So, the City of Tempe has started a new campaign to raise awareness and to get more people to Like their page on Facebook.

According to the press release below, you and I can win cool stuff just because you “Like” the City of Tempe. How cool is that!?! Once you like them, just tell them that Nick said you would find cool stuff on their page. In a way, we both get brownie points. Hey, my kids LOVE the water and if I help get the most likes, I get to take them boating on Tempe Town Lake. Seriously, my boys LOVE Tempe Town lake, they DESERVE to win this dang contest. You won’t let them down, will you?

Here’s the scoop from Tempe.

2,011 in 2011 Facebook contest starts on Social Media Day

In celebration of Social Media Day, the City of Tempe is hosting a contest – and you can win a free boat ride on Town Lake and concert tickets!

We’re hoping that someone will be our 2,011^th Facebook fan sometime this year – 2011.

All our Facebook fans are special and we really appreciate it when people share the information we post and recommend us to their friends. So, if you happen to recommend the 2,011^th fan, not only will that lucky new fan get a prize, so will you!

Here’s how it works:

We’re at www.facebook.com/cityoftempe. If you aren’t a fan, please like us. If you are, tell people about the page. When they ‘like us’ have them drop a note on our wall that lets us know that you are the reason that they are on our page. Who knows? They may even say something nice about you!

That’s it!

The more people you recommend, the more likely you are to win a prize, because the person who recommends the most people (and remember, your name has to appear in a post) will win a prize, too!

Each winner will receive a free boat rental large enough to hold three of their friends or family members from Tempe Boat Rental on Tempe Town Lake and a pair of tickets to the Songwriters’ Showcase at Tempe Center for the Arts.

I am already a fan of Tempe, you should be too! Heck, they are only trying to get to 2011 and they are almost there so HURRY! Just like the City of Tempe on Facebook and tell them that Nick Bastian sent you.

C’mon, do it for my kids!

The Tempe Diablos have been doing GREAT things in Tempe for over 40 years. I vividly remember stories from when I was a little kid living in Tempe of my uncle telling us about the organization he has been a part of since longer than I can remember. To be clear, Casino Capers is about MUCH more than just a GREAT party. It’s about changing the lives of people in our community.

“Members of the Diablos devote their time and energy to the youth of Tempe by promoting, organizing and supporting community-based programs.” – Tempe Diablos

Tonight is the annual Casino Capers fundraising event that has become a “can’t miss” for many people. If you want to have a LOT of fun, eat some great food, and hang with some of the “cool kids” in the neighborhood, you need to have this annual event on your radar. The 2011 Casino Capers theme is “A Night in The Orient” and will feature casino style gaming along with some super chinese food catered by the most well-known Chinese restaurant in all of the land, Monti’s La Casa Vieja. OK, so you thought they just did steak? HA! Think again! Better yet, come and see for yourself.

Tickets for Casino Capers are just $160.00 per couple. I can assure you, it is money well spent. This event is top notch, the silent and live auctions are something you don’t want to miss. Please don’t let my wife bid on a “cute” puppy this year!

Give back to our great city, have some fun, and meet some great people.

Michael Monti, Jack Smith, Jim Mack and Nick Bastian – 2010 Casino Capers.

Casino Capers "A Night In The Orient"

6426 South McClintock Drive

Tempe, AZ 85283

Casino Capers will be held at the southwest corner of McClintock and Guadalupe in the space formerly occupied by Steinmart, north of some Tempe favorites like Mac’s Broiler and Tap and Changing Hands Bookstore. It’s an area I call the Camelot Corner. When I heard where Casino Capers was being held, I was super excited because it is VERY close to our house. Heck, Lori and I might ride our bikes, just for fun.

View Camelot Corner Tempe AZ in a larger map

See the mission statement from the Diablos below. Then, do yourself a favor and make plans to attend the 2011 Casino Capers festivities!

*sorry for the blurry pics, they are the only ones I took last year. maybe I can do better this time. *

There is rarely a day that goes by when I haven’t had a conversation about real estate. As you know, it’s in my blood and I enjoy talking to people about any aspect of the real estate business.

In the mid 2000s, the conversations were a little different than they have been for the past few years. Obviously, we have gone from what seems to be one extreme to another.

Currently, the topics people mostly ask about revolve around short sales, bank-owned homes, trustee sales, strategic default and more. Often, people just don’t know what to believe. Have we hit bottom? Is it a good time to buy a home? Should I sell now? Can we compete with the banks?

Just a few weeks ago, CNN posted an article titled, “Real estate: It’s time to buy again”. In that article, we read that “the most attractive asset class in America is housing.” They go on to talk about the real estate industry and how low the new-home starts are in the country. Just 5 days before the CNN article was published, I got a call from a reporter asking about the condition of our real estate market in the valley. When Channel 10 called, they asked me a few questions on the phone and then wanted to know if they could come by my office to discuss the market. In the video below, we talk about how builders are in the business to sell homes and how they have had to compete with a high percentage of distressed sales. While I don’t think the market is perfect for everyone, I do believe there are some good opportunities. Waiting for prices to fall might not be the best decision for the long term.

While many of the news reports over the past few years have been quick to say that home ownership isn’t a good idea, it seems there has been a recent change of heart from some of the larger players. To me, it usually seems like many of the media outlets are a few months behind in their assessments. Take a look at this video below where my friend Steve de Laveaga at Fidelity National Title also agrees that the media can be behind and talks about a very strong first quarter of 2011.

In the video, you hear Steve make several interesting points about the current real estate market.

1. They have had “back to back to back record resale openings” at Fidelity.

2. Investors are back. People from all over the world are purchasing property in Arizona right now.

3. At the time the video was shot, they had seen 9 straight weeks of price increases.

4. Steve says, you better buy something quick or you are going to pay more for it.

So, are we out of the woods and back to doing the happy dance every day? No way. Many challenges remain. Some areas are doing better than others and each person has a unique situation. If YOU want to talk about the current real estate market… “Just Call Nick!”

The last few years have been tough on traditional home sellers. Downward pressure on pricing has made it very hard for many people to compete against the large numbers of bank-owned and short sale properties. Unfortunately, many home sellers price their home for what they “should have sold for” when they first thought of selling. Over-pricing a home can be a huge mistake. In order to price properly, you need to take many things into consideration. Location, features, competition, and several other key factors should be considered when looking to sell. The fact that you “need” to get X amount of money isn’t always the most realistic place to start. I hate to tell people that, but it’s the truth.

In the current market, buyers are looking for a deal. Obviously buyers have always wanted a deal, but with media reports of homes being sold for pennies on the dollar, people have been told that foreclosures and short sale homes are a great way to go. Let’s face it, for the average buyer, many things go into a decision to move. But with interest rates bordering on ridiculously low, and prices many thought they wouldn’t see again, people are looking for a deal as much as a home. A recent report from the National Association of Realtors tells us that first-time home ownership is way up, and I have seen lots of smart people moving up into larger homes in better areas to take advantage of the current market. Fortunately, competing with the banks in today’s market may not be as hard as you think. As long as the correct value is in place, many buyers are looking to avoid the short sale process and the headaches that can come from bank contracts. A traditional sale sounds pretty darn good to many people in the market to buy that may have had a bad experience with a short sale or a bank transaction. As a seller, you can compete – you just might need to have someone on your side to help you through the process.

Bottom line is this… If you have questions about buying or selling real estate, "Just Call Nick!"

I saw an article in Forbes Magazine this past week announcing the fact that Google is investing in real estate. No, not just to continue to gain market share in searching for homes on the internet, they have actually invested $86 million into helping fund 480 low-income housing units across the Midwest and West Coast.

Apparently, the boatloads of cash they are sitting on is now being invested in places other than dominating their competition in search-land. While Google has been involved with real estate search for quite some time, this investment is different. This is an actual investment that “will go into a Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) that will give tax credits to builders and developers of  homes for low-income families and senior citizens.” Yes, they will probably receive tax breaks on their investment, but let’s face it, they are in the business of making money and keeping shareholders happy. This investment is a business decision.

I have had conversations with people in our industry and with friends in the financial services industry about the amount of people waiting to “time” the market so they can buy at the bottom. While many Americans are sitting on their cash, the big boys appear to be doing something different by investing in low income housing.

While many people struggle with job stability and economic uncertainty, there are others that are waiting for someone to tell them it is ok to own a home again. None of us has a crystal ball, but for some, the market is looking like an opportunity to purchase more home at a lower interest rate than they thought would have been possible in the past.

For sure, we will continue to help people through this market where short sales and bank-owned homes are so prevalent. Like Google, people will continue to put their money where they see fit. Of course, when you decide it is time to buy or sell real estate, “Just Call Nick!”

Happy birthday to my beautiful wife. Thanks for being soooo much more than I ever hoped for. The perfect mother, the love of my life and the best friend I have ever had. I thank God each and every day for what we have…  

Today is a day long in the making for some people at Realty Executives that have worked very hard on a project known as the “tech initiative.” Technology and innovation have combined to change two web sites from old school to cool school with what many will think of as a simple flip of a switch. This switch has taken the CTO at Realty Executives many, many hours of preparation and research along with countless hours of blood, sweat and tears.

I don’t try to hide the fact that I am a “bit of a geek” when it comes to my interest in the effective use of website strategy. Although I love working at Realty Executives, if there was one thing that I wasn’t completely thrilled about, it was the “outdated” websites the company had. For me, it wasn’t that big of a deal because I mainly point people to my own web sites instead of the Realty Executives web site for information. My “main” website simply consists of a Tempe real estate agent sharing information with people looking to buy or sell homes in the South East Valley. I’ve had the site at NickBastian.com for about a dozen years or so, and it too has gone from really bad to ( hopefully ) improving over time, a constant “ work in progress,” for sure. Another site where I occasionally post some drivel about “stuff” is my work at RailLife.com. Here, I write about things that hopefully interest a few people in what is considered a “niche market” web site focused mainly on “life” along the Phoenix light rail line.

Several months ago, I was introduced to Darrell Smith and we immediately hit it off. As the “Chief Technology Officer” brought in to design and implement a massive internet presence for Executives locally, nationally and internationally, Darrell has definitely had his work cut out for him. Over the past few years, I have had the pleasure of meeting a lot of really smart people in the “re.net” where web site development, blogging and implementation are looked at as a way of life. Within minutes of meeting Darrell, I knew he was a guy that really “gets it” when it comes to knowing what a real estate company needs to have to be found and to be effective online. Strength in numbers, a huge web site with thousands of pages of searchable content is what quickly piqued my interest. Talking a bit more of the development and execution side of these new sites with Darrell made me want to learn as much about what he was working on as possible.

OK, I need to cut to the chase. What is happening at Realty Executives and why?

Before today, Realty Executives had a platform that quite frankly was horrible. With the re-launch of www.RealtyExecutives.com and of www.SearchHomes.com that instantly changes. ( in my opinion )

As an international web presence built upon the very powerful WordPress platform utilizing cutting edge search capabilities, Executive profiles, blogs, marketing resources and more, this first phase of the Realty Executives web site will be light years ahead of the old Realty Executives web sites and light years ahead of many of the current real estate related web sites online today. Sure, there are some really good web sites out there, but I believe the ideas behind what these new sites will become have the potential to help Realty Executive agents all over the world in creating a much stronger web presence. Better yet, I believe these sites have the ability to increase MY internet presence which benefits myself AND my clients. One of the great things that has not been overlooked is the fact that real estate agents are independent contractors. The company philosophy is focused on the “Executives” in knowing that we all have individual businesses to run. The ways that Darrell has come up with to help us succeed will be a big part of the success of the main web site(s) which will be designed to tie into our individual web sites. ( more on that in the coming weeks )

The launch is today, take a look and give em’ a test drive. If you are a Realty Executives agent, make sure to take advantage of the things that are going to be available to you on an individual basis. There will be ongoing announcements soon and over the next couple of months as tests, tweaks, improvements and additions to the web sites roll out. ( you really should pay attention and take advantage of these tools )

If you are a real estate agent from another company or a person looking to join a great brokerage that will also be able to help with some serious “Google juice,” I’d be happy to give you my .02 on why Realty Executives might be a great choice for you. No, I am not a recruiter. I just happen to think this web site project is VERY cool and can be a great asset to all of us.

There will be a LOT more information available soon but, ssshhhhh, this is a “soft opening” and kind of a secret, so don’t tell anyone. OK?

OK, I saw this video last night titled “No flyers in the flyer box” and had to share it. My friend Darin Persinger is an awesome real estate coach with a unique style all his own. By that, I mean the guy totally understands the needs of his clients. How? It’s easy, he has “been there, done that”. Darin has had a very successful real estate business and now makes sure that people learn a lot about the real estate business from him.

In the past, Darin has written that agents “can do better” with the presentation of homes. For instance, if you are not going to keep flyers in the flyer box, don’t have a box! If people drive by a home and see a box, they expect the box to be full. When it is empty, they probably assume you are not doing your job. Many of you that know me know I am not a huge fan of fliers. What I am a fan of is properly pricing a home and then doing a GREAT job in making sure people are able to easily find the home online and to get information quickly. A custom sign or a custom sign rider with a web address for that specific home, along with a “text for information” number, allows for immediate “access” 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. To me, this is a much better idea.

Obviously, there is much more to this topic than just flyers or a sign. The video and this post really stand for properly marketing a home. It’s about telling a story.  It’s about creating interest, talking about the neighborhood, giving people a feel for what it is like to live there. This type of marketing can be considered hard work and time consuming to the average agent. Guys like Darin don’t look for average agents to coach, they look for agents that go far above and beyond what is “common” in the industry.

For the past 18 years, I have been selling homes here in Arizona. In good markets and bad, one thing remains constant, the fact that I love helping people buy and sell homes. Marketing properties has changed dramatically since “the old days” and I have been fortunate to surround myself with some top notch marketing professionals so that I can continue to do the best job possible for all of my clients.

I may not pick up a guitar and sing about things any time soon, but it is good to know that some of my friends will pick up the slack.

Ok, so we had our first 100 degree day recently, big whup…. Around here, that is child’s play.

For many, the a/c has been cranking for weeks, but for some, they hold out as long as possible. I can tell you one thing, if you are selling a home right now, don’t try to “cheap out” and turn the a/c up to 85 or 90 when you leave for work in the morning. Try to keep it cool, it could help.

Last week, I was looking at homes in Tempe with a friend / client and was glad that many of them were occupied. As you know, there are many parts of town and a few price ranges where the majority of the homes are vacant. Not only are these homes vacant, they have no power on. No power means, no a/c. Ever step out of a car into the hot sun only to find the inside of a home to be hotter? Believe me, it’s not cool.

If a buyer needs to rush back to an air conditioned car with sweat dripping off of their forehead, he / she probably isn’t going to have a real fond memory of that home. Same thing when the sellers leave all of the blinds shut and the a/c up to barely bearable – it just doesn’t show as well.

From SRP we get this information that probably doesn’t have a home seller in mind:

“Q: Is it better to set the thermostat to a high temperature (85° to 90°) while at work all day and cool the house (two-story, approximately 3,200 square feet) when you get home to a comfortable temperature (approximately 80°), or to keep the thermostat just a degree or two higher during the day so that the cooling unit doesn’t have to work as hard during peak hours to cool the house?

A: You will save money anytime you can increase the temperature on your thermostat and cause the unit not to run. The old myth that says you will spend more energy bringing the temperature back down than you would have spent just leaving the thermostat alone is just that, a myth.”

So, you might save a few bucks by turning the a/c up to 90 when you leave for work, right? Well, if you are trying to sell a home, it could cost ya’ even more. If your home shows well and is priced correctly, leaving the a/c in a comfortable range during the day might just be money well spent…

For those of you that get “Nick’s News” in your snail mail box, you know that I love to eat. In fact, the “Nick’s Pick’s” portion of the newsletter is something you guys seem to find pretty interesting. Normally, I leave that small portion of our newsletter as the only place where I write ( a little bit) about restaurants that Lori and I like to visit. As with most things, there is always an exception to the rule…

This past Sunday, we were invited to attend a “sneak peak” breakfast at Joe’s Real Barbeque. Yep, I said breakfast at Joe’s Real BBQ! Come to find out, they will soon begin serving breakfast on Saturday and Sunday mornings from 8-11am. 

Lori and I took the three boys to give it a test run and I must say, we all had a great time. The usual friendly service was found along with some great breakfast items that aren’t the “same old stuff” you find at some breakfast places. I wasn’t able to resist the biscuits and gravy even though it probably wasn’t the “healthiest” of choices. To compensate for that, I ordered a fruit, yogurt and granola cup that was really, really good. That mad sense, right? Lori had a really cool egg dish called Downtown Baked Eggs and the boys had some sides of “sausage meat” ( that’s what they call any kind of sausage ) and “breakfast Jell-O”, juices, potatoes etc.

Our family did enjoy breakfast at Joe’s. Their food always seems to be good. Big thanks to Joe for allowing us to be guinea pigs and thanks to my good friend, Jay Thompson for letting me know about their preview breakfast.

Like usual, the kids were the center of our morning. The gumball machine at Joe’s Real BBQ was a big hit as was the huge tractor inside of the restaurant.  The only complaint of the mornings breakfast was from the boys because they wanted to drive the tractor… “Grandpa let’s us drive HIS tractor!”

Thanks Joe, your restaurant rocks!