After a few days of only patchy snow from our last storm, during which the snow play areas had to close, we've been hit with a great storm over the last 24 hours. I've been snowed in, but still accomplished lots of real estate work: calls and e-mails about negotiating contracts (we got two agreements over the weekend!), new listings, old listings, as well as writing for my other blog. Thank goodness my client care manager was able to make it to the office to handle the escrow openings, as well as a variety of other stuff. But I also took a break mid-day to enjoy the beautiful place that I'm lucky to live in near Flagtaff, Arizona. Here are some pictures from my mid-day snow-shoeing adventure. (And note that it's sunny, even during a snow storm, in Flagstaff. (See my whinny post about my... 01/07/2008

Some of my favorite people live in Iowa, and I was born and raised there, but, wow, how did I live there? I've just returned to lovely Flagstaff, Arizona after 8 days in gloomy Iowa. The tempertures were about the same as here. The snow on the ground was about the same. But I didn't see the sun during my entire stay in Iowa! Ugh!I am a political junkie, so it was fun to read the Des Moines Register every morning a catch a few of those television commercials that are running only in Iowa (probably also in New Hampshire, but I can't vouch for that). But definitely not worth the lack of sun. Also, there is no place to be outside and alone! (I wasn't on a farm, so I guess if I had been, I might have been able to find some space.) But here in Flagstaff, I just step out my door into the fores... 12/29/2007

Flagstaff, AZ is the world's first International Dark-City!  Yep, that's not news, but we value it here everyday. It's one of the things that makes living here so wonderful, whether you are into astronomy or not. Many are, dating back to the time of Percival Lowell's choice of Flagstaff for his telescope (we won over Tucson!). Now, Lowell Observatory is on the cutting edge of research and the Discovery Channel is funding a hot new telescope being constructed just outside Flagstaff.  (On the right is a picture of "Percy" Lowell, courtesy of the Lowell Observatory website.)That's just a little background to explain the excitment in town this week because the annual Geminid meteor shower is going to give us the best night sky show of its history since 1996 on Thursday and Friday nights. Th... 12/12/2007

Ellen DeGeneres blew into Flagstaff yesterday morning on a Warner Brothers private jet that was tossed and turned in our winter storm. With a large TV crew, she had breakfast at one of the Northern Arizona University dorms, stood next to the giant pine cone (already set up to drop on New Year's Eve) on the balcony of the Weatherford Hotel, and shaved and autographed a Flagstaffonian's head! What a day!Because of the weather, her planned helicopter trip to the Grand Canyon was cancelled and she took off for LA by early afternoon. Lots of good people visit Flagstaff, but they are not always as funny as Ellen! Read all about it: Sunny Ellen Shines on a Soggy DayBy Betsy BrunnerArizona Daily SunThe Flagstaff Ellen Show will air locally on Wednesday at 3 p.m. on Channel 12 or Channel 2. For ... 12/08/2007

The word is out (which we've been sitting on for two weeks). The readers of our local paper, the Arizona Daily Sun, chose my brokerage, RE/MAX Peak Properties, the best real estate firm in Flagstaff for the THIRD year in a row! Our broker, Andrew Meyer, is so gracious that he gave all the credit to the agents. Of course, he maintains a wonderful, supportive environment in which we can work with joy and passion.  Here is what the Daily Sun said: "At Re/Max Peak Properties, located in the historic Saginaw House, Owner Andrew Meyer relies on quality agents who are excellent at what they do, with an obsession for exceeding client expectations. Expect large numbers of sales, high professional and ethical standards from agents who are polite and courteous. The office focuses on maintaining an... 12/07/2007

This weekend will be another filled with fun in Flagstaff. If your in the lower elevations of Arizona, you may not want to visit because it looks like another winter storm is rolling in. But, that's good news up here because it means the Arizona Snowbowl is likely to keep its promise to open on December 13.  Meanwhile, locals can check out a variety of fun things to do in Flagstaff this weekend by clicking here:Fun Things to Do in Around the Flagstaff Community This WeekendFor those of you interested in those boring real estate statistics, instead of fun things to do, follow this link:Flagstaff Real Estate ~ Let's Do the Numbers! (for November)Have a great weekend. If you hear anyone mention that they want to buy or sell Flagstaff real estate, send them here:Team Heitland at RE/MAX Peak... 12/06/2007

We may get snow! More likely a little rain. But the shows will go on and there are a lot of them this weekend.Downtown Flagstaff gets lighted up for the holidays tonight. Two tree lightings, in two locations, and then a 2 hour winter festival.  Details here.Tchaikovsky's classic Nutcracker will be performed twice -- Friday night and the Lollipop Concert on Saturday afternoon. One of Flagstaff's treasures, the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra, joins with the NAU Prep Dancers to bring us this fabulous treat. For times and details, visit the FSO website.Saturday, Flagstaff downtown will be filled with visitors and residents taking advantage of the Friends of Flagstaff Future's historic home tour. The expanded Flagstaff Mall will no doubt be busy. I've posted some info about the new street conf... 11/30/2007

A busy week in Flagstaff real estate and the Flagstaff community!I was delighted to win the "Thanks" contest with the sponsored by the Active Rain ECO-All-Stars Group and to have my post of November 21 featured in that group.  I was even more delighted with the reaction I got from my clients and friends by doing what the post suggested -- send e-mail Thanksgiving greatings. By making the e-mail link to my public blog post on Thanksgiving, I drew more attention to my already successful blog. Many clients responded wishing me Thanksgiving greetings and thanking us for past service. So, I really did have something to be thankful for yesterday! Thanks to janeAnne "Green-O-Lina" for the group image shown here.Participating in Active Rain has been a wonderful learning experience and I certain... 11/24/2007

Make it productive, so you have something to be thankful for tomorrow! Of course, there may be those of you who will be productive with preparations for eating and entertaining tomorrow. That is important too. (As you know from prior posts, I believe in family time.) And there may be those of you who will be gathering food for the less fortunate and donating to food banks -- that's a good thing to do today and throughout the holidays. My office will be making donations and collecting donations for the Flagstaff Care and Share Foodbank and for Toys for Tots. Be thankful that you can give.But if you are working in real estate today, make it productive. Call everyone of your clients who bought and sold this year and thank them for their business and wish them a happy Thanksgiving. Call you... 11/21/2007

Last week, I posted a blog about plans for six open houses in one Flagstaff neighborhood -- all by agents in my office. Open House Extravaganza -- We'll See. . ..  I said I'd report back.  At my listing on the tour we had one couple accompanied by their own agent (probably would have come anyway, right?) and one other couple who refused to give the agent sitting the open house their names since they were "just starting the process" and didn't want to be followed. Other agents holding the other five homes open had similar results. The discussion at this morning's office meeting was gave luke-warm reviews. Agents liked the ideas of having a barebones newspaper ad (bold face print of the addresses and times of the open house) was well-received. Less expense, no pictures of the houses (whic... 11/20/2007

Ok, I don't do open houses. I think they are a waste of time for me, my team, and my selling clients. I put that right in my listing presentation. The statistics and my years of experience support it.But this week, I succumbed to pressure and agreed. Five other agents in my office are doing open houses on their listings in the Flagstaff Country Club neighborhood, and one of the agents asked me to have my listing join in. So, I agreed to call my client and ask. I started the conversation this way: "Howard, you know I don't do open houses. But this week other agents in my office are doing 5 others on Sunday in your area from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and if we include yours on the list, that would make six, and advertising six houses in one area may bring some traffic. Will you agree?" My client i... 11/17/2007

Can rates go lower? I know that mortgage rates tend to move more in correlation with bond prices (opposite correlation) than they do with Fed Rates. This week's news seemed to signal that the Fed Rates will not be cut again even though the economic news indicates a slight slowing in economic growth in future months. The Fed seems to think it has already reduced its rate enough to counter the slow-down without triggering inflation. So where are bond prices going, and where will mortgage rates go? Rates are already about as low as they ever are (except in that crazy period of 2 years ago). So, what do the mortgage gurus of Active Rain think now?Here's what I'm telling my clients about mortgage rates this week.Thanks all! Ann Heitland, Team Heitland, RE/MAX Peak Properties 11/17/2007

Flagstaff is not immune from what is happening in the national market. "Somewhat insulated" is a better phrase, in my mind. Still we are seeing home sales prices drop a bit in Flagstaff. Inventory continues to build in many neighborhoods as sellers stick to their prices and refuse to sell. Ultimately, the laws of supply and demand will rule even in Flagstaff and prices will drop further. Right now, the supply of homes is higher than the national average with 15 months supply of single family homes with Flagstaff mailing addresses based on the October rate of sales. (When townhomes and condos are factored into the mix, the supply is reduced to 10 months, which is equal to the current national rate.)Here is a recent post about the real estate market in Flagstaff as of the end of October.W... 11/15/2007

Ok, I did do a bit of work last night: Creating the October Flagstaff Real Estate newsletter on line and doing a preliminary blog post on my other blog for the October real estate statistics. But I haven't been doing much!Since Oct. 31st, I've been on vacation and will continue to "vacate" until November 13. We're traveling in Florida, celebrating a 60th birthday today with my partner's sister, spending "together time" with their 91-year-old mom, and taking leisurely bike rides. Later this week we'll travel to Naples, FL to celebrate my favorite cousin's 70th birthday (how is that possible? -- well, he IS a lot older than I am).  So don't look for much in this blog.Of course, I do have my laptop, cell phone and my team is back home in Flagstaff selling real estate. (Yes, there have been... 11/04/2007

  NORTHERN ARIZONA FOOD BANKS'1ST ANNUAL HAUNTED HOUSE & TRUNK OR TREAT October 31st from 6 - 9 p.m.at the Food Bank on 3805 E. Huntington Dr.(Admission is one can of food) Wear your best costume, and come see us for a night of safe fun.             Haunted House for all ages.....                      Trunk or Treat........                                  Games and Prizes.......... Invite all your friends to ourHalloween Event...Be Safe and Stay Warm.For more information about this Halloween event, to make a donation, and/or to become a Sponsor, please call 928-526-2211 or go to http://www.nafoodbank.org/.A Special Thanks to KAFF Radio and Rodney Wilson, CPA for Sponsoring our Halloween Event.  We are Flagstaff's Community Information Source!http://www.flagstaffcentral.com/     10/30/2007

I was working with pictures while doing some marketing this afternoon. The pictures made me think of the devastation caused by the fires in California this week. The neighborhoods that are the subject of my Focus on Flagstaff Communities blog post today back up to Mt. Elden, scene of the devastating Radio Fire of 1977.  The fire burned through unpopulated areas but destroyed a huge, old growth stand of Ponderosa Pines. Now, thirty years later, this is what the mountain that burned looks like:   (It's the lower mountain in this picture that burned. The mountains in the background are the San Francisco Peaks.)In 1977, the town came out to picnic and watch the fire for days. It swept up one side of the mountain (the side shown in the pictures above) and down the other. The "other side" is ... 10/26/2007

If you're not an enthusiastic NAU alum, you may want to stay away from Flagstaff's westside this weekend. Northern Arizona University celebrates Homecoming with a big game against #3 in the conference Montana. Tailgaiting begins in the early afternoon with the game at the skydome on South Campus at 3:05 p.m. Watch out for heavy traffic on Milton Road all day and for raucus celebrations in the westside restaurants and bars as well as downtown. Historic Downtown Flagstaff will have street closures Saturday morning for the NAU Homecoming parade. More information about NAU Homecoming 2007.Have a great weekend! Team Heitland at RE/MAX Peak Properties -- search for all Flagstaff homes at our website! 10/26/2007

Flagstaff and Coconino County residents have the opportunity to give their views on public transportation issues tonight and on development and planning for Coconino County parks and open space tomorrow night. Public meetings will take place in Flagstaff tonight and tomorrow. There are additional meeting schedule on the parks and open space issues around the County. Northern Arizona Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority is a regional organization including Coconino and Yavapai Counties; the cities of Flagstaff, Sedona, and Cottonwood; and Northern Arizona University. NAIPTA's mission statement says "Getting You Where You Want to Go."  NAIPTA currently operates the following: Mountain Line fixed route bus service in Flagstaff Mountain Lift paratransit service for disabled res... 10/23/2007

In Flagstaff's Daily Paper recently, there has been a running controversy about the alleged conflict between affordable housing and green housing. The charge of some is that impact fees will increase the cost of our already above average homes, making affordable housing in Flagstaff impossible. Also that the green building codes under consideration will increase the cost of housing. Another recent editorial accused city administrators with sending "mixed messages" about sustainability by organizing and subsidizing a huge expansion of our retail mall and encouraging the establishment of an auto mall next to it. The Sun sarcastically referred to the city's green policies as a "mantra."The Daily Sun limits the length of letters to the editor, so my response was constrained and incomplete. ... 10/22/2007

Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra is nationally known as the premier regional symphony. For several years we were blessed with the skills of Randall Craig Fleisher as our artistic director and conductor. Randy has gone on to greater opportunities, but before he left he set up a fantastic repertoire for the 2007-2008 season. Meanwhile Randy and the Board selected four finalists as his successor, to begin next year. Each of these four is performing as "guest conductor" during one of the concerts this season. Audience surveys following each concert will be used to choose the next outstanding Artistic Director and Conductor for the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra.This week, the FSO will be lead by Peter Jaffe who is entering his thirteenth season as music director of the Stockton Symphony in Califo... 10/18/2007