Last night the Gilbert town council held the second of three public hearings concerning the new handbill ordinance.  From what I read, it started with a complaint from one citizen with concerns about workers trespassing while leaving handbills.  Last night's hearing ended with the debate being more about trespass than handbills.  Council members also mentioned that the ordinance must cover everyone delivering advertisements or soliciting door to door, which would include neighborhood newspapers, phone books, church groups, charitable groups, and small businesses.  In a time when the Town Gilbert is facing some economic hardships from the housing market, how much money and time is being expended on this issue.  We already have trespass laws on the books.  In a time when we need to bring ... 02/27/2008

I grew up in what I now realize, was an idyllic neighborhood. It was one of Arizona's first "master-planned" communities. There was main street with the grocery store, the drugstore, the florist, the bank. The elementary school was smack in the middle of town. There was a huge golf resort in the middle too but I never paid much attention to it. For me, it was where we watched the 4th of July fireworks and made for great bike paths. We just weren't the country club/golf resort kind of family.And I'm still not. When I first heard of the Seville neighborhood, I dismissed it as "country club snobs". Stereotypical I know but realistic. There just aren't that many country clubs in Arizona so it's easy to stereotype. But when friend after friend told me how family-friendly and fun the Seville ... 02/25/2008

We held our first foreclosure bus tour yesterday.  The bus holds about 46 and we had 2 cars following.  The tour consisted of 10 REO (Bank or Lender owned) properties located in Gilbert, AZ.  On the bus, we had representatives to answer questions about financing and home inspections. Breakfast snacks were provided before leaving at 10 AM and a light lunch was waiting for us on the return to the office.  The idea for the tour came from an piece that 60 Minutes had done a few months ago. The homes on the tour varied in price, size and condition.  As with most foreclosures, some of these homes were not in the best of condition.  Since foreclosures are generally sold "as is", condition is an important factor.  A couple of the homes only required cosmetic repairs, while others would need ext... 02/24/2008

If you're anywhere near Gilbert, AZ on March 1, 2008, come on over to the Target store at 1515 E Warner Road from 10 am to 1 pm for a free Vehicle Identification Number etching by the Gilbert Police Department. The Gilbert Police Department is offering free clinics on prevention of vehicle theft and offering free VIN etching as part of the Auto Theft Prevention Day. Other clinics will be held on March 25th at the Dillards at 2151 Santan Village Parkway from 4-6 and on April 10th at Bashas on 4874 S Val Vista Dr.Etching your vehicle makes it harder to re-sell and helps the police identify the car if found. The police department also recommends locking your car, not leaving valuables in your car, parking in a garage vs the street or driveway and parking in well-lit areas. They say to Neve... 02/23/2008

When Eric and Terri H. decided to move their young family to Arizona from San Diego, they were overwhelmed at the decision before them.  Terri had put her career as director of marketing for a national wholesaler on hold once their son was born in September 2003.  On one income, San Diego just proved too expensive.  They did a lot of research and decided that relocated to Gilbert, AZ was the way to go.  They made one trip out to house hunt.  When their top choice fell through, Eric was put in charge of the hunt as Terri returned to San Diego to get ready for the move.  After a thorough search and many pictures sent back to Terri, Eric found the home they live in now.  He made a great choice.The first thing you notice when you enter Higley Groves, is the tree lined streets and mailboxes ... 02/22/2008

Gilbert Arizona Self Defense - Children's Self Defense in Gilbert Arizona - Children's Matial Arts in GilbertUnited Studios of Self Defense - Children's Self Defense - Womens Self Defense - Gilbert karate and United Studios of Self Defense with their instructors mission is to share the magic of MArtial Arts with as many people as humanly possible.  It is their sincere belief that the versatility of their Shaolin Kenpo system combined with their proven methods of Professional Instruction, truly constitutes United Studios as Americas Self Defense Leader.Whether you're a beginner or experienced martial artist, United Studios of Self Defense has a program to fit your needs.  Men, women and children of all ages and professions participate in our Private and Group Training Programs. We will h... 02/21/2008

 Who do you know that might benefit from a month of training with United Studios of Self Defense? Gilbert Martial Arts - Gilbert Self Defense Classes - Gilbert Women's Self Defense in Gilbert - Childrens Self Defense Classes - Now is the time to invite your friends, family members, neighbors and co-workers in to the studio to try out a couple of classes.  Gilbert Womens self defense is highly importnat in light of the recent victims at an ASU apartment complex. Share with them all the benefits they can gain from training with us:                                                                                  *Stress Relief                    *Self Defense                         *Greater Flexibility            *Added Energy                         *Mental Focus                    *Self... 02/21/2008

Gilbert Arizona Real Estate Short Sales/Best Deals in Gilbert Real Estate Here, Always showing you the Best Deals in Gilbert Arizona Short Sales....24 Hours/day  Buy a Gilbert Arizona SHORT SALE - Sell your Gilbert Arizona SHORT SALE - Get info on a Gilbert Arizona SHORT SALEBy Subdivision By Square Footage By Lot Size By City By Year Built By Builder By Culdesac Lot By Golf Course Lot By Mountain Lot Bordering Greenbelt or Common Area By Architecture Style and moreBy Clicking on one of the Pins in the Gilbert Map you will receive the following Additional home features like year built, taxes, and A LOT MORE  Full Size Photos Exact Mapping Google Earth Street Mapping Printable PDF Flyers Google Searchable to see what is nearby directly from map Mortgage Calculators Map Zooming Refine sea... 02/20/2008

Gilbert Arizona Real Estate/Best Deals in Gilbert Real Estate Here, Always showing you the Best Deals in Gilbert Arizona Real Estate....24 Hours/day By Clicking on one of the Pins in the Gilbert Real Estate Slideshow you will receive the following Additional home features like year built, taxes, and A LOT MORE  Full Size Photos Exact Mapping Google Earth Street Mapping Printable PDF Flyers Google Searchable to see what is nearby directly from map Mortgage Calculators Map Zooming Refine searches further by square footage, bedroom, bathroom, lot size, and more Neighborhood info School info Stores and Restaurants Double Click on Map To Zoom in Closer to See All Listings in Gilbert    Gilbert Real Estate Deals Under 250K           Gilbert Real Estate Deals From 250-350KGilbert Real Estate C... 02/20/2008

  Part of a continuing series that shows my clients what the market is like here in Gilbert, AZPlease remember this is just a current snapshot of the market taken at the time of writing this article.  There is no guarantee these homes will continue to be available but I know we can find the perfect home for you!The $300-400k price range can be a little tricky.  You might be spending the money to get a little more square footage than a less expensive home, or you might be trying to get into the right location for your family.  Either way, there is a lot of great selection for those moving to Gilbert, AZ in this price range.    This home is a rare single story with 5 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2,400 square feet on a large lot.  Vaulted ceilings, walk in pantry, manicured backyard, and the great... 02/20/2008

Part of a continuing series that shows my clients what the market is like here in Gilbert, AZThe $200-300k price range is definitely the most popular range in Gilbert.  It is what the majority of home buyers can afford and what the majority of home owners are selling, therefore competition can be fierce.  Fierce for the sellers that are trying to compete for the largest market and fierce for the buyers to get their hands on the best deal that everyone else is looking for.  Please remember this is just a current snapshot of the market taken at the time of writing this article.  There is no guarantee these homes will continue to be available but I know we can find the perfect home for you!  This home is set in the awesome Country Lane neighborhood.  It has 4 bedrooms, 3 are upstairs and 1... 02/19/2008

 What kind of house is for sale in Gilbert, AZ for less than $200,000?  Most people would think, "not much".  There's actually a ton of variety available.  If you are willing to look at short sales, there's even more to choose from.Please remember this is just a current snapshot of the market taken at the time of writing this article.  There is no guarantee these home will continue to be available but I know we can find the perfect home for you!   This gorgeous downtown Gilbert condo has 2 bedrooms plus a den, 2 baths, 2 car extended garage plus granite countertops and a community pool!  It is being offered at $154,900.         This great home is 1533 sq feet, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2 car garage, plus a loft!  There is an island in the kitchen and a cute backyard.  This home is listed at ... 02/18/2008

When my new clients relocate to Gilbert, AZ, they find themselves without all the contacts and resources they had back home.  Then I start getting calls like, "My son needs a dentist, where do I go?"  "My hair has completely changed in AZ, do you know a good hairstylist?", etc.  So, here's a list of same great contacts.Kids' Dentist:  We go to Dr. Quackenbush (seriously) at Timberland Pediatric Dentistry.  His office is set up like a forest complete with log cabin, huge fuzzy bear and lots of toys.  He's at the corner of Ray and Val Vista, 480-963-8373.Mommy and Daddy Dentist:  I really like Dr. Kris Heap.  I've even written a blog post about him.  He's near Baseline and Val Vista, so pretty accessible from all areas of the valley.Kids' Doctor:  Since I've had kids, I've tried a few dif... 02/18/2008

I work hard and I play hard, I admit it.  My husband has to schmooze clients and staff for most of his lunches during the week so by the time we're together on the weekends, the poor guy has to be dragged out to play with me, when he'd probably rather eat a home-cooked meal and watch a game.  Solution:  become a real estate agent!  Take clients out to eat and it's even tax-deductible!  Just kidding.  You can read why I do what I do in another post.  But I will admit, taking clients to my favorite Gilbert dining places is a huge perk of the job.  Not only do I get a great meal but I get to experience it for the first time through their eyes.  So here's a list of my favorite places to go, with fun clients or with my fun husband, especially after college football season.  Something so uniq... 02/11/2008

Are you relocating to the Phoenix AZ area?  This concept can be huge and overwhelming.  Just looking at a map of the area can make your head swim.  I mean really, what's the difference between Scottsdale, Tempe, Chandler, Mesa, Gilbert, the list goes on and on.  There are so many aspects to consider:  Commute, Crime, Shopping, Schools, Entertainment.  What you got is questions.  And I've got some answers. As an Arizona native, I know about the history and development of each of these areas.  I have helped clients buy and sell homes all the way from Litchfield Park (on the far west side) to Laveen (central South Phoenix) to Tempe, Chandler, and Mesa (the east side of town).  However, I only profess to be an expert in one of the Phoenix suburbs...my home, Gilbert AZ. If the priorities of ... 02/09/2008

Note:  This article is part of a relocation package for the Gilbert, AZ area.  To learn more about Gilbert including schools, shopping, neighborhoods, dining, etc, click here.  When I asked last year's clients, which aspects of moving to Gilbert, AZ did they research first, crime was on the top of their list.So, for those of you looking to relocate to Gilbert, AZ here is your one-stop shop for crime statistics in Gilbert, AZ.Gilbert has been ranked as the 22nd safest city in the nation, according to police statistics and USA Today.  I don't think I need to describe how that can impact your family.   According to the stats kept by the Gilbert Police Department, there was less crime in 2007 than there was in 2006, 2005, and 2004.  I didn't know that until writing this article.  Considerin... 02/08/2008

When past clients have decided to relocate to Gilbert, AZ, many of them stated that the abundance of family activities made their choice easy.  However it's not easy to find a list of all the fun things in the area in one place.  Here's a good first attempt:Something specific first clued me in to how family friendly Gilbert is when I first moved here a few years back.  I loaded the kids up for the first trip to the closest grocery store.  Not looking forward to battling two young ones, shopping cart, unfamiliar store, etc, I was pleased to realize the store had free child care while you shopped.  This was a revelation to little me!  The boys played in a very secure and fun environment and my shopping was done in half the time with a quarter of the stress.  Imagine that!Then we got the t... 02/07/2008

Choosing the right area of the Valley of the Sun for your family can be quite a challenge.  For many families that choose to relocate to the Phoenix-area, quality schools are at the top of the list.  Many families find affordable Gilbert, AZ and the Gilbert Public School District an ideal place to start their house hunt.Gilbert School District is typically in the top 3 districts in the state, based on test scores and graduation rates.  According to state standards, the district has 31 Excelling schools, out of 36.   There are over 38,000 students enrolled in 26 elementary schools, 6 junior highs, and 4 high schools, along with 3 academies and 36 preschool classrooms.  To see state and national test scores for Gilbert Public Schools, click here.  I have recently toured at many of these s... 02/06/2008

As Joey Remondino of Manassas, VA pointed out, Short Salesare all the buzzword these days.  I decided it was time to give my readers a snapshot of what that translates into for my homebase, Gilbert, AZ.First, let's define Short Sale.  Many of my clients first interpret it to mean like a "fire sale".  People need to sell their home really quick, fast, and cheap.  That's almost true.  Short Sale refers to the fact that the lender has agreed to take less than what is owed on the home.  They have agreed to do this because the borrower (seller) has proven financial hardship and the lender would way rather do a short sale than a foreclosure.Sellers would prefer to do a Short Sale over a foreclosure because a short sale only stays on their credit for 1 year vs a foreclosure will stay on for se... 02/04/2008

Today the Arizona Republic published an article stating that Gilbert residents wanted to know more about the four candidates for the Gilbert Public Schools Superintendent position that is up for grabs.  Education is always important in community issues, but GPS holds one of the highest ranking school districts in the entire state.  It is one of the major things that have kept our community property values high, while attracting more and more families.  I knew they were searching for a new superintendent, but had no idea that they had narrowed down the field to four candidates.  All of which have over 15 years experience in the district.  This is why the district has cited that they have kept everything hush, hush.  When all is said and done, only one will be picked and the other three w... 01/31/2008