The Annual El Tour De Tucson, the countries largest cycling event, is exactly two weeks from today - Saturday, November 23rd.  This is one of the most exciting events anyone - wether a spectator, cyclist or volunteer can be a part of in the city of Tucson. This will be my 17th El Tour event, not just riding in it,  but also being a volunteer for a few days leading up to the event (I think it is important to help and support community events in more ways than one!).  Even though it takes some training to do the ride, if you are just an average cyclist - and want to be a part of the but haven't trained much - there are short portions of the ride that you can do. Here are 5 things to know about Tucson's El Tour De Tucson: It covers 111 – miles around the city of Tucson.  There are four dif... 11/08/2013

Seems odd to talk about camping in November - but Tucson is still warm - with temps in the high 80s.  It's actually the perfect time to be out hiking, riding bicycles, anything outdoors is going to be nice! A top spot just about 5 miles up Mt Lemmon Highway is a place called Molino Basin.  Most of the campgrounds higher up on the mountain are closed right now, but Molino stays open because the season permits it as it sits lower in the Catalina Mountains!   Here are five things to know about Molino Basin: You can camp here - with or without a trailer/RV.  The roads are paved and there are public restroom facilities. There are numerous hiking trails and bouldering areas that would one could spend days exploring. There are also mountain bike trails - the most popular is a 2.5 mile course t... 11/07/2013

11/03/2013

If you've lived in Tucson long enough - you've seen the giant boot on Tucson's northeast side of town. This boot has marked the spot for many things over the years marks - racetrack dating back to the 1940s, a cotton farm, a guest ranch, an airplane runway, the famous Tack Room restaurant and — now — a development called Vactor Ranch. Back in the day, the property consisted of 200 acres - part has been sold off and now are the Villa Del Rio and Vista Del Rio housing subdivisions, and what remains is now known as "Vactor Ranch" subdivision, named after the Vactor Family who managed the ranch in the early years. Vactor Ranch is a beautiful gated subdivision and here are five top things you need to know it: It is 4 miles from Sabino Canyon Park and less than two miles to Udall Recreation C... 10/30/2013

Tucson's biggest cycling event, the El Tour De Tucson, is just about a month away and this is a special year for the organization as it celebrates 30 years as one of the most celebrated, best attended cycling event in the country.  Here's what's been written about this event: *Tucson #1 – Outside’s “Top 10 Best Bike Towns” – May 2012*Tucson #1 – Atlantic, overall city with the “Most Bikeable Neighborhoods” – May 2013*Tucson #6 – Travel Channel “Top 10 Best Bike Cities” – May 2013*Tucson #8 – Bikescore “Most Bikeable Large U.S. Cities” – May 2013. This will be my 18th El Tour de Tucson event and I am looking forward to being a part of it.  It is fun, it is great to be out on the streets and ride - uninterrupted - and have many volunteers ready to hand you water, food, and any other kind ... 10/20/2013

Ever since we opened our office on Congress Street in Downtown Tucson, there has been one thing in common with a lot of our walk ins - "Do you have any condos or flats for sale in downtown Tucson?" For over 6 months, our answer has been, "Sorry, no we don't." Well...guess what. We can finally say, "Why yes! Yes We Do!"   The Flats at Julian Drew condos is the FIRST ownership opportunity in downtown Tucson. It's the first of it's kind and we're excited to bring it to the Tucson market!Available are studios, starting at $105,000 and 1 bedroom units, starting at $145,000.  We have 2 models available for viewing NOW. The great thing about this property - aside from all of the updates to each unit - is the location. The complex is on 5th Avenue about a 1/2 block south of Broadway which means... 10/09/2013

As the weather starts to cool of in the Old Pueblo, more and more events are starting to get on the schedule.  For example, this weekend is going to be busy for us at Tierra Antigua Downtown! On Saturday, October 12th, the better half and I will be heading to the annual Univeristy of Arizona Men's Basketball Blue and Red game. This is a BIG event for those of us who love college basketball. How big? The game - andit's 14,000 or so seats are SOLD OUT. So big that, with continued demand for tickets, the university is going to be streaming the game online. Coach Sean Miller and his crew are said to be an Elite 8 or even Final 4 team. Once the game is over, we'll fly downtown for the monthly street party - 2nd Saturdays Downtown. We love opening the doors to the office - especially with our... 10/08/2013

If terror is your thing, then the Tucson Terrorfest is where you need to be October 17th through the 19th. You'll get your fill of blood, gore, zombies - Italian zombies! - and down to your bones chills.   The schedule is up at the Terrorfest website. Click over to see what's showing, when and what each movie is about. Tickets are $6 per film or you can pick up a festival pass for $25 but there are only 50 of those available! The Screening Room is located on Congress Street, next to Elliot's on Congress, and that means parking is no problem at all. Pop into the Pennington Garage and it'll be a quick walk to the theater. You can also use the Depot Garage on 5th Avenue or El Centro at Congress/Toole.   10/07/2013

For many – a big part of their day begins with this question: “Where or what should I eat today?” For some it is easy to decide – for others – not. No matter which category you fall into – here are a few picks for places to eat – and in one case – you can eat free – here in Tucson: The big one – a free meal at Panda Express on Wednesday only! You have to print the coupon or download onto your phone – easy enough – then find the closest Panda Express near you and enjoy a free meal. But there is a catch – the free meal is only their new entrée - Honey Sesame Chicken Breast. Taco Tuesday at Umi Star Restaurant on Campbell Road. All day today – get tacos for just $2. What a deal! But it isn’t just regular ole plain tacos – how about these taco yummies: panko-breaded fish, carnitas, barbacoa... 09/30/2013

Tucson, Arizona was selected by a panel of experts as a contender for the Best Place to Watch a Sunset. The contest, which is being promoted by USA TODAY, gives voters four weeks to vote for the destination of their choice as the best place to watch a sunset.  Check it out to see if your city is among the top choices. There are several other cities that you can vote for - many places I have been lucky enough to have seen the sunsets, and whew, this will be a difficult or at least a very tight race for a winner! Here is a collection of Tucson sunset photos that are my favorite - courtesy of Mike Jones: Spread the word and vote daily - you can vote once a day for the run of the contest. 09/19/2013

Coffee Mugs, Sunsets, and Dream Homes in Marana and Tucson, AZ One of the things I so enjoy about real estate is the diversity of your days. One day you can be a winner!  (Won the cup in an office raffle) Another day you can be on a broker tour... Another day you can find more than you bargained for, And on another, find something unexpected. You can meet some awesome people Get in touch with local vendors Help your clients find their dream home or sell their existing home to move on to new dreams! All in all - a fantastic profession! Looking for someone with passion to help you with your home for sale in Marana or Tucson, AZ?  Perhaps you're looking for a new place to call home?  Call a Marana neighbor -- I'm there.   09/12/2013

Gorilla Deals in Tucson Real Estate I had my car in the shop for its 30K checkup the other morning, and I took a stroll down automall way to pass the time while waiting. I came across Mr. Red here. Having never sold Used Cars, I cannot comment on sales techniques and methods to attract attention.  But I need to ask you....would seeing this big guy here entice you to say, "Hey, yeah, I need a new car...."?  If we had one of these out by our open houses, do you think we'd get more visitors? Nevertheless, there ARE some big deals in real estate with homes for sale in Tucson, Marana, Oro Valley and more. Need to sell your home and want community information...I'm there for you. Have questions about purchasing your new home? Please give me a call, drop me a text, or send an email.  I'm happy... 09/05/2013

University of Arizona U of A Wildcat Football Home Games It's football season here in Tucson, AZ and for your saturday night action, there's no better place to get a little Wildcat fever than taking in a U of A Football Game. Here's the home Football Schedule for 2013: Saturday September 14     UTSA                        7:30 p.m. Saturday, October 19        UTAH                        TBA Saturday, November 9       UCLA                        TBA Saturday, November 16     Washington State     TBA Saturday, November 23     Oregon                     TBA 09/03/2013

  With my mobile career choice, I'm always on the lookout for new places to eat or meet with clients, and am doubly pleased when such place is locally owned and managed. Relish Kitchen and Wine Bar has got a great location on the southwest corner of Swan Road and East Camp Lowell Drive.  It's got a great outdoor patio as well, although I'm not checking it out in our current hot weather conditions! The menu is varied, and lunch is a "get-it-yourself" kind of fare, while dinner has waitstaff.  Signature salads, yummy hand-made sandwiches and other delights dot their menu, all of which can be rounded out with a nice glass of wine. According to their web site,  Chef/Owner Stephen Hurd uses locally sourced products on his menu with half and full sized portions made from scratch daily. On thi... 08/28/2013

snow·bird ˈsnōˌbərd/ noun noun: snowbird; plural noun: snowbirds 1. informal a northerner who moves to a warmer southern state in the winter.   As we roll into September, the migration of snowbirds is about to start. The migrate into areas of Tucson such as Saddlebrooke, Oro Valley, and Marana - among other places.  Some choose to live closer in town to be closer to public transportation, entertainment and our beloved University of Arizona Wildcats. Most return to the Old Pueblo from all points north. To most, the idea of shoveling snow and being stuck at the homes during blizzards isn't appealing.   Our snowbirds are of retirement age and tend to be found enjoying all sorts of activities that can be done almost year round such as golf, tennis, hiking, shopping, patronizing our local re... 08/28/2013

After months and months of headaches, construction woes, businesses having troubles and some going under, it's finally almost here.The Tucson Streetcar left the facility in Oregon yesterday and will be in Tucson this Friday!!! Here is the first car - getting loaded onto a special flatbed for the 5 day trip   Ain't she pretty??   There will be 8 cars in total. This car will be testing the tracks, the connections and more. Should everything go ok, the rest of the cars will on their way shortly!With the imminent arrival of the cars, SunLink has begun a StreetCar Safety campaign. This is something that we all need to learn about - especially commuting along the route. There are new markings on the roads for bikes including directional arrows and green paint to mark where to cross the tracks... 08/27/2013

It's been a while since I've done an update about what's going on in our beautiful downtown Tucson! You might want to grab a cup of coffee - there's a lot to report!!First and foremost, the construction for the streetcar was completed last month and the tracks are going through their final testing phases now. Should everything be ok, we'll see our first car on the tracks for testing within a couple of weeks! Restaurant-wise, all I can say is WOW. The most eastern blocks of Congress have definitely gone through a major renaissance with 3 new restaurants opening this summer and more on the way before the year ends.Let's start our tour at Congress/4th Ave and Toole/Broadway. At this intersection, you'll see the relatively new El Centro Garage. There will be retail space on the bottom of th... 08/26/2013

Yesterday, I did something I love doing - met with a couple who are beginning their search for their first home. We chatted away, talking about timelines, inspections, closing, searching - all of it. They can't wait to get started! They are starting at the perfect time - their lease is up in December so the timeline isn't too tight. When I got back to the office, I looked at the calendar to figure out what our goal 'date' would be for them to get into contract and close. Then it struck me - YIKES! 2013 is coming to a quick end. We're at the almost end of August. If you take into account a buyer who gets an accepted offer today - if you count to 45 days out, it's October 7th. OCTOBER!! Obviously, that's enough time to not go into the "who's going to be open the week of Thanksgiving" pani... 08/23/2013

In the next few weeks, the Pima County Assessor's Office will send out nearly 50,000 homeowner notices.  Often, Tucson homeowners will get little postcards, or envelopes from the assessor's office and, well, throw them away for many reason - mostly because many do not want to see how much their taxes have gone up! But this time, you might want to open up the letter if you receive one and here are $200.00 reasons why - it will cost you $200 if you do not open the letter, and most importantly, respond.  (Investors or owners of multiple properties take special note!) Under a new state law, homeowners are required to designate their property, or which property is their main or primary residence. If you do not respond you could lose your tax credits for your primary homes. And the average ho... 08/22/2013

For all you moms and dads with kids that have a ton of energy to burn - or for those that just want their kids to go to sleep early - this might just be the ticket to that peace for you! Jump for joy because Get Air - is Tucson first trampoline park - and it promises to be a huge success for downtown as well as with kids of all ages. Here is more information - the park: Is indoor and has 11,500 square feet of trampolines Features an open jump area, air jam basketball, foam pits, a dodge ball court and a “little air” section for guests under 46 inches tall. Has a competition rectangular and pit trampolines complete with delayed-view recording cameras and flat screen monitors to allow jumpers to view their jumps. Is located at 330 S. Toole Ave Is open from 10am until 10pm, midnight on Sat... 08/19/2013