condo? Town Home? What’s the Difference?

Tuesday, December 1st, 2015

golfing-620x412The blue skies of Tucson and the inviting warm climate beckon, especially during drizzly, cold and bone chilling December through March weather.  Thoughts drift to a condo or a town-home in warmer and more hospitable climate, where golf can be played year round, hiking and birding are within a few miles of the city, and dining al fresco at one of the many establishments may become more than just a dream.

Tucson, Oro Valley and Green Valley have many condo and town home communities, many of which are limited to active adults with a minimum age limit of 50 or 55.  Condos and town homes are legally and statutorily different animals.

The Arizona State Statutes define condominiums in Title 33 which is the section governing property.  Chapter 9 concerns condominiums and Charter 16 governs town homes.

Condos do not have to be physically contiguous.  Some condo units are free standing, but the legal description is what separates a town home from a condo.  The owner of a condo owns the unit, but anything exterior to the unit is common property and is governed by the rules and regulations of the Association, unless that exterior element services only that unit.

A town home on the other hand, is a unit whereby the owner owns the land in the front and the back of the property and is responsible for that land.  It is not considered common property.  However a town home complex can have common property such as a recreation center, walking trails, or open space, just like a single family home subdivision.

These types of properties are governed by an Association which is comprised of the owners of the units, each having a specified vote according to the declarations of the community.  That Association is controlled by a Board of Directors which is elected by the property owners.

Rules and regulations of the Association must comply with state law, but dues structure, what the Association offers, and the types of maintenance such as roofing, landscaping, building painting, are determined by the Board of Directors and voted on by the members of the Association.

Often an Association will vote to outsource the day to day maintenance and collection of dues to a Management Company.  Many Homeowner Associations (HOA) pay a management company and this also includes single family home subdivisions as well as town home and condo complexes.

The rules and regulations of the Association are in the documents called the CC and R’s, Covenants, Codes and Restrictions.  Purchasers of properties which have CC and R’s should read the restrictions carefully.  Restrictions regarding the length of time children under a specified age can state are the property are important considerations for people in an active adult community who may want their grandchildren to visit, the policy on pets and weight of pets may be of concern, as well as information on how and when the Association can place a lien on property for non-payment of dues.

Your Realtor® should help you decide whether a condo or town home or single family home is best for you, and should guide you through the paperwork and CC and R’s to make sure the property you are purchasing suits your lifestyle and needs.

For help with purchasing a property in the Tucson area which includes Marana, Oro Valley, Tucson, Green Valley, and Sahuarita, contact Terry Bishop Broker Owner of Terry Bishop Realty, 1802 West Grant Road, Tucson Arizona 85745-1232 – cell:  520-349-4785, office:  520-232-3911.  

Tucson Active Adult Community…Is That What You Really Want?

Monday, December 8th, 2014

Tucson’s Active Adult Communities offer a plethora of activities. What activities do you, the active adult buyer, sincerely believe you will participate?
Are you planning on taking advantage of Tucson’s wonderful climate and surrounds? Would you rather snuggle on you patio with a cup of java and a great book? Perhaps you’re an artsy crafty person? Or are you longing to play golf and go out to eat at night? Planning on traveling to all the national parks in the Midwestern and Western states? Or taking classes to get another degree?
Think long and hard about what you want to do in retirement…and think too about your budget. We don’t like to admit it, but money governs much of what we do.
Active adult communities offer planned, structured programs with people from the same community participating. If you are an outdoors person, is it to your advantage and interests to join an “open” hiking club where people from throughout the city belong? What about arts and crafts? Would you consider joining Philabaum’s Glass Art classes in downtown Tucson, or classes at the Tucson Museum of Art, or the Sonora Desert Museum? Or perhaps you are a classic car enthusiast.
I knew a retired gentlemen, a Fortune 500 Executive, who enrolled in the University of Arizona for a degree in fine arts and graduated at the age of 76. He fulfilled a lifelong dream. Think about what you would really like to do in retirement. This is much like making New Year’s Resolutions, I’m going to do x, y, and z. But are you really going to do those things, or are those the things you think you should do in retirement?
The Homeowner’s Fees in retirement communities are expensive. In some communities there is a substantial fee which is paid when you purchase the house and the funds go to the capital reserves. There are monthly fees after that ranging from a nominal fee of $20 a month to more than $400 a month.
You want to consider that for every $5.00 you spend in HOA fees, you could purchase another $1,000 in a home. A $400 fee would get you an additional $80,000 in house. HOA fees do not appreciate like a home, and often they go up with inflation.
The purpose of these exercises I’ve discussed during the past few days is to get you to really think about what you want so that your Realtor® can help you get the most bank for your buck. It is pointless to pay for things you may never use, and there may be other options which suit your needs and wants more than an active adult community.
You are making an entire lifestyle change and you are committing a substantial amount of money to make this change. You will want to make sure you are doing what you really want to do, not what your friends, family, and neighbors think you should do!

http://www.meetup.com/tucsonhiking/
http://www.philabaumglass.com
https://www.tucsonmuseumofart
http://desertmuseum.org/
http://tucsonclassicscarshow.com/links/local-car-clubs

Tucson Real Estate Market Ripe for Purchasing

Monday, November 24th, 2014

After years of downturn, Tucson is beginning to come out of the morass which was the real estate market. 2015 is projected to be a year when the market should appreciate at a normal rate. Most of the foreclosures and short sales will have been sold or auctioned off.

But, we still are influenced by those buyers from other parts of the country who live in judicial foreclosure states. They are about three years behind Arizona and distressed inventory is weighing down their markets.

Potential buyers from those states who are considering a move to Tucson may be hemmed in by lower prices just as we were three years ago and therefore be unable to purchase now.

The average price of a home in Tucson went from $202,342 in December 2013 to $210,454 in October this year.

The median price rose a bit more than 4% from $159,900 to $166,500. Sales statistics are a lagging indicator since they are one month in arrears. The numbers for December 2013 reflect what transpired in November since closing takes approximately 30 days. Seasonal adjustments must also be considered, the normal drop off in sales during the winter holidays when people are celebrating and not thinking about selling their home.

Banks are talking about raising rates and if that happens, buyers may come out of the woodwork to take advantage of their ability to buy more home for the same amount of money. Housing prices have not escalated considerably and the market generally has been quiet.

If you are thinking about purchasing a new home, this is the time. Builders have inventory on hand and especially with spec homes, buyers can take advantage of incentives which include lower interest rates for the loan life. Call me and we can discuss what is out there and where it is located in proximity to your lifestyle. And take advantage of 2014 fiscal year tax deductions.

Tucson Gardening and Weekend Activities…

Saturday, March 19th, 2011

It’s the weekend, I’m trying to keep  Saturdays clear  to do things around the house; the normal – clean, pick up paper mess, put things in order, generally take care of all the mess made during the week.  Sometimes the disorder can be substantial!  And of course run the vacuum around the tiles and then mop the floors.

But it’s springtime and the roll-offs are in the neighborhood which means it’s a grand time to clean out the garage and trot all the junk to the roll-off.  This saves multiple trips to the dump for everyone in the neighborhood and I am eternally grateful that our little enclave orders the roll-offs from the city.

Last weekend the pool was the order of the day.  It is now sparkling, having fished out some of the Arizona Elm leaves which find a home in the bottom of the pool, along with the tiny leaves from the pomegranate bushes.  The birds enjoy a feast for a king when the pomegranates begin to turn from green to red, and then the fruit is full of small holes where seeds have been pecked.  Occasionally I find spots of red bird droppings and smile to myself because I have more than a few plants of various species which came from just that type of planting.

John and Debbie, who own Fiesta Growers and are regulars at the St. Philip’s Plaza Sunday Farmers Market, brought me the seeds I ordered last Sunday.  This weekend I will plant them in pots so I can eat fresh salad for the next few months, at least until it gets so warm I will give up watering. The lettuce mix will provide red leaf and green leaf lettuce, a bit of endive and I will mix that with the peppery arugula which makes a tasty meal or sandwich filling.  The spinach is always dark green and almost sweet, delicious right from the pot and so tender it is a raw treat.

For fun there is French Breakfast Radishes and I confess, they germinate fast and I like to see progress.  Crunchy with a bite, they are delicious just pulled from the pot with the dirt scraped off and eaten in a few bites.  But the bulls blood beets provide beet greens for salads and vegetables and eventually have a bulbous sweet deep red beet.  That’s a two for oner…greens and beets!

Basil grows well in Tucson and I spike my salads with fresh basil for a refreshing change of pace, and I can freeze what is leftover for fresh herbs during the rest of the year.  The cilantro is a Tucson staple for Mexican food as well as Chinese food, and that too along with the parsley is good in salads or as garnishes.

Learning to garden in Arizona is not akin to gardening on the east coast. It takes a few years of practice.  I don’t want the rabbits to eat my fare, nor do I want the javelina to snort around, hence the pots.  It’s a beautiful weekend and I’m going to enjoy the fruits of my labors!

Resources:

Fiesta Growers

http://fiestagrowers.com/

Tucson Winter Visitors … Think About Tucson as a Second Home…

Wednesday, March 16th, 2011

March generally is the last month that Tucson is home to winter visitors.  Easter marks the end of the season, but Easter is late this year in April and April is the time the crocus and daffodils rise from their winter sleep in the northern country.

Those who wintered in Tucson this year, I am sure, were grateful to miss all the snow, the sleet the ice and the difficult winter their stay at home counterparts witnessed.

Home prices now are low as are interest rates and this is an ideal time to think about purchasing a second home.

Many people arrive in November for the holidays, and granted the holidays without snow are different!  But hiking, birding, or just plain walking  in Tucson’s warm air and sunny days with a light jacket is joyous.

Active adult communities abound including golf course communities where the retiree can play a round of golf every day!  There is an abundance of private and public golf courses from which to choose including the world famous Dove Mountain Ritz Carlton course, made famous by Accenture Match Play.

For non golfers, Tucson offers a plethora of things to see and do.  Those people who opt for an active adult community often have planned activities including book clubs, art lessons, pottery lessons, tennis lesson, culinary lessons, exercise classes, poker and billards rooms and on and on.  But you don’t have to opt for an active adult community to be party to all of those things.

Tucson has an excellent library system and book clubs abound.  For more formal instruction, the University of Arizona and Pima Community College offer classes in literature for the general public, not just students.  The Tucson Museum of Art provides art classes as does the Sonora Desert Museum and for people who want to try something new, the Sonoran Glass Art Academy can help you learn to blow glass while you create beautiful items for your home and friends.

The Tucson Park and Recreation Association sponsors pottery classes in different venues in Tucson. You can also learn to salsa dance, play tennis, learn to swim, take up beadwork or any number of hobbies.  Golf lessons are also offered!

The Audubon Society has a year’s worth of activities for birders and the Sonora Desert Museum also provides classes about the natural habitat of the Sonora Desert.  The Tucson Botanical Garden is another popular place to enjoy time and classes as is the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Service where one can learn to become a Master Gardener.

Living in an active adult community provides instant activities, but for those who want to customize what to do during retirement, think about a house anyplace, then pick and choose your activities from all that Tucson and its surrounding area has to offer!

http://www.sonoranglass.org/about/staff.htm

http://cms3.tucsonaz.gov/parksandrec/program-guide

http://www.tucsonaudubon.org/

http://ag.arizona.edu/pima/gardening/

http://www.tucsonbotanical.org/

http://www.golfnow.com/tucson?trk=PPC_GNOW_Google_TUC&cam=golfnow_local_-_tucson&adg=regional&kwd=tucson_golfing&pht=Broad&gclid=CO-aye2106cCFQUDbAodkEAh-g

http://www.tucsonmuseumofart.org/

http://www.desertmuseum.org/

For more information, contact me:  information@terrybishop.com or check my website

http://www.terrybishop.com

Tucson International Airport, A Gem of an Airport!

Wednesday, January 5th, 2011

Tucson is a warm weather destination for thousands of people who want to exchange snow, sleet, ice, and freezing weather for warmer temperatures, sunshine, and the exercise of a round of golf rather than shoveling snow.

With an efficient international airport, Tucson is easy to reach.  Many airlines have direct flights from their hubs, and the airport is within 20 minutes of Tucson proper.   There are also daily flights to points in Mexico.

The Tucson International Airport website (listed below) features daily deals for airlines, a terminal map, information about ground parking, transportation options, a list of arrivals and a list of departures with their “on time” status, as well as information about the artwork which greets visitors as they wander through the airport.

Tucson International is an easy airport to navigate and when walking out the main doors, the warmth of Tucson greets visitors framed by the majestic mountains which surround the city.

It’s easy to get to either I-10 which goes to the center of town, or to I-19 which one takes to get to Sahuarita and Green Valley.

There are plenty of rental car places, both on site at the airport, or off site.  Like most airports, those off site may charge a bit less.  But if you want the best deal, rent a car from a place in the city so you don’t have to pay the airport surcharge which most cities charge…and use the coupon which you get either on line or from The Entertainment Book!

People often think flying into Phoenix is cheaper, but I’ve tried that when flying to the east coast. I took the shuttle to Phoenix which is now $37 one way if booked a day in advance with a 25% discount for the second or third passenger, but still that adds $74 to the price of a ticket for one person round trip.  The ride was more than two hours, as opposed to 20 minutes to the Tucson Airport, and I groggily boarded the shuttle at 4:30 am for a 8:30 am flight.

Checking prices this morning for Southwest;  from Phoenix to Chicago is $109 on a “Wanna Get Away” airfare, and only $10 more from Tucson, at $119.  The “Anytime” flight is $403 from Phoenix and $437 from Tucson; and the “Business Select” is $423 from Phoenix, one way, and $457 from Tucson, still less than a one way shuttle price.

Sky Harbor Airport parking is $7.00 a day if you leave your car there.  Tucson International parking is $4.00 a day if one parks at Park’N Go, and the shuttle buses come every five to seven minutes.  Drivers are polite and always willing to help with luggage.

It is a given there are more direct flights from point to point at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor, but it is worth considering that flying into Tucson may be worth a half hour layover in Denver or Dallas.

If it is a two hour drive to Sky Harbor one way and you don’t want to bog down in Phoenix traffic, then think about flying into Tucson International.  You’ll begin your vacation much more relaxed!

Resources:

Tucson International Airport

http://www.flytucsonairport.com/

A Toast to Toastmasters and Other National Clubs

Tuesday, January 4th, 2011

Traveling to another state gets us out of our routine, but for fellow out of state Toastmasters out there, Arizona has many Toastmasters’ clubs.  Guests are heartily welcomed.   It’s a great way to meet people and get their take on the Grand Canyon state, what they like and what they don’t.

Taking advantage of attending a meeting such as Toastmasters offers the opportunity to chat with people and get the locals’ perspective on the area.  Formulating a list of questions may be a good idea such as:    Where would you buy a property if you were buying today?  Where would you definitely not buy?   How is the traffic to get to xyz place?  Is there anything you think I should be aware of such as new building, roadway expansion, commercial development coming soon?  How is the crime in this area?  What about drugs?

Real estate agents must be careful answering questions such as these so they are not guilty of steering.  But asking locals such questions is perfectly permissible.  Getting the “take” of area from a cross section of the area’s residents, rather than residents who just live in that particular subdivision, may provide a more realistic viewpoint.  People who live in a specific subdivision will paint the picture brightly and  may not talk about any “downside” to the neighborhood.

An agent can refer buyers to websites such as the crime site or sex offenders site, but this may not give the information a buyer desires to make an informed decision.

Taking an hour or two to attend a local Toastmasters meeting, Rotary, Lions Club, or place of worship with the intent of talking with people who live in the area can reap big rewards.  A buyer may find information which the Realtor® does not know.

The added benefit is discovering local haunts, “good hole in the wall restaurants” which can’t afford to advertise in the slick magazines, places to see which may be out of the way, or a local event which is not well advertised.

If you are thinking about a trip to a locale where you are considering purchasing a home, go that extra step, attend a meeting and ask questions!

Tucson Retirement Home…The Choice is Yours…

Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010

There are plenty of active adult community properties for sale in Tucson less than $200,000. This is the time to look at your southwest sunbelt home. Check properties now while you still have the best pickings…before the majority of winter visitors arrive.   Enjoy January through April here in beautiful Tucson while your neighbors shovel snow, dig out their car, and bundle up in winter gear just to go to the store.

The price of property in Tucson is at 2003 levels and interest rates are at a historical low. This equation equals an opportunistic time for people who always coveted a retirement home or second home in the southwest sunbelt to purchase that dream.

Tucson and the surrounding area is home to several active adult communities and homes in these areas have decreased in price.   Prices are down 15 to 25% from three years ago.

In the entire Tucson Multiple Listing Service, 91 properties sold during the past three months (since June 22, 2010) in active adult communities at an average list price of $262,873 and an average sale price of $248,302.

That is an approximate 5.5% discount to list price. The median asking price is $249,000 and the sale price was $230,000 or a 7.6% discount to list. And the low price was $92,800 with the sale price of $92,000 or a .08% discount to list. The high end property which sold during the past three months, had an asking price of $599,000 with a sale price of $569,000 or a 5.0% discount to list.

Currently, as of this morning, there are 460 properties in active adult communities on the market, four of which are more than $1,000,000. The average price of those properties is $297,942 but of this total, 45 properties are $500,000 or above skewing the average prices upwards. The median price is $249,700, the low price is $52,500 and the high price is $2,800,000.

Most people seeking an active adult community will be purchasing property below $500,000 and the 415 properties on the market have an average price of $251,827, with a median price of $239,000, a low price of $52,500, and the high price of $499,900. These are asking prices.

Using the discount to list price during the past three months of 5.5%, one may be able to purchase an average active adult community property for about $237,000 if we use the entire domain of properties to $500,000.

To use an old cliché, “the early bird catches the worm”. For more information about Tucson active adult communities, contact me, terry@terrybishop.com for more information and a relocation package.