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Michael Wainwright Mike Wainwright Elaine Wainwright Adam Wainwright Erin Wainwright The Wainwright Group US Preferred Realty Phone : (480) 467-4644 or 480-467-4644 or 480 467 4644 Fax : (480) 626-5567 or 480-626-5567 or 480 626 5567 E Mail or E-Mail EMail or e mail or e-mail or email : home@choosew.com or home@wainwrightpllc.com

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Your Neighborhood Newsletter - April-May 2009		View PDF
	For Our Community - Developing our Local Economy Do you own your own business or work for a locally owned business? Would you like to help the local economy, while getting a boost for your own company or the company you work for? We want to help! We have noticed that a great many people in the neighborhood own businesses, and we want to help to promote them. If you live here, have a business here or work for a local business we want to promote your business. If you live here and have a business in Tempe, or Chandler etc� or you live nearby and your business is in our area, we want to promote your business. If your business is a bit farther out, we want to help promote your business too. We can help, read on! A localized economy is centered where you live. It is as if you are the center of a bull�s-eye, with increasingly larger circles drawn around you. Let�s say that you need your car maintained, and there are repair shops in the second circle from you, the third, fourth, fifth, and so on. In theory, spending money at the closest shop will result in more of that money being spent at businesses nearby; including your business. Here�s a simplistic version of the typical flow of money in a localized economy using the car shop example and the bull�s-eye scenario: Mr. Z needs to take his car in to get fixed and goes to local website www.ChooseW.com to find a shop nearby. He finds a repair shop that is an independent shop owned by a neighbor that lives down the street from Mr. Z. He decides to get his car repaired there and likes it! A month later, the repair shop owner needs a plumber and goes to the same local website www.ChooseW.com and finds that Mr. Z is a plumber and decides to hire him to fix the plumbing issue. The local website that Mr. Z and the repair shop owner visited in this example is our contribution to help promote business and localize the economy and IT IS FREE! Get your business on the network and help boost our local economy! Here�s how to get your business added to this growing network: go to www.ChooseW.com and click on the tab at the top that is named �Business Network�, or hover over the side tab of the same name and then click the box that comes up in the picture. The next screen will have a bar near the top marked �Filter local business by:� this is the area to find local businesses. Just below is another bar that says �click here to add, edit�� This is where you can go to add your business to the network. You will have a password to prevent unauthorized editing of your contact info. There is a CAPTCHA (an image with distorted numbers and letters that prevents automated registry) on this page. If you are having trouble reading the CAPTCHA click on it to get a different image till you can read it and type it in. Fill out the form and submit. This network is on YOUR honor. We cannot and will not stand in judgment of these businesses, their conduct, or that of their customers. It is simply a locator for the convenience of the companies and the potential customers there that wish to build a local economy. Use all of the judgment necessary anytime you need to choose goods and services.
	Your Home - Spring Gardening If Spring weather in the greater Phoenix area didn�t spark the gardener in you�what is going to? What better way to spend a weekend day than puttering in the garden enjoying this beautiful weather! April is still a great month to plant just about anything you want that grows in our arid desert climate. Mow your lawn short and watch it grow. Your lawn will be fairly green again, just by removing winter�s dormant vegetation. As a child I was taught the saying�April showers bring May flowers�which always baffled me since as an Arizona native; April showers come few and far between in the arid desert. Closer to the truth would be fall and winter showers bring March, April, and May flowers and if you�re lucky even June flowers that have not been cooked by the blazing sun. There still is plenty of time to plant annuals for late spring and summer color. Plant annuals that you desire to bloom this summer. Some excellent specimens for summer color are periwinkles, marigolds, zinnias, lantana, cosmos, portulaca, and begonias. Want to attract butterflies to the Garden? Plant lots of herbs: parsley, sage and lavender are great choices. Zinnias and Day lilies are also excellent - day lilies are very tolerant of pool water, so they are perfect as a filler and flowering plant around the pool. Rose bushes can still be planted through April as well as any number of bushes and trees. Citrus trees are now setting fruit and new growth�don�t miss all that fabulous citrus bloom perfume next Spring�plant a citrus tree now. April is also the month to prune and ready for rapid early summer growth. For better light and thicker growth, prune the hedges. Narrow the top and widen the bottom so that your hedges will leaf at the bottom. So often you will note that most hedges have leaves at the upper one-third of the hedge. With wider tops, the sun cannot penetrate, thereby creating a very leggy hedge. Wait to prune after blooming. Attempt to keep a natural shape to your bushes, unless your intent is to create a formal hedge that creates a wall or fence. As we approach our summer heat, start giving all your gardens adequate deep watering. Deep watering will be required to keep your plants alive because it washes away the salt that our soil holds; the salt can burn the root system of the plant. Deep watering also allows for longer periods between watering, thereby conserving water. If you utilize a drip system on your bushes and trees, now is the time to give them a long drink once a week. Set the system to run several hours once a week in lieu of short spurts daily. Long drinks encourage plant health and root development. So get outside and enjoy this perfect weather�summer is not far away!

Your Neighborhood Newsletter - March 2009		View PDF
	For Our Community - Why develop a Local Economy? When Ford Motor Co. was in its infancy, old Henry Ford was criticized for overpaying his employees. He pointed out that his employees were buying his cars! So, now, he was selling more cars. His employees had reliable transportation and a paycheck that allowed them to buy other goods and services from the local merchants in their town. The local merchants now had booming business allowing them buy goods and services including cars and the ability to grow their business. Everybody won - he boosted his local economy! Last month, we asked the question, �What just happened?� We found as we asked this question, that there are many perspectives, and probable causes of this economic environment in the U.S. and abroad. We also talked about how we will be exploring some of these perspectives and causes and how they relate to our local economy and local real estate in a series of articles in this and upcoming newsletters. As this series continues, we are looking at solutions that may help our local economy and local real estate area. Why localize your economy? If you are a reasonably good person, it is also reasonable to assume that people who know you best � your family, friends, and neighbors - would care the most about your well being. With you being in the center of a small circle, concern for you by loved ones and friends is at its highest. As distance from the center of this circle increases, you will experience diminishing levels of concern by others. This occurs in government, business, etc. A community bank, for example, may not know you personally. However, the tellers may recognize you when you come in from time to time and they might even know a couple of tidbits about you. A bank based in Zurich, New York, or London more than likely does not know you as anything more than an account number. So guess which one has the greatest interest in you, your job, your business, your community, etc.? That�s right, your local community bank. At the very least, a local business�s own health is totally connected to the health of its community and the residents thereof. Any profits that local businesses make are more likely to be spent in your area. As the money re-circulates, it supports the local businesses and the folks who own and work at them. Banks are the chosen example here because they are at the heart of our current economic difficulties. Most especially this applies to the huge international banks that the economy (and bail out money) is orbiting around. On the other hand, many of the local banks were more prudent with their choices and avoided the toxic investments that created this current economic situation. So, one solution to helping our local economy would be supporting local businesses that boost our economy. I know you will compare quality, competence, and price among other criteria yet there is a very important point to consider -which companies hire the most local citizens? At first look, services are all local. Not so! You can hire companies on the internet for data entry, web development, and many other services. So in those cases, most of your dollars are going out of the local community�s economy. Something to think about is patronizing local merchants who employ locally. Their prices may be slightly higher, but remember that money is likely to come back to you instead of being used to build new stores elsewhere outside of your locale. Next month we will continue our series and add another piece to the solution puzzle that may help our local economy and real estate.
	Your Home - March Gardening The summer lawn mowing season is just around the corner! This is the time to tune up your mower and get it prepared for the spring and summer mowing season: Change the oil in the mower, sharpen the blades and replace any parts that are malfunctioning. Maintenance on your mower will prolong the service life. When finishing the sharpening of the mower blade, perform this test to confirm the blade is in balance: Hang the blade by placing a nail through the center hole (drive the nail through vertical piece of wood first). Orient the blade horizontally if one side of the blade drops, the blade is out of balance. Use a file to remove a small amount of metal off the end of the blade that was dropping. Retest on the nail. If the blade is level, rotate 180 degrees and retest. If blade remains horizontal - you�re finished and ready to reinstall. Otherwise remove more metal from the heavy end. This will prolong the life of your mower engine and will lessen that annoying buzzing in the hands that can occur during mowing. Any other lawn and garden tools that are showing wear and tear should be repaired and cleaned up. Have the blades on pruning shears sharpened so you don�t damage plants as you prune. Does your sprinkler system have a few misdirected heads spraying the sidewalk instead of the lawn? Then is time to do a little maintenance. Replace any broken heads. If you have an automatic sprinkling system, review the water schedules and adjust to water more or less time based on the amount of water recommended by the professionals. Now is the time to prepare for spring vegetables! As soon as temperatures hit 70 degrees every day it will be time to plant your veggie seeds. Before planting, add about 4 inches of organic matter (manure, peat moss, compost, etc.) and then dig down about a foot and turn to amend your garden soil, then water it to settle. You will want to water again if it will be more than three or four days till you plant your seeds. Follow the instructions on the seed packets. In our area we aren�t limited too much on what we can grow in the spring. Popular choices include green and white onions, radishes, tomatoes, corn, peppers, egg plant, water melon, cantaloupe, turnips, lettuce, cabbage, and many more! You will have to keep the soil moist everyday till the seeds germinate and as the plants establish themselves water deeply and less often. You can judge this by sticking your finger into the soil to see if it feels cool. If it�s warm and dry it�s time to water. Do you have limited space outdoors? You can grow quite a few plants in pots on your patio or even inside if you get the pots that have a big dish underneath to keep water from carrying soil to your floor. In this case try not to water too deeply! Popular choices are tomatoes, peppers, and oregano, thyme, chives, lemon grass, rosemary, etc. You will have to grow near a window and watch soil moisture closely as the small planters have very small reserves. The good news is that the herbs you cut and add to your cooking are as fresh as possible and will convey a more layered flavor to your cooking than any dried herb that�s been kicking around in a jar for a couple of years. For tomatoes growing in these conditions, try the sweet 100�s. Have a green spring!

Your Neighborhood Newsletter - February 2009		View PDF
	Main Letter - What Just Happened Have you ever witnessed an unexpected event, or one with an unexpected outcome? Did someone, maybe yourself say; �What just happened?� Right away, other witnesses begin to reconstruct the event and its causes from their own perspective. Sometimes they are nearly in agreement, and other times, not so much! When we look at our current economic situation and ask , �what just happened?� We find as we ask this question, that there are many perspectives, and probable causes of this economic environment in the U.S. and abroad. We will be exploring some of these perspectives and causes and how they relate to our local economy and local real estate in a series of articles in this and upcoming newsletters. As this series continues, we will look at solutions that may help our local economy and local real estate area. Many feel that the sky high price of fuel in 2008 can be blamed at least, in part, for the severity of the economic crash in the autumn of 2008. Obviously, the deregulation of banks in the 1990�s cannot be ignored; these are the regulations put in place in 1930 because of the Great Depression. Of course there were also the new regulations forcing lenders to accept bad risks. Jobs moving out of this country certainly must be noted. A gathering of people could probably create a sizable list of causes - and they might all be valid. Regarding fuel prices, a view point that you may find interesting comes from a retired journalist who spent many years covering the business of energy for publications such as Forbes, Business Week, McGraw-Hill Platts Oil Gram, and others. James Norman was credited with having exposed Enron�s improprieties prior to government investigations. He wrote a book after his retirement called �The Oil Card� (theoilcard.com). The book was completed before the price of oil dropped late in 2008. In his book he discussed the conditions that would be present for the price to come down. In this way, he did predict current pricing. Mr. Norman builds the case in his book that the wild oil price swings were not due simply to supply and demand, as supply and demand were relatively stable in comparison to the price of a barrel of oil at any given time. According to Mr. Norman, economic warfare has been waged on an often invisible battlefield between powerful countries, since long before any of our politicians were even born. Oil has been one of the weapons for a century or longer on economic as well as physical battlefields. He is an expert in the business of energy, and so can only speculate that other commodities may be used in this way as well. If he is right, what other weapons might come into play? Credit? Manufactured goods? Looking only at oil, we know that rising fuel prices caused many Americans to stop purchasing other goods, and all too often left them unable to pay debts. This caused credit card companies to charge higher interest due to the new lower credit scores, thus increasing minimum payments at a time when mortgage ARMs were readjusting to higher payments. A perfect storm if ever there was one! Whether Mr. Norman is right, or other views of government manipulation are correct, the bottom line may be that our personal economies are up to us. Unless we can reliably predict what world governments and giant corporations will do next, we need to play on a different field than they play on; or expect to be run over periodically. As this series continues, we will look at solutions that may help our local economy and real estate for we the people.
	Your Home - February Gardening Already we have had enough of the cooler weather-can you tell we are natives? Soon we will be a basking in the 100 degree weather�yeah�bring it on! Early Winter is actually an extremely busy gardening months in our area. It�s time to prune everything from trees to rosebushes. Remove any dead branches from your shade trees prior to them leafing out. Trim the flowering trees as well, yet do not cut any branch larger that a pencil in diameter if you want it to flower this spring. Rose bushes can be pruned to remove all those hat racks. Prune back to main canes. See your local nursery for instruction if you are not sure how to prune appropriately. February is also an excellent time to add to your rose gardens and shade requirements. Many nurseries will be selling bare root bushes and shade/ornamental trees at excellent prices. Mesa Community College offers free rose pruning clinics from 9 a.m.-noon every Saturday now through February 28th at the Mesa Community College Rose Garden, 1833 W. Southern Ave. Mesa-East Valley Rose Society experts will show pruning techniques and need volunteers to help with the garden's 7,000 rose plants. Coffee and doughnuts are provided. Contact Carol Poe, Volunteer Coordinator. Call (480) 895-7793 or e-mail: CAROLJPOE@msn.com It still is not too late to plant your spring garden. All the annuals, i.e. petunias, stock, snapdragons, pansies, etc. will still have plenty of time to get established and put on the show of a lifetime this spring. It is still o.k. to plant cool weather veggies such as lettuces, cabbages, kale, etc. These veggies are really attractive and colorful�plus what�s better than an instant salad right outside the kitchen door. Pests start to show up now, especially Aphids�.that�s because rose bushes start to bud and shoot out all those tasty tender leaves that Aphids love. Want to control the garden pests without spraying? Add �ums� to your gardens, i.e. geraniums, chrysanthemums, nasturtiums, alyssum. Garlic, chives, onions or any allium is great to plant with rosebushes as they repel bugs that love to eat plants and attract beneficial insects to the garden area. If you are looking to spray but want to use a natural insecticide, Neem Oil is fantastic! It is non toxic to animals and will not pollute your yard in any way. It will not kill beneficial insects like ladybugs or honeybees yet it repels all of the ones you don�t want in your garden. Make sure that you dilute it at about 1 teaspoon of pure Neem oil to one quart of water, or 4 teaspoons per gallon of water. Have citrus trees? It is time to start harvesting the fruit as it ripens so that in March/April citrus trees can bloom and produce fruit for next year. Now is also a great time to add to your fruit bearing tree orchard. Certain varieties of peach, apricot, and plum trees as well as most types of citrus grow well in the Valley of the Sun. Check with your favorite nursery for direction on the variety that will work best in your garden/orchard. Get out and enjoy this weather! This is perfect weather to garden and enjoy a sunny day!

Your Neighborhood Newsletter - December 2008		View PDF
	For Our Community - We wish to take this opportunity to thank YOU! Thank you all for the tremendous support and generous giving to the United Food Bank this year. Our neighborhood contributed 1,400 items filling 10 food bank boxes toward this much needed community outreach service. The United Food Bank was overwhelmed and so grateful because contributions are extremely low this year. The need for food continues to be needed so we�re doing this again next year. Our goal for 2009 is to outdo this year�s contributions! Thank you again, The Wainwrights

The Az Land Rush - Issue 11 Volume 5		View PDF
	Main Letter - Late Payment, Reinstatement, Deed In Lieu, Short Sale, or Foreclosure What can be done? What should be done? Believe it or not, banks do not want to own any more houses right now. Consider this a quick overview that will clarify these processes a little better. Let�s begin with the best case scenario and work down from there. Late Payment: A debtor is certain they cannot make the next payment before the grace period expires. The best way to begin is by calling the 800 phone number on the statement and stay at it until getting a human in the Loss Mitigation Department. Explain the problem, the reason for paying late, and many times the bank may give more latitude when alerted prior to being delinquent and may be able to help �work out� the problem. This is done at the bank�s discretion and may or may not be reported to the credit bureau. Reinstatement: A debtor has been notified that their home is in process of a Trustee Sale. Generally, the debtor has 90 days from recorded notification to reinstate the loan. In order to reinstate, it will be required to pay all back payments, interest expense, legal fees, etc. to bring the loan back into compliance. This will be reflected on a credit report as late payments and will lower credit rating. If the loan is not reinstated, it will reflect as a Trustee Sale (foreclosure) and usually makes it impossible to purchase property with borrowed funds for about 5-7 years. Short Sale: The property is sold and the lender/investor accepts less money for repayment of the loan than what is due on the note. Though the debtor and the potential buyer can agree upon a purchase (sale) price, the lender/investor that holds the note on the property has the last word on the acceptable sales price. When other Deeds of Trust are affixed to property; all lenders/investors must agree to settlement; even if the other Deed of Trust holders are in a subordinate position (e.g. 2nd mortgage, line of credit, etc.). The potential scenarios for short sale are almost endless and every situation is different. Short Sales will lower credit rating and the length of time it affects credit rating is generally less than a Trustee Sale (foreclosure). If you know someone considering a short sale of their property; have them give us a call and we can help them understand how it may affect their situation so they may make an educated and informed decision. Deed in Lieu: The property is returned to the mortgage company and the property is deeded to the lender/investor in lieu of going through the Trustee Sale (foreclosure) process. Some lenders/investors allow this process, but not all do. This process is usually considered earlier in the Trustee Sale period rather than later. If a debtor is just days or a few weeks from the Trustee Sale, the lender/investor typically rejects the offer to return the property and allows the property to proceed to the sale. Credit rating is negatively affected by this process slightly less than the Trustee Sale. Trustee Sale (commonly referred to as Foreclosure): Arizona is a state where all property that is financed is secured with a Deed of Trust; not mortgaged. When payments are no longer being made on the property as agreed upon with the lender/investor, they have the right to force a Trustee Sale. However, there are laws, rules and regulations in which they must follow in order to do a Trustee Sale. The most notable is the Borrower�s right to reinstate the loan all the way up to the date of the sale. A Trustee Sale affects credit rating negatively at the highest degree and makes it difficult in the future to purchase property with financing, as well as all financial dealings in the future for about 5-7 years. To sum it up, first call the bank (the sooner the better) and attempt to workout a new/late payment arrangement. If that is not possible and your property value is less than the debt owed to the bank, then Short Sale the property if the lender/investor allows it. If that is unacceptable to the lender, attempt a Deed in Lieu. Always try to work out an agreement with the lender first, since it is the most advantageous to you. Keep calling and don�t take �no� for an answer; continue to request consideration every day until someone within the department is at least willing to listen. Persistence has a good chance of helping achieve the goal.
	Recipe - Betty�s Cranberry Relish 1 pkg cranberries�frozen�not fresh 1 orange�sliced with peel still on 1 apple�sliced, seeds removed with skin on 1 cup sugar Put frozen cranberries, apple and orange into processor and pulse in three second bursts until chopped up. Pour mixture into mixing bowl, stir in sugar and let sit covered in the refrigerator overnight. Enjoy the next day!
	Your Home - November is the time to plant for a spring show of flowers There are specific things to be done in the garden during November and it is recommend to do them early. The Holidays are coming fast and we all run out of time and have extremely hectic schedules during the fall. November is the month to plant your spring flowers, and trim and prune your trees prior to leaves falling. It�s also a great time to plant any trees and shrubs you have wanted to add to your yard. This allows the new plant to become established before next year�s summer heat. Desire wild flowers in your garden this spring? November is the time to sow those seeds! Desert Botanical Garden has great wildflower seeds, perfect for our desert climate�not to mention great deals on Cacti! Plan a sunset stroll soon and enjoy a nice autumn evening at the garden. Open from 8am�8pm daily.

Your Neighborhood Newsletter - November 2008		View PDF
	For Our Community - Giving is easy this year! Give thanks by giving back and feeding the hungry November is a month for giving thanks for all we have and sharing that gratitude with our loved ones and friends. In the spirit of that thanksgiving we, The Wainwright Group, are donating our time and resources to help feed the hungry and we need your help! We are teaming up with United Food Bank and collecting food in time for the Holiday Season at the date and time listed below in your neighborhood. They are in constant need of the following items: Oatmeal Enriched Pasta Canned Chicken & Tuna Beef Stew & Chili Con Carne Refried Beans Kidney & Pinto Beans Nuts Peanut Butter�no glass jars Black-eyed Peas Apricots & peaches Tomatoes Prunes Peas & Asparagus Other items needed: Cereal: Cheerios, raisin bran, oatmeal packets Canned Vegetables: spinach, peas, sweet potatoes, carrots Rice & Pastas: brown rice, egg noodles, whole wheat pasta Canned Tomato Products: including juice & sauces�no glass jars Milk: canned or dried

The Az Land Rush - Issue 10 Volume 5		View PDF
	Main Letter - Property Taxes: Could you be paying too much? Maybe you bought your home in 2000, or possibly it was 2005, or perhaps in 2008. How are you being taxed for your property? If you bought a bank owned property in 2008, or in fact, a short sale or any type of distressed property, you may be getting taxed at a valuation above what you paid for your home! What if you have owned the property for a while, but your tax valuation is above what you can sell it for right now? Let�s begin with the last question first, with a few exceptions (we�ll get to the exceptions in a bit) there is little that you have to do. The system works this way for you: in 2009 your tax value is based on averages of sold prices in your area from the years of 2006, 2007, and 2008. Taxes for 2008 were based on sales of 2005, 2006, and 2007. Because of high sale prices from 2005 being added to the mix, taxes were/are high relative to current sale prices. In 2005, taxation was low relative to the price homes were selling for. Just for fun, let�s say prices increase by 10% by the end of 2009, and continue to do so for the next two decades. Wow, that was fun! Your taxes could be dropping while your home value increases; at least for a while. Eventually, the taxes would swing upwards while staying behind the market value curve, that is, until the market value drops long enough for the tax valuation overtake the curve; as has happened recently. The reason the system works likes this is so the assessors office doesn�t have to keep fighting with everyone over the taxable value (this saves money for the state and county, and ultimately all of us that pay them that money). Exceptions to the system would be people that qualify with the following situations/conditions: Widows/widowers, people with disabilities (mental, emotional, or physical), persons over 65 years of age, or people below 65 receiving public monies under title 16 of the social securities act. Another exception of course is someone that has purchased a home this year at a price below tax valuation. Depending on your particular situation, you may be able to receive an exemption, or a refund or both! In the case of a recent purchase, the assessor�s value may be altered accordingly. There are several variations of how to proceed. A good way is to hire a competent attorney. If you would like to do it your self, you can get the proper forms, fill them out, and file them with the proper agency(s). There are time limits, and you can�t go retroactive in most cases. Obtaining the proper forms is fairly easy, and we have looked over the forms and they seem reasonable for the required effort. The agencies will not advise you how to fill in the spaces on the forms in anyway; and neither may we. That process is legally and legitimately, the area of attorneys. As a service to this community, we will be happy to direct you to the proper agency that fits your situation to save you time and frustration.
	Recipe - Elaine's Mulligan Stew 1 lb stew beef 3 potatoes cut into 1 inch chunks 1 onion sliced into 1 inch chunks Salt and pepper to taste 1 can condensed tomato soup 1 can water 3 carrots peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks This is a recipe I have had since the third grade. That is why it�s so simple, yet it is a perfect comfort food for the fall season. Brown meat, then stir in soup and water and add salt and pepper. Cover tightly and cook 1 � hrs or until meat is tender. Add carrots, potatoes, and onion. Cook until vegetables are tender - then enjoy!
	Your Home - Does your home have curb repel? Watching the DIY network the other day, an advertisement came on for one of their programs asking: �Does your house has curb repel?� An obvious play on the Realtors�� oft used phrase �curb appeal�. Seeing the examples, it was easy to nod and giggle at the curb repel they were showing. It isn�t as funny when we assess our own properties. In fact, it can seem overwhelming to consider all of the work and expense necessary to get back to curb appeal. However, getting there is good for your soul, even if you don�t plan to sell. Now that the weather is going to be getting cooler, it is a good time to use your most important tools: your power of observation and a yellow legal pad (ok it doesn�t have to be yellow). Drive by your home slowly a couple of times from both directions and pretend it isn�t your house. Then park across the street, and walk to the front door. As a stranger, are the views, sounds, smells, textures welcoming? Write down what you observe. Walk the perimeter, and into each sub-area (garden, kitchen, front room, back porch, garage, etc...) and keep noting what you perceive. You may have pages dedicated to each sub-area. Now, prioritize the jobs in each sub-area, with number one being the first item to finish. To make this easy, use a highlighter on anything that you cannot afford to do right now. Then highlight anything that will take a lot of time to complete. Take what is left in each sub-area, and ask yourself, �if I can only do one of these today, which one would it be?� That is number one. Now look at the remaining items and ask the same question till that sub-area is prioritized. Do the same with all the remaining sub areas. Now ask, �which sub-area would I work on if I could only do one?� Continue as before till the sub-areas are prioritized. You now know where to start. Get going, and as much as possible, stick to one item until it is done. The object is to finish projects faster than new ones are added to your list. We can�t wait to see your beautiful result!

Your Neighborhood Newsletter - October 2008		View PDF
	Main Letter - Late Payment, Reinstatement, Deed in Lieu, Short Sale, or Foreclosure...How do these affect your credit rating? What can be done? What should be done? Believe it or not, banks do not want to own any more houses right now. Consider this a quick overview that will clarify these processes a little better. Let�s begin with the best case scenario and work down from there. Late Payment: A debtor is certain they cannot make the next payment before the grace period expires. The best way to begin is by calling the 800 phone number on the statement and stay at it until getting a human in the Loss Mitigation Department. Explain the problem, the reason for paying late, and many times the bank may give more latitude when alerted prior to being delinquent and may be able to help �work out� the problem. This is done at the bank�s discretion and may or may not be reported to the credit bureau. Reinstatement: A debtor has been notified that their home is in process of a Trustee Sale. Generally, the debtor has 90 days from recorded notification to reinstate the loan. In order to reinstate, it will be required to pay all back payments, interest expense, legal fees, etc. to bring the loan back into compliance. This will be reflected on a credit report as late payments and will lower credit rating. If the loan is not reinstated, it will reflect as a Trustee Sale (foreclosure) and usually makes it impossible to purchase property with borrowed funds for about 5-7 years. Short Sale: The property is sold and the lender/investor accepts less money for repayment of the loan than what is due on the note. Though the debtor and the potential buyer can agree upon a purchase (sale) price, the lender/investor that holds the note on the property has the last word on the acceptable sales price. When other Deeds of Trust are affixed to property; all lenders/investors must agree to settlement; even if the other Deed of Trust holders are in a subordinate position (e.g. 2nd mortgage, line of credit, etc.). The potential scenarios for short sale are almost endless and every situation is different. Short Sales will lower credit rating and the length of time it affects credit rating is generally less than a Trustee Sale (foreclosure). If you know someone considering a short sale of their property; have them give us a call and we can help them understand how it may affect their situation so they may make an educated and informed decision. Deed in Lieu: The property is returned to the mortgage company and the property is deeded to the lender/investor in lieu of going through the Trustee Sale (foreclosure) process. Some lenders/investors allow this process, but not all do. This process is usually considered earlier in the Trustee Sale period rather than later. If a debtor is just days or a few weeks from the Trustee Sale, the lender/investor typically rejects the offer to return the property and allows the property to proceed to the sale. Credit rating is negatively affected by this process slightly less than the Trustee Sale. Trustee Sale (commonly referred to as Foreclosure): Arizona is a state where all property that is financed is secured with a Deed of Trust; not mortgaged. When payments are no longer being made on the property as agreed upon with the lender/investor, they have the right to force a Trustee Sale. However, there are laws, rules and regulations in which they must follow in order to do a Trustee Sale. The most notable is the Borrower�s right to reinstate the loan all the way up to the date of the sale. A Trustee Sale affects credit rating negatively at the highest degree and makes it difficult in the future to purchase property with financing, as well as all financial dealings in the future for about 5-7 years. To sum it up, first call the bank (the sooner the better) and attempt to workout a new/late payment arrangement. If that is not possible and your property value is less than the debt owed to the bank, then Short Sale the property if the lender/investor allows it. If that is unacceptable to the lender, attempt a Deed in Lieu. Always try to work out an agreement with the lender first, since it is the most advantageous to you. Keep calling and don�t take �no� for an answer; continue to request consideration every day until someone within the department is at least willing to listen. Persistence has a good chance of helping achieve the goal.
	Your Home's Value - Add Value to YOUR Home Watching the DIY network the other day, an advertisement came on for one of their programs asking: �Does your house have curb repel?� Curb repel, an obvious play on the Realtors�� oft used phrase �curb appeal�. Seeing the examples, it was easy to nod and giggle at the curb repel they were showing. It isn�t as funny when we assess our own properties. In fact, it can seem overwhelming to consider all of the work and expense necessary to get back to curb appeal. However, getting there is good for your soul, even if you don�t plan to sell. Now that the weather is going to be getting cooler, it is a good time to use your most important tools: your power of observation and a yellow legal pad (ok it doesn�t have to be yellow). Drive by your home slowly a couple of times from both directions and pretend it isn�t your house. Then park across the street, and walk to the front door. As a stranger, are the views, sounds, smells, textures welcoming? Write down what you observe. Walk the perimeter, and into each sub-area (garden, kitchen, front room, back porch, garage, etc...) and keep noting what you perceive. You may have pages dedicated to each sub-area. Now, prioritize the jobs in each sub-area, with number one being the first item to finish. To make this easy, use a highlighter on anything that you cannot afford to do right now. Then highlight anything that will take a lot of time to complete. Take what is left in each sub-area, and ask yourself, �if I can only do one of these today, which one would it be?� That is number one. Now look at the remaining items and ask the same question till that sub-area is prioritized. Do the same with all the remaining sub areas. Now ask, �which sub-area would I work on if I could only do one?� Continue as before till the sub-areas are prioritized. You now know where to start. Get going, and as much as possible, stick to one item until it is done. The object is to finish projects faster than new ones are added to your list. We can�t wait to see your beautiful result!

The Az Land Rush - Issue 9 Volume 5		View PDF
	Main Letter - Best Value: Bank Owned, Short Sale or �Retail� Properties? We all know that buyers are looking for a good value regardless of the type of market they are experiencing. In our current market buyers have plenty of homes to compare and can find great properties at great prices whoever the seller might be. These sellers include: bank owned, short sale and retail sellers. Bank owned are properties owned by the lending institutions that foreclosed on the previous owner. Short sales are being sold by a property owner for an amount less than the current loan obligation and can only be completed with the lenders approval. Retail properties are being sold by the owner for an amount greater than the current loan obligation. So, are bank owned properties, or short sale properties really the best value? In the past 18 months, the market has experienced a severe increase in both bank owned properties and short sale properties. Most of the buyers we have worked with in this time period began their home search by looking at bank owned properties and short sales. After learning about the process and looking at several of these types of properties, most end up buying �retail� properties. There are some bank-owned and short sale properties that at first glance appear to be well priced, however, the amount of work needed to make the home livable usually exceeds present market value. Also, these distressed properties aren�t always well priced, and banks can sometimes be less flexible with conditions than a seller of a �retail� home. Because of these factors, the �retail� homes are many times the better bargain. All of this said, bank owned and short sale properties can be a great value - for the right buyer. Short Sale properties are not for the faint of heart. To buy one you need tenacity, patience, and be willing to react at the spur of the moment after waiting; sometimes several months for a response. Bank owned properties are not much easier. Since the bank is the seller, the bank can accept or decline much more quickly (and usually does), but there are still problems that the seller is unable, or unwilling to fix on the distressed house. If you are interested in finding bank owned properties, you can of course search all over the internet, and find several sites which have a fairly limited list of properties by using your favorite online search engine and use the following keywords: bank owned, lender owned, REO, and foreclosures � OR � you can use one of the best search engines you will find online to find bank owned properties. If that sounds easier than the first option, that because it is! Call or email us and we will give you access to our exclusive search site that currently lists over 2,900 bank owned properties in the State that you can narrow down by zip code or city. Call us and we can advise you if an REO or short sale is viable for you!
	Recipe - The Best Pesto 2 packed cups fresh basil leaves � cup pignoli (pine) nuts � cup olive oil (or to your desired consistency) 6 cloves garlic � cup grated parmesan cheese Salt and pepper to taste Wash, pat dry, and stem the basil leaves. Put the basil, garlic, and pignoli nuts in a food processor. Process into a paste. With the food processor running, stream the olive oil through the food processor�s feeding tube until you achieve the desired consistency and stop processor. Add the cheese, pulse a few times to mix in then add salt and pepper to taste and hand mix in. Store in a glass jar and refrigerate for 24 hours before serving. Makes about 1� cups. Our favorite way to enjoy this is to spread the pesto on a thick slice of French bread with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top�Yum!
	Your Home - How does a home renovation affect the value of your home? In most cases, a remodel will not be matched dollar for dollar in value regardless of the market. When you decide to remodel your home, you are doing so for your own personal enjoyment; not for resale value. Will your level of enjoyment exceed the amount of money you will not be getting back when you sell? If so, remodel responsibly, if not, reconsider your remodeling budget. Once you place your house for sale, you become a part of the real estate market; which is a commodity market, like stocks, bonds, futures, etc. Like any other commodity, real estate markets depend on what a buyer is willing to spend for a given product, however a product�s value differentiates based on its location. Gasoline, for example, varies in price greatly from region to region. This is because each region has its own local economy, and people will only pay so much in a given area for that commodity. Housing is very similar in this regard: you won�t get the same price for a house in Mesa that you can get for a similar home in Scottsdale, or Paradise Valley. This is because buyer�s have a perceived value for a region. What are the best value builders for you? If you are looking for what will get you the most bang for your buck, add square footage. It must be permitted, approved, and follow the design and architecture of the house and its neighborhood. Keep your interior and exterior features in line with the rest of your community. For instance, a house with laminate kitchen countertops in a neighborhood full of granite countertops will tend to be valued at the lower end of the price range. On the flip side, a house with granite countertops in a neighborhood with laminate countertops, will not get more money, but will be viewed as having more value compared to its competition. Buyers like buying in nicer neighborhoods. Encourage your neighbors to water their plants and grass, trim and mow, clean up visible garbage, and keep overall good curb appeal. The best way to do this, of course, is to lead by example!

Your Neighborhood Newletter - September 2008		View PDF
	Main Letter - Property Taxes: Could you be paying too much? Maybe you bought your home in 2000, or possibly it was 2005, or perhaps in 2008. How are you being taxed for your property? If you bought a bank owned property in 2008, or a short sale or any type of distressed property, you may be getting taxed at a valuation above what you paid for your home! What if you have owned the property for a while, but your tax valuation is above what you can sell it for right now? Let�s begin with the last question first, with a few exceptions (we�ll get to the exceptions in a bit) there is little that you have to do. The system works this way for you: in 2009 your tax value is based on averages of sold prices in your area from the years of 2006, 2007, and 2008. Taxes for 2008 were based on sales of 2005, 2006, and 2007. Because of high sale prices from 2005 being added to the mix, taxes were/are high relative to current sale prices. In 2005, taxation was low relative to the price homes were selling for. Just for fun, let�s say prices increase by 10% by the end of 2009, and continue to do so for the next two decades. Wow, that was fun! Your taxes could be dropping while your home value increases; at least for a while. Eventually, the taxes would swing upwards while staying behind the market value curve, that is, until the market value drops long enough for the tax valuation overtake the curve; as has happened recently. The reason the system works likes this is so the assessors office doesn�t have to keep fighting with everyone over the taxable value (this saves money for the state and county, and ultimately all of us that pay them that money). Exceptions to the system would be people that qualify with the following situations/conditions: Widows/widowers, people with disabilities (mental, emotional, or physical), persons over 65 years of age, or people below 65 receiving public monies under title 16 of the social securities act. Another exception of course is someone that has purchased a home this year at a price below tax valuation. Depending on your particular situation, you may be able to receive an exemption, or a refund or both! In the case of a recent purchase, the assessor�s value may be altered accordingly. There are several variations of how to proceed. A good way is to hire a competent attorney. If you would like to do it your self, you can get theproper forms, fill them out, and file them with the proper agency(ies). There are time limits, and you can�t go retroactive in most cases. Obtaining the proper forms is fairly easy, and we have looked over the forms and they seem reasonable for the required effort. The agencies will not advise you how to fill in the spaces on the forms in any way; and neither may we. That process is legally and legitimately, the area of attorneys. As a service to this community, we will be happy to direct you to the proper agency that fits your situation to save you time and frustration.
	Your Home's Security - How can you make your home and neighborhood more safe? Alarms, locks, surveillance systems, weapons, and special lighting will not be covered in this article! So, what�s left? Possibly the most important tools you have: your brain and powers of observation; coupled with your neighbor�s observation and their brains. I would never tell you to not use any of the afore mentioned hardware and systems that appeal to you. What I can tell you is what self defense trainers teach people about personal security. They teach people that it is much easier to avoid conflict than it is to always win in a conflict. They will tell you that to avoid conflict, you cannot look like a juicy target for a mugger (or name your favorite type of criminal). An example of such a victim would be a person walking through a crime ridden neighborhood with ear phones stuck in their ears, looking at their feet, and occupied hands (in pockets or carrying things). The crook sees a sucker that does not perceive anything in their environment. Additionally the mark couldn�t react quickly if an attack was initiated. You cannot move your house from a dangerous neighborhood very easily, as you can with your personal self. However you can make it a good neighborhood. If you were a crook casing a street and a lot of the people living on that street were out in front of their homes talking to each other and watching who is driving by (and how they are driving); Or two streets down, the crook drives up and down three times without notice. Everyone is inside being entertained by game boys, TVs, computers etc� The windows are shuttered. The crook drives by a couple of more times that week and the only people he sees are driving into their garage and closing the door before the car is even in park. Debris has been piling up without notice. As a crook, where would you choose to perpetrate? Wouldn�t you avoid the street where people notice you? Step one is to create a space in front of your house that is inviting to you and others. It can be elaborate, or a few chairs and tables. October 18th is the Mesa Police Department�s designated day for G.A.I.N.: Getting Arizona Involved in Neighborhoods. �G.A.I.N. is a statewide annual event. It is designed to encourage Neighborhood Watch programs and bring together communities throughout Mesa for a common goal: to let criminals know that citizens of Mesa are seriously united in the fight against crime and drugs.� Check out the information on the web and register your group: http://cityofmesa.org/police/gain.aspx and see how you can organize a G.A.I.N. party in your neighborhood or on your block. See if any of the officers whose beat your house is in, can stop by and introduce him or her self to you. This officer will have lots of knowledge to share, maybe not in one visit, so invite them to stop when they see you outside. Most important: Get to know your neighbors, their names, trade cell phone numbers, and share what is going on. That way if you don�t recognize someone going through your neighbor�s gate, but you do know they aren�t home you can call them to see if they have a new landscaper. And they can do the same for you. Criminals will have to go somewhere else to find the juicy target.

Your Neighborhood Newsletter - August 2008		View PDF
	Main Letter - Best Value: Bank Owned, Short Sale, or �Retail� properties? We all know that buyers are looking for a good value regardless of the type of market they are experiencing. In our current market buyers have plenty of homes to compare and can find great properties at great prices whoever the seller might be. These sellers include: bank owned, short sale and retail sellers. Bank owned are properties owned by the lending institutions that foreclosed on the previous owner. Short sales are being sold by a property owner for an amount less than the current loan obligation and can only be completed with the lenders approval. Retail properties are being sold by the owner for an amount greater than the current loan obligation. So, are bank owned properties, or short sale properties really the best value? In the past 18 months, the market has experienced a severe increase in both bank owned properties and short sale properties. Most of the buyers we have worked with in this time period began their home search by looking at bank owned properties and short sales. After learning about the process and looking at several of these types of properties, most end up buying �retail� properties. There are some bank-owned and short sale properties that at first glance appear to be well priced, however, the amount of work needed to make the home livable usually exceeds present market value. Also, these distressed properties aren�t always well priced, and banks can sometimes be less flexible with conditions than a seller of a �retail� home. Because of these factors, the �retail� homes are many times the better bargain. All of this said, bank owned and short sale properties can be a great value - for the right buyer. Short Sale properties are not for the faint of heart. To buy one you need tenacity, patience, and be willing to react at the spur of the moment after waiting; sometimes several months for a response. Bank owned properties are not much easier. Since the bank is the seller, the bank can accept or decline much more quickly (and usually does), but there are still problems that the seller is unable, or unwilling to fix on the distressed house. If you are interested in finding bank owned properties, you can of course search all over the internet, and find several sites which have a fairly limited list of properties by using your favorite online search engine and use the following keywords: bank owned, lender owned, REO, and foreclosures � OR � you can use one of the best search engines you will find online to find bank owned properties. If that sounds easier than the first option, that because it is! Call or email us and we will give you access to our exclusive search site that currently lists over 2,900 bank owned properties in the State that you can narrow down by zip code or city. Call us and we can advise you if an REO or short sale is viable for you!
	Neighborhood Update - Americn Flag Update Early in the morning on July 4th we delivered approximately 2,000 American flags. We received many positive comments for which we are very grateful. We also garnered a few comments that were not as positive, and we are grateful for these as well. They were not made by anti-Americans that hated the flag, it was quite the contrary. These individuals are very patriotic and felt that the flags were not receiving the respect that they deserve! It would be easy to rationalize to ourselves that a few complaints should not create change; however, this is the very reason we are always asking for questions and comments. We do listen and consider and evaluate the comments from other people�s perspectives. After doing so regarding the latest feedback, it was obvious that these comments were valid. We are, of course, going to continue to deliver the flags on the fourth of July, yet without the application of a tag with our names and faces on them as sponsors. This was giving the flags a commercial feel. Also, we will publish the flag code prior to distribution so that everyone will know the appropriate way to handle, display, and show proper respect for all American flags. Thank you so much for all of the feedback. Be it positive or constructive criticism, it is all helpful, wanted and very much appreciated. We really enjoyed meeting many of you last month and look forward to meeting more of you in the coming months.
	Your Home's Value - How does a home renovation affect the value of your home? We got a call from a woman in the neighborhood after she received the July newsletter to ask us how a kitchen remodel would affect the resale value of her home. Answering this question is more complex than you might expect. It certainly depends on a few factors. In most cases, a remodel will not be matched dollar for dollar in value regardless of the market. When you decide as a homeowner to remodel your home, you are doing so for your own personal enjoyment, not for resale value. Not everyone feels the same about $20,000 or $40,000; particularly when it comes to spending that money on a matter of personal taste in decoration. Will your level of enjoyment exceed the money that you will not be getting back when you sell? If so, remodel responsibly, if not, reconsider your remodeling budget. Once you place your house on the market, you become a part of the real estate market. Real estate is a commodity market, like stocks, bonds, futures, etc. Like any other commodity, real estate markets depend on what a buyer is willing to spend for a given product, however a product�s value differentiates based on its location. For instance gasoline, you might notice, varies in price greatly from region to region. This is because each region has its own local economy, and people will only pay so much in a given area for that commodity. Housing is very similar in this regard. You can�t get the same price for a house in Mesa that you could get for a similar product in Scottsdale, or Paradise Valley. This is because buyer�s have a perceived value for a region. What are the best value builders for you? If you are looking for what type of remodel will get you the most bang for your buck, add square footage. It must be permitted, approved, and follow the design and architecture of the house and its neighborhood. Keep your interior and exterior features in line with the rest of your community. For instance, a house which has laminate kitchen countertops in a neighborhood full of granite countertops will tend to keep your house�s value on the lower end of the price range. On the flip side, a house with granite countertops in a neighborhood with laminate countertops, will not get you more money, but will allow your house to be viewed as bringing more value to a potential buyer as compared to its competition. Buyers like buying in nicer neighborhoods. So a large, contributing factor to bringing a neighborhood�s perceived value would be the neighbors keeping up their property�s appearances. Encourage everyone in the neighborhood to water their plants and grass and to trim and mow, clean up visible garbage, and keep an overall good curb appeal. The best way to do this, of course, is to lead by example!

Your Neighborhood Newsletter - July 2008		View PDF
	Main Letter - TWO OF REAL ESTATES MOST PHENOMINAL FAMILIES COME TOGETHER AND� YOU ARE THE WINNER! C.J. and Peter have long been your realtors of choice! Our horizons have expanded, and we needed someone to take care of this element of our business. We wanted to partner with a team that you can trust and rely on to continue customer service in a manner as great or even better than what you have come to expect from our family and team. We held off on making a decision, and watched, and analyzed until we were sure. We narrowed our search until we chose The Wainwright Group! Not surprisingly they are a family/team. It was a natural fit since we share so many beliefs and values, have similar team structures not to mention the Wainwright Group already has 19 years of combined experience in real estate. They are Coldwell Banker agents and therefore have the same incredible training and corporate support that only Coldwell Banker has to offer. The Wainwright Group is populated with East Valley natives: Michael and Elaine who are both from Tempe, and Erin and Adam born in Mesa who are fourth generation Valley natives! The Wainwright�s will no doubt bring different perspectives that will result in constructive changes, and we welcome that for the benefit of everyone. Yet, along with those changes, there will be stability in many of our policies and programs. It is refreshing for us to welcome the Wainwright�s as we know they will help you realize your dreams and goals through real estate, as they help us realize our dreams and goals in real estate! The first change, while minor and easy to accomplish, is extremely important in allowing all of us to work productively with efficiency for you. It is as easy as changing our contact information to a new number: 480-467-4644 which rings all four Wainwright Group cell phones at once, greatly increasing your chances of speaking with a team member. Should you go through to voicemail, please leave a message and The Wainwright Group will promptly call you back. We know once you try this you will really appreciate how quickly you can be helped! Thank you for making The Wainwright Group your new realtors of choice! You will love working with them and referring their professional expertise to your friends and family. CJ Shults Peter Fife

© Copyright 2010 The Wainwright Group. The services provided on this website are free for use. This website is provided by Wainwrights, PLLC (DBA The Wainwright Group) a licensed Real Estate Agent in the State of Arizona, member of the Arizona Association of Realtors® (AAR) and National Association of Realtors® (NAR). All information in the contents of this website is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Michael E. Wainwright Elaine A. Wainwright and Adam E. Wainwright, PLLC, Wainwrights, PLLC, US Preferred Realty, AAR, NAR, and any affiliates of said companies or individuals are not held responsible, or in anyway liable for any information, graphics, or language provided here on.

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