Cooking and Bonding

            It's another beautiful day in sunny Arizona. My husband loves to cook, which is great because I don’t. This is normal nowadays where gender roles aren’t as “Leave it to Beaver” as everyone wanted you to believe back when we first got married. It’s not that I’m a bad cook, it’s just that my husband seems to enjoy coming up with more delicious new meals, and putting a new spin on some of our old favorites. I swear he could probably be on a cooking show; it’s not just me either. When my sons come over for a visit they often ask him to make their favorite meals from their childhood.  When he does it gets the house smelling like it did when I had four pairs of feet running around.  It gets me thinking about my kids. It is a vicious yet wonderful circle.

            I believe it rubbed off on my kids as well.  My sons know how to cook, and they seem to enjoy doing it.  Some of them have even brought a few recipes back from their overseas trips to add to the family recipe box. Paella from my son who was in the Navy, it’s his wife’s favorite dish.  He’s also pretty adept at most Hispanic foods. My son that was stationed in Germany has brought over a large collection of European cuisine that I had never heard of but enjoy trying.

            I bring this up because cooking, and sharing meals is a way to bring the family closer. Eating something your parents have cooked all your life is a small trip back in time, to days when you could be carefree, or to memories of the perfect date with your soon to be husband.

Regardless these meals we share are important, it creates a bond in the family that will last a lifetime.

As always if you’re looking for a place to cook your masterpieces contact Tim or Gayle Kendrick at 602-819-6300, look us up at www.AZWestre.com on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/AZHomes or stop by and see our blog at http://azwestre.blogspot.com/

Murals and Personalization

            It's another beautiful day in sunny Arizona. I was going through a house the other day making a “to do” list for the homeowner before I put it on the market.  It was hot and the homeowner had left the AC blasting in the house, I was actually shivering.

            You could tell there were children in this home:  a slight patch in the wall badly hidden by a fresh coat of paint on only one spot; a few hand prints on the glass that led to a sandbox out back; and the Pièce de résistance, a playroom with a mural that would delight any young kid and possibly embarrass anyone over the age of nine. The mural was well done and it was something that made the house standout, but not necessarily in a good way. 

            As a parent I can see the value of painting a room to entice your kids.  A playroom for my boys while in grade school would have looked like a cross between GI Joe and Transformers with some assorted superheroes thrown into the mix. The same room years later would have had a different look with cars, posters, gaming consoles and computers. I couldn't help but think while looking at this mural, that while it did add a sense of uniqueness to the home, it would probably limit the salability.  I recommended Kilz and fresh paint.  It broke my heart, but they needed top dollar to move to a larger home for the new baby on the way.

As always if you’re looking for a unique place to call your own contact Tim or Gayle Kendrick at 602-819-6300, look us up at www.AZWestre.com on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/AZHomes or stop by and see our blog at http://azwestre.blogspot.com/

Getting Away.

            It's another beautiful day in sunny Arizona. I was visiting with a young couple who were thinking about selling their home and buying another more suited to their lifestyle.  They didn’t have any children and didn’t want any.  They had a four bedroom house.   There was a den/game room for the husband and an exercise room for his wife.  It seems more couples each year are buying larger homes and using the extra rooms to have their own private hideaway.   My husband and I have a den and exercise room that we share.  (That is until the kids come home for a visit, then they’re guest rooms.)  I have my private space where I can go and be me.  I pray or read or sometimes just day dream.  My husband has his garage.  Often when he’s having a rough day or needs to get out and think, he’ll go into the garage and work on projects.

            These are things that I think are important when buying a home.  You need to ensure you have a place to call your own, a zen garden so to speak.

As always if you’re looking for a place to relax and unwind contact Tim or Gayle Kendrick at 602-819-6300, look us up at www.AZWestre.com on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/AZHomes or stop by and see our blog at http://azwestre.blogspot.com/

VA Loans

It's another beautiful day in sunny Arizona. I love helping veterans.  I am proud of the time I spent in the military. I loved the feeling of camaraderie and accomplishment I got every day I wore the uniform, and I’m not alone.

Each day hundreds of thousands of people don the uniform and do their duty for our country.  When a service member gets out of the military they are eligible for a home loan through the VA.  It’s a guarantee that is not based on credit.  The loans are offered by most lenders, who have their own specifications that they follow, and closing costs are generally removed paid for by the seller.  The house has to be approved by a VA appraiser in order for the service member to purchase it with their VA guarantee, so some homes may not qualify for a variety of reasons usually condition issues.

Many service members, lenders and the general public have a lot of misconceptions about these loans.  I frequently have to educate people about what is and isn’t true when it comes to these loans.  For example, many veterans don’t know that the amount of qualification on their VA is NOT the same as the amount they can actually borrow under this program. If you, or someone you know is a veteran who hasn’t used their GI Bill, and is wondering if they could qualify to buy a home, call me.  I will explain how it works, and put you in touch with a lender who knows the system. It’s an honor to help a veteran get into a new home.

As always if you’re looking for a place to put down roots contact Tim or Gayle Kendrick at 602-819-6300, look us up at www.AZWestre.com on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/AZHomes or stop by and see our blog at http://azwestre.blogspot.com/

A Horse of Course

            It's another beautiful day in sunny Arizona. While driving down a seemingly desolate strip of land this afternoon, I saw something you wouldn’t normally see in a major metro area. There was a couple on horseback:  a father and daughter, who was probably eight or nine.  The girl was talking to her horse, telling it how much fun they were going to be having today.  The horse seemed to be enjoying the conversation; it was prancing around carefully, fully aware of the fragile cargo on its back. It was lightly kicking up dust and a lopsided pink cowboy hat was just bouncing around on top of the girls head as she rode.  She had to be the envy of every other little horsewoman in the area. 

           

 If you’re from out of town seeing people riding on horses may seem a little odd outside of the ranch or country club.  There are plenty of homes that allow horses to be raised on the property in our area, some even in Scottsdale and the Central Corridor in Phoenix.

My husband and I had a home in Texas where we had a fairly large amount of farm animals.  My sons seemed to always bring something new to the house: ducks and chickens, mules, and even a pair donkeys. (The mules were not something you would expect to follow a teenage boy home, but there they were in our backyard.).  We just added them to the menagerie. 

            In many of my blogs I mention I have a small community of animals.  They are nothing compared to the ones we used to have, but I don’t want to leave these important parts of the family out either. To many people their horses and ducks are as much pets and loved ones as a dog or a cat.  Animals can be costly to maintain, but are worth every penny, especially when they put a smile on a child’s face.  I’m happy I can help clients find homes that allow these kinds of relationships.

As always if you’re looking for a place for your whole family, four legged or otherwise contact

Tim or Gayle Kendrick at 602-819-6300, look us up at www.AZWestre.com on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/AZHomes or stop by and see our blog at http://azwestre.blogspot.com/

Too early?

          It's another beautiful day in sunny Arizona. As I was walking down the aisles at the local store here something caught my eye. Costumes? Candy? Decorations? Either I’ve walked through some kind of space time bubble, or Halloween items are coming out earlier and earlier each year. While I enjoy Halloween; we have a party every year with the grandkids and neighbors, I did think it odd to see these things in the store so early. But here they were, with a half dozen kids pawing at bags of candy, and trying to figure out which super hero they wanted to be this year.

I half way miss that, but on the other hand, not having to buy four costumes, or hear the kids argue about which one got to be the better superman was a blessing. As they grew older times changed, their tastes were different, and they all had different ideas of what to wear, which for me was a blessing. I do miss seeing them in costume sometimes, but don’t tell them I said that.

Maybe in October I’ll post some Halloween safety ideas, but for now let’s try and dwell on the fact that summer is almost over, the snow birds are coming and the traffic patterns are going to adjust accordingly. It’s never a dull day in our fair city, which I love.

As always if you’re looking for a new place to enjoy some ghoulish nights for the young ones contact Tim or Gayle Kendrick at 602-819-6300, look us up at www.AZWestre.com on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/AZHomes or stop by and see our blog at http://azwestre.blogspot.com/

The Great Outdoors

            It's another beautiful day in sunny Arizona. One of my favorite things to do is watch the stars. Tim and I will sit on the back patio, talk for a while then look up and just take in the night sky. It’s what I love about not living in the city, I can see what’s up there and it’s beautiful.

           

            If your home is less rural and more city then it can be almost impossible to take in the stars like we do, but don’t despair. Outside of the city are literally dozens of parks, trails, and camp sites that you can use to get away, even if just for a weekend. Even if you’re interests are less stellar and more local, many of these parks offer history, fishing, hiking, biking, …. I could go on but I think you get the idea. While buying a home is great, what’s even better is returning to your home after you’ve been out exploring nature for a weekend. You don’t really appreciate that bed until you’ve slept on the ground all weekend long.

            What’s even better is that it is fun for the kids!   It takes them out of their element and away from the constant computers and consoles and into reality. The computer will always be there when they get back, but how many times has a comet flown past the planet, or when will your young one learn how to make a perfect smore? Getting away builds memories, and the outdoors has some of the most breathtaking views, both from above and below to enjoy. I highly recommend it.

As always if you’re looking for a new place to count your coins Tim or Gayle Kendrick at 602-819-6300, look us up at www.AZWestre.com on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/AZHomes or stop by and see our blog at http://azwestre.blogspot.com/

Budgeting Continued

            It's another beautiful day in sunny Arizona. Earlier this week we talked a bit about money.  It’s important for every household to have a budget.  For years, Tim and I ran without one, and we often paid for it in a less than happy way.

Raising four boys on Army pay was a challenge.  We weren’t able to keep a lot in savings, but we have no regrets.  Finding things to do that were inexpensive or free for a family of six was difficult, but it can be done!  We often would play games, watch TV as a family or go fishing.  Looking back, I sometimes don’t know how we managed, but we not only did, we actually had a lot of fun doing it!   Some of the times I remember as the most difficult, the boys remember as the most fun. 

Start with a firm idea of what you have coming in.  Then figure out what you have going out.  Prioritize everything.  Listen to Dave Ramsey.  I highly recommend his books.

And remember, most challenges can be overcome. 

As always if you’re looking for a new place to count your coins Tim or Gayle Kendrick at 602-819-6300, look us up at www.AZWestre.com on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/AZHomes or stop by and see our blog at http://azwestre.blogspot.com/

Budgeting

It's another beautiful day in sunny Arizona. We were going over our finances the other day. As you can imagine, knowing where every penny is going isn’t just good to know, it’s required. It got me to thinking about our budget. Every house has one whether they know it or not. Bills come and go. If they don’t get paid you are going to lose something, credit, power, a car, or even a house. While this is never good, things sometimes happen that cause bills to lag behind.


Take my son for instance, his wife had to have emergency surgery a couple of weks ago. They had some money tucked away but like things often do, it seemed everything hit them all at once. Vehicles broke down, school supplies were needed, and a birthday was coming up. Add their normal bills on top of the unexpected repairs, the birthday gifts, his wife’s medical bills combined with her loss of income, and their savings quickly diminished.


This is why it’s so important to budget, and to save. My son took a second job as quickly as he could, knowing they would need money while his wife was home. They also had to hire a sitter for a few days, which cost him half of his hourly wages. Luckily, his wife was able to watch the kids within a few days after her surgery. He was also able to get a few odd jobs in addition to his hourly paying work, and they had some money saved for emergencies.


If they had not had money in savings and family to fall back on for a short period, they would have drowned in their bills. When paying your bills it’s always best to contact the company you owe to set the due date to a day that corresponds to a payday. Once you receive the bill you can submit the payment right away, since you should have just received an influx of cash. Make sure you save money for emergencies, but also save money for yourself. At least two months of your combined paychecks should be set aside for emergencies. It may take some time to build that up but it’s worth it when the unthinkable happens.


As always if you’re looking for a new place to call home contact Tim or Gayle Kendrick at 602-819-6300, look us up at www.AZWestre.com on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/AZHomes or stop by and see our blog at http://azwestre.blogspot.com/

Living in the Wild?

It's another beautiful day in sunny Arizona.   We get a lot of visitors during the nights.   A rabbit seems to have made her home in the side yard. Thankfully our dogs can’t get to where she seems to be nesting, and it makes me wonder exactly how much wildlife happen to visit our yard.  Tim insisted on putting a small Koi pond in our backyard shortly after we moved in, and it is amazing what a little fresh water will draw in the desert!

We have frogs and toads that appeared as if by magic almost instantly.  Tim can tell the difference, but don’t ask me!  In a moment of insanity we purchased a pair of water turtles a few years back.  Then there are the really interesting visitors.  A migrating Heron almost decimated the fish last year!  A desert swift appears occasionally, Tim thinks he shows up more often than we think, as he’s nocturnal.  A couple of years back, a couple of adult Javelina trotted down the street followed by a half dozen or so little ones.  Tim hangs bird feeders for both humming birds and regular birds out in the front yard.  It’s actually pretty active around our house.   We’ve seen coyote once or twice in the front yard, thankfully Sarge and Sheba keep them out of the back yard!

Speaking of Sarge and Sheba, when looking at a new house, it’s always important to make sure that it’s not only good for you but for your four legged family as well. If you have a large or giant breed dog you’re going to want a large fenced in yard.  You also want to check the HOA rules regarding pets before putting any offers down.   Finding out your best friend isn’t welcome after you have contracted to buy a home  is never good. Remember, I’m here to help make sure that EVERY member of your family enjoys your new home.  

As always if you’re looking for a new place to call home contact Tim or Gayle Kendrick at 602-819-6300, look us up at www.AZWestre.com on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/AZHomes or stop by and see our blog at http://azwestre.blogspot.com/