Mesa, Arizona Real Estate - Teri Ellis - Homes Arizona Real Estate: Arizona: Mesa

Sunland Springs, a 55+ Retirement Community located in Mesa, Arizona.

In Mesa, Arizona, especially East Mesa as well as Apache Junction and Gold Canyon there are a plethora of retirement communities. Many of our winter visitors come here for a visit and then end up purchasing their winter home returning year after year to enjoy our wonderful Arizona weather.

The retirement community of Sunland Springs Village is located on the far eastern edge of Mesa, just south of Baseline and east of Signal Butte, and is very popular with our winter visitors.  Sunland Springs is complete with a club house, swimming pool, tennis courts and three beautiful golf courses. My favorite golf course in this community is Four Peaks, probably named after the mountain range Four Peaks directly to the north. There are always lots of fun things to do at the club house, or if you choose to just sit and watch, that's fun too.

Any time of the day you will see joggers, fast walkers, strollers, and lots of friendly people enjoying the warmth and the sun. Since I am from Arizona, during the winter I don't wear shorts, but on the putting green or the driving range and on the golf courses themselves, lots of our winter visitors are wearing shorts. I'm bundled up unless it gets into the high 60's.

Mountain ranges are evident all around; however, the mountain that I particularly love to see is Superstition Mountain just nine miles east of Sunland Springs Village. To the north are the Goldfield Mountains, and to the south the San Tan Mountains.

There are still new homes being built as well as resale houses available. If you're in the market for a second home, or are thinking of retiring, I am available to show you these beautiful homes in a wonderful and peaceful area.

Located near hospitals, shopping at Superstition Gateway East and Superstition Gateway West, theaters including an IMax theater, Coldstone Creamery, Super Wal-mart, Kohl's, Staples and lots of places to eat, this might just be a great place to settle in.

The Mesa, Arizona Temple sets up displays that are spectacular. Thousands of volunteers place 50 life-size figures, including a nativity scene and the three wise men and their camels. 750,000 lights are set in citrus trees, cacti and palm trees. The visitors center shows a short film depicting the birth of Christ through December 31. Holiday music is performed by valley choirs, school groups and entertainers.

Musical performances begin at 6 or 7 p,m. nightly. Be sure to see details at: MesaChristmasLights.com

Struggling Consumers in Mesa and in Chandler have opportunities for finding affordable groceries! 

I recently learned of reduced pricing for feeding a family in Chandler and Mesa, Arizona. No income requirements, no lengthy forms to fill out. Order as many boxes as you want. Wow! Seems too good to be true? Well it is true, and this is where, how, and how much.

Angel Food Ministries provides enough food to feed a family of four for a week for $30! Additionally, the United Food Bank has a similar program, "Help Yourself," that provides meat, canned goods and a bag of produce for $16! Items vary weekly and are available every Friday on a first come, first served basis. You'll probably have to wait in line, but for $16, you will want to wait in line.

According to the Arizona Republic, a recent Department of Agriculture
survey found that about 50 million people went hungry last year. Nearly
one in four was a child. Some local children come to school famished on
Monday after having nothing to eat at home over the weekend. Food pantries and soup kitchens across the Southeast Valley have been innundated with people who can't afford even a $16 weekly box of food.

How we can help! We can buy a food box online through Angel Food Ministries, for pickup at several Southeast Valley locations, or from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fridays at United Food Bank, 358 East Javelina Avenue, Mesa.  Chandler Christian Community Center is collecting canned food, turkeys, hams and baking ingredients for the holidays. 480.963-1423. 

I am so proud of those who dig into their almost empty pockets to help others less fortunate.  After all, isn't that what America is all about? Helping each other?  This is information on just two of many throughout the valley and throughout our country!

Hazardous Waste Collection and Recycling Event in Mesa on December 12, 2009! 2412 North Center (Center Street North of McKellips)

I appreciate the opportunity to clean out the garage, get rid of those "things" that have been sitting around forever and dispose of them in a safe and green manner.  

Event Hours: 8 a.m. - 12 noon.  Materials will not be accepted after 12 noon!!

Since I had not yet availed myself of the opportunity to travel on our Light Rail from Mesa to Phoenix, hubby and I decided to take another day trip! On November 11, Veterans' Day, we boarded the Light Rail in Mesa at Dobson and Main. I love to take day trips to better appreciate the beautiful Phoenix Valley. I wanted to stop by the Tempe Farmers Market, walk along Mill Avenue in Tempe, and enjoy the sights of downtown Phoenix all of the way to the end of the line and back.

The price of an all-day ticket is very reasonable - I am thinking for both of us - $3.50.  We purchased our tickets at Safeway in East Mesa. There were very few people traveling, and we enjoyed seeing the ongoing Veterans' Day parades in Tempe and in Central Phoenix. It was so cool! The trip took about 30-40 minutes to the end of the line at the Metro Center - 19th Avenue. We changed trains and headed back!

Since I grew up in Phoenix, I loved traveling through downtown Phoenix and being able to see how "modern" Phoenix has become. The Light Rail route is so nicely designed and maintained, there is a feeling that I could get off at any of the stations and feel "safe." We passed by a Phoenix icon, The Westward Ho, a skyscraper hotel located on Central Avenue built in 1928 - famous in the "day" and the tallest building in Phoenix until the year 1960. Anyone who has seen Alfred Hitchcock's movie, Pschyo, will remember that it was filmed in downtown Phoenix in 1960 though the hotel in the scenes was the Jefferson Hotel.

[As a child, my mom would drop us off in downtown Phoenix to watch movies, and we got in for a quarter.] ;-)

Then, there's my high school, Phoenix Union, located in downtown Phoenix along Van Buren - which has been torn down now; however, the memories are still very fresh of the "good old days"! Very nostalgic for me. The City has certainly "grown" up.

There is more to this story - I'll share photos of Mill Avenue, where we ate, and more photos in another post.

Now that the weather has cooled down, my husband and I decided to check out our Mesa Farmers’ Market Saturday morning - checking out farmers' markets is one of my favorite things to do. Mesa is also celebrating its Old West Days Festival yesterday (November 7) and today (November 8).

Shoot outs at the Mesa Old West Days

There were shootouts, people dressed in their “old west” garb, and plenty of food. Rides on the train for little ones, jewelry booths, and a wide assortment of opportunities to purchase goodies or just walk and enjoy the music and the sights.

Winter visitors are back!! These events continue until May when visitors return to their cooler climates. There are plenty of these Farmers’ Markets, festivals, craft shows, and celebrations going on all winter.

 Farmers' Market and Mesa Celebration of Old West Days

It was a balmy 78 degrees yesterday morning around  11:30, and we stopped by and tried out the homemade tamales. LOVE tamales! We purchased six, and will be having them for dinner soon. The Tamale Store is located in north Phoenix, but you can call and order your tamales, or go online at www.thetamalestore.com, and pick them up at the farmers’ markets in town. I do recommend them.

The McDonald Street Market is located in the center of Old Mesa at McDonald and Main. I’ve included a link to their website which provides dates, times, and other useful information for those who like to keep up on the local news.  So - all of you wanting to find things to do this winter, just stop by now and again for an update to the "happenings" in Mesa, Arizona!!

What I did this summer! Catchy title doncha think? I actually took some time “away” from blogging, commenting, and working in real estate “24-7” and enjoyed some down time and alone time with my husband in Show Low, Arizona, a wonderful little town located in the White Mountains just north and east of Mesa, Arizona 140 miles.

I thought I would share just "some" of the things I chose to do during my down time, along with some photos: I learned to knit, played golf, ate, rested, lounged on the porch and read, read, read. 

Some sights of interest along our way to Show Low! We pass through Superior, Miami, and Globe, mining towns in eastern Arizona. Then, as we head north to Show Low, we pass through the Salt River Canyon which is an amazing drive and has spectacularly beautiful scenic views.. As a child, I recall driving that area with a HUGE amount of trepidation....now, the roads are wider, passing lanes, etc.

There are many, many wonderful places to visit in Arizona. I've shared many photographs and tours in the past, and will continue to do so.

As described in Wikepedia: "Show Low is a city in Navajo County, Arizona, United States. It lies on the Mogollon Rim in east central Arizona, at an elevation of 6,400 feet (1,951 m). The city was established in 1870 and incorporated in 1953. According to 2007 Census Bureau estimates, the population was 11,763.[1]

“According to the legend, the city was named after a marathon poker game between C.E. Cooley and Marion Clark. The two men decided there was not enough room for both of them in their settlement. The two men agreed to let a game of cards decide who was to move. According to the tale, Clark said, "If you can show low, you win." Cooley turned up the deuce of clubs (the lowest possible card) and replied, "Show low it is." The stakes were a 100,000 acre (400 km²) ranch. Show Low's main street is named "Deuce of Clubs" in remembrance.

In 2002, a large forest fire, the Rodeo-Chediski fire, threatened the city and forced an evacuation. The city is near extensive forests, and in normal times is a popular recreational area."

Yes, I’m a huge fan of Arizona and, especially, those places I can visit easily from my home base in Mesa, Arizona.

Recently I received a telephone call from a Realtor from another state. He introduced himself, told me he had found me through Active Rain, and knew so and so, and so and so - yada, yada......

After we had finished with our introductions, he told me he had a client that had a home in Mesa, Arizona, and they wanted to find someone to list it for them.  As I began to question him on the circumstances of the sale, he said that the sellers just “needed” it listed. I prodded him further asking if they had taken out a second and if they were upside down. He said, "yes," and basically needed it listed in order to complete their purchase of a home through him.

He further went on to tell me that they didn’t really care whether they sold it or not, and he didn’t need a referral fee. Sound fishy? Yep, to me it did – and it was.

I told him this: “they are buying another home and bailing on this one,” aren't they? He hemmed and hawed, and pretty much acknowledged this to be true - actually he "thought" it "might" be the case, but “he didn’t know for sure.” 

I told him that it is mortgage fraud  knowing when you purchase one home that you are walking away from the other one!! You see, I have very strong feelings about this type of mind set. (See my previous post written in June 2008 on the Buy and Bail phenomena.)  NO WONDER we are in such dire straits in America!! Guess who picks up the tab? US!!! People don’t think twice about their obligations to keep their promises – AND – this agent had never heard of the Buy and Bail scheme. Maybe yes, maybe no!! Hopefully all Realtors are aware of this egregious behavior and DO not assist buyers/sellers with transactions of this type.

Mesa, Arizona Real Estate. Call me at: 480.216-3334 for information on purchasing or selling a home in Mesa, Arizona or surrounding towns. OR email me: Teri@TeriEllis.com. Feel free to visit one of my websites: HomesAzRE.com, ServingMesaArizona, MoveToMesaAz.com or MoveToSunnyAz.com. Or stop by my blogs at: MesaAzRealEstateVoice; or Phoenix Valley Real Estate Blog

According to our MLS stats, the 85209 zip code in Mesa, Arizona shows that we are now in a buyer/seller market. Six months is typically the “middle” mark. We’ll have to see what July holds, but notice in August 2007, we had 11.4 months’ supply of homes on the market. As of June, 2009, 6.5 months’ supply of homes. I'm thinking it's time to make your move if you are thinking of purchasing or selling a home. Homes are definitely selling. Don't wait until it becomes a seller's market buyers - make your move now. ESPECIALLY first time home buyers who can take advantage of the $8,000 incentive!!!

Mesa, Arizona Real Estate. Call me at: 480.216-3334 for information on purchasing or selling a home in Mesa, Arizona or surrounding towns. OR email me: Teri@TeriEllis.com. Feel free to visit one of my websites: HomesAzRE.com, ServingMesaArizona, MoveToMesaAz.com or MoveToSunnyAz.com. Or stop by my blogs at: MesaAzRealEstateVoice; or Phoenix Valley Real Estate Blog

Last year I shared several areas of interest within a day's ride from Mesa, Arizona. I promised to share some of the photos of the Painted Desert. I'm finally keeping my promise.

Located just about four hours north and east of Mesa, Arizona, the Painted Desert can be reached from the I-40 east of Holbrook, Arizona. As you enter the Park from the North end,

you will be treated to panoramic views of amazing colors and shapes. Seriously, the scenery is literally a huge canvas of multiple colors, shadows, and light.

I've just started to print and then hang some of my photos in our Show Low retreat. I'm sharing just a few of the Painted Desert in Arizona. Enjoy!

That's it for this session.....I hope you enjoy them as much as I've enjoyed sharing them.

Mesa, Arizona Real Estate. Call me at: 480.216-3334 for information on purchasing or selling a home in Mesa, Arizona or surrounding towns. OR email me: Teri@TeriEllis.com. Feel free to visit one of my websites: HomesAzRE.com, ServingMesaArizona, MoveToMesaAz.com or MoveToSunnyAz.com. Or stop by my blogs at: MesaAzRealEstateVoice; or Phoenix Valley Real Estate Blog