Florida couple finds ‘dream home’ in Ariz.
4-car garage and a view were on list of desires “At the end of the day, it’s all just about sitting outside and relaxing.”
Florida residents Cindy and Scott Fisher were no strangers to hurricanes. They took a direct hit from Hurricane Irma in 2017, and when Hurricane Ian made landfall last year, the devastation was enough to spark their homebuying process.
“We both looked at each other and said, ‘Hurricanes aren’t going to stop. They’re not going to go away,’” said Scott. “The question is, will we continue to take hits?”
The couple had often visited Arizona and decided to relocate to the state. When they began searching for a home last fall, the couple made a long list of requirements for where they wanted to live. Cindy wanted access to biking trails and Scott, who is a car fanatic, wanted to be near the racing club that he joined.
They also wanted lots of green space and a home with mountain views. As they explored homes in different areas, the couple particularly liked the Estrella area of Goodyear.
They wanted to stay within the price range of $750,000 to $1 million, but Scott said they have plans to retire in a few years, so they really didn’t want another seven-figure investment. Scott is the president of Smyth Companies, a fourth-generation family business that produces labels for consumer products packaging. Cindy works for the company in sales and project management. They were hoping to find a home with least three bedrooms and 2
They wanted privacy from their neighbors and an entertainer’s backyard with a pool.
Another must-have item was a fourcar garage. Scott started bringing a measuring tape to ensure that their cars would fit in their new home. If the garage was too small, then it was a dealbreaker for the couple.
The Florida couple worked with Dave Zajdzinski, who heads the Dave Z Home Team at eXp Realty, and his staff. Throughout the homebuying process, Zajdzinski worked with the Fishers to analyze local housing markets and develop a purchasing strategy. He said many homebuyers don’t understand how localized the housing market can be. A buyer’s market in one part of the Valley may not be reflected in other communities and examining neighborhood-level data can help guide an offer strategy.
“Buyers need to know what they’re offering and why they are offering it,” said Zajdzinski. “I see that disconnect where somebody will say, ‘I see this house listed for $1 million, and I want to offer $500,000 because it’s a buyer’s market.’”
Scott viewed over 2,000 homes online but was able to eliminate options
LA.
No real hearings, no real input from anybody. Just a so-called continuation budget that really isn’t even a continuation of last year’s budget.
It’s clear the Republicans don’t respect Hobbs as governor. Heck, some of them don’t even believe she is governor.
But they can’t avoid her — not unless they’re willing to shut down the state.
This is a time for serious people, real leaders dialed into the political reality of divided government and skilled in the delicate art of compromise.
Instead, we have the big babies of the Arizona Legislature, taunting Hobbs by sending her a budget that is an insult — one that’ll go nowhere.
Meanwhile, this week’s marathon Senate Elections Committee convened on Monday to hear yet another presentation on the many ways in which our elections are supposedly stolen before passing yet another batch of bills that, like the budget, will go to live in Vetoland.
As performance art, it’s powerful stuff. As a way to run the state, not so much.