Empower Your Move to Tucson Arizona with Long Realty Services

Su Swanne, Realtor - GRI, CSHP, SRES

Graduate, Realtor Institute

Certified Senior Housing Professional

Senior Real Estate Specialist

520-248-6297

Empower Your Move!

Flower for May - Lily of the Valley - My mother’s favorite flower! Every Mother’s Day these flowers are a sweet memory of her. As I write this, we have already enjoyed some of May with Mother’s Day and Cinco de Mayo. So what other ideas can we focus on?

May is also Asthma Awareness Month. Asthma is a chronic lung disease that has no cure. I’ve had asthma since I was five years old. Fortunately, the medicines available today are so much better than the ones when I was a child. Here is a photo of the kind of nebulizer I used; epinephrine was the inhaled agent to clear the lungs.

Looks kind of ancient, doesn’t it? Since 1980 asthma death rates overall have increased more than 50% among all genders, age groups and ethnic groups.

A Word About Real Estate in Tucson

• In the Tucson Main Market area, April 2019 active inventory was down 5% from April 2018 to 1.9 months. Closings in April 2019 were up 6% from April 2018. Median price of sold homes was $215,000 for the month of April 2019, up 2% from April 2018. The Tucson Main Market area had 2,146 new properties under contract in April 2019, up 6% from April 2018. To read more visit my website.  

• Mortgage lenders have lots of ways to help you obtain the funds you need to buy a home. And the current interest rates are down slightly, hovering around four percent, depending on your loan. Contact your mortgage lender to see what s/he can do for you. If you need a referral, you can contact me (520-248-6297). NOW is a great time to buy a new home!

• A new hotel at the Tucson Convention Center is now under construction. A DoubleTree by Hilton, it will include a pool on the second level, a rooftop bar, restaurant, coffee bar, 4,000 square feet of meeting space, 170 rooms, four suites and a presidential suite. The hotel is scheduled to open late 2020.

A Word About Seniors

A few weeks ago my friend Peggy passed away in one of Tucson’s newer assisted living communities. She was 89. Her husband remains in memory care in the same community. From the day they moved in they were separate as their needs were quite different. Their main contact was at mid-day meals when they ate together.

I also have a client, 79, who has been in either the hospital or skilled nursing care for the past few months. This week the limits of skilled care will be reached and my client will be moving to...where? The family lives a few hundred miles away; they are not available to help.

Both of these scenarios are common for the Senior population. The difference between these stories is that my friend and her husband had financial resources to cover their living arrangement. My client, who made different choices for end-of-life care, is struggling to find the resources that are needed.

My question is: What is really required to meet the needs of our Seniors? Trendy, upscale apartments? Low-cost shared rooms with two beds? The competition for Seniors’ money is strong. As the Baby-Boomers continue to “flood” the market for Senior housing, what will be the outcome? My opinion is that there is an imbalance in the kinds of housing available for Seniors. Is the quality of care unbalanced, too? If you are a Senior, or you are helping a Senior determine the “right place”, take a moment to think about what is needed, and what is not.

A Word About Me

The past couple of months I’ve been living with my husband in his house, while abandoning my own. Now I’m in full “move” mode, and getting ready to put my house on the market through the Pima County Community Land Trust (PCCLT)

The PCCLT provides an alternative for low to mid-income buyers to be able to buy a home. When I bought my home I was moving out of a travel trailer I’d lived in for seven years. I had totally downsized and sold my condo to go traveling. I would never have been able to afford a new “sticks and bricks” home without the help of the PCCLT. If you are thinking about buying a home, and would like to know more, come to a workshop on May 22, 5:30-7:30, 801 W Congress.

At the end of the month we will be taking a trip back east to investigate the possibility of yet another move. Having family on the East Coast we hope to get a little closer to them. What that means for me here is completing the transactions I’m involved in, and then saying goodbye to the world of real estate in Tucson and the many wonderful folks I’ve met and worked with. I haven’t decided whether I will obtain a license in my new location, but it is a possibility. It is also possible we won’t like the new location, and we’ll return to Tucson to make other plans.

As a Senior myself, I am finding that everything I have learned about serving Seniors applies to myself as well. Learning to downsize, getting help with packing and cleaning, finding the right professionals - all has helped me to take on moving out of my house, and thinking about what I need and want in a new home. Considering my health needs, whether or not to age in place...all of it has been in my thoughts as I make the transition.

This will probably be my last monthly newsletter. If you would like to stay in touch, please let me know. In the future you may find me on my blog, SwanneSong - Views From the Edge, voicing my perspective on issues of all kinds.

It’s been a pleasure to offer my newsletter every month, as I’m a bit of a writer at heart. After three years of presenting information about real estate, I hope you have found something that has given you something to think about. I thank you for your support!

A Word About Events in Tucson

• Eyeopeners Toastmaster Club meets every Wednesday, 6:15-7:30 a.m., 801 W Congress. If you’re interested in learning how to speak before an audience, this is the place to be!
• May 22, 2019 - Free tour of 14 Demonstration Gardens at UofA Pima County Cooperative Extension, 4210 N. Campbell Ave. 9-10:30 a.m. Expand your gardening knowledge and get ideas for your own landscape.Let a Master Gardener volunteer lead you on a journey of discovery through these beautiful and interesting gardens. Meet at the plant clinic.
• Enjoy improvisational humor at The Unscrewed Theater - 4500 E Speedway Blvd, #39. See their website for dates and times of shows.

Make Yourself At Home In Tucson Arizona with Long Realty Services

Su Swanne, Realtor - GRI, CSHP, SRES

Graduate, Realtor Institute

Certified Senior Housing Professional

Senior Real Estate Specialist

520-248-6297

Make Yourself at Home in Tucson

The Season of Light is approaching with rapid pace. It seems it was only a fews days ago we were anticipating a long weekend with family and friends for a feast. During this season I like to focus on the Winter Solstice which begins the Yuletide, as it was known to the Anglo-Saxons of Britain - it must be because of my heritage as 91% Irish, Scottish, and English! The Winter Solstice is the first day of Yuletide, with 12th Night being Wassail night, and what we’ve come to celebrate as New Year’s Eve. Based on, and borrowed from Yuletide we have Christmastide, with Christmas Day as the first day, and Epiphany on January 6 as the 12th day of Christmas. Many of our traditions of this holiday season combine elements from both celebrations. Other celebrations this time of year also focus on the theme of Light. Light makes things visible and makes things clear so we can see our way. I wish everyone the Joy of Light as we move into a new year, and maybe a new way of seeing things.

“May your heart embrace the return of the Light!”

A Word About Real Estate in Tucson

• Do you hang holiday lights on your house and shrubs, fences and trees? Did you know there are businesses that can do that for you? Check out We Hang Christmas Lights for some ideas. And if you are a true Do-It-Yourselfer, there are many websites that offer instructions on how to put lights on your house and in your yard. Just Google “hanging Christmas lights”! And if you ARE doing it yourself, try to avoid damaging anything that might need repairs later, when you get ready to sell.

• Most everyone is busy between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, and most people don’t think about buying or selling a house during this time. BUT sometimes it is necessary. Do you know of someone I should speak to who could use my help? If so, Message Me at 520-248-6297.
• Curious about this month’s Housing Report? Want to know where your house might be valued? Check it out on my website. Just enter your address and see from three perspectives what your house could be worth.
• BRAND NEW LISTING! - Six acres with large outbuildings, $95,000, near Sahuarita. Are you an artist who is looking for a studio, or a sculptor/metal worker looking for a place to create your masterpieces? Do you have a landscaping business that needs a lot of storage for tools of the trade? This property is rural, and also has income potential. Go to the Public MLS Website and enter MLS#21831907. Then Call Me!!!

A Word About Seniors

• The holidays can be a source of sadness and depression for Seniors. Visiting Angels, a home care organization, has put together a list of classic Christmas movies, TV shows, and radio shows that might brighten a Senior’s day.
• You can Be A Santa to a Senior here in Tucson. Click the link to find gift tree locations. Deadline is December 17, 2018.
• Music turns on the part of the brain responsible for memory, motor control, timing, language, and emotions. The songs of the season that are familiar to Seniors can lift their spirits. A family sing-a-long could be just the thing to bring Joy to a loved one.
• Stay tuned for an announcement about the Senior Seminars I am planning for 2019. The first phase has been initiated; details to come!

A Word About Me - Su Swanne, GRI!

As of December 13 I have completed my year-long journey to receive my Graduate, Realtor Institute - GRI designation. This is a national designation (National Association of Realtors) that demonstrates a  commitment to the highest ethical standards in serving clients and customers, and a higher level of professional service through training and education. I am proud to have the opportunity to serve my clients with the increased knowledge and skill this education has afforded me.

A Word About Events in Tucson

• A complete list of Holiday Light displays this season can be found at Holiday Lights in Tucson 2018 - Tohono Chul Park, Tucson Botanical Gardens, Winterhaven, Lights of the World, and more !
• December 16, 2018 - Parade of Lights and Festival, Downtown
• Through January 16, visit the Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures to see the miniature displays of Christmas Around the World and Throughout Time.
• For some “live” entertainment, how about the Jingle Bell Rockin’ Revue at Gaslight Music Hall! Visit TucsonTopia for times and tickets.
• If you’re a hockey fan, the Tucson Roadrunners will be back in town on December 28 for their home schedule.

“The Light Shines in the Darkness and the Darkness Has Not Overcome It.” John 1:5

Make Yourself at Home In Tucson Arizona

Su Swanne, Realtor - GRI, CSHP, SRES

Graduate, Realtor Institute

Certified Senior Housing Professional

Senior Real Estate Specialist

520-248-6297

Make Yourself at Home in Tucson

In this month of November we celebrate and give thanks for the many gifts we have in our lives - our families, loved ones who have passed, our Veterans, our health, our free elections, and those who serve us in many ways that we often overlook and fail to acknowledge. This month I am grateful to have a new roof on my house, and my truck in good repair, and for those who made all that happen; I’m grateful to have my partner and my elder friends, and the many opportunities to serve others.

A Word About Real Estate in Tucson

Housing inventory remains low while the prices continue to rise. The median price of homes in Tucson stands at $211,845, a 7% increase over the same month last year. If you have been thinking about selling your home, consider that the value of your home has also increased and it is still a seller’s market up to $350,000-$400,000. To see a complete report for the Tucson housing market, visit my website. For any questions you might have about the value of your home, invite me for a no-obligation consultation.

A Word About Seniors

• The Walk for Alzheimer’s took place on November 10, and raised nearly $258,000 toward their goal of $290,000. If you have someone in your family, or you know of someone who is challenged by the disease of Alzheimer’s, contact the Pima County Office on Aging (PCOA) - (520) 322-6601 - for information about support groups.

• If you or someone you know is a Senior thinking about downsizing to a smaller home or into a senior retirement community, I invite you to contact me (520-248-6297) for a no-obligation consultation.

• In the future I will be offering workshops and seminars about the issues facing Seniors and how Seniors can plan for their transition to a different way of life. Be on the lookout for announcements of these events!

A Word About Me

Last month I attended the 4th annual Legacy Conference of the Senior Real Estate Institute in Oklahoma City. The theme of the conference was Thinking Outside the Box. As Realtors serving the Senior population we accept the challenge to create DIFFERENT services and value for our customers and clients. Working with Seniors in a sales transaction involves much more than the typical real estate services provided by Realtors. Training as a Certified Senior Housing Professional (CSHP) involves not only knowledge of real estate practice, but also of the psychological and life-phase issues of Seniors in their later years.

A Word About Events in Tucson

• Visit the Holiday Art Marketplace in Tucson Mall, next to Macy’s on the second floor during November and December. If you are looking for Mosaic artwork, visit Piecing It Together, mosaic pieces created by one of my Senior friends. And you better hurry, as she will only be there through the end of November!

• Tucson Food Tour - November 16, 2018 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Sample food from at least six restaurants, $55, in advance.

• November 19, 2018 - The Fourth Annual Free Community Thanksgiving Dinner  - Armory Park, 11-3. Donations for food and volunteers to cook and serve are needed. If you would like to participate in this event for the Tucson community, go to Tucson.com for more information.

• November 22, 2018 - Thanksgiving Day - Several Tucson restaurants will be offering Thanksgiving meals. If you don’t want to cook you may want to dine out at one of these fine restaurants! Go to this link for more information.

"Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life

is the foundation for all abundance."  Eckhart Tolle

Sponsor of the SPOTLIGHT Senior Services & Living Options Tucson Guide

Visit us today and say "I Saw You In SPOTLIGHT!"

IN THE SPOTLIGHT Toby Parks, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage

Toby Parks

Senior Real Estate Specialist, SRES

(520) 310-0122

tparksaz@gmail.com 

As a second generation, Arizona native and University of Arizona grad (GO CATS!) living in Tucson, my family and I have served this community for many years. I bring a wealth of insight and expertise about buying and selling real estate in Southern Arizona. Whether it's guiding a family while they consider options for their aging parents or helping a Senior age in place, I can help. If you're looking for a special pocket area on a golf course or want to live near the Loop, I can help. 

My knowledge about schools, local things to do, restaurants, shopping, etc. will guide you to the perfect neighborhood.
Hiking Sabino Canyon and digging in the dirt planting my spring and fall vegetable garden are two of my very favorite things to do. 

It may be hard to believe, but not all real estate agents are familiar with their local market. I live, work, invest and play in our community. I've built a reputation I'm proud of. Let me help you with your real estate needs. 

Your real estate referrals will be professionally handled and greatly appreciated!

Sponsor of the SPOTLIGHT Senior Services & Living Options Guide.  Visit us online today and say "I saw you in SPOTLIGHT!"

www.tobysellstucsonhomes.com