Word Of The Month…

Studies have shown your income and wealth are directly related to the size and depth of your vocabulary. Here is this month’s word, so you can impress your friends (and maybe even fatten your wallet!)…
 

gossamer (GAH-suh-mer) adjective

Meaning: very light, delicate 

Sample Sentence: The cool, gossamer breeze was a welcome reprieve from the heat of the sun.

Shop Small + Local

We often hear the phrase, “Shop Small,” but what does it mean?  In 2010, a large credit card company started the concept of “Small Business Saturday,” the Saturday following Thanksgiving, to encourage holiday shoppers to support their local small businesses. This helps the owners and the local economy at the same time.

Since its inception a decade ago, shoppers have spent more than $120 billion at small businesses on Small Business Saturday. So go ahead, shop small this holiday season at your local shops and boutiques, bakeries and restaurants, art galleries and coffee shops. In fact, shop small year-round!

Spice Up Your Tea

While these aren’t medically proven remedies, they won’t hurt and taste delicious! Try adding to your tea:

-Zest of ginger for digestion

-A dash of cinnamon aids immunity

-Add a sprig of mint for better sleep

-A dollop of honey is said to cure colds

Quotes To Live By…

“Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting, and autumn a mosaic of them all.”

– Stanley Horowitz, author

“Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.”

– Oprah Winfrey, media mogul

“Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today.”

–Will Rogers, actor

Getting Through To Teens

     Do you remember when you were a teenager and your parents would ask how your day was when you got home from school? “Fine,” you’d likely answer.  “What did you learn today?” they’d ask.  “Nothing,” was the typical answer.

     Trying to get through to the teenagers in your life and have  meaningful conversations with them is something adults have struggled with for generations.  The good news is, you’re not alone.  Here, we share tips on how talk with teens…really talk with them.

• Listen: The most important skill in all relationships applies to teenagers, too. Rather than peppering your teenager with questions, listen for offhand comments as an “in” to engage in conversation about their day. Teens may open up more if they don’t feel like adults are trying to pull information out of them.
• Don’t React: As hard as it can be, try not to react to what they’re saying in the moment. Instead, stay calm and reimplement the first tip: listen. Don’t try to fix things immediately or give advice. Listen, nod, and ask leading questions. If you’re met with rude comments or pushback, take a deep breath and pause. Let them be emotional, and try to be the sounding board.
• Avoid Over-Empathizing: If your teen is venting about a friend, don’t chime in with your feelings about that friend.  Chances are, they’ll reconcile, but your teen will remember what you said and may not confide in you because of your revealed true feelings about that friend.
• Explain Yourself: Rules are a part of all our lives, but teens may feel that they’re being overly-regulated. When you set boundaries, explain why. Help them feel like active partners in managing their lives and adult enough to understand why rules are implemented.
• Spend Time Together: Find something that you both enjoy and do it together, whether that be hiking, playing video games, or listening to music, without talking about anything personal. Simply spending time together is another terrific, unintrusive way to get through to your teen.

www.myclementeranch.com

A Heartfelt Message To My Special Clients and Friends ...

I want to share a little secret with you. I don’t spend my time cold calling or pestering people for business. Instead, I focus 110% of my efforts on giving such outstanding service that people naturally think of me when a friend, neighbor or family member needs a caring and competent REALTOR®.

I would like to take a moment to acknowledge and thank a few of the special people in my life who’ve helped build my business with their enduring support and referrals. I couldn’t do it without you!

Brain Teaser

Regardless of how much or how little you use me, you change me every month. What am I?

Brain Teaser Answer: 

Calendar pages

What's My Home Worth?

If you want to know your home’s current value, I will gladly conduct a Maximum Value Home Audit. Request this “no charge” in-depth home value analysis by calling me at: 480-448-2020.

Have A Laugh

Why did the turkey join a band?

So she could use her drumsticks.

Put Your Garden To Bed

With colder weather, it’s time to prepare your gardens for their winter slumber. Here, some tips to ensure your vegetable and flower gardens are ready for spring.

• Harvest tender vegetables like tomatoes, beans and winter squash before the first frost.
• Compost the gardens in late-fall so the nutrients have time to soak in over winter.
• Mulch flower gardens to prevent weed growth when the ground warms back up.
• Clean your gardens on sunny days to prevent the spread of any disease spores.
• Rake away any leftover plant debris and level out the soil.
• Properly clean and store your garden tools so they’re ready for spring.

Budget Tracking Websites

These websites/apps make keeping an eye on your spending easy.

www.honeydue.com – Manage your cash flow with your significant other.

www.mint.intuit.com – Track your monthly spending by category; monthly insights show you where your money is being spent.

www.pocketguard.com – See how much spending money you have after accounting for your bills, necessities and saving goals.

Can Upgrading To A Heat Pump Save $?

    With the advent of winter many of us are trying to find ways to economically heat our homes. One option is to upgrade your heating system to a heat pump, which uses electricity efficiently instead of burning fuel. 

     The science behind heat pumps is fascinating. Like your refrigerator, heat pumps use electricity to transfer heat from a cool space, like the air, ground, or water outside, to a warm space, like your home.  Heat pumps have an added benefit when temperatures start to rise again, too: they circulate hot air back out of the house in the summertime.  And they’re eco-friendly, providing up to three times more heat than the electricity they use.

     Depending on the size and energy efficiency of your home, and the local climate, homeowners with heat pumps save an average of $500 per year. A federal tax credit of up to 30% on the total cost of buying and installing a heat pump is also available (search IRS.gov for “energy efficient home improvement credit”).

How’s The Market?

If you’ve been wondering how the market is shaping up, here’s a quick snapshot:

• Active Listings: Currently at 21,593 compared to 15,981, this time last year, an increase of 35%.
• Under Contract Listings: 6,393 versus 5,867 last year – up 9%.
• Median Sales Price: $450,000, up 2.5% from $439,000 last year.

In November 2024, we had 21 working days compared to 22 in November 2023. Typically, this would suggest a 4.5% annual decline in closings. Instead, we saw an 11% increase – a strong indicator that demand may be stabilizing.

Demand and Supply Trends

o   Demand: Signs of improvement are emerging. The Cromford® Demand Index climbed to 77 from its September low of 73.1.

o   Supply: Meanwhile, the Cromford® Supply Index rose from 75 to 89, giving buyers more options but increasing competition for sellers.

What Does This Mean for Prices?

Pricing is steady, with the monthly average price per square foot for closed listings holding nearly flat compared to last year. However, with the Cromford® Market Index below 90 and a contract ratio around 30, there’s little upward pricing pressure. In some areas, particularly the outskirts of Greater Phoenix, downward pressure persists.

Luxury Market Highlights

The luxury segment is thriving, buoyed by gains in stock and crypto markets. These high-end sales are influencing price metrics, especially for pending and under-contract listings. Meanwhile, the mainstream market is eagerly awaiting relief in mortgage rates to gain momentum.

In summary, buyers are seeing more choices, sellers are navigating stiffer competition, and pricing remains stable in most areas. As always, the market is nuanced—so if you’re considering buying or selling, let’s discuss how to make the most of these conditions.

(Courtesy of The Cromford Report)

 www.myclementeranch.com

www.myclementeranch.com