Chickens are now legal in Tucson

Chicken lovers rejoice. Formerly, chickens had to be 50 feet from the property line, which meant that most of the chicken coops in the city were illegal. This article states chickens must be 20 feet from the neighboring houses.

In R-1 zoning, all structures must be at least six feet from the property line. In R-2 (higher density) zoning, structures must be at least ten feet from the property line. I doubt that the new code supersedes the set back requirements, but readers of this article who want to put their chicken coops on the property line, as most chicken lovers do, will assume that it's okay as long as they are 20 feet from the neighbors' house. We will need to read the new code to see what the actual rule is.

Thanksgiving at Govinda's

Had a delicious vegetarian Thanksgiving feast at Govinda's. The guest of honor was this gorgeous fellow, who was supposed to be someone's Christmas dinner in 2013. When friends of Govinda's heard about it, they raised the $15 to buy him directly from the farmer. When the farmer was told that the turkey was going to become a pet rather than dinner, the price went up to $20, but eventually fairness prevailed, and this dude has been working the Thanksgiving gig ever since. And I mean work. We spent two hours on Govinda's lovely patio, enjoying the weather and the amazing food, and this turkey calmly circulated, patiently visiting every table and waiting for his picture to be taken. He moved so slowly and regally, he only made one circuit of the patio in two hours, keeping his tail spread the whole time.

How Does Street Name Affect Home Value?

Here's an interesting article from the New York Times. Enter the name of your street and see whether that name helps or hurts real estate values.

Classy Winterhaven Townhome

The Home That Welcomes You embraces guests as they enter the sweet courtyard.

Nestled in a lovely and well-maintained neighborhood with mature vegetation, this attractive home is a delight.

Sunny oak kitchen has a breakfast bar where your guests can visit while you put the finishing touches on dinner. Tile floors throughout.

The great room has a vaulting ceiling that gives a feeling of grandeur. Adorable corner fire place invites you to sit on its bench and take in the warmth.

Watch the colors change on the Catalina Mountains from your Arizona Room, which provides a bonus of 125 square feet. The two bedrooms and closets are generous. Two bathrooms.The floor plan is here. Storage in the carport.

North-facing covered back patio and privacy walls expand your living space to the outdoors.

Pool, spa and barbeque are only a few doors away. Two carport spaces plus two guest parking spaces at your front courtyard. The HOA fee includes water and exterior maintenance. Sold for $124,000 on March 5, 2015.Equal Housing Opportunity.

Rare Custom Home in Central Tucson at a Reasonable Price

Toto, I don't think we're in Tucson anymore. Adobe construction and vaulted open beam ceilings evoke the serenity of a cozy New Mexico mountain cabin. See the open, flowing floor plan here. This unique hand-crafted home is a feast for the senses.

Walk on the cool, clean Saltillo tile floor in your bare feet. Take a deep breath of the delicious aroma of freshly-cut grass.

Open the wooden blinds to let the light stream in. Enjoy the delightful surprise of the rich stained concrete counter tops with maple cabinets.

Taste the fruit of your pomegranate tree. Hear the rain celebration on the blue metal roof. Contemplate your good luck with a mountain view from your roof top perch. King-sized bedroom.

 
Attractive solar-powered gate. Control the thermostat from your cell phone.

This house has an interesting history. In 2003, one of my friends from graduate school referred an incoming hydrology student to me. I helped him buy 630 N Jerrie Avenue. My client split the lot and built this house, 626 N Jerrie Avenue, behind it. I saw him and his friend making adobe blocks in the yard. They used as few power tools as possible, and their names are burnt onto the top of the center beam with a magnifying glass. I toasted the completion of the house with the builders on the roof. The market was crazy hot in 2006, and my client sold 626 without my help. The following year, I helped him sell 630.

626 was sold again to its third owner in 2011. A few weeks ago, the Tierra Antigua relocation director called to ask whether I wanted a listing on a cute little house behind a house on Jerrie Avenue. I asked whether it had a blue tin roof, and he said it did. So I put this house on the market, and sent the listing to my former client, the one who built the house. He sent the listing to his former housemate, who had lived in 630 and who helped build 626. The former housemate is the new owner. The builder, the buyer and I were all in the University of Arizona hydrology graduate program at different times. Sometimes magic happens. It's fitting that it happened with this lovely little home.

Sold December 11, 2014 for $149,000. 

Tucson's 40 Under 40

I am so pleased that the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Arizona Daily Star honored my fabulous client Moses Thompson as one of their 40 under 40. He has done wonderful work at Manzo Elementary School, helping the children learn about gardening and poultry. The school cafeteria will soon be serving the produce the children grow. Imagine how exciting that must be for them, and what a positive influence it will have on their eating habits.

This is a good time to point out that you can get a state tax credit for contributing up to $200 to a public school as an individual, and up to $400 as a couple filing a joint return. A tax credit means if you give $200 to a public school, you can reduce the amount of income tax you owe to the State of Arizona by $200. I know Manzo will use my money much more productively than the State will, so I always give my tax credit to Manzo. You can even pay by credit card.

September Residential Sales Statistics

The Tucson Association of Realtor has released the residential sales statistics for September. No surprise, the number of listings is up, the number of sales is down, and the average sale price has decreased. This happens every fall and it is probably no cause for concern. It's a good time to be a buyer, as most of the buyers will soon be obsessed with the holidays, so you don't have as much competition. If you're a seller, you may need to be flexible to get your house sold now. Or you might just want to wait until things pick up in January. Prices probably won't be a whole lot higher then, but you may have more buyers looking at your house.