With the Memorial Day holiday weekend coming up, many people are making their first camping or exploring trip of the year on public lands in Northern Arizona.  It's time to think safety.      "Given the really hot weather we've had recently, a lot of folks are headed to higher and cooler elevations this weekend," said Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Kingman recreation planner Len Marceau.  "BLM's Wild Cow Springs, Windy Point, Packsaddle, and Burro Creek Campgrounds are popular weekend escapes.  They are first-come, first-served and range from no fee to $10 per site per night depending on which campground."Be careful with campfires, never leave one unattended, and make sure campfires are dead out any time they leave the campsite.  Check with your local county, state, or federal la... 05/19/2009

I have a small confession, I'm a city girl...born and raised back on the east coast....now living in Kingman Arizona. I've gotten accustomed to seeing cattle, quail, coyotes, and other critters right out my back door.  But today takes the cake.  A bear wandered down from Hualapai Mtn and showed up at our local post office.  Of all days, I left my camera sitting on my desk so I could not get a photo.  I'm sure you will all be able to view the incident and hear all the news at the Kingman Daily Miner Website. I'm just loving living where wildlife runs free!  Stop by our website and learn a little about beautiful North West Arizona. www.kingmanrealestate4u.com   05/07/2009

These are trying times.  Help your local letter carriers! For the last 17 years the National Assoc. of Letter Carriers have held their food drive on the 2nd Saturday in May.  This year the drive is May 9th. Over 35.5 million people face hunger every day in America including 13 million children.  You can help!In the past 16 years, postal emplyees and other volunteers have delivered nearly one billion pounds of donations to community food banks.  In 2008 they collected 73,113,915 pounds of food. How do you participate?  It's easy.  Just leave your non-perishable donations by your mailbox  before delivery or at the post office.  Local carriers will collect your donation and deliver it to your local food bank. Help the Postal Service Stamp Out Hunger....don't forget, May 9.   If you have a ... 05/05/2009

Mohave County makes Fox News this morning. It seems that environmentalists are opposing President Obama's renewable energy goals.  One of the projects mentioned is the solar energy plant scheduled to be built outside of Kingman.  Those concerned are opposing water usage, and particularly the effect on the Sonoran Desert Tortoise. We can have non-polluting energy projects and much needed jobs for people or we can protect the Tortoise. I hope clear heads go forward to make the right decision.  05/05/2009

  Not only will a massive windfarm grace our borders, but the news is that Albiasa Corporation has chosen a 1,400 acre site near Kingman as the future location for a $1 Billion 200 megawatt conentrating solar power plant. Gov. Jan Brewer has stated "The arrival of Albiasa Corporation is yet another big step toward establishing Arizona as a leader in the sustainable industries sector..."  The project is expected to generate 2000 jobs during construction and more than 100 permanent jobs for the area. For information on Albiasa visit their website at: http://www.albiasasolar.com/ For information about Kingman AZ visit our website at http://www.kinmanrealestate4u.com   05/04/2009

Kingman, Arizona broke ground this week on their new wastewater treatment facility. This facility increased the capacity of sewage treatment from 2+ million gallons to 5+ million gallons of effluent. There is availabilty of increasing the capacity to allow for golf courses, etc. to purchase the reclaimed water for  irrigation purposes. Looks like development of new homes just received a boost in the arm. The Contractor says that they will be looking at local subs to do the work, which starts on Monday, 5/4/09 so the Kingman economy also will get a boost. If anyone is looking to relocate, now would be the right time while the prices are great and the supply of homes is huge. You also can benefit from the first time buyer's $8000 tax credit benefit as well. There is plenty of fresh air an... 05/03/2009

We are getting a distillery.  That's right, we are excited.  It will be located in the Airport Industrial Park. John and Deborah Patt, the new owners have purchased a German-manufactured still similar to the one used in Flastaff by High Spirits Distiller, who manufacture prickley-pear cactus vodka. The company should open within the next 6 months. 05/01/2009

The 22nd Annual Route 66 Fun Run starts tonight at 6 p.m. in Seligman AZ.  The classic cars, motor cycles and trucks will wind their way from Seligman on Saturday morning to Kingman AZ where events are sheduled all day.  Andy Devine Ave/Route 66 will be closed for the judging of vehicles from 3 p.m.-5 p.m. Come downtown to the Locomotive Park and enjoy the Bill Bailey Band, the Route 66 Scholarship Dinner.  There will be activities and vendors all day. This is one of the best weekends of the Spring.  Come on down and enjoy the fun. For more information contact 928-757-5001 or go to www.azrt66.com.   05/01/2009

Have you ever wondered just how long a particular building component like siding, may last on a new home If you live in Kingman Arizona, the most common material is stucco which has a normal 50+ year life if installed correctly.  Remember all stucco cracks with typical settling and exposure in our climate.  If a crack is less than 1/8 inch wide it shouldn't cause much concern.  However, if a crack is more than 1/8 inch or has a defection there is a possibility of structural movement and should be addressed asap. Other common siding materials should last as follows: Brick - lifetime Engineered wood - lifetime Fiber Cement - lifetime Manufactured Stone - lifetime Stucco - 50+ years Vinyl - Lifetime The ten most common defects encountered nationally, Foundation Electrical defects Roofing H... 04/11/2009

Nancy, my business partner asked me to pass on information about the Square Dance Festival being hosted by the Kingman Kut Ups so here goes: From Nancy: Hi I wanted to let everyone know about an event in Kingman that we are very excited about.  The Kingman Kut-ups Square Dance Club is having their 29th Annual Route 66 Spring Jubilee, April 24 & 25, 2009 in Kingman, Arizona.  We are featuring Arlen Miller, a Great caller from Northridge, CA, and Barbara Lopez, a wonderful round dance cuer from Prescott, AZ.  We will starting our weekend out with a Friday night Dance, starting at 7pm at the Katherine Heidenreick Adult Center in Kingman.  Saturday we continue with a square dance workshop Saturday morning at 9:30am and a round dance workshop at 11:00am.  Saturday afternoon we are presenting... 04/09/2009

Home and Garden Expo! Nancy and I are manning a booth next week from April 17-19 at the Fairgrounds.  Stop by and visit! We will have up-to-date information on FHA/VA loans, the New Buyer's Tax Credit, how to sell your home and much, much more. The Home and Garden Show is an annual event held every year at the Fairgrounds.  This year will see demonstrations from Master Gardeners, Home Designers, information on windows, and a chef's demonstration from our local Chef Gaul.  Over 50 vendors will be on hand. Come on down! Visit our webite at www.kingmanrealestate4u.com     04/09/2009

It's that time of year again The Annual Fun Run is coming to Kingman!   First held in 1988 the Fun Run attracts people from all over the US and even brings in cars from foreign countries.  The 3 day event starts May 1, starts in Seligman and travels 140 miles to Topock.  The Run stops in Kingman on Saturday where the cars are on display downtown at Locomotive Park and leaves after the Pancake Breakfast on Sunday morning at the Power House. Activities along the way include music, dancing, cruising, food and fun. For information visit http://www.azrt66.com Anyone can participate and I intend to run from Seligman to Kingman in my old 2005 Honda! Did you know that the longest continuous stretch of the old "Mother Road" left in the U.S. runs from Ash Fork, AZ to the Colorado River in Topock.... 04/09/2009

HMMC is currently filming a video of Kingman for their website.  The video will be used to recruit employees for the new hospital scheduled to open in the Fall.  MedCath the owners of the new hospital plan to later edit the video to provide information to the public about the community and hospital.  It will highlight the best of Kingman and promote our community as the perfect place to live. We can expect to see the video on the companies website within the next 30 days. 04/08/2009

We have all suffered from the recent 19% increase in electricity rates and I'm happy to announce that Unisource is dropping rates on electricity approximately 21% as of June 1.  Unisouce has announced that the rates will be since they took control of our power since 2003. The drop is due to the reduced cost of natural gas and the Arizona Corporation Commissions "purchase price and fuel adjustment system put in place several years ago that resets electricity rates once a year based on the price of natural gas. Enjoy it while it lasts, Unisource has said that it would be seeking an increase in distribution rates in 2010. 04/08/2009

Take time on April 9 to visit Kingman's Wildlife Fair.  Free and open to the public the event will be held at Kingman Academy from 6 to 9 p.m.  This is a youth event sponsored by Arizona Game and Fish and will be youth oriented.  Past events hosted 2000 guests.  View live birds, mammals, several species of rattlesnakes and other native wildife.  There will also be interactive hunting and fishing games.  Don't forget to bring your camera.  Photo ops will be available.  For more information, contact Game and Fish @ (928) 692-7700.         03/20/2009

Well it's not what we had hoped for, but at least our airline service is back. On Monday, Great Lakes announced that they will begin offering flights between Kingman and Ontario, California.  Once again we will be able to connect Kingman to the national transportation system.  We lost our provider last June and it is great to see it back.  Great Lakes spokesmen have said it is their goal to get service from Kingman to Las Vegas and we hope to see it in the near future. Service will also be provided from Kingman to Farmington, NM, the airlines maintenance facility. Welcome to Kingman--Great Lakes Airlines! For schedule information go to www.flygreatlakes.com   03/05/2009

It's that time of the year when we are mulling through our documents and paperwork getting ready for tax time.  Are you taking adequate measures to protect these documents from fallilng into the wrong hands or being lost in a natural disaster?  Do you know how long to keep tax records? Do you know the best way to protect vital paperwork from fire and flood damage? Do you know what type of paper shredder is recommended to completely destroy documents? Tax returns and supporting documents need to be kept for the previous seven filing years. Keep pay stubs and records until the end of the year to confirm your 1099 or W-2 forms are correct. Warranties and original receipts for warranted items should be set aside at least until the warranty expires. Essential documents to keep in a safe depo... 03/02/2009

I know it is hard to take that leap into homeownership when the economy is in turmoil and all you hear is gloom and doom about the marketplace.  The news bombards us everyday with real estate statistics, most of them sound negative.  They say 7% of homes are in foreclosure, but forget to say 92% are not.  All real estate is local. Kingman AZ is a wonderful place to live.  Surrounded by mountains and close to Las Vegas, we offer a climate different from our surrounding cities of Bull Head City, Laughlin and Lake Havasu.  Because of our elevation, we are cooler in the summer by 10 to 20 degrees.  We sit at the crossroads of Hwy 40 and 93, in fact, if you have driven from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon, you have passed through Kingman.  We have no natural disasters to worry about.  No earth... 02/26/2009

You must be a first time home buyer, which the law defines as someone who hasn't owned a primary home for 3 years prior to the subject home purchase.  If you haven't owned a home for 3 years, but your spouse has, neither of you qualifies.  You must also purchase the home between January 1 2009 and December 1, 2009.  Taxpayers who purcased a home in 2008 may be eligible for the former $7500 credit, but that credit must be repaid over 15 years.  The new credit does not have to be repaid as long as you stay in your home for 3 years. The stimulus tax credit is equal to 10% of the homes's purchase price, up to a maximum of $8,000.  The law also allows taxpayers who purchase a home in 2009 to claim the credit on their 2008 taxes.  If you have already filed your claim, you may file an ammended... 02/25/2009

Great news!  We just heard direct from the USDA Rural Housing Department RD Program Director and he confirmed to us that there will be no changes to the Arizona eligible rural areas until the receipt of the 2010 census! This means we will still have Rural Housing Loans available to us and can keep helping people live the American Dream of Home Ownership at 100% financing here in Kingman! The High Tech Mortgage folks and REALTORS in the area have worked hard with our legislators to keep Rural Housing Financing in the area at least for now. For more information on loan rules and regulations, visit http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rhs/common/program_info.htm#SFH     02/24/2009