As desert dwellers, many of us look forward to the last full month of 100+ degree temperatures [usually our temperature drop to "magnificent"as we head towards October]….with 8 months or more of divine weather that follows.  August was supposed to be the big Monsoon month but we actually got very little rain all summer.  It was called the NONSOON! By now, kids are back in school and life is back to normal.   Here are a few holidays in September:

• 9/2 LABOR DAY - Labor Day is an annual federal holiday on the first Monday of September to celebrate the economic and social contributions of workers to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of the country.  Thanks to all of us who pay our taxes to provide for this country.
• 9/15 National Wife Appreciation Day (Jean’s new favorite - who knew?)
• 9/22 National Ice Cream Cone Day (Al’s favorite)
• 9/23 FALL BEGINS
• 9/29 Rosh Hashanah for our Jewish friends

Did someone ever say something in casual conversation – and suddenly a light bulb went off in your head?  We were visiting our friends in the mountains last weekend when we got into a conversation about how so many of us hang onto things we no longer need. Closets, in particular. Here's how to start the process of clearing out your closet.  It feels so good to get it done and be able to give away what you no longer need. Get rid of:

• Everything you haven’t worn in years – and are highly unlikely to ever wear again.
• Anything that doesn’t fit – if your weight miraculously changes, reward yourself -buy something new.  You deserve it.
• Anything you don’t like – and in my case, I asked myself why on earth I’d bought some of those things in the first place. Just because its on SALE doesn’t make it look good on me.

I came home completely inspired so I took EVERY article of clothing out of my closet and tossed it on the bed.  As further motivation, my friend asked me to send a BEFORE and AFTER picture of the closet. I digress, if we wanted to sleep that night, I had to complete the task (coats, shoes and purses are next on the list).Being completely honest and motivated with a goal in mind, I was ruthless. It took a few hours but I got rid of over two boxes of items that someone else will find useful. There is that realization that we’re all holding onto so many items from clothes to household items that are languishing in our closets and cabinet that are desperately needed by abused women. Next week we’re taking it all to the Sojourners Donation Center at 2330 E Fillmore St, Phoenix, AZ  85006.  Check their website for hours if you’re interested in helping. Most areas have facilities for battered women – we selected this one at the suggestion of a good friend who spent years and years on the Phoenix Police Department.  Officers see so many horrible family situations so they know. https://www.sojournercenter.org/ 

Here’s a challenge – are you up to tackling your closet?   BE TENACIOUS! I guarantee you’ll feel so great when it’s over (not so much in the process!).

Oh, the best part is that everything left will be easy to see and grab…. AND maybe there's room for a couple of new things?

This is actually related to real estate because when you list your home, we always tell our clients to be sure the closets and cabinets don’t look crowded because it tells the potential buyers that there isn’t enough storage room.  We advise being very minimalistic when selling your home. So, WIN/WIN. Once it’s done – keep it up!  You'll be so glad you did.  Selling or staying - it's great to feel organized.

If you’re on top of every repair in your home, perhaps you don’t need this information, but most people learn to live with the little things…and often those little things end up on a list your buyer will want you to repair.  Examples:  a little drip of a faucet, something that doesn’t quite work, but you don’t think of because it’s always been that way or signs of window issues (seals falling between panes, moisture).   You might want to consider hiring a home inspector to do a PRE-INSPECTION so you can be sure your home is in tip-top shape when your buyer comes along. Your Buyer will ask for repairs - do it for yourself. 

We can give you the names of several good ones.  Of course, our favorite is Bob Nau, Nau Inspections, because he’s very ethical, thorough and his report shows photos and/or notes on everything he can see. Also, he’s been a Licensed General Contractor for 30+ years.  www.nauinspections.com or 480-226-7915

Note:  whenever you have a home inspection, certainly not everything on the report needs immediate repair, but he’ll give you any detail, including anticipated life of roofs, A/C’s, water heaters, etc. Buyers want to be sure that nothing leaks, that the roof is in good repair or recently replaced (if it’s aging out)…that the A/C is fully functional. 

So many A/C units work but not at capacity. During a recent thorough investigation, Bob noted that the A/C system’s differential should be between 18-22 degrees; it was not. He noted that the seller should have his A/C system checked to be sure it was at the proper number. How would you know that without an inspection?  

Your probably wondering - WHAT IS THE DIFFERENTIAL?  It is the difference between the temperature going into the intake…and the temperature of the cooled air coming out through the vents. Example:  If the intake temperature is 100 degrees, the temperature coming into the house should be between 78-82 degrees. Anything less indicates the A/C is not performing at full efficiency and according to industry standards. 

FREON:

In an effort to better protect the atmosphere, manufacturers have been prohibited from making Air Conditioning systems that use R-22 (sometimes referred to as Freon^®) since 2015. All production will cease in 2020. Air conditioners using R-22 may still be serviced with recycled R-22 after 2020, however costs of R-22 may rise as supplies become limited.  Be aware –  the company you utilize for your annual A/C check-up will be able to give you more information and advice.

The total sales tax rate in any given location can be broken down into state, county, city, and special district rates. Arizona has a 5.60% sales tax and Maricopa County collects an additional 0.70%, so the minimum sales tax rate in Maricopa County is 6.3% (not including any city or special district taxes). This list shows the total sales tax rates for several cities and towns in Maricopa County, including all local taxes. These numbers may surprise you. It is something to think about the next time you’re buying a major item; like a vehicle.

On the low end are: Sun City and Sun City West at 6.30% [because they’re 55+ communities with no school taxes].

The highest are: Cave Creek/Carefree and Buckeye at 9.30% and Glendale at 9.20%; followed by Avondale, Goodyear and Paradise Valley at 8.80%.  Surprise is 8.50%, Phoenix is 8.60%, Tempe is 8.10% and Scottsdale is 8.05%.  

To begin with we are not advising anyone one way or another about purchasing timeshares. Everyone has a different perspective and lifestyle.  Nor are we involved in that end of the real estate business but we do get asked about them.

What is a timeshare?  According to Wikipedia, it is: "A timeshare (sometimes called vacation ownership) is a property with a divided form of ownership or use rights. These properties are typically resort condominium units, in which multiple parties hold rights to use the property, and each owner of the same accommodation is allotted their period of time."  

Times have changed regarding access to access to vacation accommodations being at our fingertips. Timeshares were all the rage long ago before there was access to the Internet - which brought travelers AirBnB, HomeAway, VRBO (Vacation Rentals by Owner) and other resources for accommodations world-wide. With these venues, you don't need to worry about ownership, maintenance fees, availability or reselling.  You just select from numerous options, book, go and enjoy!

Years ago, most timeshares were assigned a specific week and resort with no flexibility other than trading your week with another owner.  As they developed over the years, they became more flexible using points rather than a specific time/place. From boutique resorts to big hotel chains, it was game-on to sell these bits of paradise. Buyers were/are enticed to attend an "informational meeting" with a sales rep – I’m sure the rumors about guarded exits, moats surrounding the sales office and high pressure are just that…rumors!

Many years ago, we were wide-eyed and loved to travel so we purchased a hotel timeshare with a low annual maintenance fee with so-called "flexibility" so you could use your points to go anywhere in the world at any time.  And, for a fee, you could transfer your yearly points to use at their hotels.  It was a point system.  What they didn’t explain in great detail was how difficult it was to reserve more than one week at a time due to availability in popular places (Hawaii, resorts, Paris).  Nor did they explain that each reservation and/or request to search, included separate fees. So, if you wanted two weeks in Kauai, you paid reservation fees for each week and you had to be flexible about moving to a second place for the last week. The annual fee for the one we had at a very well-known hotel chain, started at about $360 a year for maintenance plus the reservation fee each time. Twenty years later the annual maintenance fee was over $1,100.  The other fees had increased as well.

Because we bought ours when we were fairly young, it encouraged us to take annual trips to beautiful places that we might not have otherwise taken.  We probably got more value out of it because we were tenacious about figuring out the system to maximize our points. On the positive side, we used our timeshare every year (or gave it away) so we benefited from our ownership because we didn't leave any points on the table when others just gave us.  

As the years went on, our travel interests  moved on to tours and cruises in exotic places.  As the fees and difficulty of finding places grew, we decided to rid ourselves of the timeshare as our kids had no interest in taking on the expense (you can transfer or bequeath ownership).  There is very little investment value.  We sold ours back to the hotel chain at pennies-on-the dollar a few years ago but were glad to be done with it. Of course, the hotel re-sold it to someone else making a profit again.  The resorts/hotels make loads of money over the years from purchase cost-to-fees; especially since so many owners don't use theirs but still have to pay the annual fees.  Others, utilize their timeshares at varying frequency. On many programs, if you don't use your points, you lose them at the end of the year unless you pay a fee to transfer them forward. Selling your timeshare can be a difficult venture – there are so many unethical "resellers" who promise the moon but charge exhorbinant fees - sometimes never completing the transfer.

Dave Ramsey, renowned financial guru, says this: "There are over 9 million timeshare owners in the United States alone and 74% are locked into lifetime contracts with perpetuity commitments that can pass on to their next of kin. With an average annual maintenance fee of $970, and a difficult booking process, timeshare ownership can become frustrating. Timeshare Exit Team was founded on the principle that consumers should have an option when it comes to exercising their rights. We are here to eliminate your unwanted timeshare and help you move one step closer to financial peace of mind." 

We didn’t know about this service at the time so we don’t have experience with this program of exit, but if you have a timeshare to dispose of, here’s an option to explore: https://timeshareexitteam.com/about-us/our-process/

If you’re interested in timeshares strictly as an investment, financial advisors strongly urge against it.  There are many ways to invest in real estate that can be profitable over the years – such as building equity in your personal home [by never pulling the equity out] or a rental under the right circumstances.  We’re happy to answer any questions about rental property.

Many of us have patio furniture with cushions made from Sunbrella fabric.  Being outside, it is exposed to all sorts of opportunities to get dirty.  We thought you might find this link helpful (it was to us) in maintaining it and keeping it clean: https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Sunbrella-Fabric