All posts by Ben

Land, Off Grid Living, Real Estate

News – April 8, 2020

It’s been a busy time here at the ranch. Not surprisingly, everyone who has been on the fence about buying land feels more motivated. I have clients who would love to come to their property and get away from the madness of the city, but they are locked down in Socal, and can’t leave. I believe that we’ll have a big uptick once the lockdown is lifted.

Some days, I feel a little depressed about it all. The anxiety of not knowing the future is disconcerting, and I feel a bit of unease in every waking moment.

Thankfully, I have our garden. Though it probably wouldn’t be enough to keep us from being a bit leaner later on, it’s relaxing, and I always leave the phone up at the house so as to have a brief moment of calm in the flurry. Having 40 acres means I don’t have to sit in the house, and that helps I think.

I’m also thankful of my career as a land broker. I have helped many people to move to this beautiful area. The solar off grid life is not the easiest, but there are many rewards that make the lack of convenience worth it.

Real estate sales are not easy. I’m reminded of the old adage that we in real estate just work half days, you know, 12 hours a day. It’s true!

For the buyers today, my job is just to know what’s best out there for the money. Stagecoach Trails being over 130,000 acres offers a variety of terrains and locations. Zeroing in on what the needs of the buyer are long term seems to be the most important thing.

Educating buyers on costs to do a well, septic, solar etc. may have prevented some financial mishaps (and cost a few sales.) Truth is that it really does cost more than you realize to get it all set up. If I can keep folks grounded in reality as to what it takes to live off grid, I feel it’s best for all of us in the long run.

For sellers the key is pricing. What one wants is not always what the market will bear. We’d all have loved to sold any stock investments in February, ah but it’s too late.

We have an abundance of inventory, but for the first time since the market started dropping in earnest in 2009, we are seeing some slight appreciation upward. There are fewer and fewer “bargains.” Buyers take note!

To all of you reading, please leave a comment or two. Thanks for stopping by! -Ben

 

Real Estate

Real Estate Update March 2020

My how the year has changed from what I had expected in early January.

We were first aware of the Coronavirus in late January, and although it was alarming even at the early stages, life pretty much went on in the same way. Sales were brisk, and the New Year appeared to be very bright indeed with residential sales soaring in the tri-city area , and even Yucca seeing a good revival.

We were in like a lion at the beginning of March, but now an ominous quiet has appeared with residential showings dropping off during the massive lock-down as many potential buyers come from nearby California.

Yesterday, two cases were confirmed in Mohave County, breaking our streak of zero, and popping our comfort bubble here. We have friends in the medical community, and we’re worried as well for their safety.

Land interest has happily continued, and while we won’t show anyone in our own vehicle now, many buyers opt to go out on their own anyway. We’re happy to have them follow us if they prefer a live agent. I’ve been making the rounds to see that corners are marked, and everything is fairly easy to find. We’re still getting calls and emails every day.

It is comforting to live on 40 acres. We feel somewhat removed from the craziness in the cities. Having our own power source (solar) and our own well/septic, as well as amply prepared soil for a garden is a decidedly good thing when sheltering in place.

We’ve always been modestly prepared, and we were picking up a few things weeks ago before all of the panic buying began. Sadly, I didn’t manage to get my hands on masks, but we did have a couple on hand.

We’ve managed to keep our human contact to a minimum, but have relented to a weekly trip to town for mail, groceries, and garden supplies. I have a vehicle in town that has been repaired, and I will have to go in with someone to reclaim and return it here over the weekend. It may be the last trip for a while. Wash your hands!

Real Estate

Up to Year Mortgage Relief Possible

Homeowners who have lost income or their jobs because of the coronavirus outbreak are getting some relief. Depending on their situation, they should be eligible to have their mortgage payments reduced or suspended for up to 12 months.

Federal regulators, through the mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, are ordering lenders to offer homeowners flexibility. The move covers about half of all home loans in the U.S. — those guaranteed by Fannie and Freddie. But regulators expect that the entire mortgage industry will quickly adopt a similar policy.

Source: U.S. Orders Up To A Yearlong Break On Mortgage Payments : NPR

Arizona, Real Estate

Some Heading to Arizona, What States People Are Leaving

Living on a fixed income, retirees are looking for ways to make their budgets stretch—and New Jersey’s high home prices and property taxes don’t make it an attractive place to stay.

The Garden State’s median home list price of $389,050 in November was about 21% more than the national list price of $309,000. It’s also a lot more than Arizona’s median price of $350,050 and Florida’s median price of $335,050.

But the high cost of living isn’t dissuading millennials from moving in. The state offers plenty of high-paying jobs, as well as many towns within commuting distance to New York City that are attractive to those just starting out and establishing their careers. There were still more folks aged 34 and under moving into New Jersey than out of the state, according to United.

Top states folks are fleeing

  1. New Jersey

2. Illinois

3. New York

4. Connecticut

5. Kansas

6. Ohio

7. California

8. Michigan

9. North Dakota

10. Iowa

Source: The State That Americans Are Fleeing—and Where They’re Winding Up | realtor.com®

The article says that Arizona is the #3 destination overall. Anecdotally, many Californians are buying residential in Mohave County. According to the Title Company, the vast majority are from California.

Arizona, Real Estate

January Real Estate Update

This year is off to a good start. Activity has picked up after a somewhat slower fall season. Like clockwork, our sales are best in the first quarter of the year. I’m not sure if it’s end of year bonuses, New Years’ resolutions, snowbirds or what, but it’s always welcome to be busy again.

The discouraging part is the sales prices. We’re still seeing what I consider “vulture pricing.” The sales today are often at depressed prices. The hope is that these will finally sell, (and the truth is that there are less in the basement price-wise now,) and we’ll be able to see an uptick.

Meanwhile, in the cities, the prices have continued to rise in Mohave County as we experience an exodus from California. At some point, the purchase of raw land will make more and more economic sense and the prices should rise. One can always hope anyway…

Arizona, Odds & Ends

Be Careful Out There!

Officials from the Arizona Game and Fish Department say that multiple mountain lions have been killed after they ate human remains, KGUN-TV reports.

Officials say that three mountain lions were killed by the department after they reportedly ate human remains in the Santa Catalina Mountains.

The remains were found on the Pima Canyon Trail and had shown signs of being disturbed by wildlife. The mountain lions involved had also reportedly showed signs of “interacting with humans” in the area.

Officials say that the animals were killed due to their proximity to residences and an apparent lack of fear of humans

Source: Multiple Mountain Lions Killed by Game and Fish Officials After They Were Observed Eating Human Remains Near Tucson, Arizona – News Breaking LIVE

Arizona, Odds & Ends

Wintry Blast Today

Brrr… It’s cold! It was just a couple of weeks ago that we were basking in above normal temperatures in the mid-80s. This morning, it was only 34F degrees here.

Above is a picture of yesterday’s lingering storm including snow in the mountains. We even heard thunder once!

Today dawned mostly clear. We need the power after several mostly cloudy days. It should get up into the low 50s.