aviano dec. 10

If your home is currently listed, this is not a solicitation for that listing. Produced by Desert Lifestyle Publishing • 480.460.0996 • www.DesertLifestyle.net ISSN-1939-9650

Selling Your HomeHow to Compete to Win!

A Special-Occasion DessertMeritage Steakhouse’s Apple Streusel Crunch

Aviano’s Real Estate Report

December 2010

SPARKLING PERFORMANCES OF THE SEASON

Paul BrunoMobile: [email protected]

Would you like to sell your home but think you can’t? Are you

waiting for home values to appreciate more before you put

your house up for sale? Waiting for home values to rise (and

they will at some point) actually might not be your smartest

financial move. Why? Once the economy begins improving,

interest rates will rise. As of press time, the 30-year Fixed-Rate

Mortgage is averaging 4.16%! That’s the lowest in our nation’s

recorded history! Waiting and selling your home for more

money just may offset any gain when you then finance at the

higher rates we will have. Your pool of potential buyers will

be different then too – many not able to qualify at the higher

rates when they would have qualified today.

Don’t forget, if you’re selling your home near the bottom of

the market, you’ll be buying at the bottom of the market

too. Give me a call and let’s discuss this further. I have good

information for you that you’ll find valuable.

OUR EXCLUSIVE SELLER GUARANTEE:Your home sold in 64 days, at a price acceptable to you,

or we will pay you $5,000 cash*.

Visit www.HomeSoldGuarantee.com or call 602.369.0988.

www.TheBrunoGroup.com

85026PERMIT 1441

An Important Message from our Short Sale Department:

I am normally a very happy and optimistic person, but today I am a little angry over what I have been hearing in Aviano, and I have been flooded with phone calls as a result. Don’t worry…my anger will last about five minutes, but I am writing this after just hanging up with an upset Aviano homeowner, who had an inexperienced Real Estate team involved in a short sale. I have to say, that I have been hearing lately that short sales are hard to do if not impossible, and Aviano homeowners are getting their short sales declined and going into foreclosure. I cannot stress enough the importance of having an experienced short sale expert on your side. According to the National Association of Realtors, most real estate agents do not understand the nuances of a short sale. They don’t do enough transactions to understand them fully. Most lawyers hire employees for their practices to deal with the banks. These employees have no training, because lawyers are only trained in giving legal advice not negotiating with banks on short sales. Do you think a lawyer is going to sit on hold with Bank of America for 40 minutes in the middle of their work day to deal with a short sale? They will take your retainer upfront, and pass it off to someone else in the firm, who never returns your phone calls. The transactional work alone in a short sale is comparable to four times that of a traditional real estate sale. The ability to analyze the homeowner’s financial situation and come up with a strategy that involves the type of buyer and contract is key to the success of a short sale. I cannot say enough that planning the transaction at the beginning and expecting how the bank is going to perceive the seller is key. I will give you an example of a Savino model we recently sold where the buyer had an extremely high second mortgage. By the way, the second lien holder also has to agree to the short sale as well…not just the first lien holder. So, my team decided that we would only entertain buyers that were willing to come to the closing with cash to pay down the second lien holder only if requested. Part of our strategy was to only contract with a buyer who had cash in the bank to cover a request, by the second lien holder, for the seller to make a cash contribution. Don’t worry, because they are plentiful in the Aviano price ranges. The numbers were all the same at the end of the transaction, but the structure of the transaction took short sale creativity and foresight, which most real estate agents have never experienced before. If you call me, I will be happy to explain the detail of this transaction in person. This short sale was approved within 45 days, because my team had the foresight to spot a potential problem in the transaction at the beginning and plan a strategy to deal with it. You need someone on your side that can evaluate a transaction at the beginning and plan the proper course of action. Only 2% of the nation’s realtors can do this, and the person writing this is one of them. Please call me with your short sale questions at 602-369-0988.

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*Based on lender-approval. Conditions apply.

Featured Property

NEW TO THE MARKET!5 Bed | 4 Bath Approx. 3500 Sq. Ft.Highly Upgraded Blanca Model

ZoolightsThe Phoenix Zoo, Month of December602.273.1341 | PhoenixZoo.orgThe magic begins after the animals at the zoo go to sleep! Get in the holiday spirit as you meander through 2.5 million lights and nearly 200 light sculptures including a talking giraffe at this popular annual event. Enhance your experience with wagon rides, festive music, hot chocolate and freshly made churros!

A Taste of Old TownOld Town Scottsdale, Tuesdays-Sundays800.979.3370 | ArizonaFoodTours.comWhether you’re entertaining out-of-town visitors or want to get to know our Valley a little better, this tour is a great way to do it. Your three-hour adventure includes the tale of Scottsdale’s Wild West origins and a story of how Scottsdale has changed and evolved through the years. Then comes the best part: Sampling six great restaurants in the area including Frank and Lupe’s, The Mission and Su Vino Winery.

Hanukkah Holiday Party: Boutique and Vendor ShowJCC Valley of the Sun, December 5th 480.483.7121 | vosjff.orgBring the whole family down for great fun, games and a little bit of shopping. There will be numerous boutiques and vendors for you to browse or maybe pick up a last-minute Hanukkah gift for someone special. Inside the lobby, Israeli-inspired crafts and games will be set up for the children as you imbibe in seasonal delights such as latkes and sufganiyot.

Fall Classic Golf TournamentGrayhawk Golf Course, December 10th602.954.8182 | bgcmp.orgThis annual fundraising event is a hole in one! Participate in the three-man scramble at Grayhawk’s award-winning golf course. All golfers will receive a gift package, barbecue lunch and beverages. Proceeds will benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Metropolitan Phoenix, an organization that provides much-needed programs helping today’s youth to reach their full potential. The weather is fabulous, the cause is worthy; come hit the links!

White Christmas GalaArizona Biltmore, December 11th602.200.0767 | RyanHouse.orgEnjoy an enchanting evening set back in the 1940s. The night includes a memorable dinner, live entertainment and swing dancing to your heart’s content! Proceeds benefit Ryan House, an organization helping families caring for children with life-threatening conditions through their quality-of-life services.

Holiday Tea Sweet Basil, December 30th480.596.5628 | SweetBasilGourmet.comLearn to entertain guests with a lovely tea party just as you role-played when you were five! Learn the basics of making traditional tea as well as many tea-party-worthy recipes such as rosemary scones and raisin finger sandwiches. Then, invite friends over for a splendid afternoon to celebrate the New Year!

DECEMBER 2010

BLUEBERRY SOUR CREAM ICE CREAM WITH APPLE STREUSEL CRUNCH

Featuring Meritage Steakhouse at JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa

480.293.3939 | JWDesertRidgeResort.com

THE DRESS Paint a “livable” color palette throughout. Wall colors need to be ones that even if they are not the buyer’s first choice, the buyer can “live with it.” You will want to neutralize the color palette. Creamy beiges, warm tans and mild yellows are a great choice to warm up the space and make it look more personal. Walk through your home with a buyer’s eye and you’ll see that you might need to paint the red bathroom or the peppermint-pink accent wall in your daughter’s bedroom to a more universally appealing color. Other relatively simple cosmetic fixes can also make a big difference such as replacing plumbing hardware, cabinet pulls and light fixtures that may look old or outdated. Also, even though the buyer may not be purchasing the furnishings, remember that proper staging is one of the best ways to “dress” your home like a winner.

THE WALK Consider making your home more eco-friendly. Today’s buyers are attracted to luxury properties that are environmentally conscious. Make changes with energy-efficient appliances and green-certified building materials such as flooring, countertops, cabinetry and paints. Even switching to low-flow toilets and faucets, and CFL lighting can make your home more attractive.

Of course, you’ll want to let prospective buyers know about your home’s green features, particularly the ones they can’t easily identify. AJF Engineering (AJFEngineering.com) is a certified Green Energy Inspection company in the Valley and they can perform an energy audit of your property. With the use of sophisticated diagnostic equipment, they can evaluate your systems and determine your home’s “energy health.” You can also have your home rated and calculated on the HERS Index, a scoring system established by the Residential Energy Services Network to evaluate a home built to their specifications. To be certified for the EPA’s Energy Star Program, Scottsdale Green Building Program and/or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), a third party verification that your home complies is necessary. The auditor provides you with a written report giving your home another leg up in the beauty contest!

THE TALK You’ve primped and polished and your home is “evening gown ready.” You’ve created an advantage over your competitors by going green. Now you can price your home for whatever you want to sell it for, right? Wrong. This is where the Price War comes in. Utilize the expertise of a real estate professional that specializes in your neighborhood. They know exactly how to price your home for success. A home gets the most attention in the first 14 days on the market. If you start high, “just to test the waters,” buyers may not even bother to look and it’s very difficult to recover momentum by dropping the price later. Pricing, particularly in today’s market, is a critical component to the overall listing of your property. It almost requires a scientific approach; with market statistics, comparable data and the experience of a seasoned Realtor, to insure that this crucial aspect is handled just right. Is your home ready to compete? With proper preparation and expert guidance from your Realtor, you can be successful in selling your home — even in today’s buyer’s market.

Ice Cream1 cup blueberries 1 tsp. lemon juice1 cup sugar 2 cups sour cream

Mix the ingredients together. Spin the mix in an ice cream freezer until frozen. Store in the freezer.

Caramelized Apple Filling8 apples 1 cup butter1 cup brown sugar 1 cup sugar1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Core and peel apples and cut into thin slices. Melt butter, sugar and cinnamon to dissolve over medium heat. Add apple slices and cook until juices come out. Strain the apples from the rest of the juice and set aside.

Bread Pudding2 cups half and half 2 cups milk1 cup sugar 2 eggs1/4 tsp. vanilla Pinch nutmegTwo pinches cinnamon 5 large croissants Cut the croissants into 1-inch cubes and toast until golden brown. Whisk the rest of the ingredients together in a bowl. Pour the mix into the croissants and transfer onto a cookie sheet. Make sure the thickness of the pudding is not more than 1 1/2 inches. Let it stand for half an hour. Bake in a water bath at 300 degrees for 30 minutes or until done and there is no liquid left.

Brown Sugar Streusel2 cups flour 1 cup sugar1/3 cup brown sugar 1/3 cup quick oats1/8 tsp. salt 1 cup butter1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. vanilla1 tsp. almond extract

Mix dry ingredients together. Add cold butter and mix until you have hazelnut-size lumps.

Cut 3-inch circles of the bread pudding with a 3-inch ring mold; keep the bread pudding in the bottom of the ring. Fill it up with the caramelized apple slices until almost at the edge of the ring and top it with the Brown Sugar Streusel. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes until the streusel is golden brown in color.

Serve while still warm with a scoop of Blueberry Sour Cream Ice Cream.

Marley’s descent. Kim Bennett as Scrooge and Mike Lawler as Marley’s Ghost. Photo by Jeff Kida. Courtesy of Actor’s Theatre.

The company: Ballet Arizona (BalletAZ.org), now in its 25th anniversary season and under the artistic direction of Ib Andersen, a one-time principal dancer with the New York City Ballet for more than a decadeThe event: The NutcrackerThe overview: With Artistic Director Ib Andersen’s choreography and Tchaikovsky’s enchanting music, nothing makes the holidays more mesmerizing than Ballet Arizona’s classic interpretation of The Nutcracker. Take your sweetheart, take a friend, take the whole family

to this holiday tradition. With the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Waltz of the Flowers, this fairy-tale-like evening will delight young and old alike. Special holiday treat: The special events surrounding this beloved holiday tradition make it even more delightful. First, there’s the annual Nutcracker Party, a holiday luncheon, where guests are treated to performances by Ballet Arizona dancers. There will be unique boutique shopping, carolers, and activities for children provided by local museums, the Arizona Science Center, even The Phoenix Zoo! And, if you’re able, please help support the “Nutcracker Angel Nights”: These special performance

nights are open to children and families from disadvantaged neighborhoods free of charge, thanks to donations from “community angels”—ticket buyers, subscribers, and donors whose financial gifts help defray the evening’s expenses. Spreading a little holiday magic to others helps those warm feelings linger even longer!

The company: The Phoenix Symphony (PhoenixSymphony.org), led by Conductor Michael ChristieThe events: Candlelight Messiah and Handel’s MessiahThe overview: The symphony will perform Handel’s Messiah in an intimate candlelit-style setting, evoking the spirit and mood of its first European performance in 1742. Truly a holiday experience to remember! Enjoy soloists, a choir, and the Phoenix Symphony Baroque Ensemble who combine for performances of Handel’s best-loved composition.Special holiday treat: The intimate concerts take place at several Phoenix-area places of worship, allowing audience members to imagine what it must have been like to hear the music as it was first performed. This powerful and moving musical-nod to the holidays is bound to captivate and charm any audience member.

The company: Actor’s Theatre (ActorsTheatrePhoenix.org), now in its 25th anniversary season at Herberger Theater Center in downtown PhoenixThe event: A Christmas CarolThe overview: Thought by many to be the must-see Christmas event in Phoenix, some Valley families wouldn’t let a holiday season pass without partaking in this traditional treat. Adapted by Matthew Wiener and Michael Grady and with music and lyrics by Alan Ruch, this celebrated version of a holiday classic is more than a little special. Enjoy it as only Actor’s Theatre can tell it (think lots of music and a lavish production). After all, it just wouldn’t be Christmas without hearing the story of Ebenezer Scrooge and his visits from those three infamous ghosts.Special holiday treat: After 19 years, Actor’s Theatre’s award-winning production of A Christmas Carol is sadly ending after the 2010 season. “After all,” as the company says, “even Tiny Tim has to grow up and walk on his own.” If you haven’t seen it yet, make sure you do this year. Remember, it won’t be back.

Looking for a real “memory-maker” for your family this holiday? Why not sprinkle in some magic of the performing arts into your holiday celebrations this year? The Valley offers some of the best holiday

performances around. Whether it’s taking your granddaughter to see The Nutcracker for the first time, inviting your sweetheart to experience Handel’s Messiah, or bringing

the whole family to see the Dickens classic tale A Christmas Carol, these events just might make this your most

memorable and beguiling holiday yet.

Let’s face it – this is a buyer’s market. In real estate terms, a buyer’s market is identified when there are seven months or more of inventory for sale in the area. Right now, buyers have a large selection of homes to choose from. Selling your home in today’s market is both a Price War and a Beauty Contest, and you must excel at both. How can your home stand out from all the other homes on the market? Just like in a beauty pageant, contestants are taught how to dress, how to walk and how to talk in order to appeal to the judges. In the real estate market, buyers are the judges in a very competitive contest, so how can your home shine above the rest?