Patricia Paul Properties

                                                                           
 
Happy Birthday, Tucson!  Today, August 20 is the 235th birthday of our Old Pueblo.  Tucson celebrates each year with various events. 
 
For more information, check out this website:

http://www.linkedin.com/news?viewArticle=&articleID=132451319&gid=2132059&type=member&item=27627614&articleURL=http://www.tucsonsbirthday.org&urlhash=fYuH&goback=.gde_2132059_member_27627614
 
Here's to many more!

 
Patricia Paul, GRI  ***  www.PatriciaPaulProperties.com  ***  (520) 548-2078

Did you know that AARP named Tucson one of the 5 best places to take it easy and live the simple  life?  Among its other merits Tucson was noted for "...the people, the natural beauty, the cultural mix" by one of its residents, Elizabeth Rodriguez Miller.   To read the entire article by Sarah Mahoney from AARP The Magazine, click on the link below.

http://www.aarp.org/home-garden/livable-communities/info-07-2009/the_simple_life.html?cmp=NLC-WBLTR-CTRL-70210-F1-1
 
 
Patricia Paul, GRI  *** www.PatriciaPaulProperties.com *** (520) 548-2078
 

                 



Have you noticed?  The saguaros around the Old Pueblo have begun to bloom.   The saguaro cacti we planted around our yard 25 years ago are developing flower buds at the top of the plant.    The saguaro blossom has white  waxy flowers with white or yellow centers.  It blooms at night, though you may see some open flower buds during daytime hours, too.    The bees like them.  The Saguaro Blossom is the State Flower of Arizona.  The flowers that get pollinated later produce red fruit.  It is sometimes used in making jelly or syup.  Local birds and critters also like to feast on them.   

Enjoy the display;  it should be going on for several more weeks.    Oh, by the way, have you noticed the Palo Verde trees are also starting to bloom?   Those lovely yellow flowers put on such a display!  Springime in the desert is so beautiful!

Now would be a great time to take a drive through either one of the Saguaro National Parks. 

Patricia Paul, GRI ** www.PatriciaPaulProperties.com ** (520) 548-2078 

              

So we've had a few wet weeks and you know what that means..... the weeds have sprouted!  The time to react is now, before they start getting too large to deal with.  The best way to tackle weeds around Tucson is with a tool known as a Hula Hoe.  It cuts the weeds off at ground level if you use a back and forth motion.  It is also useful for straightening out gravel areas in conjunction with a rake.  

Most landscapers here use chemicals that they spray on weeds to kill them off.  Then they also spray chemicals that are pre-emergents (prevents the weeds from growing at all.)  They are pretty effective, and depending upon the concentration of the mix, can last from 3-6 months.  If you get after the weeds now, you might have to do a quick touch-up before our monsoon season begins.

Be careful to protect yourself when working with toxic chemicals.  When finished using them, be sure to store them way out of reach of children.   It's best to keep children and pets out of the yard for a few days after you spray; play it safe.  Also, check labels as there are more and more green products out there you can use that are sensitive to the environment.

As the property manager of my Tucson rental homes, keeping up with weeds seems to be one of my biggest challenges.   Have a plan, stay on top of it, and the job won't seem as bad.  Your neighbors and the homeowners association will be glad you did.

Patricia Paul, GRI ** www.PatriciaPaulProperties.com ** (520) 548-2078

                                            

Tucsonans have been grumbling lately about the huge number of potholes in our city streets.  It's true, there are more than usual.  I recently saw an employee of the Tucson Transportation Department on a local newscast who admitted there are roughly 111,612 potholes around town.  How did they arrive at that number?  They examined a stretch of Grant Road and counted 20 potholes for every lane mile.  Then they multiply by the number of lanes and the number of miles.  

This city employee said that if there were no other new potholes to be considered, it would take the road repair crews 2 years of working 5 days a week to get to all the potholes, at an expense of over $2,000,000.  Also, all the recent rainy weather has only been delaying the process.   So don't expect to see them all filled and repaired as soon as the weather becomes nice.

My best advice is to keep a bit more distance between yourself and the vehicle in front of you.  That way you may be able to spot one of the dreaded potholes early enough to actually avoid it. 

Patricia Paul, GRI ** www.PatriciaPaulProperties.com ** (520) 548-2078

Available mid-March:

Cute and colorful!  This lovely 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home has 1,495 square feet of living space.  Bright, cheerful colors in living areas.  Nice open floor plan, formal living room plus family room.  Kitchen features gas stove, pantry, breakfast bar.  Ceiling fans, window coverings included.  Covered rear patio and enclosed back yard.  2-car garage.

Conveniently located near Kolb and Escalante.  Shopping, services, restaurants, and bus line nearby.  Close to DMAFB, Border Patrol, and other major employers.

Rent:  $1,100   *    Security Deposit:  $1,100

For more information, please contact:

Patricia Paul, GRI ** www.PatriciaPaulProperties.com ** (520) 548-2078

The number of applications for home loans and refinance loans reached a six-week high as interest rates slipped slightly lower.  Many buyers expect the rates to start rising in the spring of 2010, and want to complete their purchases before then.

Also driving some of the recent mortgage activity is the extended first-time homebuyers tax credit of up to $8,000, and a move-up tax credit of up to $6,500.  In order to qualify for these credits, home purchases must be under contract by April 30, 2010.

Buying a home still makes good sense now:  Mortgage interest rates are still at historic lows, home prices have fallen between 25-30% from the highs in 2005 and 2006, depending upon the location.  There is still a good amount of inventory out there to choose from. 

If you'd like to get pre-qualified for a mortgage, please contact me for a list of reputable, ethical lenders.  If you've been thinking about purchasing a home, please contact me for a free no-obligation consultation. 

If you've even been thinking about it, now is a great time to check it out!

Patricia Paul, GRI *** www.PatriciaPaulProperties.com *** (520) 548-2078

The Air Force identified the city of Tucson in October 2008 as one of five possible locations for an F-35 Lightning II training mission.  Tucson has near perfect weather for flying, and great resources in both DMAFB and Arizona Air National Guard.   A decision is expected about a year from now.

The Air Force will be looking at public support for the project among other factors when they make their decision.  A group has been formed to show local support and  send a message to Washington that Tucson wants the F-35 mission.  The economic benefits to Tucson would be huge, not to mention it would help increase DMAFB's importance and help assure it's future standing.

Tucson's Davis Monthan Air Force Base (DMAFB) will be hosting meetings in March in Tucson and select cities in Southern Arizona to review the Environmental Impact Study for the F-35 mission.

For more information, you can use the link below to connect to the Air National Guard's website:   

http://www.162fw.ang.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123187221

Patricia Paul, GRI *** www.PatriciaPaulProperties.com *** (520) 548-2078

           3 BR Near Pima & Swan                                 3 BR Near Midvale Park

                       $950/month                                                        $850/month

Both of these single family homes feature 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2-car garages, central air conditioning, ceiling fans, window coverings, and other extras.  For more information, please click on the menu tab marked "Home Rentals".   Call today to see these great homes in person!

Patricia Paul, GRI *** www.PatriciaPaulProperties.com *** (520) 548-2078

 Stop by on Sunday January 31 from 1:00 - 4:00 for my Open House located at 10315 E. Cowhead Saddle Lane, near Broadway and Houghton.  This beautiful home in Barrio Rincon was built in 2004 and features 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.

Directions:  From Broadway, take Houghton Road south to Cowhead Saddle Lane.  Go east to #10315.

Patricia Paul, GRI *** www.PatriciaPaulProperties.com *** (520) 548-2078