Maracay Homes is pleased to offer this complimentary newsletter to homeowners, buyers, sellers, real estate professionals and friends of the company. We hope you find the information helpful such as tips for buying and selling a home, industry and market trends, home building news, exciting new products, community activities and more.

Just click on the Flex Design® button in each story to learn more at maracayhomes.com!

Consider All Your Options When Upgrading to a New Home

For many folks, the addition of a new baby or growing kids can be reason enough to move from a small house to a larger home. Buyers move up for many other reasons, but don’t necessarily fit into neat categories.

Singles or couples without children might be launching a business and need a designated room to set up a real home office. Parents with older children may be finished financing college educations and are ready to start entertaining more in a newer, more spacious home.

Thousands of people move up to more spacious or more luxurious homes. Find out what they have learned. We’ve compiled some tips to help in the process.

Know yourself and your options
What’s important? Considering all the options will help in making wise decisions. Of course, we can’t predict what the future will hold, but it’s fair to say that examining as many options up front as possible can make the process smoother and more informed.

What area? Neighborhood quality was cited as the most important factor for buyers in selecting a location, according to the 2006 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. Research the neighborhood’s amenities, safety and property values to be better informed.

Is the family growing? If so, remember to consider play and study areas, as well as extra bedrooms and baths.

What about a large garage? Fifty-six percent of homebuyers said they require an oversized garage in their next home, according to the National Association of Realtors’ 2007 survey of homebuyers.

Looking for a private retreat? Look for a master suite with cozy sitting areas or a covered patio.

Is space to entertain important? Open floor plans incorporating islands and countertop bar areas are ideal for families and friends who love to congregate in the kitchen.

Is there an extra room available to care for an aging parent? Although it’s uncomfortable to think about parents falling ill, it may be wise to consider an added bedroom that has its own bath.

Maracay Homes Flex Design® offers choices, choices, choices!
Maracay’s neighborhoods offer hundreds of Flex Design® options to help personalize your home for the way you want to live. Choose from an unprecedented level of options in floor plans, standard features and upgrades, design selections as well as in buyers’ selection of mortgage lenders, pool builders and landscape contractors. The innovative options and personalized designs help buyers get the feeling of a custom home without the custom price.

Design online at maracayhomes.com or ask a real estate professional to guide you to the right home for your needs.

Preparing to move up
Before diving in, do some leg work first.

• Make sure credit reports are accurate. This is a smart thing to do every year, but it is especially wise to fix any inaccuracies before making an offer on a dream home.
• Consider getting pre-approved for a loan. This will help determine an appropriate price range and make the best use of your time.
• Remove clutter. Getting rid of clutter not only helps during a move, but it also helps sell a home (see the article below on home staging).

Aligning your financials
Take time for a complete look at finances involved.

• Selling an existing home: What’s a realistic price? Talk to an experienced real estate agent or have an appraisal done to get an honest assessment of the home’s value. If a home’s equity has built up to $75,000 or more, that could translate to a 20% down payment on a $375,000 home.
• Will the new mortgage payment be realistic? Use a mortgage calculator to get an idea of the new monthly payment.
• Factor in closing costs. Ask a lender or real estate agent to estimate closing costs. Make sure money is put aside for these costs in addition to the down payment.
• Consider other bills: Don’t forget to factor in costs associated with the new home and lifestyle. Being overwhelmed with new bills is never a pleasant experience. Ask the builder or a real estate agent what the Home Owner Association (HOA) fees are in the areas being considered.
• Don’t sacrifice savings: Continue to build a savings cushion. Make sure enough money is left over to save each month. Don’t let unexpected finances derail the dream of buying a new home.
• Be realistic: Make a wish list of amenities desired. Then go back and prioritize, keeping family habits and lifestyle in mind. For example, a restaurant-grade range that costs thousands may be a bit ambitious for a family who orders takeout four nights a week.

The Rolling Stones may have been partially right: You can’t always get what you want. But that doesn’t mean a fantastic home is out of reach. By following some sound advice and working with professionals, a move up to a better home is certainly a reality.

Staging a Home Spotlights Its Best Features

Like its weather, Arizona’s housing market has seen some red hot days. While it’s no secret that the market has cooled recently, getting a good price for a home is still a reality.

Home staging is a growing movement in the real estate industry, which can help achieve the best sales price, regardless of market dynamics.  Effective home staging helps buyers realize the potential in a home and visualize what it would be like to live there.  Realtors and sellers alike see better and faster results if a home is properly staged before going on the market. 

For those who haven't seen a home-staging TV show or sold a house recently, staging can transform a home from an ugly duckling to a swan.  Be sure to spotlight the best features inside and outside of the home.  When a potential buyer walks up to and through the front door, they should say "Wow!" Home staging is the perfect way to inject that wow factor. And, making that ever important first impression is what staging a home is all about.

Many people are under the misconception that staging is a pricey option for rich homeowners. Not true. Staging is about creativity, not the money.  Selling a home "as is" without staging can actually cost sellers time and money.  Unstaged homes spend an average of 50 percent longer on the market, according to statistics compiled by Stagedhomes.com.

The industry makes impressive claims for staging. Barb Schwartz, founder of Associated Staging Professionals and author of "Home Staging: The Winning Way to Sell Your House for More Money," makes an even loftier claim. According to her figures, staged homes priced under $1 million sell for 10 percent more than comparable unstaged homes. Staged homes listed for over $1 million sell for a 20 percent premium, she says.

BEFORE AND AFTER: The HGTV show 'Designed to Sell' shows how to 'stage' (fix and decorate) homes like this to make them more attractive to buyers. After a $2,000 investment in staging, this Pasadena, Calif., home sold for $31,000 over the asking price. COURTESY OF HGTV

Comparisons are difficult, since no home is sold both with the staging add-ons and without them. A more down-to-earth appraisal of staging's effect is offered by HomeGain, an online resource for homebuyers and sellers: Their recent poll of 2,000 real-estate agents found that staging typically costs from $212 to $1,089 on an average home and adds from $2,275 to $2,841 to a home's selling price - a "return" of 2 to 13 times the cost of staging.

Calie Waterhouse is the owner of a successful metro Phoenix, Ariz.-based home staging company, Decorated to Sell.  She advises homeowners of the following benefits to home staging:

• Staged home look better than competing homes in photos and in person
• Staged homes sell faster and for potentially more money
• Buyers view staged homes as homes that have been well taken care of
• Appraisers are more likely to value a staged home at full value
• Studies show that staged homes sell up to three times faster than non-staged homes
• Staging will cost sellers less and earn more than the first price reduction

Ms. Waterhouse emphasizes that 41% of homes staged by her company receive offers in the first week and 72% receive full price offers. Read more about house staging at www.decoratedtosell.com.

Arrange, Add, Accent
Once the exterior and interior walls have been painted, the clutter has been removed and everything has been mopped, swept, wiped and dusted, the real home staging process begins. The idea is to present every room as large, open, clean and pleasant to look at and live in. You can do this in a number of ways, through the help of a professional home stager or on your own.

The important thing to remember is to make your home inviting to a wide range of people. And that usually means helping potential buyers envision themselves living in your home.

Here are a few tips:

• Arrange existing furniture into groups or "vignettes." Include a table with four chairs around it in a dining room, or cluster a sofa, loveseat and arm chair together in a living room. Do not simply push furniture to the room’s perimeter. Rearrange to make it inviting.
• Add pillows to sofas, tablecloths to tables, rugs to floors, curtains to windows and mirrors to walls. These simple additions can spruce up a room instantly and inexpensively.
• Accent shelves, bookcases and mantles with real plants, fresh flowers and unique items for a touch of creativity.

Of course, staging homes isn’t a panacea. The same ethical practices of full disclosure apply. But presenting the home in its best light will help buyers envision the potential of the home, and it will probably sell faster.

New Floor Plans in Phoenix and Tucson Offer That Rare Arizona Find: Basements!

While basements are a given in parts of the country, Arizona has seen relatively few homes built with basements. Families can now enjoy the added square footage that a basement affords in several of Maracay Homes’ communities.

Maracay Homes is the only production builder in Tucson and one of a handful of builders in Phoenix that offers finished basements, which can add an additional 1,000 square feet of living space.

Imagine a basement with lots of natural light and expanded living spaces. Buyers can create a game room, wine cellar, gym, workshop or guest quarters. Flexibility is built into the home with a finished basement level. Unique family needs can be solved with these options.  

Desert Pass at Sonoran Foothills 
Eight elegant floor plans are available at Desert Pass, a gated community in the stark beauty of the high Sonoran Desert. Starting in the low $500s, they feature modern kitchens with granite counters and double islands, spacious master suites and large backyards with mountain views.

The single-family homes range in size from approximately 2,692 square feet to 4,631 square feet, with the largest floor plans offering options to accommodate up to nine bedrooms, six baths and a four-car garage; an ideal solution for multi-generational families and buyers who enjoy entertaining and hosting weekend guests.

Desert Pass is situated within the Sonoran Foothills master-planned community, an unspoiled expanse of 800 acres nestled amid the rising foothills of North Phoenix. A network of trail systems and meandering sidewalks will connect neighborhoods to each other and to the proposed Northern Mountain Preserve nearby.

Sonoran Foothills offers residents an abundance of amenities, including a 4,000-square-foot clubhouse and a community park. Parents will appreciate the splash fountain, children’s wading pool, shade ramadas, picnic pavilion, playground and sandlot, and large grass lawn for homeowner gatherings and activities. A new elementary school is also proposed. Sports enthusiasts will love the basketball, soccer fields, lap and leisure pool, volleyball and illuminated tennis courts. Proposed future development includes a neighborhood retail center and a commercial core.

Learn more about this exciting community at maracayhomes.com or call 623-792-5183.

Entrada Bonita at Rancho Sahuarita Discover the Magic of Maracay at Entrada Bonita, just south of Tucson!
Entrada Bonita is situated in the heart of Rancho Sahuarita, which was named one of the Top 20 Best-Selling Master-Planned Communities in the nation by renowned real estate consulting firm Robert Charles Lesser and Company in 2005. Community planners have taken great care to preserve the pristine Sonoran desert setting and pecan groves. Amenities include a large recreational center with fitness equipment, a man-made lake, located within the 15-acre park, and Arizona's largest private splash park. An amphitheater, promenade, gazebos, three neighborhood parks and miles of paved jogging and biking trails are woven throughout the community.

Families can tour spacious new model homes starting in the low $180s. Overall, 12 different floor plans are available, ranging from approximately 1,400 square feet to as much as 3,384 square feet.

Buyers can choose from two series in Entrada Bonita at Rancho Sahuarita, The Village Series and the Enclave Series.

The Village Series is surrounded by lush greenways and a tot lot. Six different floor plans range in size from 1,400 to just over 2,200 square feet. The homes in the Village series feel spacious as planned but more can be added with Maracay’s Flex Design® options. Choose enlarged bedrooms, alternative kitchen designs or even garage extensions. Please call 520-396-4192 for more info. Please call 520-647-2153 for more info or go to maracayhomes.com.


The Enclave Series features one- and two-story homes, with ten different floor plans. With up to 3,300 square feet and Great Rooms off the kitchen and large master bedroom suites, these homes have an open, airy feeling. Please call
520-647-2153 for more info or go to maracayhomes.com.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Support the fight against breast cancer and get some exercise in the process!  Go the Distance at Race for the Cure to benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The Komen Race for the Cure campaign is committed to educating the public about early detection, the strongest way to survive this life threatening disease. Up to 75 percent of the net income from each Komen race held throughout the country stays within the local community, funding breast health education, breast cancer screening and treatment projects.

Gather your friends, family and colleagues to participate in the events benefiting the Susan G. Komen Foundation:

Komen Race for the Cure

4th Annual Get Tied to the Cure®
The Komen Southern Arizona Affiliate’s 4th Annual Get Tied to the Cure® at the El Con Mall is a collaborative effort with the Pima County WellWoman Healthcheck Program. Women throughout the community are invited to receive free breast health education materials, t-shirts and more. Women who qualify through the WellWoman Healthcheck Program will receive a free mammogram.

Saturday, October 7, 2007
9 a.m. & 3 p.m.
520-319-0155.

Arizona Breast Cancer 3-Day
Do you want to make a personal difference in the fight against breast cancer? Join the Arizona Breast Cancer 3-Day walk. This beautiful scenic 60-mile walk is for women and men. Join the walkers, or be a volunteer.

Nov. 3-5, 2007
Phoenix
1-800-996-3Day