I was reading an online article today about three ways to jumpstart my spring cleaning, and I decided to amend it a bit.Number One was to change our central heating filters.  I don't know about you, but every professional I have spoken to always says "Buy the cheap ones, because the air flow is good, and change them every time you pay your utility bill".  So if you haven't changed your filters since the weather turned cold...perhaps you might want to make a new, new years resolution!  Change often!!!And on the subject of filters -- did you know they should be changed at least every 6 months.  (Not a year)  Think about how skanky your pet waterers get if you don't clean them out!Number Two: Test smoke alarms.  Good call.  Don't wait for the chirp.Number Three:  They say to wipe down wall... 03/15/2023

Sort of. If you are in front of your computer and you see a bunch of email offers that you just know are probably fake, I have invented a little game.I simply hit reply with a blank email and wait for the results.Example. I just did eleven of the 'deals' or of suspicious content.Seven came right back as 'fake' or 'undeliverable'.The solution. Just delete them without opening. No telling what's in the content besides a con job. 02/02/2023

This was taken from an email sent from "VisitTucson" this week and it really, really resonated.To quote:  "Deep breath. New year, new you – right? Time to sluff off the holiday weight. Or reinvent your wardrobe. Or spend three months trekking through the wilderness to reveal an undiscovered version of yourself. At least that’s what all the emails in your inbox are you telling you is apt for January.But in Tucson, we’re of a different breed. Don’t get us wrong, we embrace wellness. But we don’t think integrating wellness into your everyday life means you have to reinvent yourself. After all – we like you just the way you are."Tucson.  "We like you just the way you are." It makes me think back to 1998.  I visited Tucson for the first time as an adult.  Coming from Green Bay, WI, it was he... 01/14/2023

Serving metropolitan Tucson and surrounding areas, The Patch Boys of Greater Tucson may be the solution to your business or residential needs.They offer services in drywall, ceiling, plaster repair.  Drywall Installation, popcorn ceiling removal, and texture matching!  They currently have four crews working for them, so your wait time may be minimal compared to other companies!The Patch Boys of Greater Tucson are available 6 days of week, 8-5, closed Sundays.  631 # 20th Street, Unit 101.  Tucson, AZ 85719  thepatchboys.com/greater-tucson/  Feel free to follow them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.Bio One offers Crime and Trauma scene cleaning, with a 24/7 emergency response at 520-771-5960.BioOne will work with your insurance company, and is licensed and insured.  Suicide, ... 11/15/2022

I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce two of our newest agents, Leslie Gilpatrick and Nicole NelsonLeslie and Nicole bring added dimension to our office with diverse skills and experience!Leslie's quick bio:  Hello, my name is Leslie Gilpatrick.  I am a native New Yorker, and admit this immediately as once I open my mouth, you will have no doubt.  I have lived in the NW area of Tucson for the past 11 years.  I love the weather, the scenery and the beautiful and amazing Saguaros.  I truly enjoy talking with and learning about my clients.  I believe in giving outstanding Customer Service and my one personality trait is I am honest and sometimes blunt to a fault.  I look forward to meeting and working with you.  Leslie @520-444-9946Nicole's quick bio:Growing up in Tucson, Nicole i... 11/10/2022

Is it just me, or have these criminals become more sophisticated in their techniques? Not only are they still making at least as many calls, but they seem to mostly come from non-working numbers. Is there software for that? How do the criminals know how to find non-working numbers, or do they just generate them on their own? Asking for a friend.  10/28/2022

Coming Soon, live Friday, September 2, 2022Listed by the Golden Girls with SW Desert HomesBetty Covey, Associate Broker 520-270-3781Quick!  This home is gorgeous and like new!What's not to love - plenty of room at 2375 square feet, three bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms.Stunning 2021 Meritage smart home in coveted Paseo at Linda Vista. This community is located close to amenities, and yet rural enough to enjoy all that Tucson has to offer.As you enter the front door, welcome to elegance and spaciousness found within the open great room, dining room and gourmet kitchen. Your cooking domain features granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, gas stove top, convection oven, microwave, spacious walk-in pantry, large island and Energy Star dishwasher and refrigerator. In addition, this versa... 08/31/2022

John Robert Wooden (October 14, 1910 – June 4, 2010) was an American basketball coach and player. Nicknamed the "Wizard of Westwood", he won ten National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) national championships in a 12-year period as head coach for the UCLA Bruins, including a record seven in a row. No other team has won more than four[1] in a row in Division I college men's or women's basketball.[2][3][4] Within this period, his teams won an NCAA men's basketball record 88 consecutive games. Wooden won the prestigious Henry Iba Award as national coach of the year a record seven times and won the AP award five times.The very best at what he did. No one before or since has matched his accomplishments. Quiet and mild mannered, he commanded the utmost respect. AND at the start of ever... 08/18/2022

I received an email today that asked me if I was working with half a mind.  I chuckled, wondering as I prepped dinner for later, if I even utilized HALF my mind, or my brain power.  I know our brains are miraculous and underused, according to scientists.I clicked on the email as it was selling a book, and it did go on to say that in one study, our minds are usually "wandering" about 46% of the time.I got to thinking about real estate.  There are days when I am working 6 hours straight without a break, stop to eat, and jump right back into it for another 6.  It's the nature of the business. Others...I'm in pajamas till 11, perhaps writing blog posts and reading others.I've found for the most part that down time is creative time.  The what-if, what-should-we-do-next time where I examine m... 08/17/2022

I love Active Rain and through the years it has brought me many a customer, endless education, laughs, camaraderie with fellow professionals, and so much more.However, as the years go by, there's always a few articles that have me scratching my head.Today, I clicked on a post about Real Estate tips...and found something of a conundrum.It was about STYLE, not real estate.  The right fit, what's stylish, what colors to wear, the little black dress, foundation garments...etc.After I read it a few times, I found myself tying that stylish prose into real estate and for some punny fun, did a re-imagining of the blog posting.Fit:  As a buyer, are you trying to put a round peg in a square hole?  In reduced inventory markets, I've found many, many buyers trying to make a house work.  What ARE yo... 08/15/2022

The last three years has brought about a great deal of flux in our priorities, home choices, values.Some want a home office, others more space to just enjoy "Home", some want something simple, and others -- a property with possibilities.I'd like to introduce a new home on the market this week that might fit your growing and changing criteria.Looking at some basic criteria, here's a list of some key features of the property:*1991 Square feet, four bedrooms, 2 bathrooms*Mountain Views from every window except bathroom and 2nd pantry/laundry*Formal living and dining rooms, "sunken" living room*Den/ family room with wood-burning fireplace, brick hearth, new flue damper and coils to heat room*Large bedrooms with expansive closets, many with built in shelving*Roomy pantry closet & adjacent 2n... 08/03/2022

What Is your Defining Criteria when Buying a Home for SaleWhen searching for a home, it's important to know your priorities.Important to consider from your own viewpoint might be location, walkability, privacy, lot size, number of bedrooms, an extra room for an office, etc.  The characteristics of a home make it YOUR home, and having your must-haves CLEAR before you start looking can save a lot of time, and possibly heartache.For instance, let me introduce a property to you in regards to some of the defining criteria you may need. Move in ready Horse property Four bedrooms Private, rural Mountain views 2 car extended attached garage You see what I am getting at?  If you don't have livestock, animals, RV and ATMS and other toys -- maybe you want an urban lot.Maybe you're looking for a re... 08/02/2022

4405 Old Ranch Road, Tucson Arizona For SaleEureka!  A new horse property on the market and ready for sale!If you've been searching for a property zoned for horses and have been having challenges in finding one, check out this lovely opportunity located just off Manville and Sandario Roads in Tucson, AZ.Situated on almost 3.5 acres, fully fenced, this lovingly maintained, move-in ready home offers 4 bedrooms, 2 full baths, tons of extra storage, and a uniqueness and flavor only Adobe brick can bring to a home.One doesn't need livestock to love this property - it's great for growing room, a private community, lots of toys and expansion area for garages, etc -- all surrounded by panoramic views of mountain and desert.And let's not forget about the sunsets!!  Or the gorgeous summer monsoon... 08/01/2022

The desert speaks to us in quiet ways;Purple mountains,Dazzling sunsets, A society of cacti where we can visit our ancestors if our ears are open to the voice of the Saguaro  Riotous blooms of color --Create their own beguiling melody within your mind.There's a danger here, a power, and yet it whispers to the soul; Inviting solace,Contemplation,and reverence,Come.Be.Tucson. Come, live in Tucson.  All but one of these photos were taken at a coming soon listing, available for viewing August 1, 2022.  It is located at 4405 N Old Ranch Rd - Tucson, AZ 85743-8875Contact me for more information and photos of the Brick Adobe, 4/2 home, 1991 square feet with attached 2 car garage situated on 3.4 acres, zoned for horses.  More info to follow on my blog this week!Cara Mancuso, Golden Girls with S... 07/30/2022

 I received an article about the dog days of summer and how to survive them today.  I immediately thought, well, dogs don't like "summer days" in Arizona too much.  They are out with their owners early morn and after dark...our 100 degree temps aren't just hot - they are positively painful unless they are wearing protection on their feet!For a brief history lesson, the Farmer's Almanac offers a definition regarding the Dog Days of Summer: "This period of sweltering weather coincides with the year’s sunrise rising of Sirius, the Dog Star. Sirius is part of the constellation Canis Majoris—the “Greater Dog”—which is where Sirius gets its canine nickname"One of the suggestions mentions a poolside picnic, and another - a nature walk.  (Obviously, a NATIONAL article)I will say we enjoy an eve... 06/29/2022

Continental Ranch is a Master-planned community situated in Marana / Tucson that borders Interstate 10 on the east, the Tucson Mountains on the west side, and starts at Cortaro Road in NW Tucson, within Marana town limitsWithin its borders is plenty of shopping, a movie theatre, restaurants, a public golf course, and fitness options.The community also contains the Active Adult community of Sunflower, but for purposes of this blog posting, I'm just going to highlight the residential resale of Continental Ranch with no age restrictions.In all, over the past 90 days, we are talking about 87 total homes.  9 are, at this date, active and for sale.15 have contracts that were accepted in an average of 6 days. 13 are pending closing, having passed all contingencies and inspections, and 50 sold.... 06/07/2022

I've been on the hunt recently for some large families, hoping to find their Tucson, Arizona dream home.It's important to work with a REALTOR in helping with your home search.  We can set you up on a portal, ask our networking resources for upcoming listings, and check coming soon listings.  These are not things you can do on your own, despite the wonderful technology that is out there.  (The last two horse ranches I helped clients find were not even on the market yet - word of mouth is crucial!!)In looking for your five bedroom home for sale in Tucson, knowing what is critical to you is so important.  With today's limited inventory, it's important to discuss before you begin your search, what you truly MUST have.So, to begin with, perhaps it's that four bedroom home with den or office,... 05/18/2022

Who doesn't marvel at the sight of a tiny hummingbird, wings whizzing, taking a sip from a summer bloom or sugar feeder.Did you know Tucson AZ is rich in hummingbirds in terms of sheer numbers and diversity? Our abundant, year round supply of plants and natural landscape appeal to the hummingbird, as well as being so close to the Mexican border where they thrive as well.  There can be more than 13 different species of hummingbirds found in our area, according to the Tucson Audobon Society.  The four you are most likely to find include the Costa's Hummingbird, Anna's Hummingbird, Broad-billed Hummingbird, and Black-Chinned Hummingbird.  (That's got to be a feat to spot a hummingbird chin...!)(Costa Hummingbird)Did you know a hummingbird's heart can beat up to 1,260 times per minute?  Did... 05/16/2022

Spring is trying hard to stay in Tucson now.  It seems a little colder this year, the weather flip flopping between the 80's and the 40's.  I'm carrying a coat in the car just in case.But with the return of the 80's, nature's beauty is popping up all over as well.  Yesterday I had the good fortune to run across some "Pooh-isms", favorite verses and sayings that have been attributed to Winnie the Pooh and his shenanigans.Here's a fitting one: “Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.” - Winnie The PoohI've got those acquaintances popping up in my yard right now - can't complain.  The pop of color just makes you smile.If you haven't been to Tucson, you'd be amazed at what color the desert can bring.  Thinking about taking a trip - let me know, I'll share some recommendations.  T... 04/06/2022

April is Earth Month. (Re-useable shopping bags)Tucson Water shared tips to honor the Earth every day: Reduce paper waste by eliminating printing hard copies & using online bill pay Recycle old, unused, or broken computers, tablets, phones, and more at stores, manufacturers, and local governments Save water by using it efficiently Shop local vendors and businesses     In addition, Pima County Wastewater Reclamation is offering up to $400 in Vouchers to Reduce Air PollutionTurn in your old gasoline-powered lawn and garden equipment and receive vouchers of up to $400 to purchase new electric, battery or manual landscape devices.More info: 520-273-9898www.pima.gov/HealthyAir or CutPollution@pima.govIn honor of Earth Month, I have a few wishes.I wish phone books were no longer made and dist... 04/01/2022