My life as a realtor

I am grateful for my great clients who make the ones that don't turn out worth it. Wanna know what the life a realtor is like? Exactly like below. Hilarious. Merry Christmas!

Our local economy--still growing

Industrial park could create economic opportunities
By Diane Saunders
Staff Writer
http://www.eacourier.com/articles/2008/12/14/news/doc4942ff1015759541787907.prt A proposed light-industrial park on Safford’s east side will allow the city to market itself across the United States and will create opportunities for local companies to expand, Safford Community and Economic Development Director Pete Stasiak said.

In a Dec. 5 interview with the Courier, Stasiak said the proposed industrial park will be built by Langlely Holdings on 95 acres of land.
“Langley has been a tremendous partner with the city on these projects,” Stasiak said. “They listen to our needs and work with us.”

He added that city officials have been focusing on the future for two years.

While focusing on the future could reap economic development rewards for the city, the community is also looking at the impact of a state and national economic downturn.

In 2007, the city issued building permits for 208 new homes and commercial development for a total value of $37 million.
In comparison, only 37 permits for new homes and commercial development were issued in 2008. The total value was about $15 million, Stasiak said.

Even with the reduction in the number of permits, Stasiak remains optimistic.

“Five years ago, the city issued one building permit, so the city is still growing,” Stasiak said, adding that the city is “way ahead” in the number of jobs when compared to three years ago.

Several residential subdivisions have been placed on hold until there is a need for more housing, and construction of the 64-unit Casa Dorado apartments is delayed until financing is worked out, Stasiak said.

He also discussed commercial development in Safford. Those developments and their status follow:

• Vining Mortuary on 20th Avenue south of 18th Street: A building permit has been issued, and construction is expected to begin soon.

• Holiday Inn Express and Motel 6 on Highway 70: The city is awaiting further information from the developer.

• Hampton Inn on Highway 70 at Fifth Street: City officials recently received plans for the building.

• Copper Steer Steak House on Highway 70: Located on the east side of Safford, this restaurant is scheduled to open in January.

• NAPA Auto Center on Highway 70: expected to open in January.

According to Stasiak, commercial diversification helps keep the local economy healthy; however, he did not play down the importance of mining.

“Freeport is an absolute blessing to this Valley,” Stasiak said.

Sheldon Miller, director of the Graham County Chamber of Commerce, said he also sees the economy as healthy.

“We have a very solid economy here, and the mine pushed it to another level,” Miller said.

He added that the chamber is planning an economic workshop for business owners in February. The date and time will be announced later.

What to do about High property taxes

Thanks to Genavee for this info.

Is Your Property Tax Bill Too High?
Income tax, sales tax, estate tax, excise tax, alternative minimum tax...and just when you thought you'd paid them all...along comes your property tax bill as a homeowner. But did you know that the National Taxpayers Union estimates that as many as 60% of homes are assessed for too high of a value, resulting in an incorrectly larger property tax bill? Chances are good you might be in that group of people paying too much, so taking the time to review your property tax bill could save you a nice chunk of change.
The good news is that it's easy.
First, contact your local tax assessor's office and ask for someone in the reassessment area. Find out when appeals are heard, and how the process for submitting a property tax appeal works. Additionally, ask for a copy of your property card. Review the card and confirm that the basic information about your property is correct. For example, is the square footage and number of rooms for your home accurate? If the number is incorrect, the county may change the assessment without a formal appeal. If everything on the property card is correct but the assessed value still seems too high, your next step is to gather the following documentation to support an appeal. And don't be surprised if the assessed value is lower than what you think the market value for your home is--many counties use a formula which uses a percentage of market value to determine assessed value. Ask what the formula is, because an assessment which is less than market value still might be too high.
If you have a current appraisal that supports the value being lower using recent market-value information, many counties will accept a copy of the appraisal with the appeal. If the appraisal is outdated, you can order a new one--just call me for a referral to a great appraiser. You can also visit the local assessor's office or search online, and look through the public records for other homes that have similar features to yours, but have lower assessments. Additionally, contact me to get in touch with a great Realtor who knows your area. They will be able to give you current market information for your neighborhood, and help you see how your market value and assessed value stacks up against your neighbors'.
Submitting an appeal is generally a fairly simple process, but make sure to take the time to fill out all forms in advance and be prepared with your documentation if there is an in-person hearing that needs to take place.
More good news - according to the National Taxpayers Union, about 33% of property tax appeals succeed! Taking the time to review the accuracy of a tax bill could easily save you hundreds of dollars per year, adding up to thousands of dollars during the time you own your home.