July 25, 2008 by Donna Anderson.

Jumbo mortgage rates have been very high; some times up to 2% higher than conforming rates ( loans less than 417K).  Now you can get mortgage rates as good as conforming rates– with a catch.  The catch is you have to have a relationship with the lender.  You have to have a good chunk of money in one of their savings, IRAs, etc. This  required account amount usually is about 15% of the amount of the mortgage.  I am not a lender, but if you are interested in finding more about this special offering, I can refer you to a Long Mortgage consultant who can go into all the intricate details. 

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July 15, 2008 by Donna Anderson.

Yesterday I brought my daughter to the dentist and decided to sit out front of the dentist’s office at the shopping center next to Sierra Fitness and Garvi’s which is close to the corner of Sunrise and Kolb.  It was about 90 degrees on a bright day with about 40 % humidity since it is monsoon season.  I looked straight ahead and could see the beautiful high Santa Catalina Mountains and thought WOW, this place is heaven, even in Summer.  I live about 5 minutes away in Sabino Mountain and what area could be better? Utilities and taxes are more affordable here than most places;  there are great restaurants that offer summer specials and are almost never crowded; the streets are not congested; the air is crisp and clean; the stars show brightly at night….wow….Tucson in the Catalina Foothills area almost seems like a best kept secret. It seems like there should be more people striving to buy second homes here or retire here or just get jobs here and move here all year long, like my family and I did 4  1/2 years ago.  Since then I have not gone back to MD once and I do not miss it at all. I am amazed. What a great decision we made to become Southwesterners and pick the Catalina Foothills as our place to reside!

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July 14, 2008 by Donna Anderson.

More buyers are now scooping up Foothills properties at much lower prices than were seen the past two years.  Inventory is shrinking, but there are still some great choices.  Short sales are few and far between in luxury properties, so forget about looking for one of those. It is important that you have a seasoned realtor who is a good negotiator and who knows the market.  Give me a call if you want to explore some excellent purchasing choices.  My phone number is 520-918-2410; or email me at Donna@DonnaAnderson.com .

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