By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team The poinsettia is overrated. Though its festive blooms are pretty enough at first, after a few months it becomes unattractive and falls prey to problems like spider mites and dropped leaves, forcing you to toss it out. Holiday cacti, on the other hand, are easy to grow, beautiful both in and out of season, and easy to coax back into bloom each year. There are two so-called holiday cacti that flower before Christmas. The Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) unsurprisingly blooms around Thanksgiving, and the Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) blooms closer to Christmas. To keep it simple, we’ll refer to these two species and their hybrids as holiday cacti. When the iridescent blooms have all fallen off, that’s just the beginning. If you give your holiday cactus good drainage, damp (not wet) soil and bright indirect light, it will stay healthy. Getting it to re-bloom next year requires cool, long nights in the autumn months. If you want to make more plants, plant seeds or cuttings. Here are some tips for growing holiday cacti that will spread joy year-round.

Proper drainage

If your holiday cactus came with a cellophane wrapper around the pot, remove it. Water will accumulate and stagnate in the wrapper, rotting the roots and stems, and eventually killing the plant. While pots with drainage holes are ideal, you may choose to place the plant inside a decorative pot without a drainage hole, called a cachepot. If so, remove the cactus and its original plastic container when it’s time to water. Let the excess water drip into the sink before placing the plant back in its cachepot.

Damp soil and fertilizer

Even though they are technically rainforest cacti, overwatering is the best way to kill a holiday cactus. To prevent this, keep the potting mix just slightly damp, letting the top half-inch of the potting mix dry out before watering again. Fertilizing isn’t necessary, but will still lead to a fuller, healthier plant. Feed with an orchid fertilizer according to label instructions.

Bright indirect light

Since the holiday cactus grows in the rainforest instead of a desert, it does not need nearly as much sun as its prickly cousins. All it needs is bright indirect light — bright enough to read comfortably without flipping on the light switch, yet not so sunny that you can actually see the sun itself from the plant’s vantage point. If you can see the outline of your shadow, then it’s sunny enough to ‘burn’ the flattened stems of your cactus.

Long, cool nights in fall

A holiday cactus needs two things to bloom well next year: Cool night temperatures in fall, and long nights. The long nights are easy enough to provide; just keep it away from artificial light in the months leading up to blooming. To give the plant cool nights, place it in a sunroom, foyer, or any other well-lit area that gets cool but doesn’t dip below 40 degrees.

How to plant cuttings

Here’s something else you can do when your holiday cacti have finished blooming: propagate them! To make more plants for friends and family, start by choosing a healthy stem with one to four pads, and make a cut right below a joint. Let the wounds callous over and heal for a few days before dipping the cut end in rooting hormone (optional) and inserting the bottom segment into a small pot with half orchid mix and half potting mix. Plain potting mix will also do. Place the cuttings in a well-lit area and keep the potting mix lightly moist. You can plant many stems in a single pot this way, getting a full and lush plant in just a few years. It may take a while before it’s ready to bloom again, but holiday cacti make such attractive houseplants that the time will just fly by.

How to plant seeds

Another way to make more holiday cactus plants is to plant seeds. If you notice berries forming after blooming, let them become fat and transparent before breaking apart the fruit and placing the seeds in water to let them separate from the pulp. Then smear the clean seeds on a piece of tissue paper. Add some potting mix, vermiculite or coir to a clear container, and place the seeded tissue paper on top. Water lightly and replace the lid to keep moisture in place. The tissue paper will dissolve by the time seedlings have sprouted. When the seedlings have developed sturdy roots and new pads, re-pot them in a mixture of half orchid mix and half potting mix. Please note that this Scottsdale Real Estate Blog is for informational purposes and not intended to take the place of a licensed Scottsdale Real Estate Agent. The Szabo Group offers first class real estate services to clients in the Scottsdale Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area in the buying and selling of Luxury homes in Arizona. Award winning Realtors and Re/MAX top producers and best real estate agent for Luxury Homes in Scottsdale, The Szabo group delivers experience, knowledge, dedication and proven results. Contact Joe Szabo at 480.688.2020, info@ScottsdaleRealEstateTeam.com or visit www.scottsdalerealestateteam.com to find out more about Scottsdale Homes for Sale and Estates for Sale in Scottsdale and to search the Scottsdale MLS for Scottsdale Home Listings.

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team The end of the year can be a hectic time. Why not slow down for a moment to think about giving yourself (and others) the gift of sanity this holiday season? While most of us yearn for calm during the last few weeks of the year, we often find ourselves amped up, with little time to relax. Create some peaceful moments during the remainder of this holiday season by organizing your time and energy around the things you value most. For some people, the joy of the season comes from gift-giving. For others, it’s all about experiences like watching a parade, going ice skating, or checking out the holidays lights. Traditions such as sending cards or throwing festive tea party may define the holidays for you. And while people and social gatherings make the season bright for some, others like to focus on celebrating the spiritual aspect of the holiday. Once you decide which parts of the holidays mean the most to you, keep your focus on what you value. From now until the end of the year, only buy items or create experiences that support those values.

A game plan for curbing the chaos

1. Organize yourself first. Put some time on the calendar to enjoy the true meaning of your holiday. Ensure you block off this time for yourself before everyone else gets the last piece of you. Remember the flight attendants’ cautionary tip: Put your oxygen mask on first so you can be there for others and help them. Putting an appointment on your calendar guarantees you have some special time for yourself — even if it’s only 30 minutes or an hour.
2. Remember that less is more. It’s so easy to get carried away by all the holiday hoopla surrounding you. But buying fewer gifts means you’ll spend less time wrapping, and making fewer commitments means you’ll have more time to do what you value most.
3. Allow just one spot for a creativity zone. Limit all your gift-wrapping, card-writing, and project-making activities to one area. This is a space where you can leave everything set up and ready to use. It’s okay to have “work in progress.” Not every room in the home needs to be staged to perfection.
4. Create your own holiday party team. Enlist a small group of teens, college students or friends who are willing to help you tackle your to-do list. When you pay or barter with others for assistance, your shopping, cleaning, organizing, decorating, and cooking will be much less stressful. Call them and get them scheduled.

Plan ahead for personal peace

Once we’ve organized our holiday tasks and timetable, the next trick is managing ourselves so we can enjoy gathering with family and friends. It’s normal to focus on how the house looks or what you’re wearing, but what really sets the tone for holiday events is how we present ourselves to others. Just picture the comparison:

• A harried host saying, “Come in, come in, oh gosh, I’ve got stuff in the oven, toss your coats in the guest room, bathrooms are down the hall, come in and join us.”
• A calm, smiling host saying, “Welcome, let me give you a hug! How you are doing this evening? I’m so glad you’re here.”

As you plan, prepare, and experience the event, keep asking yourself, “What would make this easier for me?” For example, you could bake your holiday goodies from scratch and shop for centerpieces at the local florist, or you could order edible delicacies and stunning wreathes online and have them delivered. And don’t be afraid to accept help. When someone asks if they can help you serve food, answer the door, or wash dishes, say yes. This not only helps you better handle your hosting duties, but also diffuses others’ discomfort when attending parties. Some guests struggle with social anxiety, and helping gives them something else to focus on. Throughout the holiday season, remember: These moments with friends and family are precious, and it’s up to you whether you stress out or smile. Please note that this Scottsdale Real Estate Blog is for informational purposes and not intended to take the place of a licensed Scottsdale Real Estate Agent. The Szabo Group offers first class real estate services to clients in the Scottsdale Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area in the buying and selling of Luxury homes in Arizona. Award winning Realtors and Re/MAX top producers and best real estate agent for Luxury Homes in Scottsdale, The Szabo group delivers experience, knowledge, dedication and proven results. Contact Joe Szabo at 480.688.2020, info@ScottsdaleRealEstateTeam.com or visit www.scottsdalerealestateteam.com to find out more about Scottsdale Homes for Sale and Estates for Sale in Scottsdale and to search the Scottsdale MLS for Scottsdale Home Listings.

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team Consider this hypothetical: A man named Mark decides to purchase a parcel of land in a remote, mountainous area. He looks forward to enjoying it as a getaway retreat. But there’s a problem. It turns out he can’t access the property without going through his neighbor Sandy’s land. Welcome to the wonderful world of easements. In our example, if Sandy refuses to let Mark pass through, legal intervention may eventually be necessary to enforce his easement — Mark’s right to use someone else’s land in order to access his own.

“I know it belongs to you, but I intend to use it.”

A person who has an easement does not actually own the land. Rather, he or she possesses a right to do something on that land. The law recognizes an array of different easements, which allow usage on, under, over, or across a property, and can be permanent or limited in duration, and broad or narrow in scope. All easement negotiations are complex, and legal input is generally recommended. Most easements are granted to utility and municipal companies for the purpose of running power, cable, water, and sewer lines, but they are frequently used by residential landowners as well. Common usage easements prevent a landowner from erecting anything on a portion of his or her land that would preclude the easement owner’s ability to access his or her own property, run utilities, or even enable livestock grazing. An easement can also prevent a landowner from installing a tall fence, tree, or structure that might interfere with a neighbor’s view or access to solar power.

“There’s no need to get hostile about it.”

“The biggest problem that occurs with an easement is when a future owner of a property is unaware of the existence of an easement, and later learns that the use of his property is constrained,” says attorney Albert K. Marmero of Long Marmero and Associates. “For example, a guy buys a property that has some type of utility or sewer easement in the backyard. He then tries to build a pool, shed, or deck, but discovers that much of his backyard is not buildable due to the easement.” Ideally, an easement is created by an agreement between two or more parties. You ask your neighbor, and he or she grants permission. Or you offer to purchase the easement for an agreed-upon price. To perfect the arrangement, an easement deed is recorded. If no such agreement is in place, one or more parties can create a prescriptive easement through repeated use of the easement over a period of time. For example, if Mark continuously drives over Sandy’s property for five years with her knowledge but without her permission, his consistent land use — even if considered adverse or hostile — could result in a claim that he possesses a prescriptive easement. An easement by necessity occurs when one party must use the other party’s property to access the first party’s property. If Mark has absolutely no other way of reaching his mountain retreat, and if he and Sandy simply cannot come to terms, he may be able to obtain a court order that gives him possession of an easement by necessity across Sandy’s property. He may even consider filing a lawsuit to protect his easement. On the flip side, Sandy may determine that Mark is abusing his easement rights and causing damage to her property. In such a case, she would be in a position to file a lawsuit against Mark.

“What’s it worth to you?”

Easements are anything but easy. While you and your neighbor may come to a verbal agreement, it’s important to keep in mind that easements are more than promises. They are part of a property’s legal records. If a neighbor wants an easement from you, it’s best to proceed with caution. In some circumstances, an easement can lower the value of your home simply because it limits what you or a potential buyer may do with the property. As the owner of a constricted property, you may find that monetary compensation is appropriate. Do you want a single cash payment for the other owner’s usage, or do you want the easement owner to pay you over a period of time? Your attorney can help you determine an appropriate payment for the inconvenience.

Specify all the terms of the easement

Beyond the monetary arrangement, it’s important that both parties clearly specify the terms of usage. Sandy may finally agree to let Mark use her property to access his, but that doesn’t mean she wants to find Mark and his kids playing ball in her backyard. If Mark needs to dig up Sandy’s property to install water or sewer lines to the new home he’s building, it’s in Sandy’s best interest to make sure the easement specifies that her property is returned to its original condition after any construction and that any breaks or problems with Mark’s new lines are his responsibility. In an ideal world, Sandy would respect Mark’s need to utilize her property, and Mark would make every effort to cause minimal disruption. But, realistically, we live in a world full of disputes, which is why we have property access laws and lawyers to help us navigate them. Please note that this Scottsdale Real Estate Blog is for informational purposes and not intended to take the place of a licensed Scottsdale Real Estate Agent. The Szabo Group offers first class real estate services to clients in the Scottsdale Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area in the buying and selling of Luxury homes in Arizona. Award winning Realtors and Re/MAX top producers and best real estate agent for Luxury Homes in Scottsdale, The Szabo group delivers experience, knowledges , dedication and proven results. Contact Joe Szabo at 480.688.2020, info@ScottsdaleRealEstateTeam.com or visit www.scottsdalerealestateteam.com to find out more about Scottsdale Homes for Sale and Estates for Sale in Scottsdale and to search the Scottsdale MLS for Scottsdale Home Listings.

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team In up markets and down, there are always motivated sellers — those who want a quick or painless close, or just want to move the home. Incentives are common in buyers’ markets to make a seller’s home more desirable than their competition, but sellers also have to get creative in slower times of the year or in parts of town where homes don’t move quickly. If you have a home to sell, and you think it might be a tough sale, consider offering buyers something to sweeten the pie. Here are a few ideas you might not have considered. You can either offer these out of the gate and advertise them as incentives, or keep them in your back pocket to use as a negotiation tool.

Buy down their interest rate

Most home buyers today need a mortgage to make a purchase. Banks typically offer buyers an interest rate based on the market at the time they apply. If they want to lock in an even lower rate, buyers can always pay an upfront fee, called a point. Paying upfront is called “buying down the rate,” and sellers can do it for the buyer. If a bank offers a buyer three percent today on a 30-year fixed mortgage, the buyer (or seller) can pay one percent of the loan amount to get something like 2.75 percent. For buyers, this means lower monthly payments locked in for many years, which is more valuable than a small reduction in the purchase price. And the savings from, say, a five-percent price reduction built into a loan and amortized over 30 years won’t come close to matching the monthly savings that buying down the rate will accomplish.

Include furniture or window coverings

Buying furniture and some finishes post-closing can be a huge hidden or soft cost to real estate. Owners who have renovated their home often chose furniture that matches the home’s new look. Some homes show so well, buyers might want to purchase the house and all the furniture in it. If you have a home with custom furniture that might not fit so well in your new home, you might consider offering the furniture with the sale. In addition to helping sell the home, it might alleviate the future headache of trying to get rid of the furniture.

Credit for non-recurring closing costs

Buyers often come back to the seller after inspections and request repairs to the home. The wish list can include anything from patching roofing to replacing windows and repairing dry rot. Most sellers don’t want the hassle of repairing these items. If not done right or to the buyers’ specifications, the repairs can hold up the closing — or even haunt everyone post-closing. One way to incentivize buyers to continue with the purchase is simply to offer them a credit for non-recurring closing costs. This credit goes to the buyer as cash in their pockets at the closing. Many buyers ask for credits and may not do the repairs for months. It’s better to give them cash and let them do as they see fit with it.

Offer buyers’ brokers higher commission

Listing agents often market their properties to other agents who have buyers. While a good buyers’ agent should advocate for all homes for their buyer, no matter the commission, sometimes a bonus brings some necessary awareness to a stale property. It’s not uncommon for a seller to offer a half-percent or even one-percent bonus commission to the buyers’ agent for a property that won’t move. Agents make these offerings by interoffice communication and word of mouth in the community. (Don’t forget, a good agent is well connected and keeps tabs on what’s happening in the market.)

Credit for “Close By” date

A motivated seller might have a variety of reasons for wanting a quick closing, such as tax purposes or a deadline for a job transfer. Sometimes the consequences of the sale date justify offering a small bonus or credit to a potential buyer for meeting a closing date. For example, a seller may have claimed residence in another state, and faces a giant tax bill if they don’t sell by a certain deadline. The tax liability may have larger consequences outside the real estate transaction. If a seller wants a quick closing, they should offer a credit to the buyer — and maybe even a bonus commission to the buyers’ agent. For a buyer who rents and can be flexible, a quick closing is simple. Offering an incentive to do so would only be icing on the cake. Sellers can offer incentives and promote them in a number of ways — some more strategic than others. Putting incentives out there as part of your marketing will surely get buyers in the door. So if you’re having a hard time selling or know up front that your home will be a tough sell, advertise the incentives implicitly. If you have a buyer, and you’ve come close to negotiating but are stuck, these incentives, pulled out at the eleventh hour, can help move the deal over the finish line. Please note that this Scottsdale Real Estate Blog is for informational purposes and not intended to take the place of a licensed Scottsdale Real Estate Agent. The Szabo Group offers first class real estate services to clients in the Scottsdale Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area in the buying and selling of Luxury homes in Arizona. Award winning Realtors and Re/MAX top producers and best real estate agent for Luxury Homes in Scottsdale, The Szabo group delivers experience, knowledge, dedication and proven results. Contact Joe Szabo at 480.688.2020, info@ScottsdaleRealEstateTeam.com or visit www.scottsdalerealestateteam.com to find out more about Scottsdale Homes for Sale and Estates for Sale in Scottsdale and to search the Scottsdale MLS for Scottsdale Home Listings.

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team Did you miss the pre-holiday sales? The Black Friday bargains? Not to worry — there are plenty of great deals to be found in December, from toys, books, laptops, and tablets to various big ticket items like these.

Cars

As the year comes to an end, car dealerships start dropping prices and rolling out big incentives, such as cash back or low interest rates. After all, they’ve got to clear out their inventory and meet their annual sales goals. It’s their last chance! Selection may be limited this time of year, so if you’re fixated on a specific make/model/color/features, the deals may not interest you, but if saving money is a priority, you’re in the driver’s seat.

Homes

Just like car dealerships, sellers of homes have it tough at this time of year. Many simply take their homes off the market to ride out the long winter months. So if houses are on the market, this means that sellers are serious. They’re motivated. This puts you, the buyer, in a strong position to negotiate and ultimately cut a deal, particularly if you’ve done your homework. Home prices, historically, are lower in December than any other month. Cities where listings have the greatest percentage of price cuts include Albuquerque (where 24 percent of listings have a price cut), Omaha (24 percent), Baltimore (23 percent), Milwaukee (23 percent), Jacksonville (22 percent), Phoenix (22 percent), Houston (21 percent), Minneapolis (21 percent), Mesa (20 percent), and Indianapolis (20 percent), according to Zillow analysis. Take advantage of resources like Zillow to find inventory you usually can’t find alongside for-sale homes, like new construction, pre-market inventory, for sale by owner and, soon, foreclosures.

Wedding dresses

Since so many couples get engaged over the holidays, bridal shops receive major shipments of gowns in late December. In order to make room for these new gowns, they have to clear out the older inventory, and that means you’ll see big markdowns in early December.

Beach vacations

How does a beach vacation sound right about now? Prices to destinations such as the Caribbean drop between Thanksgiving to right before Christmas (about December 20) because demand is minimal. Welcome drinks and resort credits may also be included in special package deals. Pack your bags! Please note that this Scottsdale Real Estate Blog is for informational purposes and not intended to take the place of a licensed Scottsdale Real Estate Agent. The Szabo Group offers first class real estate services to clients in the Scottsdale Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area in the buying and selling of Luxury homes in Arizona. Award winning Realtors and Re/MAX top producers and best real estate agent for Luxury Homes in Scottsdale, The Szabo group delivers experience, knowledge, dedication and proven results. Contact Joe Szabo at 480.688.2020, info@ScottsdaleRealEstateTeam.com or visit www.scottsdalerealestateteam.com to find out more about Scottsdale Homes for Sale and Estates for Sale in Scottsdale and to search the Scottsdale MLS for Scottsdale Home Listings.